“ the one piece of advice I would give to entrepreneurs is to read and do your research before you start anything . Use your talents to get you there , but hire experts and other team members to help you grow .”
seamless combination , and hopes to broaden her reach to more than just the local Atlanta scene . So far , it looks like she ’ s been pretty successful : From working with the Ford Motor Company and Essence , to multiple appearances on morning shows like “ Good Morning Macon ,” Erica is building an impressive brand . “ I love all of the partnerships that I ’ ve done so far ; it ’ s impossible to pick a favorite !” she says . “ Moving forward , I want to do more live events , speaking opportunities , media appearances and brand ambassadorships , because I would love to expand my brand and reach more audiences .”
She has several large projects coming up , including teaming up with a few prominent lifestyle bloggers to host a food and fashion soiree ( be on the lookout for tickets to that event !), and a southern food tour where she ’ ll travel across the South to understand the food scene on a regional scale . “ It ’ s amazing to see how far I ’ ve come in the past three years ,” Erica says , “ and I look forward to see what the next 30 years hold !”
Erica also has a full-time gig with YP that she absolutely loves . She says time management is the most important part of making work , side hustle and personal priorities balance out . “ When I ’ m at YP , I only focus on work at YP . And , when I ’ m at home , I am focused on my business ,” she says . “ I have a 9-5 , and a 5-9 , and I ’ m okay with that .”
Somehow , Erica still finds time between work to be with her family and make new friends with groups like Atlanta Social Club . “ I joined ASC to meet new people , to welcome new Atlantans to the community and expand my network through social gathering and fellowship ,” she says .
After nearly three years of food blogging ( built on recommendations from friends , her own research , and locations reaching out to her ), don ’ t worry , Erica does have a few local favorites to share : Dolce , Hampton and Hudson , Rathbun ’ s and Amalfi Pizza , “ because their service is stupendous , the owners and chefs have a true passion for culinary excellence and the menus are fantastic .”
So if you ’ re in the Atlanta area , keep an eye out for Erica Key . If you see her , have a seat and enjoy a meal while “ Eating with Erica !”
“ the one piece of advice I would give to entrepreneurs is to read and do your research before you start anything . Use your talents to get you there , but hire experts and other team members to help you grow .”
For anyone thinking of starting a blog , Erica has some tips
• Be consistent when it comes to creating content for your blog .
• Don ’ t plagiarize ; copying other people is a no-no !
• Do what works for you , and not what you feel pressured to do .
• Invest in great photography ; photos are everything and can really impact your brand , positively or negatively .
• Believe in yourself and that you can create something that ’ s bigger than you .
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