If you were at the 2018 International Food Bloggers Conference, you may remember the five-minute, high-energy Lightning Talk delivered by food blogger The Food Hussy (Heather Johnson). Her blend of wit and practical advice left the audience wanting more, so I followed up with an interview to capture her best tips for bloggers and brands.
Heather began food blogging in 2008 and brings more than 20 years of marketing agency experience to her work. For the past decade she has balanced a day job in marketing with nights and weekends spent blogging about food, travel, recipes and local restaurants. That dual perspective—brand-side and blogger-side—led her to manage influencers professionally. Today she works full-time with influencers while continuing her own food-influencer work in the evenings.
The Food Hussy’s insights are practical and candid, and the way she delivers them is refreshingly direct. Her IFBC lightning talk distilled what brands and agencies need most when working with food bloggers, and how bloggers can present themselves professionally.
Q: First things first, what’s a Food Hussy?
A: Besides being my persona, “hussy” here is affectionate. I call friends that as a sign of fondness. To me, a “hussy” is someone honest, outspoken and straightforward—qualities I embrace on the blog. There’s only one Food Hussy, but if you’re candid and bold, you might be a sister hussy.
Q: How and why did you start as a food and travel blogger?
A: I started because I love food and enjoy sharing opinions. I began with restaurant reviews in Cincinnati and expanded to recipes, travel and DIY projects. Over time I started doing product reviews and even appear on local TV news segments. My blog evolved from local restaurant coverage to a broader mix of recipes, travel features and sponsored content.
Q: What’s next for The Food Hussy after ten years?
A: I’d love opportunities on larger food platforms—“Food Network someday” is a dream—but for now I’m growing my recipe library, continuing reviews and road-trip stories, and speaking more often at industry events.
Q: Your IFBC lightning talk gave quick, actionable advice for working with brands. Can you expand on that?
A: Absolutely. When brands or agencies try to find and evaluate bloggers, small website details matter a lot. Two quick things that make my job easier: 1) List an email address plainly on your site rather than hiding it behind a form; you can obfuscate it to limit spam (for example: foodhussy at gmail dot com), but make it easy to contact you. 2) Set social links to open in a new tab so visitors don’t leave your blog when they click through to Facebook or Instagram—this keeps engagement and speeds up research.
Q: From your agency perspective, what common mistakes should bloggers avoid?
A: Respect deadlines and details. Brands and agencies operate on schedules and precise deliverables; take those requirements seriously. Also be honest about fit: if a campaign isn’t right for you, say so and recommend someone who is. I recently passed on a gluten-free brand because it wasn’t my niche, and I referred friends who were a better match.
Q: And from your blogger perspective, what practical tips help you succeed?
A: There are several essentials I recommend:
- Know your rates. Have clear prices so you don’t have to pause and ask others what to charge. State your rate confidently; clients can negotiate if needed.
- Don’t be afraid to say no. You don’t have to accept every offer—especially unpaid work. If a brand asks for content in exchange for a product you don’t value, decline politely.
- Offer options. Present tiered packages: recipe creation, original content, videos, social promotion, etc. Giving choices helps match different budgets and often increases overall revenue.
- Outsource what you dislike. If you dread tasks like Pinterest pin design or scheduling, hire an affordable VA. Outsourcing frees your time to focus on content and business development.
Q: Can you explain “options equal more money” in more detail?
A: Different bloggers have different skills and markets. Think beyond basic sponsored posts. I earn extra through sponsored TV appearances and speaking engagements; others might monetize by writing cookbooks, offering professional photography, or organizing local events. Identify adjacent services you can sell to diversify income.
Q: What’s one common mindset mistake bloggers make?
A: Some bloggers hoard strategies or contacts out of fear of competition. I take the opposite view: share what works. I call it the Sisterhood of the Traveling Spatulas—help fellow bloggers by sharing contacts and opportunities. If you refer someone to a brand who ends up being a great fit, that goodwill usually comes back around.
Q: Where can we find and follow The Food Hussy?
A:
Blog: www.thefoodhussy.com
Facebook: facebook.com/thefoodhussy
Twitter: twitter.com/foodhussy
Pinterest: pinterest.com/foodhussy
Instagram: instagram.com/foodhussy
If you’d like to contact her directly: [email protected].
