Today we’d like to introduce you to Brett Firdman.
Brett, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I launched Her Tasty Life a little over 3 years ago as a fun way to collect my musings and (at that time) recipes and restaurant resources for Chicago, other cities I love, and my travels abroad.
My main focus with the blog initially was strictly on food. I was curating and developing recipes to share – which I still do, just less frequently these days – writing up restaurant and “best of” guides, and documenting my travel eats. It wasn’t until a year into blogging that I started to get requests from my readers for more. And by more, I mean more of everything… they would ask about the top I had on in my photos, or the nail color they could see in the taco I was holding… where to source the couch they were seeing in the corner of another image, etc. It became very clear, very quickly, that my followers were craving more than just food.
As much I loved documenting my culinary journey, it was a welcomed change of pace to open up the curtain on more facets of my life. With so much passion for style, home décor, travel and lifestyle, it was a natural extension of the rapidly growing brand I was developing. So, at almost the exact milestone of year two, I expanded my coverage to a full lifestyle platform and the response was overwhelming. Not only have I connected with so many more readers on a much more personal level, but it has opened amazing doors and growth opportunity for Her Tasty Life.
Now, as a mom to 10-month old Blake, I’ve also begun documenting a lot of my story as a mother and a parent and how it all fits into being a blogger and social media influencer. There are so many moms out there that have reached out and I’ve found an amazing community of support in them. The power of social media can be really amazing that way.
I think people are truly interested in the balance of it all (which is never easy!) and how a lot of the behind the scenes partnerships and collaborations come together. I always try to share as many tips as I can and bring a wealth of knowledge about the social media construct to my readers. I always make myself available to answer their questions and have an ongoing dialogue with them. I think that’s what people find most unique about following me, and I really appreciate that.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A smooth road it certainly has not been! Although 3 years likely doesn’t seem that long, those 3 years have sustained a tremendous growth in the social media industry. The brands were unsure of how to work with the influencers, we were unsure how to entice and solicit brands… it was all a big, vast unknown.
Back when I was just getting started, there was no roadmap, the resources were few and far between and you really had to hustle and hustle hard to self-start and make your mark. Reaching out to brands to collaborate was a complete unknown and the negotiating process could feel uncharted and unsteady at times. I think having a strong background in business helped me tremendously in how to succeed. I think brands loved working with me because I help set the tempo, guide expectations, provided metrics and ran everything like a business. It felt professional, well thought out, and gave them the confidence that this was a viable and potentially reliable marketing channel for them.
For any girls just starting out, I always tell them to set everything up like a small business. Be prepared with the asks in our industry: have a media kit a rate card, an outline of some previous successful partnerships you’ve worked on, have your metrics at hand, and show off some of your fun, creative work by putting together a proposal for how their brand might be best highlighted on your channels. By putting something in front of them first, you’re giving them something to say yes to!
Please tell us about Her Tasty Life.
Although I cover a full gamut of lifestyle topics (fashion, travel, food, decor, parenting) I think I’m most known for my style these days. I love to promote a steady diet of fashion on Her Tasty Life with my signature “high to low fashion” looks — I love to mix high-end pieces with super affordable basics to create what ultimately ends up looking like a really well put together, high-end look. I share my must-have staple investment pieces (like an amazing handbag or a great pair of heels) and pair them with easy, chic basics that never break the bank. I think my readers really appreciate the relatable tips that help them to navigate their own closets and repurpose some of their amazing investment pieces as well.
Because of this fun fashion angle, it has allowed me to partner with some of my dream style brands that I never even imagined I’d have the opportunity to work with. I’ve partnered with Neiman Marcus, Free People, Marc Fisher, Macy’s, Bobbi Brown cosmetics, Urban Decay, Christian Louboutin, DIFF Eyewear and more. It has really been a pinch-me a moment to see some of these partnerships come to life.
Who have you been inspired by?
In the blogging world, I’m most inspired by Marianna Hewitt. I find her to be the ultimate ‘influencer goals’ in what I strive for — I love how true she always stays to her brand, how consistent she is with her content and providing value to her readers, while always continuing to grow in a way that feels organic and natural to who she is. She launched her own brand of skincare this year and brought to the market something that was high quality, all natural, and clearly took a lot of time and thought to curate. She didn’t just slap her name on something and send it out there to make a buck. Her brand is a completed reflection of the smart, classy businesswoman that she is and I really admire that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hertastylife.com
- Email: brett@hertastylife.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hertastylife/
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
