Life and Work with Lisette Avila

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisette Avila.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My current Instagram food account (@topchicagoeats) used to actually be my personal account where I would just post random pictures, but would occasionally post a photo of food. The more I posted photos of food, the more I realized that was the type of content getting the most engagement. People I didn’t know including other food bloggers would comment on my food photos. This was also the time when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do after graduating from college and I already had a couple internships managing social media for businesses. This led me to decide to focus my account specifically on food.

I continued to focus on my Instagram and was approached by Soo Park (@fabsoopark) who had been commenting on my photos for some time and then asked if I was interested in interning with her. What started as an internship turned into an actual job, which wasn’t something I could have predicted.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Working in social media directly with another food blogger versus a larger company has its difficulties. It’s hard because work comes in waves.

It’s important to do what you love and what you’re passionate about. I couldn’t count how many times I’ve been told this isn’t an actual job and was a waste of my degree. To me, it always felt like a hobby so I just kept at it and eventually, it paid off.

It’s necessary to be confident in the direction you’re going. You have to stay focused and not let other people’s opinions get in the way of what you want to do.

Please tell us about your business.
In addition to running my own account, I work for @fabfoodchicago as Community Manager. Working for Fab Food Chicago has allowed me many opportunities to further develop my social media skills. It has also provided me with an opportunity to work directly with restaurants and small, local businesses.

Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
I think it’s extremely important to network especially when you work in social media and with restaurants. I have been lucky to have been introduced to many people in the industry through working for Fab Food Chicago.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.fabfoodchicago.com
• Email: lisette@fabfoodchicago.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/topchicagoeats/

Image Credit:
Soo Park

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