Conversations with the Inspiring Heidi Brown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Heidi Brown.

Passion, wit, a zest for knowledge and fervent love for the hospitality industry are just some of the attributes that Heidi Brown pours into her work day-to-day. With over a decade of experience working with some of the best restaurants in the country, Heidi continues to foster her strong relationships within the industry to champion her clients and ensure that their message is heard.

After graduating from culinary school, Heidi worked in kitchens in Italy and Napa Valley before realizing her calling was not on the line but rather in the office. She began to create a niche for herself, assisting managers and chefs with logistics at Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, Quince Restaurant, The Mermaid Inn and Momofuku. It was at Momofuku that she learned the importance of a keen brand identity and how it can impact a company’s growth. Back in California, she helped open El Paseo with The Florence Group and spent nearly four years at the Michelin three-starred The Restaurant at Meadowood, developing a position as culinary liaison and eventually moving up to Restaurant Communications. During her tenure, Heidi created distinct content and messaging; garnering national coverage for an immensely successful and celebrated restaurant-providing invaluable experience and knowledge which she now brings to her clients.

Heidi is thrilled to work alongside her husband, Michael Gilkison, on any projects with clients that require photography and videography. A filmmaker, writer, and comedian, Michael was recently an instructor of technology at Santa Clara University and is an accomplished photographer.

Heidi also enjoys freelance food and travel writing has contributed publications such as to Lucky Peach, Edible Silicon Valley, and Journy. An East Bay Area native, she divides her work between the SF Bay Area and her new home in Los Angeles. She is currently obsessed with her most ambitious and exciting project to date, her one-year-old son Ambrose.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Never smooth, honey!

My advice for young female professionals is — really listen to your words/actions and make sure you’re accepting responsibility when you should, but not apologizing when you shouldn’t. “Sorry’s” can often be replaced with “thank yous” and still be gracious without giving away your power or respect. “Thank you for your patience” instead of “Sorry I was late,” for example. And remove “Just” from your vocab! As in “just wondering” or “just checking in” — again this implies you aren’t worthy of communicating your needs! Say “I’m checking in!” Be firm!

Another struggle I’ve experienced as an independent contractor is a weird sounding thing called “Scope Creep.” When clients demand you take on more tasks than what was originally discussed in your proposal or contract. Be very clear and detailed in the beginning about what services you can provide for the proposed rate, and if they try to tack on more — be clear that it’s outside the scope and renegotiate a new fee!

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a one-woman, “all hands on deck,” one-stop shop to harness a brand’s messaging and amplify that message to their target audience. This includes the following services:

~ Social Media Management ~
~ Content Creation ~
~ Video Production ~
~ Event Strategy ~
~ Brand Ideation and Development ~
~ Collaborative Partnerships ~
~ Project Management ~
~ Creative Guidance ~
~ Message Articulation ~

My background and experience are predominate with restaurants/food/hospitality. I think what sets me apart is that I use traditional PR and social media in concert to curate a very hands-on, personable, grassroots approach to marketing for my clients. I have very strong, personal relationships with influencers and journalists and we collaborate on a mutually beneficial level.

Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
My mother. She probably could have been a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, but life and family gave her roadblocks — roadblocks that she overcame above and beyond! As a single mom with four kids, she went into early childcare to get her Pre-school Directorship so she could run a pre-school to be with us and provide for us.

Later on, she became an accomplished Interior Designer with an Architectural Firm and is now a successful Real Estate Agent and battling Stage 4 cancer with alternative methods like a Whole Foods Plant Based diet. Her drive and passion lead her to think outside the box and she never saw us as a hindrance — we made her work harder and smarter — which has inspired my work since I’ve had my son. I know how to work and think better and faster because of motherhood and I learned that from her!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.heidieatsalot.com/
• Phone: 4152988244
• Email: heidieats@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/heidieatsalot
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidi.brown.14
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/heidieatsalot
• Other: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/heidi-brown/16/b46/35b/en

Image Credit:
just courtesy of @heidieatsalot

Getting in touch: VoyageLA 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.