Today we’d like to introduce you to Carina Wolff.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a writer, blogger, and recipe developer, and all these components of my business stem from my love for writing and educating others on the topic of health. I have always loved writing since I was really young, and I spent a lot of my childhood reading, writing short stories and poetry, and contributing to school newspapers. When I was younger, though, I was not into health food like I am now. I actually was raised in a super healthy household — my mom and grandma were really into nutrition and didn’t let us keep any unhealthy foods in the house. I hated this, and when I was old enough to choose my own meals I rebelled and ate candy all the time.
I ended up going to NYU for journalism and psychology, and it was there that I began to become interested in nutrition. I hated the dorm food, and after a brief phase of eating whatever I wanted, I began to gravitate back towards wanting more nutritious foods. I started to research which foods were healthy and why, and it really clicked for me that the whole reason I was unmotivated when it came to eating well was that I never understood the reasoning behind it. Once I started to do my own research, I became inspired. I began looking up the nutritional profile of foods and cooking my own meals at home.
During my senior year, it became more clear to me that I wanted to write about health and nutrition once I graduated. Up until that point, I hadn’t had any clips that showcased my passion for health, so I started my blog, Kale Me Maybe, as a sort-of portfolio of my work. I would post the healthy recipes I was making along with some fun nutritional facts that I thought people needed to know about. at the same time, I was participating in my journalism senior thesis, which involved spending a year researching and reporting on one topic. I decided to combine my love for journalism, food, and mental health (psychology was my second major) by writing a piece on Food & Mood: Using nutritional therapy to treat mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. After spending time doing this and getting positive feedback from my peers on my blog, my decision to write about nutrition was solidified.
I ended up graduating and moving back to LA, and right after college, I began working at a health and beauty PR firm. I kept my blog going on the side, and it was then that I created my Instagram. Once I began posting content on Instagram and engaging with other bloggers in the field, it was then that my blog gained some more traction. About a year later, I started freelancing for Bustle, writing about health and wellness. Eventually, after two years of working full time, blogging, and doing freelancing gigs on the side, I was approached by a book publisher to author a spiralizer cookbook, and I left my full-time PR job to do writing and blogging full time. I took on more writing jobs, starting posting more on Instagram, and eventually wrote another cookbook as well.
Now I write for a variety of different websites including Bustle, Reader’s Digest, FabFitFun, Aaptiv, and more. I also work with a number of brands on recipe development and sponsored content for Instagram and my blog.
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?
No road to your career dreams is ever smooth. But I feel very fortunate that I have been able to reach my dream job so early in life, and I am always amazed by that! That being said, it was a lot of hard work, and there was plenty of stress along the way. The hardest time for me was when I was working a full-time 9-to-5 job while blogging and writing. I had 2 freelance jobs where I was writing about 7 articles a week on top of going to my PR job (which often included events that fell outside the typical 9-to-5) while also creating recipes and posting on my blog daily.
This meant I was spending mornings cooking before work, blogging on my lunch hour, writing after work, and writing most weekends. During this time, I didn’t get to socialize with people as much as I wanted, and it drove me crazy. It felt like I was working all the time, but I knew it was a step I had to take to eventually do the freelance full time.
When I got the book deal, I also panicked. I guess I had sort of an imposter syndrome-type episode. I almost turned it down because I was afraid I wasn’t ready. Instead of being excited, I was very panicked. Luckily, I had support from my dad who talked me out of my fears, and I’m so glad I went for it. Writing the book was also grueling and exhausting and involved me dedicating my heart and soul to this one project all day and all night for months. Again, very hard, but also rewarding.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Kale Me Maybe – what should we know?
My “business” is really just me doing multiple types of content creation in the health and wellness space. I would say it consists of 3 parts. The first is me as a food blogger, which is what most people know me as. I create healthy, clean-eating recipes and post them on my Instagram and blog.
The second part of my business, which is what I would argue the main part, is that I am a writer/journalist. I write tons of articles, all related to health. This includes everything from food and nutrition to mental health to fitness and even love and relationships. I spend time interviewing experts, researching, and reporting on topics that people find most relevant. I think this is what sets me apart when it comes to the blogging.
Most bloggers aren’t journalists, so I find that I tie a lot of my work into my blogging. Since I read studies all day long and spend time interviewing experts in the field, I am completely immersed in this field of work, and the health aspect just as important to me as making a pretty piece of toast. I have always been a writer first and foremost, and this is something I see myself doing forever. I love it.
The third part is a combination of the two first parts (recipe development and writing). I am a cookbook author and recipe developer. I have written two cookbooks (The Spiralizer Recipe Book and Plant Protein Recipes That You’ll Love), and I often work with different brands and health food companies to develop recipes using their products.
Each of these parts of my career are separate, but they are also intertwined. This makes for an interesting work life.
What role has luck (good luck or bad luck) played in your life and business?
I feel that I am lucky because I have always been self-driven. I was always a hard-working and determined student since I was in elementary school, and I have always felt motivated to succeed, learn, and grow. I don’t know if I can attribute this quality to anything I have done particularly, as I have always been this way and it’s likely something I was born with, but I think it’s important to be motivated by your own desire to accomplish something and not necessarily for money, prestige, or success.
That was never my goal. I love being busy and creating something out of nothing. I love knowing that my voice is heard and actually affecting others. The rest follows along with that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kalememaybe.com
- Instagram: kalememaybe
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kalememaybe/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wolffcar
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