Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Engoy.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Honestly, it all started with just wanting to share the food I grew up eating and loving. When I created my Instagram account in Fall of 2019 I didn’t have a big plan, I was just cooking, filming on my phone, and posting recipes that felt meaningful to me.
After about a year, and with all the uncertainty that came with COVID at the time, I realized I wanted to start monetizing my content so I could keep creating the recipe content I loved while also having a way to support myself on the side. I slowly started working with brands, and over time, I eventually took the leap and went all in as a full-time content creator.
Now, it’s grown into something so much bigger than I imagined, and I feel really grateful to be able to do this, to be able to share my culture, play with different flavors, work with brands I really align with and connect with a community that’s just as obsessed with good food as I am.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but honestly, a lot of the best things in life come with at least a few challenges. There were so many moments early on where I doubted myself or wasn’t sure if this could actually turn into something sustainable.
Going from a stable job to freelance was definitely a hustle. I’ve had to wear so many hats and spent plenty of late nights and weekends juggling brand projects while still trying to keep up with day-to-day business tasks. I had to learn how to pitch myself, negotiate, deal with creative blocks, and somehow stay consistent. It’s really been a lot, and honestly most days it still is.
But I’ve learned so much through it all. Every challenge has pushed me to grow and become more confident, not just as a creator, but as a business owner too.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a food and beverage content creator and recipe developer. On the freelance side, I work with a wide variety of brands in creating recipe/lifestyle content for their social channels, and I’ve had the opportunity to partner with some really amazing brands such as Sur La Table, La Marca, and Ziploc.
On the personal side, I share recipe content on my own channels, with a focus on Salvadoran and Guatemalan dishes that are rooted in the food I grew up eating. I also have Mexican family, and being born and raised in Southern California where incredible Mexican food is everywhere, I love to share a lot of Mexican dishes as well.
I love creating recipes that feel nostalgic, but I also love putting playful twists on the classics, like my Magic Shell Arroz Con Leche, so I think I’m known for that balance between comforting food and creativity, recipes that are visually beautiful but still approachable.
What sets me apart is that I’m not just sharing food, I’m sharing my stories, my culture, and pieces of my background. It’s personal, and I think people can feel that in the work I put out.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
For me, success is all about feeling aligned and fulfilled with the work I do. It’s about staying connected to why I started in the first place.
As someone who moved out on my own at 18, by my mid 20s I realized that although I loved cooking and cooked often just to get by, I didn’t actually know how to make a lot of the recipes I grew up loving. And that’s when I realized that I wanted to learn how to make those cherished dishes and help others reconnect with them too.
Creating content that feels true to me, sharing recipes that I love and carry meaning, and building a community around that has been so special. And being able to do all of that while growing a sustainable business, that, to me, has been the ultimate success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thisisavocado.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisavocado_/reels/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Thisisavocado_-100064055384290/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thisisavocado_/shorts
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisisavocado_
