We recently connected with Allie Papajohn and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Allie, appreciate you sitting with us today. Maybe we can start with a topic that we care deeply about because it’s something we’ve found really sets folks apart and can make all the difference in whether someone reaches their goals. Self discipline seems to have an outsized impact on how someone’s life plays out and so we’d love to hear about how you developed yours?
I think my self-discipline comes from my parents who helped foster positive traits in us as kids. Along those lines, I know that being responsible and keeping my word has always been important to me. If I commit to something, whether it’s plans or a project deadline, I do everything in my power to keep that commitment. The thought of bailing or canceling totally stresses me out; even “rescheduling” makes me uncomfortable, though it’s often a necessity in this business! Of course, life happens and things change, but I always do my best to honor plans and respect people’s time. Managing a page like @eatdrinkclt requires self-discipline because it’s all on me to keep a calendar, schedule meetings and photoshoots, and answer emails in a timely manner. Without a “boss” or someone to report to, self-discipline is key!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My Instagram account, @eatdrinkclt, was born out of a love for food. I moved to Charlotte, NC, in November 2014 and was quickly inspired to make a social media page for food and drink photos. My cousin had recently done the same in D.C., and I figured I’d rather not clog up my personal Instagram feed with my culinary activities. A few months later, I received a DM invitation to a 1-year anniversary party for a local restaurant. From there, invitations and asks to visit other CLT restaurants followed, and it quickly became a time-consuming hobby (all while also eating at restaurants on my own dime.) A few years in, I learned how to monetize and turn @eatdrinkclt into a “side hustle.”
No matter what, the content on my page is a collection of things I personally recommend. Whether the post was paid for, created after a complimentary visit, or organically crafted, you’ll know that I’m vouching for that business. It means a lot to me to have this platform to support businesses in Charlotte and beyond!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Authenticity 2. Consistency
3. Gratefulness
In my ten years running @eatdrinkclt, I’ve learned a lot of things, but these three qualities stand out. I’ve found it’s important to stay true to yourself. Thousands of others do something the same or similar to me; what makes me stand out? What makes me different? I struggle to answer those questions, but I can rest easy knowing I’m working with businesses and restaurants that I personally vouch for and doing my best to create quality content for them. I’ve also been consistently working on my page since day one. While I don’t post as often as I used to, I still strive to provide useful content to people daily, whether in stories or the feed. I also often think about how lucky I am to have @eatdrinkclt, which has introduced me to the most amazing friends, chefs, owners, and employees and allowed me to experience so many wonderful dishes and drinks. Without this page, none of those relationships would have come about.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
I tend to feel overwhelmed when I’ve “overbooked” my calendar. As much as I try to prioritize time at home, I’ll sometimes put things on my calendar for 5 nights in a row. When those weeks come around, I usually start to feel overwhelmed. On those occasions, I try to look at the week as a whole and see what I can knock out early to make plans feel less daunting. And I’ll do better in the following weeks to give more time to myself (couch time is very important to me!) Exercising most weekday mornings is my favorite way to stay grounded and “whelmed.” Knowing I can knock that out before 8 a.m. usually helps me get through any week!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.eatdrinkclt.com
- Instagram: eatdrinkclt
- Facebook: eatdrinkclt
- Linkedin: Allie Papajohn
- Twitter: eatdrinkclt
- Other: Threads: eatdrinkclt
Image Credits
image of me in green shirt: Peter Taylor both images of me taking photos of the cookie cake: Tonya Russ Price all other photos: Allie Papajohn
