A Lot On Your Plate - S2 Ep12: The truth about being an "influencer" with JustJessFood

Episode Date: April 25, 2023

This week on ALOYP Zoe grills Jess with all your questions about being an ‘influencer’ and some serious tea gets spilled…we’re talking money, best & worst brand deals and much more! Enjoy 😋- - - - - - - - - -Follow us on IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠@alotonyourplatepod⁠⁠⁠⁠Your HostsJess (⁠⁠⁠⁠@JustJessFood⁠⁠⁠⁠)Zoe (⁠⁠⁠⁠@ZoeQuinnnn⁠⁠⁠⁠)Produced ByCobalt Media (@cobaltmediauk)For Business Enquiries - [e-mail] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back. Happy Tuesday. Our little friends. Our little podpigs. That's became my name and I don't know why it has, but it's, I love it. I like it a lot. Podpiggies, poddy pigs. But you love the pigs too?

I know, but I just feel like it's the PeeP, it's the alliteration. Is that what you call that? And I also like people now texting us, messaging us saying a lot on your plate, but A-L-O-Y-P. Yep. It's cute, isn't it? I actually noticed we put that in the description for the last one and we shortened it, so now I feel that's what we'll do moving forward. Yeah. Like, we're kind of like...

Fancy. What's the word? I don't know. Anyway, we'll start by talking about our swallow this week. It was a last-minute purchase. This is just a little something I picked up at the shop, but... The sun was Shannon and it's a raspberry beer Love that for you

from a company called Six Degree North Oh I've heard of this I've never heard of it It's born in Belgium Brood in Scotland Love that Right here we're looking at local

We need a drink for this episode It's going to be juicy Jesus it just splashed all over me Hmm Interesting that's quite nice actually oh very beer-like it's great beer weather as well

today is a great day that's actually I don't even I don't know if I can't even taste an aspirate can you yeah I can so it's sweet to the taste at the very end gorgeous gorgeous well on this lovely day

the topic is the big bad world of influencing life of an influence And I know some you might be thinking that it's me that we're talking about. Because obviously, as you all know, I'm an influencer now. But it's actually not, sadly. It's Jessica Ted's, just Jess food. I've got a blazer on for the occasion.

And actually so da, very professional. Thanks for joining me in my podcast, Jess. How should be here? I've been a bit nervous, you know. I have. I'm like, fuck, I'm getting grilled. You feel nervous. your own podcast that's a shame. You know what it is? I just really want this to come across

as well as I intend it to. I feel like you've got a job here to like change perspective not to put the pressure on but I feel like it's a good opportunity it's a good chance. Anyway, stop talking shame. I just feel like this podcast we really want to make it interesting because we've mentioned before that Zoe also works on the other side of influencing so we feel like we can give it from both perspectives and I can just be honest with a few things we can talk about how it all works how i got into it which is really interesting um how i make money um the longevity of it just loads of things lots of questions you had so many questions come in and lots of them were pretty the same but you were just wet in all the fucking gossip they want

to know the juicy details yeah but noisy little betches i feel like we need to talk about all the nitty gritty as well because it is quite interesting it's the new wave of marketing shall we say and people are growing up saying i want to be an influencer yeah and that's definitely something that i did not do no and i do actually think it's quite concerning because i don't think these young kids are saying it for the right reasons yeah but anyway so i'm going to be doing the questioning the grilling shall we say but i'll you know pipe in where necessary yeah please do so anyway

first things first can you tell us a bit about your background what your career path has been what led you to this because there's connections here so we want to know where the connections lie I think it's important that we sort of start with this base so we can kind of understand why it was such a gamble

to do what I do. Absolutely, go for it. You're up. So right, where shall we start? Should we start from the very beginning and keep it brief to start? We'll start from the beginning of work life then. So I'm from Leicester grew up with my mum

single parent household and my mother was a chef by trade and she owned a sandwich shop called Polly's Pantry. It was on a very popular road in Nestle called the Narba Road for about six years

but she think she started it when I was 13 every single Saturday she'd give me 20 quid I was bawling and I think that is where like my confidence started for sure because I wasn't shy kid at all I've actually always been quite ambitious and just a nutter and all my friends will tell you I've always been like that um but I always said to my mum that my name would be in lights one day I wanted to be a vet I wanted to be a movie star I wanted to be everything but I didn't know I did not want to

work in a cobb shop cobb shop is what we call it by the way right a lesser slam coming out and I think pulling me out of bed every morning and she was like, you are a little rat and we argued like cat and dog but anyway, I worked there every Saturday and she used to make me

go out the front to serve all the people and the Narbour Road unless anyone listening that knows, it ain't cute. It can be a little bit rough sometimes.

And all the builders would come in and all the like chavvy boys which I used to love. Still do. Obviously. And they used to come in and I used to be like,

shitting myself. Our mom would be like, get out there now and go and fucking serve them. She wouldn't swear at me. that but sometimes she did and I would be like oh but I think then just it got to the point where years later I ended up they ended up being quite nervous around me because I was just had all the banter I knew how to deal with men from a very young age and I just think

it was um that definitely helped me be confident it also got me around food a lot I used to make all the sandwiches um and yeah I learned a lot with my mom actually from that time but my path that I wanted to go on was fashion and And I knew I always wanted to work at next head office is in Leicester. And we used to drive by every morning to the Cobb Shop. And I used to always say to my mom, my mom listened to this, she'll piss herself. But I used to say to her, I'll work there one day. I knew I would work there.

And she was like, I know you will. And I didn't end up working there, but I kind of did. But we can go on to that a little bit later. And I ended up wanting to work in retail to start my path. So again, at college at this point, I never wanted to go to uni. It just wasn't for me. And then I was 15 and I applied for River Island. So I worked there for a couple years.

Then went on to Guess, you know, like guest jeans. I worked at Guess for a further two years, full time in the summer. But then went on to Fashion College. So I studied fashion design and marketing at Leicester College. Did a stint in Magaluff, had a toxic relationship and just fucked off and stayed out there for three months. Great time. I love that. And then came back, and I ended up working for David Lloyd.

But I also, in between this, I always had minimum two jobs at every single point of my life. I worked in loads of bars in Leicester, and I also did hostessing bar work in between. And then my dad then made me get a job in the food and beverage part of David Lloyd. It was like the bigger David Lloyd, so it was quite fancy, actually. I worked there for a few years and then got promoted to front of house, so a board line.

receptionist it was it was good but then one day um i got approved for the fashion retail academy in london so it was philip green academy thank god i didn't end up going there but it got deferred for a year so within that year i decided to work full time at david and then my mom messaged me one day like oh there's a job in the paper and it is for a fashion admin and it's a for a company that's supply to next head office and i was like what do you mean supply i didn't understand how fashion worked yeah to be honest um she's like you know what just go for the interview so i ended up going for the interview uh no i ended up mom said to me this is what this is why my mom is hand on heart the best for this she was like don't email your CV you go and hand it in person and i was like no

i dare do that that is such a mom thank you see answer yeah she's like i don't dare do that and she was like it's literally five minutes up the road and this beautiful it was called desford hall it was beautiful she went you go and hand that CV in now so i did um she dropped me off Low. Good drive at the time, I don't think. Maybe I could, I can't remember. No, I must have done. I must have just passed.

And a girl, this is why my party life did me wonders. A girl that I used to have the occasional Siggie Sig in the nightclub that I used to work in was standing at the door called Charlotte, bless her heart. And she was like, yes, I was like, Charlotte. She was like, are you applying for this job? I was like, yeah, she was like, I'm nervous. So anyway, I handed my CV in and

got an interview and I was up against three of the people who all had degrees I thought I ain't got a chance here and I had to do a SWAT analysis did you study fashion? Yeah. So I had to do like a SWAT analysis

on next men's wear trousers. Strengths, weaknesses. You know what I couldn't even tell you what that means now. And you're younger than me, you should know this. Achievements? Let's say it's that. So I did this SWAT analysis

on these men's trousers. So I just basically had to compare like other comparative like shopping and stuff and fabrics and all that. And yeah, I got the job. Welcome, actually. Thank you.

And she said to me, it was between you and all these people's degrees and I thought that just goes to show you if anyone listens to this podcast might be quite young. You do not need a degree to get far in life at all. Especially not in that kind of industry.

No, but usually you do though. It was quite heard of actually. And she made that quite clear that, you know, I was, not that I was lucky, but I worked from the very bottom. My very first day in the office, I was pulling staples out of loads of files. I think I did that for the full week. It wasn't until Charlotte ended up leaving for next head office that my boss came into me one day and she went, oh, right, pack your bag because you're going to Bangladesh.

I think I was 23 at the time. I was like, what? She also gave me a project as well to start my own swimwear line. So she said, they started doing men's trousers. That's what they specialised in. But she was like, you need to, we want to start doing swimwear. So you need to go and source all the factories, source all the fabrics yourself. Obviously, I had no idea how to do any of this.

And we had a fabric tech in house, garment tech, everything. So I had a really small good team. And yeah, I ended up getting my first 2,000 unit order with Next within that the first six months. And I still remember what the swim shot looked like. It was featured in like men's GQ. It was so sick. And I was like, oh my God. This is amazing.

And hand on heart now, even I think of all these jobs that I've had past this, that was definitely my favorite job ever. Cut a long story short, ended up traveling all over the world with her, with Kate. L.A., Bangladesh, Vietnam, China. Is Bangladesh a place she went a lot? Yeah, I was there a lot.

I used to spend like three, four, maybe 10 days at a time, but then I'd come home for like three, four weeks and then go back. um quite a lot and then i ended up going on my own i think i was probably if you asked any like next if i worked for next i remember i worked for a supplier next would have never ever have sent anybody on their own to a third world country without some someone with them yeah um so i think that also helped me with my confidence i was pushed straight into the deep end i was on the factory floor people

used to love i used to love it and i loved them so much um i think i told you this but saif who used to look after me out there sadly passed away So he was, like, the person that looked after me out there. Anyway, ended up then moving to London, doing the same job. She was like, right, everyone, I'm shutting up shop. I'm moving to London. And I was like, wait, I want to move. And she was like, so everyone lost their job.

And I was like, well, I'm coming with you. So I was like her right-hand woman for years. Moved to London. It's still the same company, but we changed names. Ended up getting much bigger people like ASOS, Tesco, Primark. He used to go over to Dublin, pennies a lot. ASOS office was, it was a Marlaba in the office. So ASOS was around the corner.

Burton's at the time was bang opposite. Got had a great relationship with all the buyers. I used to present to them all. So, yeah, I had a very good job. Met a boy, fell in love, and then moved to Scotland. Oh, said boys richard. Said boys richard, yeah. I was getting a negative connotation.

No, you said met a boy last aren't there? But as you can probably tell, like, career was everything to me. I lived the life in London. I met some of my best friends there and I didn't really want to move for anybody. But with his job in football at the time, there was no discussion of who could, like he couldn't move anywhere for me.

It had to be the way around. So I sacrificed, I felt like quite a big thing for him. I moved to Scotland, but anyway, what I said to him was I ain't moving until I've got a job. Well, that's what I was going to say. He didn't move and then just set about. No, no, no, no. I was not leaving London until I found a job.

And then, luckily for you guys, you have a bank holiday here that England don't have. No, sorry, no, all the way around. England have a bank holiday that you don't have. So I came up to see Richard that weekend, but the office was working what I applied for, and I was off. And it was quiz where we met.

Good old days. Good old days, yeah. And I got offered a very good job, actually, in the international department doing the wholesale so managing all sorts of Amazon was my main account and then Macy's Lord and Taylor big account

and I used to nowhere near travel as much so I missed that so much but I travelled a lot to New York which you know which is where our friendship blossomed so yeah that's kind of like where I was at and then I think we discussed this a little bit in last week's podcast but I am quite ambitious and I stopped learning

and I was brain numb sat at my desk with in my thumbs like I couldn't fucking bear it a second longer and you moved at this point to where you are now and I said is there any jobs going

it's actually Leslie that helped me as well and she was like yeah there is a position here potentially in the sales department would you move over and I was like I'd love to have the opportunity for an interview and it was in beauty which I loved

and also a fucking buzzed off Isle of Paradise didn't I? I was a mad fan of the tan anyway so I'd love to work for them and then yeah I ended up getting again a really good job in the sales department looking after the distributors in Europe and Australia my first day in the office the owner of the company came over and said what are you doing the Saturday

and I was like nothing well my friend was coming up to see him I was like nothing and he was like do you want to go Australia for two and a half weeks I was like what the fuck like it was a place I dreamt of going forever and yeah and then I went and then though then I went to Amsterdam a week after so I had that four weeks in the office and then big bad COVID came along and fucked my life up.

All of our lives up. And then... I know it was annoying timing really, wasn't it? Not now. Not now, no. So yeah, that was basically my story and then... At what point in that situation? COVID hit.

Then you came out of COVID, not working then anymore. So what happened? What made you decide to leave? What made you decide to go full-time? Influencer. Yeah. so I think I worked there for just over a year so I think it was 13 months

I handed my notice in exactly a year actually and what happened was as we can obviously tell I'm like a social butterfly I thrived in situations where I was around people I could sell to people I'm not very good on computers I'm not very good with a lot of things

but I'm very good at people and I think that was something that I missed a lot I was a shell of myself. I felt like I didn't know anyone in my office except you. I know a few people, but my team, like I never... You didn't really get the time to actually get to know people and then you just had to keep talking to them over a screen. Yeah.

That is hard. Zoom, yeah. And it was just, it was honestly a dark time. And I don't want to sit here and be like, play a little violin because I think we had at least we had a job. And I'm so grateful that we didn't have to be put on furlough or lose our job. But it was difficult. I'd have anxiety if I left the house because I'd be scared my boss would

call me like it was and it was hard and I kind of like wish to learn so much and it was very difficult like my boss at the time was spreadsheet heavy and it was it was a lot to take in and also it's a very fast-paced business so it's high pressure and remember my accounts were online I'm always looking at a look fantastic in ASOS and in COVID they were the highest performing partners at the time turning over massive amounts of money so it was a lot of pressure on my head and I think I was just crumbled under it

and I just didn't enjoy it if I was in the office I think I still would have been there now definitely because the travel aspect of it was what I wanted the I would have travelled so much with that job and that's what I missed the most about being in London with my old old job so anyway one day it was on the 4th of January

I still remember the Monday that you're going back after Christmas and my mum sent me a pink wheelie chair to my house with like gold wheels and I was moaning that I was having a saw a bat and she's like I've bought you this chair and we need to also remember I probably missed that a big part that when I moved to Scotland I started just just food Instagram so that was 2017 but this is 2020 we're talking about now um I was posting organically all my recipes every day being consistent but I had the occasional job here there but not anywhere like now um but it was doing quite well in covid so everyone was learning to

home cook everybody needed to find recipes and my page just blew up you also had more time like to focus on as well yeah would you remember zoe when september 2020 i hit 100k and you took that picture of me in my living room yeah i remember and it was the first time i'd ever showed my face on the grid i'd never posted my face on instagram it's mad to think that isn't it Yeah. So like it just goes to show like I never... You really didn't post yourself at all

for all that time. No, I hated it. I completely forgot that was everything. Yeah, I hated it. I still did. I remember taking the pictures honestly as if it was yesterday. I know.

It feels like yesterday. And you had to buy a hundred like cake thing. All those amazing companies sent me I felt so spoiled that day. What the fuck? It was amazing. Yeah, you were quite like overwhelmed by it.

I remember that. Everyone was so nice. So yeah, I hit 100K in COVID. It just went wild. It was already quite big before COVID. I can't even remember, maybe like 40K. Yeah, I feel you went from kind of like, maybe between 14, 60, something like that,

to 100 to really quick, yeah. So things, opportunities would come in, like it was great, but anyway, back to this pink chair. Very vivid in my brain. I was sitting on it earlier before this, typing up some notes and I was like, wow, we've done full circle. I went through a lot with that chair. Yeah. And honestly, this might sound quite deep and it's going to sound strange, but I was putting the next

in the chair to build it and I was roaring my eyes out like I actually forgot I thought I think about it but I was roaring my eyes out doing it like this chair is not going to make me happy why am I welling up like this I am because I was thinking at that time like that chair is not going to make me happy at all so I'm thinking at that attention I know we get an emotion I think it's the bit Anyway And I was Anyway I was like

This chair is not going to make me happy And I was on good money as well at that job And I just got a good Christmas bonus But we all got a bonus didn't me It was okay And I had a little bit of money set aside And I thought No amount of money is going to make me happy

I'm not happy in this job I'm not happy in this COVID situation And something had to change And I was like I can't do it a moment longer And the thing is with me is I am so spontaneous and impulsive yeah if I get something in my head that is it it's final and I had a zoom call with my line manager at the time mark and he said to me he's like you are not happy he knew

he's like you're not happy I was like I'm not happy he was like well leave then and I was like well I'm gonna and then he was like oh I'm leaving he's like well don't want to sleep on it I was like no I'm ringing my main boss at six o'clock and Richard came home this is so funny this bit and he came home and he knew I was down for a while and he was like what like what's going on and I was roaring obviously and he was I was like listen I've got this feeling that I'm going to start doing my my Instagram full time I know if I can give it my all I know I can make this work I've got this feeling in my body that I can make it work and he was like well at first typical Richard quite square he was like well how will how will we cover

the mortgage. And I was like, well, you might have to cover the mortgage for me for a couple months, but I can promise you now, I know that I'll make this work. And he was like, well, I'll have you back. I'll support you. I'll have a little bit of money to pay a little bit, but I, because I had no savings. I used to fucking live on my overdraft for years. Like, I had no, not a pot to piss in my whole life. And I was like, right, well, just trust me. And then you then agreed. And I kid you not, Zoe, like, this sounds so embarrassing. I've never had this feeling ever in my life but something took over my body i swear it was fucking weird i was shaking and i was like i know this is the right thing but it was like i think it was pure adrenaline yeah

i was like i felt like free sounds so cringe i know but i was like and richie was laughing at me because i was like laughing and crying at the same time like i was like i just know this is the right thing to do and i promise you i won't let you down and he was like no i don't i know you won't and then honest to God never look back like rang my boss at 6 o'clock I was like see you and then left a month later and then I started just just just full time on February the 3rd 2021 yep so just over two years ago yep and what a long way you've come yeah honestly it's been a whirlwind the best thing you've ever done yeah definitely obviously I do worry about the longevity of

Instagram and you know I'm going to get old but you can cook into your show I can there's a lot of things I want I want to do and yeah it's out with that yeah and yeah

it's definitely the best thing I've done yeah but like I said to you I have the skills and the passion to go back to a job that I love so much if I wanted to my boss at the time who I said I worked with a long long time she said she'd have me back tomorrow and she works at a very good company at the moment but I wouldn't but I'm just saying it's good to know I think when you go self-employed or when

you're thinking about it people are like and what will happen and I'm like you do forget you could just go back to a job course it's different if you've just been out of work for months because you didn't want to do anything you've got nothing on your CV but if you were doing something in between you to get a job no bother exactly and I do think like you you you got to take these risks in life if you're so unhappy in things and you never want to be thinking like what if because more so than likely you will succeed in what you want if the passion's there and if the drive's there and that is how I felt I was so hungry for it and I knew I'd make it work I had to make it work I had a mortgage I had no option so and like now you know Richard's contracts coming to an end it's

like I might have to be the breadwinner and that's fine I'm comfortable knowing that I that's fine now yeah and to cut the sweats yeah yeah And just to say, like, by the way, he never lent me a single penny. Like me saying he would help me two months. To this day, he's never done it. I love that for you. Yeah. He never had to.

But he was going to, and that's the whole point. He was going to support me. Very independent women. Great, great man. And does it feel like work? Sometimes, yeah. Sometimes not. Like, I love the freedom that I have.

I don't like the lack of routine, though. Me and my undiagnosed ADHD cannot handle. no routine it's a big strugs I think we have established that to be yeah and I think we might have mentioned more than a couple of times the struggles we have that yeah it's a big struggle and also I think what we need to remember as well we have this job a lot of people don't understand is I can't just shut my laptop and my brain just switch off for the day like it is constant constant constant something the to-do list is always constant because content

creation is always something you always need to be bigger and better you always need to be posting or doing something you need to the DMs are out of control and I always try and my best to reply to everyone you know it's not like I'm getting paid to do that I don't get paid to do a lot of things on my page but I do it out of enjoyment like the gift guides or all my in-depth travel stories I don't get paid a dime for any of that but I do it because I love it and I think that part doesn't feel like work because I'm doing something I enjoy yeah and that's what people that's kind of content people are used to seeing from you. That's like what they like you for.

Yeah. So you can just stop all that and all do the paid stuff. But I enjoy doing it. Like, we all know, like when we go out as a friendship group, like I love organising stuff. If there's a holiday, I'm the one that's like, right, I'll plan. I take big enjoyment out of that sort of stuff. Yeah.

If I can make money from that, then I'd love it. So what does a typical working week look like then? Give us like a brief or even like what's this week been like so far? Well, this week's probably a good example because it's actually been quite busy but last week was fucking shambles What did I do last week? I was in London last week, wasn't I?

Can't remember? See, this is what I mean When you work for yourself, you don't even know the day. I can't remember it as well. So this week, Monday I'll be honest with you I slept on the sofa that night so I had a really bad night's seat

because of my cough. So I think I stayed in bed till like half nine, ten on Monday. That was quite a bad day for me. See, I just don't even think that sounds that late. It is though, And the problem is I get guilt

because I think everyone else is up working from like nine to five. I know true. I suppose it's like how you feel at the weekend. You don't want any ruin your weekends. Yeah, sleeping. Let's actually have a look at my calendar because I'm, believe it or not,

I'm very organised with my calendar. I live by it. You aren't, that thing really keeps you right. Yeah, it does. So Tuesday was yesterday, wasn't it? Yeah. So I was in the kitchen all day yesterday doing a brief job that I'm working.

at the moment. This morning I got up the first time ever and did a 6 a.m. class at the win. Low. And then I went straight to Pilates. See, I did think why up at that time? Because I knew I had a busy day today and I really I'm back in it. I'm back

in the swing of CrossFit and I thought I had yesterday off, I think no, I was here in yesterday with Richard. You were in last night, were you not? You were? Yeah, I think I was. You were? My goodness. Yeah, it was. Yeah.

Anyway, sorry. And then today, I then collected my friends from the airport, came home, I finished the second part of the job that I needed to do. And then all afternoon I did the editing of that, still not finished it. And then I wrote up some notes for today's podcast. Oh, Monday night I was editing some videos for us. Oh, I also, sorry, Monday morning I edited the amazing vodka pasta

real that was good wasn't it so you did that was good yeah so that was that then tomorrow i've got a PT in the morning um quite early and then i've got to go to a cafe and write my herald article that is needing to be sent um and then friday i'm off to london with you for a fun weekend but see so what i took from that right watch i think's very important no days the same yeah no days the same but also you're working in the night yeah I am

so that comes back to like people probably think maybe see you at your PTA like 11 and think oh like this is me being what I would be like if I saw like an influencer if I wasn't as close to it

and kind of knew the ins and outs if I see people out about I think I wish I was at Pilates at 12 or whatever like I'm in my work and I've already done half a day but actually yeah you're maybe doing that and starting your day later but then you're working all night. That's just because I'm on my couch watching the tell night.

Yeah, and I don't do that. I get guilty as hell. Anyone that self-employed listen to this will know that you feel guilt if you do anything pleasurable. That's something I need to work on massively. I need to learn how to switch off because I just really, I think I could be sat here doing, I don't know, editing that recipe and I just end up going so, getting myself so worked up

but end up not doing anything at all, end up not doing anything on my phone or not watching anything on the TV. And I'm like, I just get you wasted an hour. I also think because influencers do a lot of their stuff on their phone, you're on your phone anyway. Yeah. As a human being that lives in the 2020, right?

You're on your phone. So you're naturally going to just feel like, oh, I could just do that just now. Yeah. Whereas if you work in an office and you don't have access to that stuff, you physically can't do that at night. Yeah.

So there's just like, there's not really a barrier there the way it is with a lot of typical 95 jobs. So I do miss that part of jobs, of 9 to 5 jobs, should I say. Yeah, I think it's just about getting a better routine, you know? Oh no, it's two years on there and I've still not cracked it. But if I was in your position, I know I would be the same. Like it's all fine and well saying,

get up at this time, set your errors and all that, I would probably be the same as you. Yeah, I have to be honest though, I was very much up at the cracker door and when before COVID, COVID got me into that slug of a lifestyle, million percent I wasn't I get up and be like ready to start my work I was like a roll onto my laptop and maybe get my shower and all that at like lunchtime yeah same but I was never like that before though I would get myself ready for the office and I'd be in my car with my coffee

listen to my tunes down the M8 loving life and it just it's it was it's definitely made people lazy yeah I think so but yeah sorry and um I would quite like to to know your thoughts on the term influencer and the stigma around this being people's jobs? Yeah. It's a shame actually because the stigma, it's a bit like wag and I'm both of these. A wag and a fucking influencer, so I've fucked it.

But what's so funny is you couldn't be further from the stigma around both of the things? I know. And I know I can only speak for myself on this podcast, like there is probably so many people that don't mind being called an influencer and they don't mind being called a wag. But I don't live by the stigma of a wag and I don't live by, I don't think, of an influencer.

Although I influence people, but as we've established, like, I didn't, this wasn't my job. This wasn't my dream job. I never destined to do this. I just did something so well and was passionate about it that it ended up becoming that. Yeah.

So, yeah, I don't like calling myself an influencer. I don't really know what to call it, like a content creator, but I think there's so much, like, I need to try and big myself a bit, but I feel like there's so much more to me and maybe loads of influencers more than just that label. Like, I've got so much to give, than just sitting on the internet

telling you to buy something. Yeah. I think there's so much more behind it. Like there's like the podcast, for example, this is also a massive part of our lives now. Now I'm writing for The Herald every month, which is amazing. I've done a few cool hosting jobs.

I've been on TV adverts. I've had other filming opportunities. I've done like corporate company Zoom calls of like Estée Lauder and Mulberry in lockdown. That was so cool. Travel content. I work closely every month with Arnold Clark. where I provide their head office with recipes and stuff.

Yeah. So when people ask you what you do, do you feel judgment there? Do you feel like can you just say you're an influencer? What do you then describe yourself as? Yeah, I do actually. It's funny because I was in London last week and I was at this restaurant and a friend of a friend was there and asked me what I did.

And I literally was like, abd it, abd it, ooh. And then my friend butted in Alice and she went, she's fucking smashing it. So that's what she's trying to say. She's fucking smashing it at life. And I was like, you know what? I love that. And I was like, you know what?

I am actually. I was like, I'm a content creator. She was like, oh, so like an influencer. I was like, yeah. Like that's what you think then yeah. I was like, I just felt like so embarrassed to say influencer because like I've said, there's so much more to me than the stigma. Yeah.

I don't want to sit here and say, well, actually I do this, this, this. Yeah, you just, you want a quick hand. So you don't want it in it again in a fucking ring day. Yeah, I'm just working on an online platform. Fuck knows honestly So yeah The answer to that is yeah I do cringe a little

But I shouldn't though I should be proud Everyone should be proud Oh yeah There's a lot of self-motivation that But just to build it up To be able to do it full time It takes a lot of graph to do that

Like I didn't just get it overnight It was a To build that sort of trust of following And It's be consistent Back in the day I was posting every day It takes a lot to get there

Yeah And how do you keep a balance between influencer life and personal life? I don't. All just merges into one. Is this like, are we talking like, how do I switch off or how do I keep, like, private?

I think probably private. Okay, well, I would say I'm quite a private person in some aspects of my life. I don't post a lot of things on just just just food. No. And there's probably a lot of people on listening to this that will know that my Jess Ted's Instagram is private.

And I know I've got a lot of people on there anyway, but it's been private for nearly three years. And that was because I had some very, I don't get any hate, by the way. So this is something like, I know that's a big, that's a big subject with influences, but I'm quite lucky touch with that I've actually had nothing but lovely people, follow me, thank God.

I had the occasional dickhead in my DMs, but it's nothing that's bothered me that much. But weirdly, I had a strange, strange few messages three years ago, and it was on my personal account, and it was about my personal life and it freaked me out so I've got trust issues so that's why I don't accept no one

I think there's probably about 6,000 friend requests on that thing I remember you seeing that and I feel bad because I want people to be on that but I've got serious trust issues on it now I'm like no you could be you could be a fake even though they could follow me on just just food I'm just like nah

and maybe I'll change my mind one day because I actually don't give a foot what people think about me which would be said before but this stuff that they were saying was like stalkerish and I was like oh yeah and it just made it freaked me out for a long time i also feel like you don't post as a person like i feel like all of like our friend group are quite similar

we're not the type of person that would post pure personal shit on an instagram anyway no do you know what i mean you're not going to post you're having a bad day no like and all that kind of stuff or really personal information no one really should do that to an extent because obviously there's very open and honest accounts out there about like mental health and all that kind of stuff and that's great for them but I mean more like personal data about your relationship or family or not like

Facebook and the dish or the dirt about the ex yeah I just feel that just causes drama who can be asked drama I think this is attention seeking to an extent I know especially on Facebook some of the stuff I see on there I'm like Jesus Christ I mean who still writes a Facebook stash you know apart for your dad

you're doing my dad loves it as well my dad loves a picture of his pint his pint his pint oh so he'll be at the pub waiting on a friend or like waiting on Amanda or whatever and it'll just tag like his location and at them and sometimes like I'll get a tag in it but I'm not there oh because he's wishing you were yeah it's kind of like uh I don't know Zoe look what I'm doing I don't know what it's he'll probably he'll listen to this and be like why I talk show me again um In terms of like financial, the financial side of it, money, money, money. Everyone wants to know, obviously.

I'm fucking minted, mate. I'm not, I'm kidding. You're absolutely bawling. Not. In a financial way, what made you feel comfortable enough to leave your full-time employment? You're obviously used to a salary. Yeah. You're used to that payday every month.

Yeah. And you've left that behind. It was a big gamble. And I think it was one of those things where I was like, Jesus Christ. Christ. But basically, the first time I left, I can give you the figure of this. I don't mind sharing a few nitty-gritty bits, but it was a huge supermarket, one of the best, wanted to work with me. And it was £500, actually, they wanted to pay me for, I can't remember what it was at the time. It might have been a recipe back then. And I thought, oh my God, like 500 quid. And I thought, you know what? If I could get three of these jobs a month, even just two, because my outgoing is over £1,000 a month.

I was like, even if I can just get two, I've got that covered. And I can just scrimping scrape and just keep grafting until it gets better. And yeah, that's why. I just honestly just be self-belief. I knew I could make it work. And then some help from you

because you looked at my rate card and laughed and basically said that I was doing shit for free. well that's exactly what was happening actually and for anyone who's thinking about going self-employed then what so you didn't really leave your work with like no I didn't I honestly did gamble I didn't leave I had a little bit of savings but I honestly hand and heart couldn't tell you what I earn

I have an accountant and she's amazing and she could probably tell me but I'm not actually asked but it differs like one month I think it was March last year I can't remember and March April I invoiced 900 pound for the two months and as I've just said my outgoings every month was a grand luckily other months were bigger so yeah you sort of live each month you have a bigger month and then you know you're going to have like smaller months black Friday and Christmas is massive time for anyone online yeah and I think that everyone's rates are ramped up and you have a lump sum of money if you know if you've worked with some good brands

and then that will see you through because no brands that all re-looking at their marketing strategies for the January-February no one's work with influences for at least six weeks and then you've got the gambler do they want to work with me again for this year or I don't know so you just got to be careful with your money yeah because I think if I was to think about doing it I would expect or I would want to have some savings behind you my almost like my salary per month just now already lined up essentially. Yeah. But that's because that's what I'm used to. But I feel like there's probably a happy medium. Yeah. I think I had like three grand in my savings. Mm-hmm. So you had a bit of

backup? Yeah. I can't remember, but I think it was around that. It's quite decent that. Yeah. Three grand in your savings? Yeah, but it was a bonus. I know, but I would just spunk that. Probably did on Christmas presents and far too generous. I love spending money so much. Anyway, and quite a serious financial question does being self-employed especially with the term influence or say make it hard if you were applying for things

such as a mortgage car a loan or whatever is that what you would put as your employment term you would put digital creator right so yeah there'll be those people that do it there's actually options of people in the world that do it hundreds of thousands of people

no I know but I think someone was just asking in terms of like, is that actually an option to put that as your job role? As I said, before, I had my mortgage before I went self-employed, thank God. But you would need to, I think people probably know this, but you would need to have two years worth of books with your accountant being self-employed and you need to pay yourself a decent enough wage to get yourself a mortgage, yeah. So yeah, I'm currently wanting to get a second, I say second property, I'd like to get a bigger house in the hope that I could keep my flat yeah um that might not financially be possible but

i hope so but in this in this time frame when i next reapply for whatever how it works i will be self-employed and richard may have a different job or i don't know what if if it'll be employed who knows so we need to have either a big lump sum of deposit or god knows so i'll tell you all that when i come to it because i actually don't know it's just something to think about in term yeah And I'm nowhere near being able to afford that any time soon, but that is the goal. That's the kind of thing that I just need other people to deal with. Like that's not something that I have patience

or any interest in trying to solve myself. So I need a good accountant. Absolutely. Briefly touched on this, but how do you know what to charge for posts? If you didn't have me, what was your thought before me? Free? Great. I love your stuff.

Does it differ? depending on what people ask you for? So I would say ballpark, for anyone starting out, definitely know your worth and understand the brief and definitely work out what the deliverables are that they're asking, time, how much it will cost you to even buy the goods that you need to get or whatnot. Make sure it's something that you love,

which we'll touch base on in a bit. But I remember back in the day I was told that it was around 10% of, of your following that you would charge for a grid post. That has changed, but, well, it doesn't change. It depends on your engagement now, because obviously there's so much insights that companies can see.

I mean, it definitely used to be on following. Yeah, and now it's just absolutely not. Like, followers do not matter. Anyone that says into this does not matter. I think I'm at quite a sweet spot. A lot of people that I follow that I love that I engage with have around 150 or less thousand or less followers, but to as low as 5K.

Yeah. And their content and engagement, Instagram, love it. They keep you in the algorithm high. Anything, anyone that I follow that's got a million followers, which isn't many. So that's just how the algorithm sadly works. And yeah, I just think it's all now about your engagement. And mine's pretty high, actually. But I think that is because, sorry, I keep coughing.

I've kind of worked out why my engagement's high. And I think, A, because I think my content's nice. But also, it's like a rest of. book people are constantly going on that page yeah exactly saving it and going around their weekly shop looking at a picture yeah and so my page is probably up on so many people's phones every evening and I might not have posted all that day that's a very good very well done working that out yeah it's got to be that no I think you're absolutely right I'm onto something very smart that's why people like gym people that work in gyms and like fitness people if they have like a

It's like anyone who has really sort of tutorials or whatever. Anything tutorial, yeah. How do you say that? Tutorial. Tutorial. Tutorial. So that's a good bit of advice for you. Right, okay, well, a bit of a ballpark and yeah, the rates thing is mad, but definitely

don't undersell yourself. No, now you're rough. I also think if you've got people around you that either work in the industry or are in the same boat as you and do, like, influence and whatever, just ask if you can have an honest conversation about it. I know people don't like talk about money and blah, blah, blah, it's awkward, whatever. But if it's someone that's reasonably close to you, that gives you, it lets you gauge what sort of ballpark you should be looking at

because it's very up and down. And our DMs are always open if you want to ask us from each perspective. I'll definitely help. I get loads of people messaging me, like food blogs asking me how to start out, and all I say is post what you love. Be authentic. That is a very, very important point. It is.

And do you find it difficult coming up with new posts and content ideas? With 100%. It's exhausting. And then put TikTok into the mix. I can't be asked. I'm old. And do you feel like looking at other people helps, but then you just put your own twist on it?

No, so what I would try avoid doing that? Yeah, putting, when I watch other people's story, content, like in my, I'm always on my explore page. Is that what it's called now? You know, your feed where it's not your main feed, it's the one where it's like the search tab. Because there's loads of amazing content creators out there that have the best lighting and camera equipment.

And that's all it is down to. It's just a decent lighting and camera. It doesn't actually matter what the fuck you're making, really. If you edit it well, you're sweet. But yeah, I sometimes look at it and I feel, I feel bad. I'm like, I wish mine was like that. But then I think to myself,

well, I've done well, because my content's this way, and I can't constantly compare. So, yeah, I'd get inspiration from a lot of things, but I would definitely say that try and stick to your own niche. I would say I was, I never found anybody else

that did the step-by-step carousel meal thing before I did. Hand-on-heart, I don't know anyone that did that. But I think that's why people love it because it's so easy. And reels, you can't pause them. People still like static images. Reels perform better on the algorithm,

but my static imagery gets saved more and made more. I need a static if I'm making a meal. I don't know enough information about cooking to watch a reel and be able to piece that together. People make my recipes way more if it's a static than a reel. A reel probably won't really make it. But people like pictures. Everyone's attention span.

The internet is so short now. You need a visual. You need a visual, yeah. You just need the information. needs to come, actually have a stat. A lot of people need to see the information in something like 0.0, maybe another 0 or maybe not

one second. Yeah. So see if you're a brand for example and you're trying to say, hey yeah, there's 50% off this today. You needed to say at the start, 50% off and that's it. Yeah, by the way, I was watching some like strategy thing or whatever on because there's loads of cool reels coming out now on Instagram. I like people how they can grow their Instagram.

And then we're saying if you don't engage your audience in the first three seconds. You're a goner. Everyone's gone. I'm like that on TikTok as well. If they don't engage me in that first few seconds, I'm like flip.

Yeah. People watch videos for such a small amount of time. So that's another little tip for you. What about the socialising aspect of being an influencer? Who's a fucking raging bitch that I've met in the industry?

Is that what you want to know? Not because I probably know the information. You're not going to tell anyone. I'm not going to say that. I mean, how do you find a socialising? Do you like the news? network and you find it awkward? I would say Instagram is a very lonely job.

Like, I spend a lot of time on my own. I would say it's quite a lonely job. So because I'm not in like fashion influencing, I don't get invited to anywhere near as many events as what they do. However, I do get invited to a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot. You know, because you see my emails. It's endless restaurant invites, launch nights, experiences. I don't go to 99% of them.

You don't. I'm bad, but the reason for that is I used to, but it's the same crowd, which is not a problem, but you don't get the true restaurant experience when it's a launch night for a start. So that annoys me. I'd rather pay for it myself and then wish to post about it or not. And I just feel like they're quite exhausting.

Small talk for me is hard for the head. And yeah, but I wanted to speak about actually when we're talking about imposter syndrome last, episode you'll know this i got invited to ibitha last summer with isle of paradise and it was with big influences that were in the fashion world so people i hadn't mixed with before and some of the girls i'd followed for years and sorry how much was i shitting myself you actually wouldn't have an air of a trick i couldn't like even though i have so much belief in myself and i knew i was worth that spot and that trip i just didn't feel like i was i was like they're going to literally

She'd be like, who's this food blogger? What's she doing here? Do you also think, because bearing in mind, Jess worked there before, so you knew the staff from the brand phone. Yes, that was the only comfort that I had. No, see, I think if I was in that situation, that would make me feel more nervous.

Oh, really? Because they're watching you. Uh-huh, like, I think when you know people at a situation like that, it's actually better if you know no one and you can almost be like, not a fake version of yourself. Yeah, of course. You can pretend to be a confident version of yourself.

I think it must have been weird for the girls that work. for Isle of Paradise, like, once I work for them and now they're taking me on an influence trip. I've absolutely fucking kneeled it there. They were like, what the hell? But what I will say is, like, the difference, when I was there, I thought, you know what?

By the way, I ended up having, and probably one of the best trips of my life, and I made friends for life on that trip. And I had to worry about nothing. Like, everyone was so welcoming to me, and obviously, and I'd probably say that, Yeah, I just had the best time. But on that trip, because I love, you know, Isla Paradise so much,

ended up, it wasn't in my deliverables. So we can talk about that when we talk about what companies asked for, but the deliverables on the trip were post every day, whatnot. But Jules von Hep, who is the founder, was on the trip. And I thought, you know what? Like, what would my followers want? Surely they would want to hear from the founder themselves, like a tam routine. So I said to him, like, obviously, I was like,

Jules, do you want to call my stories? so out of my comfort zone, but I thought, I want to perform well for this brand because I love it. And we had to perform well for them as well because that's what we were there for. And yeah, I got in my stories

and we did a tutorial and it was, I think, Rosie Ted, it was like the highest link-click stories that we had on the trip pretty much and it did so well for them because that's what people want to see. People don't give a fuck about me posing in the mirror and all that with my little tan. Yeah, that's cute.

But if I'm actually like telling people educational stuff about how to apply tan, flawlessly, that's clear, people are going to love it. And I just, you need to use your initiative and actually be passionate about these brands when they take you on these trips because ultimately, if you perform well for them, they'll want to work with you again and again. Yeah, exactly. And I do work with Isla Paradise over and over.

Yeah. Because I love it. Like anything that I promote, if you, people just see right through you, right through you if you don't. Agree. And speaking of deliverables, yeah. What is a transaction with a brand like then when you've got a content deal with them? What's it like from start to things?

what does that consist of what's the communication what do you need to do what do do yeah so I think it's probably important to say that rarely I've ever reached out to a brand I'm quite lucky in that sense yeah I've had a lot of my work over the years because they've approached me which is lucky and I know a lot of people do like I actually sat down with you to be fair and I gave you a list of people that I want to work with which is what managements do they sit with their they sit with their whoever their influence and they say right what are your dream brands you want to work with and then their job is then go and like outreach to them.

Me and Zoe did that briefly but to be honest with you we've had quite a lot of jobs haven't we but um so how it work is it somebody would email and then now Zoe because I've been working with me now for like six months maybe a bit longer. I don't know but maybe I'll work it out so that I can get my one year bonus. She's fucking pulling everything out of me this one. And so, yeah, so they would then email and then I do get access to my emails. Zoe doesn't have like full access, but she would like, right, this person emailed, what do you want to work with them? And I'd be like, right, I'd be like yes or no. And if it's a yes, we'll then discuss the content deliverables, the date that I need to post, see if I'm available. We would

then look through contracts. We'd read through all of the nitty-gritty bits where you would do that and then the brief I would then look through that and then I'd go away and then depends what it is it totally depends what it is so let's say it's a recipe for example I'll then go away and film it and then have to edit it send it to the people with my caption and my stories or links or whatever they would then approve it they'd send my edits I'd then edit it back or sometimes I've had to remake a few things which is a ballache and then you get an approval and then you're good to go and then when you've posted it,

you have to then send your insights. Yeah. There's a lot more to it than that, but that's sort of baseline. But I think even that shows that it's a much more long-winded process than people probably assume. Yeah.

And how would you go about turning down an opportunity? And do you turn down opportunities? Well, you know, because you can say. That's the big question. I'm a fussy fucker. I always have been. Just this week, and I'm not slagging these by the way

it just wasn't right for me and I'll explain I am brew came in and I said to you number one I don't drink it I like it but I don't drink it and I felt like it was worthy more for a Scottish person to promote it for the campaign than it was

and it was good money and I just felt like this doesn't make sense to me I won't enjoy doing this content and I'm not going to pass off that I drink iron brew every day because I don't, I'm a Coke zero girl. And I think, and I said to you, I was like, listen, I'm not going to do it. And I actually ended up giving a person's name who I thought was well suited to who loves it.

And they were over the fucking moon. And the brand said, yeah, they will work with them. And they did and made their day. So that was one that I didn't do. And I've still got a good relationship with the people I was speaking to. I was just politely like, I'm sorry, it's not me. They understood. Yeah.

Last question before we just do a couple of just the quickfire ones. What do you do then for, say you have went to a restaurant to experience it? Yep. You didn't enjoy it? Yeah, I wouldn't post at all. I wouldn't slam a restaurant. Yeah, that's what I was going to ask. Unless I had something good to say.

Yeah, but that's my golden roll. So you do go and have experiences that you don't post about because the bottom line is. Went on last week. You wouldn't talk about something you didn't like. No, I don't want to damage a business. Everyone's a business at the end of the day and I won't want to damage them. Unless I had something good to say.

But also you wouldn't post about it, pretend, and you like it as what I mean? Oh, no. Fuck no. Whereas, I think, regardless of whether people like an experience because they've been invited and... That's why you need to say to these brands before you go. There's no guarantee.

Can I come but no obligation to post? I will post if I want to. Yeah. That's what you have to say. But yeah, no, I'm quite fair with my restaurant reviews, which I don't... I think I like... I'm easily pleased.

But I think if I go there and something that was bad, I will say this was bad, but this was good. If everything was bad, which isn't often, I wouldn't just post it at all. I'm not going to waste my time, and I'm not going to hurt their business either because it might have just been a bad experience for me. Yeah, exactly.

Right, well, on to some very quick fire, because we've been speaking for 10 hours. First one, best trip or event you've ever been taken on by a brand? Ibiza, a la Paradise. Gorgeous. Best freebie or a PR package? the co-op crisps and then they got a big sack of cabris one year as well

do you remember that that was the most chocolate I've ever seen in my life that was unbelievable I actually ended up having to give that a lot of that way because I felt guilty but yeah dream brand to work with oh more travel boards would be amazing

okay and look for who say oh very high men's in the shoot yeah but I love it would a high a very very high sum of money say something like a million pound, right? Too high, to go back.

500 grand, say maybe. Would that, would you promote anything for that? Fuck. No. Well, it depends what it is. It depends what it is. No, but I mean like... If it was like, shit's on my shoe?

Yeah, would it matter what it was? Would you just do anything for that money? Oh, if I feel like, I'm not telling what it is, but... Yeah, no, I wouldn't know. Okay, fair enough. No, I'd have to know what it is before I said, yeah. Yeah, so you just wouldn't do anything for money. is what the conclusion we're getting?

Thoughts on influencers selling clothes or items they've got for free on like vinty, depop? What they do with their life doesn't concern me and it shouldn't anyone else? I'm going to just be a bit of an arshould for a minute. Okay, honestly, I have no feelings towards it. I couldn't give a fuck. What I will say is, can I just explain slightly

if I've got a little time? One thing. I understand it pisses people off. But also, my friend from home does it and she gets gifted loads of stuff for free, but she then sells them on D-pop and it puts a roof over her head with her child, like, feeds them. She doesn't get paid posts, she gets gifted stuff.

So fair fucks to her, mate. You've got to do what you've got to do. Absolutely. Ever used your name to get something for free? Do you know who I am? No, mate. Never. What time did you go up in the morning, Jess? On average.

Midday. Twice a week, half six, the rest of the week, fuck nice. One p.m. No, maybe about half eight. Lies. Best and or worst influence you've ever met. Whoa. Oh, I've got a few.

Okay, so best. Does Julie count? She's my friend. I can't believe I wasn't number one, but yeah. Well, obviously you. Jilly is my friend before. She was a big-time influencer. So her absolutely love Alicia LeMay.

She's now one of my really good friends. Jamie Genevieve was, I felt like me and her have been friends for our lifetime. She's just one of those people, I think. Worst. You can name a job someone. I can't know. I genuinely can't think of someone that's worse.

Yeah, what I will say is, there's people that I've met that aren't as what they seem on Instagram. That's quite common. No, it gives a name then. Just loads of people. There's loads of people that I'm like, you're not really as, I don't mean looks-wise, I mean like, as happy as you make out and stuff.

Right, well, there's someone in your head. I'm not saying, sorry, no tea from me. I can't. Imagine if someone said that about me in a podcast, that stink as fuck. No, not doing it. Boredom. Ever been dropped by a brand after a deal was confirmed?

No. The person who asked this actually said, for naughty behaviour. What did they know that I'm? I don't. No, I haven't. No, not for naughty behaviour, no, but the first Barbados trip got dropped, didn't it? But they obviously made that happen eventually.

Yeah, from the top of my head, no. There's probably been ones that haven't happened. They're like, oh, sorry, this is not happening anymore. But. Like, nothing to do with you? No, no. If you could be anything in the world, what would you be? A full-time crazy cat lady.

Right, that's pathetic And probably an actress Actress is what I always wanted to do I'd love that Well gorgeous, I love that episode Thanks very much for coming on my podcast Thanks Zoe Your podcast is amazing, I'm a massive fan

Perfect Bill, thanks very much That was fun And we'll see you all next Tuesday Yeah, let us know if you want to know any more information on anything And yeah, we'll see you next Tuesday Bye

Love you! Thank you.