Last week our CEO Laurie Buckle headed off to Chicago for the Tastemaker Conference and the Inspired Home Show. She spent five days in the Windy City connecting with food bloggers, chatting with brands, learning about new trends, and speaking on a panel! Here are her biggest takeaways from both events.
The top trade show for home and housewares brands returned to Chicago the first week in March, hot on the heels of the Tastemaker Conference. Here’s a quick look at the insights and trends she came away with.
The Tastemaker Conference was started up in 2017 by Abbey Rodgriguez (herself a food blogger, freelancer, and mom) as a place for influencers in the food space to connect and learn how to grow their businesses. Laurie was invited to speak on a panel about brand partnerships – the how’s, why’s, the in’s and out’s.
Her two biggest takeaways from the two days of panels, meetups, and meals:
From coffeemakers to cookware, rice cookers to bread makers, home design to tabletop, this show is North America’s largest housewares trade show. Their goal is to connect buyers to sellers; for Laurie, the goal was to catch up with the brands we know and connect with those we don’t. She also got a good look at some of the trends we’ll be seeing in the near future.
Check back soon to see what CookIt discovers next at Expo West!
We’re counting down the days to the Winter Fancy Food Show by @specialtyfoodassociation in Las Vegas! ✈️ In addition to connecting with our favorite brands, @lauriebuck (CEO & Founder) and @molls.benton (EVP) will be trend-hunting and, of course, product tasting!
We’ll hit the ground running on Sunday, 1/19, and be back bright and early on Monday, 1/20.
Laurie will also be joining her classmates from the Maker Prep course—a program sponsored by the Specialty Food Association. 💻 Their goal: to learn how to create, finance, distribute, and market a proprietary food business.
Will you be there? Let’s catch up! Email us at [email protected] or [email protected]. 💬 Hope to see you soon!
CookIt has been nominated for the 2024 Creator Agency Award in the Top Creator Agency category, presented by BTI & @withjulyhq! 🎉
This recognition means the world to us, and we couldn’t have made it this far without the support of our brand and agency partners, as well as our exclusive talent roster. ❤️
As a women-owned, service-focused agency, we pride ourselves on bringing together brands and influencers who share a passion for food and lifestyle. Our deep niche expertise continues to fuel our growth, and we’re incredibly proud to see our roster of 30+ talented creators continue to thrive.
Voting is LIVE and ends on January 31, 2025! Click the link in our bio to cast your vote.
#CreatorAgencyAwards
If you’ve ever wondered what the journey from print media editor-in-chief to influencer marketing/talent agency CEO looks like, our founder Laurie Buckle joined the Next in Creator Media podcast to share her story. 🎙️
Tune in for insights on empowering food creators, building brand/influencer collaborations and diversifying revenue streams, along with her thinking on why food content is increasingly becoming intertwined with lifestyle content (hint: food is no longer just sustenance it’s a reflection of personal values and lifestyle choices).
When Lori Harvey drops a “😍😍😍” on a re-creation of her @erewhon Vanilla Matcha Smoothie, you might as well consider it a stamp of approval! 🌟 #CookItCrew member @mymanabites packed this smoothie with superfoods for glowing skin, strong nails, and healthy hair!
We’ve heard the question floating around: Do you really NEED to sign with a talent agency? 👀 Well, if you’re a content creator or an influencer, aligning yourself with a management team can transform your career. While we can only speak for ourselves, we know you’ll benefit right from the start. What do we mean by that? Here are some examples of ways CookIt Media can and has accomplished as soon as we bring new talent onto our roster! 🤝
1️⃣ Less Admin, More Creating: We handle contracts, invoices, and payments so you can focus on what you love—creating amazing content.
2️⃣ Industry Insights & Resources: We provide education, resources and connections to help you gain access to people and opportunities you may have never imagined.
3️⃣ Beyond Brand Partnerships: Think big! We can help you land cookbook deals, licensed products, and even TV opportunities.
4️⃣ Revenue Growth & Goal Support: We actively work to build partnerships, increase your revenue, and help you hit those big career milestones.
5️⃣ Career Management: From a jam-packed inbox to a packed schedule, we help you juggle it all without missing out on great opportunities.
6️⃣ Strategy & Growth Guidance: With expert advice, we’ll help you sharpen your strategy and elevate your brand even further.
If this sounds good to you, send us a DM or visit the contact page on our website so we can get talking! 💛
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