“Skinny Pig” Dara Pollak Knows Good #EEEEEATS

and Amanda Lederman

SHE Media Partner Network’s Dara Pollak is the founder of The Skinny Pig NYC, a food blog covering recipes and restaurant reviews. Over the years, her following and brand has grown to include the extremely popular Instagram account, @skinnypignyc, with over 90K followers. Dara runs her blog full time, while also working as a social media, marketing, and branding consultant for hospitality groups and restaurants around the country. She is also a recipe developer for national brands! Her recipes have been featured on Thrillist, Allrecipes, Chobani, FreshDirect, T-Fal, and more. Basically, we’re #OBSESSED with this foodie!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hi! My name is Dara and I’m also known as The Skinny Pig or @skinnypignyc for all the social media wizards out there. I started my blog in 2008 and have been running it ever since, covering the three R’s (restaurants, recipes, and rants). I also cover quite a bit of travel content now, as well as product reviews. The story of how I got started is kind of a long one, so let’s just say the abridged version can be found right here.

What does a typical day in the life look like for you?

I get up very early. I make coffee immediately. I’ll either go to OrangeTheory or do a small workout in my apt. Then it’s on the computer to answer emails. I get so many emails I really have trouble keeping up sometimes. I have a spreadsheet of brand deals to keep track of, and another spreadsheet of my Pinterest recipe pins for the week. I go through that and make sure Tailwind is up to date with posting on Pinterest and contracts are signed for brand deals. Then it really depends, but if I’m working from home all day, I’ll write a blog post, some chapters for my book, or make a recipe. Other days I’m out meeting with potential restaurant clients or going on photoshoots (for myself or my clients). A day in the life can be really exciting but can also be really exhausting!

Best food trend you participated in?

Bacon on everything.

Worst food trend you participated in?

Bacon on everything.

Your #1 tip for food photography?

Natural lighting. Cannot stress this enough.

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Favorite photo editing phone apps?

Lightroom and Snapseed.

Tell us about the biggest failure you’ve had. What did you learn from it?

I have had MANY failures – I can’t even pick just one – but that’s the best way to learn. I think not knowing my worth and letting people take advantage of my advice/knowledge in the space. Everyone will want something from you, and you have to know the difference between “friendly conversation” and someone who is using you to steal your ideas. Don’t share your rates with people who do what you do, unless it’s a close friend you trust. I shared my rates once with another influencer who then went behind my back to steal a client or two by undercutting my rates. Never again.

What 3 things does anyone starting a website need to know?

1. It’s not easy

2. You don’t make money right away, and when you do, it’s a constant hustle.

3. It’s incredibly rewarding if you’re passionate about it.

What would you do differently if you were starting your website today?

I’d have to think long and hard about what I can contribute to the space and how I’m going to do it. It’s so oversaturated as is. If you’re starting out, make sure you are passionate and driven as hell. If you’re doing it for the right reasons, the path will get carved out day by day. That’s the most honest advice I can give.

What recommendations do you have for driving traffic to your website?

Pinterest! Cannot stress that enough, especially if you’re a recipe creator.

How has partnering with the SHE Media Partner Network been beneficial?

Love SHE Media – I used to work in ad sales at an ad network and I believe they were one of our biggest competitors. It’s just so funny to be on the publisher side of it now. They are great at helping with website monetization and Pinterest advice (which I needed desperately). I also appreciate the opportunities like guest speaking at their events and conferences, which I did this past May at #BlogHer19 Food!

Follow Dara on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter – AND check out her articles on her trip to Denver, eating dinner at Carbone, and perhaps most importantly, her recipe for buffalo chicken wings.

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