Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Keravuori.
Hi Ashley, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Shortly after my now husband and I met in the fall of 2013, we decided to create the Instagram @Raleighfoodpics. At this point, Instagram was the newest social platform out there. We created @Raleighfoodpics as an outlet for “food pics” that we didn’t want to post on our personal pages. The account quickly caught traction, and we were having fun doing it, so we kept it up… I remember thinking wow; we have 1,000 followers. That’s amazing! I honestly don’t think “influencers” were a thing then. After a year or two, we started receiving messages from brands and restaurants who wanted to have us in for a comped meal or send us free things, so we explored it. Our brand quickly grew after that, 5,000 turned to 20,000, and now we have almost 70,000.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Yes and no! My husband and I have always done it together, so we generally enjoy it. We aren’t photographers by trade, and we shoot all content on our iPhones, but we’ve had to master “the perfect food pic” along the way, which was stressful. Especially if a restaurant or brand is paying us, we must deliver an A+ photo. Things like lighting or how food comes out can make some shots more challenging. It’s also a lot of work! When we were in college and right after, we had more free time, but now we both have very demanding full-time jobs, and we have an 8-month-old daughter. We’ve also had to deal with haters, people trying to steal our account, COVID, and difficult restaurant owners.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Raleigh Food Pics, LLC?
We specialize in #foodpics in the Raleigh and surrounding areas. Our account was built 100% organically and is what it is today because of its followers. With Raleigh Food Pics, our goal is to be as authentic as possible and elevate and share what Raleigh has to offer. We were never in it for the money, so turning down brand deals and not showing our faces in photos is ok because that’s not the content that performs. I think this is what sets us apart from others. When we first started, we were the only ones in the area running a successful food Instagram, and now there are hundreds of food influencers in the area. I think a lot of time, fame and fortune blind people, and they take a deal just to get a payment and don’t think about what their followers actually want to see. Don’t get me wrong, we love to partner with brands and restaurants, but it has to be the right fit. After all, that’s why they are paying us, right?!?
Most proud of—that we have kept it up! It’s not easy running an account like this because there are certain expectations that come with it. It’s also always been my husband and I juggling the account on top of us both trying to grow our personal careers and now a family.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Don’t force it! I’ve been placed with mentors just so that I can check a box and say I am being mentored, and I didn’t get much from it. Find someone you deeply respect and look up to who can informally guide you and immerse yourself. Also, don’t be afraid to speak up if it’s not working out with that person. Generally, mentors are extremely busy, and they will respect you for respecting their time. I always tell myself that regardless if the experience is awful or great there is ALWAYS a learning lesson you can take away and grow from.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/raleighfoodpics
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyefreeman/
