Pivoting Your Brand: What is Cooking Travel Talks?

Pivoting your brand was and still is essential to many travel content creators. Many of us can agree that during this pandemic we have had to think and find new ways of travelling.

This was and still has been a very difficult time for travel content creators. Cancelled and delayed trips, not being able to travel has really weighed in on many of us. As a travel blogger, everyone knows and understands how much I LOVE to explore the world. So what does one do when you are not able to travel and visualise the world? 

You pivot. 

Instead of surrendering to uncertainty, I decided to create my own way of travelling and experiencing the world and this had to be through food. I have always enjoyed trying new food, especially when travelling so it only made sense for me to tie food and travel together and it is why and how the Cooking and Travel Talks live show began.  

What is Cooking Travel Talks?

Cooking Travel Talks is a live show via Instagram. During the one hour segment, I cook a dish from around the world and encourage others to join in with me by sharing the ingredients. The idea is simple. I want to take my viewers through a journey to taste and learn about a destination around the world in less than an hour. 

So far we have learnt and tasted to make a dish in the following destinations:

• Nigeria – Suya
• Asia – Salt and Pepper Prawns 
• Singapore – Nasi Goreng 
• Jamaica – Saltfish Fritters
• Latin America – Arepas, Plantain with Mango Salsa and Black Beans 
• Barbados – Bajan Bread and Butter Pudding with Vanilla Rum Custard 

If you have missed the lives head over to my Instagram and you will be able to make and taste these dishes yourself.

There is no right or wrong way on how to pivot, but while you are here I wanted to share a few tips on how to pivot your brand/s. 

1. What are your passions?

I remember being at my first ever travel conference at WITSummit and Lola Akinmade giving a speech on discovering our true passion for travel. At the time I wasn’t sure why I really enjoyed travelling, I knew that I loved to experience the culture and explore. The idea of escape was something that dawned on me a lot but it wasn’t the right answer.

The idea was to find my true passion and answer the question – Why do I love to travel? Lola explained that finding our true passion for travel would enable me to discover my niche. At the time I didn’t know the answer when I was asked, which truly annoyed me – lol! It only took a whole lockdown for me to discover that one of my other passions and love for travelling was tasting and discovering new foods. 

Use this time to find and discover new ways of experiencing travel without actually travelling. #CookingTravelTalks 

2. Listen to your audience when pivoting

During the lockdown, it was much easier to speak to your audiences – through various social media tools (Twitter, Instagram being my personal faves).

When a close friend of mine suggested to me to go ahead with food and travel thing I didn’t know where to start. The first response was for me to put in in prayer and write in my journal about it. I then decided to ask relevant questions to my audience. This helped me decide how to strategise my new project. I asked simple questions such as, how often, what dishes and the time I should do my live. Asking these questions was extremely helpful not only did it give me the tools to make the right decision in developing my new pivot – Cooking Travel Talks but it also let me know what my audience was looking for. Now that I have finished season 1 I plan to gain feedback from my audience. 

Find ways to engage and listen to your audience. After all, they are the most important people when trying to pivot your brand. #CookingTravelTalks 

3. Don’t be afraid to learn something new 

For those of you that have been watching my Instagram lives, I am sure you can tell I do not come from a food background nor do I have any qualification in this area. And if I am even more honest I haven’t always been the most confident person in the kitchen. I didn’t allow this to stop me. Every time I bring someone on to my live I not only learn about a new dish and a bit about the destination but most importantly I learn new techniques of how to cook when I’m in the kitchen. 

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Feel the Fear and do it anyway. #CookingTravelTalks 

4. Be prepared to pivot again 

Although we are slowly coming out of the so-called ‘lockdown stage’ we are still in unprecedented times and none of us really know what lies ahead. Even though MyBreakingViews has technically pivoted, it doesn’t mean this will be it. I am still constantly thinking of new ways of how I can make Cooking Travel Talks better and more appealing to my audience.  

I have many ideas already which I have jotted down. Some of them include purchasing tools such as lighting and a camera, but honestly, I have other plans for my new project and I can’t wait to grow with you on this! Take out a journal and write down what you love and what you would like to do with your brand. 

Continue to pivot even when you have already pivoted. There is nothing wrong with change. #CookingTravelTalks 

I hope you enjoyed reading this post and if you are still figuring out how to pivot your brand send me an email info@mybreakingviews.com. Two heads are better than one and we might think of something mindblowing. 

Otherwise, stay tuned as I will be sharing short write-ups of the destinations I have tasted! Oh, and did I mention there will be a Cooking and Travel Talks Season 2! Hahaha yes, stay tuned! 

Below I have shared some of the dishes my audience have made with me.

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Have you pivoted your brand? Do you have any tips you can share? Leave in the comments below.

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CookingTravelTalksfoodPivotTasting the world