Behind the Blueprint: An interview with Eden Hagos on entrepreneurship, growth, and her new book deal
Images: Eden Hagos
Please introduce yourself…
My name is Eden Hagos, and I'm the creator of Black Foodie. I create online content that celebrates black food and culture. I share everything from recipes to restaurants and places you need to travel to for great food.
When did you business take off, and why?
Although I've been running Black Foodie for nine years, it feels more like five. That's because for the first couple of years I didn't make any money! Things really started picking up in 2019 and 2020. Two things changed during these years – the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. Because of the pandemic, people were cooking at home, more than ever. And then because of BLM and the death of George Floyd, there was a drive to support small businesses across the board, especially black businesses. I started looking at tourism boards and larger corporations as customers, selling things that I was already doing for free (like black foodie guides, restaurant spotlights, recipes).
What are some of the greatest challenges you've experienced as an entrepreneur?
The biggest challenges came from not trusting myself. I didn't trust that I could pivot and deal with the fires that arise when building a business. I also tolerated a lot, because it helped me make money. After realizing that there's no dollar amount that is worth my peace or respect, I quickly overcame that.
What's your most memorable experience of working together?
Early on, you'd always ask me, “do you really want to do this [project]?" In the past, I reached for things that weren't in line with the life that I wanted. So you'd ask, “what is it that you actually want to do? Why not just do that?” And I remember when we first started working together, we did the big picture exercise. You asked me what I wanted my life to look like, what kind of car I wanted, which city I wanted to live in. It helped me realign, because I hadn't been asked that since I was in college. It challenged me to look at my business beyond just how much money I was making, and made me wonder, “how is this feeding the life that I want?”
And then, the Trudeau thing. That was such a big production with a short timeline – 10 days – and I had to figure it out. And so, I appreciated you coming in helping me create an outline, hopping on a call with Lulu, who was the producer for it, and giving it structure.
Is there anything you're excited or proud of that you're working on, like the book deal… can we mention that ?
Yes, we can mention it! I recently secured a book deal – you played a part in that journey! I really appreciated your encouragement and accountability in this process. It feels like it's going to be another launchpad into really cool travel projects and more storytelling that don't require an ad at the end, and I'm really excited about having an investment in something other than online content.
What should other entrepreneurs know about working with me and about the entrepreneurship journey?
They should know that you offer much more than strategy. Entrepreneurship can be very lonely and difficult, so having somebody who can help walk you through a problem, while giving you encouragement and help you reflect is so very beneficial. I also feel you went above and beyond; if you didn't know an answer, you tried to connect me to people who did. You also celebrated the wins and were invested in my success. I think that it's really valuable for entrepreneurs to know you're invested in their growth.
P.S. Struggling to streamline your business? Let’s cut through the chaos and build the structure you need to grow—without the overwhelm. Book a session today.
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