How Joanie Simon Grew a 10,000-Member Food Photography Community

And it's not just food photography or it's not just underwater basket weaving or whatever it is that you're teaching. It's a skill, but it's also impacting real people's lives in a very positive way where people can feel connected and they can feel like they have friends. I mean, wow. Like, all these things that I didn't set out to do, but really have a positive impact in helping people build their own businesses. And it's what we're meant to do.

I'm excited to welcome the stage Joni. And Joni is the host of a community called Bite Shot and she's been on mighty network since 2020 and she now has 10,000 plus members. And I want to have Joni come in and tell her story about Bite Shot and her community and what it's taken to grow a community of 10,000 plus people. So welcome Joni to the stage today.

Hello. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you too. How are you doing?

I'm excellent. Excellent. It's been a great event so far.

Yeah, well excited for you to be here. But I'd love to start. Just tell us a little bit about your community Bite Shot and then I'd love to hear kind of like where it started in the genesis of the entire thing.

Yeah. So we are all about food photography. So, you know, there's a lot of photography content out there, but we really hone in on my favorite subject, which is food. And it all started back in 2017. I started teaching food photography on YouTube as sort of an extension of local workshops that I was hosting for food photographers. They were like, we want to get better at our food photography. How do we do it? And I was posting content on Instagram and online as, as you do. And I thought, you know, there's certain things. And I was like, I just want these folks to know before they come to my in person workshops. And so I'm just going to put some videos out on YouTube so they can watch those and then come to the workshop. Well, lo and behold, there was a whole Internet's worth of people who were very excited to learn food photography in the very specific way that I teach it, which was maybe different than other people just in terms of my personality. I was very much working out of like the back room at my house. It was not a fancy studio. A lot at the time that you'd see on YouTube in terms of photography education was, you know, people big fancy cameras and big terminology and kind of a little intimidating. And I was just this Chick in a back room with kind of janky setup, but very excited about teaching people food. Photography. Photography. And so, yeah, the YouTube channel just really took off and it became very apparent within that first year that people wanted to go deeper with me than what I was able to offer through YouTube. So that's when I kind of got the idea and started to also see, like, oh, people are creating courses, they're creating communities, they're building businesses out of this. That wasn't really something that I had set out to do, but very clearly became like an opportunity. And I have a background in education and so it just sort of all rolled together into then creating those first courses and seeing I also want to have a community component with this because that's just very much a part of my own personal DNA. Like, I love bringing people together in the educational journey of not just a one to one, but many, because we can really pull a lot of knowledge working together.

Yeah, that's great. So I know you didn't start at 10,000 members. For those who are just here getting started, they're like, wait a second, that's crazy. You must have had like a million email subscribers. You got 10,000 members. But talk me through the journey of getting started and then how it's grown to where it's at now.

Yeah, it was very organic just in terms of. It started with the YouTube content. And around that time I'm like, okay, well, we got to have a way to connect these people. So, you know, and I also at that point had at least familiarity with like email marketing and had that sort of going. And so I was like, oh, okay, I'll start sending newsletters and getting people on an email list and started sharing, you know, lead magnets and things like that. I didn't have like a paid offer at that point, but yeah, it just sort of organically rolled into then as people started to request things, I would then make stuff, you know, in terms of courses and ebooks and things like that. So it very, I think where it always comes back, back then and now, it's always really being in tune with who am I serving and what problems are they having and, and what things can I either provide that I already know or I can learn? I mean, I was definitely, especially in those early days in a place where I was kind of learning right along with them because they go, well, what about tilt shift lenses? And I'm like, what's a tilt shift lens? All right, let's figure it out. Let's make a video about it. So it was very much like collaborating and learning together. But yeah, in terms of. Then I started on Facebook because at that time that was sort of like the very obvious thing that was there. We were all on Facebook and then also offering courses on a kind of learning management platform at the time. But I always felt sort of this, I would love all of this to be in one happy little hub, one happy little place. And so, you know, it was very much kind of the YouTube thing was where a lot of people started, but then the building of the community in the spaces, like, again, Facebook and things like that. But then suddenly I participated in a course during early days of COVID and was like, oh, I really like this platform, this mighty platform that these folks are on. This really solves a lot of the problems that I was having that felt like my content was sort of siloed and my community was sort of siloed and I wanted everything to all be under one hub. So that was then where the mighty opportunity came to. To jump into that. And so, yeah, it's always been, though, very organic of listening to what the community needs, what people who I'm interacting with. I mean, I'm very actively participating because I, I personally love food photography and I could talk about it all day long. So I think that really helps to, you know, just think of new ideas, which some folks would go, oh, well, that's a strategic lead magnet. And that's a strategic way to create an email sequence. I'm like, well, yeah, but that's also just really helpful to human beings. And so I'm just going to follow that, that muse, if you will.

Yeah, I swear, I did not set you up for this, but that has literally been the theme of this entire event, which is, hey, just find your people, really learn to listen to them, and then give them what they're asking for.

Yeah.

And what. What I love about your story is you're like, I was kind of figured out too, like tilt lens. I don't know, let's go figure it out. And let me tell you what I'm figuring out. And I think that kind of thing is exactly it. It doesn't take an mba. It doesn't take business school. It doesn't take. I don't have a degree in business even a little bit. It doesn't take any of that. It just takes the ability to gather people who are interested in a certain idea. And for you, it was food photography. Really, really, really listen to them and then give them what they're asking for. And that's the good news for everybody here, and I love that part of the story, because I promise I didn't set you up for that. Every single session, the whole time is we think that this whole thing is mystical. And it's. It's actually not. It's not magical. It's not mystical. It's really just always comes back to people and serving people. So.

Yeah, well. And I mean, as a part of my. I mean, if I can jump in, Ro, as far as my journey goes, you know, as the business built and grew and, I mean, we get to thousands of subscribers and, you know, tons of people in the community and all these courses and, you know, the business is doing great, and I was like, oh, it's time to scale up. And as I started to scale up, suddenly I realized I was getting more and more removed from those original relationships and those people and the connection with the community and Aud. That really inspired the magic that we created together. And so it was a really important sort of experience for me to go, oh, I need to reorient the way I'm building this business because I need to be connected to the humans in the community. I need to be interacting because that's where I get my greatest inspiration. And my best idea is to keep moving this thing forward. Like, I'm not meant to be a manager. I need to be connected to the people.

Yeah. That's so good. Thinking back to when you first got started with this, and there's a lot of folks here who are either contemplating getting started or have just gotten started. What. What would you say to the younger version of yourself who's, like, just getting started, maybe like, a little intimidated about the idea of community and pulling everything together? What would you say to the younger version of yourself now sitting in the seat that you're at with 10,000 members and. And growing the thing that you. You've. You've so beautifully built.

Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. I think I. I wouldn't change a thing because part of me is like, how wonderful that all of this has brought me to where I am. And certainly the thing that I think has caused the biggest derailments in the process was always my own self and my own self doubt. I remember before I even started teaching food photography and thinking about, you know, putting videos on YouTube and things like that, and I was like, there's not enough content there. There's not enough people interested in that. Like, there'd be no way, right? Like. Like, what a wacky thing. Like What? I make 10 videos and that's It. But I think it's the old adage that confidence comes after doing the thing. And so it's like you really. I. There's been so many times when maybe I didn't trust my intuition, and I feel like that has been an important part of the journey, that I am in a much better place of trusting my intuition now that when those little glimmers come through of an idea or something, that it's like you kind of feel it in your gut and you're like, oh, oh, this is. This is a thing. This is something that I should be moving forward with. And you know that you can come up with a hundred different ways to talk yourself out of it, but trust that that intuition has been planted there and continue to show up and just, you know, what's the worst that's going to happen? Right. Like, that experimentation, you put it out there. Um, and. And continuing to follow that intuition, I think is really important.

Yeah. I think Topsy said this on day one, but who benefits from you not doing this?

Great question. Nobody.

But who might benefit if you decide to do it is a much easier answer. And I think that's really, really, really good. Layla also said something on day two that is really pinging for me here. It's like, find the thing that you could talk about for 10 years and do that. And it's like you've. It sounds like you've become, like, endlessly curious by food photography and building a community around it. And that's really what's been the, like the, the engine that's driven this to become what it's become.

Oh. And I mean, the amount of things that I have learned in the process. I mean, as far as community building, business, all the things, but also just photography, like, I am an infinitely better photographer now because this community has not. Like, I've been in connection with these people who have pushed me to get better at what I do. And I just know that I wouldn't be as skilled at this craft if I hadn't taken this journey.

What would you say to somebody who said, well, I feel like I'm not quite there yet. I've got to become a better expert before I get started and build a community. What would you say to somebody who's. Who's thinking that right now?

Oh, my gosh, no, like, where you're at, like, you only have to be so much further than the people you're teaching. And like, I look back at, I was actually doing some analysis of old videos because, I mean, I've got eight years worth of YouTube videos, over 200. You know, so much content. And I was trying to like, analyze what's been my most successful content, like in terms of views and reach and watch time. It was all older stuff because you, you have, you don't have sort of all of this knowledge that keeps you from understanding what it's like to be a beginner and what it's like to be kind of further back in your journey where you can more directly connect with somebody who is getting started. So absolutely part of me is like, I like to keep folks who have, who are at the beginning of their photography journey for me personally, because it helps remind me, oh, yeah, learning that thing was really hard. That thing that I take for granted now or things that I think are second nature and go, oh, that's right, five years ago, six years ago, that was, that was impossible. You know, so the relatability factor you have, like, don't waste that opportunity. Like, right now is a perfect time to get started and you can learn as you go. Like, there is no, there is no shame in that game. And if anything, it's going to make you more valuable to again, the people who need to hear that message.

Yeah, I think that's, that's maybe one of the takeaways I'm going to have from this session is the transformation or the transition is not just for your members, it's also for you. And you are an example of that is the skills that you've gained not only as a photographer, but also as a community builder and a host. All of those have been part of just because you took the step and made the journey. And I think that's such an amazing, amazing result. Any final thoughts for those who are thinking about building a community and why, why they should be thinking about it and maybe why they should be using Mighty?

Yeah, I mean, Mighty is such a wonderful platform in terms of the ability to connect with people. It is really fun for me to watch, especially as new features get rolled out. And now having been on Mighty for what, over five years now, and just seeing the development of that and how, you know, forward thinking and again, how much community is at the heart of that, because that really is where a lot of learning happens. And for me, some of the best moments are not when I'm necessarily teaching, it's when they're teaching each other and they're connecting and they're, they're having zoom meetings without me. I'm like, I love that for y'.

All.

Like, they're just having a great time. But also, too, to your point, that you don't know the impact that you could be having on people's lives, the benefit. And it's not just food photography or it's not just underwater basket weaving or whatever it is that you're teaching. It's a skill, but it's also impacting real people's lives in a very positive way where people can feel connected and they can feel like they have friends and also the unintended consequences of things that I didn't even think of. I didn't think, oh, I'm going to teach somebody this skill. And that means that they can now have lighting any time of day so they can actually eat dinner with their family. I mean, wow. Like, not things I set out to do or, oh, wow, this saved my marriage because now my husband's not sitting and, you know, eating cold food because I'm able to do the photo shoot at a different time. You know, all these things that I didn't set out to do, but really have a positive impact in helping people build their own businesses. And it's very. It just, it's what we're meant to do. So people are at the heart of what we do, and Mighty has definitely got that at the forefront, and I love that.

Well, Joni, thanks for coming and sharing a little bit about your story. It's so inspiring to see in just a few years going from not having a community to 10,000 members. So inspiring. So thanks for being here. Thanks for sharing your story. Glad you could be here with us.

Thank you so much for having me. Take care.

All right, bye.