Episode 18 / Erica Thomas
Why Hustling Alone Isn’t Enough: Erica Thomas’s Entrepreneurship Strategies for Networking
This episode is for you if you’ve ever wondered:
The significance of hustle, networking, and asking for support in an entrepreneur's journey to success.
Challenges new entrepreneurs face, especially concerning business management aspects like taxes, and the importance of having a support system.
Strategic insights on combating imposter syndrome and the cultivation of self-belief and self-worth.
Erica's vision for fostering community and inclusivity through her women's supper club and its recent expansion.
Dealing with the pressures and criticisms that come with entrepreneurship and social media presence, and the philosophy of contentment driving business performance.
About ERICA THOMAS
Eating With Erica is a nationally recognized food and lifestyle website that has been featured in Food & Wine, Good Morning America, CNN, FOX5, Essence and more.
Erica started EWE as a passionate food enthusiast and used her background in corporate marketing and influencer marketing to build EWE into the brand it is today. While she now runs it full-time, being a successful entrepreneur did not happen overnight and when asked, Erica is quick to explain how for the first several months she worked from 9-5 and then came home to work her “5-9.”
Over the past decade, Erica has worked with over 250 companies including brands like Panera, La Marca Prosecco, Kroger, Woodford Reserve, and Lexus. As a businesswoman, she understands the importance of professional partnerships, but it is her passion for delicious food that remains at the core of EWE.
“Contentment with yourself is happiness. And I feel like when you're happiest, that comes out in your business even more because you're more pleasant to be around. It's easier for you to close deals, you're more receptive, you're more creative.”
ERICA THOMAS
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Lindsey Epperly [00:00:02]:
Welcome, Erica. I am so excited to have this conversation.
Erica Thomas [00:00:06]:
You're, like, one of my new favorite people. Like, we just hit it off from the jump, and I am so excited. And I'm glad we got to meet prior to the conversation just to make sure. Our synergy was so good. And I knew it would be.
Lindsey Epperly [00:00:19]:
I agree. But, like, how kismet was all of that. Like, within a matter of weeks, it was like, boom, boom, boom. Suddenly we're at the Thompson hotel hanging out over drinks on total accident. I was so happy when you were at that random night that I was there.
Erica Thomas [00:00:34]:
In the middle of a snowstorm.
Lindsey Epperly [00:00:36]:
In the middle of a snowstorm. And you brought beautiful gift baskets.
Erica Thomas [00:00:39]:
Oh, did you like them? Oh, my God.
Lindsey Epperly [00:00:40]:
You're like, I forgot.
Erica Thomas [00:00:41]:
You did receive one of the gift baskets.
Lindsey Epperly [00:00:44]:
Yes. Each of our team members got them, and we were all so thrilled. I used my pistachio saw on.
Erica Thomas [00:00:49]:
Did you like.
Lindsey Epperly [00:00:51]:
Of course. This whole episode is just going to be us screaming at each other, isn't it? We're just so excited to be here.
Erica Thomas [00:01:01]:
Exactly.
Lindsey Epperly [00:01:02]:
I'm going to plug your pistachio salt. Can people buy that or is that.
Erica Thomas [00:01:05]:
They can for sure. So good.
Lindsey Epperly [00:01:07]:
It was so good.
Erica Thomas [00:01:07]:
It can go for anything, whether it's a salad. I've used it in some chicken salad. It's amazing. Like a goat cheese tart. It's just.
Lindsey Epperly [00:01:19]:
Well, I didn't even think about this, but I'm hoping today we get some good cooking tips from you, because that kind of stuff is for sure.
Erica Thomas [00:01:26]:
Okay.
Lindsey Epperly [00:01:26]:
We're already diving right into that part of it. We got to start at the top, right? The whole who made you the boss? Concept is all about that moment that you take the reins. I know when you and I met over drinks the other day, you told me, well, I became my own boss so no one could fire me.
Erica Thomas [00:01:42]:
Was that. Absolutely. I feel like a lot of people resonate this. If you are the oldest daughter, you are born the boss. Okay. Like, there's no if, ands, or buts about it. So my journey of being a boss started a very young age.
Lindsey Epperly [00:01:57]:
So as soon as you became mid level management for your siblings, basically.
Erica Thomas [00:02:00]:
Oh, my goodness. Like, literally raining. If I want something done, I'm hiring the oldest daughter of at least three children. I'm going to get it done.
Lindsey Epperly [00:02:08]:
This is amazing. There had to be a defining moment, though. When it came to career. Now's the time. What did that look like?
Erica Thomas [00:02:18]:
Literally, I would still be in corporate if they would have me. But I kept losing my job, so I realized I'm not going to keep auditioning. You know what I mean? So after my final layoff, I was so excited. And this layoff was very personal because all layoffs are personal. But this one was like, you know what? I'm sick of this. I'm sick of this. Long story short, I was working at a company. Loved this company, loved my manager, loved my coworkers.
Erica Thomas [00:02:46]:
It sounds culty to say, but we were all family at work. I love it. And it was great. We had a new CEO come in, and I had an offer to work at a competitor. And I felt like, I'm a big girl. I'm going to go to my boss, I'm going to tell her that I have a competing offer, and let's see how I can negotiate that. And they're like, no worries. They gave me all these things.
Erica Thomas [00:03:12]:
I was like, I'll increase your salary. You'll get a higher bonus. Just don't go to the other company. And I was like, oh, my God, I have made it. Talk about an ego stroke, right? Like, I am valuable in this corporate market or whatever. Three weeks later, I was laid off. So of course I tried to double back with the other company. They're like, absolutely not the Rose Benz bill.
Erica Thomas [00:03:35]:
I'm like, how dare you? Like, you knew I needed my job, okay? But it sounds like it's my time. My fiance, who's my now husband, was like, look, I'll give you six works to try and figure this out and see how it will work. So don't worry about anything. Here's my credit card. And just ball to the wall. And, yeah, I picked up some contracting in between that time because so many times I feel like being an entrepreneur, it looks so different, right? And if you ever look at your bank account and one plus one is equaling negative 35, go back to work. Like, there's no pride in being on the struggle bus when you don't have to. Like, you need revolving capital to make this dream work.
Erica Thomas [00:04:19]:
Like, just starting from a place of legitimacy. You have to have $100 in Georgia for an llc that's in Georgia. If it's like Chicago or New York, it's like upwards of like 1500 to two grand. Let's not even talk about, like, hey, lots of people like face to face meetings. You have to pay coffee, you have to pay for gas. There's just revolving expenses that I feel like a lot of entrepreneurs feel like it is. Especially, I feel like during this climate is the results are microwavable. Like, I see this girl.
Erica Thomas [00:04:47]:
And I'm going to do that too. And let me quit my job and hold on, sister. Where are the health benefits coming from? Like just life insurance. You have a toothache.
Lindsey Epperly [00:05:00]:
So the reality is you were able to do this because your now husband.
Erica Thomas [00:05:06]:
I didn't need to worry about paying a rent or mortgage or anything. I was coasting, you know what I mean? But that gave me. And I know that comes from like a level of privilege. Like, hey, I'm able just to wake up and I was making my breakfast. Being the fiance with the mostest, but making sure that I had my expenses covered. I had insurance, I had all the things. So it made it a little bit easier. Especially because leaving corporate or getting asked to leave rather.
Erica Thomas [00:05:36]:
I was able to have a severance and I was able to get my bonuses. And this was a corporation, so it wasn't like startup culture. Two weeks. May God be with you. You know what I mean?
Lindsey Epperly [00:05:49]:
So you had that sense of security.
Erica Thomas [00:05:53]:
I didn't feel like there was like, I didn't feel pressure. I pressure, like six months I have to make this work. But not pressure as in like, oh, my God, can I swipe this? Is my cart going to decline?
Lindsey Epperly [00:06:04]:
You know what I mean? What a blessing.
Erica Thomas [00:06:06]:
Exactly. Unlike, just different things, like, you have to pay. In my line of industry, I've always loved a beautiful curated feed since the beginning. I remember when I first got started in food vlogging. My friend pulled me aside, shout out to you, Ali, and was like, your pictures are horrible. I don't want to eat anything you're posting and you're in food. So that's very. I was like, what?
Lindsey Epperly [00:06:27]:
What a great friend.
Erica Thomas [00:06:28]:
I was like, I was like, 70 people like this post. She's like, yes, but they're your friends, so we're just going to like it because we like you, but no one wants to eat that. Okay, so let me find some photographers.
Lindsey Epperly [00:06:42]:
So where did the vision come from? Did you already have that food blog?
Erica Thomas [00:06:46]:
Okay, so fun story. I was already like, I would come home and work my nine to five and then work my five to nine, right? And I end up getting my corporate position because I was writing for one of their online publications and they were like, hey, we're opening in a market in Atlanta. Do you know someone who would like. I was like, I would love to do this. I've been working with you guys for three years in a freelance capacity. After like 13 interviews. Not joking. I got the job.
Erica Thomas [00:07:14]:
So it started off like I was already because initially when I was working. I was working at this food magazine, freelance, on the side, Mandolo's. And full time work doesn't always go together, depending on where you are in your career. It wasn't working for me, so I was like, I needed some more supplements. Not trying to be Sarah Jessica Parker. Okay, literally negative $300, but $40,000 worth of shoes. Like, savings accounts have always mattered to me. You have to have savings.
Lindsey Epperly [00:07:49]:
Yeah.
Erica Thomas [00:07:51]:
So I worked at this magazine company and seemed like everything that I was trying to get them to do from a digital perspective, because they still had magazines. They're like, we're in the hotels. And I'm like, yes, but I really think it's important for you guys to have a digital presence. And I'm like, why am I doing this? I don't even have health benefits here. I'll find somewhere else to supplement my shoe income. I don't have time for this. So I started doing my own shoe income. Exactly.
Erica Thomas [00:08:17]:
And it was really funny, because when I first started my blog, I would go with my Android and take pictures in the dark before the lights and technology we have now. And they were Pretty crappy. But I had heart, so I would post it on my website. I was just happy because I was like, I'm accomplishing something. Like, I had a goal. And I did three blog posts this weekend. It was just for me getting in the swing of things, and I didn't know what was going to come from it, but I was like, you know what? This could be something. So I remember speaking to my web hosting, and I'm like, I'm having an issue.
Erica Thomas [00:08:57]:
And he's like, well, I sent you an email. I don't have an email. And pretty much my email connection was broken. And I've been doing this already for like three years with no response. Nobody said anything. He connects email connection, whatever he did in the tech world. I had 13,000 emails. People were like, we love this.
Erica Thomas [00:09:15]:
We want you to come back in.
Lindsey Epperly [00:09:18]:
Just weren't getting anything. So that was probably a pretty significant setback.
Erica Thomas [00:09:25]:
I think that I'm always up for a challenge, you know what I mean? And I'm a big person in trusting my gut. And I'm not the most religious, but I'm very spiritual. So I kind of go with, if God gives you the vision, he's going to bring you the clients. Yeah. I don't feel like he puts something on our heart that's just not going to work. It may be like a squiggly line of confusion, chaos, stress, wine, caffeine and breakdowns. But it's going to pay off.
Lindsey Epperly [00:09:54]:
Can I get that on a coffee mug? Your entrepreneurial journey will be a squiggly line of confusion with chaos. Wine, caffeine, and it will pay off.
Erica Thomas [00:10:03]:
Weight loss. Weight gain. Okay.
Lindsey Epperly [00:10:07]:
But it's so true. It is never just an easy upward trajectory. And honestly, I feel like that gives you more of the hustle and the grit and the excitement to keep going. Right. The challenge.
Erica Thomas [00:10:20]:
I totally agree with you. You can teach a lot of things. You can't teach hustle. You either want it or you don't. You know what I mean? You either have get up and go or you don't have get up and go. So it's just like, literally, I believe there's a quote. It's like there's things that are left over. Things in life don't come fast.
Erica Thomas [00:10:38]:
But people who want things in life comes from those who hustle. And things who are left over, those are left over from the people who hustle. I feel like just in this day and age, people are really underrating the human connection of networking and hustle. Like picking up the phone rather than just sending an email. Like really being persistent on what? There's no no for me, it may be no today, but not no in life. I'm going to get what I want.
Lindsey Epperly [00:11:08]:
Yes. Beautiful. Well, and networking is such a big basis of what you are doing. Like your entire company now, too, to promote the supper club like this has gone well beyond a food blog, which in its own right has made incredible leaps and bounds.
Erica Thomas [00:11:23]:
Right.
Lindsey Epperly [00:11:23]:
Like you went from regional to nationally recognized for sure. And now you've got all of these incredible ancillary offerings around it. And the way that you were talking to me about the supper club, you're so passionate about connecting women.
Erica Thomas [00:11:36]:
I am. I feel like there's so many boys clubs, you know what I mean? And there's so many, like, they are always going to look out for each other. And it's like, I just feel like women, we need that a little bit more. Especially when you're starting just a new journey. And a new journey doesn't necessarily have to be like, entrepreneur. A new journey could be like, hey, I'm now divorced, or, hey, I'm a new wife. Like, journeys just need different levels of support. Like, you may be the first woman in your group who is a mom or the first one who's divorced or the first one getting married, but different stages in our life call for different support.
Lindsey Epperly [00:12:13]:
Yeah. So what you're doing is bringing everyone together around food, but actually you're simply bringing everyone together.
Erica Thomas [00:12:20]:
And that's the thing. Yes. I feel like in this world, I love social media. I mean, I like social media. You know what this, what I love about social media is like, you, like, literally. Jessica posted my video. Okay. Hey, Jessica, Miss Sassy Pants.
Erica Thomas [00:12:37]:
Isn't she so sassy? I love her.
Lindsey Epperly [00:12:40]:
I love her. She is honorary Jetset. She does not work on our team, but she works on our, like, we love her so much.
Erica Thomas [00:12:46]:
Shout out to Jessica. Jessica posted our holiday luncheon at the word office. Doria, you saw and you're like, what is this? And I don't believe in any other capacity that could happen without social media. I don't even know if you were in the states when you saw could that.
Lindsey Epperly [00:13:04]:
Good point. I probably was because babies, but no, it's because I've been following you on social media for well over a year and I was like, jess blunt, how do you know this lovely Erica that I've been following and I'm obsessed with? Because my side passion is cooking and eating. Like, my pastime, my favorite pastime is I will read menus online for restaurants that I may never visit. I just love it. So anyway, when I saw you guys together, I was like, jess, how do I get an intro to Erica? I just want to meet her. It's so cool. She lives in Atlanta and then she intros me. And you are just the most delightful.
Erica Thomas [00:13:36]:
Easy to get to know human.
Lindsey Epperly [00:13:38]:
And so to your point, you're using social not as a barrier or a fortress or a wall, but as a means to connection.
Erica Thomas [00:13:45]:
And I feel like it's either one or two things. You're either consuming or you're creating. And I feel like so many times there are some people right now who have 50 followers, 100 followers, and they're just like, oh, I'm never going to grow. But you post once a month. Okay. I think that there's so much power in my mindset is execution over perfection, right. So many times you see people who you feel like, man, I can do that better than her, or she's not even that great, but because she's starting and she's doing and you're sitting still looking at her starting and doing, she's going to go further just because she's like, you know what? Whatever happens, happens, and I'm going to give it a best shot. And if you're not trying, I'd rather fail trying than not know.
Lindsey Epperly [00:14:34]:
Yes. Are you just naturally wired that way? Or is that, like, a learned activity to overcome perfection?
Erica Thomas [00:14:39]:
I think that literally, growing up, my parents were very much so. I remember. It's so funny. Me and my mom was talking about this. They always told us we were special, and there's nobody like you, and that's true. And then I remember I was in school, and this teacher was like, you're not special. What? What are you talking about? I literally was like, I need to go to the office and call my mom. And my mom went up there and was like, no, my daughter is special.
Erica Thomas [00:15:02]:
And don't you ever tell her anything different. I'm sorry your mom didn't tell you you were special, but you are. You are special. Literally. Think about this. Like, in 6 billion people, okay? We have, like, jellyfish and, like, lions and rice, nasirus. And, like, God said, we need a you. I'm special.
Lindsey Epperly [00:15:18]:
I love that you are. So, you are wired this way. But also your parents, raised, in a.
Erica Thomas [00:15:24]:
Way, about self esteem, thinking very big on just knowing your worth. And I think especially guys kind of have it a little easier than we do. You know what I mean? But with girls, you want to teach them to be powerful badasses. You really want to make sure they know their worth, because so many times women are taken advantage of just from people pleasing or just like, I hope they like me. And it's like, I feel like when you get to a point in your life where you just truly. You don't care.
Lindsey Epperly [00:16:03]:
But how do you. Do you get to that point out of just pure desperation, or did you actively work to get to that point so that you could be more successful?
Erica Thomas [00:16:11]:
I think that this is a thing. It's just like, a lot of people are worried about they. Right. It's like, what are they going to say? It's like, okay, we'll give what you're saying they about. So what are these people? I'm nervous about posting on social media because I don't want to look stupid, because they are going to. Okay, let's write down who's they, and most of the time, no one can even tell me who they are.
Lindsey Epperly [00:16:33]:
Right. Oh, my gosh. I actually actually have this as a question scripted to ask you because I try to follow along, like, just a little bit of an idea of what I've. But I got my first troll the other day. Right? I'm like, I've made it. Got my first troll.
Erica Thomas [00:16:48]:
You're an influencer now.
Lindsey Epperly [00:16:49]:
Thank you. But what do we do with this? What do we do with the haters?
Erica Thomas [00:16:53]:
I just block it. Beautiful. I've been hated on since three k.
Lindsey Epperly [00:16:59]:
Where you can't block it or like that's in the classroom with you. So this is an easier response.
Erica Thomas [00:17:04]:
I just block it. My thing is it's just like people who are truly happy with their life and everybody's happiness looks different, right? But I'm not saying you have everything, right? But when you're truly happy in your life and you're content, like, you know what? I like my husband today. These kids aren't driving me crazy. They're at school today. I have heat in my house today. I haven't lost any clients yet. It's only Thursday. That can change.
Erica Thomas [00:17:31]:
But I'm pretty happy as a person. I've noticed that your behavior is different from people who are not. Even if you feel like they have all the things. And I feel like being happy within starts with you. That's not like a bag, a car. It's just, okay, let me go deep and am I happy? And if I'm not happy, why am I not? And fix it. And that may need therapy. Okay.
Lindsey Epperly [00:17:55]:
Probably does. Definitely did for me.
Erica Thomas [00:17:57]:
It might need to be on the couch, but I've just noticed there's just like little things that are so I'm not just triggered, you know what I mean? I'm like, okay, girl, you got it. Season. Okay. I'm not arguing with anybody. I'm not going back. You got it. I'm not going to be spending extra money on Botox because my frown lines, I'm not doing that. Trying to preserve my youth.
Lindsey Epperly [00:18:20]:
So I do feel like though there's a misconception, at least I had this in my twenty s. And I think hopefully I'm doing better in that contentment is like the antonym to drive. So if I become content, then am I not going to hustle and go for what I want? So I always linked anxiety to ambition and thought those two things were necessary. And I find more and more that's not the case.
Erica Thomas [00:18:44]:
I think that what I look at it is. It's so funny, right? So you'll have clients, and the clients be like, yeah, the budget is 50,000 here, sign or whatever. It's the easiest thing in a work. But then you have those clients that are like nickel and diamond and it's always headache, stress. And it's like, I knew I shouldn't have taken it, but it was coming from a place of desperation. You know what I mean? Not a place of abundance, you know what I mean? And it's always costing you way more than the money that you were making from the clients. Right. So I feel like contentment with yourself is happiness.
Erica Thomas [00:19:19]:
And I feel like when you're happiness, that comes out in your business even more because you're more pleasant to be around. It's easier for you to close deals, you're more receptive, you're more creative. I don't feel like you can be your best creative self when you're operating from a place of desperation, anxiety, things like that, it's overwhelming. It's stressful. And granted, yes, entrepreneurship is absolutely hard, but I love it. I played hooky last week to take my son to the library. It's like, you know what? I'm not doing these meetings today. I'm scheduling them tomorrow.
Erica Thomas [00:19:51]:
So I love that, but I love the freedom, but I also love that I can be happy and still have stressful moments, but still be content with my life. Like, wow, look where I was five years ago. I was going to make it like this. You know what I mean? So I think you could.
Lindsey Epperly [00:20:07]:
Yes. Well, and it trickles over into the kind of mom and wife that you are, too.
Erica Thomas [00:20:14]:
I feel like you want to make sure the type of environment that you're keeping in the house, because I'm not raising a child. I'm raising a young adult. Right. And it's like how you are raised that spills over into everything. When my son gets married and when he's dating and things like that, like the way he communicates. I'm not trying to have him be a white somebody's burden. Okay.
Lindsey Epperly [00:20:37]:
Yeah.
Erica Thomas [00:20:40]:
A lot of women are waking up and realizing that a lot of these men are not partners. Okay. I feel like I have with me raising a son, I don't want him to go from my house to another woman's house being an extra burden or extra child. I really want to teach him, like, partnership. You can pick up your clothes. I just feel like it's just so many things that the times have changed or whatever. But I saw this video, and it was so funny because they said that it's hard dating now because men didn't really used to have to do anything, and they're like, now they want to ask if you're emotionally available and you have to be funny. But I'm like, well, too, because when people were initially getting married, I love.
Erica Thomas [00:21:23]:
It was sometimes a matter of survival. I talked to a lot of my older friends, and they would, you know, when we were young in school, you would say, oh, what happened to Leslie? It's like, oh, yeah, Leslie's dad needed four cows, and Mr. Henry had six. Okay, so Leslie's married. Okay? She's not going to school anymore.
Lindsey Epperly [00:21:49]:
Now, the stakes are a little bit higher in terms of.
Erica Thomas [00:21:52]:
On top of that, let's just think it from an economic standpoint, most women could not get a bank account without their husband until 1973.
Lindsey Epperly [00:22:00]:
Yeah. But you know what's interesting is even at the start of this, talking about the way that your partner enabled you to go for what you wanted without having the financial burden, there is now a modern day version of what it looks like for a man to be supportive of a woman, particularly a very powerful, very influential woman like yourself, like someone who shows up with full bravado, full charisma, and a full bag of dreams. You have to have a very particular type of man that's going to say, I am here for you, and here's what I'm going to do to support you versus someone who wants to overshadow or put out that fire or compete. Compete.
Erica Thomas [00:22:36]:
Let's just call it a lot of. Sometimes it gets a little bit. I just think just from the way they are wired, their ego, sometimes it's like, and I was always taught if you're not growing together, you're growing apart. So literally, my wins are your wins. Your wins are my wins. You know what? And, like, you know, if I'm doing this, it's for our family. You know what I mean? It's not for me to go rendezvous into the night just to go hang.
Lindsey Epperly [00:23:02]:
Out with Reese Witherspoon or whoever the celebrity is of the day. Side note, you did hang out with Reese Witherspoon, right?
Erica Thomas [00:23:08]:
Wasn't that partying? I was the face of her national campaign for, like, a while. I did a whole photo shoot in Nashville.
Lindsey Epperly [00:23:14]:
That's incredible. I didn't know that.
Erica Thomas [00:23:16]:
You didn't know that? I was, like, face of Draper James for, like, 18 months.
Lindsey Epperly [00:23:22]:
Erica, get out. That is so cool.
Erica Thomas [00:23:24]:
I've been to that draper James everything.
Lindsey Epperly [00:23:26]:
But that's the extent of my interaction. That's amazing. No, I just happened to see named on your website in terms of clients that you've worked with, and I fangirled a little bit.
Erica Thomas [00:23:36]:
You didn't see the picture?
Lindsey Epperly [00:23:38]:
I guess I just didn't put two and two together.
Erica Thomas [00:23:40]:
Yeah.
Lindsey Epperly [00:23:41]:
We will link in the show notes to the picture of Erica's campaign as the face of Draper James. That's beautiful. Was food the vehicle of getting into?
Erica Thomas [00:23:54]:
Initially, they would do this blog on the website, and they would feature different girls from the south and, like, different initial. It was not paid or like, but I was just excited about the opportunity. And I was know, sometimes I'm typically motivated by money, don't get me wrong. But I'm like, if the rest of.
Lindsey Epperly [00:24:14]:
This conversation has not been evident on that.
Erica Thomas [00:24:19]:
It'S like 1000 to breeze out here.
Lindsey Epperly [00:24:24]:
And you have to have your shoe fund.
Erica Thomas [00:24:26]:
I got to have shoes. Okay. And now I like a good life.
Lindsey Epperly [00:24:31]:
Yeah, totally. But it was unpaid to begin.
Erica Thomas [00:24:35]:
It was unpaid, but it was great because it did lead to a great opportunity and a great situation. I got to meet Reese. She was so, like, I love working with women owned brands, and I just feel like she's such, like a powerhouse. But we met and it was great.
Lindsey Epperly [00:24:51]:
Beautiful. So you also launched a boutique content creation company. Was that before Apple? In the midst of all this, two companies? That's Jordan.
Erica Thomas [00:25:04]:
A saying in our house is start new things often because it will humble you. It'll keep you humble. Whenever you start something from the ground up, it's like, oh, starting something. Don't know if I have this in the bag. Sometimes if you don't try new things, like, you get, like, a little puffy in the chest, and it's like, oh, I got this. I got this. And then when you have to start something new, it's like, I'm starting from scratch. You know what I mean? I like to try new things.
Erica Thomas [00:25:37]:
The content creation company was really fun, and what I liked about it is I was able to really help small business owners with stepping up their content. A lot of our clients were just older, and they were like, hey, I have a great product. Hey, I love doing this, but I'm not converting online at all. And I'm like, well, first of all, the picture looks like it was taken in the dark. I can't see the product.
Lindsey Epperly [00:26:02]:
I don't want to eat this food.
Erica Thomas [00:26:04]:
I don't want to eat this food. I don't want to use this pen. I don't want to do any of this. So it was really more so education and assisting them with, like, okay, this is why you need good content. And it's one of my favorite things to do, like, really helping business owners see, like, oh, my God, this is the same cup of soup, or, oh, my God, this is the same pen, or this is the same mug. And really providing education in addition to amazing content.
Lindsey Epperly [00:26:34]:
Cool. So you were actually, before we started recording, sharing about one of the philanthropies that you're involved in.
Erica Thomas [00:26:41]:
Oh, my God. Gift biz. Is started by this amazing woman named Beverly Bill Jr. She's a junior. And I know someone's going to say, she said junior. Yes, I said, and it is called gift biz. And I'm so excited about it. So pretty much it is to support entrepreneurs.
Erica Thomas [00:27:03]:
And being an entrepreneur, as we said, there's so many things that you just don't know. You don't know about taxes, because a lot of times people, unless they were born into a family of entrepreneurs, a lot of them have started their footing in corporate, you know what I mean? And when you start a new business, you're typically, if you're not with friends that are entrepreneurs, you're in a plateau on your own. And they're like, I don't know about taxes. I'm doing terrible tax. My taxes are coming out. I got a w two. I don't know the language, right.
Lindsey Epperly [00:27:34]:
That's not the case anymore. You know what I mean?
Erica Thomas [00:27:35]:
So they connect you with people like myself who is assisting with content creation, who's assisting with just various things to support. So it's really important for me to support an organization like this because entrepreneurship is so tough. And entrepreneurship, I feel like this is something that the market really needs just to provide support, education, and really assisting those opportunity challenged individuals.
Lindsey Epperly [00:28:03]:
Wow. I am definitely going to look more into that because I think that sounds like an incredible way to give back. And everyone's blessed with different talents. They've got different amounts of time, they've got different resources. But to be able to use your God given ability as an entrepreneur and as the thing that is your superpower to help others like that is really special. I'm curious if you're drawn to that, because I bet you have one of two paths, right? You either had really amazing mentors who helped you get started or you didn't. And thus you want to be an amazing mentor. So what was your background?
Erica Thomas [00:28:34]:
I think both, actually. I think you have to walk before you crawl. But I have eight mentors, and literally, they're all amazing humans. But I feel like my mentors, they're all vast. Some of them are like executives, some of them are retired, some of them are, but they provide such good expertise. And I think that it's so important for you to. The best way for me to learn from mistakes is to watch others. Like, if I don't have to go through the fire, and I found, like, there's a place to go in the back, I'm going to take the place in the back.
Erica Thomas [00:29:07]:
I don't need to go through the fire. But I think it's so important to get people who you trust and wants the best for you. And I think that's so important. We were just talking about this. I'm going to say, like, yesterday, and I say this all the time, you're not asking for too much. You're asking from it, from the wrong people. You're not asking for too much. Cut.
Lindsey Epperly [00:29:31]:
Yeah. No matter what the ask is, you just have to find the right people. That's really good.
Erica Thomas [00:29:37]:
Yeah. And I think that sometimes our dreams may be scary because it's like, okay, I have this. These are my resources, but this is where I'm trying to get. And that can be intimidating in itself. But I feel like with the right team, and I say this all the time. Whenever I've started a new business, I've literally gone into my email to everyone I've ever had a great relationship, a great conversation with and say, hey, guys, this is what I'm working on. I would love your support. And this is how you support me.
Erica Thomas [00:30:08]:
Xyz, just because lots of times it's not that you aren't important, it's just a lot of people have a lot of life going on. So in the midst of someone, maybe assisting their mom who may have fell and broken her hip, or in the midst of having a baby or things like that, I'm sorry, I'm not thinking about what somebody I talked two, three months ago is doing. You know what I mean?
Lindsey Epperly [00:30:26]:
Right.
Erica Thomas [00:30:27]:
So it's nice to just send that out and have a refresher, like, oh, my God, I know a girl. You know what I mean? And you'll be very surprised. And I feel like lots of times when people start stuff, they try and be sneaky, like, I'm going to do it over here in the corner. No, be loud, because you will be surprised on how many people want to help you. And there's so much power in connection and networking and saying, this is what I'm doing. You never know where that may lead you.
Lindsey Epperly [00:30:52]:
Yes. That's so beautiful. I'm so curious, especially with the way that you've talked about how you always have a beginner's mindset, how you want to be humbled by starting something new, and how you're willing to go out and ask for what you need. Have you struggled at all with impostor syndrome at any point? Or is this just like you can just bulldoze through?
Erica Thomas [00:31:10]:
You know what I'm like, okay. I always say that there are people less qualified than me doing more.
Lindsey Epperly [00:31:16]:
And this is accurate of all of us, I'm certain.
Erica Thomas [00:31:21]:
This is the thing, too, about impostor syndrome. Syndrome. You may not feel like you're able to do it, but when you get in the room, you're going to do it. And I feel like that's kind of like my gift. Like, I know I'm able. I'm going to talk myself out of it. Probably have a nervous breakdown on the way. But I know that I can do my job.
Erica Thomas [00:31:38]:
You know what I mean? I'm not an imposter. I can do this. I really am able. And I feel like sometimes when we get what we prayed for, it gets a little intimidating. But I'm like, no, I wanted this. I've earned this. I deserve this. You know what I mean? I say this every day on my story.
Erica Thomas [00:31:57]:
I deserve the best, and the best deserves me.
Lindsey Epperly [00:32:00]:
I love that.
Erica Thomas [00:32:02]:
And I think with that mindset, especially for those who may have had some trauma or they didn't grow up getting praises from their family members, it's so funny. I'll see a girl. I'm like, oh, my God, you have great hair. She's like, it's not that great. What are you talking about? Yeah.
Lindsey Epperly [00:32:17]:
Yes, it is. Yeah. This also probably all points back to your comments earlier about execution versus perfection, and that if you just start, then you already are living in your power. You're overcoming those gremlins quicker and you're seeing that you are capable.
Erica Thomas [00:32:33]:
And the thing is, I'm a big person on having goals and executing your goals, that's what builds self esteem. And rather, that goal is in business. Or whether it's to lose five pounds, or whether it's to read ten books this year, you having goals and accomplishing those goals, or having something to work towards, too, is going to keep that self esteem. One of the reasons?
Lindsey Epperly [00:32:58]:
Yes. Is there a goal that you are currently working on? That especially that people are listening in any way that we can help you?
Erica Thomas [00:33:05]:
So I literally am working on expanding the supper club. It's just so amazing. I love the women we have, and I love that we're very age inclusive. We have 22 year olds to 64 year olds. And I feel like there's so much power in learning from the generation behind us, but there's so much power in the generation ahead of us. And I feel like sometimes just in western culture, we kind of start forgetting about women at 50. Like, go to the side. Like, wait, Glenn Paltrow is 50? Look at Angela Bassett.
Erica Thomas [00:33:38]:
I mean, I just look at the comparison on. I don't know if you know this, but like in the 19 hundreds, the average american only lived to 47 years old.
Lindsey Epperly [00:33:45]:
I did not know that.
Erica Thomas [00:33:47]:
So now if you look at Golden Girls, those women were 50 years old.
Lindsey Epperly [00:33:52]:
No, they were not.
Erica Thomas [00:33:53]:
They were 50.
Lindsey Epperly [00:33:54]:
And they were positioned in a way that they were in their cast to the side.
Erica Thomas [00:34:00]:
Exactly. But now you look at Glenn of Paltrow and you look at Jennifer Lopez and you look. You know what I mean? And I think it's about literally, I don't care what anybody says, you feel good when you look good. And that doesn't always mean by society standards, but it doesn't always have to be expensive. I think in this consumer led market right now, you're consuming, you're consuming, you're consuming. And I'm like, no, if you wear your favorite and you have your favorite dress, you have this dress that, whether it's date night, whether it's an interview, you put on this dress, I'm going to kill it. Put on a little red lip. Feel good about yourself?
Lindsey Epperly [00:34:37]:
Yes.
Erica Thomas [00:34:38]:
Don't let yourself go to the wayside. I just feel like sometimes it gets to a point where I know it's exhausting being a mom and I know it's exhausting being a wife and like, serving everywhere until you start. I don't need my nails done this week.
Lindsey Epperly [00:34:50]:
Yeah.
Erica Thomas [00:34:51]:
Yes, you do. The kids are going to leave the house. Okay. You have to put yourself first.
Lindsey Epperly [00:34:57]:
Yeah. Just take care of yourself.
Erica Thomas [00:34:59]:
Take care of yourself.
Lindsey Epperly [00:35:00]:
So at the supper club, I'm sure this comes up. The idea of empowerment and self confidence. And you are expanding the supper club, too, right? To Charleston.
Erica Thomas [00:35:09]:
Yes. We start in march with my great friend Michelle. I feel like I love Atlanta. We're growing. We're doing a great job. I'm very happy with the growth. It's a membership based organization and what I like about it is everybody is different. And I love that.
Erica Thomas [00:35:26]:
Expanding to Charleston, I think it's going to give a different flair. I love charleston. I love the food scene. I'm a big food girl and I think that bringing this to charleston is going to give something a little different. So I'm excited to see what this is going to look like in Charleston. I've been shocked. I was like, okay, maybe I'll get like ten members or whatever. So we relaunched in November because initially I started.
Erica Thomas [00:35:54]:
So let me go back to the start of the supper club.
Lindsey Epperly [00:35:56]:
I don't think we talked about that.
Erica Thomas [00:35:58]:
When I initially started my food blogging career, content creation, entertaining dining. I've always loved food. I've always loved being the hostess with the most from a very young age. When I decided to start the supper club, it was initially called ten of us, and it was called ten of us because I would go to these events and there would be, like, 70, 80 people. And I just never felt like I was able to connect with the people that I wanted to connect with. Like, oh, my God, I love the girl with the blue dress. Oh, my God, the girl with the pink shoes. And it would be so many people stopping and talking, and it was just overwhelming.
Erica Thomas [00:36:33]:
You ever feel, like, alone in a big room full of people? I'm like, this is just too much. So I was like, I'll just work on intimate events or whatever. So it was called ten of us, and it was just ten of us, and we would meet and we would just have great conversation, and then it was like 15 of us. And then I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. So I was like, I'll just do more dinners more frequently. And these were just literally, like, pull ups. We just go to the restaurant. It wasn't elevated or anything.
Erica Thomas [00:36:57]:
I just wanted to make sure that I could do something and be consistent with it or whatever. And it was a great time. I met some great girls, and then 2019 came. We started doing some really awesome things, and then I was like, oh, my God, I have so many great contracts. This is really about to take off. 2020 is my year. 2020 was not my. I was like, no, it's not my year.
Erica Thomas [00:37:18]:
So I was like, okay, I'm getting married in 2021. We're having our wedding in 2021. We got married in 2020. 2021, we will have our wedding, and then that will be my year. I end up getting pregnant on my weding night. So 2021 was not my year. So I said, 2022. Whatever God has for me, he has for me.
Erica Thomas [00:37:38]:
I've never said it's my year since then, right? Never.
Lindsey Epperly [00:37:41]:
Definitely not. I call to make, it's there a.
Erica Thomas [00:37:43]:
Year, but the year is. But it's not my year. So I decided to just do some pop ups and see how that would work and if the audience was still there and if people were still interested, because I'm very big on human interaction, I love talking to people, and I know that that's not how a lot of people feel, especially after the pandemic. A lot of people have, like, they don't want to talk. So I was like, if there's still a market for this and I still can connect amazing women, let's see how it goes. So I did some pop up dinners last year and then in November we went full membership and we have like 50 members now since November. So I'm pretty excited about it.
Lindsey Epperly [00:38:25]:
That is so cool. We talk a lot on this podcast about this concept that I have called the monsters that save us. And this idea is the things we fear the most that we think are absolutely going to level us oftentimes turn us into who we are supposed to be and where we are supposed to be. And that's such a beautiful testament for you, being in hospitality and food and beverage industry, that it was one of the hardest hit through the pandemic where you truly have to step back and then you've got the personal effect of, now I have a baby on my hands. All of these things that are going to derail you actually led you to what you're now offering. And that has just gone above and beyond probably what it sounds like, what you even cast as a vision for it.
Erica Thomas [00:39:05]:
Oh my God, I love it. I can't talk about how amazing these women are and how I love hearing their stories and just hearing how we're all in so very different walks of life, but we're all still connecting with a passion for human connection. Getting dressed up, being home by 930.
Lindsey Epperly [00:39:24]:
I commented on your post the other day about that because that was something that resonated in my heart. Thank you for putting yourself first by being home by 930. That is important.
Erica Thomas [00:39:35]:
I just got to a point where like, I'm tired of doing irish goodbyes. I'm not going to be out with you guys at eleven. No, I'm going to go to the bathroom and you're going to see me on instagram with my face, my skincare routine, I'm not doing this. Someone says 08:00 reservations?
Lindsey Epperly [00:39:51]:
No thank you.
Erica Thomas [00:39:53]:
Crazy.
Lindsey Epperly [00:39:56]:
This is a 2024 goal for me. I will attend hopefully more than one, but at least one of your supper clubs. Because girl, you have it down to a science as to what and when you talk about that. You used to do the pull ups where they weren't elevated. Now when you go on your profile and you see that you're having like lunch at the Capitol grill and it's got like full floral decor, I mean, you take these things to another level. You are the hostess with the mostest.
Erica Thomas [00:40:17]:
I do my best. I feel like this. If I'm going to have someone leave their house, get a nanny, have mom watch the kids, have the husband watch the kids get dressed up, put on a lash, leave your house the least you can do is have a good glass of wine and a beautiful tablescape. The least.
Lindsey Epperly [00:40:35]:
I love it so much. Everyone needs an Erica in their life. Everyone specifically needs this Erica in their lives. And you can have that.
Erica Thomas [00:40:42]:
You could totally come on.
Lindsey Epperly [00:40:45]:
Well, definitely. People need to follow along on your socials, eating with Erica. Anything else that people need to do, whether they're in Atlanta or Charleston or beyond.
Erica Thomas [00:40:55]:
Best ways to connect with you, I would say my website, eating with Erica, I'm on. Eating with Erica on all socials. I'm on the talk.
Lindsey Epperly [00:41:04]:
You got to be. I'm not, but I've heard you got to be.
Erica Thomas [00:41:09]:
And then this is what I want to say. If you are supporting the hospitality industry, I would say, really look up this organization called the Giving kitchen. It is absolutely amazing. Jen is incredible. I adore her. They support restaurant employees. So literally during the pandemic, they were able to really support with people with assistance. I just saw that they supported this amazing bartender who had pancreatic cancer, and they were able to raise money because, I mean, when you think about it, lots of times restaurants aren't offering health benefits.
Erica Thomas [00:41:46]:
Employees are like, day to day. So now they've done so many things with able to give money back to these service workers, and they're able to turn it around within eight days now. So lots of times, working with nonprofits, if you do receive assistance, it's 30 days, 60 days, they're able to turn it around eight days now.
Lindsey Epperly [00:42:05]:
Wow.
Erica Thomas [00:42:06]:
So they are amazing. They're expanding. So give the giving kitchen a follow, a tag, a donation, and literally do what you can because it's such an amazing organization, and they're rapidly growing, and I just love it.
Lindsey Epperly [00:42:23]:
I will definitely check them out. We'll link to them in our show notes, too, so that we can promote them to listeners. Thank you for sharing that organization with us. I always like to end on something that my family ends on every day. We around the dinner table have the question of what is one thing that made you smile today? And I'm glad we're doing this interview today versus last week when you had a flat tire or the week before when there was a snowstorm and all of our children had to stay home from school, and you and I were like, what are we going to do with our lives? Actually, you cracked me up. Erica, you go, I don't care where they're going to school. They could go to Devry. That's fine.
Lindsey Epperly [00:42:53]:
They're going somewhere today.
Erica Thomas [00:42:54]:
I tt tech, they're going somewhere. I've never seen kids stay at home this much in my life. Because it's cold. Are these kids. Do they not have jackets?
Lindsey Epperly [00:43:11]:
Totally. This interview will air much later, but please, listeners know that today is January 47. This is the longest month of the year.
Erica Thomas [00:43:20]:
65 days.
Lindsey Epperly [00:43:22]:
65 days in January this year. Okay. But I'm glad we're not doing this interview on any of those days. We're doing this interview on a great day where you're dressed in brilliant red and you've got great power lighting. What is one thing that made you smile today?
Erica Thomas [00:43:34]:
Being on this interview like this is such a great way to start my day with plenty. Because I just feel like we're having a conversation and it happens to be recorded. This is our energy all the time.
Lindsey Epperly [00:43:44]:
So I was like, if I could.
Erica Thomas [00:43:45]:
Start my mornings with more Lindsay, the world would be a better.
Lindsey Epperly [00:43:48]:
I would agree. Honestly, I would like for my full time job to simply be us, texting each other voice memos back and forth. That's become a big highlight for me. I love it.
Erica Thomas [00:43:58]:
I love it.
Lindsey Epperly [00:43:59]:
Yes. Well, I am so grateful for you and your time and the work and the energy that you're putting into the world. You've got so many fantastic things going, and that's because you're not afraid to start something new. And I think you have really inspired Liz listeners today to do the exact same thing. Thank you.
Erica Thomas [00:44:12]:
Thank you. You have a great afternoon. Make sure those kids stay in school. You do, too. We will do it together. We're in it together.
Lindsey Epperly [00:44:21]:
Thanks, Erica.
Erica Thomas [00:44:22]:
Thank you. Bye.