ThatNurseCanCook

How This Nurse Grew Her Cooking Blog to $117K in One Year

Founded By

Helena Faustin

Monthly Revenue

$9.75K

Starting Costs

$700

Founders

Profitable

Yes

Year Started

2018

Customer

B2C

Founded By
Helena Faustin: Monthly Revenue
$9.75K: Starting Costs
$700

Founders
1: Profitable
Yes: Year Started
2018

Customer
B2C

Who is Helena Faustin?

Helena Faustin, originally from New York City, is a registered nurse with a passion for cooking, which she cultivated into the successful food blog "That Nurse Can Cook." She holds a nursing degree from Long Island University and leverages her Caribbean heritage to share vibrant recipes, transforming her culinary talent into a flourishing side business.

Helena Faustin Founder That Nurse Can Cook

What problem does ThatNurseCanCook solve?

ThatNurseCanCook helps busy people discover the joy of home-cooked meals by offering easy Caribbean recipes that transform mundane cooking routines into exciting culinary adventures.

How did Helena come up with the idea for ThatNurseCanCook?

Helena's journey from the NICU to the kitchen began with her desire to find a balance between her demanding nursing career and her passion for cooking. She was deeply inspired by her Jamaican upbringing, where she developed a natural love for cooking from watching her mother prepare traditional dishes. This early exposure provided her with an instinctive understanding of flavors and the cultural importance of food. Despite her stable career in nursing, circumstances during the pandemic pushed Helena to seek a creative outlet to deal with burnout, leading her to share her cooking online.

Her blog, ThatNurseCanCook, was born from these personal explorations as well as the encouragement from friends and family who enjoyed her culinary creations. Helena initially started her blog as a way to disconnect from her intensive work environment and channel her energy into something positive. She meticulously researched cooking content, production setups, and audience engagement strategies to stand out in a saturated market. By paying close attention to feedback, she learned to craft content that resonated, combining her nursing background with her cooking to offer something unique and relatable.

Helena recognized the value of storytelling and authenticity in her content, which became crucial in growing her audience. Through trial and error, she refined her approach, leveraging her nursing schedule to dedicate time to content creation and consistently engage her followers. Despite challenges like time management and balancing responsibilities, Helena persevered, understanding the importance of patience and strategic planning. This dedication not only enriched her personal life but also positioned her blog as a successful business, illustrating that pursuing your passion can create new opportunities and provide personal fulfillment.

How did Helena build the initial version of ThatNurseCanCook?

Helena Faustin built her business, ThatNurseCanCook, through a focused and strategic creation process. Initially investing about $700 in groceries, ring lights, and other production materials, she began by posting Caribbean recipes and cooking videos online, primarily using Instagram and her own kitchen as her production set. She learned to create engaging content by closely studying trends and leveraging basic filming equipment like tripods and an updated iPhone.

The development of her physical cookbook, "The Soul of Scotchie," involved a meticulous process of organizing family recipes and storytelling, with an emphasis on interactivity achieved through QR codes that link to videos, thus blending traditional cooking with a digital twist. Developing her e-cookbooks was faster, providing a much-needed digital presence and source of revenue, with her first major physical product going through several iterations and improvements over time. While the process was rewarding, Helena faced significant challenges in balancing her nursing career, content creation, and family life, often working every day she was not at the hospital to sustain and grow her blog.

What were the initial startup costs for ThatNurseCanCook?

Production Costs: Helena Faustin initially spent about $700 on groceries, ring lights, and other production materials to launch That Nurse Can Cook.

What was the growth strategy for ThatNurseCanCook and how did they scale?

Instagram

Helena Faustin's journey with her food blog, ThatNurseCanCook, gained significant traction by leveraging Instagram. In 2018, she started sharing pictures of her Caribbean-inspired dishes, and the appeal and authenticity resonated with her audience. Her relatable content, where she shared both recipes and snippets of her personal story, sparked interest and engagement from followers who saw their own stories reflected in hers.

That Nurse Can Cook IG

Why it worked: Social media, Instagram in particular, thrives on visual and personal content. Helena's dishes are not only visually appealing but also come with a rich personal narrative, drawing viewers who resonate with the vibrant flavors and familial ties. Her growth strategy included consistent posting and engaging with followers, further boosting her visibility and reach.

YouTube

YouTube served as a critical component in Helena's growth, contributing significantly to her income through ad revenue. She recognized YouTube as a platform to create detailed cooking tutorials that her audience could follow along with. Though YouTube was not her primary focus initially, the ad revenue became a steady income stream.

Why it worked: YouTube's format allows for longer, more in-depth content, ideal for detailed recipe instructions that audiences can engage with over extended periods. Helena's ability to translate her recipes into visually appealing and easy-to-follow videos catered to a growing trend of learning through video content.

E-Cookbooks

Helena diversified her revenue stream by venturing into producing e-cookbooks. These digital products, focusing on quick, accessible meal ideas, catered to a common desire for fast, delicious recipes. The e-cookbooks quickly became a significant part of her revenue, highlighting her ability to transform engaging content into a sellable product.

Why it worked: E-cookbooks provide a convenient and portable option for her audience who enjoyed her online content and wanted a more permanent, offline access to her recipes. It combined the relatability of her free content with a premium, value-added product offering.

Brand Partnerships

The growth of ThatNurseCanCook was notably supported by brand collaborations. Helena strategically worked with brands such as Grace, which align with her Caribbean culinary focus, thereby maintaining authenticity in her endorsements.

Why it worked: Collaborating with brands provided her the opportunity to monetize her platform while also introducing her audience to products that fit naturally into her cooking narrative. Her existing credibility and established connection with her audience meant that product recommendations were more likely to be trusted and adopted.

What's the pricing strategy for ThatNurseCanCook?

ThatNurseCanCook prices its e-cookbooks around $20 each, leveraging its vibrant Caribbean cuisine recipes; ad revenue and brand partnerships supplement its income.

What were the biggest lessons learned from building ThatNurseCanCook?

Harness Your Passion: Helena utilized her love for cooking as a creative outlet to combat burnout from her nursing career. Leveraging passion can be a powerful way to create meaningful, engaging content that resonates with others.
Build Community Through Relatability: By sharing relatable content and stories, Helena effectively grew her audience. Relatability fosters connection and loyalty, making it easier for communities to identify with your brand.
Monetize Strategically: With multiple revenue streams like YouTube, e-cookbooks, and brand partnerships, Helena successfully monetized her side hustle. Developing diverse income sources can safeguard against market fluctuations and maximize earnings.
Balance Is Key: Balancing a full-time job with a side hustle wasn't easy, but Helena managed by working strategically and knowing when to scale back. Aspiring founders should be mindful of their own limits to maintain both personal well-being and business performance.
Invest in Continuous Learning: Helena's journey involved constant learning and adaptation to social media trends and monetization opportunities. Staying ahead in a changing market requires relentless curiosity and willingness to learn new techniques.

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