Building a Creative Food Business ⚡️ Cookbooks, Food Blogging & Travel with Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack

“You just need to unplug and then you are re-sparked with new creative ideas.” — Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack This episode is your invitation to think about what sustains your creativity. I’m joined by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, food blogger, cookbook author, and creator of Muy Bueno. For the past 16 years, Yvette has been sharing Mexican recipes inspired by her grandmother from Chihuahua, Mexico, and her upbringing in El Paso, Texas. We talk about how her creativity and business continue to evolve, from food blogging and cookbook writing to photography, storytelling, Substack, and curated culinary trips to Mexico. Yvette shares what’s inspiring her as she works on her next cookbook, *The Best of Muy Bueno*. Yvette shares about bringing together recipes, family history, storytelling, color, branding, and creating a visual identity that feels distinctly hers. We also get into the less obvious parts of sustaining a creative career: taking care of your health, getting out of the house, finding community, traveling, unplugging, and giving yourself permission to step away from the work. We go behind the scenes of recipe development and why Yvette knows what feels obvious to an expert may not be obvious to the person cooking your recipes. Reader comments and feedback has become a way that she continues refining recipes that have lived on her blog for years (and some will appear in her new book). Whether you’re building a creative business, working on a book, navigating a creative block, craving more community, or figuring out how to take better care of yourself while doing the work you love, this conversation is a reminder that you get to create space that supports your creative process. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or on your favorite podcast platform while you cook, clean, or create. Get the full show notes & transcript on Substack. **Resources Mentioned:** \* Muy Bueno Blog \* Cocina to Career **Questions to Reflect On:** Sit with these questions: Journal, take them on a walk, create a voice note, chat with a friend, or sit with a cup of tea and reflect on them. \* Where am I finding inspiration outside of my work right now? \* What helps me feel creatively re-energized when I’ve been working alone for too long? \* What am I trying to do alone that could become more interesting through collaboration? \* What makes my creative work recognizable as mine? \* What happens to my creativity when I give myself permission to unplug? Leave a comment below or connect with us on Instagram @chefcarlacontreras and @muybuenocooking to share your takeaways from the episode. xo Carla PS: Need space for your creative projects and dreams? Upgrade to paid for access to Nourished Creator Studio, weekly Creative Study Hall Sessions, and Creative Chat. ***Disclaimer:*** Always seek the counsel of a qualified medical practitioner or other healthcare provider for an individual consultation before making any significant changes to your health, lifestyle, or to answer questions about specific medical conditions. This podcast is for entertainment and information purposes only. Note: Some of these are affiliate links. I receive a small percentage of the sales. I appreciate your support of my small Latina & women owned business. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chefcarla.substack.com/subscribe