Meet Autumn LeAnn | Food and Recipe Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Autumn LeAnn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Autumn, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve always enjoyed being creative. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been into arts and crafts. Math and science were never my strong suit, but I excelled in art, music, and other creative classes. When choosing my career path, I was pressured into doing something “practical” and actually enrolled in a medical program for my first semester of college. At my orientation I met some very amazing people who encouraged me to do what I actually want to do. Initially I switched to a business program, knowing that someday I’d like to start my own business.
As my first semester came to a close, I chatted with my advisor and came to the conclusion that I didn’t need a business degree to run a business. It turns out that (most) business degrees aren’t designed to set you up as an entrepreneur, but to teach you how to climb the corporate ladder in someone else’s business. I switched to a Baking and Pastry Arts degree since I’d wanted to start a bakery at that point in time.
While in that program I worked as a student employee in my college’s marketing department and fell into the world of social media marketing, photography, and content creation. This eventually led to me starting to do freelance work creating food content (such as cooking videos) for brands and food bloggers. I did give bakery ownership a go, but found that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d thought I would. Creating mouthwatering food content became my passion and I haven’t looked back!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a content creator specializing in food and recipe content for brands and food bloggers. I’ve been lucky to work with household names such as Campbell’s, Prego, Quaker Oats, and more. My previous experience working in professional restaurant and bakery kitchens has really helped set me apart in my work. Brands that are looking for recipe development really value that I have industry experience.
It’s been a long journey to get to where I am. I’m so grateful to be here, but also have a ways to go to reach my goals. While being a content creator is becoming more common, a lot of people still don’t see it as a viable way to make a living. Most don’t consider it a “real job”, and people constantly question and judge what I do. Most of the work I do is for brands and bloggers to use on their own accounts, and I’d like to grow my own social accounts to be monetized. For me, a lot of the challenges I face have to do with my mental health. I struggle with depression and anxiety, and was diagnosed with ADHD last year. That has made a huge difference in understanding how my mind works and why a lot of productivity tips that work for others don’t always work for me. I’ve had to find a workflow that works with my brain, and I’m happy to say things have been getting easier as I learn what actually works for me.
I’ve learned that “hustle culture” is a dangerous road to burnout and not being able to accomplish what you want to. You HAVE to allow yourself time to rest. Make sure you take time to do non-work related activities that bring you joy, even if you have minimal time to do so.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There is so much to do in Columbus, Ohio. When you live here, it’s easy to forget how many options there are. One of my favorite places to eat is Elevated Wood Fired Pizza – a food truck that travels around the city to different locations and is available to book for private events. They’re typically at Seventh Son Crewing Co. on Sunday and Friday evenings. That’s another cool place to be, especially when it’s nice out. They have a great patio and rotating food trucks every day. If you’re looking to splurge for a special occasion, Butcher and Rose is my latest favorite. It’s an gorgeous upscale steakhouse with a very feminine aesthetic. I’ve not been anywhere else like it! The food is great and so are the drinks. It’s definitely not somewhere you go every week, but it’s an experience I’d definitely recommend trying if you get the chance. Some other great food and drink spots are Agni, Slammer’s, Layered Brew, Littleton’s Market Bakery, Taesty’s, Third Way Coffee House, and Tacos Don Demme.
If you’re looking for activities, I love going to Otherworld. It’s an immersive art museum unlike anything else I’ve experienced. The art is pretty trippy, and there are puzzles and secret passageways between rooms. The Columbus Museum of Art is also a good option if you’re looking for a more traditional art museum experience. There’s always a concert happening in Columbus on any given night, so live music is always a fun option! We have a few pretty great parks as well. Some of my favorites are the Park of Roses (go in June for the full bloom experience!) and Blacklick Woods (which just opened a great canopy walk last year). Other noteable mentions are Pins Mechanical Co, COSI, and Shadowbox Live.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I truly owe my success and where I am so far to a lot of mentors I met through college at Columbus State Community College. I met my first mentor, Sarah Baker, at my orientation and immediately felt supported and lifted up. She encouraged me to follow my passions and gave me realistic and helpful advice when I felt unsure about things.
Through Women’s Connection (a mentorship group on campus) I was connected with another incredible mentor, her name is Pat Fabrisi. There has never been a moment where Pat hasn’t cheered me on and made sure she knew I could do what I set my mind to. We met often throughout my college days to chat about life and I often vented to her about anything that was frustrating me. I never left a conversation without feeling better about my current situation.
As a student employee in the marketing department I worked for Charlie Boss, who became another inspiring mentor. She taught me a lot of what I know about media shooting and editing, and she constantly encouraged me (and my coworkers) who wanted to pursue creative media.
These are just a few of the wonderful women I attribute my success to. There are countless people I’ve met who have encouraged and inspired me to keep going, even when I felt things weren’t going well. Having a strong community of people who support you and believe in you makes a world of difference, especially when you’re doing something intimidating like starting/running your own business.

Website: https://www.autumnleann.com

Instagram: @theautumnleann

Image Credits
All images are my own