Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Jones
Hi Crystal, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Yes! Hi! I’m Crystal, a foodie and DMV native, born and raised in PG County. I’ve been working in the food service industry for over 20 years (showing my age a bit). From fast food cashier, to sous chef, to district management, I’ve done it all!
I love highlighting local restaurants on my social media platform, @theskinnifoodwhore, and doing batch content creation for some to highlight on their pages. I show off my recipe development on my website, theskinnifoodwhore.com, focusing on recipes that novice cooks can handle. I’m also a freelance writer for the Washington City Paper, as the nation’s first carry-out food critic! If there is anyone who understands the importance of promoting and supporting small businesses, it would be me!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road as a food creator definitely has its challenges. The main struggle is for some brands to recognize that creators should be compensated for their work. Most of the time, restaurants are looking for us to create social media content in exchange for a free dinner. It’s something that I had no problem doing in the past, until I realized that my social media platform is a page for advertisements. Advertisements are not free. As a creator/influencer, we are working for the restaurant, even if it’s just a couple of hours. I like to compare it to hiring a plumber or HVAC company. Even though they may be there for an hour or two, that company is not getting paid in a three course meal. We ALL got bills to pay baby.
Another struggle is that some brands are too focused on social media follower’s numbers. They automatically think that a creator with hundreds of thousands of followers are the only ones to bring in sales. What’s more important is to look at individual posts on a creator’s page, not their follower count. Having an audience engage with a post is waaaayyyy more important that having an audience that probably didn’t see the post to begin with.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I became a full time content creator this past December. With that, I wear a few hats. I do collaborations on my social media page, where I mostly focus on fast casual spots. I also do social media work behind the scenes. I create reels for restaurants to use on their own social media platforms, as well as running a couple of accounts. I also offer raw image content creation, where I’ll go onsite to take multiple pictures and videos to send to account managers for them to create reels with their brand’s style.
What sets me apart from others is that I’ve actually worked in the food service industry. This is no shade to those that haven’t, but being in that industry is no joke. There are not many food bloggers, or even food critics, that can say the same. I also like to have fun with my social media. My page is food focused, but you’ll find me with my cats, and spitting out random silly thoughts. Some people have told me that they’ll go to my page when they need a laugh.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Oh, this is a tough one since I’m pretty personable online. But the main thing that always shocks any and everyone is my age. They only realize it when I mentioned how long I’ve been working. They do the quick math in their head and know that there is no way I’ve been working since the age of 6 lol. I’ve got some good genes, drink lots of water, and mind my business.
Also, my social media handle is a combo of my nickname (Skinni), and my love for food expressed in “food porn” terminology.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theskinnifoodwhore.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskinnifoodwhore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063525364463&mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@theskinnifoodwhore
