Thanksgiving Day was top of mind for the podcast team last month, and we thought there was no better way to get ready for a big day of eating than to invite Corrine Foster — @FostertheFoodie on Instagram — to be our next guest! 

Corrine has made a name for herself by posting happy hour deals, new restaurants, and the best of the best food places in Lancaster and the Harrisburg area. Without spoiling too much of her success, we’ll dive right into the episode. 

Creating FostertheFoodie 

{1:28} Like most of us, after college, Corrine wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to do with her degree. So, she ended up at an agency in Harrisburg doing market research. And for her, the passion came from getting to know others’ stories and understanding how they make purchasing decisions. 

When that post-graduate internship ended, she found another agency job that eventually led her to digital marketing from a social media lens.

Social media was fairly new to her, just like a lot of other things in her life at that time. She was new at her job, to the workforce, and to the Harrisburg area. That’s where the idea of FostertheFoodie was born. 

She created her account as a way to explore her new city and find the best deals on delicious food while proving to herself that she can master social media for her new job. 

Naturally driven by research, Corinne created a spreadsheet with every restaurant in Harrisburg on it. The spreadsheet used detailed filters so that when Corrine put in a time — Monday at 1 p.m., for example — all the restaurants with a lunch or happy hour special would pop up. 

Using her list, she took a swing and shared her first post on Instagram featuring a happy hour deal from Home 231 in Harrisburg.  That initial post in 2019 went viral, and since then, she’s grown her following to over 10K.

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A post shared by Corinne Foster (@fosterthefoodie)

How The Pandemic Changed Corrine’s Strategy

{8:05} We had to ask how Corrine’s account changed during the pandemic because the food industry obviously took a huge hit at the time. Unfortunately, her spreadsheet was no longer relevant, but with her initial following and a slight change in strategy, she helped businesses bring awareness to their take-out or drive-thru services. 

After things started to open up with restrictions, Corrine jumped on finding places to support by highlighting them on her page. Throughout that time, she was adaptable and adjusted her strategy based on what the restaurants were offering. 

FosthertheFoodie = Influencer? 

{13:28} By definition, Corrine is an influencer, but she’s never called herself that. This may be why her audience trusts her opinion so much and values the recommendations she gives. 

When we asked her about how she’s been able to build trust with her audience, this is what she said:

“Everything that I post is data-proven, and I like to focus on deals so when I say there’s a deal, you can refer back to the menu. It’s hard to not have trust when there’s data behind it.” 

As she’s continued to grow her brand and build that trust, she’s been able to establish herself as a credible and authoritative source. She’s had many people reach out to her and ask for foodie recommendations when they’re planning to come visit. 

We also asked about how she handles situations where she might not like the food, and she mentioned she’s conscious not to call herself a reviewer, but a recommender. Everyone has different taste buds and Corinne recognizes that. She doesn’t like to say anything bad about a restaurant because she doesn’t want to negatively impact anyone’s livelihood. 

Even if she doesn’t like the food, she can always find something positive to say about the place — the prices, the service, the cocktails, or just the overall atmosphere. 

Building Her List of Partners

{17:15} During our conversation, we learned that Corinne has partnered with over 300 businesses and non-profits over the years. During the beginning stages of her account, she built her list of partners through “cold DMing” — the new age of cold calling.   

She started with restaurants she was already familiar with and wanted to share with others. The message was simple. She introduced herself and told them what she’d like to review or promote in exchange for a free meal. 

As FostertheFoodie started to gain some traction online, she began cold-DMing less because the businesses were coming to her. 

Passion Drives Engagement

{19:46} For Corinne, passion is everything. Through her FostertheFoodie account, she’s been able to bring in a nice chunk of change, but she’s really doing it for fun. And she finds her posts are actually more successful when there’s passion behind the deal, food, or restaurant she’s posting about. 

“… I have the passion behind it. I think that’s where it translates the most in engagement. When I’m forced to do something because I agreed to it because of a term, it’s not going to come out the same way that something that I did that was like, ‘oh, I’m just doing this for fun. And not because I’m being told to do something.”

With that in mind, she did tell us that she does occasionally turn down partnership requests, especially when it comes to paid advertisements. That’s because she wants her recommendations to be authentic, which ultimately continues to build her trust and credibility. 

Opening Professional Doors

At the start of her FostertheFoodie journey, Corinne mentioned her personal goal was to get 1 free meal, but she never expected the professional growth she’s been able to achieve through her account’s visibility. 

{32:53} FostertheFoodie has opened doors for her professionally, helping her land a position on the board of the Lancaster County Food Hub where she now works full-time as the Development and Communications Manager. 

She enjoys getting to use her platform for good to help amplify the Food Hub’s messages and to help with fundraising efforts when she can. 

{37:11} “There’s been several partnerships I’ve done, probably because of my FostertheFoodie, because they know me,” she mentioned when referring to past fundraising efforts with Cabalar and Blazin’ Jays. 

The Future of Her Foodie Account

{38:00} Throughout her FostertheFoodie career, Corinne has:

• Tried amazing foods — like grilled octopus. 
• Met great people — like Josh Shapiro and even her financé!
• Achieved some pretty unique honors — like getting a sandwich named after her in Harrisburg. (The FostertheFoodie French Toast Fried Chicken Sandwich — are you drooling, too?)

We had to ask, what’s next?

Corinne said she’s excited to continue to grow her list of partners within Lancaster while finding delicious deals for her followers. 

When asked about the impact she hopes to leave on the community, she reiterated her passion for raising awareness about food insecurity and improving food accessibility for people in Lancaster:

{43:20} “Whenever I … do a post or like incorporate the Food Hub in my foodie [account], it’s really just how could I spread the word on how you can still enjoy local food without breaking the bank. Because yes, we have the choice to go to these restaurants … but not everyone has that choice.”

Welcome to season 2 of Tower After Hours! We have a great lineup for season 2 and we’re so excited to get to know some great individuals in the Lancaster community. In this episode, we’re sitting down with Kendra Frazier, owner of Unique Lancaster Experiences. 

Known for highlighting Lancaster through a minority lens, Kendra works hard to share hidden gems with people online and through interactive walking or bike tours.

Getting Unique Lancaster Experiences Started

{1:15} Kendra moved to Lancaster during the pandemic, where she was involved in mission work and going to bible college. With little knowledge of how to run a business, Kendra realized that life was short and she wanted to make the most of the time she had left. And so, Unique Lancaster Experiences was born. 

This isn’t the first place Kendra has lived. Her entire adult life has been spent on the road, getting involved in new communities, and working various positions. After Kendra lived in Lancaster for a few short months, she realized there was so much to learn about the history and expansion of Lancaster. She created Unique Lancaster Experiences to share those “hidden gems” with the community. 

The second part of her business is teaching others how they can replicate this model in their own hometowns or favorite cities. Because although she loves traveling, when she travels she wants to truly enjoy the city without the feeling of work following her everywhere.

How The Business Got To Where It Is Today

{6:00} When Kendra moved to Lancaster, she loved working in missions but recognized that she wasn’t getting paid enough to fully support her and her toddler. She quickly put her skills together to find something of value to offer the Lancaster community. 

What started as a photography business has now grown into hosting large community group tours around the city. Her business stands out because she is the only year-round tour guide in Lancaster, most tours shut down in the winter months. 

As a minority business owner herself, her focus will continue to highlight black and brown businesses because they make up less than 1% of the brick-and-mortar stores in Lancaster. Especially with starting her business right after the pandemic, she knew it was crucial to help these local places be top of mind and noticed by the community.

Balancing Passions and Analytics

{11:40} We then asked Kendra where she learned about the opportunity to start a new tour or include new businesses in a tour. Interestingly, she starts by saying that every opportunity or new tour has been sparked by one of her passions. She loves history, cycling, and food which encompasses a majority of her tours. 

On the other hand, Kendra also talks about being analytical when it comes to making decisions and takes time to do keyword research and make updates to her Google Business profile. This helps her understand what the need is and how she can fulfill it. 

Another tactic she follows is making sure she’s covering all the bases when it comes to getting her name and business out there. Everyone is going to be searching for things on different platforms, so it’s a best practice to make sure you’re not “putting your eggs all in one basket.” 

Organic posting is KEY for Kendra and she’s been able to grow quite successfully through SEO and organic social media.

It’s Not Just For Travelers

{16:10} We’ve all had thoughts in our minds about our hometowns — how we think they’re boring and there’s nothing new to learn about them, especially if we’ve been there our entire lives. Lily and Alex, both, have spent the majority of their lives in Lancaster and had similar experiences when it came to Lancaster County. 

Kendra has seen that her tours don’t just attract people from out of town, but a lot of locals love touring and discovering new places in the place they grew up in. She’s also noticed that this is a great way for companies, teams, and classes to come together for a team-bonding experience.

Customizing The Tour For You

{21:00} Before we went on the tour, Kendra asked us about food allergies. She tries to make the tour as inclusive as possible, so this is part of her pre-tour routine. Kendra and her staff and very educated on all menu items, so they can easily adjust the tours based on a variety of dietary needs. 

As for choosing places to include on her tour, she wants to choose places that have stories to tell. And these restaurants are supportive of Kendra and her tours and are ready to provide food for everyone in the group. Kendra states that she is texting the business owners the morning of with group numbers and dietary restrictions so they are prepped and ready for when the group comes. 

At the end of the day, Kendra is telling stories and sharing others’ stories. On her social media, she’s not explicitly talking about her tours, her business, or her products. She’s engaging with the community, sharing those hidden gems, and uplifting the people she cares about.

Personal Growth Through Unique Lancaster Experiences

{29:31} As someone who didn’t have much experience in owning and running a successful business, we asked Kendra about what she’s learned about herself along the way. 

Her Potential. Taking this leap of faith and working hard to learn everything she could, she realized that she can do this and she can do it well. She mentions her gratitude towards the community members who poured into her and supported her throughout the entire process.

We’re back with another episode of Tower After Hours, Season 1 Episode 3. It’s hard to believe we are already halfway through the season! The past two episodes have featured some pretty incredible Lancaster community members. 

In this episode, we stayed close to home and sat down with one of Tower’s very own SEM specialists, Alex Davis. We dive into how to find your passion, ways to alleviate burnout, and shift your mentality to be more positive in both your professional and personal life.

Getting Motivated to Tackle Your Daily To-Dos

{2:02} We got right down to business and asked Alex how he consistently has such high energy levels and is motivated to tackle anything that’s thrown at him during the day. If you’re a strategic, tangible steps person, you’re not going to like his answer. 

His mentality of going above and beyond grew from his desire to be the best he can be and do the best work he can. But, he does say without passion, there’s no motivation. So if you’re going through your day and you’re not excited about what you’re doing, it may be time to think about what you’re truly passionate about. 

If you’ve worked in marketing, or are working in a field with long-term projects, you know it can be challenging to find instant gratification. The work we do day in and day out is for the long haul. So this is a reminder that you’re doing good work, and it will pay off when the time is right.

Finding Your Passion Isn’t About Knowing Everything

It can be daunting starting something new and stepping into a role where you don’t feel confident in your knowledge. Just because you don’t know everything, does not mean you’re not on the right path. 

{8:18} We asked Alex D. if he was skeptical about stepping into a new SEO role where he had very little knowledge about what SEO entailed. But he says when you start with little knowledge, there’s a huge opportunity for you to explore and learn what you love. 

In short, classes and workshops are great. But what’s going to propel your passions is your experience, so don’t be afraid to take the jump and change paths to find what’s best for you.

Your Passion Can Exist Outside of Work

{11:45} We can’t all be as lucky as Alex D. and consider the work we do day in and day out our true passion, and that’s okay! Outside of work, Alex creates music, has his own podcast, and dabbles in video production. 

Having passion projects on the side can also help with burnout from work. We’ve all felt burnout at some point in our life and a way we can overcome these periods is by finding something that fills our cup.

Tests to Help You Find Your Passions 

{12: 53} As we’ve mentioned in a previous podcast episode with Brianna Campbell, our certified StrengthsFinder Coach, these tests can help you determine what you’re passionate about both professionally and personally. 

Here are some other tests available that can help you get a clear picture of your likes, dislikes, and passions. 

1. Get Clear Career Assessment by Ramsey Solutions
2. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
3. The Enneagram Test

“You’re giving what you have and you cannot give what you don’t have.” 

{17:13} When we asked Alex about how he balances all of these passions and projects without burnout, he said, quite frankly, that he doesn’t. You’re inevitably going to be burnt out at some point. And he says “You’re giving what you have and you cannot give what you don’t have” which means there is great value in filling your cup in order to do great things for others and yourself. 

To help prevent burnout, Alex is very reflective and self-aware. When there are moments of stress or anxiety, he takes a step back and thinks about why he’s feeling a certain way and then is able to redirect or change perspectives.

Find Your Passion By Getting to the Core of the Work

{26:05} On the surface, your job title may not accurately reflect what your passion is. Although Alex D., Lily, and Alex S. are all passionate about marketing, it’s the core of the work they find rewarding. We find value in helping people, creating something new, and supporting local businesses. 

So our recommendation is to put your skills to the side. You can learn skills, the tendencies of a company, or the mechanics of a project. However, it’s much harder to learn how to like something. Ask yourself, what do I feel when I’m doing this activity? What gets me excited and eager to learn? These questions can help you decipher what’s at the core of your passions.

Welcome to another episode of Tower After Hours! Before we dive into this episode recap, we want to remind you that this is episode two of the season, so be sure to either listen to or read the latest recap of episode one. 

If you’re all caught up and ready to dive into episode two, we sat down with Mackenzie Bender, the Corporate Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Spooky Nook Sports. We talked about the Super Bowl, the memorable commercials, how the pandemic affected the Nook, and advice for growing your career.

Our Favorite 2024 Super Bowl Commercials

If you’re in the marketing world, the Super Bowl is not only the biggest football game of the season, but also a night for you to get inspiration or provide some critique on some very expensive commercials.

Here are all of our favorite 2024 Super Bowl Commercials.

{4:23} Mackenzie’s favorite was the Dunkin commercial with Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Tom Brady, and Matt Damon. If you haven’t seen it, it can be summed up by saying Ben Affleck makes a fool of himself and while his friends are supportive, they also tell him to stop embarrassing himself. 

Mackenzie also notes that when she was in college, her class had to study Super Bowl commercials. During that time, the formula for a great commercial was to include either a puppy, a monkey, or a baby. And although she doesn’t remember who made this “Puppy Monkey Baby” commercial, (it was Mountain Dew by the way) she still talks about it to this day.

Is it Better to Be Memorable Or Have Your Product Stand Out?

If you watched the commercials this year, you probably noticed that more often than not, at least one A-list celebrity makes an appearance. Sometimes, these appearances overshadow  the brand and by the end of the game we’re thinking “Well that was a great commercial, but who was it for?” 

We asked Mackenzie if it’s better to have a memorable commercial or one that really highlights your brand. {6:38} As expected, she said both things should be true. Some of her favorite commercials from the Super Bowl have come from Doritos because immediately you know the brand, and they’ve always made her laugh. 

But, if you make a memorable commercial, it’s likely users will be searching for it well after the Super Bowl, just like Mackenzie does whenever the puppy monkey baby commercial comes up in conversation.

{7:52} Lily’s favorite commercial was the CeraVe commercial with Michael Cera. After doing some more research, we learned that this idea actually came from a years-old Reddit thread where consumers were questioning if Michael Cera had ties to CeraVe. 

We deem this as a top-notch commercial because CeraVe listened to what their community was saying, and continued the conversation even years later. Michael Cera even added fuel to the fire by walking around with two full bags of CeraVe weeks before the commercial aired.

{13:05} Alex’s favorite commercial was not a shock to us. As a big FRIENDS fan, she loved the Uber Eats commercial, where they played off of the idea that “to remember something you must forget something else.” Since Jennifer wants to remember that Uber Eats does more than just deliver food, she inadvertently forgets her old co-star, David Schwimmer. 

Mackenzie’s Role at Spooky Nook Sports

Okay, the first part of this episode was all about the 2024 Super Bowl commercials. But now it’s time to get to know our guest, Mackenzie Bender. We, of course, had to shout out Shippensburg University because both Mackenzie and Alex are graduates of the John L. Grove College of Business.

{18:26} Mackenzie started at Spooky Nook Sports 7 years ago, as a PR & Communications Coordinator. We asked her about how she progressed in her career and advice for those just starting. 

Be Hungry for New Opportunities. This was Mackenzie’s number 1 piece of advice. If there’s an opportunity offered and you want it, go for it. Mackenzie grew in her career by taking advantage of and saying yes to new things being offered to her. 

Get Your Start and Prove Your Worth. The rush to make six figures and endless PTO is evident in recent college graduates. And we’re taught to know our worth and stand up for ourselves. While you shouldn’t be taken advantage of, Mackenzie offers the advice to “prove your worth” in order to grow rather than expecting everything from the start.

The Sports Marketing Side

{22:12} As the Corporate Director of Marketing and Partnerships, we asked Mackenzie to first speak on the sports marketing side of her role. We were amazed to hear that Mackenzie oversees the marketing support for all 32 programs under Spooky Nook, as a majority of the marketing is done in-house – with a marketing team of five! 

We asked her briefly about how the pandemic affected Spooky Nook Sports and her marketing strategies. Not surprisingly, the Nook had to shut down and minimize their staff to about 11 people. 

She says that it was a very weird time, but ultimately made the marketing team stronger because of all the work they had to put in during the shutdown period. 

But she also noticed that sports remained a valuable want and need for consumers. So when Spooky Nook Sports was able to reopen, people were ready to be active again. Last year alone, they saw 1.6 million people come through their doors which was the biggest year they’ve had on record.

The Partnership Side

{28:56} On the partnership side, Mackenzie spends most of her time prospecting for sponsorships, forcing her to hone in on her sales side. If her team can get them in the door, there’s a good chance they’ll want to partner with Spooky Nook. If you’ve ever stepped foot into the facility, you know that there’s a great opportunity to reach a lot of people.

The Impact of Spooky Nook Sports on the Lancaster Community

{37:40} At the end of the episode, we ask Mackenzie to expand on the impact the Nook has on the Lancaster community and the next generation of athletes. And she gave us some amazing insight into this. 

At a recent Discover Lancaster meeting, they told her that Lancaster County had about 10 million visitors last year. And when you think about it, Spooky Nook Sports had 1.6 million. She also told us that after a 2017 Economic Report, she learned that Spooky Nook had a 1 billion dollar impact in just one year. 

As far as contributing to the lives of the next generation of athletes, Mackenzie encourages her team to get them involved as young as possible. If an athlete comes in for a preschool program, the Nook has opportunities for them up until and beyond college. 

She hopes that athletes can say “I grew up at the Nook” and feel like they have the same opportunities right here in Lancaster County rather than having to spend time traveling to other elite facilities in major cities.