Today we’d like to introduce you to Joey Held.
Hi Joey, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Phat Phoodies was born during a trip to Gourdough’s Public House. I had friends in town and we had just been served some of the decadent dessert donuts (shout out to the Freebird!). I said, “this looks phenomenal—I’m gonna take a picture of it.” And that turned into a site, social accounts, and even a merch shop.
But my love of writing started way back in second grade when I wrote a fictional story where, alongside my best friends, I was playing basketball against a group of super villains to save the world. It was basically Space Jam without the Looney Tunes and with much cruder drawings because my artistic skills are sorely lacking.
I believe writing is an essential skill in any profession, and that makes its way into Phat Phoodies. Whether it’s a blog post about a classic TV commercial or an Instagram caption, I want my storytelling to entertain, educate, and inspire. I’ve also continued expanding my writing into consistent freelance work and a book of short stories.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh, most certainly not! But an easy road makes things less fun, doesn’t it?
I’ve gone through periods of burnout and writer’s block, and at the start of the pandemic, I really let my account fall off. It was much easier to, say, down an entire pizza than work on a week of content.
But after taking a nice lil’ social detox, I remembered why I started this whole thing in the first place: to share my love of food with other people. The community aspect of the Austin food scene is magical, and I’m happy to be a part of it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I would say — and I think people would agree — that I’m a total wackadoo with a big curiosity about the world. I’m open to trying just about anything, and that’s unfolded in ways like traveling to over 20 countries and recording more than 300 podcast episodes.
I work for a lovely company called INK Communications Co., where I get to do a ton of cool content, digital, and marketing projects. In my freelancing career, I specialize in writing about marketing, recruiting and office life, and home and auto insurance, which are all areas I never expected to get into when I started writing. But I love ’em just the same.
I’m proud of a lot of things I’ve accomplished, and I think it’s important to look at what you’ve done and say, “dang, this is pretty awesome.”
A few of my favorite moments include releasing music with my band Burning Years — Alternative Press named us Texas’s top rising pop-punk band to watch — and writing a book called Kind, But Kind of Weird: Short Stories on Life’s Relationships.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I’m just going to apologize in advance because I know I’m leaving things out. But here are a few of my favorites in each:
Apps: Brain.fm is a great tool for focusing. Lightroom and Snapseed are both nice quick photo editors, and Later and Planoly for scheduling posts.
Books: We’ve been reading Think Again by Adam Grant at work and it’s a really approachable look at creative and strategic thinking.
Podcasts: Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend is a go-to whenever I need a laugh. First Draft with Sarah Enni is an awesome podcast on writing. And I’ll give my own show a plug: Good People, Cool Things has 100% made me a better interviewer and storyteller.
Blogs: The Austin Food Blogger Alliance is a great place to start, or just search #atxfoodies or a similar hashtag on Instagram and picks your favorites. The blogging community out here is fantastic. I’d also suggest Ryan Robinson’s blog, which has a lot of good tips around topics, SEO, and other content ideas.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://joeyheld.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/phat_phoodies
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/phatphoodies
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/phat_phoodies
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/jaykaycreations1
- Other: https://goodpeoplecoolthings.com
Image Credits
Shruthi Parker, Ryan Wilk, Matt Bender
