Meet Minh B | Freelance Content Creator & Growth Social Media Strategist for Startups and Small Businesses

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

Hi Minh, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
It all began with my appreciation for exceptional food! Whether dining out or preparing a dish at home, I wanted to capture the artistry, dedicated craft, and effort behind each meal. To preserve these culinary creations, I started documenting them on my iPhone. As my storage quickly filled up, I launched a Foodstagram account, on Instagram to showcase the dishes I made and the ones I enjoyed from my favorite restaurants. This platform allowed me to share my favorite recipes and culinary discoveries and helped me connect with other food enthusiasts and creatives.

What started as a personal hobby evolved into a professional opportunity when I landed my first freelance gig with Chef Century, a Silicon Valley startup. Chef Century’s mission is to “support local chefs by providing them with a state-licensed commercial kitchen, logistics for Pop-Ups and catering, and marketing and customer service without any upfront costs. This initiative, which aims to help chefs who were hit hard by the pandemic while promoting their culinary talents”, deeply resonated with my values. I joined their marketing and social media team as a freelancer, where I used my skills in professional photography and film to create engaging content. By promoting this content across various platforms and marketing channels, we successfully elevated the visibility of these talented chefs and their restaurants, bridging the gap between them and a broader consumer.

This experience gave me the incredible opportunity to connect with some truly dedicated chefs and business owners. I discovered their deep pride in their craft and desire to share their finest dishes with the world. Getting to know these chefs and business owners on a personal level was inspiring, and their passion for their work fueled my own drive to pursue a freelance creative career.

To further expand my horizons, I channeled into growth consulting for startup founders and small businesses, with a particular focus on the food and beverage industry. My consultancy experience includes working with OpenChefs, a seed-stage startup in San Francisco, and Pop Up Tea in San Jose, renowned for its expertly crafted coffee, tea, and desserts. These roles allowed me to leverage my skills in strategic planning and marketing to drive growth and innovation within these dynamic businesses.

Today, I channel my passion into creating high-quality content for brands and restaurants throughout San Francisco, the Bay Area, and beyond, using my Fujifilm camera to capture their unique stories. In addition to this, I offer growth consulting services for startups and small businesses, specializing in marketing strategies to drive their success.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Ever since I picked up my trusty Fujifilm X-T3, I’ve immersed myself in exploring various settings, angles, and lenses to capture the most captivating shots for my food photography. As a dedicated learner, I’ve invested countless hours in shooting and experimenting, always striving for perfection. Editing these images in Lightroom has become a passion—I can easily lose track of time while fine-tuning each photo to represent the unique mood of different restaurants and dishes. I take great pride in aligning my work with the brand’s vision, ensuring I provide the best content for the businesses I collaborate with.

I’ve also discovered that the best way to capture truly great photos is by engaging with the chefs and teams behind the scenes. Building strong interpersonal relationships with the businesses I work with is essential, as it motivates me to continuously improve my creative craft.

Of course, I’ve faced challenges along the way, such as running out of creative ideas, struggling to get the perfect frame, or not feeling satisfied with my editing for a particular concept. Fortunately, I have a supportive community on social media and a circle of creative individuals, including my mentor, who help me overcome these creative blocks. When I need a break from food photography, I find inspiration by stepping outside and capturing the beauty of San Francisco on my walks. This is what I call a “photo walk,” really, a change of scenery often reignites my creativity and provides a fresh perspective.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I call this my “Summer San Francisco Itinerary: Sparkling Cream Matcha by the Seaside, Budget-Friendly Chinese Family-Style Meal in Bustling Chinatown, and Comforting Korean Food in the Inner City Neighborhood.”

Now that the weather in San Francisco has blessed us with warmth, we can enjoy an iced cold Sparkling Cream Matcha by the seaside.

One of my favorite spots for coffee and tea in the city is Andytown Coffee Roasters. With several locations across SF and the Bay Area—Lawton, Taraval, Fremont (SF), 800 Great Highway, and El Camino Real—Andytown feels like your friendly neighborhood coffee shop. Andytown Coffee Roasters was “founded in 2014 by baristas Michael McCrory and Lauren Crabbe to bring specialty coffee roasting to the Outer Sunset in San Francisco. Andytown has since become a beloved local fixture.”

My favorite location is at 800 Great Highway, where I can daydream while gazing at the ocean and sipping on a Matcha Plover. This delightful drink is Andytown’s green tea take on their signature beverage—”made with organic matcha powder, brown sugar syrup, sparkling water over ice, and topped with their housemade whipped cream”. It’s what I affectionately call “sparkling cream matcha,” in my own words!

After my caffeine kick, I’ll take a leisurely stroll along San Francisco’s Ocean Beach, soaking in the serene coastal views. From there, I’ll walk to the Murphy Windmill to admire the tulips if they’re still in bloom. If not, I’ll lie in the grass, resting my feet and enjoying the peaceful surroundings until my stomach starts rumbling for lunch.

For lunch, my go-to spot is Capital Restaurant in Chinatown, San Francisco. This hidden gem is a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that delivers mouthwatering flavors that will delight your taste buds, all while keeping your wallet happy. The only rule I have is to invite a group of friends and order various dishes to share family style. It’s fun to spin the table around, try different dishes, sip, and spill the tea. However, it’s also perfectly fine to dine alone, as you can always take the leftovers home if you end up ordering more than one dish. It is affordable and even better the next day! After lunch, take some time to explore Chinatown, a vibrant neighborhood brimming with unique shops and rich cultural experiences. It’s a perfect way to get the most out of your day—enjoying a fantastic meal while also immersing yourself in the lively atmosphere and intriguing sights of Chinatown.

Finally, we’ll wrap up our day at Muguboka Restaurant, “a cozy, no-frills spot in the inner Richmond neighborhood known for its generous portions of banchan (Korean side dishes) and hearty fare.” While it may be warm and sunny in the morning, San Francisco evenings can quickly turn chilly and foggy. There’s no better place to warm up than Muguboka, where you can enjoy a steaming bowl of soup, sizzling meat dishes, and a variety of complimentary banchan. The owners are incredibly generous, always ensuring you’re well-fed with ample portions, and they might even surprise you with an extra dish if they notice you haven’t eaten enough. I truly love this restaurant and will always be a devoted supporter.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout time! This is totally my jam! I’m beyond grateful for the fantastic creatives, business partners, and mentors I’ve met along my journey.

Firstly, thanks to the businesses and founders who’ve believed in my work.

– I had the chance to team up with Vibemap, the ultimate city discovery app that “will connect you to meaningful places, events, and experiences that match your vibe, proving there’s magic to showing up in real life!”. It was a blast curating content for them and showcasing how excellent this app can be.
– Worked with the founders and team at OpenChefs, where our mission is to ignite and unite passionate chefs, business owners, and the foodie community through vibrant events and dynamic social media efforts. We create opportunities for chefs to connect with their audience, foster meaningful relationships, and showcase their culinary artistry, all while building a thriving community around their shared love for food.
– Mananged social media and marketing strategies for Pop Up Tea in San Jose, focusing on a range of initiatives to drive engagement and brand visibility. This involves curating and launching new drink items, crafting compelling social media posts, and organizing community events to connect with our audience. My role includes developing creative campaigns that highlight our unique offerings, tracking performance metrics to refine our approach, and fostering relationships with local influencers and customers to build a loyal following.

I would love to showcase businesses driven by passionate curators and supported by dedicated teams. Here are a few of my personal favorites!

– In Good Taste Tiburon Tasting Room, 72B Main St, Tiburon, CA 94920
– Bangkok Street Thai Street Food, 1826 Buchanan St, San Francisco, CA 94115
– Ikuka, 170 State St unit 107a, Los Altos, CA 94022
– The Pink Elephant Alibi, 142 Minna St, San Francisco, CA 94105
– The Pawn Shop, 993 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103
– Wooly Pig, 2295 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94107
– Lost Cat Bar and Bites, 587 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94102
– Kajiken, 112 S B St, San Mateo, CA 94401
– Thriller Social Club, 508 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94107
– YakiniQ Korean BBQ, 1640 Post St 2ND floor, San Francisco, CA 94115
– Ramen Kowa, 445 California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306
– Origin KBBQ, 3465 W 6th St #20, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Most importantly, I want to acknowledge my mentor, Shubham—a brilliant content curator, filmmaker, and exceptional photographer. He taught me how to master my Fujifilm camera and introduced me to the art of cinematic photography editing. I owe so much to his guidance and expertise! His IG is: https://www.instagram.com/shubhamsinha/

Side note: Favorite shout out to my beloved orange cat, Haru, and my partner, Dylan, for happily enjoying new restaurants and recipes with me!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ismyfoodready/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/minhnbui97/