By day, Alexandra Booze worked as an account manager for a public relations firm in Washington, DC. On nights and weekends, this foodie turned food and lifestyle blogging into a profitable Side Hustle.

It started with a project she shared with her friend Karen. Whenever Alex would visit Karen in New York City, they would always go out to eat somewhere new and interesting. It was during one of those nights when they were admiring their food that they decided to document their fun food adventures.  

One month later, they launched East Coast Contessas. What started out as friends liking their photos quickly turned into over one thousand followers. For several months, they visited small bakeries, coffee shops and food trucks, offering their reviews and social media campaigns – for free. They attended conferences, dinners, and festivals. Their goal was to meet chefs, concierges, and other food influencers. They hustled!

Alexandra invested into the company, purchasing two new cameras and a few interchangeable lenses. The new gear created better shots and videos. Alex and Karen’s efforts paid off when they landed their first paid partnership with a national wine company. For brands that wanted their full services, they offered social media promotion, editorial writeups, and promo videos.

Soon they branched out from featuring restaurants to including boutique hotels and mid-size chains. Eventually, the pair parted ways, with Alex maintaining the company. Since launching three years ago, Alex has partnered with nearly 450 brands from food and beverage, fashion and beauty industries.  

Startup Costs: $1,300

Annual Revenue: $25,000+

Website: EastCoastContessas.com