The Making of the Platter Girl
From platters to purpose and everything in between...
Hi! I'm Lea - the "Platter Girl". I make a living creating and posting about platters & charcuterie boards on social media. The name "The Platter Girl" came to me in the middle of the night after I had been posting for a couple of months under a much more boring name. I wanted to brand myself as THE girl with the platters and if you forgot my name well that is ok, just remember what I am bringing to the party!
And platters are the best. When I was in my 20's I got together with an introverted dude which challenged a wild child party planner gal like me to start spending a lot more time at home, and ultimately in the kitchen. For the next 20 years I would teach myself just about every recipe I could possibly think of in order to learn the correct way of preparing those ingredients or cuisine. I spent countless hours watching Food Network, Cooking Channel, YouTube videos and scouring Pinterest until my eyes bled to absorb just about ANYTHING on food I could. And grazing boards STOLE my heart!
They truly are the most fun to make, the most creative, and fun while also not being too uptight. Its snack food, people! You can find all things cheesy and snacky on my Instagram, Pinterest, website and in my newsletter.
I love what I do. And I love making exquisite, colorful and tasty platters and healthy-ish appetizers to show you daily. I also want to make these accessible and easy for you to recreate on any occasion.
Has my life always been this way?
No, I started making platters and posting on Instagram in January 2020.
Yep, that's right...
I started a business right before the pandemic and before everything started shutting down. I powered through the pandemic like a champ making tons of friends on social media, spent countless hours cooking, and teaching myself food styling and photography. And it was so fun.
If you have a dream or passion, know that no matter what is happening in the world, you can also achieve your goal.
I also started my business weighing 115 lbs more than I do now. Can you believe?! Many OG followers have watched my complete transformation from losing weight to perfecting my platter boards.The weight began dropping off as soon as I turned my focus towards what I truly wanted and by making intentional decisions and living a purposeful life.
If you haven't been around from the beginning or only recently found me, I am happy you are here and want to help catch you up.
I used to work an office job. I worked 10-11 hours daily and had a 2-hour commute. I can hardly believe it now! I would sit all day in front of a computer screen, and by the end of the day, my whole body would hurt! My back and butt from sitting, and my face and eyes from staring at the computer all day.
Can you relate?
I LOVED most of my bosses, my coworkers and some of the fun projects I got to work on but I desperately missed my family and kids. I wanted to be there for the little moments and significant milestones my kids achieved. I also knew I had a passion for cooking and taking pictures but I didn't have enough time to focus on them solely. I needed to make a change.
Many days I felt stuck, my weight kept increasing, and I didn't know I had any other option but to stay at my desk job. I knew there had to be a solution, but sometimes it felt scary to take that leap of faith and make the moves to change my life.
My story might sound so cheesy to some, but cheese and veggies changed my life. I am currently living and pursuing my passion. I started making charcuterie and platter boards and posting those to Instagram. And let's just say.. The Platter Girl started BLOWING up and has grown into an almost 200K+ following across my platforms.
Building this life has taken time, and I have struggled. But I stay consistent and positive. Receiving feedback from followers on Instagram helps to motivate me and gives me new ideas. I love hearing your feedback.
I post several times a day on Instagram, interact with my followers and work on making connections with businesses in my area. I also cater for friends of friends who want a little something elevated at their luxury gatherings. I have formed great relationships with incredible local businesses and creators that truly mean everything to me.
The beginning of The Platter Girl also catapulted my weight loss journey. By quitting my desk job and running around with my kids, I could spend more time in nature, at parks, and walking along trails. This lifestyle has helped me manage my ADHD better and reduce the anxiety and depression I have struggled with over the years.
Making beautiful platters to share on Instagram became my primary way of eating. I would buy the items and arrange them beautifully on a platter. I then took photos, videos, and reels, and my family and I snacked on them the rest of the day.
I still graze on many platters and recipes I have created most days. I eat a variety of cheeses and nuts for protein, pieces of bread and crackers for carbs, and fruits and veggies for my vitamins and minerals.
I still enjoy many higher-calorie foods because those are usually the little treats on the platter that make everyone say, "WOW!" And the super MELTY/CHEESY stuff is really what it's all about in my opinion!
The platter lifestyle sustains me and gives me the energy to run my business and spend time with my family. You know, the important stuff!
I am not saying that my way will work for everyone, but it changed my life and worked for me.
I spend a couple of hours per week at the grocery store. Most cashiers know me. When a client orders a platter board, I buy the latest and freshest foods that are in season. I look for the best prices and quality. I shop at several stores during the week, so I know what is available and when to buy it.
I have always loved to cook and make food for my family. I am also a professional photographer. Everything fell into place when I combined the two for The Platter Girl.
I have done the hard work, and I started at the beginning. I organized and created my business from a tiny idea - a dream! I would hate to think of where I would be today if I didn't follow this path.
I outline my method for free on all my platforms.
Do you want to start eating more fruits and veggies while enjoying a variety of other food?
Do you wish to have consistent energy throughout the day and not feel deprived?
Do you want to pursue your passion (even as a side hustle)? Do you want to make your life feel richer and fuller?
Take a leap of faith. Find your passion. I can help you learn how to style charcuterie and strategize your next move in your business through a coaching call or with one of my simple eBooks.
My goal for my business is to provide all my followers with as much free content as possible. I will work with only brands I love and feel good about sharing with you. Please take time to like, comment, and share my content. Having a solid support system creates a better community for everyone.
How you can support me so that I can share more FREE content with you:
Follow me on Instagram - Like, Comment, Share
Subscribe to my Instagram Subscription $4.99 and get my eBook & 8 board ideas right away
Sign up for my newsletter and open my emails because I have fun, free recipes to share
Look up and try one of the recipes on my website and share with your friends
Follow me on Pinterest - Like, Comment, Save, Share
Follow me on my Amazon Store and make your charcuterie/kitchen purchases
When you do even one of these, it helps more people find me and allows me to share more content with you.
I hope you enjoyed my story about moving from corporate America to a small business owner. It has been life-changing. So many opportunities exist when you have an abundant mindset and take a chance to follow your passions. It definitely helps to have a strong faith, and support from loved ones to keep you going even when it gets hard.
Hit me up if you need a little help strategizing your next move! Send a quick email to hello@plattergirl.com and I will get back to you soon and setup time to chat with you further on your goals.
XOXO,
Lea
