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A year ago, when Andy Baraghani resigned from his position as senior food editor at a top food magazine, he was inspired to explore how he could thrive as an independent creator. “I learned so much during my time working in editorial,” Andy told Squarespace, “but I wanted to take some space so that I could finish writing my debut book. I also wanted to take that step of really investing in myself.”
Following the recent launch of his cookbook, Andy is exploring what it means to be an independent food writer, video creator, and—of course—cook, who’s already established himself as an influencer in his industry. “My philosophy when it comes to putting out content is that it should have perspectives, stories, and passion, so that there is meaning to it.”
Explore this philosophy as Andy shares the benefits of his new website on Squarespace and what he’s learned about developing his brand in his first year as an independent creator.
A website as a curated experience
Andy traces the roots of his passion for food back to his childhood. “My parents came to California from Iran in the late ‘70s, and with them, they brought the food traditions of their homeland,” he says. “I think those food practices, the flavors, techniques, my extended family always being around, are what instilled my initial deep love for food and cooking.” He decided to pursue cooking and food writing as a career because that love had “expanded to a deep, ever-evolving curiosity about all things food.”
That deeply rooted passion stands out in every dish and piece of content that Andy touches—including the content on his Squarespace website. Built to support this new chapter of his creative career, Andy’s website features recipes front-and-center, culinary video content collections that showcase his knack for creating, and links for fans to purchase his debut cookbook. His website “serves as a space where longer form content can exist easily for users to engage with.”
“This site is both for people who are familiar and not familiar with my work,” Andy says. “I want to make sure people have an understanding of my background, but also engage with existing and new content the site will produce.” Some of that new content Andy would like to produce includes his Things I Like page. There, he gets the chance to showcase his favorite food and lifestyle brands, expanding upon the limitations of his known-for brand a little further. “While my writing and recipes have been very much part of my career for a while now,” Andy says, “I will be taking on new opportunities that will be showcased on the site.”
Before creating his Squarespace website, Andy’s online presence was largely composed of his previous status at his former employer and his engaged social media community. But creating his own space that gives visitors “a curated experience,” Andy points out, is incomparable to the limitations of social media templates. Launching a website as his homebase has been a key step in his new journey as a solo entrepreneur.
Lessons from the first year of an independent creator
This past year, while writing and publishing his debut book, Andy has also been exploring the ins-and-outs of working independently. That includes the process of continuing to develop his brand and building supportive habits as a creator.
“I think my integrity in how I want to cook and write about food has very much stayed the same,” Andy says, referring to his approach to his brand now, compared to his approach before he became independent. “I think my aesthetic—while it has been something very clear to me on a personal level—now can be up front and a big part of what I do. I have more creative control now.”
But alongside that creative control comes many of the logistical challenges of entrepreneurship and freelance time management. “It’s really the first time where I’m not on staff somewhere, that I’m working for myself,” Andy says. “The biggest challenge with all of this is creating and maintaining some kind of structure. I need (and crave) that kind of organization in order to stay focused and not waste time.”
“I like to think of myself as someone who is a doer. I set goals for myself and I put the effort in really trying to achieve those goals.” As Andy has found, creating—and honoring—those goals by respecting your own structure and boundaries can go a long way toward building a successfully independent creative life.
Andy’s other advice for aspiring creators? He recommends being selective about the projects you choose to work on, whenever possible. “Take on projects and work with people that will inspire you and that you can learn something from,” Andy says. “But also know that not every project might satisfy this—which is okay! The point is to keep evolving.”
Inspired by Andy’s story? Start building your own brand on Squarespace.