Vanessa Gordon is the Publisher of East End Taste Magazine (https://www.eastendtastemagazine.com), a digital publication based in the Hamptons, New York. Vanessa is also the Founder of the annual summer event, the Hamptons Interactive Brunch (will be known as Taste & Escape: The Hamptons Brunch for the next event in July 2021 and going forward). She has a bi-weekly radio segment with Long Island Radio Broadcasting’s 102.5 WBAZ. She lives in the Hamptons with her husband and two children.

Can you tell our readers about your background? 

I started the digital platform that is East End Taste in the spring of 2014. Beforehand, I was an English as a Second Language instructor and freelance writer. It was soon after my daughter was born in January of 2014 that I wished to not only keep my mind occupied with writing but be able to generate content on my own time. East End Taste started with highlighting my favorite restaurants, events, activities, and gourmet food shops on the East End of Long Island. I recall myself writing on a daily basis, and publishing articles as often as five to six days per week. I was even taking and editing my own photographs for each article.

In 2016, we transitioned to becoming a digital publication and then a Limited Liability Company (LLC) in 2018. East End Taste Magazine, LLC also comprises of the annual summer event we put on in July called the Hamptons Interactive Brunch. 

What inspired you to start your business?

It is my love of writing that initially prompted me to start my business. This love of writing coincided with my love for the bounties of the East End of Long Island and traveling. The Hamptons and North Fork are truly one-of-a-kind destinations that encompass so much for everyone. We have incredible farms, wineries, bakeries, restaurants, some of the best seafood in the world, and so much more at our fingertips.

The travel component of East End Taste followed later when my children were a bit older. I also knew I always wanted to be my own boss. I love initiating content and ideas while having that authority to elevate the platform and drive initiatives forward. I am always busy with my business and really consider it a 24/7 job. I love every part of it. 

Where is your business based?

Though our readership is worldwide, we are based primarily in the Hamptons. The business is based in East Hampton, NY.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took? 

I originally started East End Taste as a hobby and focused initially on one of my top skills, which is writing and editing. Much of the rest, including basic graphic design, web development, social media marketing, and advertising I learned over time and taught myself. Much of the first two years was a trial and error basis. I attended a few workshops and networking events where I gained much advice. I also sought out professionals in their respective industries who were extraordinarily helpful.

Once I had a basic knowledge of the avenues and principles of running a digital publication, I then began to outsource. Many of my sub-contractors were personally recommended to me and these individuals or organizations are internationally based. It would be far too expensive if I hired locally, unfortunately. However, several of my writers are locally (Hamptons) based. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Social media marketing. This took me a long time to realize. For a great majority of the first few years, I relied on word of mouth because I did not have the funding and resources for anything but. It took a great deal of time, but it was well worth it as a starting point. However, social media marketing (boosting and ad targeting), is what propelled my business forward and helped to significantly grow my following. I have never not had an ad live on one of our social media platforms. Currently, I have three: two on Instagram for A/B testing, and one for exposure on Facebook that is a long-term ad.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Deciding it was time to outsource. I had been very cautious about hiring anyone to assist with tasks and jobs required for the publication. I knew after some time that there was no way I could do this all on my own, especially if I wanted to grow as an entity and bring in additional revenue. To ease these concerns, I first looked to my colleagues in the industry for advice and recommendations. They proved to be a tremendous asset. I first started with photography projects, then expanded to graphic design, editing, and web development. Hiring freelance writers was my last outsourcing project. I am very thankful now that I have more time to hone in on the skills I am best at. 

How do you stay focused? 

Much of my focus comes from loving every aspect of what I do. I love to stay active as often as possible with my business. Much of that focus is making sure that I stay productive with my work. Each morning, I refer to a working list I drafted at the beginning of each week. This list acts as a to-do list to keep me on track. I love seeing a checkmark next to each task by Friday.

I also like to create a networking goal each week. This goal usually consists of me reaching out to as least five current contacts each week to stay up-to-date and in touch, and reaching out to at least ten new contacts each week to generate conversation and potential collaborations.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

East End Taste is built on providing detailed, high-quality content across all of our digital social platforms and on our website. Our target audience is specifically aligned to those who either live in or appreciate and admire the Hamptons aesthetic and lifestyle. We are proud to have a strong international readership base as well as a loyal local following. We are the only digital publication that focuses on culinary travel and Hamptons and North Fork related food news and events. Lastly, we are not locked in to only covering the Hamptons, per our name East End Taste. ‘East End’ could effectively highlight almost anywhere in the world so as long as it aligns with a culinary-focused, upscale, and an attainable luxurious lifestyle.  

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

In addition to social media marketing, the Hamptons Interactive Brunch event has been our smartest marketing strategy. Experiential marketing with not only our own event but events that we become involved in either as a media partner or sponsor has been a very effective marketing tool. We are always eager to help local nonprofits, for example. We are currently partnering with the Children’s Museum of the East End, and Discover the Hamptons, both 501(c)(3) to assist in any way possible. 

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs? 

Never ever give up! Know who your allies and supporters are and be there for them as they are there for you. If you believe in yourself and your brand and maintain that positive outlook, no matter how many challenges fall upon you, you will lift off and succeed. Lastly, do not compare yourself to those around you. Turn your focus and attention to your brand and business and focus on your strengths first. Mine, for example, is writing. I made sure I focused on the writing component before I dove into anything else. 

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite app currently is LinkedIn. I love to be able to stay in touch and connect and meet new folks in the industry on a regular occasion. My favorite blog is A Luxury Travel Blog. I love that the articles are informative and that articles are regularly published. I always discover something new each time I click on. My travel bucket list is ever-growing because of A Luxury Travel Blog. My favorite book is anything by Dominick Dunne.

Criminal Justice is my passion and I still consider studying law to this day. I had met Dominick at his film premiere more than ten years ago in the Hamptons and informed him that I knew the real story behind the inspiration of The Two Mrs. Grenvilles. He wanted so badly to discuss it, though he, unfortunately, passed away before we were able to meet. I vowed to never tell the story since he himself was not able to hear the real backstory.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

I personally love Google Drive. I have been using it to effectively store and share images, documents, and much more. I love that I do not have to continue to download materials as attachments to emails, as I often have to provide similar assets and documents for different projects. It is all there, saved, and ready to go. For graphic design work, including my business cards, flyers, etc., I love Canva.com.

Who is your business role model? Why? 

Richard Branson. I have admired him for many years and personally love his enthusiasm and business ethic. He is an incredibly hard worker and is always ahead of the curve.

How do you balance work and life? 

I try and stay productive as often as I am able, especially when my children are at school and when my husband is at work during the week. My schedule during the day, in addition to maintaining the home, is quite busy. My weekends are entirely spent with my family and friends. We go out to events, do leisurely activities, cooking and baking at home (my daughter especially loves to bake), and taking day trips to the city and to Nassau County. It is tough sometimes for me to cut myself off from work, but if I have to work on the weekends, I limit that to no more than one hour per day and it has to be done in the early morning or evening when the sun’s not out.

We also travel often. Traveling is the best reward; my trips are almost always very productive as we stay busy and are thus able to effectively disconnect from the web. After traveling, I am revved up and ready to start working again.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

As soon as the warm weather arrives, I always spend time outdoors. My two children love the outdoors and we find ourselves playing and hanging out on our back deck. I take my meetings and my laptop outdoors and allot 3-4 hours of work time, compressing as much as I am able into the one-time allotment. I balance this time with outdoor activities like gardening, hiking, and BBQs or cooking outdoors.

I also exercise at home every day in the morning or in the evening. Exercises consist mostly of cardio with toning exercises (either with resistance bands or light weights), Pilates, barre, and or stretching. Twice a week, I add in HIIT training and plyometric circuits. This is in addition to meditating 5-10 minutes in the morning and evening. I recently started doing meditation for concentration and meditation for sleep. 

What do you have planned for the next six months?

We are looking forward to bringing back our culinary-focused travel coverage. Destinations we have planned to visit include Florida, California, Hawaii, and Nevada. For international destinations, we intend to go to Melbourne, Australia for the Food and Wine Festival in October. Caribbean destinations include Anguilla, Bermuda, and Antigua. 

How can our readers connect with you?

Visit East End Taste Magazine anytime at https://www.eastendtastemagazine.com. We are also on all major social media channels @EastEndTaste.