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After a fantastic week in New York, Jessica is back with an amazing interview this week. 

When you think of Austin, what comes to mind? I bet it’s amazing food. Today’s guest is a big reason for that. Jane Ko, otherwise known as Koko, runs A Taste of Koko, a Austin-based food and travel blog. Since 2010 she’s be traveling the city in search of the best food, recipes and, of course, cocktails. 

Jessica and Jane discuss her beginnings as a full time blogger, the growth of Austin and her advice for aspiring influencers looking to emulate the success of A Taste of Koko.

BTW, are you in love with the food and drinks on A Taste of Koko? Well, don’t forget about the Simply Be. Masterclass coming up in Austin in September.

• [01:31] - NYC is always a good idea!
• [04:30] - Jessica calls out hustle culture
• [08:02] - Details about the SimplyBe. Masterclass in Austin, TX
• [09:42] - Diving in with Jane Ko
• [13:40] - What does the A Taste of Koko brand represent?
• [14:59] - What inspired Jane to quit her job and blog full-time?
• [21:37] - The surprising moments at the beginning of building her brand
• [26:44] - Jane’s interpretation of the word "influencer" and how it has evolved
• [31:24] - Jane’s advice for aspiring influencers
• [33:00] - Ways to create an authentic community on Instagram
• [38:18] - Tactical tips for growth and engagement
• [43:45] - Austin’s exploding popularity
• [45:49] - Thoughts on the changing market for entrepreneurs and influencers
• [48:45] - What does SimplyBe mean to Jane?

Jane (commonly known as Koko) is the Austin blogger behind A Taste of Koko®, Austin’s top food and travel blog. A Taste of Koko features the hottest restaurants and weekend getaways and is the official restaurant expert for Visit Austin TX.

Jane has been a speaker at South by Southwest (SXSW), Texas Conference for Women, BlogHer, BlogHer Food, The Hustle 2X, University of Texas Austin, Google, and Whole Foods Global on entrepreneurship and social media. She also hosted the largest food crawl in Austin during SXSW 2014 with over 20,000 participants. 

Find Jane on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

Jessica Zweig is an international award-winning entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of SimplyBe. In 2018, she won the Gold Stevie® Award for “Female Entrepreneur of the Year,” was previously named a Top Digital Marketer To Watch by INC. and a “Personal Branding Expert” by Forbes. As a thought leader with over ten years of experience in digital marketing and social media, Jessica frequently speaks and facilitates workshops and masterminds, teaching the power of personal branding to corporations. 

Jessica has been featured as a leading entrepreneur and personal branding expert in Forbes, Crain’s, MarketWatch, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Refinery 29, Tasty Trade, BizTech Magazine, Today’s Chicago Woman, NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX News 32, and more.

She is currently writing her first book, Be. A No-Bullshit Guide to Creating Self-Worth and Net Worth Just by Being Yourself. Follow her on Instagram @jessicazweig or send her a note at jessica@simplybeagency.com.

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This podcast episode was produced by Dante32.