Meet Ellie Ferdowsi | San Diego Blogger

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ellie Ferdowsi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ellie, what do you attribute your success to?
First and foremost, my brand is a work in progress and will always be a work in progress, but both myself and my brand have definitely come a long way since Instagram filters and single photo posts. The most important factor behind the current success is definitely authenticity. I create content that I enjoy and I believe others will also enjoy and benefit from. My foundation is showcasing the best that San Diego has to offer as well as other cities I have traveled to. However, with that said I don’t treat my brand as a self-diary, this is for YOU, a guide from a trusted source. Not only does this help the audience on where to go, what to do, what to EAT, it helps local businesses immensely since most people find ideas for Date Nights, Getaways, New Restaurants from a platform like Instagram. Of course, going from 1,000 followers to almost 20,000 doesn’t happen overnight, the success comes from constant time and effort. As a creator, you need to be on top of the updates, the trends, all of it, in order to be and stay relevant. But, of course, amazing opportunities have come from it all.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Funny enough, my line of work is quite different from the social media scene. I have worked in the pharmacy field since I was 16 and have transitioned through a few roles with a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM). When I’m not creating content or visiting a restaurant, I am conducting audits or in meetings. I specialize in Medicare audits, claim analysis, and all that pharmacy insurance entails. I am very much proud of being able to have both sides of a professional career and a hobby that brings me such amazing opportunities! I never considered myself a creative or someone who could edit videos and come up with so many new ideas so often. It is always a challenge to find a work/life balance, especially in the creator space. There is no time to clock out, you have to tell yourself to log off and take care of your mental health. Being that I started out so small and with a goal of wanting to promote businesses and try new foods, I think my experiences and content relate to the audience in being raw and genuine.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

My favorite question! Start a morning at Balboa Park – take in the 1,200-acre park, the gardens, the famous Cabrillo bridge, museums, and more. Make time to visit Coronado Island, Seaport Village, La Jolla Cove, Mission Bay, and Encinitas. Definitely book a boat ride at one of the many options at Shelter Island. And my favorite part – sips and bites! Check out this list:

– Brunch at Breakfast Republic, Breakfast Company or Fig Tree Cafe
– Sushi at Cannonball
– Lunch at Fortunate Son
– Cocktails at Botanical
– Lobster Rolls at Lobster West and taking a stroll by the water (locations in La Jolla, Coronado, and Encinitas – every location is near ocean views!)
– Pasta at Cesarina
– Pizza at Regents Pizzeria
– Cocktails and appetizers at Seneca
– BBQ at Abbey’s Texas BBQ
– Sushi at Sushi Ota
– Speakeasy experience at Mothership or Raised By Wolves
– Dim Sum at Din Tai Fung
– Burritos at Bad Hombres Good Mexican Food
– Tacos from City Tacos
– Happy Hour at Born and Raised
– And of course, In-N-Out!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

At the end of the day, social media platforms are about engagement and following, so their support is truly where credit is deserved. And secondly, my fellow influencers, I’ve met so many amazing people and all are so supportive of each other, and I’ve learned so much!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodthoughtsforall/