We’ve somehow made it to the last few days of January, 2026. And my god … what a year and month alone it has been. When the news is a never-ending stream of sadness and rage-inducing content, the things that keep me going really lead back to humanity caring for one another. For opening ourselves up and letting us see all the magical bits that make up each of us.
That’s what I really took away from my conversation with Mindy Crosato, founder of Decadent Creations and the Collective Kitchen + Market outside Portland, Oregon, this week. We met at (you guessed it) ’s conference this last year, and it just felt so easy to open up about our hard times and also our goofiness together. After all, she is from Portland—she knows how to keep it unique, weird, and wacky! Leaning into herself and what her gut was telling her ultimately led Mindy to a beautiful career and role as a community leader.
It’s something so special that I think all people and brands need to embrace. What makes you fun and silly and different? We’re all tired of picture perfect content and already over what slop is coming from AI. Let’s show off what makes us humans, together.
Mindy Crosato’s Perfect Bite
You’re going to love my episode with Mindy Crosato—who doesn’t love a gal who doesn’t take herself too seriously? What she does take seriously is her beautiful sweet treats from Decadent Creations in Hillsboro, Oregon, building a community of handmade food creators in her commissary kitchen Collective Kitchen, and leading the future of food founders in the Pacific Northwest. You’ll totally connect with Mindy’s moment of hitting rock bottom and realizing she needs to lean into her own voice to find the right path.
You can learn more about Decadent Creations at www.decadentcreations.com and visit the bakery and the Collective Market in Hillsboro, Oregon.
You can follow Decadent Creations @decadentcreationspdx, Collective Market @collectivemarketpdx, and Mindy @mindcrosato.
Storytelling Secret Ingredient: Lean Into Your Humanity
Real moments with Collective Kitchen + Market, Hillsboro, Oregon
I love how brands are getting so much more real again on social media. You may have noticed how much more “behind the scenes” content is getting published. It gives audience members the chance to really connect with you and the folks on your team—and it makes us all feel a little closer if we see silly or “oopsie” moments, or even how hard it is to bring something together. I’ve noticed a much higher engagement rate with my client’s work when the founders get on camera and share their story—sometimes as much as 3-5x higher engagement than other posts.
At the same time, don’t be performative about it. I love how Rachel Karten of really highlighted that in her piece this week on brands wanting to “post like humans.” Be yourself—not just for the sake of engagement or trends, but because it’s what’s going to build an actual long-term relationship with your audience and customers.
Lean into your distinctive voice—not only should you understand your customer profiles and how they like to connect, but the “character” and personality behind your own brand.
Don’t worry about being perfect—but have some level of strategy as to why you’re posting what you’re posting. Is it to give fans a sneak peek at the day in your life so they can really get to know you? Or do you need to focus more on a specific goal right now with your content?
If your brand is much more about luxury, serious topics, or being subdued, own it! Don’t be goofy or silly for the sake of others doing it—there’s nothing I dislike more than brands jumping on social media trends just because everyone else is doing it. If it doesn’t actually fit your brand’s core principles, you don’t have to do it.
Storytelling secret ingredient: Own who you really are—and celebrate it! You’ll find your tribe from there.
Your New Brand Besties
I’m so into how these food, hospitality, and bev brands show who they really are:
Recent pod guest Five Corners Beverage turns any hard moments into a learning lesson with some giggles. You can read + listen to more about how Benno + Shelby approach their online presence here!
The more Martha Stewart posts, the more real she gets. And yes, I know—she’s Martha, she’s perfect! But I like that she also is great at sharing little moments from her farm, isn’t afraid to voice her opinions, and shows off her pets. You’ll then notice the difference between the Martha Stewart brand account, which is all about elevating the everyday.
Fellow former pod guest Fox in the Snow shows a lot of moments behind the scenes with the team and what an average day in the cafes is like, all while keeping it *aesthetic.*Thanks so much for being part of The Perfect Bite’s journey. Feel free to respond to any of these messages with thoughts on how I can improve my storytelling in the future or if you have any guest ideas!Subscribe nowLove TPB? Share it with a friend!Share The Perfect Bite Podcast