Eat This Shoot That - Tara Jones

Eat like a local, shoot like a pro I hate being a tourist. That's why this is not about the tour." Tara Jones, the founder of Santa Barbara's Eat This, Shoot That, is a ball of energy and provided a stimulating and mouth watering conversation with Mark and Patrick. Her business and the journey to her dream venture is inspiring. She also writes for Noozhawk. This wide-ranging conversation covered a lot of ground including: -How she got started doing photo workshops -How the recession in 2008 forced her to rethink everything and the journey she took to explore options -Best quote about being a wedding photographer: "If you've been to 5 weddings, you've been to them all." -She grew up in an entrepreneurial family - grandparents, and parents. Her Dad had seven businesses -How going to Brooks Institute of Photography (RIP Brooks - such a loss) -How a friend in Boston got her to think that Food Tours were in her future -How following her passion turned into the right path to follow -"What do I love to do? And how can I get paid to do it?" -The story of her first tour -Why the Funk Zone is perfect for her tours -Loved this comment: "Goal for the tours? Stay off State Street." Why? -How the SB restaurant scene is changing so fast, it's hard to keep up with -Taking the Strength Finders Test (Marcus Buckingham rocks) to help figure out what she wanted to do - even though her parents paid for a very nice photography degree at Brooks -Her Dragon? Staying on top of the pack and not paying attention to upstarts in her market -How you sell people on coming back - We sell them a feeling. (Love that) -She wrote a book too: 100 Things to do in Santa Barbara before you die. -These books are a franchise - if you want to write one in your town, click here. Cool idea Thanks for joining us on the show Tara. We wish you the best and love that you're doing a great job showing the cruisers what SB is all about.