She Owns It

Celebrating, Connecting, and Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

Give and Gain by @SallyEkus

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by Sally Ekus | Featured Contributor 

Over the past five+ years working at a culinary agency I have met so many people I admire, respect, and look up to. When I first started out I was intimidated and nervous to be anything less than 100% my JOB TITLE. I wanted to be a walking, talking, AGENT. Over the years, I have found my own groove and loosened up a bit, adding my personality to pitch letters, meetings, and even in my deal negotiations. I still take my work very seriously, but now I have even more fun doing my job since I have given myself permission to be ME.

This was actually a very conscientious decision. In 2011 I decided to share a part of my past with my present. I had always wanted to run a marathon and fundraise for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In order to accomplish this goal I started sharing with colleagues the fact that I am a childhood cancer survivor. To be honest, I was nervous and reluctant since I thought in some way it made me less of a professional to share something personal. Turns out it was one of the best decisions of my career thus far.

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Clients and colleagues came out of the woodwork to support me. I was BLOWN away. Now, as I continue to get to know colleagues on a more personal level, one thing that usually comes up before too long is my work with charity organizations. How do you find time to fundraise and run marathons and volunteer while working a full time job? My work with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society keeps me very busy – but it also keeps me happy and sane!

As a survivor of childhood leukemia, I’ve found that giving back to an organization that was so helpful to my family and I when I was sick keeps me grateful and grounded – and it’s also provided some unexpected career benefits, like these:

  1. Pride and accomplishment: I am incredibly proud that in the past few years I have raised over $40,000 for LLS and completed two and a half marathons! (Btw, I don’t like running, here is how I got across the finish line)
  2. New friends: I have met the most incredible people and made new friendships that I know will last for many years to come!
  3. Professional opportunities: I have been invited to attend events and network with new contacts in my professional life all through volunteer opportunities.
  4. Connecting: With every “Ask” I made, people would give but along with their time or money would also come stories of how their own lives have been touched by cancer.
  5. Perspective: Talking with people going through cancer treatment really helps put my day to day stress in perspective.
  6. Creativity: Fundraising has really helped me to think outside the box!

I think it can be overwhelming to think of adding another commitment to your plate, but here are a few tips that have helped keep me motivated:

  1. Make choices: Find the one or two charities/organizations that mean the most to you and focus your energy there.
  2. Make time: I aim to set aside a few hours each month for fundraising, volunteering, or advocating.
  3. Make it count: When I step away from my desk I leave work behind for the few hours. I focus on what and who is in front of me and the incredible dedication and passion I see all around.
  4. Say no: We have all heard this before but saying no when you are spread too thin is equally as important as saying yes.
  5. $ & Time: Donate or fundraise for certain charities, give your time to others.

I choose to be an advocate for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as well as a local community cancer recourse center called Cancer Connection. Over the years I also support PeaceTrees Vietnam and our local food bank.

What are the organizations that matter most to you? Feel free to leave a comment and help us all connect with one another.

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Sally EkusSally Ekus, Agency Manager and Literary Agent, joined The Lisa Ekus Group in 2009. She represents a wide range of culinary talent, from first-time cookbook authors to seasoned chefs, professional food writers, bloggers, and television personalities. Sally loves being the liaison between an author and their publisher. She takes great pride in guiding authors towards their dreams of publication. From concept to contract, she has brokered more than forty book deals.

After graduating from Ithaca College, Sally worked in the mental health field. An unexpected turn of events, and some great food along the way, led her to return to New England (Massachusetts) to join her mother, Lisa Ekus, in the eponymous family business. Sally often credits her formal training in listening, communication, and negotiation in the mental health field as her foundation for success with her authors.

As part of the first official culinary delegation, Sally has made two trips to Vietnam where she cultivated a deep love of phở. Sally spends what little free time she has cooking spicy food and running marathons. She is a dedicated supporter and advocate for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and especially their Team in Training program.

The Lisa Ekus Group is a full-service culinary agency, the only agency of its kind to offer Public Relations, Media Training, Literary and Talent agency services, as well as Career Consulting, all within the culinary realm.

For pictures of tacos, phở, spicy food and an occasional sunset or tree follow Sally on Instagram and Twitter.

When things go wrong, and what to do by @SallyEkus

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Milkby Sally Ekus | Featured Contributor

Sometimes life just doesn’t go as planned.  When life throws curve balls at you, it doesn’t necessarily mean something is going wrong, so make sure you have your eyes and ears open to try to determine where the difference is. It is all about perspective. What may be terrible for one person is manageable for another.

I like to think of curve balls as those times when life makes you whip your ahead around to catch something unexpected. If life hits you in the side of the face, well then you have a problem on your hands.

Whether working through an author crisis, navigating friends and family relationships, or facing health issues, here are some tactics I have learned along the way.

  1. Permission: Give yourself and those around you permission to recognize that something is off course. You would be amazed at how much it easier it is to think of a solution once you have allowed yourself to recognize things may not be going your way.
  2. Be Present: Show up, focus, and be present in what is going on around you.
  3. Acceptance: Try not to let denial work against you and allow yourself to trust that there are some things you just may not be able to fix or change.
  4. Taking responsibility: Whether the problem is completely out of your hands or completely your fault, take responsibility for getting it back on track.
  5. Swerve into the Curve: Rather than resist the issue, try leaning into it. Go to the uncomfortable place. Like a car spinning on ice, steer into the spin.  Don’t try to overcompensate in the opposite direction and you will end up headed in the right direction. It’s scary at first, but trust the turn. The straight road will appear ahead.
  6. Ask for Help: This can be the toughest part for many people but if you can seek out help from friends, family, co-workers, or even professionals you may just be exposed to a solution that you wouldn’t otherwise think of on your own. Sometimes just having someone sit next to you during tough times makes a big difference.
  7. Patience: Patience is key in times of crisis. Give yourself the time to sit with your immediate reaction or impulse before acting. Our inclination is to try to rush through the pain but time in the discomfort can lead to a clearer understanding and more balanced perspective.
  8. Action: Much like having patience, we also have to know when it is time to act. Once you think you have a solid understanding of the approach you want to take, implement the solutions.
  9. Lessons: Once you are out of the weeds, take a moment to reflect. What have you learned for next time? Not all problems are the same but there are seeds of solutions that may come in handy down the road. Sometimes this doesn’t come until many years later.

Times I have forgotten these is when the heat really gets turned up. We can’t always do all of these things, but at the end of the day, I always try.

What helps you get through?  Feel free to leave a comment about what you would add to this list.

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Sally EkusSally Ekus, Agency Manager and Literary Agent, joined The Lisa Ekus Group in 2009. She represents a wide range of culinary talent, from first-time cookbook authors to seasoned chefs, professional food writers, bloggers, and television personalities. Sally loves being the liaison between an author and their publisher. She takes great pride in guiding authors towards their dreams of publication. From concept to contract, she has brokered more than forty book deals.

After graduating from Ithaca College, Sally worked in the mental health field. An unexpected turn of events, and some great food along the way, led her to return to New England (Massachusetts) to join her mother, Lisa Ekus, in the eponymous family business. Sally often credits her formal training in listening, communication, and negotiation in the mental health field as her foundation for success with her authors.

As part of the first official culinary delegation, Sally has made two trips to Vietnam where she cultivated a deep love of phở. Sally spends what little free time she has cooking spicy food and running marathons. She is a dedicated supporter and advocate for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and especially their Team in Training program.

The Lisa Ekus Group is a full-service culinary agency, the only agency of its kind to offer Public Relations, Media Training, Literary and Talent agency services, as well as Career Consulting, all within the culinary realm.

For pictures of tacos, phở, spicy food and an occasional sunset or tree follow Sally on Instagram and Twitter.

When Moms Get Bossy: what it’s like working for my mom/boss by @SallyEkus

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by Sally Ekus | Featured Contributor

Yes we fight. No, not a lot. In fact, I can count on one hand how many times we have ever had a fight in the entire time we have worked together.

Six years ago I moved home to regroup from life. You know the story, early twenties + degree in hand +bad boyfriend +debt = move home.

Well, in my case, moving home meant helping my mom out at the office. If you asked me six years ago what my mom did for a living, I honestly wouldn’t know what to tell you. Something in food? Publishing? Working with chefs?

Turns out my mom, the person who somehow made it to all my dance performances, hosted elaborate birthdays well before the days of Pinterest, cooked dinner (almost) every night, and wiped my tears, also founded a one-of-kind boutique culinary agency that is celebrating 33 years in business this April!

Let me be clear, I had no intention of one day working for and with my mom/boss, as I so lovingly refer to her now. I was on a different path, on my way to grad school in fact, when I detoured to move home and get my feet back on the ground. Kudos to her for welcoming me with open arms, not just back home but at work too!

Fast forward almost six years; I am now the Agency Manager and a Literary Agent here at The Lisa Ekus Group. I have sold dozens of cookbooks to many of the top US publishers. I represent some of the leading culinary experts, authors, and chefs in this country. I like to say I am a far less glorified Jerry Maguire of the food industry.

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Turns out I have been training for this my whole life without ever knowing it. I can recall late nights asleep on my mom’s lap. One ear resting on her legs and the other pressed up against the underside of the dinner table, drifting off to sleep to the sounds of chefs talking, and mom spouting off brilliant marketing ideas for their latest book tour.

Working together has had its ups and its downs, but to be honest, most of it has been a joy. For anyone who works with a parent, I don’t know if you can relate, but here are a few of the things I attribute our success to:

  1. Set boundaries. Early on my mom/boss and I quickly realized that we were working ALL the time. This was ineffective for the team approach we take with our staff, as well as our mother/daughter time which became virtually non-existent. Setting boundaries about when to work and when to “unplug” really helped us shift back to differentiating between work time and family time.
  2. Communication. At the first signs of any sort of disagreement we always make a point to talk to one another. I realized that when I got mad at my “boss” it stirred up childish feelings that often had more to do with my mom than what was going on at work. The sooner you can nip that in the bud, the better! I also make sure to call my boss out when she takes a “mom tone” with me.
  3. Step out of the middle! This one is the hardest for me. I often feel stuck between co-workers and my mom/boss. Co-workers don’t want to vent in front of me, and I try to bear the brunt of any disappointments or issues with the boss. Why? Maybe I think she will go easier on me and I can take it. In the end I’m just wedging myself in the middle which doesn’t help communication between mom/boss and the other team members. I am learning to moderate but not placate.
  4. One-on-one time. As important as it is to not work all the time, it is just as important for us to sit and talk quietly, in uninterrupted space at least once a week.  We use the opportunity to strategize about our business, our team, changes in the industry, and update one another. We each have an opportunity to vent as well as celebrate accomplishments. The one-on-one time together allows us to dive back into the work with focus.
  5. Parents/Bosses are not perfect (neither are kids!).  I have the fortunate advantage of being more than just a little familiar with what I would classify as my mom’s “personality challenges.” I try to identify the times when she reverts to one of her more “combative” states and help her through them. Working with your family means you can help one another out of the funks and hard times faster. I know she does the same for me!

I absolutely love my job and love working with my mom/boss. Working with family is hard. It is personal and professional. I feel challenged, motivated, and dedicated. Believe me, I know that after that first year I could have bowed out. I could have gone to grad school and come back home only to visit on vacations. The thing is, I was raised with a working mom model. My parents, for better or for worse, showed me that you can have a family and have a career.

I don’t have kiddos of my own yet, but when I do, I will encourage them to go in their own direction. Who knows, maybe it will lead them right back home.

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Sally EkusSally Ekus, Agency Manager and Literary Agent, joined The Lisa Ekus Group in 2009. She represents a wide range of culinary talent, from first-time cookbook authors to seasoned chefs, professional food writers, bloggers, and television personalities. Sally loves being the liaison between an author and their publisher. She takes great pride in guiding authors towards their dreams of publication. From concept to contract, she has brokered more than forty book deals.

After graduating from Ithaca College, Sally worked in the mental health field. An unexpected turn of events, and some great food along the way, led her to return to New England (Massachusetts) to join her mother, Lisa Ekus, in the eponymous family business. Sally often credits her formal training in listening, communication, and negotiation in the mental health field as her foundation for success with her authors.

As part of the first official culinary delegation, Sally has made two trips to Vietnam where she cultivated a deep love of phở. Sally spends what little free time she has cooking spicy food and running marathons. She is a dedicated supporter and advocate for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and especially their Team in Training program.

The Lisa Ekus Group is a full-service culinary agency, the only agency of its kind to offer Public Relations, Media Training, Literary and Talent agency services, as well as Career Consulting, all within the culinary realm.

For pictures of tacos, phở, spicy food and an occasional sunset or tree follow Sally on Instagram and Twitter.

A Thought About Mentors by @SallyEkus

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 by Sally Ekus | Featured Contributor

NYC

There is an editor who works in a tall tower in NYC with whom I had my very first pitch meeting. I will never forget how nervous I was seated at a big table in a chilly conference room, every click of a keyboard from the cubicles down the hall ratcheting up my anxiety. I pitched our authors and braced for immediate rejection. Instead this editor kindly, gently, and brilliantly explained what was of interest and why and what didn’t suit their list. To this day, I value the notes and conversations shared with me from editorial and acquisitions meetings. I can guarantee I am a better agent today because my very first editor meeting was so positive, educational, and even fun.

Mentors are the sh*t, seriously. If you don’t have one, you need one (or three).  Mentors help with all kinds of things. Career advice? Check! Life and relationships throwing curve balls atchya? Check!  Need another perspective on a professional challenge? Check! In my opinion, good mentors are essential to being constantly challenged, continually growing, supporting your successes, and enjoying the ride along the way.

In a world where I am often expected to keep a straight face, present myself professionally, and be a source of support for my authors, I sometimes tire of always keeping it together. I long for a person I can turn to and share my fears, insecurities, and ask questions. Do you ever feel that way too?

Mentors provide a unique space to be vulnerable and inquisitive.

Without intentionally seeking them out, I have acquired a roster of mentors that inspire, teach, and challenge me. They can come in many forms so do your best to find a few people who have some, or all of the following characteristics:

  • Patient
  • Brilliant and innovative
  • Honest and trustworthy
  • Experienced and well-respected in the industry
  • Willingness to teach and share expertise
  • Able to challenge you and provide constructive feedback
  • Values the mentor/mentee relationship—committed to being a mentor

Where can you find mentors? Look around. Ask yourself who took the time to talk with you at a recent conference? Who follows your work and congratulates you? Who asks you the tough questions and then sticks around as you work through the answers?

I am lucky enough to count a handful of friends and colleagues as mentors: an established editor who has been in the business for years and still takes the time to teach  me about finding the theme in the content, a husband and wife restaurateur duo who have helped to cultivate patience and confidence in myself, and a career coach that I call on from time-to-time.

Mentors have opened doors for me when I couldn’t even find the doorknob. They have helped with everything from running multiple marathons and raising tens of thousands of dollars for charity to moving on from personal relationships and finding confidence in my career and approach as an agent.

And my biggest mentor? Of course it’s my mom/boss. I certainly never would be celebrating the success of my budding career without her guidance in this industry and in life. Little did I know I was being mentored before I was old enough to even stand on my own two feet.

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So, if you find yourself bored, frustrated, scared, or yearning for more, I highly suggest seeking out a mentor of your own. Or, if you find your job rewarding, exciting, and challenging, you are in a great position to find a mentor to guide you to new levels. And, don’t forget to pass the mentoring along. You also have valuable insight to teach, so find an open mind and get together for a chat.

Who knows, the next time you find yourself in a chilly conference room, it may be just the conversation that changes your life!

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Sally EkusSally Ekus, Agency Manager and Literary Agent, joined The Lisa Ekus Group in 2009. She represents a wide range of culinary talent, from first-time cookbook authors to seasoned chefs, professional food writers, bloggers, and television personalities. Sally loves being the liaison between an author and their publisher. She takes great pride in guiding authors towards their dreams of publication. From concept to contract, she has brokered more than forty book deals.

After graduating from Ithaca College, Sally worked in the mental health field. An unexpected turn of events, and some great food along the way, led her to return to New England (Massachusetts) to join her mother, Lisa Ekus, in the eponymous family business. Sally often credits her formal training in listening, communication, and negotiation in the mental health field as her foundation for success with her authors.

As part of the first official culinary delegation, Sally has made two trips to Vietnam where she cultivated a deep love of phở. Sally spends what little free time she has cooking spicy food and running marathons. She is a dedicated supporter and advocate for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and especially their Team in Training program.

The Lisa Ekus Group is a full-service culinary agency, the only agency of its kind to offer Public Relations, Media Training, Literary and Talent agency services, as well as Career Consulting, all within the culinary realm.

For pictures of tacos, phở, spicy food and an occasional sunset or tree follow Sally on Instagram and Twitter.

 

 

Agents are like a good bra: Find the right fit! by @SallyEkus

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by Sally Ekus | Featured Contributor

Comfortable

Always there for you

Supportive when you get down

Always making you look good…

Sure I may have just described your favorite bustier, but I also just described the qualities of a great author/agent relationship!

We have all been there. You know, presenting in a meeting or standing in line somewhere and feeling that underwire poking at your side. At this point in life we have tried on enough underwire, padded, and sports bras to know what feels right.  Finding the right agent is a lot like finding the right bra. Ideally you want it to feel just as good several months later as when you first tried it on.  It’s all about the right fit.

So how do you find an agent? First, let’s back up a minute and talk about what an agent does. An agent is your advocate. Agents work on behalf of authors to secure a fair and attractive deal for their work. We know the industry and contracts and we also know who is looking for what types of projects. I absolutely love finding an editor that really gets a proposal and will work well with my authors. To read even more about what agents do, take a look at what my mom/boss (proud daughter!) recently wrote in The Cook’s Cook E-Magazine. The article goes into depth about the role of agents and the business of how we make our money. Literary agents operate on a 15% commission for the life of the projects we represent.

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Since I am an agent at a culinary agency, people often look at me as if I have two heads when I try to explain my job. Think about it this way, if you have ever cried at “you had me at hello” then think of my job as a less glorified Jerry Maguire of the culinary industry. I pitch, I negotiate (did someone say show me the money!?), and I believe in my clients wholeheartedly.

The agent author relationship is probably the number one aspect of my job that I love the most. The relationship is all about trust. If there is no trust, neither of us can do our job. In fact, I usually know within about 5 minutes of meeting someone if I think we could work together not just successfully, but effectively.

Also, I happen to not only like my clients work, but I actually like them as people. I am incredibly lucky to have the luxury of representing people I want to work with. Recently I found myself at lunch with a prospective client and we both kind of had that moment where we knew we were having a lot of fun and not just talking business. We both simultaneously looked at each other and knew it was time to work together in an official capacity; we were just having way too much fun not to!

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Humor is essential (when working with me) and so is communication. Think about how you communicate; how you work best. I have clients that just pick up the phone and call me, I have authors who email me to set up a time to talk, and I have clients who only outreach when they have a question or concern. If everyone worked the same way I would get bored. Okay, I even have a few texters, but those are the exception not the rule. No drunken dialing chefs…please! (I once even accepted an offer over text message, but that is a story for another time).

Finding the right fit with an agent is essential. You want to have full confidence that they know what you want and will work in your best interest. I love getting to know my clients so I can anticipate how best to negotiate on their behalf. I also appreciate direct conversations when something isn’t clicking or needs to be readjusted. Let’s face it, the relationship we had when we first started working together should evolve after the first book is published.

Part of our agency’s mission has always been to launch new writers. The Lisa Ekus Group will turn 33 in April, and our agenting division celebrates its fourteenth birthday this year. We are proud to say that 25% of the clients we sign annually are first time authors.

So, how do you go about finding that perfect bra? Ask yourself, are you the type of person who can walk right into a Victoria’s Secret and know your size, color, and shape. Or, are you someone who needs to talk to the lady with the tape measure at the small boutique. Shop around, have conversations, trust your gut! You don’t want to commit and then find out a few months later that the pesky underwire has been poking at your side.

A couple places to try on:

Just remember, this isn’t a one size fits all world.

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Sally EkusSally Ekus, Agency Manager and Literary Agent, joined The Lisa Ekus Group in 2009. She represents a wide range of culinary talent, from first-time cookbook authors to seasoned chefs, professional food writers, bloggers, and television personalities. Sally loves being the liaison between an author and their publisher. She takes great pride in guiding authors towards their dreams of publication. From concept to contract, she has brokered more than forty book deals.

After graduating from Ithaca College, Sally worked in the mental health field. An unexpected turn of events, and some great food along the way, led her to return to New England (Massachusetts) to join her mother, Lisa Ekus, in the eponymous family business. Sally often credits her formal training in listening, communication, and negotiation in the mental health field as her foundation for success with her authors.

As part of the first official culinary delegation, Sally has made two trips to Vietnam where she cultivated a deep love of phở. Sally spends what little free time she has cooking spicy food and running marathons. She is a dedicated supporter and advocate for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and especially their Team in Training program.

The Lisa Ekus Group is a full-service culinary agency, the only agency of its kind to offer Public Relations, Media Training, Literary and Talent agency services, as well as Career Consulting, all within the culinary realm.

For pictures of tacos, phở, spicy food and an occasional sunset or tree follow Sally on Instagram and Twitter.

 

Do You Want to Write a Cookbook?! by @SallyEkus

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by Sally Ekus | Featured Contributor

I have heard it a thousand times, I have the best recipes and everyone asks me why  don’t I write a cookbook. Well, just because everyone tells you to do it, doesn’t necessarily mean it is a good idea. I mean, sure, it’s cool to hold a book with your name on it but do you know what it takes to make that book you are holding? Even though I don’t have kiddos of my own, I have heard from countless authors that creating a book is a lot like birthing a baby. So let’s be real, you wouldn’t have a kid just because your neighbors say you are an excellent babysitter right?!

For the next 6 months I am excited to share my expertise as a Literary Agent and post some basic tips and hints on how to go about publishing a cookbook. I may even throw in a bit of behind the scenes (anonymous) stories of the projects I get pitched (naked cooking anyone?) and the challenges I face as a daughter and employee of my mom/boss who sat me next to Julia Child at my dining room table when I was just knee high.

First up are a series of questions to ask yourself if you are thinking about writing a cookbook:

  • Do you have a sale-able concept? Something different and compelling that will still be relevant in two years (the average time it takes to develop, pitch, write, and edit your book)?
  • Can you afford to create, test, and retest upwards of 75-150 recipes for the next 9-12 months? Keep in mind that the average book advance can land somewhere between the cost of your auto insurance bills and one year of college.
  • Do you know how to write a proper recipe and headnote?
  • Can you work collaboratively? Do you want to? Your agent and eventually your editor are there to help make your work tighter and better.  Your agent can help shape your concept and effectively hone the pitch/proposal. Not everyone needs or wants an agent, but working with one means you have an ally. Your agent is someone who believes in your work and knows publishing contracts inside and out. They will often be your biggest cheerleader and help you secure a more financially attractive deal.
  • Do you have channels in place to promote and sell your book when it comes out? Now, more than ever, publishers are looking to authors to drive the sales of their books. Sure you get some support, but the more connected and involved an author is in promoting, the better sales numbers will be.

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe there is still room on the cookbook shelf for more great books. With the surge in digital readers, e-books, and the closing of many book stores it is no surprise that the cookbook is one of the last remaining hard copy books people still read, gift and cherish. If you can answer the questions above and still feel excited, dedicated, and passionate about writing a cookbook here is what goes into a proposal. Unlike fiction, where a full manuscript needs to be completed before you submit to agents and editors, with cookbooks and other culinary non-fiction, a proposal is what you need to pitch your concept.

A proposal includes:

  • Title page
  • TOC (Table of Contents) for the proposal itself
  • Concept/Overview
  • Your bio/credentials
  • Markets for your book idea
  • Promotion plan
  • Competition
  • TOC for the book you are proposing
  • Vision/Design ideas
  • Chapter Summaries
  • Complete Sample chapter, including recipes

Each of these parts is essential and more information and details on what goes into each section can be found on our website. Feel free to email me a query letter to pitch a concept before you work on a full proposal. And just to keep your creative wheels spinning, I would also consider pitches in other non-fiction areas such as humor, parenting, health, and fitness.

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Sally EkusSally Ekus, Agency Manager and Literary Agent, joined The Lisa Ekus Group in 2009. She represents a wide range of culinary talent, from first-time cookbook authors to seasoned chefs, professional food writers, bloggers, and television personalities. Sally loves being the liaison between an author and their publisher. She takes great pride in guiding authors towards their dreams of publication. From concept to contract, she has brokered more than forty book deals.

After graduating from Ithaca College, Sally worked in the mental health field. An unexpected turn of events, and some great food along the way, led her to return to New England (Massachusetts) to join her mother, Lisa Ekus, in the eponymous family business. Sally often credits her formal training in listening, communication, and negotiation in the mental health field as her foundation for success with her authors.

As part of the first official culinary delegation, Sally has made two trips to Vietnam where she cultivated a deep love of phở. Sally spends what little free time she has cooking spicy food and running marathons. She is a dedicated supporter and advocate for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and especially their Team in Training program.

The Lisa Ekus Group is a full-service culinary agency, the only agency of its kind to offer Public Relations, Media Training, Literary and Talent agency services, as well as Career Consulting, all within the culinary realm.

For pictures of tacos, phở, spicy food and an occasional sunset or tree follow Sally on Instagram and Twitter.