Today we’d like to introduce you to Lexi Stambaugh.
Hi Lexi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! So I actually started as a food blogger in 2017. My friends and family had asked if there was a place that I could share my recipes for the meals that I was making at home. Through another blogger, I had found it was pretty easy to establish a domain, and that’s when I started my website, Passport Flavor. In 2019, I started to grow more on Instagram and share the restaurants that we visited both in Lancaster and around the world. I became connected with a group of local “influencers”, and was introduced to the world of influencing and content creation on social media. From there, I started to share more of my passion in regards to supporting local small businesses and highlighting the incredible culinary scene that exists in Lancaster. Over the last decade, my social media presence has evolved into a food and travel hub for people all around the world. My followers are primarily from Pennsylvania, and I typically share about our life living in the city of Lancaster. But we love to travel, and I feel that food and travel is what connects us, so my account also includes our adventures around the world and the restaurants and experiences that I want to share with my followers.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall, I would say things have been pretty smooth. Social media is ever changing and the market is very saturated. But my ultimate goal is to show my love and support for the small businesses in Lancaster and around the world, so there’s not really much that gets in the way of that. However, the pandemic was definitely a bumpy road. A lot of local businesses struggled, and some of our favorite places unfortunately shut down. That makes supporting local even more important, because the restaurant industry hasn’t been the same since.
I also recently had a baby, which has changed the way we go out to eat. Life lately has been more takeout and home-cooked meals, so that makes things look different for my followers. But I have so many amazing friends and followers from all walks of life, so there is usually something for everyone. Everyone has been so supportive!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Some people might not know that by day, I am a nurse turned nurse practitioner. I have been a nurse since 2016. I spent most of my career (before going back for my masters) in our local emergency department. Since graduating and passing my boards, which was one of the hardest things I have ever done, I have worked as a surgical nurse practitioner with breast surgical oncology. I follow breast cancer survivors in the years after they have completed their surgery and treatments, monitoring for recurrences and helping them get back to feeling like themselves after their diagnosis.
Starting the blog was partially a creative outlet from the healthcare field, and a way to share my passion for cuisine and travel with the world. I did work in the emergency department through the pandemic, so keeping up with that was also necessary for my mental health. So I would say one of the biggest things I’m proud of is continuing that outlet all of these years and persevering through some of the craziest times both professionally and personally.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I would just say that I love love love, sharing about Lancaster and the places we have visited. If anyone ever has any questions regarding restaurants, travel, planning, or any of the places that we have been, my DMS are always open! I have plenty of recommendations both locally and globally that I love to share with my followers and anyone who asks.
Contact Info:
- Website: I do have a website, but I haven’t been as active on it. So I’m going to not share this at this time.
- Instagram: @passportflavor
- Facebook: @passportflavor
