Conversations with Sarah Beth Schulte

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Beth Schulte

Hi Sarah Beth, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Sure, thank you for asking. Like all good ideas, the Tip Jar began with a conversation with friends over beer. In spring 2022, I organized a brewery crawl through the Nations; as the night wound down, we sat around chatting about all the things we liked to do in Nashville, and how those things had changed as we got older. I referenced a popular guide to Nashville and said I wish I could do a version of that for people in their 30s and 40s. The idea caught fire and I created my website and Instagram account for Xennials – because we still want to have fun, but also go to bed at a reasonable hour.

I started with a few ideas for content – things people my age might be interested in learning about. But as I began posting, I realized how much more content I would need to be consistent. At the beginning, I was often visiting 2 places or more a day, just to get enough photos to post. I didn’t know how to take a good picture (they’re still not amazing, tbh), I had an old phone, and I was funding everything myself. But, I really enjoyed it and learned on the fly.

Even more importantly, I realized as I went along the kinds of things that were important to my audience – particularly, focusing on small and local businesses. Keeping that focus allowed me to meet all kinds of people, from business owners, to restaurant staff, to regular people pursuing a dream. I’ve loved hearing their stories and being able to support their dreams by sharing them with a new audience.

I love Nashville and all that it has to offer, from food to drinks to music to fun events. Helping others discover more of what our city and the surrounding area has to offer has been a true joy for me. My account is intended for locals in their 30s and 40s and they do make up the majority of my audience. But, anyone who enjoys good food and fun things to do is welcome to follow along for tips!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The first 6 months were tough. I didn’t really have a handle on what the algorithm looked for, the quality of my photos and reels were poor, and I was spending tons of time and money just to get content out. By the end of the first 6 months, I only had 500 followers (at least 100 of whom knew me in real life). Looking back, it’s a little crazy to me that I didn’t give up.

But, I’m glad I didn’t give up, because 4 months later, I hit 1,000 followers and growth accelerated from there.

My account still ebbs and flows with the tides of the algorithm. But, I have a solid base now and a better understanding of how to get it back on track in slow seasons.

I still have to be on guard against comparison. I suspect that will always be the case because social media, with all its public stats and insights, is a breeding ground for pitting yourself against other people. But, for the most part, the Nashville food/activities Instagram community is very warm and collaborative, so it helps that my “competitors” are actually friends.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
While I still have my “day” job, the Tip Jar is my full time job both in terms of time and passion. I focus on restaurants, bars, and things to do that appeal to the Elder Millennial or young Gen X-er specifically, all while keeping it as local as possible.

My account isn’t particularly novel – there are many accounts out there highlighting restaurants and activities around town. What I think sets the Tip Jar apart, though, is that I always keep my target audience of Xennials in mind. That means I won’t post about every hot new place if I don’t think my audience will enjoy it. And, it means I might post about something that’s NOT trendy. Basically, I ask, would I or one of my friends enjoy this place or activity? If the answer is yes, then we’re good to go!

One other thing I do that is a bit unique is that I send out an event newsletter each Monday with all the upcoming activities for the week ahead, as well as in the future (last week’s edition has events through February!). I curate these events, again focusing on my audience. So, you’ll see a lot of throwback movie nights, craft workshops at breweries, the Office trivia nights, 90s tribute bands, and other things that I think Xennials will enjoy. I post a condensed version of this on my grid every week in the form of the Tip Jar’s Top 20 – but the newsletter is what you really want if you’re a planner.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
When I first started, I didn’t know that I didn’t know anything. And I’m glad I didn’t realize that going in, because I might have talked myself out of starting.

But once it became apparent how clueless I was, I found a few social media experts online (a lot of them are scammy – find the good ones!) and I did what they said! So, while I didn’t have a mentor per se, these experts became my mentors and I fully attribute my account growth to their wisdom.

One piece of advice they often shared was to interact with others in your niche – so I did. And I found that the Nashville food/activities creator community is full of a lot of really great people who interacted back! We became friends and even had a monthly gathering for a while which was mostly just for fun, but also a little bit for talking shop (and spilling some tea, if I’m being honest…)

So, as far as advice from me, I’d say to seek out experts, even if they’re virtual, and be a good student. And, be bold and ask someone to meet for coffee or a drink or whatever. Our foodie network grew out of an invitation I extended to one other creator I’d already developed an online rapport with (I don’t recommend cold messaging.) That relationship then developed into a gathering of 8, and then our monthly get together that sometimes had as many as 12 creators join!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thetipjarnash.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetipjarnash/