Tell us a little about you!

I'm Michelle! I'm the baker, blogger, and photographer behind the popular baking blog, www.hummingbirdhigh.com, and Instagram account, @hummingbirdhigh! I also wrote a cookbook, Weeknight Baking, which helps folks bake epic desserts even despite a busy schedule. I currently live in Portland, Oregon with my fiance, and our cat Penny and dog Biscuit. 

What do you do for work? Tell us about your professional journey.

I've been blogging full time at hummingbirdhigh.com for nearly 5 years now! But prior to that, it was just a hobby blog that I wrote while working in tech. But in 2017, I made the decision to quit my tech job and write a cookbook alongside of focusing on my blog full time. I'm very lucky that it all worked out! 

How do you stay motivated?

I have a really strict routine and content calendar that I stick to! I like the structure—without it, I'm a lot less motivated. The structure and routine actually enables my creativity! 

Do you have any advice for someone who is interested in starting a business?

Be brave! I often wish I'd quit my tech job earlier to focus on hummingbirdhigh.com sooner. It will be a lot of hard work, but it will also be incredibly rewarding. 

What are your favorite ways to #spreadgood in your community?

I love using my Instagram platform to spread awareness and even fundraise about social justice issues I care about (like Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, and encouraging folks to vote). On a more local level, I love supporting small businesses and shopping local as much as I can!

Who is one person who inspires you and why?

It's hard to pick just one person, but currently, I'd have to say Michelle Obama. I just started listening to her podcast and her intelligence, grace, and kindness just blows me away.

How do you work to stay centered and practice self-care in your busy day-to-day reality?

Truthfully, I need to work on this—as a small business owner, it's really easy to fall into the mindset of working all the time and doing everything by yourself. But this summer, I finally am going to take some time off! I actively made the decision to scale back on my content this summer and am planning on spending a lot of time offline, enjoying nature and training my new puppy. 

What do you like to do for fun, when you aren't working?

To balance out all my baking, I like to stay active as much as I can! I'm a bit of a gym nut and I love going to these group fitness classes at small Portland gyms like Honest Training (which is women-owned!) and Studio X Fitness (which is LGBTQ-owned!). I also spend a lot of time riding my bike around the city, hopping from coffee shop to coffee shop! 

What are some of your favorite recipes with Ground Up?

I have a peanut butter cake in my book that just makes the softest, moistest cake. But you can substitute any of Ground Up's amazing nut butters for a unique twist and flavor! I also have a vegan chocolate chip cookie in the book that relies on almond butter in place of eggs and butter. I love using Ground Up's Classic Smooth Almond + Cashew Butter in the recipe!