Today we’d like to introduce you to Cheyenne Esguerra
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My passion for creating content really started at a young age. I vividly remember shooting music videos of my siblings lip-syncing popular songs on my iPad, fascinated by the idea of bringing stories to life. This fascination extended to every school project, where I took any opportunity to go beyond a basic PowerPoint presentation. In my freshman year English class, I worked with friends to create a short video depicting Romeo & Juliet scenes. During my sophomore year, I stayed up all night excited to create a visual annotation of Eminem’s song “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” through video. Any opportunity I had to make something creative, I was the first to jump at the chance to think outside of the box and bring that vision to life.
In my junior year of high school, I took my first video production class and fell in love with video editing on Final Cut Pro. I also had my first opportunity to work with a full production team to create a short film, where everyone had a distinct role. We had a director, actors, a producer, camera operators, video editors, and more, each contributing to bring the project to life.This experience and everything else leading up to it led me to pursue my marketing degree in college.
Outside of my other creative projects, my dad played a huge role in inspiring my passion for food photography. Born in a rural area of the Philippines, he grew up without having much in the world so he taught us to work hard and appreciate what we have. A huge part of Filipino culture is bringing people together through food, and my dad brought that tradition into our family. My dad always said that life is worth living when you can enjoy a good meal with the ones you love.
As a kid, my dad would bring his huge DSLR camera into restaurants, and I used to be embarrassed and make fun of him for it. Ironically, I later found myself doing the same exact thing but with my phone. In my early twenties, I had people start saying ‘you should make a page for food since you’re always recommending these great places you love!’ So I did and I started sharing photos of all of my favorite meals on Instagram via my account @dinewithchey.My content really started to resonate with people, attracting interest from restaurants and brands. I’ve now had the privilege of collaborating with over 100 brands, restaurants, and businesses in the San Diego area and beyond, including notable names like Dave’s Hot Chicken, Better Buzz, Luna Grill, and Cutwater Spirits. I still find it so cool that what began as a hobby, really evolved into a business opportunity and an additional stream of income.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think the biggest challenge in my personal journey and career has been overcoming self-doubt. It’s so easy to get in your head and think you’re not good enough or say ‘maybe I’m not cut out for this’. At my last job, I even had my boss tell me “there’s things we may be interested in but not exactly right for’. And I couldn’t disagree more. I think if someone wants something badly enough they can achieve almost anything. Despite all the internal and external challenges along the way, I continue to push forward, even on tough days, because at the end of the day, I know what I am capable of.
In a world full of talented people, it’s hard not to compare yourself to others. One of my ongoing struggles has been navigating social media’s ever-changing algorithms and users’ content preferences. My Instagram account is still very small, but I know I have a significant impact and a lot to be proud of. The most rewarding part of my journey has been working with businesses, especially local ones, and seeing the outcome from what I’ve created.
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?
About two months ago, I started a new role as Content Manager for Fresh Origins, the United States’ largest producer of microgreens and edible flowers. I manage a team of graphic designers and lead strategy for all areas of content for the brand (email, organic & paid social media, web, trade publications, etc)
Prior to this, I spent over four years at Apple, starting in retail and ending as a member of the App Store Editorial team. I managed content strategy for Food & Drink, Travel, and iMessage apps, producing high-quality editorial content and thematic app collections. A standout achievement was writing an ‘App of the Day’ article for the music app Genius, which remains live on the store today. I also played an instrumental role in launching iOS 15, showcasing features such as Safari extensions, SharePlay, In-App Events, time-sensitive notifications, and XL widgets.
My journey from shooting videos on an iPad to managing content for leading brands really showcases my lifelong passion for storytelling and creativity. I’m excited to continue leveraging my skills to help brands and businesses navigate the dynamic landscape of marketing!
What are your plans for the future?
I really look forward to developing my skillset as a first time manager in my new role. I am really excited for the opportunity to become a strong leader and someone my employees can trust and learn from.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.freshorigins.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dinewithchey/
