Urvashi Kavlekar, a pharmaceutical professional by day, has carved out a vibrant space for herself in the world of food and content creation with her Instagram page, Goa Food Network (@goafoodnetwork). Since launching her public page in 2021, she’s been sharing her passion for food, exploring Goa’s diverse culinary landscape, and collaborating with brands to create engaging content.
Balancing a full-time job, home responsibilities, and her creative pursuits, Urvashi’s journey is one of dedication, creativity, and a deep love for showcasing authentic experiences.
The start
I started my page in 2021, but my online journey began much earlier—about 15 years ago. In 2010, when I was in college, I got my first Android phone. I loved exploring new places and trying different food, so I began posting reviews on Google Maps. My posts gained attention.
In 2012, I joined Instagram, but my account was private and only my friends and family could see my posts about food. They appreciated my recommendations, which encouraged me. After doing this for a while, I finally started a public page in 2021.
Challenges
There aren’t any major challenges, but managing time is tough. I usually plan my shoots on weekends when I’m free. During the week, I do the editing after work. Even Instagram Stories can take up to three hours.
Creating content is time-consuming, especially when it’s for a brand. I put in extra effort for brand promotions so that the client is happy not just with the look of the post, but also with how much reach and engagement it gets. That way, they see a real benefit to their business.
Balancing this with a full-time job and home responsibilities can be challenging at times.
Brand collaborations
As my followers grew, businesses—mainly restaurants—began approaching me for promotions. I help them by creating content that also brings something new to my followers.
A single shoot can take three hours or even half a day. After that, I go home and edit all the videos and photos. Luckily, my husband is a professional cinematographer and often helps with the shoots. That saves a lot of time.
Once the content is ready, I send it to the brand. After their approval, I plan the best way to share it online for maximum engagement. Sometimes brands have specific requests, so the process can take longer. But since they’re paying for my services, I make sure they are satisfied with the final result.
For me, it’s not just about making a nice video—it’s about capturing the feel of the place so that my followers know what to expect and won’t be disappointed.
Growing competition
I don’t see others as competition. In fact, I’m happy to see more Goans joining this field. The more people who join, the more creative content we’ll all get to see.
Everyone has a unique way of presenting things, and I believe more creators will only help this field grow. I encourage others to take it up—it wasn’t like this a few years ago, but now there’s real scope to do something exciting.
Future plans
I started with food content, but now that I’ve built a good following and worked with several brands, I’ve noticed more businesses from the travel and lifestyle sectors reaching out to me.
So, it feels like a natural next step to include travel and lifestyle along with food content. I already have a few things lined up, and in the coming weeks, I’ll be posting content in this new space.
Advice to others
I’ve seen many young people trying to skip the struggle. But that’s not how it works. At the start, brands may not pay much—or anything at all. They may just offer a free meal or product in exchange for content.
I’ve seen people turn those offers down, but I believe in the beginning, these experiences are valuable. They help you build your content and your reputation. All that effort pays off in the long run.
