Our COO, Abby Henderson, is a recovering public accountant and the mastermind behind our daily operations and growth into new markets. Many in Atlanta know her as “allaboutthat_atl.” Her Instagram is a natural outlet for her obsession with good food + delightful places, and it has become a staple for those exploring the city. We caught up with her to see Sifted from her perspective.
What Sifted city is currently inspiring you the most?
It has to be Austin, partially because that’s where I’m from, so my interest in all things food sparked there. Not living in Austin full time means I’m not as dialed in to all the new hotspots, so traveling there for work or to see family is that much more exciting. The city has always shown up to support good food and people making their dreams come true, so it’s awesome to see the national acclaim Austin is getting as a destination for life and work. If I could have one meal today from Austin it would definitely be at Clark’s Oyster Bar.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job as COO? What’s your day-to-day look like?
My position is far-reaching and all encompassing, so I get to interact across all city teams and all departments. It gives me exposure to the whole company and the opportunity to make a difference - daily. Having a hand in every part of the business can be overwhelming, but I am a nerd at heart, so this job gives me the chance to dig into the accounting and finances, while nurturing the food-obsessed side of me through things like menu building.
Day-to-day I’m balancing big picture projects (expansion into awesome new cities) and the development of our current hubs. I’m tying together the creative side of the company (namely, our bomb chefs) with the client-facing side (our wonderful hosts and account managers) and everything in between. Daily lunch across all the cities is a well-tuned orchestra that we’re always perfecting, and I get the pleasure of seeing all of the pieces come together and enjoying the end result - satisfied, healthful, well-fed companies.
What’s your advice to someone starting a food Instagram?
Define your purpose. What’s your end goal? Are you wanting to get complimentary meals at new restaurants or negotiate paid partnerships with brands that resonate with you? Do you see this as a food diary? Who are you helping and why do you enjoy this?
There’s a lot of noise on social media and a lot of pressure to constantly create, even when there’s no quality or meaning behind it. My encouragement to people who are itching to turn a social media platform into something more is to clearly define your focus and understand what success would be in your eyes and then find a way to use that to help others.
What’s something you wish all clients knew about Sifted?
I love that Sifted is woman-owned and, primarily, women-led. Sifted is a mesh of two worlds - culinary and tech, both of which are known to be male-dominated. It’s refreshing and energizing to see a company like ours growing at this rate, all without funding.