We recently had the chance to connect with Casey Cromwell and have shared our conversation below.
Casey , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think a lot of people assume being a content creator is really easy and doesn’t take a lot of time. And that could be true of certain niches, but I personally work 40+ hour weeks and spend hours each day researching gluten free products, deciphering new celiac research, etc. I love my job but it is definitely still a *job*.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Casey and I started blogging about my experience eating gluten free in college over 12 years ago when I was diagnosed with celiac months before my freshman year & couldn’t find many resources online. Since then, I’ve grown my blog & social media channels to a gluten free community of over 350K by sharing new gluten free products, relatable celiac humor & tips, and easy gluten free recipes.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
One of my first moments of feeling powerful with my job was receiving a direct message from a woman who’d been in and out of the ER for years, trying to figure out what was wrong. She stumbled upon one of my videos describing different symptoms of celiac, asked her doctor to be tested and got diagnosed with celiac. She told me I’d saved her life — and that is a message I try to remember every time I’m frustrated with social media.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could tell anyone newly diagnosed with celiac one tip, it would be to treat yourself with patience & allow yourself to grieve all the foods & freedom you’re losing. It’s easy for people to assume going gluten free only changes what bread you buy. But celiac changes your diet, your shopping budget, your social interactions & so much more.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
One of my biggest goals with my platform is to show the good AND the bad of life with celiac. When I share about important risks that come from celiac or disappointing research results, some viewers have said it’s too negative. But raising awareness for the seriousness of celiac disease is always my main goal, so I don’t try to sugar coat my gluten free life.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
A lot of trolls like to assume I make celiac my entire life because that’s all I share on social media. But I don’t think enough people understand that celiac is PART of my life…but I don’t share a lot of other private aspects of my life with the internet. And I’d rather my legacy be focused on how I raised celiac awareness & helped thousands live safer, yummier gluten free lives than my own personal “wins” or hobbies off screen.
Contact Info:
- Website: Https://www.glutenfreewithcasey.com
- Instagram: Https://www.instagram.com/collegeceliackc/
- Linkedin: Https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-cromwell-60918b96?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Facebook: Https://www.facebook.com/caseythecollegeceliac
Image Credits
N/a
