We’re looking forward to introducing you to Courtney Drake-McDonough. Check out our conversation below.
Courtney, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
Frankly, I think everyone is, at the very least, a little insecure and damaged. It’s what you do when faced with it that shapes how you present yourself to the world. Some people succumb to their insecurities and damage they are dealing with, and some people either ignore it or rise above it to go forth into the world boldly.
But I do think we all have this common thread between us which SHOULD unite us. It SHOULD make us more compassionate towards each other. And it SHOULD help us not feel inferior to anyone because everyone, even the most polished, successful, “together” people have their own stuff they are dealing with.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Courtney Drake-McDonough. I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado and have never lived anywhere else because Colorado has everything I could want – except an ocean. I am the publisher and managing editor of two sites: InGoodTasteDenver.com and RealFoodTraveler.com.
InGoodTasteDenver.com has been around about 17 years and covers Colorado’s food, drink, arts and culture scene. We do a monthly roundup of What’s In Good Taste plus we have individual articles about businesses, restaurants, know-before-you-go for big events (including exclusive ticket discount promo codes) and themed roundups such as “Happy Hour Meals and Deals” and “Meet Your Maker: Artisan Markets.” We also have the In Good Taste Denver Podcast.
The other site, RealFoodTraveler.com, is a digital, culinary travel magazine that provides real-person travel experiences, information and tips for destinations around the world. We also run recipes for food and drink that are iconic to certain destinations and we have a podcast there too, the Real Food Traveler Podcast. We recently started a Real Food Traveler Substack Magazine as well that has exclusive content and the latest travel news for subscribers.
I absolutely love what I do on both sites. I’m simultaneously taking a deep dive into the state I love and call home, while also getting to travel around the world myself and learning about other destinations from my writers. I love sharing all this information with our readers and podcast listeners for both sites.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Communication breaks the bonds and communication restores them. As a superficial example, think about all of the many, many, many movies and shows whose entire plot revolves around either miscommunication or lack of communication. Loads of bad feelings, misunderstanding and chaos always ensue until the truth is finally revealed. If everyone communicated clearly, those movies and TV shows would be about 15 minutes long!
It’s like that in real life too. I firmly believe that if it was taught from an early age (and encouraged to continue) to calmly, simply and politely tell people what you really feel about something, and they did the same in return, the world would be a better place. Relationships of all kinds would be calmer and less dramatic. And you know what that leaves room for? Happiness – the kind that comes from being able to relax within a relationship, knowing you’ll always be clear, concise and real with each other.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I think a lot of people will be saying “amen, sister” when they read this but the answer is feeling I’m not good enough. Even though I know it’s not really true and that it is a harmful label to put on yourself, it’s hard to get past sometimes.
Most of us live with “imposter syndrome” constantly comparing ourselves with others, not feeling we’re up to the task or deserving of the success and attention. It’s all B.S. but I think it’s something most of us, even those who appear to be so sure of themselves and successful, deal with every day.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Definitely. What you see is what you get with me. I’m the same with my family as I am with my friends, as I am in a professional situation, as I am with a group of strangers. I don’t have the energy to put on a “forward-facing” persona. I gotta be me, baby!
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Well, I can relate to this a bit because I had breast cancer three years ago which knocked me upside the head with how tenuous life is. Thankfully, I’m on the other side of it and came out stronger than before in many ways. But it did make me think about the state of myself and my life.
So, what would I stop doing immediately? Clearly I haven’t accomplished this, given some of my previous answers here, but the answers would be 1. Stop comparing myself to others, 2. Stop with the imposter syndrome crap 3. Stop taking each day for granted because any day could be anyone’s last.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ingoodtastedenver.com/ and https://www.realfoodtraveler.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ingoodtastedenverblog/ and https://www.instagram.com/real_food_traveler/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-drake-mcdonough/
- Other: In Good Taste Denver Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3FxBV14ovaty14fy5DC00S
Real Food Traveler Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/realfoodtraveler/
Image Credits
Courtney Drake-McDonough
