BONUS XOMU: With friends like these

In a world where you could be cutthroat and competitive... be Danielle

On stage for The New Whole30 book tour, Toledo OH, August 2024

This entire bonus XO, MU newsletter is about my friend Danielle Walker. I’m sure you know her—New York Times bestselling author, recipe developer, mother, baker of delicious things. We first connected nearly a decade ago, and have since run in the same professional circles. In fact, by any measure, she is definitely my “competition.”

• We both write books about nutrition and health

• We both offer recipes that are grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and low in sugar

• We both have huge health and lifestyle-focused social media audiences

• We often have books coming out around the same time, as we do this year. (The New Whole30 published August 6; Make it Easy comes out September 10.)

So you might imagine that even though we’re friends, we keep the specifics of our businesses and brands to ourselves. After all, that’s how capitalism works, right—may the best woman win and all?

Except that’s not Danielle, and that’s not our relationship.

Can I ask…? If not no worries.

Many years ago, I got an offer for a sponsorship deal the likes of which I had never encountered. (It was an automobile brand.) I had no idea what to do with their request. What kind of terms should I suggest? What should the time frame be? What do I charge?

I remembered Danielle had a similar sponsorship the year prior. Though we weren’t super close at the time, I had nowhere else to go. I emailed her and said, “Hey, this brand just hit me up, and I don’t know what I should say. I totally understand if you don’t want to share, because this is a deeply personal question, but could you offer any advice?”

Danielle immediately called me—and gave me all the details. The terms of her deal, what she charged, what went well, what could have gone better, and what she’d do differently next time. I was shocked. I came from a world where you didn’t discuss your success, compensation, or business specifics with anyone, never mind a competitor! But here she was, helping me, just because she could.

I’ve come to learn that’s just how Danielle is. If she can help her friends, she will. If you’re a friend but also a “competitor,” no you’re not, because when one of us succeeds, we all succeed. She knows that there are so few of us who do what we do. Her approach says, “We can either pit ourselves against each other—or form a tight-knit cadre where we share openly, support vociferously, and give generously.”

Which brings me back to this whole article being about Danielle. She has a book coming out, so I’m using this entire space to encourage you to pre-order it today. Because she’s a really good person. Because I think she’s wildly talented. Because this book is actually her best one yet. Because that’s just how we roll.

Make it Easy, coming 9/10

Her newest book is called Make it Easy: A Healthy Menu and Menu Planning Guide (and Cookbook). It features fifteen weeks of menus, along with prep-ahead and make-ahead tips, shopping lists organized by grocery store departments, and more than 125 recipes. (All family-friendly, and 80% of which are Whole30 compatible or easily converted.)

The book is perfect for anyone who needs help meal planning, struggles to put recipes together into a cohesive meal plan, or just wants inspiration to answer yet another “what’s for dinner” query on a Wednesday night. You already know how much pre-orders mean to authors—and Danielle means a lot to me—so here’s the ask:

Give Make It Easy a peek (← this goes to her website, not an Amazon link, because pre-orders from brick-and-mortar bookstores are most helpful for authors), and pre-order it today.

And if that isn’t in your budget or current needs—at the very least, be like Danielle. Be generous with your time, your expertise, and your learnings, especially with other women. A rising tide raises all ships, and when one of us wins, WE ALL WIN.

XO, MU

P.S. If you’re in the Washington DC area, you can also come see me and Danielle on Wednesday, September 12th! We’ll be live with a cooking demo (she’s promised it’ll be something easy), a discussion, an audience Q&A, and book signing. (Bring your copy of The New Whole30 too! Tickets are here, and as of this writing there were only about 20 left, so get on it.

P.P.S. If this is Danielle reading, surprise! ILYSM, your book is going to be a smashing success. <3