From a Simple Idea to a Scalable Social Media Platform for Foodies
One Bite Foodie Blog Staff
If you’ve ever thought about launching a tech platform but felt overwhelmed by the cost, the coding, or the sheer complexity of it all, this interview is going to change the way you think about building a business.
We sat down with One Bite Foodie founder Joseph Haecker to talk about how he built a fully functional, scalable, monetized social media platform—on Wix—in just two months, for a total of $190 per year (plus an extra $60/month for email marketing).
Yes, you read that right. Less than $200 a year for a full-fledged social media platform designed for foodies, food content creators, and restaurants.
If that sounds crazy, consider this: DeepSeek AI recently made headlines for building a competitive AI model for only $600 million, while its competitors—like ChatGPT—needed billions. The lesson? A leaner, faster, and more efficient approach can win big.
So how did Joseph do it? And why does this matter for food influencers, content creators, and restaurants looking for a real alternative to TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook?
Let’s dive in.
The Interview: How One Bite Foodie Was Built on Wix
Q: Joseph, you’ve been in the startup world for a long time. What’s your background in tech?
Joseph: I actually started my first tech company in 2012. It was an app called CPAD, which was a computer-aided design assistant for interior designers. At the time, I didn’t really understand the startup world. I launched it as a small business, not a tech startup, and I went broke trying to fund it myself.
Then in 2014, I discovered the tech startup scene in Orange County, California, and everything changed. I started networking, bootstrapping, and forming teams of incredibly talented people—from companies like Adobe, Olloclip, Gateway Computers, Honda Center, Nortel Systems, Google, and Amazon.
Since then, I’ve launched multiple startups and raised close to $4.5 million in funding. But the biggest lesson I’ve learned? You don’t always need millions to build a great platform.
Q: When did you first start using Wix?
Joseph: Way back in 2009! My first Wix website was for my lighting design consulting business, OC-3D Solid Designs.
Back then, Wix was… well, let’s just say it was clunky. It wasn’t the polished platform it is today, but it was affordable and easy to use. I always say, "If you can use PowerPoint, you can build a website on Wix."
Q: What made you take Wix seriously as a platform for building businesses?
Joseph: Over the years, I kept using Wix for prototyping ideas. Whenever I was working on a new startup, I’d use Wix to map out the layout and functionality before bringing in developers.
I’d also launch a “coming soon” page early, which helped in a few ways. It got my site crawled by Google, allowed me to A/B test colors, branding, and pricing, and most importantly, let me start collecting email subscribers before I even launched.
But in the last few years, Wix has made some massive improvements, and that’s what made One Bite Foodie possible.
First, they introduced table-driven repeater pages, which allow user-generated content to automatically generate new, formatted pages. This was a game-changer because it turned Wix from just a website builder into a fully functional platform.
Then came membership features, which let visitors sign up for free or paid memberships, unlocking exclusive content. This made it possible to create a social media platform with monetization built-in.
And the biggest shift? Wix Enterprise. A year ago, Wix had data processing limits, but now, sites can scale indefinitely. That means you no longer need to migrate to a more expensive platform when your site grows.
Q: So how did One Bite Foodie come about?
Joseph: It all started on a taco tour in Cancun in September 2024. I was staying at a hostel, and they had this taco tour for guests. I told them, “You guys should record people’s reactions to the tacos—that would make amazing content!”
They ignored me, but that idea stuck.
There’s already a pizza reviewer, David Portnoy, who owns Barstool Sports. He travels the country reviewing pizza, but his website is just a list of restaurants and scores. No videos. No restaurant addresses. And worst of all—no way for other people to participate.
I thought, "What if we took that concept and made it a platform where anyone could be a food reviewer?"
So, I locked myself in a room for 30 days and built the first version of One Bite Foodie on Wix.
Q: How did you come up with the idea to monetize the platform for foodies and restaurants?
Joseph: A few weeks into building One Bite Foodie, I met a woman who used to travel the world reviewing food with her ex-boyfriend.
She told me, "We never monetized our reviews."
That was a lightbulb moment. Why not build a platform where foodies could actually make money?
That’s when I added One Bite Reviews (public videos), private subscriber content (like OnlyFans for foodies), and written content (articles & podcasts).
Now, foodies can earn 100% of their tips, plus 80% of subscriber and digital ad revenue—without needing a massive following.
Q: So, One Bite Foodie is more than just a review platform?
Joseph: Exactly. It’s a full-fledged social media platform for the food & beverage industry.
It’s built for short-form video reviews like TikTok, but with written food content like Medium. It also lets creators monetize their content and build subscribers, just like Spotify.
And unlike Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn, One Bite Foodie is designed specifically for foodies, restaurants, and food brands.
Q: How can food businesses use One Bite Foodie?
Joseph: Restaurants, food trucks, bakeries, wineries, breweries—anyone in the food industry—can sign up through One Bite Foodie for Business.
This gives them a directory listing, much like Yelp, but interactive. They can create content under their business profile—whether that’s videos, articles, or podcasts—just like a Facebook or LinkedIn page.
We also introduced the Perks Program, where upgraded business accounts can offer exclusive perks to foodies who upgrade their accounts. This encourages more reviews, more foot traffic, and more visibility for local businesses.
Q: What’s next for One Bite Foodie?
Joseph: We’ve already cleared 500 members since launching in November 2024, and we’re just getting started.
Our goal is to help foodies make money while driving repeat business to local restaurants.
Q: How can people join?
Joseph: Super easy. Sign up for free at One Bite Foodie and start reviewing!
If you’re a food creator, restaurant, or brand, upgrade your profile to start earning subscriber and ad revenue.
Final Thoughts from the One Bite Foodie Blog Staff
This is more than just a website—it’s a movement for foodies and the food & beverage industry. One Bite Foodie gives local influencers the power to drive real business while building their own food review brand.
So, what are you waiting for? Join today and start earning!
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