Business Student Flourishes as TikTok Food Influencer

Business Student Flourishes as TikTok Food Influencer

By Bri Phillips

As a first-generation student, Natalie Ludwig has flourished academically while simultaneously growing her popular foodie TikTok account @eatsbynat to nearly 270,000 followers. Photo by Luna Canham

Like many kids, Natalie Ludwig was asked in kindergarten what she wanted to be when she grew up.

Some of the common answers - astronaut, musician, veterinarian - never crossed Ludwig's mind. And it's safe to say that her answer probably didn't cross the mind of her classmates. She wanted to work at McDonald's because of her love for their chicken nuggets.

At 16, the moment Ludwig was legally allowed to work, she turned that dream into a reality and worked at McDonald's for nearly two years.

Ludwig likes to say that her dreams haven't changed much since then because, years later, her career path is still centered around her passion for food.

Ludwig is graduating from Cal State San Marcos this spring with a bachelor's in business administration with an emphasis in marketing. A first-generation student, she has flourished academically while simultaneously growing her popular foodie TikTok account @eatsbynatto nearly 270,000 followers.

Ludwig grew up in Hampshire, Ill., a small rural town of about 7,600 people an hour northwest of Chicago. She and her twin sister Nicole always had their hearts set on one day moving to California. Their father grew up in Huntington Beach and always talked highly about living on the West Coast.

After both sisters completed their associate degrees at Elgin Community College near their hometown, Ludwig and Nicole began researching California universities to see if it was possible to make the move. The first university to show up in their search? Cal State San Marcos.

Ludwig took it as a sign. Over the next four months, she and Nicole applied to CSUSM, flew to California for four days and found an apartment. They didn't even get a chance to tour campus, but they were ready for a new start.

"After getting my associate's degree in Illinois, I had no idea what I wanted to do, absolutely no clue," said Ludwig, whose sister received her bachelor's from CSUSM in media studies in fall 2022. "We weren't sure if we could afford it, but everything worked out and we just took a leap of faith."

The move paid off for Ludwig, who discovered that she has a knack for social media marketing when her videos started to gain traction in 2021.

"It's a gift to wake up every day wanting to do it," Ludwig said. "For school, you have a deadline. But nobody's next to you telling you you must post today. You have to think of new ideas. You have to brainstorm. You have to come up with all these concepts. Consistency is the most important thing and loving what you do. If you don't love what you're posting, you don't love your niche or your content, you're not going to stay consistent."

Ludwig and her sister both successfully post food reviews on TikTok (@nicole.ludwig). Ludwig's content ranges from eating at local restaurants in San Diego to franchise bakeries like Crumbl Cookies. While she isn't afraid to try new things, her favorite foods to review are desserts.

Natalie Ludwig's content ranges from eating at local restaurants in San Diego to franchise bakeries like Crumbl Cookies. Photo by Luna Canham

"I joke and I say like 90% of my diet is sweets but in reality, it really is," Ludwig said. "I love cookies. I love ice cream. Sweets are my main thing, and I love posting it because I just love to eat them."

Ludwig doesn't just introduce viewers to new food stops and products. Her videos deliver a bigger message.

When Ludwig was in the sixth grade, she was hospitalized with an eating disorder. Her family has helped her develop a healthy relationship with food, and she wants to do the same for her viewers.

"It's been a roller coaster ride, but I'm glad I can use my platform to share my story," Ludwig said. "I get comments all the time saying that 'Watching you eat this food makes me want to eat it, too.' This is really one of the main reasons I wanted to start my account because I just want to help other people."

The work Ludwig has put into her social media accounts has also been used on collaborative research projects with her professors. She is currently working with CSUSM marketing professor Vassilis Dalakas and Western Kentucky University professor Joanna Melancon on how sounds in TikTok videos can impact shopping behavior.

"I made the video they are using for the experiment," Ludwig said. "The goal is to compare and see if people purchase a product depending on a happy or sad song."

Ludwig was recently recognized as the Outstanding Student for Marketing at the College of Business Administration Dean's Breakfast for her ability to continuously go above and beyond both inside and outside the classroom.

Ludwig plans to continue growing her social media platforms after she graduates and work with Nicole and her brother on their start-up marketing agency, Digital Direct Marketing.

"CSUSM has helped me become who I am and grow my interests not only in social media, but business as well," Ludwig said. "I'm so thankful for this school because it has helped me in ways that I couldn't even imagine. I wouldn't be where I am today without the opportunity to come to CSUSM or come to California."

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