We recently connected with Shawna Clark and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shawna, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

Starting Healthy Foodie Girl really began long before the business officially existed. I’ve always loved creating recipes and finding ways to make classic dishes lighter and healthier. Cooking has always been part of who I am, and naturally, I began sharing those recipes with friends and family.
The push to turn it into something bigger actually came from my daughter, Ella.
For a long time, she kept saying, “Mom, we need to start a YouTube channel.” I honestly resisted at first. I had spent years behind the camera, working as a makeup artist in Hollywood, so the idea of being in front of it didn’t exactly excite me. But one day, Ella said something that completely shifted my perspective. She said, “Mom, think of all the people you could help.” In that moment, I knew she was right. If sharing my recipes could help people eat healthier and feel better, then I needed to do it.
So we decided to start.
At first, it was really Ella helping me, but pretty quickly, she fell in love with the process too. That’s when I said to her, “Let’s do this together. I’ll show you how to build a business from the ground up.” I had always worked for myself, so starting something new didn’t feel scary; it felt natural. Entrepreneurship has always been part of who I am.
From my previous work experience, I knew we would eventually need a website, but first, we focused on learning everything we could about YouTube. Once we felt like we understood the platform better, we started building the website to support it.
What we didn’t realize at the time was just how much we would have to learn.
The learning curve was steep. Suddenly, we weren’t just creating recipes; we were learning video production, editing, voiceovers, photography, food styling, social media management, SEO, and the technical side of running a website. The website was probably the most challenging part for me. As a creative person, the tech side felt like a completely different world.
There were many nights when I felt completely overwhelmed. I remember sitting there thinking, “How are we going to figure all of this out?” There were many tears along the way. When you’re starting a business, especially without a lot of capital, you really do have to learn everything yourself before you can afford to hire help.
In many ways, that’s actually a blessing. It’s overwhelming at first because you’re learning so many new skills all at once, but it also gives you a deep understanding of every part of your business. I remember having conversations with SEO specialists early on and feeling like they were speaking a completely different language. Now those conversations make complete sense.
As things began to move, my approach was to focus on improving one area at a time. In the beginning, you’re doing everything, and it honestly feels like you’re doing the work of 27 people. Sometimes I wish I could just focus on creating recipes, but running a business means wearing many hats.
As we began making money, we began upgrading various parts of the business. One of our first big investments was hiring a professional website designer to completely redo our site. That was a huge step for us and made such a difference. Since then, I’ve been thinking about what the next improvement will be and how we can keep elevating what we’re doing.
The reality is that building this business has been the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. For the past six years, we’ve worked about 70–80 hours a week. There’s never enough time in a day to get everything done, so you quickly learn to prioritize and accept that you won’t. You just keep moving forward and try to improve a little every day.
At the same time, it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built, and even more grateful to have built it alongside my daughter. Sharing this journey with Ella has made all of the hard work worth it.
Healthy Foodie Girl started with a simple idea to help people enjoy healthier food without feeling deprived. Watching it grow into a real business and community has been an incredible journey.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi, I’m Shawna, and along with my daughter Ella, we founded Healthy Foodie Girl. We create recipes that are wholesome, satisfying, and easy to make, from nourishing breakfasts and comforting meals to desserts all thoughtfully lightened-up without sacrificing flavor. I’ve always loved cooking and finding ways to make food nourishing while still being delicious. Over the years, that passion grew into a mission: helping people enjoy meals that fuel their bodies while still being approachable and full of flavor.
What sets Healthy Foodie Girl apart is that every recipe is easy, lightened-up, and packed with tons of flavor, proving that healthier food doesn’t have to be boring. I’m most proud of the community we’ve built, people who trust us for inspiration, tips, and recipes they keep coming back to.
Above all, I want visitors to know that our brand is about real food, real flavor, and real connection. We make cooking approachable, exciting, and nourishing, with flavor you’ll love.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that pivoting isn’t a setback; it’s part of growth. In the early days of Healthy Foodie Girl, every step felt like a pivot. We were learning so many new skills at once, editing videos, taking photos, writing copy, understanding SEO, managing social media, and often, what we thought would work didn’t. Each “failure” was actually just a chance to learn and adjust, and those lessons became the foundation of the brand we have today.
Right now, we’re in the middle of another big pivot. The way people discover content is shifting rapidly with AI, and we’re learning how to adapt our business so that our recipes, guides, and community continue to reach the right people. That means experimenting with new formats, testing tools, and reimagining how we present our content. Sometimes it’s frustrating, sometimes it’s exciting, but it’s always a chance to grow.
For me, the biggest lesson is that change is constant, and staying curious and willing to pivot is essential. If you embrace it rather than resist it, you can turn uncertainty into opportunity, and often, that’s where the most innovation and growth happen.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

When we started Healthy Foodie Girl, social media felt overwhelming. Over time, we learned that authenticity is everything. Sharing real moments, recipe wins, challenges, and behind-the-scenes helped us connect with our audience and grow an engaged community. My advice: be yourself, stay consistent, and focus on providing value. The more genuine you are, the deeper the connection with your followers.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://healthyfoodiegirl.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wwhealthyfoodiegirl
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healthyfoodiegirls
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/healthyfoodiegirl
• Youtube: http://youtube.com/c/HealthyFoodieGirl
• Other: TIKTOK ​​https://www.tiktok.com/@healthyfoodiegirls
  PINTEREST https://www.pinterest.com/healthyfoodiegirl

Image Credits

Shawna Clark / healthyfoodiegirl.com