Digital Social Hour – “Eating Healthy Actually Costs WAY More (Here’s Why)...”

Guest: Addison LaBonte (Founder, Sweet Addison’s)
Host: Sean Kelly
Date: March 30, 2026
Episode: DSH #1898

Episode Overview

In this thought-provoking episode, Sean Kelly dives deep with Addison LaBonte, founder of Sweet Addison’s—one of the fastest-growing healthy dessert brands. The discussion unpacks Addison’s entrepreneurial journey, her personal transformation through nutrition, the hidden challenges of healthy eating, and the role of mindset and community in both wellness and business. Expect candid takes on food marketing deception, the real costs of health, and how being “different” drove Addison to her unique success.

Key Topics & Insights

Addison’s Entrepreneurial Origin Story

• From Finance to Cookies: Addison transitioned from the finance world to building a health-focused dessert company by leveraging her influencer background and viral recipes.
• Bootstrapping & Hustle:
  • “[Launching Sweet Addison’s] was the most grueling experience of my life. The first year was pretty much all I did—100 hours a week by myself.” (04:00, Addison)
  • She started out of her Dallas apartment kitchen in early 2024, with no outside funding, learning the business through six months of networking—what she called her “LinkedIn MBA” (06:45).
• Expansion & Distribution:
  • E-Commerce to retail: In under two years, Sweet Addison’s scaled to over 30 retailers with ambitions for nationwide presence.

The Healthy Dessert Niche & Product Philosophy

• The Inspiration: Not a Crumbl copycat, but inspired by unmet demand for healthy treats that ship well and don’t cause guilt or discomfort.
• Unique Ingredient Choices:
  • Focus on almond flour, bone broth protein powder, and low-sugar, gluten-free recipes.
  • “We use Taylor Duke’s Wellness unflavored bone broth protein powder. You can’t taste it—and that’s incredible.” (11:38, Addison)
• Nutrition & Satisfaction:
  • “I eat chocolate every few hours. I didn’t want to be in a food coma after dessert. These are literally what I eat before bed every night.” (10:48, Addison)
  • Protein is a key differentiator: “Even this one has 17 grams of protein, which is pretty crazy for dessert.” (11:11, Host)

Addison’s Personal Health Turnaround

• From Athlete to Health Advocate:
  • Played D1 soccer at University of Maine, fueling on fast food: “McDonald’s multiple times a week.”
  • After college, developed severe compartment syndrome preventing her from running; doctors recommended surgery or quitting.
  • Life-changing realization: “I overhauled my diet. The first thing I cut out was gluten—and that was the issue. Three to four days later, I could run normally again.” (14:14, Addison)
• Impact of Refined Sugar:
  • Removing refined sugar cleared up persistent adult acne and improved sleep and energy.
  • “All the expensive dermatologists and prescription products didn’t work. It was refined sugar the whole time.” (23:54, Addison)

Food Marketing Deception

• Mislabeled ‘Health’ Foods:
  • Both Sean and Addison criticize misleading branding (“healthy,” “nutritious” on packaging loaded with seed oils and added sugars).
  • “I see ‘vegan’—turn it around, it’s canola oil and sugar… The deception in food marketing these days is crazy.” (22:09, Addison)
  • Apps like Yuka, Seed Oil Scout, and Olive are discussed for label transparency.

The Economics & Trade-Offs of Eating Healthy

• Why Is Healthy Food Expensive?
  • “People ask me: Why is healthy food so expensive? My rebuttal is always—there’s nothing more expensive than being unhealthy… those bills are insane.” (27:03, Addison)
  • “You’re going to pay now or pay later. I’d rather pay now and have peace of mind and optimize my body.” (27:28, Host)
• Healthcare Costs as Motivation:
  • High health insurance burdens for entrepreneurs emphasize the long-term value of wellness (26:39).

Mindset, Marathon Training, and Visualization

• Building Mental Strength:

  • Both credit distance running with developing grit and resilience.
  • “When it comes to marathon training, you’re training your mind just as much as your body… Your life becomes the stories you tell yourself… I choose the possibility group.” (02:28 & 36:07, Addison)

• Visualization & Manifestation:

  • “Every day I visualize crossing that finish line, imagining what it’s going to feel like… It’s not delusional—our lives become the stories we tell ourselves. Choose possibility.” (37:03, Addison)
  • “I do that every year—a vision board—I envision great episodes and then make them happen.” (37:10, Host)

• Standout Example:

  • Addison ran her first ultra-marathon (31 miles), achieving her “under 5 hours” goal entirely through this mindset. (30:55, Addison)

Community, Comparison & Entrepreneurial Mindset

• Embracing Uniqueness:
  • “I always felt different or misunderstood… Now I’m embracing that. You have to be odd to be number one.” (39:54, Addison)
  • Focusing on personal growth, not competition:
  • “There’s no comparison for me. If I started day one and compared myself to Oreo or Crumbl cookies—forget it. Run my race.” (38:23, Addison)
• Proximity & Growth:
  • Advocates for networking with those ahead of you: “My goal is to be the least successful person in a room.” (46:24, Addison)

The Power (and Price) of Influencer Marketing

• Influencer Collaborations as Breakthroughs:
  • “When we launched with Sydney Adams King and Hunter Stoller, in those days I did five times more revenue than on Black Friday the year before—insanity!” (28:29, Addison)
  • Emphasizes the importance of engagement over raw follower numbers.
  • Niche, loyal audiences were key to Sweet Addison’s viral growth.

Holistic Health vs. Medical Establishment

• Doctors Missing Nutrition:
  • Doctors often overlook diet as a root cause:
    • “My specialist said, ‘there’s no link between what you’re eating and how you’re feeling.’” (24:39, Addison)
  • Need for lifestyle and holistic interventions before medication or surgery.
• Role of Social Media:
  • Platforms have enabled alternative perspectives and broader health education, shifting cultural attitudes (25:57).

Mindfulness, Deathbed Mentality & Regret

• No Regrets Philosophy:
  • Both discuss the importance of living with courage and intention.
  • “When I’m a hundred years old, what stories do I want to remember? If I let fear hold me back, I wouldn’t be in Vegas right now. Starting a business, letting go of fear, radically transformed my life.” (52:14, Addison)
  • “I live every day with the thought of what regrets do I have on my deathbed.” (52:00, Host)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You have to be odd to be number one.” (39:54, Addison)
• “Healthy food is expensive? There’s nothing more expensive than being unhealthy.” (27:03, Addison)
• “If I started my Instagram account and told no one, just had faith and belief… If you have a passion, you’re doing the world a disservice if you don’t pursue it.” (50:34, Addison)
• “[Visualization] isn’t delusional—our lives become the stories we tell ourselves.” (37:03, Addison)
• “There’s so much deception out there… Every package says healthy, but then seed oils, sugar, preservatives.” (22:27, Addison)
• “Day one, I thought: I cannot compare. This is my race. This is my life.” (38:51, Addison)

Key Timestamps

• 02:28 – Mind over matter in athletic training
• 04:00–06:45 – Addison’s business beginnings and “LinkedIn MBA”
• 11:08 – Health benefits and protein in cookies
• 13:06–14:28 – Compartment syndrome, diet overhaul, and recovery
• 22:00 – Deceptive “healthy” food marketing
• 23:05 – Reading ingredient labels & avoiding processed foods
• 27:03 – The true cost of health vs. health care
• 28:29 – Influencer collabs and business breakthroughs
• 30:55–31:01 – Addison’s ultra-marathon achievement
• 36:07–37:03 – Visualization and mindset for success
• 38:23–39:07 – Ignoring competition and “running your own race”
• 46:24 – Power of proximity—learning from successful peers
• 50:34 – Overcoming fear, following passion
• 52:00–52:58 – “Deathbed mentality”—living without regrets

Closing Thoughts

The episode stands out as both an entrepreneurial blueprint and a passionate argument for holistic health. Addison’s journey illustrates the deep links between diet, mindset, and success, challenging listeners to question food industry norms, embrace discomfort, and redefine personal possibility. Both guests make a compelling case that the higher cost of real health is an investment—one paid either now, or much more painfully, later.

Find Sweet Addison’s:
SweetAddisons.com – Shipping nationwide and expanding to retail

Final Note:
Addison’s mindset: "If you have faith and belief in yourself and you have a passion for what you do, you’re doing the world a disservice if you don’t pursue that." (50:34)