What a D1 Athlete Learned About Courage, Identity, and Building Sweet Addison's | Addison Labonte

Sweet Addison's — Better-for-you, gourmet gluten-free and dairy-free desserts shipped nationwide. Get yours today! Go to - sweetaddisons.com In this episode, I sit down with Addison LaBonte — former Division I college soccer player, ultra marathoner, and the founder of Sweet Addison's — to unpack one of the most raw and relatable entrepreneurial journeys I've had the pleasure of sharing on the show. Addison walks us through the identity crisis she faced after leaving college athletics, the shocking medical diagnosis of compartment syndrome that threatened to end her running career, and how switching to a gluten-free diet healed her body in just three days — without surgery. What followed was an organic content brand that grew to over 288,000 Instagram followers, a pivot out of a corporate finance career she never loved, and ultimately the launch of Sweet Addison's in January 2024: a better-for-you dessert brand built on clean ingredients and relentless work ethic. She shares the dark reality of her first year — working in near isolation, going three straight days with zero orders, and questioning everything — as well as the mindset tools that kept her going: visualization, delayed gratification, a service-over-self mentality, and her Christian faith. We even do a live taste test on camera, and I have to say — these brownies are unreal. If you've ever felt like you didn't know who you were after a major life transition, or you're too scared to take the leap on something you believe in, this episode is the one to share with two friends. About Addison: Addison LaBonte is the founder and CEO of Sweet Addison's, a fast-growing better-for-you dessert brand based in Dallas, Texas, and the creator behind the gluten-free lifestyle platform Organically Addison. A former Division I soccer player at the University of Maine and an ultra marathoner (50K finisher), Addison is the rare combination of elite athlete and self-made entrepreneur. After graduating, Addison was diagnosed with compartment syndrome and told she'd need su