From working as a celebrity fitness trainer with Tracy Anderson to founding Paleovalley, Autumn Smith has built a career around one powerful belief: real food has the power to heal. She is the cofounder of Paleovalley, which offers nutrient-dense, whole-food supplements with natural ingredients, prioritizing health over profit. Paleovalley is now loved by millions of health-conscious people.
“Together with my husband Chas, his brother, and a close friend, we founded Paleovalley with a mission: to make nutrient-dense, organic, and 100% grass-fed foods and supplements that help people reclaim their vitality—starting with real food.”
In this Q&A, Autumn Smith shares the courage it took to walk away from her career, the biggest lessons she’s learned as a food entrepreneur, and the three guiding principles that aspiring female entrepreneurs should know.
Read More About Autumn Smith’s Journey
Q&A with Autumn Smith
What inspired you to start Paleovalley?
During my time as a celebrity fitness trainer, I learned that “fit” is not always the same as “healthy.” I struggled with relentless digestive issues, painful skin breakouts, and crippling mental health challenges for over a decade. Despite working with top doctors, no one could give me answers.
I was desperate for solutions. With the help of my husband, we started doing research and came across stories from people who were healing their chronic issues through diet—specifically, a paleo diet. With nothing left to lose, I decided to give it a try. What happened after thirty days changed everything: my digestion normalized, my energy returned, and, for the first time in years, I felt like myself again.
This revelation ignited a passion in me and completely changed the course of my life—I left my job and headed back to school to earn a doctorate in holistic nutrition.
Together with my husband Chas, his brother, and a close friend, we founded Paleovalley with a mission: to make nutrient-dense, organic, and 100% grass-fed foods and supplements that help people reclaim their vitality—starting with real food.
To this day, I’m deeply passionate about teaching the millions of people out there that are silently suffering to use food as medicine.
What’s the bravest decision you’ve made as a food entrepreneur—and what did it teach you?
Walking away from the safety of a dream career, working as a celebrity fitness trainer with Tracy Anderson, to build something entirely new in the food space with zero practical experience or guidance, was terrifying. Even my family warned me not to do it. But it’s been one of the wildest and most rewarding experiences of my life.
It taught me that courage isn’t about not feeling afraid—it’s about trusting your gut, following your passion and moving forward anyway. And that leading with integrity, authenticity and a desire to help others is always a great place to start.
What’s a non-negotiable in your daily routine that helps you stay focused and energized?
My day always includes three things: nourishing, whole foods; some form of movement (usually dance); and intentional time with my son.
Eating well helps me stay energized, calm and focused, movement helps me move through the challenges of the day and stay connected to my body, and connecting with my son keeps me grounded in what truly matters and reminds me why I do this work in the first place. When I miss any of those 3 elements—I am just not my best self.
What has been your biggest challenge while on this journey?
The biggest challenge was starting 13 years ago, when very few people understood what we were trying to do.
People, even friends, questioned our ideas, our products, and our ads—sometimes even criticizing me personally. It was intimidating and often discouraging, but it taught me an important lesson: no matter how meaningful the work, there will always be people who don’t get it—and that’s okay. What matters is staying true to yourself and your mission.
Today, it’s incredible to see the conversation finally shifting, and people recognizing the value of real, nutrient-dense food and regenerative practices. It’s humbling to think that maybe we were just a little ahead of our time.
What advice would you give to other female entrepreneurs building in the wellness or food space?
There have been three guiding principles that have kept me moving forward.
First, do work that truly inspires you—and seek out people, ideas, or examples that ignite your spark and can serve as a compass regularly.
Second, trust yourself and your instincts, and embrace the reality that some days will just be hard.
Third, surround yourself with people who are smarter than you and who share your values, because the right team doesn’t just fill gaps—it elevates your vision, mission and quality of life.
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