Recently, I spoke with Chris Clark, a food futurist currently based in Dubai. A food industry entrepreneur and founder of The Healthy Ice Cream Company, Mr. Clark’s journey includes the publication of award-winning books in the food nutrition space, contributing to publications such as Men’s Health and The Huffington Post, and opening restaurants in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Mr. Clark speaks to the importance of impact and purpose in community building, the ongoing benefits of a college business education, and the value of on-the-job learning and networking.
The Interview
Griffin Connolly: All right, Mr. Clark, thank you for speaking with me today. Let’s dive right in. You describe yourself as a “food futurist.” You’ve had significant experience and success in the healthy food and nutrition sector, including startups and publications. Could you share a bit about your background and how you ended up in this field?
Chris Clark: Absolutely. The term “food futurist” is something I use to catch people’s attention, much like it did yours. My main interest lies in food, especially healthy food. My journey began back in the 80s when there was a huge campaign against fat, blaming it for health issues like heart disease, which personally affected my family. This shaped my initial beliefs about nutrition.
I studied business in college and worked various jobs, but my passion for healthy food persisted. About 15 to 20 years ago, I delved deeper into nutrition science and discovered that sugar overconsumption was a major dietary issue. This realization guided my focus over the last 15 years, culminating in my current venture: healthy, low-sugar ice cream. That’s the short version of my story.
Griffin Connolly: Can you talk about your initial motivations and where you were at when you started your first venture?
Chris Clark: Sure. My first official startup is The Healthy Ice Cream Company, which I co-founded about eight years ago. However, I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset, working on various independent projects, writing books, and consulting. Before the ice cream business, I opened three healthy food restaurants for clients, handling everything from concept development to menu organization.
My initial motivation stemmed from my background in nutrition and my desire to create a product that addressed the issue of sugar overconsumption. After writing two books on nutrition and receiving positive feedback from reputable sources, especially for my book ‘Nutritional Grail,’ I felt it was the right time to launch a startup. Meeting my co-founder in Dubai, who shared a similar background and interest, was also a crucial factor. Teaming up made the venture possible.
Griffin Connolly: You attended the Ross School of Business at Michigan University. How significant was this in your entrepreneurial journey?
Chris Clark: Attending Ross was beneficial, though I didn’t fully realize its value at the time. It’s a prestigious school that boosts your profile, which is essential when pitching to investors. And the education itself was valuable, particularly the accounting and business foundations. I’d advise aspiring entrepreneurs not to underestimate the importance of a solid business education and the connections you make during that time.
Despite some current views downplaying the importance of college, I believe it’s crucial, especially for business. It’s not just about the knowledge gained, but the network you build, which is invaluable for raising funds and finding support in your entrepreneurial endeavors.
I also think having some work experience before embarking on entrepreneurial pursuits is important. To have some exposure to the corporate side of the work force helps you relate better to the mindset and structure of people who work in that space when you go out on your own. As an entrepreneur you still deal with people in the corporate world all the time.
Griffin Connolly: You’ve mentioned the importance of creating better, healthier communities in your work. How do you see the role of community in entrepreneurship, and why is it significant to you?
Chris Clark: Community is central to my work because my projects focus on health and wellness, which inherently concern the community. When addressing issues like sugar overconsumption, the goal is to help not just individuals but also their families and friends. My products aim to provide a healthier alternative that benefits everyone.
Working with a universally loved product like ice cream makes this easier. It’s gratifying to see a community-centric problem being addressed in a way that brings joy and health benefits to people.
Griffin Connolly: Everyone I interview seems to face different challenges early on but eventually finds their path to success. What were some of the struggles you faced in the beginning and throughout your career?
Chris Clark: Challenges are constant, not just in the beginning. I have a high risk tolerance, which has been both a challenge and a strength. The reason to seek risk is because there’s a big reward behind it. Of course, the flip side is the potential for big losses. Balancing risk has become more critical as I’ve gotten older and taken on more responsibilities. So, my risk tolerance is getting narrower. The desire for risk is still there, but I no longer want to expose myself to the big downside. Balancing that is a challenge.
Griffin Connolly: What are some things you would have done differently if given the chance?
Chris Clark: If I knew I’d end up being a healthy food entrepreneur, I would have first worked for a food company to gain relevant experience and network. I would have gone and worked for a company like Unilever to see how they do things, rather than having to work it out on my own. Saving money beforehand would have also provided a more stable financial foundation.
I’m pursuing an MBA now, which I wish I had done earlier for both the knowledge and the networking opportunities. When you’re an entrepreneur you spend a lot of time in front of investors, and these are the bullet points that impress them. The better your profile looks, the easier it’s going to be for you to raise money.
Griffin Connolly: What do you find to be the most fulfilling aspect of your entrepreneurial journey?
Chris Clark: For me, autonomy and independence are incredibly fulfilling. Being my own boss, setting my schedule, and having a major say in the company’s direction are aspects I value highly. Despite working more hours than I would in a traditional job, the work is self-driven and deeply satisfying.
Griffin Connolly: That deep sense of freedom and fulfillment is something I hear a lot in my interviews. Can you speak of trends that you see in your industry today that are different from when you started?
Chris Clark: Food is a very trend-oriented industry and there’s a huge bandwagon effect. There’s also a strong tendency in the food industry to try and tick boxes with buzzwords. For instance, climate is a huge issue in food, so you’ll see companies mentioning their carbon footprint, but not necessarily having any substance behind their claims. There have even been some lawsuits as people push back on claims that lack science or a proper foundation.
Griffin Connolly: Lastly, as I run a student launch club, what advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs like us?
Chris Clark: Don’t rush into it because you have time in front of you. Take the time to gain experience in a corporate, or similar setting, in a field that’s related to what you want to do. Network and save money. This foundation will help you make a bigger impact when you’re ready to launch your startup.
However, stay opportunistic. If the right opportunity comes along, seize it, even if it doesn’t follow the ideal path. Balance best practices with being ready to act when the moment is right.
Griffin Connolly: I like the point of view of balancing best practices with risk taking. A lot of entrepreneurs I speak with talk about this – best practices are like a road map, but you can’t be afraid to branch off it at times.
Chris Clark: It also gives you a bit of a fallback plan. If things don’t go according to plan, if you’ve followed the best practices approach and you have a college degree and some other work experience, you can repackage your story and begin again. Your solid foundation is like an insurance plan.
Griffin Connolly: That’s great insight, I really appreciate it. Thank you so much for talking with me today, I really appreciate it.
Chris Clark: You’re very welcome, Griffin. Best of luck with all your endeavors.
Read my interivew with fellow multi-national entrepreneur Arvid Eriksson here.