When Victoria Minell, founder of Recipes by Victoria first shared a video of sushi rice sizzling in a waffle maker, she wasn’t thinking about virality. She was just having fun.
That video didn’t just go viral – it exploded, inspiring thousands of recreations and paving the way for her next sensation: sushi muffins.
“That one landed me on Good Morning America,” Victoria says.
And then when her “Big Mac Wrap” received 100 million views (now on 177M+ ), that’s when she “knew this was more than just a passion project.”
Foodie following
Today, Recipes by Victoria is a multi-platform empire with over 1.7 million followers on Instagram, 1.8 million on TikTok, and 120,000+ Substack subscribers.
The now famous sushi waffle that started it all
But what’s most impressive isn’t the reach – it’s the revenue. Victoria has built a thriving, self-funded, content-driven business without taking a cent of outside capital. And she did it with metrics, not magic.
When asked what distinguishes her from the millions of other food creators, Victoria explains:
“I don’t just post recipes, I solve problems. Quick, macro-friendly, low-calorie meals that don’t feel like diet food. Every video is designed to grab attention and inspire people to actually cook it themselves.”
From side project to million-dollar business
What began as a creative outlet – flavourful twists on healthy meals – has grown into a highly strategic, ruthlessly optimised company.
Recipes by Victoria is on a mission to “reinvent home cooking with creative, healthy twists that show you can eat better without having to give up flavour or fun.”
At the helm is sole founder and operator Victoria Minell (31). She isn’t just a creator – she’s a marketer, a media mogul, and a woman in business in every sense.
“I began sharing recipes out of a genuine love for cooking and creativity. But as the response grew, it became clear there was real potential to build something much bigger,” she said.
Victoria credits her early traction to a gap she spotted – and filled – with precision:
“There was a clear demand for healthy meals, but most of what was out there felt bland and repetitive – like chicken and steamed veg. I brought creativity and a playful twist, right as people were craving healthier meals that didn’t feel like a compromise,” she said.
Unlike many creators who chase views for their own sake, Victoria focuses on one thing: conversion.
Victoria’s chicken waffle
She can tell you exactly what’s working – and why: “Video retention rate (how long someone watches your video for), shares, and email open rates. Those three tell me if content is resonating, converting, and building my community.”
And that ruthless focus on conversion has enabled her to build an extremely successful, data-driven, and trusted business that dominates across multiple channels.
Trust and data: dual engines behind success
The blend of authentic connection and sharp analytics that Victoria is so focused on is by no means accidental – it’s a deliberate strategy that fuels every decision Victoria makes.
Victoria has always prioritised trust over monetisation, warning that, “Trying to monetise before you’ve built real trust … If you treat your audience like a transaction, they can feel it. I built a relationship first, and monetisation followed naturally.”
At the same time, data runs through everything she does. Constantly experimenting and iterating, Victoria focuses beyond surface-level metrics like views, instead tracking retention, shares, and Substack subscribers.
“It’s easy to get caught up in views, but surface-level metrics don’t always convert to sales,” she said.
“I focus on retention, shares, and Substack subscribers. If people are taking action, it’s content worth scaling – that’s what builds momentum and long-term growth.”
Instagram builds trust. TikTok builds reach. Substack builds revenue.
Victoria Minell, founder of Recipes by Victoria
Ask Victoria which platform matters most, and she won’t choose:
“It’s hard to choose just one platform because they each serve such different but important purposes. Instagram brings in most of the brand partnerships; I believe it’s where the key decision-makers are most active,” she said.
“TikTok, on the other hand, is unbeatable for reach and virality, while Substack is where I see the strongest results in direct monetisation. Each one plays a distinct role, which is why I continue to invest time and creativity in all three.”
Her paid Substack underscores the strength of her audience connection and her willingness to make bold, independent moves.
“A lot of people warned me not to put content behind a paywall as it might slow growth or turn people away. But I trusted that if I delivered real value that people can’t find anywhere else, my audience would show up. Now, it’s one of my most engaged and loyal communities, and a core part of how I sustainably run my business.”
The female founder story VCs overlook
Despite her scale, engagement, and profitability, Victoria has never raised a single dollar of funding – and probably never will. Quite simply, she doesn’t need to.
Ironically, Recipes by Victoria doesn’t tick the traditional VC boxes. It’s not B2B SaaS. It’s not “aggressively scalable” by investor standards. And it’s refreshingly free of this month’s buzzwords.
And yet, she’s built what 99% of VC-backed founders – and investors – can only dream of: a business with deep customer love, strong recurring revenue, and real cultural influence.
What she wants other women to know
When asked what advice she’d give other women forging their own paths, Victoria keeps it simple and powerful:
Start with value, not volume. Don’t worry about going viral; focus on being genuinely helpful to a specific audience. When you create content or products that solve real problems, growth becomes sustainable. Understand your niche deeply and deliver consistently before trying to stand out.
Prioritise building trust and engagement. Monetisation is easier when the foundation is strong. Start with a series format and give people a reason to come back tomorrow. Consistency and anticipation are more powerful than any one-off trend.
Make data-driven decisions, even in creative work. Intuition is powerful, but numbers provide clarity. Track what converts, what retains attention, and what builds loyalty. Use those insights to guide everything from content creation to product launches.
One word for the year ahead?
When asked to sum up her focus for the year ahead in one word, Victoria answered: “Expanding.”
And why wouldn’t that be the focus? She’s already dominated everything she’s touched so far – now it’s time to grow even bigger.
What Victoria Minell proves is this:
You don’t need a pitch deck.
You don’t need a co-founder.
You don’t need someone else’s money.
You need clarity, consistency, and the courage to back yourself – with data, conviction, and content that genuinely solves a problem.
For every woman wondering if she needs permission to start, here’s your sign: you don’t.
Just begin.
