In the world of online entrepreneurship, Shaunda Necole stands out not just for her vibrant content, but for her strategic genius in turning passion into profit. What began as a personal shopping blog has grown into a digital media business spanning food, travel, and lifestyle—earning over $100,000 annually, all powered by the synergy of SEO and Pinterest.
But Shaunda’s journey to success didn’t begin with elaborate business plans or investment capital. It started with something far more powerful: genuine passion.
A Taste of Home: The Birth of The Soul Food Pot
Shaunda’s love for soul food is more than culinary—it’s cultural. Inspired by her roots in coastal Virginia and her great-grandmother Florence’s legacy as a Southern catering queen, she launched The Soul Food Pot in 2020. This wasn’t just a blog—it was a way to preserve and reimagine African-American culinary heritage. And she did it with a twist: modernizing recipes using the Instant Pot and other time-saving kitchen appliances.
What started as a simple blog soon became a comprehensive brand. She added a podcast, The Soul Food Pod, becoming the first to spotlight the history and culture behind soul food dishes. Together, the blog and podcast built a loyal audience hungry not only for recipes, but for connection.
From Hashtags to High Traffic
Shaunda’s initial taste of digital marketing came from an unexpected source—Instagram hashtags. Back in the early days, she used them to connect with collectors of niche kitchenware for a yearly personal shopping event. That community became her first customer base. She didn’t know it then, but she was already mastering the principles of SEO and audience targeting.
However, the seasonal nature of that business model meant revenue was limited to a narrow window each year. It was clear: she needed something more sustainable.
Enter The Soul Food Pot. Built in the thick of the 2020 pandemic, when in-person events were canceled and the world turned to digital comfort, the blog tapped into both a growing interest in home cooking and a craving for cultural connection.
Shaunda leaned into what she knew best—soul food—and layered on her growing knowledge of SEO, keyword research, and Pinterest marketing.
Strategy Behind the Soul
Shaunda’s business model is deceptively simple. She treats her blogs like digital real estate—assets she owns, maintains, and grows. Her income streams are diverse: ad revenue from Mediavine (earning her a spot in their elite Pro Publisher program), product affiliate commissions, cookbook sales, SEO courses, and even coaching hours.
But the real engine behind her success? Search engine optimization and Pinterest.
Every article she writes is grounded in SEO best practices: keyword research based on what her audience is actually searching for, strategic internal linking using tools like Link Whisper, and constant updates to keep content fresh. Her “Pinterest Pyramid” strategy—explained in her Pinterest Magic Marketing course—generates 50k monthly pageviews from Pinterest alone.
What’s perhaps most impressive is her dedication to “niching down.” Shaunda’s mantra—you have to go small to get big—has defined her approach. By focusing tightly on a specific niche (modern soul food for busy home cooks), she carved out space where Google and readers alike instantly understood her value.
Tools of the Trade and Team Power
Success didn’t come overnight, and Shaunda is quick to credit her team. What once felt like an expensive luxury—hiring help—soon proved essential. Her team now includes an SEO strategist, graphic designer, Pinterest manager, podcast producer, and even a publicist who secures her high-authority backlinks and media appearances.
She also leverages a suite of tools:
- Grammarly for clean, compelling writing
- Market Muse for keyword research and SEO content planning
- Fiverr for one-off project outsourcing
- ConvertKit for premium email list management
Her email strategy is another cornerstone of her business. With high-converting opt-ins and automated nurture sequences, she turns casual readers into loyal subscribers and, ultimately, customers.
Lessons from the Journey
For all her accomplishments, Shaunda’s road was paved with trial and error. Her biggest mistake? Creating content before understanding SEO. She spent hours unpublishing and editing content that lacked search intent. But rather than letting that hold her back, she turned it into a learning moment—and now teaches others how to avoid the same pitfalls.
Her proudest milestone? Building a business that funds her dream lifestyle. With homes in Virginia Beach and Las Vegas, a thriving content platform, and the freedom to travel with her family and pets, she’s living the life she once only imagined.
Advice for Aspiring Creators
Shaunda’s advice is clear and compelling:
“Start before you’re ready.”
Plan ahead, work with intention, and understand your audience. Focus less on being everywhere and more on being precisely where your people are—with content that speaks their language, solves their problems, and shows up when they need it.
Most importantly, niche down. The internet doesn’t reward generalists—it rewards experts. And in the world of soul food, Shaunda Necole is exactly that.
Key Takeaway:
Shaunda Necole turned her passion into a purpose-driven publishing empire. Her success isn’t just a story about food blogging—it’s a masterclass in strategy, persistence, and knowing your niche. Whether you’re starting a blog or scaling a brand, her journey is proof that with the right mix of creativity and SEO, you can cook up something extraordinary.
