Becoming a Nutrition Entrepreneur

Next Level Podcast with Host Tavis Piattoly, MS, RD, LD

Podcast Transcript

0:12  Welcome by Tavis Piattoly

1:41  Introduction to Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD

3:01  Intro to Dawn Blatner, RDN

4:15  Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RDN, LD

5:42  What was their career path to becoming an entrepreneur?

• Mitzi:

• I had degrees in Nutrition and Exercise Science
• I started my own business immediately after becoming a registered dietitian.
• I never looked for job postings, I called around and created my own job.
• Mitzi’s advice: Don’t wait for the right job, that’s a good fit.  Think about what you want to do and then make it happen!

• Rebecca: (7:01)

• I had a degree in chemistry.
• I had always had an interest and passion in health and fitness.
• I transitioned into a career in nutrition.
• Rebecca’s advice: Don’t wait to become an entrepreneur!

• Dawn: (8:42)

• I always had a passion for nutrition as a hobby.
• I never imagined myself working in a hospital.
• I loved health food stores, spas and wellness.
• I made a lot of cold calls to create my own first piece-meal job.
• Dawn’s advice: Piece things together and go out and make things happen, even when people tell you NO!

10:54  Why, how, and when did they choose to make the leap to become an Entrepreneur?

• Dawn:

• From the get go, I was piece-mealing together different jobs in order to make ends meet. 
• Transitioned to a job at a wellness hospital with a steady paycheck.
• Started getting work on the side.
• Went part-time and eventually quit working at the wellness hospital .
• I had enough work on the side to keep me going financially.

• Rebecca: (12:52)

• I had ten years of work experience in my prior field.
• Nothing prepares you for the job, other than actually DOING the job.
• I had a lot of fears and uncertainties; I needed experience and volume.
• My advice is to treat yourself with respect.
• Do what you love and the money will follow.

15:15  Their day to day job and why they love what they do

• Mitzi:

• No two days are exactly the same!
• I create blog posts 
• I create new recipes; photograph the recipes, and post to social media
• Book signings; TV appearances
• Hosting events
• Spokesperson work: food brands, insurance brand
• I LOVE the flexibility of my career for parenting and home life.

• Dawn: (17:40)

• Everyday is different and I would never put all my eggs in one basket.
• I do a lot of virtual programs on the computer.
• I am highly creative: new programs, blogs posts and recipes
• It’s not about outcomes for me, but enjoying the process and loving what I do.

19:55  What is the Risk vs the Reward of being an Entrepreneur?

• Rebecca:

• Risks: 
  • Tolerate the risk that you know is there; it can be stressful
  • You do need some level of financial security.
  • Identify and make a list of risks, and then figure out a work-around.
• Rewards:
• You may have multiple jobs.
• The ability to choose the projects that you work on.
• The work itself is rewarding.

23:04  What are potential opportunities for Nutrition entrepreneurs?

• Mitzi:

• Trends of people paying attention to what they put into their body; more people wanting to eat healthy.
• A lot of unhealthy people in the US: how they choose foods, where they are eating, preparing more foods at home.
• Videos, podcasts, social media
• You can drive your own life and do what you're passionate about.

29:09  The best strategies they used to market themselves

• Rebecca:

• One of the first things I did was blogging about nutrition.
• Social media

• Mitzi:

• I got my website, www.nutritionexpert.com up and rolling.
  • When people google “nutrition expert” I typically come up #1 organically on Google.
• Being in the right place at the right time.
• Create opportunities for yourself by working your tail off!

35:05  What should someone thinking about making the leap do before they jump? Do they need a formal plan?

• Dawn:

• Success = opportunity + preparedness
• I’m not a planner, but having some level of planning for income is wise.

• Mitzi: 

• I created goals and strategies and wrote them down.
  • When you make goals 3-D, they are more likely to happen.
  • You can visualize the goal, and create an action plan around it.

38:53  Anything they don't like about being an entrepreneur

• Rebecca:

• Outsource when you can as your business is growing. 
  • You will drive yourself crazy feeling like if you don’t control every last thing, it’s just not going to be good enough.
• There are things that you don’t like to do, but that you need to pay attention to anyway.
• i.e. accounting

43:06  What they would do differently if starting today?

• Dawn:

• Network more, while in school.
• Build relationships!

46:58  Using social media to promote their business?

• Mitzi:

• Pinterest: works well with food and recipes
  • People tend to go to Pinterest when looking for recipes.

• Dawn:

• I did a lot of traditional media: TV and magazines
• I invest my time into what I enjoy on social media.
  • Instagram is my platform of choice.
• Use your energy cautiously 
• You cannot be everything and everywhere to everyone, all the time. 

• Rebecca:

• Podcasting
  • I have received feedback from current and past clients and employers that they really enjoy the content. 
• Make sure you feel rewarded with what you are doing.
  • I personally experience a high level of reward from doing them.
  • I use the podcast to help fuel the blog and other social media applications.

52:41  Where can listeners find you

• Mitzi Dulan:

• Website: www.nutritionexpert.com

• Twitter: @nutritionexpert
  • Google nutrition expert and you will find me
  • Connect with me on LinkedIn

• Dawn Blatner:
  • Website: www.dawnjacksonblatner.com
  • Twitter: @djblatner

• Rebecca Scritchfield
  • Website: www.rebeccascritchfield.com
  • Twitter: @scritchfieldrd