Dietitian entrepreneurship is quickly increasing in popularity, as a Dietitian Business Coach I know, trust me! I teach RD’s how to create profitable and impactful online nutrition coaching businesses through the I Believe Mastermind, so I see first hand just how fulfilling and amazing this career path is for RD to be’s and Registered Dietitians.
More and more RD to be’s are uninterested in working in a clinical setting, and that’s okay! There are so many other options out there for Registered Dietitians like entrepreneurship, and no, you do NOT need your RD credential or clinical experience to start your nutrition coaching business RIGHT NOW. You read that right, you can literally start your nutrition coaching business while you’re still in school, and below I have my TOP FIVE tips for the RD to be who is wanting to do just this!
If you’re an RD to be or if you’re already an RD and wanting to start your entrepreneurial journey make sure to read THIS blog where I explain what it takes to become an RD, RD salary, and major trends in the nutrition industry!
#1: Take Action
If creating and owning your own nutrition coaching business is something you’ve been thinking about for quite some time, then what are you waiting for?! The first step toward success occurs when you take action!
If you’ve just been planning, thinking, and waiting for the “right time” to pull the trigger and get started on your nutrition business and you haven’t been DOING, you are LOSING. I know this sounds harsh, but I’m saying it in the most loving way possible.
Let me tell you a little secret, there is no “right time” for anything! Do one thing every day that will move you forward with your business. You need to put in the effort because success is truly YOUR responsibility, no one else’s.
#2: Have A Support System
Support is ESSENTIAL when it comes to entrepreneurship. I always tell my clients in the I Believe Mastermind that you have two families, the one you are born into and the one you choose. You may or may not have family or friend support at home, either way, it’s vital you also have support from other individuals who are going through the same entrepreneurial journey that you are.
My clients, in particular, have a multitude of amazing resources available to them. For instance, they can message me directly or turn to our Facebook or Slack community if they are stuck and confused about something. We are always there to root for each other, celebrate success, answer questions, and much more.
Having a community to turn to for help or motivation is insanely important, and can really make the difference between having a successful or unsuccessful nutrition coaching business.
You DO NOT need to build a business alone. The most successful people in the world have all had help from coaches, mentors, friends, etc., so do not think for one minute that help is a “bad” thing.
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength!
#3: Do Not Have A Plan B…Commit!
Commit yourself to the process of creating and building your dream business. Yes, a plan B, or “safety net,” may be a way to protect us from the pain of the failure and tough challenges that lie ahead, but they can also take away our focus and determination toward what we really want to achieve. If you give yourself too many options of what to do when things don’t work out, things will NOT work out. Write that down! However, if you don’t give yourself a plan B and C, you give yourself no other option than to succeed. When I started my entrepreneurial journey years ago, I quit my job and never looked back. It was the DO or DIE mentality that forced me to succeed.
The reason most people fail is that they quit, and they quit because they gave themselves too many other options to fall back on. Be confident in yourself and stick to your ONE plan/business, when times get tough (because they will) don’t back down, fight through those challenges and success will come to you.
#4: Make Time For YOU
ALWAYS make sure you are making time for the things that make you happy.
As an RD, I went through what you are going through. I remember those long days of studying for exams and working on assignments. Dietetics is not an easy degree! If you decide to start your own nutrition coaching business while in school, know that your workload is about to double! It’s 100% doable, but you need to be organized and ready to take the bull by the horns.
Make sure you’re blocking time off in your week for something you enjoy! Maybe it’s an hour blocked off for the gym every day, maybe it’s family movie night on Saturdays, or date night on Fridays with your significant other.
Taking time for yourself allows your brain to “reboot,” while also improving your focus, motivation, and concentration. You may not feel like you need time away from studying and working on your business, but you 100% do! Do not neglect your family, health, and other priorities in the process
#5: Trust The Process
Building your own nutrition coaching business is TOUGH. It will most likely keep you up at night, stress you out, and probably make you miss out on some fun activities, HOWEVER, creating your own business brings so much fulfillment and impact that it’s worth the hard and stressful days it brings.
It took me YEARS to get to the point where I am at now, and it will take some time for you too. Building a successful nutrition coaching business can not be done in a day, so if this is what you’re expecting then this is probably not the right path for you, and that’s okay! Entrepreneurship is definitely not for everyone.
You will 100% have tough and stressful days, maybe even weeks, but the important thing to remember here is that you need to FIGHT through the difficult times because success is on the other side. Struggle teaches us how to be stronger individuals and business owners.
Remember….
If you are not an RD you CAN NOT give out medical nutrition therapy. You can only help individuals by providing general nutrition knowledge.
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