Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Azita Sehatti, owner of Nutritional Counseling & Weight Control Clinic, located in Campbell, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Nutritional Counseling and Weight Control Clinic (NCWC) provides people with reliable and valid knowledge in the areas of health, nutrition, and total wellness. Guidance in making healthier choices and support throughout their journey of transformation.
In short, the goal of NCWC is to help people make lasting behavioral changes in order to reach total wellness (e.g., improve chronic health disease(s), manage weight, achieve and maintain sobriety, etc.). The majority of clients are referred by physicians and primary health care professionals. Basically, the business has solely grown through referrals and word of mouth.
Tell us about yourself
I am a registered nurse and family nurse practitioner. I received my bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of California, Los Angeles. Before working as a nutritional consultant and health educator at NCWC, I worked as a family nurse practitioner at Stanford, UCLA, Caltech, and Los Robles Professional Group in Los Gatos. Throughout my clinical work, I educated children, adults, and groups on health, nutrition, and total wellness.
After losing my husband to cancer in 2005, I could no longer find a sense of purpose in working as a nurse practitioner. This was because I needed to connect with people at a deeper level and make a greater difference in their lives. Therefore, that year, I quit working as a nurse practitioner, established NCWC, and started working as a nutritional consultant and health educator to provide one-on-one health and nutritional counseling for individuals with chronic health problems, weight issues, and substance misuse.
Witnessing people achieve their health goals and sustain their transformational changes inspires and motivates me to work hard and write and publish books in order to reach out and make a greater difference.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Although I don’t dismiss the hard work of writing and publishing books as an achievement, I consider reaching my primary goal of making a difference in people’s lives my biggest accomplishment. I have been humbled by my clients’ feedback as well as the acknowledgment that I have received from their primary care providers.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
This may not be surprising to many if I say that the biggest challenge I have faced as a business owner has been maintaining a healthy balance between my work and personal life.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Set yourself up for success by letting the primary goal for establishing your business be about doing something that: A) You are passionate about, B) You are great at, and C) Serves a cause that’s greater than you.
- Search deep within and know your limitations. This way, you would set appropriate policies that you could define clearly and enforce firmly, consistently, and uniformly. This will help people respect and esteem you. More importantly, knowing what to expect will help your customers feel safe and in control.
- Don’t try hard to please people. Instead, do the right thing by them. This will help your customers trust you. (I strongly believe that our customers’ trust in us is the key to our success.)
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Pursue your passion, and everything else will fall into place! :)
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.eatactthinkhealthy.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asehattifnp/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sehattifnp/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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