Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Hannah Childs, Founder of Connected Nutrition, LLC., located in Colorado Springs, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a private practice Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, specializing in the nutritional treatment of eating disorders. My primary customer is any individual struggling with an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, or someone struggling with disordered eating behaviors but undiagnosed). I also love to work with any person who would like to learn how to embrace their body and nourish themselves in an anti-diet, balanced way. I provide in-person and virtual appointment options for my clients as an RDN; I can practice Medical Nutrition Therapy in many states (not just Colorado!).
Tell us about yourself
My name is Hannah Childs, and I have been a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist since 2012. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would end up working in the eating disorder field and starting my own business! Eating disorder prevalence has increased significantly over the years (and unfortunately skyrocketed during the pandemic), so I started my private practice in order to provide greater access to care for those struggling with an eating disorder.
My practice is called Connected Nutrition because one of my greatest passions in life is to engage in meaningful connection with those around me; a deep connection with oneself is also a cornerstone of eating disorder treatment. Ultimately I believe each and every one of us craves to be known, loved, and accepted in our entirety, for both the dark and the light parts of us that make us the complex beings we are. It's incredibly important to me that my clients leave feeling seen and heard and that I create a safe space for them to explore who they are a little more each time we have a session.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is simply having gotten my business up and running! Growing up as a woman in a patriarchal society and home environment, I was not particularly taught the skills I needed to start my business; in fact, I have personal wounding around feeling incompetent and unable to navigate the more "masculine" aspects of being a human in this world. Starting my own business helped begin the healing process of those negative things I believe about myself and has been quite empowering. It's taught me that I am more than capable of learning new things I previously thought would be too complex to understand, and it has also filtered out into other areas of my life as well (like home improvement projects!).
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things that come with being a (very small) business owner is because my business is my solo private nutrition practice, I can get stuck feeling like I have to do it all myself. I've had to learn where aspects of owning a business come more naturally to me than others and have accepted that it's ok to outsource certain things without it meaning anything about me or who I am. I didn't get into nutrition to be a tax professional, for example!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
I would say when starting your own business; it's so important to keep the big picture in mind and not get overwhelmed by the little details. Figure out the basic requirements of getting your business going and focus on them - the other steps will be illuminated along the way. Find a mentor in your field who would be willing to talk you through some of the more challenging aspects of business ownership. Finally, cultivate and maintain a community of like-minded folks who are doing what you're doing!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.connectednutrition.net/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-childs-rdn-ibclc/
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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