Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Katie Keller, founder of The Nutrition Room, located in Calgary, AB, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a dietitian-run private practice who are passionate about food freedom and body acceptance for everyone. Whether or not someone is living with a chronic illness, like diabetes, cancer, or heart disease, we show them that they can meet their goals and still eat the foods that they thought they would never be able to eat again. By using the principles of intuitive eating to transform our client's lives, we show people that their body is able to tell them what, when and how much to eat without needing any external influencers like diets or scales. We help people leave guilt and shame around food behind, and we stop their never-ending yo-yo diet and weight cycling by showing them how to harness their intuitive eater within. Our clients walk away living as the best version of themselves because they feel confident, vibrant, and completely free when it comes to food.
Tell us about yourself
In what felt like another life, my business partner, Jennifer, and I had tried every diet out there in an attempt to shrink our bodies so we could finally feel happy and confident in our own skin. We really did try it all - calorie counting, various fad diets, meal plans, copying celebrities or influencers, reading all the diet books and all the literature on weight loss (we could go on), but nothing worked. We never felt confident or like we had achieved what it was we were looking for. It wasn't until we found the concept of intuitive eating that it all came together. We realized that in order to live the lives we were envisioning, all we had to do was let go and listen to our bodies. We felt so much more confident and so much happier. We achieved true health, both mental and physical. It was at this point that we felt we had to share this with as many people as we could so we could transform the lives of others the same way intuitive eating had transformed ours.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Changing our clients' lives. I still remember feedback I got from one of my first clients. It was so simple but so memorable - "You changed my life. I can't thank you enough." Every single client that walks away feeling more comfortable in their own body, more satisfied, and happier overall is a major accomplishment to me. I love doing what I do.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
All the mistakes you make! It is impossible to know everything about running a business. When you are a small business, you don't have experts in specialized areas working for you. You are doing it all on your own, so you are going to make mistakes. It can be frustrating and discouraging. Remember to take them as learning opportunities, and you will only continue to build experience, grow your confidence and strengthen your business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Find your community - Being a small business owner can be stressful, overwhelming, confusing, and LONELY. In my opinion, it is essential to connect with other small business owners so you can feel connected and supported.
- Embrace the change - Businesses change and evolve the more you learn and grow. It is OK for your vision or goals to change over time. It helps your business strengthen and grow.
- Don't give up - Imposter syndrome is real, but you can never let it get the better of you. Even when things get tough, you CAN get through it, and it will feel that much more rewarding when you do.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.thenutritionroom.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenutritionroomyyc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_nutritionroom/
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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