Not a week goes by where I don’t get contacted in some way shape or form by students or new graduates who are looking for work experience, information on starting a natural therapies business or to pick my brains on how to create a successful career in this ever evolving industry. I love being able to share my experience, provide advice and discuss different career pathways whenever I am able to. So I was very excited when invited to speak at a Nutrition careers information night this week, run by expert Nutritionist Steph Geddes of Body Good Food.
Here are some of my key messages I shared with those who attended, which may also be helpful to any budding Nutritionist or Naturopath.
CONNECTION:
Network, collaborate and foster real life connections with real people! This helps create strategic alliances and will enable you to support each other in building up your patient numbers. Networking doesn’t have to mean showing up to a giant room full of people, and float around the crowd introducing yourself ‘speed dating style’. It can simply be reaching out to local practitioners and businesses to find out more about what they do and you can let them know what you’re doing.
SUCCESS ON YOUR TERMS:
Remember, success looks different for everyone. Success also looks different for the same person, at different times in their life! Don’t measure someone else’s version of success against your own. As you grow and evolve, so too will your goals, needs and what’s important to you.
LEARN FROM OTHERS
Wherever possible surround yourself with those who do what you want to do, well. Seek out the help of mentors who can guide you on your business journey as well as support your evolution as a practitioner! I’m constantly seeking out mentors in various forms to support me and my evolution as a practitioner and business owner.
EXPERIENCE TRUMPS INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS:
It’s easy to get distracted by the abundance of “health guru’s” with thousands of followers, posting pretty photos every day. You may feel that growing your followers equates to credibility and status, however the most important thing, is to clock up as many hours as possible doing “the actual work”. That means get as much experience as you can doing the thing you want to be doing e.g consulting with patients, or presenting workshops. Get in front of people, talk to family and friends, share your passion with whoever will listen, it’s infectious.
I’m very excited to share I’m now offering mentoring via 1:1 consultation type sessions to students and new graduates. This is for anyone who is seeking advice, guidance and more confidence when it comes to making the best decisions around creating a thriving wellness business, evolving their current practice or increasing their confidence in solving complex, chronic cases. It’s an opportunity to workshop your vision, ideas and goals with an experienced ‘sounding board’ to help you create a roadmap for success. If you want to find out more, click here