The Healthy Work Podcast: Recent Episodes
Danielle Reynolds-Flatt
Tune in weekly to hear us interview wellness entrepreneurs who have built thriving businesses. They’ll share their tried-and-true strategies to help you grow your own.
Ashley Fenker is a freelance professional writer and editor. She launched her business full time in November 2018. She partners with businesses and nonprofits on writing and editing projects with a speciality in bringing missions to life with creative storytelling. In addition to more technical and marketing driven projects, she is an essayist who was published last year in Oprah Magazine.
On this episode we discuss:
- Common mistakes small business owners make on their marketing materials & websites
- When to invest in a professional's help for your business & messaging
- Shifting routines & work life during COVID-19
- Doing website refreshes & brain dumps to bring your brand to life
- Putting your mission into 1-2 sentences to uses as a guide for your voice & brand
- Practical strategies for pushing past writer’s block
- Why & how to invest in choosing the right name for your business
- Running a business while also living with an autoimmune condition
Resources from this episode:
- Want an extra set of trained eyes on your business copy? Need help getting to the heart of your brand’s story? Book one of Ashley’s professional copywriting & editing services here.
Emily is a Board Certified clinical nutritionist with a M.S. in Nutrition & Integrative Health. She is also the parent of a child with multiple life-threatening food allergies, an educator, and a vocal advocate for food allergy awareness and children’s nutrition.
On this episode we discuss:
- How Emily's personal health journey led her to niche down in her practice
- Wearing many hats in a wellness business & making it work for you
- The benefits of doing the things that scare you in your business
- Why public speaking is essential for a new practitioner
- Practical tips for booking & prepping for a national speaking gig
- How to get over your fear of public speaking
- Why vulnerability is essential to reaching the clients you want to help
Resources from this episode:
- Learn more about Emily's nutrition practice
- Read her blog focused on food allergies
- Follow @thriveinside on Instagram
Ashley Stewart is a business school graduate turned nutrition nerd who took her love for both and started helping private practitioners streamline their businesses through systems and processes. She helps nutritionists and registered dietitians create and manage systems in their businesses that help them stop working on the day to day tasks and get back to doing the work they love.
On this episode we discuss:
- Running a virtual business with young kids in the home
- Creating a non-traditional work schedule that works for your lifestyle & needs
- How to decide if hiring a virtual assistant is right for you (& specific tasks they can take off your plate)
- Setting up systems & processes BEFORE you get super busy
- Free organizational & business management tools for wellness entrepreneurs
- Why Practice Better is the best EHR system (& more!) for nutritionists
- Automations you need to take advantage of in Practice Better
- Simple strategies for goal setting & the importance of accountability
Resources from this episode:
- Learn more about Ashley's VA & Systems Consulting services so you can start focusing on the things you love in your business
- For more Practice Better pro tips, read Ashley's blog post on Using Practice Better to Optimize Your Client Experience
- Not sure what tasks to pass off to your VA? Download Ashley's free virtual assistant checklist and start brainstorming!
- Follow @ashleystewartassistants for more productivity and workflow inspiration!
- Helpful tools mentioned: (note: these are affiliate links)
- Practice Better
- Click Up
- Flodesk
Jennifer Chu is one of the country's first Board Certified Women’s Health Specialists. She has been a physical therapist since 1997, and in 2001 she opened ITR Physical Therapy in order to create an environment where patients would receive the individualized, quality, and manual care that she believes each patient deserves.
Jennifer has spoken nationally about her field, has participated in clinical research regarding release techniques for painful bladder syndrome and painful C section scars.
On this episode we discuss:
- Giving clients the time & attention they need while also taking care of yourself
- How Jen ended up pursuing an entrepreneurial life even though that wasn't her original plan
- Why she niched down to serve patients with pelvic pain & dysfunction (& how to try a bunch of specialities out before you choose a population)
- Starting a practice with word of mouth marketing & professional networking
- The MOST IMPORTANT thing to invest in when you're first starting out (hint: it has to do with education!)
- Being aligned with yourself & delegating as soon as you can
- The important work of destigmatizing women's health issues & helping patients become more aware of their individual needs
- Why Jen does a ton of outreach in the community (for free!) & recommends this to all newbie wellness practitioners
Resources from this episode:
- Learn more about Jen's physical therapy practice & the work she does in women's health, pelvic dysfunction, & more
- Follow @itr_physicaltherapy on Instagram
- Join the Healthy Work Community to collaborate with other passionate wellness entrepreneurs!
Emily Kyle is a Dietitian & Cannabis Practitioner teaching women how to use cannabis as lifestyle-medicine to reclaim their lives from anxiety or pain, allowing them to find joy, enhance their productivity, improve their relationships, and naturally support their overall health and well-being. She practices in-person in New York and also virtually around the country.
On this episode we discuss:
- Taking the leap from part-time to full-time private practice
- How niching down opens up opportunities & positions you as an expert
- Easy steps for booking your first TV appearance
- Lessons Emily learned from her first to second cookbook
- What Emily has recently changed to be more strategic on social media this year
- Why you don't just want to be posting beautiful photos of food on Instagram
- Is 2020 the year of "less is more"?
- Faking it till you make it, embracing mistakes, & learning from failure
Resources from this episode:
- Learn more about Emily's counseling services & cannabis education
- Check out her Cannabis 101 Online Course
- Shop her premium CBD products & cookbooks
Christie Dondero Bettwy is the Executive Director of Rock Recovery, a DC-based nonprofit that helps people overcome disordered eating so they can live full and healthy lives. Christie has been recovered from an eating disorder for over 10 years, and is passionate about growing Rock Recovery's community impact and sharing the fact that complete freedom from disordered eating is possible.
On this episode we discuss:
- The importance of relationship-based business & partnerships for growth
- Implementing a sliding scale & creating a sustainable model for community outreach
- Spending money to make a money when you're on a small budget
- Using workshops & events to leverage the communities of trust that people already have in place
- Seeking feedback as a leader so that you can be aware of your own blindspots
- Qualities to look for in a new hire when you have a small team
- Setting aside strategic time to cast dream & cast vision
Resources from this episode:
- Attend Rock Recovery's Annual Benefit Dinner
- Get on their Treatment Provider List
- Volunteer with Rock Recovery
- Learn more about their Clinical Recovery Services
Jamie Dant worked in the fitness industry for 14 years as a personal trainer, strength & conditioning coach and crossfit coach. Now, as a Licensed Dietitian-Nutritionist, Jamie helps athletes nourish their minds & bodies for optimal health and performance without restrictive dieting or tons of cardio.
On this episode we discuss:
- The many ways Jamie structured her services before finding the RIGHT fit for her business
- Pros and cons of 1:1 health programs vs. group programs
- Quick tips for using social media to attract new clients
- Differentiating your content for Instagram Stories
- Specific ways to use Practice Better to save you time in your business
- To meal plan or not to meal plan as a nutritionist?
Resources from this episode:
- Get more info on Jamie's self directed CNS internship program
- Follow @jamiedantldn on Instagram for all things athletics & nutrition
- Grab a spot in Jamie's 90-day online coaching program
Samantha Gladish is an online nutritionist specializing in weight loss and women's hormonal health. She coaches women around the world and has built a successful and incredible brand and business. Her passion for business is an extension of her work as a Health Coach. Samantha speaks internationally on all things health, wellness and entrepreneurship and in her spare time, you can find her baking up delicious health-ified treats in her kitchen.
On this episode we discuss:
- How Samantha transitioned from part-time to full-time entrepreneurship
- The importance of learning sales language & using sales calls in your wellness business
- Advantages to using high-end packages in your practice
- How Samantha started her business with only $4,000 in her bank account
- Tips to speed up the book writing & publishing process
- Being structured & intentional with your time & calendar to optimize productivity
Resources from this episode:
- Follow @holisticwellnessfoodie for inspiration on all things health, entrepreneurship, & more!
- Pre-order the 30-Day Hormone Solution & get 3 amazing bonuses!
- Tune into the Healthy Hormones for Women Podcast
- Grab a spot in Samantha's business mentorship program
Erica Julson is a Registered Dietitian and online entrepreneur. She is the Founder of The Unconventional RD - a blog and Facebook group for dietitians interested in passive and alternative income, and creator of The Functional Nutrition Library - a membership site where dietitians can learn more about functional nutrition at an affordable price point.
In this episode we discuss:
- How Erica grew her highly engaged Facebook Group to over 7k members (& the time it takes to do this well!)
- Why you need to grow your audience BEFORE you create a valuable product
- What Erica wished she knew about blogging before she got started
- Top SEO tools & trends of the year, plus expert advice for doing effective keyword research
- How Erica makes 6-figures online from affiliates, blogging, a membership site, & courses
- Which passive income streams have generated the most income and ROI
Resources from this episode:
- Join The Functional Nutrition Library, a membership site full of resources for functional nutrition professionals
- Get Erica’s Business Bootcamp Courses on SEO, email marketing, or blogging, created especially for wellness professionals who want guidance and support in building a successful online business
- Join The Healthy Work Community to collaborate with other passionate wellness entrepreneurs & discuss topics from the podcast!
Sara Kahn is a former marketing executive turned clinical nutritionist. Her practice is located in NYC and she specializes in digestive issues like IBS, SIBO, GERD and more.
On this episode we discuss:
- A 3-step script for a Discovery Call that converts to more clients
- Starting a waitlist nutrition practice right out of grad school
- How to decide when it’s the right time for your first hire to expand your practice
- The benefits of choosing a profitable niche where you are your ideal client
- Why you should not offer single sessions to your clients + tips for nailing down your pricing model
- How to do your marketing on a shoestring budget (& why you SHOULD!)
Resources from this episode:
- Book your spot in Sara’s Marketing 101 Power Hour so you can nail down your niche & start building a profitable practice
- Follow @sarakahnnutrition on Instagram to see how her business continues to grow
- Join the Healthy Work Community for more business-building support from other wellness entrepreneurs
We've been reflecting on how we can uniquely serve wellness entrepreneurs best, so we have some pretty cool stuff coming your way. We’re relaunching our website with brand new content & free resources to help you build your digital presence. We can’t wait for you to see the new site & take advantage of all of the design, copy, & marketing goodies we’ve created for you. Follow along on instagram @healthyworkhq or join the Healthy Work Community on Facebook to stay up to date on Healthy Work happenings, participate in giveaways, & of course connect with other talented wellness entrepreneurs.
Dr. Ashley Margeson is a naturopathic doctor and one of Canada’s foremost experts in burnout, work-life integration and living a purpose filled life. She and her partner run Cornerstone Naturopathic, a regenerative medicine clinic focused on enhancing the quality of life for driven and hardworking individuals. Dr. Ashley is also the host of the highly anticipated podcast, The Superwoman Code.
In this episode we discuss:
- How to start a healthy morning routine
- Marketing through storytelling
- How to plan tasks in conjunction with your menstruation cycle to maximize productivity
- Doing market research BEFORE you launch your wellness business
- Practical advice for working smarter, not harder, & avoiding burnout
- & so much more!
Resources from this episode:
- Get Dr. Ashley's Hormone Optimization Planner (totally free!)
- Tune in to The Superwoman Code podcast
- Follow @drashleymargeson on Instagram for daily inspiration on living a purpose-filled life!
Cameron Reynolds-Flatt is a Principal UX Designer at Salesforce & always has some entrepreneurial side project up his sleeve. Cameron has a Masters of Design from Illinois Institute of Technology, specializes in product & user experience design, & has a ton of valuable insights for anyone who wants to improve their own website.
In this episode we discuss:
- Easy ways to improve user experience on your website
- Why you might not need to hire a designer for your wellness business
- Tips for making your call-to-action stand out & get noticed
- How to check to see if your website is visually accessible (& improve it if it isn't)
- Designer-recommended tools for non-designers to create creative assets
Resources from this episode:
- Check your website's color contrast for accessibility
- Use Envato to find visual assets
- Use Canva’s templates to create beautiful practitioner handouts, marketing materials, & more
- Join the Healthy Work Community to get free design feedback on your own website or other business asset
Gina Jones is a registered and licensed dietitian nutritionist specializing in Functional Medicine Nutrition. She is both academically and professionally trained by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, & is the founder of two businesses, Crunchy Kitchen a food based business and the INW Center which is Gina’s private practice as a dietitian. Gina has successfully improved patient vitality and health through her patient-centered approach to help women overcome thyroid dysfunction, hormone imbalance, autoimmune diseases, and build healthier relationships with food.
In this episode we discuss:
- Why Gina chose to practice functional versus conventional nutrition
- Scaling a food-based business with a small team
- The logistics of growing a practice through word-of-mouth marketing
- The power & necessity of networking with other health professionals
- Creating a debt-free health practice
Resources from this episode:
- Book a functional nutrition consult with Gina
- Try these allergen-free wraps from Crunchy Kitchen
- Follow @ginajonesrdn on Instagram
- Join the Healthy Work Community to collaborate with other wellness entrepreneurs
Since our launch, people have reached out with great questions about getting their own podcast started, which tools & services to use, & more. Even though we’re only about ten episodes in, we've learned a lot about what it takes to create a podcast from scratch, and are happy to share! We're still learning & improving our podcast game every day, but we know these tips will get you off on the right foot if you’re just getting started.
You can read the full blog post for this episode here.
In this episode we discuss:
- Best practices for submitting your podcast to Apple for approval
- Why it's beneficial to create an intro episode
- How many episodes you should launch with
- Questions to ask yourself if you're not clear on your podcast's mission
- How to make sure your sound quality (& your guest's) is always top notch
- Podcasting tools & equipment to get started, even on a small budget
- & so much more!
Resources from this episode:
- Read the full blog post with all of this episode's details & important links
- Join the Healthy Work Community to collaborate with other wellness entrepreneurs
Rachel Molenda is a Toronto-based Intuitive Eating Nutritionist and creator of the Fill Your Cup Podcast. She is on a mission to help women find peace and end the war on food and their bodies, and is the brain behind the #RealAssFood Instagram campaign.
On this episode we discuss:
- Overcoming imposter syndrome when you're first starting out
- The power & necessity of authenticity on social media
- Creating & sustaining an engaged online community in your wellness business
- How to turn an in-person workshop into an online program
- Fostering a healthy relationship with screen time when it's your job to be online
Resources from this episode:
- Tune into The Fill Your Cup Podcast every Sunday at 8pm EST
- Get inspired by Rachel's newly redesigned website
- Learn more about Rachel's Intuitive Eating Program
- Brew your way to better health with Rachel's DIY Kombucha Online Workshop
- Follow @rachelmolenda on Instagram for all things intuitive eating, body positivity, & #RealAssFood
- Join the Healthy Work Community to collaborate with other talented wellness entrepreneurs
Camille Freeman is a professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Maryland University of Integrative Health, and teaches physiology, pathophysiology and mindful eating. She’s also a licensed nutritionist and herbalist, and has been practicing for over a decade with a clinical focus on fertility and reproductive health.
On this episode we discuss:
- What to invest in when starting your health practice
- Problems to anticipate when your practice is online
- Essential tools for a successful virtual practice
- How to use webinars & email marketing to get referrals
- Why Twitter might make you a better, more educated practitioner
- Balancing work & family when you’re seeing clients “from home”
Resources from this episode:
- Sign up for one of Camille’s upcoming webinars for integrative health pracitioners
- Read Camille’s blog post: How Much Does It Cost to Start a Nutrition Practice?
- Follow @milkyoats on Twitter (& follow all the #nutritionnerds she follows!)
- Tune into Thinking of You, a podcast for people who teach online
- Stay in the know with QxMD, an app that helps you keep up-to-date with groundbreaking research in your area of practice
Stephanie Clairmont is a Registered Dietitian, entrepreneur, and mom of two young boys. She is the founder and lead facilitator at The Leveraged Practice where she supports other health practitioners in developing an online program for their practice. With 10 online programs and over 70 launches, Stephanie combines her own unique experience with research and best practices to change the way health education is provided world-wide.
In this episode we discuss:
- Mistakes to avoid when you're launching & delivering an online program
- Why a LIVE program might be your best bet if you're just starting out
- How to price out your program and get it in front of the right people
- Low-cost tools to make program creation, launch, & maintenance easy peasy
Resources from this episode:
- Sign up for the next Leveraged Practice workshop to get step-by-step support to develop, plan delivery, & launch your own online program
- Tune into The Leveraged Practice Podcast to get more actionable strategies about developing (awesome) online programs
- Join the Healthy Work Community to collaborate with other wellness entrepreneurs & get business-building support
Dr. Meghan Walker is a naturopathic doctor and entrepologist, focusing on the health optimization of entrepreneurs. As an entrepreneur, Meghan started and sold her first business while in University and is a Co-Founder and past CEO of the digital health media start-up, Bright Almond.
She is the host of the Entrepology Podcast and the Founder of Entrepology Labs, a functional medicine practice in Toronto. Meghan is the creator of the women’s performance supplement line, Badass Fuel, and is the Chief Cheerleader at Clinician Business Labs – a platform to assist clinicians to scale and amplify their businesses.
And if that wasn’t inspiring enough, Meghan is also an award-winning speaker, having spoken on international stages and through multiple media outlets on topics related to women’s performance medicine, brain health and entrepreneurship. In fact, she is the host and producer of the annual entrepreneurship conference Impact LIVEs which is happening this November in Toronto! Most importantly, Megan is a mom to three littles.
In this episode we discuss:
- How community can fuel your passion and increase the impact of your wellness business
- Practical strategies for optimizing your time as an entrepreneur
- When to relinquish control and start bringing in experts (aka new hires) to scale your business
- How to choose a niche when you're struggling to decide
- Why you need to charge what you're worth AND innovate your offerings
Resources from this episode:
- Get your ticket to Impact LIVEs!
- What is it? An epic, 3-day event created for visionary clinicians and practitioners in the wellness industry
- When is it? Nov 21, 22, & 23rd 2019
- Tune in to the Entrepology Podcast to optimize your own health and wellness as an entrepreneur
- Check out Clinician Business Labs for more business building resources
- Join the Healthy Work Community to collaborate with other talented wellness entrepreneurs
Dana Monsees is a licensed and board certified nutritionist (CNS, LDN) and body image coach in the DMV area. In her nutrition and coaching practice, Dana teaches women how to fix their relationship with food and their bodies, ditch the diet cycle for good, and thrive with delicious, real foods. She blogs on Real Food With Dana, and produces the Real Talk With Dana podcast, which is a must-listen for anyone interested in nutrition, health, & fitness.
In this episode we discuss:
- How Dana started & grew her nutrition and coaching practice right out of grad school
- What you should know before starting a podcast
- How Dana grew her Instagram following to over 51k followers
- Why taking a break from social media might make you a better entrepreneur (and how to do this, practically speaking!)
Resources from this episode:
- Tune in to the Real Talk With Dana podcast for a refreshing take on all things health, nutrition, and fitness
- Get recipes and wellness resources on Dana’s blog
- Follow @realfoodwithdana for tons of body positive inspiration
- Visit healthy.work for more business-building resources
- Join the Healthy Work Community to collaborate with other wellness entrepreneurs & discuss topics from the podcast
Caitlin Self is a licensed and board certified nutrition specialist (CNS). She works with adults and children in Baltimore and Ellicott City, Maryland, and has also hosted a variety of nutrition workshops in both of these cities. In addition to practicing clinical nutrition, Caitlin is the creator of the Frugal Nutrition food blog. In this episode, Caitlin shares her story about starting Frugal Nutrition, running her blog with integrity, and must-have tips for producing quality content.
In this episode we discuss:
- The pros and cons of sponsorships, affiliates, and ads to monetize a blog
- The process of & time it takes to produce quality food blog content
- Helpful tools and resources to run and grow a food blog
Resources from this episode:
- Find delicious, economical recipes on the Frugal Nutrition blog
- Follow @frugalnutrition on Instagram for more great content
- Check out Caitlin’s favorite blogging tools & resources: Food Blogger Pro, Mediavine, Coschedule, Yummly
- Read more about her journey into becoming a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)
- Join The Healthy Work Community to collaborate with other wellness professionals and discuss topics mentioned on the podcast!
Melissa Dasilva is a licensed social worker (LICSW) and psychotherapist specializing in LGBTQ+ issues. She has a group therapy practice, and is also an author, a podcaster, and an artist. Even though she is a successful entrepreneur now, she started her business with practically no money!
In the episode we discuss:
- How to start, run, & grow a profitable therapy practice
- Why niching down can change the trajectory of your wellness business
- The importance of money mindset
- & so much more!
Resources from this episode:
- Start reading The Profitable Private Practice
- Follow Melissa on Instagram
- Get more business building resources on Melissa’s website
Abra Pappa is a board Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) with a masters degree in nutrition and integrative health. She has been in private practice for more than a decade in NYC, she runs corporate nutrition workshops, and is the cofounder and program director of the IFNS supervision program where she is empowering generations of newbie nutritionists. Abra also runs the thriving food blog, Abra’s Kitchen.
In this episode we discuss:
- Deciding when to quit your day job to go full time with your wellness business
- Important lessons Abra learned in the early years of starting her business
- Why falling in love with marketing is essential to running a wellness business
- Instagram strategies to grow your digital presence
- & so much more!
Resources from This Episode:
- Follow @abrapappa on Instagram
- Get delicious (and nutritious) recipes from Abra’s Kitchen
- Need a CNS Supervisor? Check out the IFNS Program.
- Get 1:1 business coaching from Abra
Welcome to The Healthy Work Podcast! In this quick intro episode, you'll get to know the host of this podcast, Danielle Reynolds-Flatt, and hear from her about why she decided to create the Healthy Work Podcast for wellness entrepreneurs.