5 Benefits of Online Business: Registered Dietitian's Edition
As a Registered Dietitian, you spend a lot of time caring for others. RDs like you care SO MUCH for their clients, sometimes we might become blind to the parts of our job that just aren’t working. The truth is, the compassion and drive of RDs is often exploited by traditional employers, meaning your 9-5 might have you feeling overworked, underappreciated, and underpaid. In fact, I was saddened when I saw a recent study that showed that RDs have some of the lowest job satisfaction scores out there.
It’s time to take a second, set thoughts of others aside or what people might expect of you and take a moment to think about YOU and YOUR NEEDS. I know you care so much about others but your well being is important too, you know? With a little reflection time, you’ll probably find that lot of the things I shared above may be true for you. Let’s face it, that is not how you dreamed of making an impact while in nutrition school and studying for your exam. You want a job where you can pursue your passions and prioritize the things that mean the most to you.
The answer? It’s time you start an online nutrition business, (or at the very least consider it). Remember, you have everything you need within you to make your dreams your reality. Your impact on this world has nothing to do with the current company you work for, and EVERYTHING to do with your expertise, compassion, and unique approach to nutrition and dietetics. That means you should have all the confidence to branch out and establish your own online practice. You deserve to love what you do again, to feel excited about it just like the day you chose this beautiful profession.
There are so many benefits to having an online private practice. So, today, I am dedicating this post to these advantages to help you gain the boldness to go out there and find your own way outside of the traditional 9-5. Here’s what an online business enables you to do:
5 Benefits of Online Business: Registered Dietitian's Edition
Location Freedom
You may have imagined a future with a brick-and-mortar business, and as cool as it sounds to have your own building, there are so many benefits from pursuing your dreams online! First of all, it allows you to run your business from anywhere with an internet connection, which means you can change peoples lives through nutrition from anywhere in the world!
I’ve experienced this in SO many ways. Like many of you, probably, I never thought I could reconcile my dreams of traveling the world and being a Registered Dietitian at the same stage of my life. I figured I’d have to wait until retirement to explore the world the way I wanted to, but my online practice allowed me to do both. This benefit has helped me pursue my business, change lives, make an impact AND prioritize the things I care about most! Whether that is travel or being with family.
I’ll never forget when I finally left my traditional 9-5 and had the freedom to sit with my mom and spend the most precious time with her through her cancer journey. I’ll never forget floating through the Amazon for 20+ days while serving my nutrition clients and supporting their goals. And I’ll never forget my niece’s expression any time I got to drop by and visit or attend a dance recital at moments notice. I could go on and on about the experiences I got to have BECAUSE I had an online practice that allowed me to carry on business as usual, despite my exotic or intimate locations.
Just dream about the flexibility to go where you want to or need to at the drop of a hat! It’s an amazing feeling!
Time Freedom
When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, I was still working my 9-5. Though I knew I was underpaid and overworked, I genuinely thought that I was valued at my company. However, when I needed to take time off to help my mom, I was made to feel EXTREMELY guilty for doing so. Everyone started treating me differently when they felt like I wasn’t “pulling my weight.” No one seemed to care about what was going on and the tug of war in my heart between my responsibilities as an RD and as a daughter was brutal. There are no words to describe it and I decided I never wanted to be in that position again. Where my life, my time or my family was at the mercy of someone else approving a day off.
During that process, though, is when I went from having a side hustle to becoming a full-time online business owner, stepping away from that 9-5. And, I’ll tell you, I felt INSTANT freedom with my time and flexibility. I could be with my mom during the most important season and stay on a mission helping my clients while building my dreams. It was so eye-opening to realize how valuable it is to be able to do what you want with your time.
When you have an online nutrition business, you can truly craft your day however you want. You can have slow mornings, you can have long weekends, and you can take whatever breaks you need to. You don’t even have to work full-time if that’s not where your heart is! Plus, when your body and mind are telling you it’s time for some self-care, you can take time off whenever you want without the shame and guilt of a traditional employer. You’ll have the freedom to take a mental health day, see your family at the drop of a hat, and prioritize what’s truly important to you!
Financial Freedom
When you’re first starting an online business, this one doesn’t come right away. There’s an art and strategy to building an online nutrition practice, and it can be tough to navigate on your own! That’s why after years of successfully running my own online practice, I became a dietitian business coach and created The Foundation™️. This program helps you actually start your online nutrition business, and take you from an aspiring RD entrepreneur to having a start up practice with all the ground work set up! It also helps you learn to market and message to your most dreamy clients so you can attract them directly to you with ethical honest marketing that leads to success! In order to one day have financial freedom, you first need to start the business.
Once you learn how to reach your most dreamy clients, you can finally be compensated for the value you’re delivering. And, there’s no limit on your pay either! You can raise your prices and grow every year without hitting a “cap” or being let go because you become too expensive for the clinic or hospital you’re working for. This is where financial freedom comes in! This stage of business where you work on getting to fully booked in your online practice happens in our program called The Rise™️.
Beyond the income potential, online businesses can also be run very inexpensively! Operating costs for a video call software, email providers and client scheduling systems are very cheap when compared to the expense of running a brick-and-mortar business. This also means you don’t need a huge savings to start your practice! In fact, you can probably get away with budgeting less than $100 a month for your initial day to day operation costs. Which makes going into business right now an incredible option for so many RD’s when years ago it wasn’t possible without large start up costs.
Creative Freedom
When you’re working for a traditional company, higher-ups dictate everything you do. Of course, you can sprinkle in your unique approach and perspective in some ways, but there’s little room for true creativity. Many RDs I talk to feel suffocated working with clients under the strict guidelines of their 9-5, and it’s one of the reasons so many RDs feel unhappy at work. It’s not because you don’t love dietetics and nutrition, it’s because you don’t have any creative freedom or ability to serve your people the way you desire!
Of course, when you open your own nutrition business, you can be as creative as you want! Your approach to everything from digital marketing and social media to your offered products and services is totally up to you. You can finally spend quality time with the people you’re helping without having to rush or feel pressured to see a certain amount of people in one day. On top of that, you can cater your business to your strengths and uniqueness and delegate the parts you don’t want to do. Remember, no one is telling you to do anything anymore! Once your business is profitable, you can hire out plenty of services that’ll give you even more freedom with your time, location, and creativity.
At the end of the day, with your own online practice, you can create a business that feels like a true reflection of who you are, what you do, and how you care about people. There is NOTHING more meaningful and powerful for RDs!
Soul Freedom
With an online business, you’ll be reaching a global audience. This will allow you to niche down and find a specific category of people that you feel passionately led to serve. When confined to a brick-and-mortar business, you are limiting the potential customers you could serve. Now, you can help anyone in the world, no matter where they are! The impact you make and the lives you will get to change has no ceiling or cap. You can leave your legacy on this earth in a way that means something to you. Feeling fulfilled through your work in ways you have only dreamed of. I’m talking about freedom to fulfill the purpose of your soul!
In addition, when you attain time and financial freedom from having an online nutrition business, you can give back in ways that would otherwise be nearly impossible. You can give your time and/or financial support to causes you care deeply about. You can give back to those you love and spend your time and life in the most aligned way for both your heart and soul.
An online private nutrition business isn’t just about traveling the world and making money (though those are great benefits!), it’s about creating a legacy that will impact the world for the better. I think RDs sometimes forget about the life-changing effect of nutrition. I’m reminding you right now: Don’t lose sight of your influence and the unique gifts you have to make the world a better place.
An online nutrition practice allows you to fully realize your purpose and potential!
Registered Dietitians have an incredibly important role in today’s world. Yet, when crammed into windowless offices doing unfulfilling work, it can be easy to forget how valuable you actually are. It’s time to set yourself free by starting your own online practice!
You can learn more about how to start an online nutrition business on the blog, but the greatest honor and one of the most impactful things you can do would be to work together as your nutrition business coach. I’ve been where you are, I’ve built my own successful practice, and I’ve helped hundreds of our colleagues do the same. It’s your turn to experience the freedom that comes from blazing your own trail and building your own business!