#TLDR

• Researchers found that challenges appear easier when you have a supportive community to support you (even if that community is just one person!)
• Make it easier to grow your business by finding your niche and reaching out to local businesses who can form relationships and partnerships with you
• Online forums and support groups are also a great place to turn for wellness professionals trying to grow a business.

Imagine you’re standing at the bottom of a steep mountain, and someone tells you to trek up the slope.

You look up the incline, and you think to yourself, “this is really steep, I’m not sure I can do this.”

When suddenly, a group of your friends appear. With them, they bring optimism, resources, hot coffee, boots, and climbing ropes. Suddenly, the mountain doesn’t look steep.

This is what researchers found when, in 2012, they explored the role of social support when it comes to overcoming challenges (like starting a business, for example.)

The researchers found that, sure enough, “Participants accompanied by a friend estimated a hill to be less steep when compared to participants who were alone”.

This means one thing for nutrition professionals: growing your business is going to feel really difficult, unless you surround yourself with a supportive community.

That’s exactly what we talked to Nora Gallagher about when she came on the Making It Real Podcast. Nora is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who helps clients achieve their weight loss goals, and who leveraged the power of community to achieve business success.

Why Nutrition Professionals Should Look Beyond Their Friendships and Into the Wider Community

When she was first starting out, Nora turned to her friends, whom she knew she could help achieve their health goals. But, as it turned out, this didn’t set her up to be the best health coach she could possibly be.

“It can be a little uncomfortable to work with a close friend on health coaching. So I felt I didn't want to dig deeper when they didn't offer certain things. And I just thought it would probably be easier to work with clients who I didn't have a personal relationship with.”

According to Nora, there’s a better way to find clients and grow your business, instead of relying on your close friends.

Building Your Business by Finding Your People in the Wellness Community

Just like Nora, you may find yourself wanting to build your business and find your own place in the community. Here are some tips of what she found helped best in her new community.

Network!

Start with who you know. Local businesses in your community are great places to start to establish partnerships and find new clients.

Print out business cards and mini-flyers, and go have conversations with business owners across town.

Click here to read “16 Places to Find Health Coaching Clients and Establish Referral Partnerships”

Follow Up

Sometimes the hardest part about reaching out to the community is consistency. But as sales experts will tell you, “the money is in the follow-up.”

Once you have gotten your name out in the community, make meetings or coffee dates with people with whom you can establish a mutually-beneficial relationship.

Join Groups (both in person and online)

With COVID-19, it can be hard to physically go to a group meeting. This is where social media becomes important. Do a quick search on nutrition groups online and see what comes up.  

Many times, there will be an open group full of people who are in the same situation as you––a wellness entrepreneur looking to grow in their trade.

Find Your Niche (& Get clear on what your personal superpower is as health professional.)

Knowing where your strength lies as a health professional — and knowing how to communicate that strength to others — is a surefire way to set yourself apart.

While it can be tempting to want to offer a broad scope of help to your clients, finding a small skill set can be helpful in showing that you are a master at your craft.

Know You Don’t Have All the Answers (That’s What Your Community is For!)

“When you graduate, sometimes the expectation is that you’re going to know everything,” Nora says, “I realized there’s still so much to learn, and that’s okay. Accept that you’re not going to know everything, and lean into those that can help you.”

To join Nora’s community, you can find her at www.Outrunyourfork.com or on Instagram @EatHappy01

community building, inspiration

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