Meet Annette Maggi, MS, RDN, LD, FAND, who has drive and determination. She’s leading the way for the Retail Dietitian by partnering with powerhouse food companies to optimize consumer influence. Read on to learn about her intriguing and successful career path. – Sarah

What attracted you to the field of nutrition and dietetics? I honestly believe the dietetics profession chose me. I took my first nutrition course in college and was hooked, but often think that my career journey started in my sophomore year of high school. For biology class, I chose to do a term paper on the function of the small intestines. Who does that? A future dietitian, of course.

Your Job Title? President

Company you are with now? Annette Maggi & Associates, Inc.

Website:
www.annettemaggi.com

Social Media:
 – Twitter: @annettemaggi

Describe a typical (or not so typical) day-in-the-work-life for you? My sweet spot is partnering with food companies to leverage the consumer influence power of retail dietitians. This work entails establishing and maintaining relationships with retail RDs across North America, understanding their health and wellness priorities, and defining opportunities to partner. I develop promotions and content to promote client’s healthier products through retail RD programs and services. I also consult as the Executive Director of the Retail Dietitians Business Alliance, which has a goal of increasing the business savvy and industry knowledge of retail dietitians.

I am a morning person, so always plan for project time at the start of my day. I am most productive and creative then. I try and schedule client calls for the afternoons. As a consultant, I love having this ability to structure my days in a way that best suites my style.

How did you get your current job in dietetics? Throughout my career, I have held multiple positions which were new to the companies. I love going in, setting up process, developing procedures, and hiring great talent. But once things are organized and humming along, I tend to get bored. Because of this personal style, consulting has always felt like the right fit for me. I just had to find the right time to take the leap and as a colleague of mine used to say “hang up a shingle,” which I did four years ago.

What skills were you born with and what skills have you learned along the way? I have always had an internal drive and strong organization and management skills. Through my career and professional volunteer experiences, I have become a connector of ideas and people, a great skill to have as a consultant.

What advice do you have for others wanting to be just as successful and fulfilled as you? To be successful in consulting, you must have drive, a unique niche, and a full rolodex. Excellent follow-up skills are essential as prospective clients are busy and you must be tenacious in moving proposals along to signed contracts. Organization skills are essential.

The biggest mistake I see new consultants make is not charging a high enough hourly or project fee. As a consultant, you are never billing 40 hours a week, and you must be realistic in the actual number of billable hours you’ll have in addition to accounting for vacation, sick days, business prospecting, and the logistics of managing a business (think website updates, billing, computer maintenance, etc).

If you could be paid for your job with something other than a paycheck, what  would it be? Travel for sure!

Sarah Koszyk is founder of Family. Food. Fiesta. A family-based wellness program and blog focusing on recipes, family health tips, and videos with kids cooking in the kitchen. She is a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach specializing in sports nutrition and adult and pediatric weight management. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.