What attracted you to the field of nutrition and dietetics? I always knew I wanted to be in healthcare. So when I was applying for college and searching

through the Bureau of Labor & Statistics site to see what I wanted to do with my life, I came

across dietetics. I knew with the combination of being in healthcare and my love for food, that

dietetics was the right career for me.

Company you are with now? Colorado Nutrition Counseling, LLC

Website:
http://www.coloradonutritioncounseling.com 

Social Media:
– Facebook:Colorado Nutrition Counseling, LLC
– Instagram:@conutritioncounseling
– Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/coloradonutritioncounselingllc/
– Twitter:@COnutrcounselin 

Describe a typical (or not so typical) day-in-the-work-life for you? Being in private practice, I wear many hats on top of being a nutrition professional from billing to marketing which means my day really varies. When I don’t have clients scheduled for the day, you can typically find me at the local coffee shop down the road reading up on Today’s Dietitian or my large pile of nutrition books. Most days I spend my time sifting through social media or creating posts for my many social media platforms and my weight loss support group I manage on Facebook. Sometimes I go through my “getting things done” list and cross off or add items that I want to work on along with a deadline. This allows me to stay organized. When I have clients scheduled, I usually bring in my dog, Athena, who loves to sit with my clients on the couch and get cuddled.

How did you get your current job in dietetics? I created it! When I moved to Colorado just over 2 years ago, I searched for a job for about 6 months with no luck. I have a psychotherapist friends who owns a private practice and my husband had started his own consulting business. This gave me the idea to jump into creating my own practice as well and it was the best decision I ever made! I realized from my past work experiences that I wanted to eventually become a clinical manager and this job allows me to be my own boss and set my own hours.

In my practice, I specialize in weight management, type 2 diabetes, and psychiatric nutrition. All areas of which I had previous experience in throughout my career (and loved). So I decided to combine the three as they all work really well together.

What skills were you born with and what skills have you learned along the way? I am very detail oriented and prefer to be organized. I was the one in high school that had the trapper keeper with folders for every class and actually used the planners they provided to record EVERYTHING. I’m also a great listener and from what my preceptor during my psychiatric rotation told me, I have a great demeanor for the mental health population. 

Since starting my practice, I have learned to prioritize my “getting things done” list to be more effective. I also try to push myself out of my comfort zone to grow my business such as speaking to groups or launching a personalized meal planning service.

What advice do you have for others wanting to be just as successful and fulfilled as you? I highly recommend getting involved with your local Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. Being in private practice (and a new state) can be very lonesome. Since volunteering on the marketing committee for the Colorado Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, I have met so many other nutrition professionals in the area that I can reach out to. On this same topic, the Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG has been an invaluable resource and I don’t think I would be where I am at today if it wasn’t for their resources to help guide me.

I also felt having the work experience I did prior to starting my business helped me hone in on my specialties and made me feel more confident when working with these populations.

If you could be paid for your job with something other than a paycheck, what would it be? Client success! I love just knowing I helped improve someone’s overall health that it creates the biggest reward for me.

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.