Shawna Baker – Expert in plant-based nutrition at Synergy Nutrition

Working in a supplement store is a great fit for any nutritionist that is passionate about researching different herbs and vitamins; is excited about learning the differences in bioavailibilty, efficacy, and safety of the wide array of supplements on the market; and enjoys interacting with a diverse customer base.

Of course we can research and learn about supplements even if we aren’t working in a supplement store, but when you do work in one you learn at an accelerated pace because you are surrounded by supplements and natural health products on a daily basis.

With managing a store, depending on each store of course, you will get to decide what new products to bring in and what brands you want to carry. For myself, that meant I was able to only fill the store with products I would personally take and/or have experience with (either in myself or with clients), as well as create a 100% vegan store.

Another aspect I really enjoy is being able to organize and host various nutrition events in the store. This is a great way to connect with your community!

Connie Sears – Nutrition Practitioner at Nutritious Life

Deciding what route to take after graduation can be difficult, and choosing a specific direction may seem daunting. When faced with these choices myself, I opted to start working at a fitness gym to strengthen my skill set and get a better overall understanding of what’s important to people.

Here’s what I’ve learned, hopefully my experience can help you determine if the choice is right for you!

Clients at a gym are fitness minded and motivated. They understand that meeting fitness goals takes focus and effort, which is sometimes lacking in the general public. They’re often ready to make the necessary habit and lifestyle changes, so your recommendations are taken seriously. Clients are very interested in macronutrients, protein-dense options and specific foods to support their goals. Weight loss tips and tricks are handy, and you’ve got an attentive audience but setting reasonable expectations (ex. 1 pound loss/week, 2 max.) is key. Nutrient deficiencies can be a challenge with many clients so get familiar with popular protein powders, as quality over quantity becomes very important – some protein powders even contain dextrose, adding belly fat to those looking to banish it. “Eat a Rainbow” can be difficult in terms of adherence, when they’re counting every calorie, and watching all carbohydrates and fats.

Essentially, you’re a business inside a business. With any partnership or landlord and tenant contract, there are associated fees. Be prepared to negotiate a percentage you feel comfortable with. There is no set industry standard, but you should be earning the lion’s share of your profits. The upside is that the gym offers an established client list, giving you automatic access to start growing your word-of-mouth business. You also need to drive your business, get to know members and build trust. Offering samples of healthy snacks to the busiest group class of the week will generate a conversation and encourage the personal trainers to talk up your talents. Plus, you’ll meet the regulars. Be ready to brainstorm ideas for promotions and to work with the management team to put on events inside and outside of the gym. Reach out to relevant local businesses and build partnerships – alongside your social media content.

Know what you’re getting into. The ownership and management teams I get to work with are stellar – I’m super lucky and I know it! – create the same environment for yourself by making sure you’re aware of expectations, level of commitment and schedule requirements. There may also be existing nutrition packages or components, which can be great resources, but you’ll need to fully understand them. If nothing currently exists, creating them may be your first challenge – totally doable. Flexibility is a big upside to this type of environment; you’ll have free time to work on growing your business in other arenas though steady income will be slow to start. Like anything else, the more you invest the bigger the return. Otherwise, seek supplemental income elsewhere and keep your finger on the pulse of the gym.

Personally, I chose a gym environment for the established client list, motivated clientele and the option of an office for outside clients at a reasonable cost. Just like any other industry, getting a full-time job in your field right out of school can be challenging, so have realistic expectations.

Lastly, I’ve come to appreciate an additional bonus I didn’t expect – I’m surrounded by people who are supporting clients to be their best – exactly my motivation for being a nutritionist!

When considering partnering with a fitness gym, ask yourself: does this sound like the right fit for me?

Krista Goncalves – Business Advisor at Making Lemonade

After having been a holistic nutrition practitioner for 5 years, I needed a change. So, I tapped into something I had already been doing the whole time I was building my nutritional consulting practice – writing!

But, not everyone loves to write, so now I really enjoy supporting other health & nutrition professionals while they build their businesses.

And because I’ve had several health-focused businesses myself, I can offer some industry-specific insight when I work on their writing projects.

Leesa Klich – Blogging Expert at Leesa Klich

If you love to research and write, and/or create meal plans and programs, then creating health-related content for other professionals might be for you! A lot of nutrition pros want awesome content to showcase their expertise, but don’t love (or have time for) creating it themselves.

Here are a few real-life pros:
– You get to do what you love and excel at,
– You can work from anywhere and set your own hours (heeding deadlines, of course),
– You can support amazing people who are doing great things in the industry.

Here are a few real-life cons:
– It can sometimes be difficult to nail down a particular “vibe” if it’s not similar to your natural writing style,
– If you don’t know how long it takes to create each piece, you can easily over- or under-book yourself (so track your time to nail this one down),
– The income is technically “trading dollars for hours” and not passive.

My favourite thing is to see something I created get published and shared online (whether my name is on it or not)!

I recommend choosing a niche and become the amazing “go to” expert in it. Build your brand by consistently creating your own content showing your ideal clients that you’re the one to help them grow their businesses. For me, it’s research-based blog and program content, for you maybe it’s meal plans and recipe books, or engaging social media posts and graphics, or copywriting and email marketing sequences that sell.

PRO TIP: Set yourself up for success by agreeing to these before starting a new writing project with a client:
– Investment and payment terms,
– All products and services included and excluded, e.g. number of edits, timelines, images, uploading to their site, meetings, maintaining their editorial calendar, replying to readers’ comments, etc.,
– Whether your byline will be on the pieces or whether they’re ghostwritten. Also, whether you can include them in your portfolio,
– If you have other skills to bring to the table, make sure clients know how you can help them even further e.g. strategizing/planning content, social media scheduling, SEO-optimization, etc.

You may have heard the saying “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” If you love researching, writing, and creating then this can be a great “non-job” for you.

Sisley Killam – Nutrition Practitioner at The Pure Life

Online consulting has given me the freedom to work with clients all around the world. I especially feel lucky when I get to work with clients who don’t have access to holistic health care in small towns or areas that do not have many options for working with holistic practitioners.

Online consulting has also helped me create a flexible work schedule, allowing me to travel, work in my PJ’s or from my favourite café when I choose to. Online consulting is a great option for those looking to create a flexible schedule, for those who work multiple jobs (a big reality in the start of a nutritionist’s career) or for those who are already reaching a large online audience via blogging, workshops, etc.

I love running an online consulting business and I can’t wait to expand my business as I continue to live my dream lifestyle!

Maddie Devlin – Nutrition Practitioner at Maddie Elise Nutrition

Build an online nutrition practice. The online space can be daunting; you can’t click two links without running into a self-proclaimed nutritionist. But in the infinite platform of the internet people still value a well-educated, dedicated and passionate practitioner – enough so that you can make a living with it. Offering an online element to your practice doesn’t confine you to your laptop, it gives you the freedom to market however you chose, to audiences all over the world. I market though events, local markets and retailers, new clients have the choice to meet over Zoom or (at my discretion) at a local café if we are in the same town. A ‘local market’ might mean any town I happen to want to visit, I often set up markets through a contact I’ve met in an online group or a friend of a friend knows a retailer in a neighbouring town. You also have the freedom to take referrals from clients who’s friends and family live abroad.

Create a course. Another perc of the online space is creating courses and programs; coaching programs can include group calls and worksheets or be completely passive in the form of a series of ebooks. These can be sold in your shop, when you need to make a little extra cash, doing a small marketing campaign for these products will boost sales and adds a step in your funnel for new clients to get to know your style and weather they’d like to invest in one on one coaching. Small programs can be the perfect boost for clients who aren’t in crisis but would love to learn more about how to nurture their bodies, a huge asset for yourself as a coach and your clients.

Flexibility. More than working in jammies, creating an online practice allows you the flexibility to work full time on your business, or pick up other projects on the side – once you have a system (and it will always grow and change with you – hold lightly) it’s like having an office set up – if you neglect your nutrition practice online for a few weeks and end up with a few new referrals, you can jump right back in and have the flow in place to serve them best!

What you put in, you get out. Entrepreneurship is not for the light of heart, it’s hard work, you will have to make a lot of decisions and things will never really feel perfect. In the end though, you own all of the work you’ve done, your clients will trust your personal brand and your growth is a direct reflection of the heart and hustle you put in – no boss to come in and take your credit!

Connie Oliwa – Nutrition Practitioner at Connie Oliwa

Well, if you are anything like me you thought completing a Diploma in Natural Nutrition was the challenge. Don’t get me wrong. The course is a full work load that challenges us in so many different ways. It challenges our thinking process, our learning process, patience and even teaches us a whole new level of holistic self care and self love. 



Now, being a graduate, how will you apply your knowledge and skills and make a living in the process? I have owned a personal training business for 20 years. I love helping people and seeing individuals become the best versions of themselves. But I knew I was seeking more freedom in my personal schedule. Wanting to be able to travel and work at the same time. So, the obvious. I wanted to go online with my nutritional programs.

I spent many months researching who is online and what is being offered. In a short time it was clear that the online world of nutrition was vast and overwhelming. To my dismay there were also thousands of fitness and nutrition programs being offered for free. FREE. So why would someone give me money to but something that they can get for free? 



Free doesn’t have value. Free doesn’t offer support. Free doesn’t put you in a position of strength. 



I spent many months posting online health and nutrition ideas. Without asking for anything from my viewers in return. I just gave them information and was always available for questions and feedback. I chose to go the route of providing information and services and letting the client decide when it is right for them to work with me. Risky? Yes. Everyone is asking online clients for the same thing. Buy Now. Sign Up for Newsletters.

Positioning yourself as a confident, professional Nutritionist that is unique is what will empower clients to work with you. It is not your programs. It is finding that essential bond with your client. Relating to how your client feels and understanding their needs is what will make you successful, in person or online. Be you and clients will follow.

Lynne Faires – Owner & Operator at Prepped with Love

Owning a meal prep company – or working for one – is something that I can easily get behind and promote for new RHNs just coming to the scene! Many people don’t have the time, energy or knowledge to implement the plans that we create for our clients and this can lead to frustration on both the RHN and clients part. In the end, this often is what prevents people continuing with their consulting practice. If you have a passion for cooking and food, this may be an option worth considering. There are many benefits to working in the meal prep industry as it is a growing field.

These include:
– working for someone else
– Knowing that you are helping clients in the simplest way possible
– Potential to make a good wage
– Potential of being your own boss
– Building a lasting relationship with your clients
– Effecting change in a simple way

That being said, being your own boss or running a company isn’t for everyone, nor is meal prep. It is demanding, takes a lot of organization, can be time intensive, and requires some basic knowledge of how to manage clients and even employees depending on how you model the business or who you are working for.

All that being said, this is far more fulfilling to me than consulting ever was. My clients are seeing results, my business is growing steadily, I have great RHNs working with me to help us reach as many people as possible, and I couldn’t be happier and more proud that I created this company from the ground up!

Most importantly, I am educating people and encouraging change at a deeper level.

Melissa Christian – Holistic Nutrition Practitioner with Wind in the Willows Holistic Support

I graduated May 2018 from Pacific Rim College on Vancouver Island. While I was in my third year of school, I decided that I wanted to start promoting my online business by starting some workshops within the community, but of course I had all the ideas in the world, but had no clue where to start.

I researched into what stores were around my area that I thought would be interested and I saw there was a Whole Foods coming to Vancouver Island for the very first time. I thought “JACKPOT” but of course, I was just a student and didn’t have 100% confidence about contacting such a huge company.

BUT, I ended up contacting the marketing coordinator for the local store and she ended up being super stoked to collaborate on ideas. She said their vision for the store was to incorporate local foods and local practitioners.

It actually worked out to be amazing and I got to do two 2 hour workshops in-store promoted by Whole Foods. Needless to say it was an amazing opportunity and my advice is to get out there, make connections, don’t be afraid by success and BE FIERCE!

Jessica Pecush – Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant at Jessica Pecush Nutrition

In my private, digestion-focused, Culinary & Holistic Nutritional Consulting practice, nutritional workshops are a rewarding way to educate others and reach varied numbers of participants at once!

As I possess a Culinary Nutrition Expert (CNE) certification from the Academy of Culinary Nutrition (ACN) to compliment my diploma from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition (CSNN), I have utilized this additional training to conduct 1:1 and small group workshops (i.e. 4-6 participants) in clients’ homes. These workshops typically run for 3-3.5 hours in duration and are theme-based.

Upon taking a new booking, I consult with the client about the nature of the menu. For the session, I bring with me 1-2 pre-prepared recipes that serve as an introduction and appetizers to enjoy while we execute 3-4 recipes together. I utilize the Holistic Nutrition Hub’s Kitchen Equipment Questionnaire with the client soon after the booking is made. About 1 week prior to the workshop (for 1:1 workshops), the client receives the grocery list for those recipes to be executed together. I grocery shop for the pre-prepared recipes, submitting the receipt to the client on the day of the session for compensation.

For small group workshops, the cost per participant includes the cost of food and all food ingredients are purchased and prepped on my own, so as to move through the workshop with ease in consideration of the number of participants and allotted time.

In both scenarios, clients are provided the full recipe package, for reference both during the session and for future use.

I also conduct Corporate ‘Lunch & Learn’ Sessions with local businesses. These run for 50 minutes in duration. My initial contact provides an overview of this service, including a selection of popular themes for such presentations. Each participant receives a handout that includes my presentation notes, as well as strategically-selected recipes that incorporate the nutrients/foods highlighted in the presentation. As an added option, the business may enjoy some pre-prepared food during the presentation (at an additional cost). Although it can be much time up front to create a few different workshop topics/presentation options for clients, once the content creation time is complete, you can enjoy using the handful of presentations time and time again with different corporate clients!

Other venues you may want to explore are recreation centers and boutique fitness studios, particularly ones you attend as a participant and/or have a personal connection to.

Andrea Potter – Culinary Nutrition Instructor at Rooted Nutrition

My background as a chef combining with holistic nutrition was a perfect fit for me to pursue my passion of helping people navigate healthy eating by teaching cooking classes.

I knew I wanted to be my own boss from the beginning, and truly, there was not much competition in Vancouver in this niche when I first started! (but there sure is now! Which is great because it shows we have lots of need!)

I would definitely recommend that nutrition graduates take extra business courses if they want to forge out on their own.

The most challenging part for me was finding a great venue to teach from. I taught from client’s homes, Community centres, did mobile classes from every small kitchen & backyard in the Lower Mainland before finally I found my dream kitchen! This phase of my business was very important however, as it really helped me build my courses and my teaching chops as well as a very enthusiastic base of clients who spread the word. I now use the kitchen at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition as my primary venue.

I also worked with the Vancouver branch of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition to develop their Holistic Culinary classes and I’m still instructing the students there.

I ventured into producing Cultured Foods product line, which was an amazing journey, and definitely had the potential to become very successful, but I realized through doing that (and facing burnout!) that my passion is in teaching and that I needed to focus my energy!

I am celebrating 8 years as my own boss! My business, Rooted Nutrition has slowly become more stable and less of a roller coaster in the past few years. I have started a family and I am so grateful to have created a situation where I have flexibility in my work hours and creating more or less work as I need.

Forging a path as a solopreneur in holistic nutrition is definitely not for the faint of heart! There were definitely times when I doubted my ability to create my own career from scratch, but this has been a most satisfying endeavour, worth every bit of energy I’ve poured into it

Shawna Baker – Expert in plant-based nutrition at Synergy Nutrition

This is a perfect position for nutritionists that love doing research, developing lesson plans, and creating a captivating and inspiring learning environment.

All nutritionists should ideally keep up with current research after graduating, but working as a teacher means you will be diving deep into the research for the specific topics you are teaching, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved being able to share the ‘whole story’ about a specific topic and have classroom discussions where students may have certain questions/comments that will then spark more research and discussion.

This is a very demanding position, both with time and energy, but is also extremely rewarding, especially if you always enjoyed being a part of the academic setting.

The first time teaching a course is the most intense in terms of work-load because you are creating everything from scratch based on the syllabus from the previous instructor, or if it is a new course altogether you will need to create the outline and syllabus as well. Plus creating all of the quizzes and exams for the first time is a considerable amount of work. For the second time around teaching the same course, most of the material will already be created and you can focus on adding in new relevant information, creating new classroom activities and assignments, and making adjustments based on student feedback.

Depending on the course you want to teach, the position may require that you also have a Masters or Bachelors in Science, or be a Naturopathic Physician in addition to having a diploma in Holistic Nutrition. I have a Bachelor of Science and also completed the Teacher Training Program at CSNN.

Sara Gebriel – Life Coach at Angel Hands Wellness Integrative Center

Do you want to teach holistic nutrition? Good news: The primary role of a holistic nutritionist is to educate clients so you are already teaching holistic nutrition! However, teaching clients and teaching students is very different.

I have taught, trained and hired holistic nutritionists and instructors at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, Vancouver since 2003. Here are the 3 questions I’m repeatedly asked:

• What does the position of a nutrition school teacher entail?
• What qualities does it take to teach nutrition?
• What are the top challenges to teaching nutrition?

There’s lots to say about each however, here’s my summary:

1. What does the position of a nutrition school teacher entail?

Get hired: Most teaching opportunities are not posted publicly. Take initiative. Approach your desired organization (school, business, institution, group etc.). Make a personal contact and give them an updated cover letter and resume outlining to the contribution you want to make and how this benefits their organization.

Get Trained: Find out about teacher training requirements. Reputable organizations require minimum teacher training. Courses can be offered in-house or through a local college or school board.

Be Mentored: A great teacher is always learning. Consult with someone more experienced to bounce ideas and troubleshoot your challenges. Refine your lesson plans, update your content, vary your teaching styles, and learn from your students!

2. What qualities does it take to teach nutrition?

There are many intrinsic qualities that make a great teacher and my short-list includes:
– Humility
– Leadership
– Mental agility
– Passion for the content
– Love of learning and engaging dialogue
– Strong sense of self; self-confidence, self-esteem
– Not taking things personally. Instead, self-reflect and learn from all experiences
– Understanding that this job is less about teaching and more about ensuring learning is happening.
– Life and professional experience are key to transmitting information to students rather than merely passing on knowledge.

3. What are the top challenges to teaching nutrition?

Teachers are challenged in the areas they themselves need to grow in. This varies for each teacher at different times in their career. Common struggles include good time management, managing classroom and student dynamics, teaching to different learning styles and having the agility to switch teaching styles on the spot.

Teaching nutrition is a combination of heart and skill. If you have the heart, you can develop the skill…Go For It!