My yoga teacher’s teacher taught him that you have to help over 100 people in business first, before you can become successful yourself. What does this mean? In our profession, I have noticed that many dietitians become very territorial when it comes to sharing business successes peers. However, these same dietitians do not hesitate to drain others when it comes to their own needs. What is this about?

Let’s look at missed opportunities that these dietitians have gleaned if they just would have focused on creating a promotional partnership:

A student e-mailed me about getting some experience in eating disorder recovery. I have finally worked out a way to include students in my group programs versus impose them on my clients in private sessions. For those of you who work in the area of eating disorder recovery, you know that there was little eating disorder training in your dietetics curriculum. Since the dietetic curriculum hasn’t changed much in the last 25 years (and probably longer for that matter), some creative instructors and department heads have developed a way to wrap cutting edge material into their courses. As professionals, you probably struggle with a way to offer students training in the area of eating disorder recovery.

Recently, a student told me that I was the only dietitian in the area who ever returned students calls or e- mails. Would it be that difficult for us to give back, in the form of time, to a student? I promise it will give you a great amount of personal satisfaction. Remember that place where you were at as a student—and an RD extended a helping hand to you…I hope. Students can also be great referral sources. They will remember what you have to offer and how it may benefit others that they meet along their path.

In the early stages of my practice, I grew my business tremendously by partnering with a diabetes supply company to cross promote glucose monitors and my nutrition services as a team. This diabetes supply company attempted to extend this model to other dietitians around the country only to find fear and skepticism throughout the dietetics community. There were just a few dietitians, who had successful businesses before taking on this new opportunity, who found that this partnership enhanced their current business—thus making their services an “experience” vs. simply another consultation. Plus, they grew their business even more from a revenue standpoint.

A third example is the Private Practice workshops that I offer around the country. I offer universities and hospitals the opportunity to trade meeting space for free spots for their nutrition faculty or staff. Those who “get it” benefit by their students learning about private practice (another void in the dietetics curriculum) or the hospital staff learning to treat their department like a business and gain respect.

Oh, the drama involved in trying to convince a university or dietetics department the benefit—from chief dietitians, of hospital departments, cutting me off during an introductory phone conversation while another professional wanted me to use my contacts for a room for her boss to hold a seminar. When it came time to exchange the favor, it somehow became too much to ask.

So, we are not talking about giving away the ship here. On the other hand, you can’t overextend your energy to those who do not understand the meaning of give and take. One you each bring the sense of abundance consciousness to the table, both reap the benefits.

About Beverly Price, RD, MA, RYT

Beverly Price is a Registered Dietitian, author, newspaper columnist and public speaker who made a name for herself with her unique approach to nutrition counseling. After 11 years in private practice, she sold Living Better Sensibly -- one of the largest private nutrition practices in the country - to a private nutrition consulting firm, and started Jump Start Consulting specializing in management and marketing strategies for dietitans and other healthcare professionals, along with distance learning products for continuing professional education. Beverly currently operates a private practice, in Huntington Woods, Michigan, where she specializes in eating disorder recovery and yoga therapy.

Jump Start Consulting, LLC is a Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Accredited Provider with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).


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