Tamsin Jordan is a Registered Dietitian, wellness expert, and mom living in Darien, Connecticut. She provides one to one nutritional counseling to people of all ages, with a specialty in women’s health, weight management, and diabetes. She also writes about nutrition and wellness topics on her blog:  www.tamsinjordan.com and  Instagram

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I was born and raised in the UK and moved to the States around 5 years ago.  I spent the first 4 years out of college working in the financial communications industry in London. I quickly realized that corporate life wasn’t for me and I needed to switch paths. I had always been fascinated by the connection between nutrition and health and was looking for a career that would help people and have more meaning. Nutrition and dietetics seemed to fit the bill! Fast forward to now and I run my own private practice providing nutritional counseling, specializing in women’s health. This includes conception planning to infertility, pregnancy through postpartum recovery, and breastfeeding. I also work with an obstetrician’s office where I see high risk, pregnant women, throughout NYC.

What inspired you to start your business?

Since childhood, I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to start my own business. After working for big companies my whole life, I yearned for more flexibility and the challenge of creating something from scratch. Starting my own nutrition practice has given me more control over my working life. Another motivating factor was becoming a new mom. Being able to dictate how and when I work has allowed me to spend more time with my daughter. I also love the thought of being a great role model ‘and’ showing ‘her’ that you can be a mom and have a successful career.

Where is your business based?

NYC

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

My first step was to create an LLC with the help of a business lawyer. I watched a ton of youtube videos to understand the different legal structures and decide what would be best for my business. My lawyer helped me get a tax ID number and the relevant legal documents in order. 

After that, I created a website using Square Space, I hired a designer to create a logo and branding materials and I set up social media accounts. The majority of my clients pay out of pocket but I’m also working with insurance companies to become an in-network provider.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

The majority of my clients are referral based, either through a doctors office or word of mouth. Other than that, I spend most of my time providing commentary for media, writing blog posts for my own site or others, and posting on social media to increase my digital presence and name recognition.  

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Some of the biggest challenges I’ve encountered so far have been researching and finding an effective medical system that is secure and easy for my patients to use. That has involved a lot of trial and error!  

Other than that, it’s taken some time to adjust to doing virtual counseling – before COVID19 I would see all my patients in person. While I find virtual consultations slightly less personal, the feedback I’ve received is very positive. It’s a safer option and much more flexible to fit around people’s schedules.  

How do you stay focused?

It’s definitely a daily struggle! Right now, I don’t have consistent childcare so I’m having to juggle working on my private practice and running around after a 1-year-old! To try and stay focused, I start my day with a cup of strong coffee. I’ll then go through my emails and make a list of things to get done for that day. I often only get a couple of items ticked off but I find it really helpful to write things down to keep me on track

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

My main point of differentiation is the fact that I primarily focus on women’s health nutrition. That includes infertility, pregnancy, post-partum, and menopause. I also see patients looking for help with weight management and diabetes. I pride myself on making sure all communication is trouble-free and seamless. This starts from booking a session via my website, providing easy- to digest handouts and resources. All communication is conducted via a secure portal and messaging system. 

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Word of mouth and doctor’s referrals have been my most effective way of gaining new clients so far. Going forward, I’m working to steadily grow my Instagram following so I hope that will start to be a useful marketing tool, as well as listing myself on more online health provider databases.  

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Keep persevering! Getting things up and running (and earning money!) can take a long time. I would recommend slowly growing your business as a ‘side hustle’ at the start while continuing to work full or part-time to relieve some of the financial pressure.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why? 

Favorite app: I use Better to manage my patient bookings and communication. I’ve found it really easy to use and low cost compared to other providers

Blog: Doris & Bertie. I completed one of their writing courses before I launched my blog and it really helped me refine my writing style. I regularly check out their blog for tips on ways to continue improving.

Book: I don’t really have time to read that often as a new mom, instead I listen to lots of podcasts – my favorites include ABC Start Here for news and Birthful for everything related to motherhood

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why? 

When I was starting my business, I referred to the Small Business Administration website a lot https://www.sba.gov/  

They have a ton of really useful resources including, business plan templates and information on business legal structures.

Who is your business role model? Why?

I think Sheryl Sandberg is inspirational. I admire how well she has done in a male-dominated industry while also having a family.

How do you balance work and life?

I honestly don’t think it’s possible to achieve a complete balance between work and life. Right now, my priority is spending time with my daughter while also keeping my business going. As she gets older and I get more childcare (COVID19 dependent!), I plan to reallocate more of my time towards growing my business.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I love to run! I find this a great way to reduce stress, stay fit, and have some time for myself

What do you have planned for the next six months?

My primary focus is to continue to grow my private practice client base through various marketing initiatives. I also plan to participate in a few online nutrition panels around women’s health and continue to provide commentary in media publications.  

How can our readers connect with you?

You can find me on Instagram or via my website www.tamsinjordan.com