The Career Option for Dietitians (almost) Nobody Talks About: Online Business

By Megan Matthews

It’s no secret there are countless career opportunities in the field of nutrition and dietetics. In fact, it is one of the things I have loved about this career path from the beginning. The words of my undergraduate academic advisor always resonated with me: “the opportunities in dietetics are only limited by your imagination”. Throughout our education and the dietetic internship, we are exposed to numerous job opportunities and gain hands-on experience in many positions. For example, this year we have interacted with dietitians who work in eating disorders, private practice, schools, hospitals, clinics, and wellness centers to name a few. But there is one career option we talk about less often: online business. This a relatively new path for Registered Dietitians, but one that should not be overlooked nonetheless. Sure, it’s a bit abstract and not a “traditional” path to follow. But it’s intriguing.

Like many others, I have followed food bloggers on Instagram and other forms of social media for quite some time. However, I noticed most of the accounts I came across were run by foodies, wellness coaches, and nutritionists. Until recently, I found only a small social media presence of individuals who had those beloved credentials behind their name: RDN.

I’ve always found the idea of starting an online business fascinating, but thought “that’s great for them, but that could never be me”. However, recently I started learning more about the online business field, simply out of curiosity. I’ve watched webinars about food photography and how to create a successful 6-figure online business. I’ve listened to podcasts about why and how people decided to become an online entrepreneur. I’ve started following Registered Dietitians who have made a name for themselves through their online business. In gathering this information, one thing has been clear: people are making a real living as online business owners, entrepreneurs, and influencers. Not only are they making a living, they LOVE what they do. This path is a feasible career option for nutrition professionals. Here are 5 reasons why online business should not be overlooked by dietitians:

     1. Others are doing it, we need Registered Dietitians to do it too!

We are all aware that there is a plethora of health information on the internet. Even if individuals doeverywhere. In blogs, commercials, magazines, ads, posts, etc. Unfortunately—as we know—this includes plenty of misinformation. An article published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders in 2014 identified dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors among “healthy” living bloggers. Many of the bloggers claiming to promote healthy lifestyles had an eating disorder themselves, were currently dieting, experienced difficulty with menstruation or fertility, or wrote negative messages about food. While this study had a limited sample of only 21 bloggers, it brings light to an important issue: the fact that anyone can publish anything online. It is important that as the food and nutrition experts, Registered Dietitians have a voice in this pool of accessible online information. This is a great opportunity to make our evidence-based practice accessible to a wider audience.

      2. Money, honey.

I think most of us would agree that people typically don’t enter the field of nutrition and dietetics for the money. In my experience, the dietitians and nutrition students I’ve interacted with genuinely want to make a difference in the lives of others. Again, this is something I love about our field. But after five years of schooling, I’m ready for (and in need of) some real income. At first, one of my biggest skepticisms of online business was whether or not someone could actually make a living from it. Based on what I’ve heard from people who are currently running online businesses, the answer is YES, YOU CAN. In fact, I’ve listened to a food photographer share her story of how she makes over $100,000 annually through online food photography. A dietitian who recently shared her success in online business generated over $200,000 of revenue in 2017. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the median salary of a Registered Dietitian was $63,700 in 2015. This indicates that there is potential for major profit in online business compared to some of the more traditional careers of Registered Dietitians. 

     3. It’s versatile.

Remember, “the options are only limited by your imagination”. This moto applies to online business as well. You don’t have to be a food blogger that develops recipes—although that sounds pretty fun to me. There are a variety of services you could offer online. Much of the nutrition and dietetics field is about educating others. I’ve heard quite a few people say “with the way technology is these days, anything that can be taught in person can be taught online”. I’m sure some would disagree with this, and I do not want to minimize in-person interactions in any way. But as I mentioned before, offering online education and services provides an avenue to reach a broader audience. Services offered online by a Registered Dietitian could include anything from meal-planning, cooking classes, and nutrition education to online counseling, or even gardening help.

     4. Schedule flexibility.

I’m certainly not an expert on entrepreneur lingo, but I think it goes something like this: work from home, be your own boss, set your own hours. Sounds good to me! If you’re someone who doesn’t love the traditional 9-5 work day schedule, starting your own online business can provide the flexibility you are looking for. This is by far one of the most common perks I have heard online entrepreneurs discuss. Shannon Monson, a dietitian who started the company Nutrition Simply, has shared how she is able to decide when and where she works while still financially supporting her family. She was able to take a vacation, personal leave, and spend time with her children over the summer in 2017 and still had her most profitable year to date.

     5. Have fun & channel creativity.

For many online entrepreneurs and influencers, their business has become a creative outlet (or their creative outlet has eventually grown into their full-time job). McKel Hill, an RDN and Founder of Nutrition Stripped, is very open about how her creative outlet naturally evolved into her successful online business. As the food and nutrition experts, dietitians have valuable knowledge to share with others.  Starting an online business is a way to relay that information to the public in creative and innovative ways. It is easy for the elements of fun and creativity to be overlooked when talking about careers. However, I believe these are important components of job satisfaction. At the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) this past fall, two RDs expressed the importance of creativity and having fun. Dawn Jackson Blatner, the dietitian for the Chicago Cubs, said, “you would be more successful if you added more fun”. She outlined how chasing her passions has led to several successful job positions. Similarly, Rebecca Lewis, the head Dietitian at HelloFresh stated, “the last ingredient [for success in your future career] is creativity. You don’t want your career to get stale, you don’t want your passion to dry up”.

Of course, there will also be challenges to starting an online business, as there is with any new career endeavor. If you are interested in learning more about the journey of a dietitian who has successfully created her own online company, check out McKel Hill’s “5 Years of Business Advice” at https://nutritionstripped.com/5years-business-advice/

Media Sources:

http://www.keepcalmandposters.com/poster/5527013_keep_calm_and_ask_a_dietitian

http://businessbharat.com/online-business-kaise-start-kre-no-investment-in-hindi/

http://www.alliantstaffing.com/agency-nursing-highest-pay-most-flexibility

Other Sources:

Rodgers, D. (2015). Compensation and benefits survey 2015. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 166(3), 370-383.

Boepple, L. & Thompson, J. K. (2014). A content analysis of healthy living blogs: Evidence of content thematically consistent with dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 47(4), 362-367.

Wolf, A., Blatner, D. J., Manring, D., & Lewis, R. (2017, October 23) Hot career paths in nutrition: expert panel. Presentation at the Food and Nutrion Conference and Expo, Chicago, IL.