Develop a Healthier Relationship With Food

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Carolyn Fetters, Founder of Balanced Habits, located in Palm Desert, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

The company serves two different customers. The original customer was a B2B subscription model exclusively with Fitness Facilities across North America. Due to the pandemic's decimation of that industry, we began focusing on a direct-to-consumer business model. Our average customer is a 45+-year-old woman looking to learn about how food affects them, usually to lose weight, but ultimately to become healthier versions of themselves. Now that we built up our own in-house Health Coaching Team, we have moved our B2B subscription model into an Affiliate model using our Health Coaches to serve their clientele mainly due to lack of employees and revenue on their end.

Tell us about yourself

I was not raised by a healthy or physical parent. I made very conscious decisions to live my life differently. I was a competitive athlete in College (UCLA) and extended that into my profession. My husband and I owned three Private Training Studios, and I developed a nutrition program to serve our clientele as well as the professional athletes we worked with. I soon realized how important that side of our business was and how nutrition truly transformed people's lives. About that time, I lost two of my three siblings to obesity-related illnesses. That propelled me to exit the gyms and devote all my energy to building Balanced Habits so that I had the opportunity to touch more and more lives all across North America through our programming and expertise. Improving people's lives with something unavoidable (eating food) is why I do what I do. Everyone has to eat, and most people simply do not know how to eat properly to support their lifestyle.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Originally that would have been supporting a Fitness Facility to develop a new profit center and more effectively supporting their clientele. Now, with the direct-to-consumer model, I'd say that has shifted to my own Team of Health Coaches supporting people who reach out for our help. Watching those folks transform their mindset and body to being more balanced and healthy is exceptionally rewarding.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

When I was the gym owner, I'd have said having employees was the most difficult aspect. With the original Balanced Habits, the difficulty was with something I did not expect, and that was to help people be better business owners. I had no idea that would be my role, and yet it was the most time-consuming and hardest part. Today's difficulty is standing out in a very crowded space. We are most definitely NOT part of the diet industry, and that means that we have to educate the consumer that we are better, sustainable, and what they need. That's HARD!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Be very clear on your purpose so you can stay the course when challenged.
Surround yourself with people that are smarter than you at all times. Delegate and learn.
Have a clear vision, know exactly who you serve, and how you do it.

Sure! As a woman entrepreneur, I have had many added challenges, but one that I didn't anticipate for some reason was being a great leader. As my team grew, I needed to improve my leadership skills to empower them to shine continually. If you intend to grow your company, that is an unavoidable aspect of doing business. Being a leader means guiding an individual or team to achieve a certain goal through your direction and motivation.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://balancedhabits.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BalancedHabits
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balanced_habits/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-fetters-144144110/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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