Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Emma Townsin, Founder of Food Life Freedom, located in London, England, UK.

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

I support women to live their life without stressing over food and body. We explore and challenge the societal ideals that can keep us trapped in a body-hating and diet cycle and reconnect with the body to be the number one guide in eating and self-care.

Our body communicates its needs with us through sensations within the body. However, our world also has rules around how we should eat, which often conflict with our body's messages. This can lead to eating in a way that doesn't feel good for our body, brings stress and guilt around food, and keeps us stuck in a cycle of restricting foods followed by bingeing on foods or emotional eating.

Together we break down and let go of societal ideals so we can find what feels good in our own unique bodies. We learn to stop the fight and work with our own body to be our number one guide, and food knowledge serves only a supportive role, not controlling. I work with those who identify as women and are ready to move away from diets and control food and eat in a way that supports them to best engage in life.

Tell us about yourself

My background is a registered dietitian, and I worked for nearly ten years in hospital settings before starting Food Life freedom. Although I gained such valuable experience and knowledge, I noticed there was a lot of focus on telling people what to do rather than having time to really listen and support them. Several years ago, I started learning a lot about diet culture - the value our culture places on thinness above all else and the morality placed on eating "right." I started seeing the harm this was causing both in society and in healthcare settings. I chose to complete official training to become a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor and support people to feel good around food and in their bodies.

I started my business as this type of service doesn't generally exist in public healthcare, and at the time, I couldn't really find much in private practice either. The awareness and interest in this area are increasing, but diet and body shaming messages still overtake supportive and compassionate nutrition and health services. There is still a shortage of services focused on sharing a more compassionate message and supporting clients to improve their relationship with food and body.

Each day I am motivated to show up for my clients and to grow the reach of my business because everyone deserves food to be a peaceful and supportive part of their lives. Everyone of all body sizes or health statuses deserves to enjoy food and to feel good in their body.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

When I reflect on my growth, both as a person and as a business owner, I am amazed at how far I have come and how much I have learned already. This reflects hugely in the support I am able to offer my clients.

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

Being a master of all professions. I studied for a science degree, not a marketing degree. Let alone managing finances, interns or staff, writing, showing up on video, and everything else that comes with running a business. As you grow, some of this can be supported by growing a team, but some of it will remain a part of being the face of your business.

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

  1. Let go of perfection or try to do every platform perfectly and just start. Then when you have consistency, you learn which platforms you like best. You can start to learn how to truly master and optimize one platform at a time. For example, your blog or your Instagram, or your YouTube channel for example.
  2. Aim for long-term results, not short-term ones. Don't try to get all the clients now! Instead, focus on starting to build trust and consistency, which will pay off long term.
  3. If you can, start small while still working your current job or find a flexible position to have as financial assurance. That way, it takes the pressure of making money right now, and you have more to invest in your business. As it starts to grow, you can decide to reduce or leave your job.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Add self-care to your list of tasks. It is underrated. Being a business owner means having a never-ending list of tasks you could be doing, but actually, looking after yourself is one of the most important parts of building a business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.foodlifefreedom.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foodlifefreedom
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/food.life.freedom/

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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