Combat Sports Nutritionist

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with James Nichol, Founder of James Nichol Nutrition, located in St. Albans, United Kingdom.

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

I'm a combat sports nutritionist. I work with fighters to take the stress out of dieting and making weight so they can focus on training and fighting.

Tell us about yourself

Early in my fight career, I put a lot of effort into my diet. Despite this, I didn’t get great results. This was because my effort was misdirected. I was majoring in minors. Now, I help fighters avoid the same mistakes and get the maximum return on investment for their efforts.

I'm motivated to put out high-quality free content on my Instagram, website, and podcast to remove the cost barrier to having a long and healthy fight career. I offer online nutrition coaching to help fighters dial in their nutrition and stop rolling the dice on their performance.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Building my dream business from scratch and having a positive impact on the fight community. Just a few years ago, this business was simply an idea. Now, I've made it a reality. Thank you to all of my past, present, and future clients who have made this dream a reality.

On top of this, every time I hear that working with me has had a positive impact on a fighter's performance, health, or well-being, I feel very grateful. I'm very fortunate to be in a position where I can have a positive impact on others' lives whilst doing something I love.

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

Time management. Whatever time you allocate to a task will take that amount of time. So if you're not strict with yourself and your own working hours and boundaries, you'll end up working all hours of the day because, and I can promise you this, you will never have an empty to-do list as a business owner!

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

Seek feedback from your clients. Not only does this allow you to improve your product and service, so it better suits your customer base, but receiving positive feedback can often help overcome the imposter syndrome that many small business owners experience.
Treat it like a 'real' job. Set working hours, don't turn up to work in your pyjamas, and when it's time to work, focus. The idea of sitting in your bed in your PJs listening to music whilst working sounds great until 3 hours have passed and you've not been productive. When you're working, focus on work. The upside of being a business owner is that you can choose if you work 2, 4, 6, 8, or however many hours per day. Make these hours productive so you can enjoy your free time outside of this.
You're the boss. Don't forget it! This is your business, and you can make it run however you want it to. This works both ways: it can be a never-ending beast that takes up all of your time and stresses you into exhaustion, or it can be a dream job that gives you freedom and fulfilment. The choice is yours!

Thank you to all of my clients, past and present, for putting your trust in me. You are the reason I've been able to build this idea into a fully-functioning business and can fund my own fight career as a result. I am endlessly grateful - thank you!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://jamesnicholnutrition.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamesnicholnutrition
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesnicholnutrition/
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4qqBecOrXOL1B5G762ZOt1

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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.