Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Julia Phillips, Founder of Julia Van Health, located in Austin, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a certified health coach and nutrition consultant that works with women to create a healthier diet and lifestyle using a holistic approach. I specialize in working with brides to be so that they can properly nourish their bodies while they plan and feel vibrant and confident on their wedding day (and be able to maintain their healthy lifestyle long for years to come).
Tell us about yourself
I became obsessed with health and wellness after working a demanding corporate job for a few years right after college. I noticed that although I was doing what I thought were the "right" things to be healthy, I constantly felt tired, puffy, and had intense cravings. I realized that a lot of the yo-yo dieting tendencies that I had developed were actually sabotaging my efforts to live a truly healthy lifestyle. So, on the side of my corporate job, I spent hours reading nutrition books, listening to podcasts, and eventually enrolled in the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and Hawthorn University (now ACHS). I began health coaching women on the side of my corporate job and was able to transition into health coaching full-time in 2021. During that time, I was engaged and was using everything I had learned to feel my best for my wedding day. I also began taking on more bride health coaching clients at that time. I realized that most of the "nutrition" programs that brides would use to prepare for their wedding were quick fixes that didn't work long-term and often made women feel stressed and discouraged. My motivation for what I do is to help women become their own health advocates and understand how their unique body works and which foods support it best so that they never have to depend on a fad diet/quick fix ever again.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I'd say my biggest accomplishment is creating the BRIDE Method. It is my first self-paced nutrition and wellness program created specifically for brides. It's a one-stop shop for wedding prep from a health perspective, where I include exactly what my clients and I did to look and feel amazing on our wedding days (and beyond). I know planning a wedding can be so expensive, so creating this program allows more brides to get the same results as working with me one on one, but at a lower price point.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things has been reminding myself that entrepreneurship is a long game and that "Rome wasn't built in a day." Just like in health, there is no quick fix/magic pill, and it's the small steps that add up over time that create a successful and sustainable business.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- If you are feeling pulled to lean into a passion, hobby, or side business idea - DO IT. You truly never know what can happen, and it's better to try and "fail" than to regret never trying at all.
- Let go of caring about what people think of you. This can be easier said than done, but I've noticed that most of the criticism/embarrassment about trying something new comes from people who are too scared to do it themselves.
- Be willing to work for free (at the beginning). This allows you to get valuable feedback and testimonials and work out kinks!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.juliavanhealth.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliavanhealth
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliavanhealth/
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.
