Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Emily Luxford, Owner of Luxford Nutrition, located in Redondo Beach, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Nutrition counseling for women and children with autoimmune disorders and gut health concerns, like IBS, Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, and thyroid diseases.
Tell us about yourself
I still remember the day the pain started. My family and I went to dinner at a local restaurant. I ordered my usual cheeseburger, but I couldn't eat it. The pain hit me as my plate was delivered. I sat there, staring at my cheeseburger, hunched over and silent. This was just the beginning. I was only five years old.
I suffered for 12 years before I was diagnosed with my first autoimmune disease. The first diagnosis had no cure. Four years later, I was diagnosed with my second autoimmune disease. Lucky for me, this disease had a treatment. But, the treatment didn't alleviate all my symptoms. By this time, I was an expert at living daily with a multitude of symptoms. My personal experiences shaped who I am today: my compassion, my determination, and my career. After becoming a dietitian nutritionist, I realized I had another treatment option. I could use whole food-as-medicine to reverse my symptoms.
Having been diagnosed with celiac disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, I have experience as a patient. I understand the client's perspective and provide personalized care. As an educator and a dietitian nutritionist, I provide precise and attainable lifestyle interventions that meet the needs and goals of each patient.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is leaving the comforts of a stable and reliable clinical position and jumping into private practice as a sole practitioner. I started as a one-woman shop. I did everything from business development, marketing, clinical care, and all things technical. It forced me to grow beyond my academic background in education and nutrition. I am constantly learning, which allows me to grow professionally as an individual and as a business.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
As a small business owner, I am solely responsible for the successes and failures of my company.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- You need to be competent in your area of practice.
- It takes about five years to become a stable and reliable business. Be patient! Even then, you need to continue to be active to make sure you maintain the business.
- You don't need to spend a lot of money, in the beginning, to be successful. Be smart with the allocation of funds. Personal networking is the best way to promote your brand and what you do.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://luxfordnutrition.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autoimmune.gut.nutritionist/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3CYxw3a
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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