Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Emily Marshall, Owner of True Being RD LLC., located in Chicago, IL, USA.

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

I'm a non-diet, weight-inclusive dietitian who helps people develop more empowered relationships with food and their bodies. My clients are looking to rebuild trust with their bodies after years of dieting. They hope to experience less stress with eating and more enjoyment and satisfaction. They want to improve their body image and speak to themselves with more kindness so they can be less in their head and more in their life. The frameworks I utilize to help my clients make peace with food and approach health more flexibly are Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size. My practice is solely virtual, and I work with clients on a one-on-one basis.

Tell us about yourself

My passion for food led me to become a dietitian, and I ultimately wanted to help people enjoy food and view food as a form of nourishment for our body, mind, and soul. I'm motivated to do what I do because diet culture never rests! There is so much misinformation and actually harmful advice out there, and I aim to support people in navigating the toxic messages surrounding food, health, and body size. I genuinely want more people to be able to ditch the good vs. bad food mindset so they can experience more ease in their life.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment and something that I still continue to work through as a business owner is battling my perfectionism. If you're a perfectionist like myself, it shows up in all areas of your life, especially in business. Perfectionism can fuel burnout, procrastination, and avoidance in your business, and I've learned to challenge the perfectionistic tendencies when they show up. It's something I help my clients with in their relationship with food, and the same advice I give to them, I also give to myself.

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

Doubts about your ability to run a successful business will arise. You might have thoughts about giving up or feeling like you can't seem to figure it out. What has helped me push through is having unwavering faith in myself and knowing that succeeding in my business will lead to me living the kind of life that I know I want.

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

  1. Try to have fun with it and do the things that bring you the most joy. You don't have to do what other people are doing. You can do what you want to do!
  2. Look into forms of marketing that aren't eliciting shame. So much of marketing involves making people feel worse about themselves in order for them to buy something, but marketing and sales don't have to look like this at all! It can be ethical, trauma-informed, and inspiring!
  3. Take care of your needs first! Your business will do better when you are also doing better physically, mentally, and emotionally. A lot of business growth that I've seen has actually come from doing some serious personal growth.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I have a chronic illness, and running my virtual business has been vital to helping me take care of myself, my needs, and rest when I need to rest. I know I am privileged to be able to work with this amount of flexibility in my schedule and routine. I am so grateful to be able to do the work that I do.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.truebeingrd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrueBeingRD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truebeing_rd/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-marshall-true-being-rd/

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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