Niching Down to Build Business Up ���

LEAH TSUI

MS, RDN

INCOMING DIRECTOR OF SPONSORSHIP

Imagine your business is exceeding expectations, thriving beyond your wildest dreams� What does that look like?

You’re likely serving your ideal client, working the hours you want, and bringing home the income you’d like to have� Here are several benefits to niche down in your business: y You can focus on creating content that is specific to your ideal client y Your marketing materials are targeted to the clientele you want to serve y Your referral network understands what you do and will send clients your way y You differentiate yourself from other nutrition entrepreneurs y You are working in your zone of genius When I started my private practice in fall of 2020, I knew I wanted to focus on sports nutrition, yet was overwhelmed at the vastness within sports nutrition (high school sports, collegiate athletics, professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts)� My other love is gastrointestinal (GI) health, where I enjoy combing through the growing science to understand how the gutbrain axis works, ways of managing IBS symptoms and helping clients have peace of mind when dining out� I marketed my services to this narrow niche: recreational adult athletes who deal with GI issues using an intuitive eating approach� This meant updating my website to speak to this particular ideal client, posting social media content meant for my ideal client, and reaching out to local gyms, GI clinics and physical therapy clinics� My business mastermind group recently reviewed Gay Hendricks’s Zones of Function� There are four zones: the zone of incompetence, the zone of competence, the zone of excellence and the zone of genius� Hendricks describes the zone of genius as “the state in which you get into ‘flow,’ find ceaseless inspiration, and seem to not only come up with work that is distinguished and unique, but also do so in a way that excels far and beyond what anyone else is doing�” The zone of genius is where you should strive to be working when it comes to your niche� A few questions to consider when you think of niching down: y When you envision the type of client you want to work with, what problems of theirs are you solving? y Does this area of nutrition excite and inspire you? y What are some of the popular questions you get asked? Many nutrition entrepreneurs are afraid of niching down� A scarcity mindset may lead you to think that you won’t be able to generate enough income from narrowing down your clientele� That’s completely normal to experience especially if you are just starting out; niching down right away may not be realistic� You may not even know what area of nutrition really excites you or if 1:1 counseling is your thing� Getting your feet wet with a broader scope can help you learn what you’re passionate about� Outside of the “traditional” private practice of 1:1 counseling, there are so many other avenues that nutrition entrepreneurs have taken in their careers: branding, marketing, partnerships, administration, program development, group settings, nutrition education, and blogging� Exploring the world of entrepreneurship is one of the many benefits of being a part of NE DPG and can help you narrow down your niche within nutrition entrepreneurship� Keep exploring, and you too can work in your zone of genius�

Leah Tsui, MS, RDN, is the owner of Leah Tsui Nutrition LLC, where she does 1:1 counseling, corporate workshops, and consulting for several start-ups� Leah combines her love of sports nutrition and gastrointestinal health with an intuitive eating approach� In her time off from being an RDN, you can find her coaching functional fitness at her favorite gym, reading a book (or two!) for the book clubs she's in, or running along the beach�