Ventures 2016 Summer Issue by Mitchell Graphics

Ventures Enterprising News & Ideas for Nutrition Entrepreneurs

Connecting and Networking

Through Nutrition Entrepreneurs Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN Chair Hello, Nutrition Entrepreneurs (NE)! I’m excited to be your new chair for the year. My theme is “Evolving Leaders” since we are all leaders in one way, shape or form when it comes to being an entrepreneur. We need to remember how to not only empower our clients, but to also empower ourselves and elevate our worth. Since we are constantly growing and advancing, building connections and maintaining strong relationships can help us flourish as leaders, too.

To share a little history of my involvement with NE, I originally joined as a second-career student in 2005. I immediately signed up for the Electronic Mailing List (EMLs) in order to read what all the seasoned dietitians had to say. (If you haven’t joined yet, you should – it’s a fabulous member benefit). After lurking online for many months, I decided to put myself out there and ask if anyone knew of a private practice dietitian in San Francisco. I was connected to my mentor and dear friend, Manuel Villacorta. I started working for him during my undergrad and he taught me most of what I know today. Using the tools NE has to connect with other dietitians has been life-changing for me and helped pave my future practice. To emphasize the power of connecting with people online, this is how I met the amazing Elizabeth Shaw. She was interested in being on NE’s executive committee so she was connected with the Mentor Services position. After a few emails, we picked up the phone and immediately became fast friends. I have still never met her in real life since we live at opposite ends of California, but we keep in touch and support one another through social media, text and phone calls. I already “know” her so well which just goes to show how powerful social media, networking and virtual connections can be.

Summer 2016 Volume XXXIII Number 1 Social Media & Self-Promotion: What Works and What Doesn’t

In This Issue: Social Media & Self Promotion: What Works and What Doesn’t ��1 Newsletter Editor Letter ��2 Words “Social Media” Are a Marketing Tool NOT a Selling Tool ��3 Members on the Move ��4 Where Did My Audience Go? ��5 Best Tips for Navigating the World of Social Media ��6 How RDNs are Successfully Blending Their Online Presence to Make a Statement for the Health of It! ��7 Finding Balance Between Personal You and Professional You ��8 A Love/Hate Relationship With Social Media ��9 Lift All Boats: Collaborate and Cross Promote! �� 10 Meet the 2016-2017 NE Executive Committee �� 11 Product Reviews �� 14 Student Spotlight Announcement �� 15 Twitter Chats ��Back Cover I hope that all of you enjoy your experience with Nutrition Entrepreneurs as much as I have and you continue to grow and evolve as leaders while making long-lasting friendships along the way. Definitely use social media and the EMLs to your advantage to meet people and make true connections. It’s what being “social” is all about when we live miles apart. Cheers to new friends, new opportunities and new beginnings.

Sarah Koszyk is a San Francisco-based nutrition coach specializing in adult and pediatric weight management and sports nutrition. Her blog: Family.Food.Fiesta.focuses on healthy recipes for the entire family: www.sarahkoszyk.com. Sarah writes for NutritionJobs, ExerciseJobs, UltraRunning magazine, and Swimmer.Connect with Sarah on Twitter or Instagram: @SarahKoszykRD.

Ventures EDITOR Alexandra Caspero, MA, RD, CLT, RYT

INCOMING EDITOR Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, CDE, CLT

EDITORIAL BOARD, 2016-2017 Alexandra Caspero, MA, RD, CLT, RYT Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, CDE, CLT Penny Wilson, PHD, RDN, LD Lauri Egan, RDN, CPT Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN Rosanne Rust, MS, RDN, LDN The newsletter pertains to the Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and reproduction rights are reserved. Publication of an advertisement in the Ventures newsletter should not be considered as an endorsement of the product or advertiser by the DPG. Viewpoints and statements in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect policies and/or positions of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. © 2015 Nutrition Entrepreneurs. All rights reserved.

WE WELCOME INPUT FROM OUR MEMBERS. PLEASE CONTACT THE EDITOR: Alexandra Caspero, MA, RD, CLT, RYT 7515 Teasdale Ave St. Louis, MO 63130

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION NE members’ Ventures subscription year runs from June through May. Non-Academy members may purchase a one-year (five issues) subscription by sending a $40 check payable to Academy-DPG 30 to: Nutrition Entrepreneurs 6301 Snidercrest Rd. Mason, OH 45040

ADDRESS CHANGES AND MISSING ISSUES If you have a change of address, please contact the Academy with your new address information. If you missed an issue, email Lauri Egan at NEadmin@NEdpg.org or call (513) 972-4668.

Newsletter EDITOR LETTER Alexandra Caspero, MA, RD, CLT, RYT Newsletter Editor When I first started blogging in 2010, I was clueless on the concept of disclosure. Books, products and food samples would arrive at my doorstep, then I would share them on social media without any mention of how I received them. It wasn’t dishonest in intent; I really did love the products I was sharing, but I was misinformed on my professional responsibility to disclose those relationships. Now, I see the importance and value of disclosure - not only to protect my personal brand, but to uphold the RDN profession as well. Open and honest disclosure strengthens trust among consumers and adheres to requirements set by the Federal Trade Commission. So, what is disclosure? Essentially, it’s transparency among the affiliations, employment, financial or material relationships that influence or appear to influence your media outreach. This includes blog posts, all social media channels, media outlets and free gifts. While it might seem silly to add a

#sponsored hashtag after a single sample of cereal, it creates trust with your readers. Personally, I know this to be true both in how my readers perceive my sponsored work and how I view others. When I read an obvious sponsored post without disclosure, I feel a distrust with the author, as if he/she is trying to hide his/her relationship from the reader.

GUIDELINES FOR DISCLOSURE ACROSS VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS:

I n a product review or sponsored blog post, disclosure should be placed at the beginning of the post and be clear in its meaning. Example, “Disclosure: This post is sponsored by ABC Company. I was compensated for my time. All opinions are my own.”

dding #sponsored #AD or #client to A a social media message. #spon and #cl are not acceptable disclosure hashtags as they aren’t transparent in their meanings.

ou can keep it conversational! For Y example “I’m loving my new Brand X Food Processor, especially for making my own hummus. Thanks for gift, @ BrandX,” implies the relationship without having to add an additional #sponsored hashtag.

sing affiliate links in your U posts also requires a disclosure statement. “This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission.”

For more detailed guidelines on the ethics of disclosure, visit www.rds4disclosure.org.

Alex Caspero, MA, RD, CLT, RYT, is a Registered Dietitian and nutrition expert with a passion for both health and wellness. Her award-winning blog, Delish Knowledge, focuses on making whole-food vegetarian eating deliciously simple. She serves as a consultant and spokesperson for like-minded companies to develop nutrition communication strategies and recipes.

Words “Social Media” Are a Marketing Tool NOT a Selling Tool Penny Wilson, PhD, RDN, CSSD, LD Past Chair When it comes to social media, it seems like everyone has some secret tip or trick to share that will make you the next overnight success. And they usually want to charge you for that tip or trick. When using social media, the first question to ask yourself is, What’s the point? Why are you using social media? What do you want from it? Most business owners want to drive business using social media. A lot of businesses, especially small businesses, don’t see the point of social media.

relationships you need to provide valuable information to your target market. When you are putting together your plan, brainstorm about what information your target market would find valuable. Is it reposting information? Creating new content? A combination of both? A lot of answers will be influenced by which platform you choose. The key is to provide information your target market finds valuable.

Fourth (I know I said three steps. But, it’s always good to offer a bonus. Here’s your bonus step). Be consistent. You want people to look forward to hearing from you on a consistent schedule. The more consistent you are, the more your target market will learn to know and trust you. You are delivering information people find valuable on a schedule. That builds trust, builds credibility and will eventually get you clients.

Third, now that you have your plan, you have to execute. Put time in your calendar each day or week to execute your plan. If you don’t have the time, see if you can outsource. Use a social media scheduling tool to schedule your posts. If you don’t execute your plan, then what’s the point of having a plan in the first place?

Dr. Penny Wilson is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. She helps women go from feeling funky to feeling fabulous! Through her private practice - Eating for Performance - Penny uses integrative and functional nutrition to address her clients’ needs.

However, unless you’re a known expert in a field, social media isn’t about driving sales. For the rest of us, social media is marketing. And, marketing is your opportunity to build trust, credibility and relationships with potential and current clients. It’s also a place for you to build authority. Remember, don’t sell in your marketing. That’s a separate part of your business.

HERE ARE THREE STEPS TO USING SOCIAL MEDIA AS A MARKETING TOOL: First, look at your target markets. What social media platforms do they use? Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? If you don’t know, then ask them. You can ask current clients or do a survey from your email list to find out where they hang out. Choose one to three platforms to concentrate on. Or, if you’re just starting out, pick one, master it, then move to the next one. Second, once you find out where they are, do some research and find out what works on that platform. Using that information, make a plan on how you want to market on that platform. Ken Blanchard said, "The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority." To build trust, credibility and

Members on the Move Chere Bork

Sohailla Digsby, RDN, is a fitness pro, national speaker and the author of two books: Countdown to Your Best Body Success Journal and the corresponding Best Body Cookbook & Menu Plan (hot off the press; co-authored with RDN Kim Beavers). Both are intended for wellness professionals to use to bring sound nutrition and accountability to their centers by outlining daily steps and menus for clients to help them reach and maintain their Best Bodies. Donna P. Feldman, MS, RDN, has published Feed Your Vegetarian Teen, for parents of teens who decide to give up meat. The book includes basic nutrition information for vegan or vegetarian teens and information about the benefits of plant-based diets for health and the environment. Recipes use high-protein foods – from meat to tofu – as condiments, so everyone can share one meal, adding the protein food of their choice. www. FeedYourVegetarianTeen.com The Meal Makeover Moms, Liz Weiss, MS, RDN, and Janice Newell Bissex, MS, RDN, recently published The Smoothie Bowl Coloring Cookbook: Healthy Recipes and Playful Mandala Food Designs for Kids and Adults! Tapping into two hot trends - smoothie bowls and adult coloring - the dietitian duo hopes their book encourages families to cook together while eating a healthier diet. The book is available as a free download on www.MealMakeoverMoms.com or for purchase on Amazon. Jen Haugen, RDN, LD, is publishing a new book titled The Mom's Guide to a Nourishing Garden. This book shares the power of a mom to influence her family's eating habits with the simple idea of planting a family garden, including all the steps you need to get growing. Find it on Amazon or www. jenhaugen.com.

Jacqueline B. Marcus, MS, RDN, LDN, CNS, FADA, FAND, NE Treasurer 20152017, member of the Committee for Lifelong Learning (CLL) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2015-2018, was awarded the Northern Illinois University Alumni Association’s Outstanding College Alumni Award for the College of Health and Human Sciences, presented in recognition of Jacqueline’s professional accomplishments and civic, cultural and charitable involvement since NIU graduation, bestowed at the Alumni Association’s Awards Dinner, April 22, 2016. Jennifer McGurk, RDN, CDN, CDE, CEDRD, owner of Eat With Knowledge, is excited to announce the launch of her new website Pursuing Private Practice at www. pursuingprivatepractice. com. She has released two books on private practice about how to start and grow a business. Pursuing Private Practice: 10 Steps to Start Your Own Business and Pursuing Private Practice: 10 Steps to Grow Your Own Business are available now. Learn exactly how to set yourself up for success. Maree Ferguson, MBA, PhD, RD, FAND, Director of Dietitian Connection, has launched a new ebook with Melanie McGrice, Marketing for Success: Secrets to help dietitians stand out from the crowd. This book is for all dietitians and is designed to help you market yourself and your products/services. Motivating, practical and packed with realistic advice, this is your guide to help you stand out from the crowd. Only $9.99 available at www. dietitianconnection.com/products. "Do M.O.R.E. with Dinner" ™ is a new initiative by Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RD, CDE, for people who want to be healthier and happier, connect with loved ones, and get more out of each day through ideas and inspiration for dinner. Melissa highlights other dietitians and their products/services (cooking, shopping, dining-out tips and more). Contact Melissa to share your info for her Sound Bites blog and podcast and look for #domorewithdinner on social media.

Susan Weiner is the 2016 recipient of the Dare to Dream Award from The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation. The mission of the DRI is to find a cure for type I diabetes. Susan is the first RDN/CDE to receive this prestigious award. Susan will receive the award and be the DRI honoree on May 5, 2016, at Cipriani's in NYC. Kelly Devine Rickert, MS, RDN, CSSD, President of Devine Nutrition Inc. and Run to the Pub, was picked as one of the top five finalists in the Wells Fargo Small Business contest. She recently launched her Devine Nutrition on the Go Menu Planner and blog to help motivate busy families in preparing healthier dinner time meals . Kelly has also joined St. Xavier University as an adjunct professor teaching nutrition to nursing students. www.kellydevinenutrition.com Faye Berger Mitchell, RDN, LDN, was invited to Cornell University to deliver the Dorothy Proud Lectureship. Made possible by a gift from Professor Emerita, Dorothy M. Proud, the lectureship selects an outstanding nutrition professional, chosen by a committee of faculty, alumni and students, for the purpose of enriching undergraduate exposure to topics in nutrition and to possible careers for RDNs. Faye’s lecture is titled The Business of Nutrition: Pre-Planning for Success. Kara Lydon, RD, LDN, RYT, has launched a new e-book titled Nourish Your Namaste: How Nutrition and Yoga Can Support Digestion, Immunity, Energy and Relaxation. This book is perfect for the everyday yogi who wants to learn more about how to optimize his/her practice or anyone who is interested in how nutrition and yoga can support integrative healing. Available now at www.karalydon.com. Alexandra Caspero, MA, RD, RYT; Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, CDE, CLT; and Anne Mauney, MPH, RD, have launched Joyful Eating, Nourished Life, a 6-week, online program in which participants will learn how to improve their health without calorie counting, diets and restriction and instead foster wellness with sustainable healthy habits and mindfulness. While the program is rooted in intuitive eating principles, it also includes basic nutrition, meal planning strategies, fitness and meditation to give a well-rounded, holistic approach. Learn more at www.JoyfulEatingProgram.com

Where Did My Audience Julie Beyer, MA, RD Authors and Writers Specialty Group Chair Social media applications have evolved in a very short time from blogs, the 140 characters of Twitter and Facebook to much more visual platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, SnapChat, personally generated memes, and most recently the live streaming of Periscope. Not only do these platforms provide a much more lively and engaging social media process, but the public is beginning to expect them. As a result, even Twitter and Facebook are evolving to allow you to include images more easily. (Have you noticed you can use a short video for your Facebook profile picture now?)

Go?

For example, many of my interstitial cystitis patients are still on Facebook—they are mostly middleaged women who use Facebook for connecting with family and friends. But I have noticed that the posts with photos or videos attached are the most popular, and thus are shared the most. I don’t see much of my audience going to Instagram or Periscope yet, so I feel like I am safe for now just embellishing my posts with photos and videos to take advantage of the viral nature of images. I still use my blog for static information, but intend to turn most of them into podcasts and/or videos so the information is more palatable and portable for people.

What about you? Do you know where your audience hangs out these days? Not sure? Just ask them! They will be happy to know you care. And isn’t that what social media is all about? Creating relationships?

Julie Beyer is the owner of NutraConsults, LLC, a nutrition education and communication company. Julie is a dynamic nutrition educator and expert on interstitial cystitis, providing wellness and nutrition education to individuals and groups using a tapestry of communication techniques. She is the author of Interstitial Cystitis: A Guide for Nutrition Educators.

What does this mean for you? Well, you don’t necessarily have to add four new platforms to your social media plan. I know I already have enough on my plate, and I am sure you do too. But it is important to understand the potential for migration of your clients and customers. Has yourtarget audience moved from primarily using Facebook to posting on Instagram? Do your patientsprefer podcasts over blogs now? In addition, it is important in 2016 to think graphics, music, videos, apps and pretty much anything with bells and whistles that teaches and creates maximumimpact in the shortest amount of time. Today, we truly are blending entertainment with education and information.

Best Tips for Navigating the World of Social Media Lesli Bitel, MBA, RD, LDN Coaches Specialty Group Chair Let’s face it. Using social media as a businessbuilding strategy can feel like an overwhelming proposition. Not to mention it can be a balancing act in terms of keeping with self-promotion etiquette while ensuring a return on your precious investment of time. Today, I’m going to share with you four of my best tips to help you successfully navigate the world of social media so you can maximize its impact on your bottom line (while keeping your sanity intact!).

1. It’s all about engagement. Keeping the rules of engagement front and center will help you get the most out of your social media efforts. What exactly constitutes engagement? Simply put, social engagement means getting your fans to do something or take action, in response to your post. These actions include: clicking the like button, sharing or commenting on the post, or even clicking a link embedded within the post. Bottom line is that increased engagement is the secret sauce for getting noticed on social media because it increases the likelihood of landing in the general feed (Facebook), which will do wonders for your visibility. 2. Don’t over-promote. It’s important to strike a balance between posting interesting and engaging content and marketing. I recommend following the 80/20 rule whereby 80% of your posts are altruistic in nature and 20% promotional. 3. Create a social media schedule and stick with it. As a service provider, your most valuable asset is by far your time. You’ve got to diligently protect it and continuously evaluate how you’re spending it. Create your schedule and resist the urge to go down the social media rabbit hole. You’ll wind up wasting time and regretting it later.

4. Create share-worthy content with the intent to help. Mark Zuckerberg has these sentiments: “There’s more competition for what they (users) see, so only the highest-quality content is actually going to get through and get shown to those people.” This means that if you’re going to invest your time into Facebook as a business growth strategy, you’ve got to create original content that your fans care about. Another way to amp up your content while increasing shareworthiness is to embed images into your posts. In fact, visual content is five times more likely to generate engagement so be sure to include this strategy into your plan. Two of my favorite free tools that can help you create quality images are Canva and Easel.ly. Speaking of social, please drop me a line at Lesli@ LesliBitel.com or visit me at LesliBitel.com.

Lesli Bitel, MBA, RDN, LDN, is the happy owner of Lesli Bitel Coaching. As a business success coach and mentor to integrative nutrition professionals, Lesli teaches her clients overcome the all-too-common overwhelm and confusion with the business side of running a successful practice. Visit her at www.LesliBitel.com.

How RDNs Are Successfully Blending Their Online Presence to

Make a Statement for the Health of It! Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CLT Mentor Program Coordinator Incoming We live in an age in which EVERYONE is connected. The upside is that consumers are always able to receive key messages at just the click of a button. Luckily, RDNs are using this to their advantage. In NE alone, our colleagues are going above and beyond to put health and wellness at the forefront for their customers through the use of social media. Take for instance Caroline Susie, RD, LD. She says, “I tweet a lot of studies. I hope this reminds folks that our program is run by a dietitian. And, nutrition is a science....not an opinion! However, on Instagram, I am very wellness-driven. I snap photos of what I am eating (or what I found in our cafe), how I keep my workspace healthy, etc. I know that employees are checking social media, so I hope I motivate a few to choose more veggies or take a walk before they are due back at their unit. I also reshare our facilities social media pages. I want employees to follow our PR campaigns!”

Sheila Viswanathan, EdD, MPH, RD, director of nutrition research for Zipongo, an app that helps employees improve their nutrition and wellness, says her company places a large emphasis on Twitter and Facebook. To reinforce key messages employees receive from the app, Zipongo employees attend frequent wellness conferences to generate ideas on what to post. Sheila states, “There are often quotable comments from speakers that help reinforce health and introduce novel ideas.”

These are fantastic, simple ways to constantly engage with your clients. One thing I’ve seen many of our NE members at large tapping into are dietetic interns. Working with dietetic interns is an excellent way to help develop further programming to engage your corporate wellness clients in innovative, new ways. In a culture that’s going to continue moving forward in social media, it’s time we all get on board, one tweet, click or snap at a time!

Juliet Rodman, co-founder of Wellness Corporation Solutions, LLC, says she actively uses blogging and LinkedIn to connect with clients. Plus, its website provides many important tips to help employees implement healthy behaviors.

Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RD, CLT, is a San Diego-based nutrition communications consultant and wellness coach specializing in corporate wellness, food allergies and weight management. Her blog, Shaw's Simple Swaps, focuses on highlighting small changes you can make every day in your diet and health to lead a healthier life.

Finding Balance Between PERSONAL YOU

& PROFESSIONAL YOU

Rosanne Rust, MS, RDN, LDN Chair-Elect I recently gave my icebreaker speech at my local Toastmasters meeting. The title of it was Which Me Am I. I told a story about a time when my son was young and observed that I had seven jobs (all of my then RDN consulting/writing positions, and last but not least was - being a mom). It made me think about all of the roles I play in my own life, and that of my family’s. It also reminded me how most people who may know me from reading my local newspaper column over the years (which, by the way, even though I haven’t written for it for almost two years, people still come up to me to say “Oh yeah! You write that column in the paper!”) or seeing my books are delighted to learn something else about me when they meet me in person. It provides a new connection so I can be perceived as a real person and not just an image on the Internet or a set of Tweets. I do feel it’s a good idea to keep most of your professional social media profiles as professional. It’s not a good look to clog them up with family videos or your partying it up with friends on the weekend. You might want to use a Facebook Business Page in addition to your personal one (or you can use the privacy settings at your personal page so that only a certain list of people will see your family pictures or more personal posts). But adding some element of your personal interests or family is one way to engage a larger audience, and it makes you seem more real and perhaps less intimidating. And don’t forget to use humor if you find it comes naturally. Sometimes we want to keep personal news or struggles to ourselves, but other times there really is a benefit to sharing that part of us. It makes us human. It connects us to others. If we don’t show a little bit of our personal selves, we miss the opportunity to engage on a more trusting and human level with our potential clients.

Rosanne is owner of Rust Nutrition Services at www. rustnutrition.com. As a nutrition communications consultant, she translates nutrition data into well-reasoned dietary advice so people can enjoy eating for good health. Her work includes developing social media strategies, freelance writing, blogging, and co-author of several books in the For Dummies series.

A LOVE/HATE

RELATIONSHIP with Social Media

Rebecca Bitzer, MS, RD, LD Private Practice Specialty Group Chair Social media, social media, social media. I think that I have a love/ hate relationship with social media. I am on social media often including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn for all three of my businesses. However, I actually have no idea which ones are working/not working. Yes, I keep stats and see trends but do these forms of social media really work? Well, I am way too invested to ever turn back, and I am sure that being on social media helps us stay visible, but does it really help us attract and retain clients? I think that LinkedIn is one of the most underutilized social media used by Registered Dietitian Nutritionists, but I think that Linkedin is a good place to network with other RDNs and to keep a pulse on the business world. Here are some tips I learned for business development: If you are updating your LinkedIn, make sure to turn off your notifications to alert your network of updates. The last thing you want to do is send out 10 notifications of minor changes you make to your profile while you are in the process of editing it. Make all the changes, except for the last one, then turn back on the notifications and make the last change so your followers will see only one update.

I SAY THAT I HAVE A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA. I ACTUALLY LOVE IT MORE THAN HATE IT BECAUSE: nnIt is an easy, fun way to get your message out into cyberspace nnIt levels the playing field, meaning that everyone can do it, regardless of budget nnIt is one way to build relationships and connect with your current and future clients nnIt is an introvertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream. When I am completely tapped out and cannot seem to make one more phone call or one more meeting, I always seem to be able to send out one more tweet or make some kind of LinkedIn connection Also, as true with all kinds of social media and marketing, update often and focus on building relationships. Hope to connect with you on social media soon!

Rebecca Bitzer, MS, RD/LD, CEDRD, is an award-winning Registered Dietitian who is both a seasoned nutrition counselor and successful business owner. Rebecca's passion includes empowering clients, Registered Dietitians and nutrition interns. In 2015, Rebecca co-authored a workbook for clients titled Taste the Sweet Rebellion: REBEL Against Diets.

Once you complete your summary on LinkedIn, a great way to take a look at your message is to use www.worditout.com/. This is a fun way to see which words you are using to describe yourself and have a chance to fine-tune your message.

LIFT ALL BOATS: Collaborate and Cross-Promote! Melissa Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDE Speakers and Media Specialty Group Chair If others perceive you as being too self-promotional, they will tune you out. But by lifting others up, you earn respect and regard. As a media dietitian, I’ve been in the “spotlight” often. However I’m much more comfortable putting my fellow dietitians in the spotlight and cheering them on. I am, in fact, a “Dietitian Enthusiast”! Because of this, I’ve discovered that collaborating and crosspromoting are genuinely effective ways of gaining valuable exposure for my own brand and business. When I started my blog, interviewing dietitians and sharing their expert communications tips, a whole new world opened up to me. I found it refreshing and fun to promote and support others - much easier than tooting my own horn. When I launched my podcast I decided to interview food and nutrition experts and champion their causes because I’m interested in learning from others and seeing where our paths meet and cross. Over the past few years I’ve had several wonderful opportunities (frequently through the NE DPG) to collaborate with colleagues on presentations, articles and various projects. These partnerships have been both personally and professionally enriching.

Likewise, I’m thrilled to see so many other dietitians who share this same approach and camaraderie. It’s not only nice, it’s a nice way to get your name out there, too. I encourage you to reach out to other dietitians and team up on topics of mutual interest. Here are some idea starters:

nnIf you have a blog, consider doing a roundup post, “link love” or interviewing a fellow dietitian. nnOn social media, post or share articles, blogs, interviews and other information when you see something you like by another dietitian. And be sure to tag them so they know. Follow #BuildUpRDNs and #RDChat on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to easily find content worth sharing. nnOffer to write a LinkedIn recommendation, testimonial, book or podcast review, or other kudos for someone’s work you admire. The person might just return the favor someday. nnSeek opportunities to collaborate on mastermind groups, speaking or writing opportunities, or other projects that might interest you.

There are unlimited opportunities to build your brand and gain valuable exposure through collaboration and cross-promotion. As we like to say in the NE DPG….”NE-thing is possible!” And the personal benefits of relationship building and friendship fostering just might turn out to be the wind beneath your sails.

Melissa is the CEO of Sound Bites, Inc., where she promotes “sound science, smart nutrition and good food.” She is known as the Guilt-Free RD – “because food shouldn’t make you feel bad!” TM. Her primary focus is on media training workshops and coaching for dietitians.

Meet the 2016-2017

NE Executive Committee Chair - Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN: If you say, "scubadiving trip," Sarah will meet you there. In addition to her passion for food, she has a major passion for the ocean and tries to swim under the sea as often as possible. She's traveled the world diving with the fish from Majuro to Cuba to Bonaire and more.

Chair-Elect - Rosanne Rust, MS, RDN, LDN, author, fact-finder and freelance writer, enjoys an ever-changing environment. Give her fresh air and she's smiling. Rosanne anxiously awaits the opening of her "outdoor home office" every spring in the Northeast. She can't decide which she loves better - the ocean or the mountains - but it's probably the ocean.

Director Awards & Networking - Elana Natker, MS, RD, is the owner of Enlighten Nutrition, a nutrition communications agency. When she isn't working, running, playing with her kids or on a date with her husband, you can find her dreaming up the nextbest pizza topping or kneading dough for fresh bread.

Director Awards & Networking Incoming - Sara Haas, RDN, LDN, owner of www. sarahaasrdn.com. Besides her love of whipping up nourishing food in the kitchen, Sara also loves all things chocolate and baking. In her free time she enjoys testing new recipes for everything from cakes to profiteroles. So, it either smells really good in her house or not-somuch, thanks to all of that experimenting.

Director Member Services - David R. Orozco, MS, RDN, loves being an RDN. His passion falls squarely in two love for his family (wifey, daughter and dog) and love for nutrition and his private practice.

Director-elect Member Services - Abigail Joy Dougherty, RDN, is a registered dietitian based in Tampa, FL, and the founder of The Soul of Health Nutrition where she focuses on bringing joy into the world of food and nutrition. Abigail enjoys travel, her husband, peanut butter and new adventures, but not necessarily in that order.

Director of Sponsorship - Megan Ware, RDN, is the owner of Nutrition Awareness, a private practice in Orlando, FL, where she works as a personal nutrition consultant to help her clients optimize their lives with food. She is currently obsessed with the idea of becoming a Joel Salatin-like farmer and not only teaching her clients about the best sources of nutrition, but producing it as well. #farmby40

Director of Sponsorship Incoming - Kimberly Denkhaus, MS, RD, loves to travel and has explored some of the most beautiful places in the world. She has visited over 25 countries and almost every state in the U.S. (missing South Dakota). Interesting fact: on one of her backpacking trips through the Alaskan wilderness, her fiancé and she had to pepper-spray a grizzly bear! You can often find Kim at farmers’ markets, taking a Pilates or ballet barre class, and reading about the latest nutrition craze.

Director PR & Marketing - Krista Ulatowski, MPH, RDN, is the owner of KUcumber Nutrition Communications. Krista decided to become a second-career “marketing dietitian” while on a Seattle food and brewery tour with her mom. And yes, her mom may have suggested the career path idea. Thanks, Mom! Krista is fascinated by every entrepreneur’s story – and loves connecting over a bite or brew to learn more.

Director PR & Marketing Incoming - Kristina Todini is the author of the food and travel blog ForkInTheRoad.co. When not exploring the world one plate at a time, Kristina can be found devouring sci-fi/fantasy novels with a glass of red wine and her two lazy cats.

DPG Delegate - Lisa Jones, MA, RDN, LDN, FAND, is a funny speaker and stand-up comedienne. She is not just mildly amusing - she is really funny. Lisa was bitten by the comedy-bug at a young age, entertaining her family at the dinner table with knock-knock jokes. Soon she discovered SNL and would memorize many bits and made her siblings perform them. Today, you can find Lisa performing improvisational, sketch and stand-up comedy at private events and comedy clubs throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

NE Executive Committee Continued on next page 11

NE Executive Committee Continued from previous page Education Coordinator - Kerri Hawkins, MS, RDN, LDN, cPT, is the co-founder of www. WellnessCampaign.org. In addition to her passion for wellness, Kerri is a "rec league all star" who loves to stay active and be outdoors with skiing adventures, hiking, golf and soccer.

Newsletter Editor Incoming - Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, CDE, CLT, is a Columbia, SC-based private practice dietitian and food/wellness blogger at Avocado A Day Nutrition. Travel is her passion and she's made it a goal to visit a new country every year.

Mentor Program Coordinator - Alicia Galvin Smith, MEd, RD, CLT: ask anyone about Alicia's passions and the answer would be, "Nutrition and running.” An avid runner, in her first marathon ever, Alicia qualified to run in the Boston Marathon, an experience of a lifetime.

Nominating Committee Chair/Past Chair - Penny Wilson, PhD, RDN, CSSD, LD, used to think camping meant staying at a budget hotel. Now that she lives in Vail, CO, she loves spending time in the great outdoors. She learned to downhill ski during Thanksgiving 2015 and skis any time she can. If it’s summer, she will be found hiking all around the Vail Valley or on one of Colorado’s 14’ers. She is even talking about real camping this summer.

Mentor Program Coordinator Incoming Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CLT, is an outdoor fanatic. Being a SoCal lady, Liz enjoys hiking, zip-lining, whitewater rafting and pretty much any outdoor activity she's in. Liz loves wrapping up her excursions by enjoying great food in whatever area she has landed.

Newsletter Editor Alexandra Caspero, MA, RD, CLT, RYT, author of Fresh Italian Cooking for the New Generation, and music theatre fanatic. While her Broadway career lives only in her dreams, she knows the lyrics to almost every popular musical by heart and can often be found singing them in the shower, the car and into wooden spoon microphones in the kitchen.

Nominating Committee Member - Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, is an assistant professor but loves the time she spends speaking in the sports nutrition and corporate wellness settings. She is a self-proclaimed foodie and travel addict, always looking for the best plantbased dining in a new city. Kelly regularly competes in running races and triathlons with her friends and husband and loves practicing yoga to balance her busy life.

Nominating Committee Member - Ashvini Mashru, MA, RD, LDN, is a foodie, loves spicy and exotic food, and loves to travel the world and explore new destinations.

Nominating Committee Member - Barbara Baron, MS, RD, CDN, was born and raised in Brooklyn during a time, unlike today, when many were looking to move out. Barbara grew up experiencing a variety of foods living near culturally diverse neighborhoods and still loves tasting foods from tried, true and even new familyowned specialty food shops.

Policy Advocacy Leader Patricia Becker, MS, RDN, CSP, CNSC, is a privatepractice newbie - formerly a wanna-be. She is the proud owner of www. KidsRD.com, a private practice/consulting firm specializing in pediatric malnutrition and all peds nutrition. She is an avid fiber artist, who just dyed some fabric using her paella spices (who doesn’t love fiber therapy), with a serious interest in Public Policy and how that can help move Nutrition Entrepreneurs into the future.

Reimbursement Chair Mandy Unanski Enright, MS, RDN, RYT, creator of Nutrition Nuptials. Mandy is a yoga fanatic and constantly trying new adventurous forms. From acro yoga, to Stand Up Paddle (SUP) yoga, to aerial yoga, Mandy’s feet are very rarely on the ground. As a certified SUP, aerial and regular yoga teacher, Mandy is always ready to play. She is often called a mermaid due to her SUP yoga obsession.

Secretary - Maria McConville, MS, RDN, CPT, CWC, is owner of Balanced Body Nourishment, LLC. In addition to guiding clients to find better health, Maria is passionate about helping them change their thought processes to become victors over life’s circumstances and manage stress. She finds her inspiration and enlightenment at her seaside home and you can find her each evening walking on the beach collecting sunsets.

Authors & Writers Specialty Group Chair - Julie Beyer, MA, RDN, is the author of four books including You CAN Write a Book: The No-Nonsense Guide to Self-Publishing. In addition to coaching dietitians on communication strategies, Julie is always happy to share her expertise about all things Disney. She has visited Disney World a couple times a year for the past 40 years, and now enjoys the "magic" with her four adorable granddaughters - two sets of twins!

Coaches Specialty Group Chair - Lesli Bitel, MBA, RDN, LDN, is the happy owner of Lesli Bitel Coaching (www.LesliBitel. com). As a business success coach and mentor to integrative nutrition professionals, Lesli teaches her clients to overcome the all-too-common sense of overwhelm and confusion that’s associated with the business side of running a successful practice. When she’s not coaching her rockstar, RDN clients, you will find Lesli traveling with her husband and two teenage kids, goofing around with their two-year-old Labradoodle Rocky or reading cooking blogs.

Corporate Wellness Specialty Group Chair Carrie Zisman, MS, RDN, is a wellness professional in the Washington, D.C., area. During off hours she's an avid cook, runner, chauffeur to two young kids and target of sloppy wet kisses from her furry baby, a 10-year-old Rhodesian ridgeback.

Private Practice Specialty Group Chair - Rebecca Bitzer, MS, RD, LD, CEDRD, is the co-author of Taste the Sweet Rebellion: Rebel Against Dieting workbook/ cookbook. Rebecca loves to try new things. If she has not done it, she is pretty open to jump in if given the opportunity.

Second Career Dietitian Specialty Group Chair - Barbara Spalding, MA, MS, RDN Although she grew up at the beach, Barbara loves the mountains and lakes, and spends time camping with her family and friends nearly every summer in the Adirondacks of upstate New York. In addition to a passion for international travel and cooking, she enjoys gardening, is an avid skier, and recently began learning to snowshoe.

Website Coordinator Joanne Larsen, MS, RD, LD, techie entrepreneur, has worked at four technology companies. As owner of Nutritional Data Services, a consulting B2B company, she develops websites, software and phone apps, markets health products and creates web content. She loves food. Gardening to cooking is one way of sharing her love with friends and family.

Speakers & Media Specialty Group Chair - Melissa Dobbins, MS, RD, CDE, relishes time with her family, even while working on podcasts and blogs with her 16-yearold daughter. Melissa’s 8-year-old son says she is “fun, happy and surprisingly good at chess.” Her computer-geek husband is finally on board with all of her “twittering” because U.S. News and World Report recently named her as one of 10 Dietitians You Should Follow on Social Media.

Executive Director - Lauri Egan, RDN, CPT, considers herself lucky to be constantly involved with today’s nutrition giants pushing the boundaries. She dubs herself a connoisseur of great sunrises, dark chocolate and sidewalk chalk art. When not on the computer, she can be found strumming a guitar, creating impromptu workouts with her kids and, of course, cooking in the kitchen.

Technology & Social Media Specialty Group Chair - Susan Mitchell, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND, is producer and host of the podcast Breaking Down Nutrition: Your Digest for What Works, What Doesn’t, available in both medical professional and consumer versions. She’s never met a chocolate she doesn’t like, loves fashion and spends down time at the beach.

Treasurer - Jacqueline B. Marcus, MS, RDN, LDN, CNS, FADA, FAND, president/owner of Jacqueline B. Marcus and Associates Food and Nutrition Communications, is an artist, cook, dancer, drummer, photographer and world traveler who drives an electric-blue Mini Cooper and designs recycled jewelry. Her latest culinary adventures have taken her from India to Panama and Morocco where she seeks out unusual ingredients, dines with locals and inspires her audiences and readership at www.TheFitFoodPro.com.

Product REVIEWS My Menu Pal

Pursuing Private Practice

Author: Ann Dunaway Teh, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD, & Lesley Baradel, MBA, MS, RDN, LD

Author: Jennifer McGurk, RDN, CDN, CDE, CEDRD

Date:

2016

Date:

Website:

www.mymenupal.com

Publisher: Parker Press Publishing

Date:

Email:

heretohelp@mymenupal.com

Publisher: M3 Press

Price:

$1.49-$7.99

Address: 99 Main Street, Suite 204, Nyack, NY 10960

Review: My Menu Pal has a variety of different meal plans. I liked how the meal plans are sold as a group of four entrees versus a subscription plan. This makes it easier to try out a set of meals that you find appealing. The meal plans each come with recipes for four entrées and recipes for one or more side dish per entrée. Also included is a grocery list along with a few nutrition and cooking tips. Currently an e-book, Date Night Dinners: A Mom’s Guide to Babysitter Friendly Recipes is also available for download. This contains recipes with the instructions broken down with parents’ meal prep instructions and babysitter instructions to finish the meal at dinner time. I found the site easy to navigate and menu plans easy to download and follow. I tried the Zucchini, Bean & Cheese Burrito, one of the vegetarian entrée options. I found it simple to make and very tasty. I look forward to trying some more of the recipes! Reviewer:

Sarah Smith, RDN

Title:

Food & Nutrition Consultant

Address: 29763 Niguel Road B, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 Phone:

949-351-7695

2016

Phone:

845-535-9092

Price:

$19.99; e-book: $14.99

Review: Have you been stuck in an unsatisfying job for too long? Maybe you have always wanted to start your own nutrition private practice, but you have been too scared to take the leap. Well, fear no more! Jennifer McGurk’s new book, Pursuing Private Practice, provides a step-by-step process to starting a nutrition private practice. With only 29 pages, this book is a quick read that covers a variety of topics, such as writing a business plan, setting up a tax ID number, obtaining an office space, creating patient forms and setting fees for service. McGurk also includes creative suggestions like creating a vision board and finding a mentor, and she provides anecdotes from her personal experiences and tips from other nutrition experts. The book does not discuss marketing techniques or the use of technology, which are essential topics in this media-driven age. Pursuing Private Practice provides the tools to start a private practice after just an hour of reading. Overall, this book is perfect for anyone who wants a quick beginner’s guide to starting a private practice. Reviewer:

Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD

Title: Nutrition Writer & Owner of Nutrition à la Natalie Affiliation: Nutrition à la Natalie Address: 24-07 36th Street Apt A5 Astoria, NY 11103 Phone:

516-652-0720

The Smoothie Bowl Coloring Cookbook Author: Liz Weiss, MS, RDN, & Janice Newell Bissex, MS, RDN 2015

Price: $10.95 or FREE download on www.mealmakeovermoms.com The Meal Makeover Moms are back with a perfect blend of two trends – smoothie bowls and adult coloring in The Smoothie Bowl Coloring Cookbook. Inspired by colorful smoothie bowls found on Instagram and top-selling adult coloring books, The Moms are bringing artwork from pages to bowls. Smoothie bowls - spoon-thick blended creations topped with fruit, nuts and seeds - create works of art. Each of the ten recipes, including Tropical Twist, Wild Blueberry Blast and Peanut Power, have corresponding mandalas (circle in Sanskrit) with playful food imagery waiting to be colored. The book includes kids in the cooking process while introducing healthy concepts, making nutrition fun and playful by coloring ingredients on the pages. For adults, the book allows for relaxation while tapping into our inner child. Free downloads are available on www.mealmakeovermoms.com for RDNs to share with clients or use at cooking demos. Overall, The Moms have given us a creative and innovative approach to nutrition by coloring outside the lines. Reviewer:

Mandy Enright, MS, RDN, RYT

Title:

Creator of Nutrition Nuptials

Affiliation: Nutrition Nuptials Address:

31 Leroy Place Red Bank, NJ 07702

Phone: 732-778-4462

Student Spotlight

ANNOUNCEMENT Kristina Todini Dietetic Intern, Incoming Director PR/Marketing Welcome to the Student Success Corner, Ventures’ new feature that will spotlight articles written by and for the student members of NE. This new focus was born out of the success of the student newsletter, The Network, which had over 30 contributing student writers in its five-issue run. The newsletter’s focus was to motivate and inspire dietetic students to become nutrition entrepreneurs and its spirit will live on here in the Student Success Corner. My own personal journey as a student member shows just how valuable NE can be while building your business. I became a member in 2013 while still in undergrad and loved reading Ventures each quarter. One night, after an especially grueling semester, I was reading through the newsletter and thought, We should have something like this for students! I reached out to Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN, and the newsletter was immediately approved and created. After graduating and starting my internship, NE named me the Professional Development Dietetic Student Award winner and I joined the Executive Committee (EC) in Nashville for my first FNCE® in 2015. Now I am wrapping up my internship, will serve as a member of the NE EC in 20162017, recently began my own nutrition consultancy and secured my first client. I would have never accomplished these things without the support and encouragement from the Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG. During my time as editor of the student newsletter, I worked with NE’s finest student members and learned that many of them are already breaking the mold and chasing their dreams of becoming entrepreneurs. From bloggers, photographers and even a professional synchronized swimmer, NE’s student members are rocking the nutrition and wellness world even before they become RDNs. Becoming a member of NE was one of the best decisions I made as a student and I am thrilled the Student Success Corner will allow our future student members to blaze their way to success with the help of Nutrition Entrepreneurs.

For information on how to contribute to the Student Spotlight section, please reach out to Incoming Newsletter Editor, Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, CDE, CLT, at NewsletterEditorIncoming@NEdpg.org.

Ventures

www.nedpg.org

Enterprising News & Ideas for Nutrition Entrepreneurs

Alexandra Caspero, MA, RD, RYT 7515 Teasdale Ave St. Louis, MO 63130

Save the Date! Nutrition Entrepreneurs Networking Event

Evening of Saturday, October 15 Harbor Ballroom II & III Westin Boston Waterfront, Boston, MA

Upcoming

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AUG 10: VIVA VACATION! Scheduling breaks and setting boundaries to stay sane in a more, more, more business environment

Join NE's Electronic Mailing Lists (EMLs): Connect with thousands of Nutrition Entrepreneurs' (NE) members instantly with our EML list! Get ready for lively discussion and TONS of valuable information sharing amongst colleagues to help your business thrive with this email forum. All Specialty Groups also have their own specific EML to allow you to interact with other experts in that group. **One of NEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular attractions.**

Go to NEdpg.org. Login. Go to Members > Electronic Mailing Lists (EMLs).

SEPT 14: LIFELONG LEARNING: Staying current on new breakthroughs and letting go of old practices that aren't serving you or your business