Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maggie Bell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Maggie , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.
I started my career as a Registered Dietitian in 2012. After working closely with people to improve their nutrition, I realized that I had a desire to help even more people and make a bigger impact.
In 2015, I enrolled in nursing school and earned my Associates Degree in Nursing in 2016. I worked as a Registered Nurse at a local hospital and spent the majority of my career in the Intensive Care Unit.
While I was there, I saw how so many people were literally on their death beds as a result of not taking care of themselves nutritionally and physically. It was extremely devastating to see because many of these conditions were preventable!
I stayed at this hospital for 3 years before embarking on a travel assignment in Los Angeles, California. As my contract was ending, COVID hit. I quickly realized that I didn’t want to be in the hospital setting anymore and that I had to figure something out. During the stay at home order, I created my nutrition business. I mean why not? I saw a need, I had all the time in the world at this point to strategically create it, plus it just felt like the right time.
Even though I had all the time in the world and felt that it was the right time, I did not officially launch my business until 2022. Fear and doubt paralyzed me. I had imposter syndrome and feared what others may think of me opening my own business. I put the business on the back burner and accepted a position as a school nurse at a new high school in my town.
In 2022, I hired a business coach and with their help-I launched and have experienced a great deal of interest! I have been able to see firsthand how people want and need nutritional guidance, but they don’t know where to start.
Even though I have gained a lot of interest and I have been successful, it has definitely been a challenge! Working a full-time job plus juggling a busy nutrition business and other responsibilities has been tough. However, it is worthwhile and moving forward I know that I will have to quit my 9-5 and start scaling my business because there is only 1 of me and I can only do so much!
Owning my own business has definitely been a learning curve as well. I do not come from a family of entrepreneurs, so learning about taxes, business accounts, expenses, etc has been challenging. However, I have been blessed to have a lot of guidance in these areas which has been extremelyhelpful.
The game changer for me was just getting started. Developing the business and putting yourself out there is what you have to do if you want to be successful and change your life. There is no such thing as an oversaturated market. If you are working in your purpose and you put the work in, you will have customers and success.
If I had to give any advice to a young professional that is considering starting their own practice, I would say JUST DO IT. It is always easy to think about what could go wrong, but what if we shifted our mind and thought about all of the things that could go right? There are so many business opportunities in the world and we can’t be afraid to step out on faith and achieve our dreams. I strongly believe that we were not made to work a 9-5 forever! We were made to pursue our dreams and live a purpose filled life serving God and helping others.
Maggie , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a Registered Dietitian and Registered Nurse with a decade of experience. I have my own nutrition practice, Maggie Bell Nutrition and Wellness, and I specialize in weight loss and blood sugar management.
I actually got into nutrition because of my mother. She was a high school guidance counselor for 40 years and knew that nutrition was a up and coming profession and pretty much made me major in it (ha!). Initially I fought her on it and resented her for it, but now I am so grateful for her wisdom and guidance. After a couple of years of working as a dietitian, I went on a mission trip with my church. Where we were, nutrition was not a high level concern, so I worked with the nurses. I saw how knowledgable they were and how the people looked to them for so many different things! This intrigued me and led me to apply to nursing school. I wanted to not only be able to help more people on a bigger scale, but I wanted to serve on more mission trips. I applied and earned my Associates Degree and went on more mission trips. My experiences as a dietitian and nurse inspired me to start my own business.
In my practice, I educate my clients on the fundamentals of nutrition. Over the years, I have found that people just do not have a basic understanding of nutrition. I provide you with a basic understanding of nutrition so that you feel empowered to make healthy decisions on your own and provide you with a blueprint to follow for the rest of your life.
My program also includes an accountability piece. I have also found that people NEED accountability. Once you have been taught what to do, you need someone that is going to make sure that you are actually doing what you have been taught. After I educate my clients, I hold them accountable for 12 weeks to make sure that they are doing what it takes to reach their goals. For many people, this is a game changer. When you know someone is working closely with you, you are more likely to do better and achieve your goals!
I ask all of my clients to commit to at least 3 months of working with me. I find that 3 months is the right amount of time to see a real shift in your body and for you to feel comfortable going out into the world on your own :)
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
MINDSET. The bible states that as a mind thinketh, so is he. Think about this. What you think about yourself is gospel. If you think you are a loser, you are. If you think you are a millionaire, you are. It is all about our mindset and the things that we say to ourselves. I have found since starting my business, that we are our hardest critics. We have to shift our thinking and move forward with our dreams and desires, even though they are scary! That first step is usually a faith step. I don’t know what is going to happen and if this is going to work, but I am going to do my part and put myself out there!
I did a soft launch of my business through email. Yes, email! I was too scared to put it on social media, so I put it out to people on my contact list. That same day, I got my first client! I would have never gotten my first client if I wouldn’t have stepped out on faith and just put myself out there.
JUST DO IT.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
I would definitely chose the same professions if I had the opportunity to go back in time. There is such a need for nutrition professionals and nurses! I just might have done things a little different. I earned my bachelors and masters degree in Nutrition and I have an associates degree in nursing. I probably would have not obtained my masters degree in Nutrition and instead pursued my Nurse Practitioner degree in Nursing. I feel like there is so much more that a Nurse Practitioner can do and it would be nice to have that knowledge and background when it comes to medications and diagnosing diseases. Nurse Practitioners also have a large amount of autonomy and are even more trusted than a Registered Nurse in my opinion.
I would definitely recommend going into the healthcare profession if you have the heart for it. The opportunities are endless to help and serve people in this field.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maggiebellnutriiton.com
- Instagram: Maggiebellnutritionandwellness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maggie.bell.98
- Youtube: Maggie Bell
Image Credits
Lee Lewis