We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Diana Mesa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Diana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

I first established my private practice in 2018. I’d just finished my internship and hadn’t passed my board exams yet, but knew I wanted to work for myself one day. I’m very much a DIY-er, so I did my research, made sure no other business was called En La Mesa Nutrition, applied for my EIN number, and went to the bank to open an account. I didn’t have any business training, but I had my intuition and perseverance to get me by.

I’ve never been a shy person, so I immediately started asking RDs in private practice what kinds of systems they used, listening to others’ experiences and reaching out for help, and I was lucky enough to have an outpouring of support from everyone I asked, from my internship preceptor to strangers I barely knew online. Of course, I had bills to pay, so as soon as I passed my exam, I got a full-time job and put the business on the shelf for the first year — but it existed, and it was waiting.

Once I got the hang of my full-time job, I started funding my business with my spare income. I listed myself on a website where people could find my services, I updated my website, and I started accepting out-of-pocket based clients on evenings and weekends. I saw some virtually, while others, I visited in their homes, but every month, no matter how little, I did something toward my business. Eventually, things started taking off in many ways. Clients reached out for counseling because a friend of a friend recommended me, my Instagram presence connected me with therapists who referred clients and helped potential clients get a feel for my work. Before I knew it, I was struggling to juggle it all. I decided to take the leap into full-time entrepreneurship last May, after 5 years of juggling my business and my full-time roles, and I haven’t regretted it once.

If you’re a young dietitian wanting to break away from the usual 9-5 and create your own path in the field, put yourself out there. Don’t let imposter syndrome or perfectionism hold you back. Just start, put something out there, don’t wait for “the right time”. The right time is now! It’s not easy, it takes a lot of work and dedication, but if you really want it, nothing is holding you back from it but yourself, so get out of your own way. Post on social media even if you’re scared. Reach out to people and ask for help!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a registered dietitian and diabetes educator working with people with PCOS, diabetes, and disordered eating helping them heal their relationships with their cultural foods and honoring their health. I use a non-diet, weight-inclusive approach that focuses on behaviors rather than the number on the scale. I guide people toward a way of eating that is more aligned with their values while tuning out all the noise and misinformation online. That’s what I do with clients 1:1 and in groups.

In my media work, I am a recipe developer, food stylist and photographer, consultant, and media personality helping brands and organizations communicate their nutrition mission in a way that is easily digestible and appealing to the masses. I help organizations create inclusive content for their audience and I also deliver the content on screen. I partner with brands on social media to spread awareness and promote nutritious foods and products that I think my audience will love.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One hard lesson I’m still unlearning is that I actually CAN’T do anything I set my mind to — hear me out… I’ve been working on this in therapy. As an immigrant Latina and woman, I was raised to believe that if I worked hard enough and was persistent enough, I could achieve anything I wanted. That belief has gotten me this far. I work for myself in a career I absolutely love and never get bored of; I owned a house before the age of 30, and I have immense privilege, in part, thanks to having grit and perseverance. However, it has led to some major burnout. I’ve had to learn my limitations. I have come to accept that some goals ARE too ambitious (at least for now) and that I DON’T have to do it all on my own. I can ask for help, I can take a break, I can stop pursuing something that no longer brings me joy. It’s OKAY to quit sometimes, especially when that thing I’ve set my mind to is wreaking havoc on my mental health. I’ve had to learn my limitations and set boundaries around those limitations so that I can protect my spirit and my mind. I don’t have to fight (and win) every battle.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been NETWORKING! Social media is a great place to network, especially since my business is mostly virtual. I can cast a huge net across 27+ states and network with medical professionals like doctors and therapists who can refer clients to me if they need a bilingual dietitian (hard to find!). Networking has also been crucial to gathering clients for the consulting side of my business. Having a presence on LinkedIn has opened so many doors and connected me with so many people who, even if there aren’t any opportunities coming from their connections, have been greatly supportive and just a pleasure to know. Plus, you never know when someone may think of you for something in the future. Consistency and networking have been keys to growing my clientele.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.enlamesanutrition.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enlamesanutrition
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-mesa-rd-ldn-cdces-649552138/