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

Kelly, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

Entrepreneurship is a wild, beautiful paradox—freedom and fulfillment wrapped in uncertainty and self-doubt. There are moments when the stability of a traditional job seems tempting, especially when I see others enjoying benefits I’ve had to create for myself—paid sick days, maternity leave, a clear separation between work and life. But deep down, I know I wasn’t meant for that path.

Since I was young, I dreamed of private practice, of building something deeply personal, something that would change lives. And while working in structured environments taught me invaluable skills, I always felt confined—like I was meant for something bigger, something uniquely mine.

Of course, the road isn’t always smooth. Burnout creeps in, self-doubt whispers, and the digital world makes comparison far too easy. I’ve questioned if I’m doing things “right,” if my work is valued enough, priced enough, seen enough. But every time I reconnect with my purpose—seeing the transformation in my clients, watching their confidence and health shift—I’m reminded why I do this.

At the end of the day, I refuse to live a life that doesn’t light me up. I want to wake up every morning excited to serve, to create, to challenge the norm. That’s the kind of work that fuels me, and it’s why I’ll always choose this path, no matter how uncertain or unconventional it may seem.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Kelly Schmidt, a functional health dietitian and owner of T1D Functional Nutrition and my virtual private practice. I’m on a mission to help you not just survive, but truly thrive—by harnessing the power of food as medicine. My passion is in empowering individuals with autoimmune conditions to become the hero of their own health journey. By providing the right tools, strategies, and knowledge, I’ll support you in taking control of your health and unlocking your full potential.

My journey started when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just eight years old. You might think that’s what drives my work, but my true motivation comes from watching my dad, who also has type 1, struggle—not from a lack of effort, but from a lack of optimal guidance, resources, and medication. That experience ignited my drive to bridge that gap for others.

In 2013, I opened my private practice, offering personalized health coaching rooted in functional medicine and lab testing, primarily guiding clients with autoimmune diseases. Over the years, I’ve expanded my work beyond private coaching to include webinars, coaching programs, strength coaching, and educational resources. I’m also a published author, speaker, TEDx speaker, and health coach. Through my quarterly webinars and ongoing content, I strive to bring cutting-edge, evidence-based health strategies to my community.

What sets me apart? I don’t just focus on food—I help clients optimize their entire lifestyle, addressing gut health, hormone balance, and sustainable habits that make long-term success possible. I’m most proud of the transformations I’ve witnessed—the clients who were once overwhelmed by their diagnoses but now feel in control, strong, and vibrant.

At the end of the day, my goal is simple: to help people reclaim their health, feel their best, and defy the odds. I believe that with the right guidance, support, and education, anyone can take ownership of their well-being and create lasting change.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social media can be a powerful tool, but it can also be overwhelming. My first job out of college was in public relations, where I learned that communication isn’t just about what you say—it’s about how you make people *feel.* That lesson has stuck with me throughout my journey of growing an audience online.

When I started my business, Instagram was still in its early days, and I immediately loved the ability to connect, educate, and share valuable insights in a way that felt personal. My goal has always been to create content that I *wish* I had when I was navigating my own health struggles—content that educates, empowers, and resonates with those looking for real solutions.

While I’ve had help organizing images and managing the backend of my profile, I’ve always been hands-on with my content. I’ve experimented with outsourcing, but I found that nothing truly captured my voice, my message, or the deep connection I wanted with my audience. That’s why, even with more followers today than I had a decade ago, I still personally respond to DMs and engage with my community.

If you’re just starting to build a presence, my biggest advice is this: **stay authentic and play the long game.** Social media isn’t just about algorithms and follower counts—it’s about relationships. Speak to *one* person, not the masses. Share content that you believe in, and be proud of every post you put out. At the same time, protect your energy. It’s easy to get caught up in the scroll, the comparison game, and the pressure to post. Set boundaries, focus on impact over likes, and connect meaningfully with those who align with your message.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I believe my entire practice is an expression of resilience. Living with type 1 diabetes is relentless—it’s not just a condition, it’s a daily negotiation between science, intuition, and self-advocacy. From the moment I was diagnosed as a child, I felt the weight of fear and uncertainty. But instead of letting it define me, I chose to turn it into fuel.

What started as a deeply personal health journey became a mission: to help others facing autoimmune diseases find a path beyond survival—to thrive. I wasn’t satisfied with the surface-level answers from conventional care, so I dug deeper. I immersed myself in research, pursued advanced education in functional medicine, and built a practice that bridges the gap between what we’re often told in the doctor’s office and what we actually need to heal.

Resilience, to me, isn’t just about pushing through hard times—it’s about choosing to create something better because of them. Every day, I work to equip my clients with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to rewrite their own health stories, just as I’ve rewritten mine. My nose is always to the ground in research, constantly learning and evolving, because I know firsthand what’s at stake.

This journey hasn’t been easy, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Every challenge has shaped me into the practitioner, advocate, and coach I am today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://t1dfunctionalnutrition.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diabeticdietitian/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyschmidtrd/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DiabeticDietitian
• Other: Email: [email protected]