We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mia Loya, MSHN. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mia below.
Mia , appreciate you joining 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.
When I chose nutrition as my profession, I worked with a team of chiropractors who had been in business for 10 years. The environment had a routine, rhythm, and excitement. The daily tasks were focused on clients and everybody knew where to find us. That final summer, I began to think about what it would be like to have my own practice. My vision was to get really good at the supplement and accountability side of health change so doctor’s offices, dentists, gyms, and physical therapists could leverage my support without hiring in. I’ll never forget one of my last adjustments when my mentor shared the “burn the boats” analogy. If you want your new business, life, or relationship, you have to burn the boats and never look back (figuratively, of course) what she meant was it takes being all in to get to the new vision. Shortly after, I moved to a new town, into new apartments, with my newly serious boyfriend (now husband) to support his work travel schedule and live out my vision.
In the first six months of starting my own practice, I faced more hours navigating entity set-up challenges focusing on the financial, legal, and marketing parts of my business than I did serving my clients. That doesn’t always feel great, because it’s not your professional expertise, yet all those details are necessary. I wish somebody would have told me in the beginning your time is 80% marketing and 20% interfacing with clients.
If I had done things differently, I would have spent more time vetting the business coaching programs and mentors available to me. I learned so much from the one I chose for those first two years, but what wasn’t clear to me back then was I was being charged for coaching to get me to a 6-figure practices and I barely had my first P+L filed. It was a program meant for established businesses, and their fees reflected it. I carry that debt to this day and do believe I could have navigated that more responsibly.
Especially in the online space, sit in on 3-4 business coaching program pitches, know the energy, see who else is using them and where they are in business, make it specific to your field. Choose the one that will give you 1:1 time, not just modules, and have them really push you to be the bolder, more confident version of you it takes to pull off business for yourself.
Mia , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I started out as a holistic nutritionist after spending most of 2014 overseas traveling Africa, Europe, and Asia. I’ve always had a heart for serving others and if there was ever a difference to make that didn’t discriminate – it was helping people get healthy, and have access to clean food and water. I have my master’s degree so I can navigate the depths of physiological issues that arise throughout life. I spend a lot of time helping high performers overcome stress cycles, create routines, and get the self-care they need behind the scenes so they can shine in their businesses and with their families.
I created the Well Fed Warrior System to help busy professionals equip their minds and fuel their bodies for lasting wellness. I’m most proud of the framework I created to help people tackle weight loss, understand their biometrics, and practice peace of mind over the course of a year. I presented this approach as a research-based protocol and corporate wellness plan at the National Association of Nutritional Practitioner’s HEALCON 2023. I’m also so proud of my family’s ability to walk our talk, we will be expecting our first child in 2024 and can’t wait to begin to see how life unfolds. 2025-2030 I’ll be helping brands and companies care for their staff throughout the year to increase employee engagement and support. I’ll always have a base of private practice clients and events to help those who find me organically on Pinterest and Linkedin.
My clients, followers, and fans are excited to believe in nature’s magic. Whether it’s how their body heals, how they can take foods in as medicine, or the power of biofeedback and meditation. I want the world to know we are still natural beings and if we can connect into adventure, positivity, and nature’s science we have more happy, loving, powerful success. We are living longer than ever before, with more asking for our attention, so we might as well feel as great as we can every day as we live it out.
Have you ever had to pivot?
My second online summit for weight-loss was set to begin promotion the day before the pandemic lockdowns began in March of 2020. I had hopes for reaching 10s of thousands of people through email marketing and collaboration. Fear and collective uncertainty was my greatest enemy and people quickly shied away from marketing to be with their family. Back then, I didn’t have the leadership to tell my colleagues to push through anyway. We did have a small group join the events. I pivoted my offerings to more personal accountability and held space for them emotionally as they worked in masks, dealt with life transitions, and many things we wouldn’t have come up with without a pandemic.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Interpersonal skills, being able to empathize and actively listen. Your goal is to give the knowledge/training information you learned in a way that is relevant to how they walk and talk through life. You’ll get better results because it will be their personal and lived understanding of your methods.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://firewavewellness.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/microbiomemia
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firewavewellness/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wellfedwarrior/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcWjTgbp_mY1PoasCWxRxnQ
- Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jbi6WrSnzeaGsdsdA
Image Credits
Meg Marie Photography