1. We promote products we love. This didn't happen on accident and we took the time learn about the quality of our products, the company that makes them and the community that surrounds it. We truly love the products we are sharing with you! My favourite question to ask when meeting a new representative from any company is: why did you choose that company and products? I love hearing their passion as they share their personal story.

Clarifying – None of us feel we were going to "get rich" by selling you crappy products you wont love. If  your friend is sharing their DS products with you, its because they are sharing something they love with you. Listen to them, even if you are not interested in becoming a customer. You are helping them simply by showing you care enough to hear them.
 
2. Direct Sales is simply a method of distribution. In my personal opinion, it's a great method! The wonderful thing about Direct Sales is it is a direct shipping from a company to customer and the representative is compensated for the referral. You order what you want and it goes to your home (kinda like Amazon, but a family is benefiting from your purchase). 

Clarifying – Some companies offer amazing discounts to be both a customer and a representative. Your DS rep will likely share that with you, BUT we also know that you may never promote our products to others. We are ok with that! Always be willing to know all the options, I was a person who joined my company to save money on my families products.
 
3. Direct Sales supports families. Being in the DS industry for more than 7 years, I have seen so many families pay off debt, moms afford to stay home to raise their babies, other families benefit from family vacations they otherwise would not of been able to afford, and I have seen countless individuals benefit from a positive uplifting community. We all deserve to be supported, inspired and feel we belong. Direct Sales is a small business model that not only can improve a families finances, but that also offers positive community.

Clarifying – Your purchases promote financial wellness in your own community. That my friend is something to be proud of!
 
4. Direct Sales often has better quality products. Another Big Bonus about DS products is these companies do not have to pay mega dollars on advertising or shelf space at big box stores. This allows them to put all that money into creating better quality products (and believe me they do!) I personally purchase as much as I can from other DS moms because I love the quality of what I purchase! I purchase my skin care, make-up, jewellery, bags, essential oils, natural cleaning supplies, cookware and more all from different representatives from different companies because the quality is amazing!

Clarifying – Most DS companies also offer a money back guarantee on their products, which means your investment is backed by quality assurance! 
 
5. It's a hard business and takes a lot of personal growth, focus and determination, BUT the rewards are bigger! Coming from traditional business ownership, I had no idea what my DS business would do for my family. It has brought me home so that I can prioritize my schedule around my children. My DS business has allowed us to offer our children quality education, and it has allowed me to support thousands of families in living healthier lives, than I ever would of in my practice. I have the time freedom to volunteer hundreds of hours of my time every year and no longer rely on transactional income (time for money). Building my business was not easy, but the rewards have far exceeded what I imagined was possible. The joy I now receive comes from watching other families experience the same benefits. 

Clarifying – If you do not see yourself building a DS business, we honour and respect that. It takes a lot of learning, digging into personal development and incredible determination. If that is not for you, we do not judge you for that.

I’m so glad you have paused to read this quick business tutorial on the 4 things you need to have in place to get your Nutrition practice off the ground. I myself have been running my own Nutrition Consulting business for 13 years, and even though it was far from yesterday when I first set up, I am still very aware of what you want to have in place so that you can start attracting new clients into your practice!
 
Below is a checklist and brief explanation of what items you want to have ready when you are launching your private practice. 
 
These action steps are all covered in detail the Business of Wellness Consulting Course (BUS2) at Edison. For now, we will look at them as action items you can work on right now in preparation of your launch.
 

• Website
• Email Address
• Facebook Business Page
• Business Cards

Website – You can create your own website on a variety of sites with templates. Focus on including a: home page, About page, Services page, Blog page and Contact info. These are the basic pages for a new successful website. Your potential clients are likely going to Google you and you want to be website ready! If you need help navigating potential do it yourself website platforms, feel free to comment below or email me at: http://bit.ly/2m74lWM
 
Email Address– What email do you plan to use and stay committed to long-term with your clients? I launched my practice long before the days or requiring a website and even though it is a Hotmail address, I have never swayed from it. I still  use this with my clients today. I have had clients who have emailed me years after their program ended! Now of course it is far more professional to have a email that matches your website and I strongly encourage you set that up as you set up your website. In the business course at Edison I will walk you through how to set up an email marketing campaign.
 
Facebook Business Page – Your business page on Facebook can either be professional page on you as a practitioner or on your business. I recommend starting with one, and building some daily content. I personally schedule all my business page posts for up to three weeks in advanced and focus on shareable content, throwing in health education articles, information on my services and upcoming classes or programs that are available. This is covered in our second 
live Class in the BUS2 program at Edison.
 
Business Cards – Business Cards are far from being out of fashion, and as you start networking, attending local vendor events and getting out to build up your name as a wellness practitioner you will want to have professional business cards on hand at all times!! I go through over a 1000 business cards every year! AND I get lots of business and referrals from people who have taken my cards. Be sure to put your email, website and even your social media page on your cards to make getting in contact with you super easy!
 
Stay tuned for more business guidance on the Edison Blog and Student Newsletter.

Alisa Herriman has built two very successful businesses in the wellness industry with her consulting company, and through her health coaching business.  Alisa is a passionate educator who believes that when we all grow, we all become better, and as a result the industry improves.  Alisa’s experience in business within the wellness field started in 2006 when she launched her nutrition consulting company. Since then she has built another very reputable health coaching business. Alisa teaches the Business of Wellness Consulting Course (BUS2) at Edison Institute of Nutrition.  Alisa has the knowledge and skills to help you navigate the wellness industry and create a game plan for success!
​

I don't know if you can relate, but my passion when I first started out back in 2006 was Nutrition and not business! I was so excited to launch my own practice and I had found a great little room in the back of a busy spa. I was a new Grad who had 4 years of health care experience and a year worth of experience at a local health food store.  I thought for sure clients were going to be lining up at my door!!
 
Unfortunately, I quickly discovered that I would have to learn how to market myself, build business relationships and develop a heck of a lot of business skills! I quickly became a struggling practitioner who was barely covering rent on my small room, let alone creating a profit.
 
Thus began a 3 year journey of learning not only how to be a business owner, but how to develop and market my programs and learning how to create a steady flow of new clients.
 
During these three years of studying business as I was building my practice, I learned some really valuable skills that to this day have helped me not only continue to grow my influence, but continuously grow a stable and expanding income. 
 
I was so thrilled with my results that I took all of the skills I learned and developed a program for my personal business.  A process that helped me turn my annual income from a loss, to a profit that had surpassed my full time health care income.  
 
I was so blessed that I became passionate about teaching other wellness practitioners what I had learned!  In 2011 I started teaching others in the wellness field though local colleges and community workshops what I had learned. I called this program the Business of Wellness Consulting Course. 

In 2012 I joined the team at Edison Institute of Nutrition, bringing the Business Course with me and opening the course up to students of any school and program who wanted to learn how to grow a successful business in the wellness field. 
​
Since then we have taken dozens of Wellness practitioners through a home-based business course that has allowed them to create a solid business plan to grow their businesses! In 2018 we took the course online with a new platform, and in January 2019 we added in live webinar classes to add even more content into this course!! (see outline below)

We have all had a customer experience at one point or another, which left us with bad taste in our mouth. And we have had customer experiences that, made us happy to be their customer!
Regardless of the experience, good or bad, we have something to say about it don't we?!

As a business owner your job is to do your absolute best to ensure that your customers have an incredible experience to the best of your ability.  
 
Your Job Starts The Moment You Acquire A New Customer!
 
Many of us in sales, have to work very hard to educate people on our products, engage them in understanding the value of what we offer, and at the end of it all, make them a customer.

If you are good at closing you end up being compensated for your new customers orders. This is great news to those willing to work hard, have big vision, and a desire to create a new lifestyle.  Sales is a skill, and if you invest time into learning and doing it well, you can create any level of success that you desire! However...

​Do you ever feel a little bit like you are spinning your wheels when it comes to trying to get everything you know you should be doing done in a day? I absolutely know the feeling!! Being a work from home mom of 4, who runs 2 different Businesses, I was having moments where I absolutely felt like I was drowning!
 
The worst part of it all, was the guilt I was experiencing in feeling like I was never doing enough. I wasn’t spending enough time with my children. I wasn't being a good enough wife, I wasn't contributing enough to my community, and I was never caught up on my business to do’s.  Don't get me wrong I absolutely loved love what I was doing, and I created a career where I could work from home, and have the personal freedom to choose how I spent my day, but there is where my problem was hiding. I DID own my schedule, BUT I wasn't owning my time.
 
"I WAS HAVING MOMENTS WHERE I FELT LIKE I WAS DROWNING"
 
So like most people before they are forced to make a big change, I was having moments of utter desperation and was trying to figure out how I could continue to grow my business and income, and how I could create more balance and less stress at the same time.  Kind sounds like a oxymoron doesn't it!! BUT it is possible and I want to share with you what I did......

Welcome to my Business Blog!!! I am so excited to be sharing my experience on growing a thriving wellness business!! It doesn't matter if you are a health and wellness professional or if you work for a health product company, this blog will share my best advice and business growth strategies.
​
If I am new to you, I am so excited to meet you!! My name is Alisa and I am a Nutritionist and mom of 4 children. I have been teaching Nutrition for more than 14 years and started my company when I was just 23 years old!! I left the health care industry (I will share why in upcoming posts) and learned the ups and downs of sole entrepreneurship.  After a few years, I found my footing and grew a successful practice.