The Nutritional Supplement

Which course did you graduate from at CNELM and when did you graduate?

I graduated in September 2017 having completed the CNELM Nutritional Therapy Practice Diploma (NTPD), now called the CNELM Personalised Nutrition Practice Diploma (PNPD), and an MSc in Personalised Nutrition.

What did you do before doing this course?

I previously worked in multinational FMCG food companies in marketing and communications where I worked on both established brands and product innovation. I had a lot of contact with food technologists, nutritionists, and development chefs and was always interested in knowing more about food and nutrition.

What made you decide to embark on this course of study and what attracted you to CNELM? 

My decision was pre-empted by starting a family and years of working around processed foods and manufacturing. I marketed products in categories including confectionary, cereal, breakfast bars and beverages and was gradually finding less and less coherence with my work and the way I chose to eat at home. My last role in petfood prompted me to leave the industry and return to study. I was based abroad at this time so chose CNELM for several reasons. I had heard good feedback from previous students, and it also offered a large chunk of the course online (100% of the MSc and ¾ of the NTPD).

What was your first role after graduating?

After graduating I continued working in a start-up that I had co-founded which was focused on female health, pregnancy, and post-partum care (https://kalilacommunity.com/). This allowed me to start practising on a part-time basis and building clientele.

How did you kickstart your practice / career?

I spent 2 years heavily networking and hosting events in a variety of locations from libraries, townhalls, schools and corporates. Through this I got invited to present to local WI, Chamber of Commerce, professional networking groups etc. I cold called and emailed a wide range of businesses to communicate my services. I collaborated with a local psychologist which helped generate some referrals and new business. It was a slow and steady process to build awareness of my services and make relevant contacts which led to business.

Where has your career taken you so far? 

I work 50/50 in practice and in industry. I have maintained my links with FMCG and offer nutritional consultancy for food brands and the hospitality industry. This varies immensely and has seen me working on large-scale projects to define the health credentials of products and their composite ingredients eg. benefits of fibre in a rye cracker, through to developing allergen statements for caterers. On the private-practice side I added Metabolic Balance Consultant to my qualifications and have largely worked with clients with metabolic dysregulation. Since 2020, I joined the BANT team as the Communications Mgr (part-time).

Do you specialise in a particular area of health? 

I work mostly with metabolic conditions and gut health but have just completed a 6-month course in cancer which has always been my intended area of specialisation. I’ve had a surge of post-treatment cancer clients over the last 12 months all looking to optimise their diet to prevent reoccurrence. I’m hoping to add a further course later this year and keep building my qualifications in integrated cancer nutrition.

Which part do you think has been the most rewarding or successful? 

It’s always rewarding when a client achieves their goal and you’ve been successful in helping them reach it.

Is there anything you wish you’d known before finishing your studies that you might have prepared for differently?

 I don’t think I was prepared for how challenging it would be to enter Nutritional Therapy and build a practice from scratch. I naively thought having a qualification and MSc would be a gateway to working, not realising how complex the industry is and how many other practitioners are all encroaching on nutrition.

What or who has most inspired you in your work? 

I think it’s a combination of self-motivation and a strong support network of friends, family and ex-colleagues who have all championed me in changing career.

Do you have any tips, hints, things you’d have done differently...? 

Honestly, I feel everything leads to something so I wouldn’t necessarily go back and change anything. I would recommend anyone to think carefully about their desired ways-of-working after graduating and set steps in motion whilst still studying to help them fast-track getting there.