The Dietitian Success Podcast | Business & Marketing for Dietitians

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I am walking through the full Dietitian Success Summit agenda in detail so that attendees know exactly what to expect and anyone who is still on the fence can hear the full picture before making a decision. For attendees, you will have already received this information via email! If you can’t find it, email [email protected]. 

We are six weeks out from the summit, entrepreneur passes are sold out, and there are only nine general passes remaining. This episode covers everything from the keynote to the speakers to the sessions to the dress code to the entrepreneurship dinner to day three business planning.

Inside, we cover:

• The two core objectives that every single element of the summit was designed around
• The full day one agenda including the opening keynote, two expert sessions, the social media panel, and the goal setting session
• What is in your swag bag including the Dietitian Success Planner and why it is the foundational through line of the whole event
• The professional headshot experience and how it is included in every pass
• The full day two agenda including the AI session, the RD rebrand session, and the digital presence session
• What happens when the general pass wraps and the entrepreneur sessions begin
• The marketing panel with four established dietitian entrepreneurs and what they will be covering
• The entrepreneurship dinner at El Catrin in the Distillery District
• The full day three business planning experience and what you will actually walk away with
• Everything you need to know about dress code, food, logistics, and the summit community forum

Links:

• Join the Dietitian Success Summit 2026: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/the-dietitian-success-summit-2026
• Check out the Entrepreneurship Tier of Dietitian Success Center: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/entrepreneurshipfordietitians
• Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/
• Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/
• Free Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I'm covering three topics that are all about working smarter in your business, whether that is making better financial decisions about the tools you invest in, getting more out of the AI tools you are already using, or figuring out what to hand off and when without feeling like you have to do everything at once or nothing at all.

We talk about how to evaluate whether a platform like Skool is actually worth $99 a month, the one thing most people are missing when they use Claude that makes the output feel generic, and how to think about outsourcing as a stepwise process rather than an all-or-nothing decision.

Inside, we cover:

• Why the question is never what does this cost but what does this enable me to do
• How to do the actual math on a $99 monthly platform and why the answer might surprise you
• Why the step you are skipping with Claude is a brand book and what that actually means
• Why I think social content actually works better when it comes from you directly rather than AI (but how to use AI still to help you save time and build creativity)
• How Claude is still genuinely useful even if it is not writing your captions
• Why you probably do not need to outsource bookkeeping in year one of your business
• How my own approach to bookkeeping and taxes has evolved over six years from a Google spreadsheet to a full accounting firm
• Why the decision of what to hand off tends to become obvious when the timing is actually right
• Why messy and iterative is a completely normal and healthy part of building a business

Links:

• Check out the Entrepreneurship Tier of Dietitian Success Center: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/entrepreneurshipfordietitians
• Join the Dietitian Success Summit 2026: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/the-dietitian-success-summit-2026
• Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/
• Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/
• Free Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I'm tackling three topics that are coming up constantly right now for dietitian entrepreneurs at every stage of business.

We talk about how to actually build boundaries into your practice before the burnout hits, what the rise of telehealth companies like Nourish and Faye actually means for private practice dietitians and how to differentiate yourself, and how to choose a business coach without getting pulled in by the most polished Instagram presence in the room.

Inside, we cover:

• Why being always available is not professional and what it actually signals to potential clients
• How to decide your boundaries upfront and communicate them transparently so everyone is on the same page
• Why an open booking schedule can make you look less in demand rather than more accessible
• What telehealth companies like Nourish and Faye have done to the dietetics market and why I still believe private practice has a strong future
• Why the answer to competing with telehealth companies is never price and always brand
• Why niching further and building a more specialized practice is going to become increasingly important
• The two most common complaints I hear from dietitians who have worked with business coaches that did not feel right
• Why I was allergic to the term business coach for years and why I have made peace with it
• How to vet a business coach before you spend money, including the one platform I think does this better than any other

Links:

• Check out the Entrepreneurship Tier of Dietitian Success Center: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/entrepreneurshipfordietitians
• Fay, Nourish, Berry Street and Beyond: https://dietitiansuccesscenter.com/fay-nourish-berry-street-beyond-dietitian-perspectives-on-working-for-telehealth-startups/
• Join the Dietitian Success Summit 2026: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/the-dietitian-success-summit-2026
• Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/
• Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/
• Free Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I'm tackling three topics that are all connected by the same underlying theme: what it actually takes to build a business that grows, without burning yourself out in the process.

We talk about how to carve out time to work on your business when your client schedule is already full, where I land on the hustle culture versus soft girl era debate and why I think both extremes are doing you a disservice, and a transparent look at a $19,000 line item on our corporate tax return and what it taught me about how to think about money in a growing business.

Inside, we cover:

• Why nothing changes if nothing changes, and what that actually means for your schedule
• The people-pleasing habit that is keeping your calendar too open and your business too stagnant
• Why an overly open booking schedule can actually make you look less professional, not more accessible
• Where hustle culture gets it right and where it goes too far
• What the soft girl era gets right and where it becomes a convenient excuse
• Why I take issue with the phrase “giving yourself grace” and when I actually think it applies
• The real middle ground between grinding and coasting, and what it looked like when I was building DSC while working a nine-to-five with a three-hour daily commute
• $19,000 in transaction fees, why I am completely unbothered by it, and what my accountant said that reframed everything
• Why your job as a business owner is to grow revenue, not reduce expenses

Links:

• Check out the Entrepreneurship Tier of Dietitian Success Center: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/entrepreneurshipfordietitians
• Join the Dietitian Success Summit 2026: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/the-dietitian-success-summit-2026
• Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/
• Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/
• Free Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I'm covering three topics for dietitians who are building or growing their businesses.

We talk about what a signature program actually is and whether only offering one-on-one sessions can qualify, how to create physical products for your brand without spending money on inventory upfront, and what happens when you finish something in your business and then just cannot seem to pull the trigger on launching it.

Inside, we cover:

• Why the concept of a signature program is widely misunderstood and what it actually requires
• Why one-on-one sessions absolutely can be a signature program and how to structure and position them that way
• How to name and market a signature program so it reads as a premium, client-specific offer
• Why you should lead with outcomes in your marketing, not the format or the features
• How to create merch and physical products for your brand using Printify, Canva, VistaPrint, and third-party printers
• How drop shipping works so you never have to touch or hold inventory
• The real reason most dietitians sit on finished work instead of launching it
• Why the indecision tax is costing you more than you realize, in mental load and in revenue
• The warm fuzzies folder strategy for rebuilding belief in your own work
• Why detaching from the outcome is the thing that actually lets you move forward

Links:

• Check out the Entrepreneurship Tier of Dietitian Success Center: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/entrepreneurshipfordietitians
• Join the Dietitian Success Summit 2026: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/the-dietitian-success-summit-2026
• Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/
• Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/
• Free Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I am doing something a little different. Instead of tackling three separate business questions, I am sharing my personal goal setting framework in full, doing a mid-year check-in on my own 2026 goals, and talking about why I believe this process is one of the most transformational things you can do for your business and your life.

This framework is the one I have refined over years of practice, used to go from a nine-to-five commuter to a full-time entrepreneur and Ironman finisher, and am now teaching in depth at the Dietitian Success Summit this September.

Inside, we cover:

• Why destination goals alone almost never work and what to do instead
• The difference between destination goals and process-oriented goals, and why the distinction changes everything
• Why the point of a big audacious goal is not whether you achieve it but who you become on the way
• How to identify which domains of your life need attention right now: personal, wellness, professional, and financial
• How to set three to five process-oriented goals that are actually trackable and achievable
• Why tracking matters as much as setting, and the app I use to do it
• My five personal goals for 2026 and exactly where I am at on each one at the midpoint of the year
• Why being behind on your goals is not failure and how to think about it without attaching your self-worth to the outcome

This framework will be taught in depth at the Dietitian Success Summit in September, and every attendee will receive the first ever Dietitian Success Planner, which is designed specifically around this process.

Links:

• Join the Dietitian Success Summit 2026: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/the-dietitian-success-summit-2026
• Check out the Entrepreneurship Tier of Dietitian Success Center: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/entrepreneurshipfordietitians
• Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/
• Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/
• Free Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I'm tackling three questions that come up constantly for dietitians who are building or growing their businesses online.

We talk about which website platform actually makes the most sense for dietitians in 2026 and whether it even matters as much as people think, what realistic revenue streams look like beyond one-on-one client work and how to figure out which one is the right next step for you, and whether starting a podcast is worth the time investment or just another thing to add to an already full plate.

Inside, we cover:

• Why the WordPress vs. Squarespace vs. Wix debate has shifted significantly in the age of AI
• Why content quality and structure now matter far more than which platform you are on
• Why I generally recommend Wix or Squarespace for most dietitians and when WordPress might still make sense
• How AEO changes the way we think about website platforms and blogging strategy
• Why the income ceiling in one-on-one practice is a signal worth paying attention to
• The self-reflection questions to ask before adding a new revenue stream to your dietitian business
• A full list of non-1:1 revenue streams dietitians are actually using successfully
• Why podcasting is one of the most underutilized marketing channels in dietetics right now
• How one dietitian in our community fills her group programs using only her podcast as a marketing channel
• Why you do not have to start your own podcast to benefit from the medium

Links:

• Check out the Entrepreneurship Tier of Dietitian Success Center: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/entrepreneurshipfordietitians
• Join the Dietitian Success Summit 2026: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/the-dietitian-success-summit-2026
• Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/
• Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/
• Free Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I'm tackling three topics that carry a lot of emotional weight for dietitian entrepreneurs.

We talk about how to tell the difference between slow business growth that is completely normal and slow growth that is a sign something needs to change, whether you actually need lived experience in your niche to be credible and effective, and how to talk about results in your marketing without crossing ethical lines or making promises you cannot keep.

Inside, we cover:

• Why slow growth is not a problem unless it is misaligned with your actual goals
• How comparison-itis distorts our perception of what normal business growth actually looks like
• The mindset shift that changes everything: if nothing changes, nothing changes
• Why expecting a doctor to have lived experience in their specialty would be absurd, and why we hold ourselves to a different standard
• The real value you bring to the table as a clinician, even without personal lived experience
• Why I can coach private practice dietitians effectively without running one myself
• The quote that changed how I think about client outcomes: you are responsible to people, not for them
• How to use Island A and Island B language to paint a compelling picture of what is possible without making promises you cannot keep
• Why testimonials are your most powerful marketing tool and how to collect ones that actually work

Whether you have been questioning your own growth, feeling like your lack of lived experience disqualifies you, or playing it so safe in your marketing that nobody knows what you actually help people achieve, this episode will help you move forward with more clarity and confidence.

• Try Practice Better FREE for 14 days, then new users can save 20% off their first 4 months with code DIETITIANSUCCESS20 at checkout:
  https://sites.practicebetter.io/dsc?utm_source=sponsorship&utm_medium=partnership&utm_campaign=dietitian-success-center&utm_content=podcast2&utm_term=ba
• Check out the Entrepreneurship Tier of Dietitian Success Center: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/entrepreneurshipfordietitians
• Join the Dietitian Success Summit 2026: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/the-dietitian-success-summit-2026
• Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/
• Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/
• Free Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, we talk about the real pros and cons of offering one-off sessions versus packages versus both, how to retrain your brain to think about business spending as investment rather than cost, and what to do when you realize a client is not the right fit, whether you are still in the discovery call or already three sessions in.

Inside, we cover:

• Why there is no single right model when it comes to one-offs versus packages, and the factors that should actually drive that decision for you
• The hidden challenge with offering both options at the same time
• The mindset shift that happens when you stop thinking about business spending as cost and start thinking about it as investment
• The two-part framework I use to evaluate any business purchase: likelihood and magnitude
• How I think about the ROI of investing in learning, coaching, and in-person events like the Dietitian Success Summit
• Why saying yes to the wrong client can actually cost you more than saying no
• How to screen clients before the discovery call even happens
• What to say when you realize mid-engagement that someone is not the right fit, in a way that is supportive, professional, and protects your boundaries

Whether you have been going back and forth on your service model, feeling guilty about business spending, or dreading sessions with a client you should not have taken on, this episode will help you think more clearly about all three.

Links:

• Check out the Entrepreneurship Tier of Dietitian Success Center: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/entrepreneurshipfordietitians
• Join the Dietitian Success Summit 2026: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/the-dietitian-success-summit-2026
• Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/
• Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/
• Free Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I talk about how to market yourself consistently without burning out, why ManyChat has been one of the most impactful tools we have used in the last year for growing our email list, and the three principles that have shaped how we approach brand sponsorships and that I think every dietitian entrepreneur should know.

Inside, we cover:

• Why marketing is non-negotiable in your business and the excuses that are keeping you stuck
• The concept of micro marketing and why five to ten minutes a day beats a blocked-off half day you never actually do
• Specific micro marketing actions you can take in five minutes or less
• What ManyChat is and how it works with your Instagram account
• Why the old "link in bio" approach is no longer effective and what to do instead
• How we got a 79% conversion rate on our auto DM welcome message
• The three principles for landing brand sponsorships that apply regardless of your audience size
• Why one-off sponsored posts often underdeliver and what to offer brands instead
• How to follow up strategically with brands based on their budget cycles

Whether you have been avoiding marketing because it feels overwhelming, wondering whether automation tools are worth it, or curious about brand sponsorships as a revenue stream, this episode is packed with practical and actionable advice.

Links:

• Try Practice Better FREE for 14 days, then new users can save 20% off their first 4 months with code DIETITIANSUCCESS20 at checkout:
  https://sites.practicebetter.io/dsc?utm_source=sponsorship&utm_medium=partnership&utm_campaign=dietitian-success-center&utm_content=podcast1&utm_term=ba
• Check out the Entrepreneurship Tier of Dietitian Success Center: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/entrepreneurshipfordietitians
• Join the Dietitian Success Summit 2026: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/the-dietitian-success-summit-2026
• Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/
• Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/
• Free Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/