Orly Wachter, MS, RD

BUSINESS MENTOR/COACH & SKINCARE DIETITIAN

for something nutrishus

When looking for potential dietitians to profile, I reached out to Orly due to her skincare niche. She also has a Facebook group for RD entrepreneurs (the RD Freedom Seekers Community) which I didn't know about previously and is a big focus of her work. We continue to see dietitians 'giving back', coaching and supporting other dietitians through their careers which is very inspiring and a niche of its own.

Why did you become a RD?

In my final year of undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, I attended a weekend workshop on nutrition and wellness. I always loved food and grew up on gourmet meals thanks to my mom, but nutrition was never really an area I considered studying. To be completely honest I had no clue dietitians even existed, but after the weekend workshop I was totally hooked and knew I had to learn more.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I currently run 2 online businesses. My main focus right now is on business mentorship and coaching for ambitious dietitians. My other business, The Skincare Dietitian, helps women clear up their adult acne so they can walk out of their house wearing the confidence of a smooth, clear complexion.

How would you explain what you do?

As a business mentor and coach, I help dietitians go from feeling unfulfilled and stuck in their hospital job to creating a business that gives them the freedom & flexibility to spend more time with their family while also helping their clients in a much bigger way than they are able to within the confines of a hospital setting.

In my Skincare Dietitian business, I use a holistic approach that includes nutrition, stress management, sleep and topical skincare to help women heal their skin. Most of my clients struggle with acne, but I also work with other skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. I work with clients 1:1 and also run a 6 week online group program called Clear Skin From the Inside Out.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

I love the flexibility of being my own boss and planning my daily/weekly schedule in a way that suits my lifestyle and peak productivity times. Being an entrepreneur means I can start my day off with yoga and spend as much time with my son as I want!

I typically save my mornings for creative work like writing content or developing new programs. I am most productive during this time so I maximize what I can get done in the mornings and try my best to limit distractions like email and social media.

Afternoons and limited evenings are available for client calls, connection calls, social media engagement and emails.

Two things that I do every day without fail are write in my journal to stay on track with my goals and spend time learning, which could be through reading, listening to a podcast or working through content in a course I’ve purchased.

What has been your career path?

My first job after graduating was as a resource dietitian for Sodexo in Boston. This gave me exposure to many clinical settings, but at the time I really wanted to work in oncology (it was my favourite rotation during my internship). After 8 months with Sodexo, I ended up getting a full time job in an outpatient oncology clinic and moving back home to Toronto. Over the past 11 years, I have also worked as professional practice leader for RDs, done private practice work at a busy downtown medical clinic, and was also a sessional instructor for the IDPP (Internationally Educated Dietitians Pre-registration Program) at Ryerson University.

If there’s one major lesson I learned working with thousands of cancer patients, it’s that life is short. It’s that we shouldn’t wait for “someday” to do the things we want to do. And that’s a major part of the reason I took the leap into entrepreneurship.

I started my online Skincare Dietitian business in 2015 while still working full time and decided not to return to my hospital job after my son was born.

Through the process of building my first online business and learning so much about entrepreneurship, I realized that while I still love nutrition and helping people feel great inside and out, I LOVE helping other dietitians pursue their dreams even more!

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I have a Master of Science in clinical nutrition from Boston University. I also completed a certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management, but don’t actually practice in this area.

In addition to my nutrition education, I have taken many online business training courses (including Marie Forleo’s B-school) and invested in business coaching to learn all about marketing myself as an online entrepreneur, creating irresistible offers and strategic copy writing that sells.

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

I am thrilled to see so many RDs learning about integrative nutrition and practicing in a more holistic way. I would love to see this added to our core curriculum in addition to more relevant business training.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

We are not the food police and we will not take away all your favourite foods! Also, not all of us are slaves to the food guide/food pyramid.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I am passionate about showing new RDs that clinical work is not their only option. When I did my internship I was led to believe that I had to work in clinical and got very limited exposure to RDs who were carving their own niche.

Truth is there are a TON of opportunities for dietitians that range from freelance writing, corporate wellness, academia and food blogging. It took me 9 years to break free from the hospital setting and that’s one of the many reasons I love helping other RDs discover their true passion and build a career they love.

What is your favourite meal?

I’m always in the mood for sushi :) Also, one of my favourite childhood meals that I still love is schnitzel and mashed potatoes.

What tip(s) would you give to our readers?

Don’t pick a job with great vacation time. Pick one that doesn’t need escaping from.

Anything else you’d like to add that you feel would be valuable:

When I work with RDs on building their business, one of the biggest struggles that comes up is how to find clients. Makes sense because without clients you don’t have much of a business. That’s why I created a FREE guide with 11 Ways to Become a Client Magnet (even if you’re just starting your nutrition practice). You can access it here.

More about Orly:

Website: www.orlywachter.com

Instagram: @orlywachter

Facebook: Orly Wachter, RD

Email: orly@orlywachter.com

Thanks Orly!