The Dietitian Success Podcast | Business & Marketing for Dietitians

Thinking about taking maternity leave, a sabbatical, or any kind of extended time off from your business? In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I’m walking you through exactly how I’m planning for my second maternity leave—plus what I’ve learned from the first time around.
Whether you run a membership, course, private practice, or consulting business, you’ll walk away with practical strategies to keep things running without burning out (or shutting everything down). I’ll also share how you can make this work even if you don’t have a team.
Inside, I’ll answer:
How does my business model function, and what does my team do?
How can dietitians with different business models (private practice, consulting, membership, course) approach extended leave?
What felt the most overwhelming about planning for leave, and how did I work through it?
How do you actually keep a business running while you’re not there?
What does the pre-planning process and timeline look like?
How am I personally planning to unplug, and what boundaries am I setting while I’m off?
What’s one piece of advice I wish someone had told me before my first maternity leave as a business owner?
This episode is here to remind you that there’s no “one right way” to do maternity leave (or any leave). The right way is whatever works for you, your family, and your business.
Special Link:
📋 Share your input for our upcoming Entrepreneurship Membership Tier: Entrepreneurship Feedback & Needs Assessment

Links:
Join our FREE Starter Kit: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/

Become a member today: https://www.dietitiansuccesscenter.com/pricing

Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitiansuccesscenter/

Connect with @kristako.rd on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristako.rd/

What does marketing for dietitians look like in 2025 (and beyond) and where should you be focusing your energy for the future?
In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I sit down with Ana Reisdorf, RD and founder of the RD's Who Thrive Facebook group, to break down the real trends we’re seeing across the industry. From social media growth (yes, it’s still possible - we've DOUBLED our Instagram followers in the past few months and I want to tell you exactly how) to SEO shifts, AI, and old-school referrals, we cover it all.
Inside, you’ll learn:
The strategies that are actually working for dietitians right now
How to apply “if you know, you know” content to your marketing
How to talk about benefits vs. features in your marketing
Why word of mouth will never go out of style
The role of websites, SEO/AEO, email, and podcasts in the 2026 marketing landscape
If you’ve ever felt stuck, frustrated, or like you’re “doing marketing wrong,” this episode is your permission slip to rethink what’s possible.
Links:
Fill in our DSC Entrepreneurship Membership - Re-Launch Survey
Join our FREE dietitian community
Become a Practitioner Member
Follow @dietitiansuccesscenter on Instagram

In this short and honest solo episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I’m sharing why this podcast is going on a hiatus for a little while.
I talk through what’s been going on behind the scenes and why I’m choosing to focus my energy elsewhere.
If you’ve been a loyal listener - thank you, thank you, thank you. This podcast has been a huge part of how DSC has grown, and I’m so grateful for your support.

Links:
Join our FREE dietitian community
Become a Practitioner Member
Reach out on Instagram @kristako.rd

Transcript Summary:
[00:00:00] Welcome 
[00:02:30] A Whirlwind Season of Life
[00:06:15] When Something Has to Give
[00:09:45] Re-Focusing on the Practitioner Membership
[00:13:20] Reflections on Growth, Space, and Strategy
[00:17:30] If You’re Feeling the Same Way…
[00:20:10] What’s Next + Staying in the Loop

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I sit down with Shawna Melbourn, RD, CEDS-C, a certified intuitive eating counselor, eating disorder specialist, and creator of ED for RDs, to talk about her journey as a dietitian and business owner. 
We dive into:
How she learned about eating disorder care (and the mistakes she made along the way!)
Why she decided to create a course to educate other RDs on eating disorder care
The mixed emotions that come with running a business
Which marketing channels have worked best for her 

This one’s a must-listen for any RD thinking about working in eating disorder care, niching, scaling, or building a business that feels sustainable.
Links:
Join our FREE dietitian community
ED for RDs 
Follow ED for RDs on Instagram
Follow Shawna on Facebook
Follow Shawna on LinkedIn

Transcript Summary:
[00:00:00] Welcome & Introduction to Shawna Melbourn
[00:02:30] Shawna’s Path from Hospital to Entrepreneurship
[00:05:30] Burnout, Boundaries & Business Lessons
[00:09:30] Building a Team & Delegating with Intention
[00:13:00] Her Marketing Strategy
[00:16:30] Being a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor
[00:20:00] Sustainability in Eating Disorder Practice
[00:24:00] Advice for RDs Interested in ED Work
[00:28:00] What’s Next for Shawna

In this episode of the Dietitian Success Podcast, I’m giving you a totally honest, behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to run a membership or online program in the dietitian business world. I talk through the lessons I’ve learned from running Dietitian Success Center for the past few years, what I wish I had known going in, what I've seen work for other dietitian entrepreneurs, and the real talk on things like boundaries, business model pros and cons, and customer retention.
Whether you’re thinking about launching your own scalable offer or just curious what it takes to grow something like this, this episode gives you the full picture.
Inside the episode, we'll chat about:
What people don’t tell you about running a membership
What I wish I knew earlier about scaling
Whether this model might work for your goals
Tips for building recurring revenue in a way that feels aligned

Join our FREE dietitian community

Transcript Summary:
[00:00:00] Welcome & Today’s Topic
[00:02:00] What Makes the Membership Model So Appealing?
[00:05:00] The Reality Check: It’s Not Passive
[00:08:00] Burnout & Boundaries
[00:12:00] What I Wish I Knew Before Starting
[00:15:00] Membership vs. Online Course vs. Group Program
[00:20:00] The Importance of Clarity and Direction
[00:24:00] Building a Team + Sustainability
[00:28:00] Signs You Might Be Ready for a Scalable Model
[00:32:00] Final Thoughts + Encouragement