My company, JRNS (Juliet Ronica Nutrition Services), was born out of a personal experience. I witnessed several members of my family, including my mother, struggle with diabetes, and I saw firsthand the impact that proper nutrition can have on managing this condition. I wanted to share this knowledge. I started my business, specialising in creating customised diet plans for people with various health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, gastric issues, liver and kidney problems, and more.
Starting my business in 2019 was an adventure! My approach was to run 90 per cent of the business online. I invested in a high-quality laptop, spending around Sh30,000, and then hired a graphic designer. With a budget of around Sh10,000, we created the logo, business cards and flyers that would help me promote my services, and then spent Sh4,000 to print my first batch of business cards and flyers. To reach potential clients, I tapped into my existing Facebook network. It was through Facebook that I landed my first two clients within the first week! The initial success encouraged me to keep going.
I broke even in about the first six months. However, this success was short-lived as the Covid-19 pandemic hit. My services were deemed a luxury, and fraudulent nutritionists started cropping up with cheap and fake diet plans. The reputation of the industry took a hit. Despite these challenges, I diversified my services to include weight loss, family diets, and infant and toddler nutrition, which proved to be a game-changer. Nonetheless, one of the challenges I face today is patients withholding information about their health conditions, which affects the effectiveness of the prescribed diet plans.
I am currently employed and have been able to juggle both my job and my business. In fact, my work as a nutritionist has been a great asset to my business. The experience I have gained from treating patients with various conditions at my job has given me an edge in creating effective diet plans for my clients. I see both employment and entrepreneurship as complementary.
One of the biggest money mistakes I made was signing a monthly contract with a graphics designer. I ended up spending a whopping 80 per cent of my business’s revenue on the services. Looking back, I wish I had taken the time to learn some basic design skills on platforms like Canva. Another mistake I made was not having a specific target audience. I would spend around Sh2,000 on boosting my posts to target the whole of Kenya, which led to unqualified enquiries flooding in.
As a nutritionist, there is no better feeling than seeing your clients achieve their health goals and knowing that you played a part in their success. One particular moment that stands out for me was when a client called me up, ecstatic that she could see visible changes in her health and well-being. She was so pleased with my services that she even requested a home visit.
Separating my business’s online presence from my personal profile is one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned. As of this year, I’ve made it a priority to maintain an active and engaging online presence for my business. By building a dedicated online community for my business, I hope to further engage with clients, build brand recognition, and attract new customers.
Since a majority of my clients pay through M-Pesa, I use the M-Shwari locked account to save all the proceeds from my business. At the end of each month, I withdraw the funds and allocate them accordingly. I allocate a portion of my earnings to cover monthly expenses, such as graphic design and digital marketing. I have also learned the importance of reinvesting in my business, so I put aside 30 per cent of my revenue for marketing purposes. BY DAILY NATION