Last week I talked about how trying to diversify six ways at once nearly took my business down. This week, as promised, some ideas to get your creative and money-making juices flowing.
But first… the obvious:
There is no one set of income streams for a dietitian. The sky really is the limit here, and what works for you is going to depend entirely on your business structure, your credentials, what you’re actually interested in, and how much time you have.
So instead of reading this as a menu to choose from, look at it as more of a starting point of opportunities to research and make your own.
Diversifying only works if there’s something to diversify around. If you don’t have a main thing, adding four income streams doesn’t give you a diversified business. It gives you four tiny businesses that all need attention they definitely won’t be getting. (Ask me how I know.)
So before we get to the extras, here are the cores I see dietitians building on (not an exhaustive list by any means… tell me what I’m missing):
Private practice. 1:1 counseling, insurance-based or cash pay. Probably the most common core of our profession, and the clearest path for many RDs to go from credential to business owner.
A content or media business. A blog, a newsletter, a social presence, monetized through ads, affiliates, sponsorships, or products. Slow to build, but it can compound, and for several RDs I know, this is the bread and butter of their business.
A writing and communications business. Freelance for publications, ghostwriting, content for brands. This one’s mine.
Consulting for the food and health industry. Brands, supplement companies, foodservice, ag and commodity groups. Project-based and often better-paying than consumer-facing work.
Contract clinical work. Consultant RD for facilities, dialysis, long-term care, schools. Instead of consumers paying you or working as an employee, you’re being paid by facilities that need your services.
Education and training. Courses, CPE, curriculum, speaking, whether you’re serving consumers or other professionals.
A W-2 job. While this may not be your OWN business, it still counts. Plenty of dietitians run a genuinely good business alongside full-time or part-time employment, and that steady paycheck is what can make a little risk-taking possible in the first place.
Pick one of those and let it be the center. Then everything below becomes the extra that supports your core business.
For me, writing is my center. I freelance write for publications and brands (and started with a lot of ghostwriting). My brand partnerships exist because of the reputation and relationships I built writing for publications. My blog ad revenue exists because it was how I practiced and fell in love with writing (and have kept it up on the side). These “extras” came out of the thing I was already doing, and I think that’s why they’ve stuck around when the six things I invented from scratch didn’t. Not to say you can’t add something new with the intention of making a pivot, but a strategic shift is almost always the better path.
Within a month:
Counseling through a telehealth company. Berry Street lets you work under your own business, which matters if you’re already an LLC. Nourish is W-2 but comes with a lot of flexibility. In both cases, you’re generally looking at pay about two weeks out from your first session. (There are so many other options out there– those are just two popular, better-paying ones I know of)
Contract or PRN clinical work. Dialysis, long-term care, school districts, WIC. Not super glamorous, but a ton of jobs are out there (at least in my area) and can be stable options to pay the bills.
Ghostwriting or VA work for other dietitians and practices. If you can already write, know social media, can bill insurance, or handle back-end business tasks, reach out to people in your circle and see if they need support.
A couple of months:
Consulting for brands or local businesses, digital or in person. Recipe development, nutrient analysis, content review, fact-checking. Let your circle know you’re offering these services. Put it on your LinkedIn. Reach out to start-ups and local companies.
Presentations, speaking, and worksite wellness. Corporate wellness programs have budgets, and they’re often looking for someone credentialed to fill a slot.
Adjunct teaching.
Six months and up
Blogging. Ad revenue can be real money, but it is slow, needs volume, and with the AI landscape, is trickier to build and rely on than it was in the past.
YouTube. Same story, plus a much steeper learning curve… but video is hot.
Products or services sold to your own audience. This one only works if you have the audience already, which is its own project that can take time and intention to build.
Keep in mind that someone else’s core business could also be your side business, so don’t discount the first list as diversification options.
Since it feels fair to show my hand:
Freelance writing for publications. Still the bulk of it.
Ad revenue from my blog.
Brand partnerships, which for me covers social media, consulting, and media support.
Nutrition counseling. Still plugging along, though it’s shrunk a lot as the other streams have picked back up.
And what I’m building toward, deliberately kept small:
Sponsorships for this newsletter, from products and services that would actually support your work. I’ve given myself a subscriber goal before I go after that one, because my intention here is to give you as much value as I can for free (and keep it that way).. even though putting this together every week takes real time.
More consistent social media, mostly to open up brand collaboration opportunities and drive people to my site.
There is a much longer list of things I want to do, but I’m not letting myself look at it. I’m keeping my sights short-term to avoid the overwhelm.
This part feels as useful as the list of options, honestly.
The YouTube channel. Too much work for where I am right now. That’s a “not now,” not a “never.”
Podcasting. I don’t have a direction for one that my other channels can’t reach just as well, and starting a podcast for the sake of having a podcast is how you end up with eleven episodes and a lot of regret.
Digital products. I still have one, and I have ideas for others, but I need to grow the audience before I revamp and start selling again.
1:1 coaching for RDs. I genuinely thought this was where I was headed at one point. But I prefer one-to-many, and I like having a way to give back to this profession that doesn’t involve charging already-underpaid dietitians even more money.
So: what’s on your list to try, and what have you let go of? I want to hear both.
Something you’d like me to talk about in an upcoming newsletter? Leave it here!
Know someone who would be a good fit for these media opps? Don’t be shy.. use the button below to share it with them!
EatingWell: Fruit with Melatonin
For: Dietitians
Due Date: Tuesday 8/18
EatingWell: Blueberries vs. Apples—Which Is Better For Weight Loss?
For: RDs
Due Date: Tuesday 8/18 at 9 am EST
Email responses to info@carolinethomason.com
1. How Apples Can Support Weight Loss
2. How Blueberries Can Support Weight Loss
3. Which is better for weight loss in your opinion? Or if one isn't truly better, why?
EatingWell: Why Healthy Foods Make You Fart
For: Dietitians
Due Date: Wednesday 8/19
EatingWell: What Happens to Your Blood Sugar When You Drink Fruit Juice
For: RDs and CDCES
Due Date: 8/21
EatingWell: Best Costco Snack for kidney health survey
For: RDS (Ideally kidney specialists)
Due Date: 8/20
SURVEY ONLY-will reach back out with an interview once I have a top pick!
EatingWell: Best Snack Swap to Eat More Fiber survey
For: RDS
Due Date: 8/21
SURVEY ONLY-will reach back out with an interview once I have a top pick!
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