How Adding Virtual Counseling Sessions Increased Our Revenue

Haley Hughes

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Published: August 28th, 2020

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Haley Hughes

Founder, Haley Hughes

$3.5K

revenue/mo

Founders

Employees

Haley Hughes

haleyhugheswellness.com

from Anchorage, AK, USA

started January 2014

$3,500

revenue/mo

Founders

Employees

Discover what tools recommends to grow your business!

Discover what books Haley recommends to grow your business!

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits ... James Clear

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear Elizabeth Gilbert

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Want more updates on Haley Hughes? Check out these stories:

1. Leaving My 9 to 5 To Start My Own Nutrition Counseling Private Practice (2019) ➜

2. How My Nutrition Coaching Business Grew 75% By Adding Group Classes And Corporate Programs (2022) ➜

This is a follow up story for Haley Hughes. If you're interested in reading how they got started, published over 5 years ago, check it out here.

Hello again! Remind us who you are and what business you started.

I’m Haley Hughes, owner of RDRx Nutrition where I provide individualized nutritional counseling. I am a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, CrossFit Level 1 Coach, as well as an avid athlete and adventurer. I am measuring progress this year by being able to have a better work-life balance.

This year I was able to increase my rates by over 100% which has been an incredible way to provide higher quality service and prevent mental fatigue and burnout.

how-virtual-counseling-increased-my-revenue

Tell us about what you’ve been up to! Has the business been growing?

RDRx Nutrition has grown in revenue by reducing unnecessary overhead and increasing service rates. I transitioned into solely virtual counseling which has been amazing for time management and accommodating mine and my clients’ busy schedules.

Find a community that you can troubleshoot business trials with and can help you grow.

Word of mouth and website searchability have been my sources for new clients. I focus on creating recipes and blog content that best serves my audience, making it easier for people to find my unique individualized service.

Growth and education for professional development are extremely important to my success. I am a solo entrepreneur so making sure I am continuing my education, keeping up to date with the latest research, and being able to provide resources is critical for my service-based business. I am always looking for growth and remaining open-minded to be the best dietitian I can be.

I have been consistent with Instagram and Pinterest posts to broaden my reach and to share my content. I have learned if you don’t find a way to get your messages out there, no one will be able to find them. I also use amazon affiliates and google ads to gain a return from creating free content. Blogging and writing articles takes a lot of time, it’s important to value that effort. My past and existing clients continue to support me and share their experiences with other people leading to new clients. They also are wonderful about leaving reviews.

I have slowed down on using Mailchimp and generating programs that are premade. My clients continue to be interested in individualized service so generic meal plans and programs are not as desirable.

What have been your biggest lessons learned in the last year?

I learned that I could not continue undercharging for my time without experiencing burnout. I had to set better boundaries with my calendar and scheduling. This was challenging because I started with much lower rates and had made accommodations for clients when they first started making it difficult to change.

Personal updates: I am working toward a credential in intuitive eating and taking a yoga teacher's course! I am completely booked out with clients until next year and am making time for growth. Being forced into going virtual has been a blessing and I have been able to help so many people experiencing stress around their new routines with working from home. Life is good!

Learning to adapt to new circumstances has pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me see that a lot of my outside obligations were not bringing me joy. With COVID I have been able to “pause” more and be more mindful of my time. Transitioning to all virtual counseling has been a great move for me.

What’s in the plans for the upcoming year, and the next 5 years?

Short Term: I plan to finish my intuitive eating and yoga certifications and start 2021 with new strategies and mindset. My intentions for next year are to continue maintaining boundaries so that I can provide high-quality service. I am excited to continue building relationships with clients and helping people change their lives for the better.

Long Term: I would like to be in a place where I can continue RDRx Nutrition with a smaller client load and be able to pursue a few passion projects. Someday I would love to host a wellness retreat. Stay tuned!

Have you read any good books in the last year?

Intuitive Eating Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole

Roar by Stacy T Sims

The Circadian Code Satchin Panda

Atomic Habits James Clear

Advice for other entrepreneurs who might be struggling to grow their business?

Be authentic and don't compare yourself to others' successes especially on social media. I truly believe the comparison is the thief of joy. Social media is a place where entrepreneurs share their successes and often portray they have it all together. No one likes to share the struggles and hardships.

Find a community that you can troubleshoot business trials with and can help you grow. Being a sole entrepreneur can be lonely, it’s important to have people who support you.