This comment was requested for the Nutrition Entrepreneur's Ventures newsletter.
I have felt successful in six cities and three countries, and soon in my seventh city - New York City.
I define success as being busy with work rather than marketing, inquiries coming from unknown sources, earning well, and enjoying every day.
My family says that when I’m successful, I move and start all over. Although this seems to be true, moving has been motivated by boredom or better opportunities in bigger cities or countries. I couldn’t be in a bigger country, nor better city than NYC for media work. My “other” profession is modeling and NYC is THE city for classic (older) models.
In Johannesburg, South Africa, I had six retainers with food companies, was seeing 60 clients a week, and modeled approximately twice a week. My days started at 7:30 AM and ended 7:30 PM. As a single mother, I could afford to send my three children to university, buy them cars and travel to Europe twice a year. This was my definition of success. However, my kids wanted to move to Canada, my birth country.
When I moved to Toronto 15 years ago, I passed the Canadian registration exam successfully and started from scratch, as I could not bring funds from South Africa. It took 4 years to become successful. The business grew quickly so I invited three dietitians to work with me in two offices. I was past President of the Consulting Dietitians of Canada when my children moved to California and wanted me to live nearby. The ADA registration exams had to be written, fortunately with success.
Again, I started from scratch in the US, in San Francisco. It was a struggle, as I knew no one in the States. However, by the time I reached my definition of success with a steady practice, many speaking engagements including one in Australia, regular modeling jobs including one in the South China Seas, I knew I had reached my peak and it was time to move to the BIG city.
In NYC, I thought media, spokesperson and modeling work would just be waiting for me. This did not happen. Although I’ve have had some of my largest projects, work has come from continuous marketing, proposals and interviews. This is slowly turning around. Recently calls are coming in as in the past. I cannot define success here yet, but maybe soon……. Having served as Chair of the Nutrition Entrepreneurs was the only goal I would have aimed for and I feel honored to have had that position. Just shows, you can get there too.
Added September, 2006: Received 2006 Outstanding Nutrition Entrepreneur award - the best ever!
