Do any of these sound familiar?
When you are a passionate business owner, you are a better dietitian for your clients.
When you feel good about the work that you are doing, you will have more confidence to put yourself out there and generate more business.
When you can create a lasting impact with the people who need you the most and get paid well for doing this important work, you are so much more fulfilled as a dietitian.
It's not about the business you have now; it's about the business you want to have. Start building the foundation of a sustainable private practice: a purpose-driven mission, ideal clients, work you feel insanely passionate about, and the income you desire.
Your strategy WILL evolve. You will find out what works for you, your clients, and your business. You will go through so many ups and downs as a business owner… and I will be with you every step of the way.
Hi, I’m Jennifer McGurk. I’m a Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian, as well as a clinical supervisor and business coach for other dietitians.
I am the owner of a group private practice that has proudly served over 1,000 clients.
Throughout my 10 year journey as an entrepreneur, I have been able to build a team of dietitians for my practice, hire support for my business, create an online course, start a podcast, and speak at conferences.
I practice what I preach to my clients: self-care is vital. I do not do it all and do not want to do it all. I have created eight job positions in order to build my team, so I can work in my zone of genius. I LOVE that my “work” truly doesn’t feel like “work.”
At my core, I believe in investing in myself and my business. I'm passionate about studying nutrition knowledge, and I'm also committed to being an amazing business coach. I have participated in business masterminds, business courses, and have made hard decisions about my own business to better serve other dietitians. I hope to inspire you to do the same!
I believe that dietitians are the best business owners.
I created Pursuing Private Practice:
Dietitian Business School to support dietitians in building a business that makes a lasting impact on their clients' lives.
Pursuing Private Practice has produced some pretty amazing business owners!
It wasn't until I registered for Jennifer's course that I took my business seriously.
Looking back, it was the best financial, time and energy investment I put into my private practice! Everything I needed was in one place. I love that it incorporated business and Intuitive Eating.
Her support and guidance has been enthusiastically unmatched by any other coach/mentor/dietitian. She will be your biggest cheerleader and she will push you to take risks, challenge yourself and do things outside your comfort zone. Her commitment towards your success doesn’t end with the course either. It continues which is so much appreciated.
I simply can’t say enough about Jennifer or her program!
-Angela Babuschak, MA, RDN, LDN
VeriWell
Dietitian Business School helped me face the fear I had about starting a business and keep going toward my dream.
I joined Dietitian Business School immediately after finishing the Beginner Basics course, and I was brand new to the private practice world.
The lessons are very digestible so you never feel super overwhelmed with content. The facebook group is a truly community of WONDERFUL dietitians who are always happy to provide advice, empathize with your struggles, and celebrate your successes!
While Dietitian Business School focuses a lot on the business aspect of our work, it also includes clinical supervision calls which are so helpful to learn and reinforce counseling skills.
It is everything you need to start and grow a business while growing as a practitioner, all in one place! Joining this group was the best decision I could have made for me and my business!
-Sammy Robben, MCN, RDN
Rising Up Nutrition
Dietitian Business School has given me the confidence that was missing for me in my private practice.
Having both the clinical and business support and understanding where they both overlap Has been invaluable and I’ve definitely seen a change in my business in a way that feels authentic to me. Jennifer is so generous with her time and what she provides and has built a wonderfully supportive community. It’s been such a beneficial investment in my business!
-Nicole Kopel, RDN
Eat in Peace
Pursuing Private Practice is the gift that keeps on giving.
Or, more accurately, the purchase that keeps on providing! When you purchase, you have an idea of what you're getting, but you don't realize that Jennifer has many additional bonuses up her sleeve.
I've benefited from involvement in the private Facebook group, and I see Jennifer work tirelessly there to ensure all questions are answered thoroughly. I've engaged in trainings that I didn't expect to get when I purchased, and they have been relevant, up to date, and incredibly helpful at no extra cost.
Thank you, Jennifer, for continuing to give to participants & helping dietitians to become better practitioners of IE through your course!
-Paula Miller, RDN
Sunrise Nutrition Consulting
Jennifer's course was just the jumpstart I needed for my business.
I was floundering before, trying to figure out how to run my business, and now I have some real direction and actionable goals I can achieve. I love the community and how much support I feel in our group calls. Jennifer is the best cheerleader and mentor! She is so enthusiastic about what she does and it inspires me.
I highly recommend Jennifer and her program to any dietitian with a private practice!"
-Kelly Neilson, MDA, RD, LD
Nutrition for Hope
Pursuing Private Practice was such a great investment.
Jennifer is a wonderful teacher, mentor, and resource. Her course information was easy to navigate, understand, and apply to real life. After completing the course, I felt prepared to embark on my journey of starting my own private practice.
However, the best part is the private facebook community and monthly follow-ups/check-in/workshops. The group is filled with RDs at all stages of private practice who are able to provide their insight, and the ability to ask questions to such a knowledgeable group is invaluable. 10/10 would recommend Pursuing Private Practice with Jennifer.
-Clara Nosek
Your Dietitian BFF
You can tell this is Jennifer’s passion, and I can’t recommend this program enough!
In addition to the stellar practical content and support I’ve received through the program, I think one of the most valuable aspects of the program is that everyone can feel welcomed there, no matter what your practice looks like. Right now, as one of Jennifer’s recent podcast guests said, I am '90% mom, 10% dietitian' with a *very* part-time practice that revolves around my daughter’s school schedule, and I still feel very welcome and supported by Jennifer and the rest of the participants.
-Kate Brosnan, RD
Dietitian Business School is one of the best business decisions I have made since opening my private practice.
Joining this amazing, friendly, helpful community of dietitians has made me feel more connected, confident, and knowledgeable. I know that when I am faced with a difficult business decision or an unusual client situation, everyone in the group has my back. The advice I have received from the courses, the group calls, and directly from Jennifer herself has elevated my practice from 5 clients a month to over 40! I admit I was at first hesitant to join due to the monthly fee, but I can say with confidence that the return on investment has made the cost absolutely worth it.
-Penelope Taylor, MS, RDN, LD
Stellar Health Nutrition
Listing out the supportive aspects of Dietitian Business School is easy:
all the tools you need for starting or expanding a nutrition practice have been thoughtfully created, and allow you to tailor your experience while going at your own pace. But the best part is what shines through all of it, and that is Jennifer's generosity and enthusiastic spirit. Jennifer is a champion of her fellow RDs, and looks forward to seeing you succeed in the ways that matter most to you.
-Samantha Lewandowski, MS, RDN, LDN, CEDRD-S
Big Picture Nutrition, LLC
Dietitian Business School has been pivotal in helping me understand the foundations of a solid business platform.
I have been a dietitian for over 20 years and even though I have a thriving private practice, I have wanted to enhance my business skills for a long time now. Dietitian Business School has given me ideas and inspiration to continue to build my private practice. As dietitians, we are not trained in business development and management, and this course has been fundamental in helping me in those areas.
The fact that Jennifer runs DBS from a non-diet platform combined with her authentic personality and strong counseling background is what led me to joining this program. The members-only Facebook group as well as the business meetings and workshops have been extremely helpful and an invaluable asset.
I highly recommend DBS. It not only will help you from a business standpoint, but it will help you personally and professionally in ways you cannot even imagine until you are a part of the wonderful community.
-Jacquelyn Stern, RDN
Annapolis Nutrition
Dietitian Business School has provided me with invaluable support to grow my business.
The modules give you all the information you need to set up the systems in your business, build a brand, and start marketing. The group coaching calls and Facebook group have helped me to stay connected, get my questions answered, and build a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who I can get feedback from as we all grow our businesses together. Jennifer's enthusiasm and expertise also helped with my confidence because I feel like I have everything I need to tackle all of the hard things that come up in growing a business.
-Alyssa Snow Callahan, MS, RDN
Nourished with Kindness
At Pursuing Private Practice, we believe...
Are We A Match?
Is Dietitian Business School right for you?
Why Should You Join Dietitian Business School?
Dietitian Business School is the Go-To Resource for like-minded dietitians who want to build a private practice and expand their business.
We've combined the best of business coaching + supervision + self-care + accountability + community all in one.
What’s included in Dietitian Business School?
Here’s a peek at everything that’s inside!
20 business lessons* to help you build your business with ease. Each 20- to 30-minute lesson focuses on one topic and gives you all the ins and outs to help you form your business plan
*One lesson is released each week, starting that week you join Dietitian Business School
Weekly support, inspiration, and check-ins via our private Facebook group
Weekly group calls (5 calls/month): 3 group supervision calls, 1 business training call, 1 self-care call
We also typically host 1 additional Workshop each month on a topic that is requested by the group!
Individual hot seat coaching, selected based on the hot topics of the moment in the Facebook group
Weekly co-working sessions (if you’ve never participated in this, you are about to realize the power of co-working!)
This has the potential to be a little bit overwhelming, but we didn't want to cut out any of these pieces! We have organized everything into a calendar for you, so you can prioritize what to attend live, what you will watch recorded, and what you can save for later.
We're covering it all!
Dietitian Business School is designed to be THE PLACE to help you succeed in business and get you to your goals, whether you are doing this on the side, part-time, full-time, or working way too much (we can help you with that, too!).
Here's how it's laid out...
Many dietitians have no idea how to create a business strategy (or even what a good strategy can do for their business!).
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Re-evaluate your WHY based on your values
- Create your roadmap of dreams
- Make a plan for your funnel (HOW clients find you, like you, buy from you, and keep coming back!)
Dietitians want to help anyone and everyone because we see many people in need. However, knowing your ideal client and where they are in their own journey is key to your marketing success.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Identify your ideal client’s pain points to transformation
- Know that you have created a solid offer for your ideal client
- Create content around your belief statements to help your ideal client connect with you and need your services
You can have the best message, but if no one “sees” you, no one will know that you exist.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Learn how to create a true brand and identify what you actually need
- Design your logo
- Choose your colors and the artistic "look" of your brand
- Distinguish between paper branding vs. online branding
- Match your mission to your brand’s beauty
- Know how to get your brand in front of your ideal clients
Dietitians are overwhelmed at the idea of all the “work” that goes into content creation. You need to understand your ideal client and their pain points and transformation in order to effectively communicate your message.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Understand the difference between marketing and just “posting.” It all goes back to strategy.
- Create compelling marketing content
- Effectively use “Call To Actions” in your marketing
- Appreciate the pros and cons of “free work”
“Cold leads” are different from “warm leads.” A warm lead is an easier client to market and sell to.
By the end of this lesson, you will know how to:
- Market differently for cold leads vs. warm leads
- Connect with teams that serve your ideal client
- Connect with professionals and non-professionals to support your marketing efforts
Everyone is scared to invest in a website, but if you aren’t “Google-able,” you might as well not exist.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Decide on how to setup your website (DIY vs. hiring out)
- Learn what to say on your website to land clients
- Understand how to blog and increase SEO on your website
- Understand the functionality of a website
The algorithm changes frequently. Social media takes up a ton of space and time if you don’t have a strategy.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Choose the one social media platform you want to start with
- Understand how to funnel people from social media into your email list/sales
- Know how to sell from social media
- Create a content calendar (we give you a sample filled with Intuitive Eating topics!)
All the “experts” say email is a vital piece of marketing, but it can be confusing to set up and understand how to effectively email your list.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Have an overview of different email marketing systems so that you can make the best choice for your business
- Understand automations and email sequences
- Know how to use your emails to sell
Email templates are provided that you are free to tweak, use and make your own!
We need to put ourselves out there in order for our message to reach the clients that need us the most. Many times we focus our marketing efforts on potential clients… but we can also “market” to professionals for referrals.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Develop a networking speech that highlights your expertise
- Find your community that will increase referrals
- Know what to say at events and meetings
- Know what to say to a potential referral source
- Understand how to build an authentic relationship
Many dietitians don’t know how to ask for money for our services. We have no idea what to charge or how to even ask for the sale.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Increase your sales confidence
- Understand the common objections from clients
- Value the autonomy of a potential client’s decisions
This lesson includes a bonus inquiry call example!
Dietitians are usually super organized individuals, but they don’t understand how that organization can lead to success in their business. All of these tips will help business owners reach their strategy faster without wasted time.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Organize your systems for strategy
- Time map your ideal day and week
- Understand the different procedures and processes
- Evaluate your productivity
We have the potential to “sell” to many clients but it is so much more sustainable for our business if the clients we already have continue to purchase our services. We can make a bigger impact this way, too!
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Understand how to communicate with clients and meet them where they are
- Review your offer and re-evaluate if it’s working for your ideal client
- Understand the basics of office policies (in-person or virtual) and setting up your business that will help keep your ideal client coming back
With so many different areas to discuss, how do we lead a client on a journey to a healthy relationship with food?
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Understand motivational interviewing
- Develop your own counseling style
- Know how to ask clients the hard questions
- Consider working within a team
- Understand the importance of supervision
We want to HELP so much that sometimes we toss our own boundaries out the window. This leads to resentment.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Know how to set your own boundaries based on your values
- Understand why setting boundaries is actually good for your clients
- Explore countertransference
- Develop your own self-care framework
The way you will stand out from the crowd is by being yourself and honoring the things that make you unique.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Understand your strengths to figure out your zone of genius (this is where you need to spend time in your business!)
- Use your natural strengths to your advantage
- NOT apologize for being you!
You don’t have to know it all to be a good business owner. Trust me, no one does! Learning and growing and evolving is the name of the game, and it starts with identifying where you need help.
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Understand your weaknesses to see where you need to give yourself grace
- Identify where you want to hire within your weaknesses to support your business
It’s never too early to start building a team.
By the end of the lesson, you will:
- Feel empowered to hire support and watch your business grow!
- Learn how to find and hire a virtual assistant, marketing manager, social media manager, customer service/sales, or even another dietitian to help you deliver services
- Understand how to manage a team
Once you have a team in place, you have to become a leader, whether you like it or not!
By the end of the lesson, you will:
- Manage your team with confidence
- Set expectations for teamwork and communication
- Be able to determine what's working and what's not working on your team
- Be empowered to have hard conversations
- Understand how to manage reviews and pay raises
- Get a look behind-the-scenes at how Pursuing Private Practice operates
This is a 3-part workshop about how to launch a new offer into the world!
By the end of the lesson, you will:
- Be able to determine a good launch date
- Understand the different pieces of a launch
- Learn about the prep work involved (your buzz plan!)
- Understand how to execute the launch of your offer
- Be able to evaluate your launch
Whether this thought terrifies you or excites you, it’s true: You are the CEO of your business!!
By the end of this lesson, you will:
- Be able to identify when you’re out of whack
- Prioritize what’s truly important to you
- Set up realistic expectations of your business - it can be a rollercoaster
- Reassess your balance as your practice grows and as your life changes
Plus all of the tips and tricks to make your business-owner life a whole lot easier.
Lessons include worksheets, templates, video training and proven short-cuts.
Everything you need to reach your business goals
We've combined the best of business coaching + supervision + self-care + accountability + community all in one.
Enrollment closes Tuesday, April 20th at 11:59pm EST
Don't just take it from me!
Jennifer's Pursuing Private Practice course has given me the confidence and support to finally start my own practice.
Not only does this course provide detailed steps and resources on how to start a practice but it connects you with an incredible, lifelong network of health professionals.
Jennifer is a hands-on instructor, she is accessible and approachable, giving you the support you need before, during and after the course.
-Charlotte Walker, RD
Sprouting Wellness for Women
Dietitian Business School has helped me figure out how to weave together the stuff that I have to do as a business owner with the stuff that I want to do as a dietitian..
When starting a business, there's a ton of information to sift through. As a dietitian, some of that information doesn't really make sense and having a resource that understands where you are and where you want to go is vital. Dietitian Business School (DBS) is that resource for me.
DBS is helping me cultivate a private practice that I am proud of!
-Jessica Oswald
My Friendly Nutrition
Dietitian Business School is an invaluable resource for all dietitians who want to enter into private practice or grow their business.
Jennifer is very communicative and supportive in the Facebook group and is willing to help out to the best of her ability! She makes it seem like she is always available for us.
I know for a fact that setting up my business wouldn't have gone as smoothly as it did if it wasn't for Jennifer and her Dietitian Business School!
I whole-heartedly recommend this resource to all dietitians. Thank you Jennifer!
-Courtney Bellino, MS, RD, LDN
Feed and Flourish
I have been in private practice a few years already and wish this had existed when I first started.
Back then I had to figure out everything from scratch, and Jennifer’s course has helped me take a new look at how I run my practice and what I can improve upon.
Her personal attention and feedback has been incredibly helpful in making daunting tasks feel less awful and getting around to projects I’ve been putting off for ages.
The community in the Facebook group and supervision calls has also been invaluable.
-Rachael McBride
Here/Now Nutrition
I’m honestly so glad that I invested in your program when I did.
I’m reflecting back to where I was when we had our first phone call and I was so hurt, lost, and angry. I had googled the symptoms of burnout just because I was curious and I checked every box. It’s frustrating thinking about how much I love working with people in repairing their relationship with food and their bodies….and the fact that that was my full time job…and it wasn’t meeting that need. It definitely wasn’t my interaction with the patients and their families that led to that either – it was stemming from the business decisions that were being made and how powerless I felt in my own role.
Pursuing Private Practice helped me see that it’s possible to do what I love, charge what I’m worth, and practice in line with MY ideals.
-Jen Haefele, RDN
RDN Jen
I have recently joined the Pursuing Private Practice community and it has been everything I needed and more!
I was very nervous to make this investment in myself, but Jennifer and the entire community has made me feel extremely welcome. Yes, it is a big group of aspiring entrepreneurs, which could be overwhelming, but in fact, it is just a big group of people who have been/are in the same position as you! So many resourceful people to reach out to, ask questions to, and learn from.
Despite there being such a big community, Jennifer is able to provide meaningful and individualized advice to each and every member. Jennifer is an incredible resource and is everyone's biggest cheerleader!
The content from each lesson of the course provides me with material to help me feel confident when making decisions and gives me a path to follow to continue moving forward. Overall, this course has been a great investment so far. I am learning and growing as a dietitian and business professional with each lesson, post in the Facebook group, group call, and question to Jennifer. I could not recommend it more!
-Stephanie Dorfman, MS, RD
Stephanie Dorfman Nutrition
I can say with 100% confidence I would not be where I am today without Dietitian Business School.
I feel so supported and confident in this new role as a business owner and truly have DBS to thank for that. You get so much with this membership – a new lesson each week to help you grow your business, self-care calls, supervision calls, business strategy calls, an incredible Facebook group, a huge community of like-minded individuals, the list goes on!
Jennifer and her team are all so supportive and attentive – always so thorough and thoughtful in their responses to messages whether it is through email or in the FB group. Jennifer is so passionate about helping you succeed as a business owner and it truly shows.
I love that you can work through the lessons at your own pace and then go to the FB group to ask questions and get feedback from Jennifer and Elyssa, and the other RD's within DBS. I really did not have many RD connections prior to DBS. Having your own business can be lonely and it is just so nice to know I have this huge support system within DBS.
If you are thinking of joining - do it! You will not be disappointed.
-Shay Tinari, MS, RD, LDN
Shay Tinari Nutrition
If what you need and want is someone to believe in you as well as show you how it’s done, I would definitely recommend signing up for Dietitian Business School.
Jennifer will feel like a good friend right away, and she is the kind of friend we all want to have - she creates a safe space and encourages us to share our feelings, she is really good at encouraging you and making you believe in yourself, she pushes you to prioritize self-care, and she is a wealth of knowledge (and if she doesn’t know the answer, she will do her best to find it for you!). Jennifer has been so flexible with me, as well as so warm and kind.
She also is doing her very best to give us a course that serves us well - she surveys us every month on what we would like to see in the course. If you don’t get the answer you need in the course content - no worries! There is an AMAZING Facebook group where you can go to get all of your individual questions answered, by Jennifer and others. It’s been really beautiful to see people post vulnerable things in the Facebook group, and see the community responding so supportively.
I love being a part of such an inclusive and encouraging group, surrounded by other awesome dietitians who believe in the power of Intuitive Eating too!
-Fiona Young, MS, RD
This is the kind of resource you'll wish you had from day one as a business owner in dietetics!
Jennifer fills all the gaps and alleviates the isolation you feel as a dietitian entrepreneur—providing supervision, co-working, business coaching, specific tips and practical steps. And the whole time you know she is really on YOUR team, wanting nothing more than for you to feel supported, connected, and well-equipped to build your business in a way that works for you!
One of my favorite aspects of DBS has actually been the co-working hours, seeing others in action and sharing goals, while we hunker down together—virtually!—and feel like we're in the same room!
-Heather Caplan, RD
Host of RD Real Talk
I invested in Dietitian Business School and Pursuing Private Practice when I realized I was very alone in my effort to build a private practice.
Not only was I alone, but my business hadn't progressed much in the last 9 months since opening. Now it's been another 9 months since joining Jennifer's group and I am MILES ahead of where I was.
Dietitian Business School teaches and models how and why to have a team surrounding you constantly. I hired my first contractor because of DBS and I'm looking forward to hiring my first employee soon! Working with a team feels great and I see a path forward to grow my business without running myself into the ground.
I've also made peer connections because of DBS that continue to be a source of support, collaboration and accountability. Jennifer always says that the act of investing in your business is what allows it to grow and she is spot on. I'm looking forward to building on what I've learned in DBS and will be recommending DBS to anyone who needs it!
-Lauresa Larson
I have seen so much progress and jumped many hurdles with Jennifer’s program Dietitian Business School.
Jennifer has many years of knowledge and experiences that show through her supervision, guidance, and business coaching. It’s been very helpful to gain support from her and the other dietitians in the group.
The bonus classes have helped me navigate various business items like taxes, billing insurance, to caring for clients. The co-working meetings help hold me accountable to complete tasks.
I feel more comfortable knowing I am not alone in the feelings that arise in owning a business that usually can alternate like excitement, fear, and overwhelm.
My latest victory is ending my part time job to pursue my private practice 100%! I am so grateful for the support Jennifer and the Pursuing Private Practice team have provided in building up my business.
-Catherine Valadez, MS, RD, LD
My San Antonio Nutrition
We also offer the option to purchase an annual membership to Dietitian Business School.
You’re welcome to join either option. If you’re not sure which option is right for you, we would recommend
joining the monthly option to try it out for a month before purchasing the annual option.
We want to see you graduate Dietitian Business School!
You graduate when your business fits into your life and you have work/life satisfaction.
You will feel confident making decisions that work for you and support your business growth.
Enrollment closes Tuesday, April 20th at 11:59pm EST
Frequently Asked Questions
