The mission of Dietengage is to empower clients with the tools to make weight loss simple, safe, delicious, and effective. The ultimate goal is to improve the well–being of all sentient beings!
Tell us about who you are and what you do.
I hail from India where I engaged as a dietician for 7 years whilst pursuing Masters in Dietetics and Food Service Management (India). I have experience of more than 1000 diet consultations in therapeutic, fitness, and weight management. Continued education pursuing Masters in Human Nutrition and Public Health from LMU, London UK registered under ‘UK Association of Nutrition’. My research dissertation is published in the EC Nutrition International journal.
I have been a keynote speaker at several health conferences, seminars, lectures, schools, and corporations focused on weight management in adults, children, and older groups, diabetes, healthy eating, and motivation techniques. Also besides being an article writer in newspapers, medicine magazines I was training dieticians and collaborated with other healthcare professionals.
Presently I am based in Canada working with one of the largest health care companies in the country – Bayshore Healthcare.
Tell us how you created this brand and what was the sole idea behind it.
I thrive on making difference in people’s lives for healthy living and encouraging them to make healthier choices.
The idea to name ‘Dietengage’ was directed to engaging people by providing authentic passionate diet service while creating a meaningful significant healthy difference in one’s life.
My philosophy is to enjoy all food and stay healthy. This inspired me to pen down a book called ‘Ramadan Diaries 2020’ which was published as a best seller under the etiquettes category at Amazon Kindle last year. Currently, I am working on a continued edition of this book centering on Ramadan 2021.
Go in detail and tell us about how your brand works. You may keep this from the audience’s perspective.
I assessed the demand for a flexible diet and the idea of online nutrition counseling instilled in my mind. I noticed the difference I could bring in to such people by imparting selfless knowledge. The experience I had working in pediatrics and geriatric Nutrition helped me grow my subjects. I started designing the flow of my work technique.
My program includes:
- In-depth nutrition assessment
- Personalized diets as per the needs and requirements
- 1 on 1 skype calls
- Daily monitoring
- Grocery list
- Tweaked recipes
- Healthy lifestyle modification tools
I gained expertise in various domains of Dietetics and Nutrition by engaging with varied cross-national clients while I specialized in the following disciplines:
- Weight loss and obesity management
- Cardiovascular and hypertension care
- Prenatal and Postnatal nutrition
- Teenage diet management
- Geriatric nutrition
- Gastroenterology
- Bariatrics
- Diabetes
- Fitness
- General Nutrition, healthy eating, and more…
The initial interview would help me understand the patient’s needs and design a customized diet plan. I have a questionnaire in place to document all essential details of the patient with respect to dietary choices and medical state. I set goals for the patients at each milestone to keep them motivated and going. Also provide helpful resources for counting calories on daily basis, physical activity, and much more holistically depending upon the need of the client with timely follow-ups. I also feature the success stories on my website for more visibility and appreciation.
What is your giveaway idea through this interview? Highlight something that may interest the readers on a one-to-one basis.
Dietengage is a perfect place for people who are ready to engage and are looking for specific advice and personalized counseling. My platform provides a continuous customized nutritional streaming confined to the specific needs of the client whereas a traditional setup is more mechanical and without a continued follow-up on improvements/success stories.
Explain the challenges you went through while you were working on brand creation. What are the challenges you go through on an everyday basis?
With my virtual contributions in newspapers, magazines, and hospital setup experience, I was very excited to design a system where I could see my clients succeed and achieve their health goals more efficiently. I was more focused to have my clients enjoy the being healthy journey rather than practicing dieting because they have been suggested by a physician.
I first created a website with information about me and my programs. My website has expanded now and has recipe blogs. I gained around 10,000 followers on Instagram. I am approached by various brands to introduce to my clients and followers on my Instagram handle.
I was able to write a book that was listed as a bestseller under the etiquette category only through word of mouth. 100% of the sales proceeds were donated to Islamic Relief Canada.
My biggest challenge is the time which I try to streamline living in different time zone through reminders and prompts. I have learned to be confident in service with a sincere goal of helping people and always be ready with a plan A, B, and C to never give up.
How do you manage your finances through the services you offer. Any fundings etc received?
My client referrals are mainly by word of mouth. Working in different setups from hospitals to fitness clubs, lifestyle clinics, MNC’s, and research within the nutrition/dietetics domain have been a catalyst that gathered most of my clientele. I am closely involved with South Asian communities in India, Middle East, and the UK through virtual platforms. I am also an author at Just for hearts (India). I work for one of the largest health care companies in Canada.
Tell us your future vision about the brand. How far do you want to take it? What is your dream about taking it to the next level?
It is highly important to align the need of the people and what I think. Reviewing Google analytics for the coming traffic and popular pages helps me improve my content.
I would take this forward by creating a platform for other dietitians to do more through content creation, partner with different brands aiding weight loss and mental health during the journey for the ease of clients. I also want to liaise with an app for easy documentation, reminders, diet journals, and calorie count for the clients.
What message would you like to give to anybody who has a plan of creating something of their own and making a living through it?
The priciest thing as an entrepreneur is time. So organizing and being committed to it needs a priority. Having complete knowledge with timely updates is essential in the healthcare business. Allow yourself to gain hands-on experience and best practices before coming into the market as each lead is a business you need to crack and sustain with reliability. Do not haste it is a process, keep your grounds strong to hold the fort of success. Be passionate aboutcare and remember why you started.
Company name : Dietenage
Email Address: sabafirdous@dietengage.com
Website: www.dietengage.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dietengage