We had the good fortune of connecting with Christianna Gozzi and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Christianna, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
First and foremost, I wanted to be in charge of time. I’ve enjoyed the jobs I’ve had but found myself craving to be in control of my own schedule. Secondly, I was ready for a creative challenge. I find many aspects of building a business including finding my niche, creating marketing and even developing strategic plans to be a very creative process that inspires me.
What should our readers know about your business?
I am a registered dietitian and culinary educator in private practice. I specialize in helping adults, children and families with chronic kidney disease manage their symptoms and improve quality of life through targeted management of their nutrition. Nutrition is my second career. Before I became a dietitian, I earned an MA in organizational psychology. I bring a lot of psychology into my private practice–helping patients overcome barriers and create new healthy habits. It’s very rewarding work. I chose this specialty, known as “renal nutrition” because there is a lot of misinformation online about what to eat if you have chronic kidney disease. And at the time of writing this, in 2024, over 35 million Americans have a form of kidney disease. The guidelines have changed over the years and it’s so important to individualize the nutrition plan based on lab values and other factors that my expertise as a registered dietitian allows me to do. I love helping my patients finding ways to not only eat healthier for their kidneys but also design a diet that includes the foods they love whenever possible so it is sustainable for them. Prior to opening my private practice, I worked in corporate food service managing healthy dining programs in cafes for healthcare and technology companies. I’ve leveraged those leadership, finance, communication and culinary skills into my business. It has not been easy but I’m very intrinsically motivated to make my business a success so I enjoy the challenge.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband is my biggest supporter. He has encouraged me to take a leap the into entrepreneurship and from a practical sense, filled in the financial gaps while my business revenue grows. Therapy with a licensed mental health professional continues to help me make big decisions in my career. Lastly, the work of writer Cal Newport helped me find my values and build a career based on those values.
Website: https://gozzinutrition.com
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/christianna-gozzi