How do you see your business – dietitian / nutrition consulting – going forward over the next quarter?
… baby boomers are keen to make changes, wanting a healthy retirement, better health for continuing with sports and fitness. Overall business is good – but corporate spending for workshops and seminars is down, a byproduct of the economic downturn. People are becoming more active, and many need help dealing with stress.
And over the next five years?
… less face-to-face work, more use of internet resources, virtual tools. Wearables are growing in popularity but the science is still in its infancy – just giving us the tip of the iceberg in terms of underlying body chemistry and health. People are becoming more interested in and concerned with the biodiversity of the food they eat.
What qualities distinguish your preferred colleagues, collaborators and suppliers?
… it’s simple. It’s all about location. Time is money – and relationships that are near and dear with good people and reliable businesses, and convenience to Britannia and the dog park are important …
What distinguishes you that causes people to choose Samara Felesky-Hunt, and why do they do business with you, why have they hired you, over your competitors?
… I believe it is my ability to really understand my clients. I design nutritional programs for my clients – I spend time to understand people and their lifestyles, developing strategies rather than handing them printed material. I coach people to be the CEO of their health.
How would you describe your leadership/management style?
… Difficult to answer because I don’t have a staff. Currently I’m a one-woman show, though I have had dietitians working with me in the past – I’m self-managed, which means I do my own advertising and marketing, accounting etc. etc.
Work/life balance?
… yes I think so.
What do you lose sleep over, what do you worry about?
… kids. Making sure there are happy. Sometimes a busy taxi service – they are very busy in acting and singing.
Who or what influenced you most – that has made a difference in your life, or that was a major turning point?
… tennis guided me to do well, junior high school teachers who made math and science fun and intriguing for me, my parents set strong examples for achievement.
For fun?
… dog walking, I’ve done a couple of marathons (sidelined with a foot injury at the moment), cycling, spin classes, gardening, tennis. We spend a lot of time at our place at Baynes Lake near Fernie, water skiing in the summer, downhill skiing in the winter.
What do you read?
… biographies, a lot of nutrition and diet books – I like to check out what my clients are reading!
Her ride?
… 2009 Acura RDX.