A recent survey conducted by Interac found that 71 per cent of Canadian entrepreneurs are spending valuable time following up on late payments. This series addresses that concerning stat head on, complete with tips on how to get paid faster.
Today, we’re featuring Jordana Hart, a Toronto nutritionist and influencer who founded her own practice, I Hart Nutrition, to help clients form better relationships with food and wellness. In this enlightening chat, she told us how she uses personal branding to build her business and let us in on her favourite way to get paid.
How did I Hart Nutrition start?
When I was training to become a nutritionist, I decided to start a blog and Instagram account called I Hart Nutrition as a hobby. It was a good way to show people that I know what’s up.
After that, I worked as a nutritionist for seven years, including three-and-a-half years in an eating disorder clinic. People at the clinic were always interested in what I did. I’d get comments from people saying, “I don’t have an eating disorder, but I totally relate to what you do.” And I have my own food anxiety and guilt that I experience. So I left to turn I Hart Nutrition into a private practice.
What motivated that transition?
I wanted to create a practice that was less focused on eating disorders and more focused on body positivity and creating healthy relationships with food. I take a very balanced approach—everything’s okay in moderation. You could see me eating a kale salad with salmon or a bowl of pasta with wine. I’m all about being realistic.
Today, my business is two-fold. I work with lots of like-minded brands and create recipes, photos and branded partnerships. I still have my private practice as well, and that involves seeing clients, creating meal plans and helping women create healthy relationships with food and the body.
Was it difficult to start your own business?
It was so scary. I saved for six months before I left just so I could pay my rent if things didn’t go as planned. I had to learn all these things about business that I had no idea about. Today, there’s no cap on how much money I make. It all depends on how much I’m hustling.
Striking a positive work-life balance has been challenging, though. I make self-care a priority by eating well and working out, but I’m a bit of a workaholic because I love what I do. I end up working seven days a week. It’s normal when you run your own business, but it’s hard to balance.
How are you typically paid?
Brands often use cheques or direct deposit. I don’t love those options. Cheques go missing and I’m not great at depositing them right away, which looks bad on me. When U.S. clients pay me with direct deposit, there’s usually a $37 USD fee, which is a huge loss. I also don’t love that I have to share my banking information for direct deposit.
Ninety-nine per cent of my nutrition clients pay me through Interac e-Transfer. It’s so immediate and easy. And I can send an Interac e-Transfer Request Money along with my invoice right after I see clients, which keeps me from procrastinating with invoicing and helps me get paid faster. I don’t have to worry that they’ll pay me the wrong amount because I’m telling them exactly what it is.
How has your personal brand helped your business?
Creating a personal brand is extremely important. It’s all about how you present yourself to the world. I’ve been able to grow an audience by being very relatable and authentic. I just try to show that being healthy is fun, not a chore.
