Hi everyone, my name is Emma Austing! My STEP project had three components to it: attend the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, take an online business development and food blogging course and take a food photography course. I attended FNCE in Philadelphia in October 2019, which is the biggest conference for registered dietitians and dietetic students. I took the information I learned from the conference and my dietetic courses to work on establishing my own brand as a future dietitian through online business development and blogging.
While completing my STEP project, I was given the opportunity to learn more about my future profession and what career options are out there. This changed my view and assumptions of what being a dietitian looks like. I traveled to Philadelphia with three other classmates from the Medical Dietetics program. Through FNCE, I got to network with dietitians from all across the country and the world. At the time I went to FNCE, I had just started the Medical Dietetics program. I had assumptions that dietitians mostly just work in the clinical setting or in foodservice. Through FNCE, I was able to see so many different areas that dietitians could work in such as business marketing, brand development, community organizations, food companies, online blogging, food photography, and others. This experience expanded my knowledge of all that dietitians could do and the amount of influence that someone in this job field can have.
One way that I expanded my knowledge of the areas that dietitians could work in, was by starting my own online blog. A lot of the dietitians that I met and interacted with at FNCE have their own blogs and websites that they use to share recipes and reputable nutrition information with others. I loved the idea of getting to use my creative side to explore something that could help me expand my career. I took an online business development and food blogging course which was taught by a food blogger and masters dietetic student. Through this course, I learned about how much work is involved in blogging, recipe development, and running your own business. This experience gave me so much knowledge regarding business that I wouldn’t have gotten to learn through my college courses. To develop my knowledge further of other career paths that dietitians can take, I took an online food photography course. Through this, I learned that dietitians can develop recipes, write cookbooks, photograph food for companies, and use photography to expand their own business. Through my STEP project, I was transformed in the way that I viewed my future career. I was given opportunities to learn about the different paths that dietitians can take and this really changed my future career goals.
At FNCE, some of the dietitians that I met worked in areas that I never thought a dietitian could work in. These interactions really helped shape my knowledge of what a career in dietetics can look like. For example, I met dietitians who work with the Human Society of America to promote ethical, sustainable, and plant-based eating habits. Sustainable and plant-based eating is a huge passion of me and I had no idea that dietitians worked for the humane society. I learned that dietitians play a huge role in recipe development and traveling around the country to teach cooking classes and educational seminars regarding nutrition. I also saw talks given by famous dietitians such as Kate Scarlata and Dr. Megan Rossi. Kate Scarlata is a dietitian who has done a lot of work in developing and making products for the low-FODMAP diet, which is used to help treat IBS. I was very inspired by her talk and all the work that she has done to expand others’ knowledge in this complex diet. Dr. Megan Rossi gave a talk about IBS and SIBO as well and I was inspired by the amount of experience that she has had in the field of dietetics. She worked for a while doing research and now has developed her own online brand to discuss the importance of gut health. Both of these registered dietitians inspired me to really dive deeper into my career and work towards my own specific career goals. They transformed my perceptions about what kind of influence dietitians can have and further highlighted different career paths.
Another interaction at FNCE was with an Ohio State alumni, Katie Spada. Katie is a registered dietitian who now works in Las Vegas, Nevada. I got the chance to talk to her for a little while about what her path has looked like since graduating from Ohio State. She told me about how she originally wanted to work in sports nutrition. However, after graduation she worked with pediatrics and in a burn unit. She said that these experiences really shaped her experiences and career goals. We connected through social media and she is also a dietitian who has grown her own business and helps retired athletes. This specific interaction really highlighted how valuable my education and experience at Ohio State is. There are alumni from Ohio State all over the world and having this background is a huge help in networking.
The person who taught the online business development and food blogging course is Emilie Herbert, a master’s student studying to be a dietitian. This course that I took was called Food Pinstitute, and was centered around how to grow your online business and blog through using social media and branding. She runs the very popular online food blog Emilie Eats and has a wealth of knowledge in regards to nutrition, food blogging, and branding. Throughout this four week course, I got multiple chances to talk to Emile one-on-one. She really helped me develop my own blog. It was also helpful talking to her about becoming a dietitian and her dietetic coursework. This was another chance for me to network with someone who is also going to be a dietitian and is in the food blogging world.
Lastly, the food photography course was taught by Sarah Crawford, who runs the popular food blog Broma Bakery. Sarah is a professional photographer who shared her wealth of knowledge about food photography in her online course Foodtography School. In this course, I learned so much about lighting, equipment, editing, and styling. I was part of an online social media network with all the other students in the course and got to interact and connect with so many other aspiring food photographers. This experience really helped transform me into recognizing that I could combine my career in dietetics with a creative endeavor such as food photography. All of these classes have helped me shape a really unique path in dietetics of wanting to develop an online business and platform to develop recipes, share nutrition information, and work on food photography.
This change is extremely valuable to my life because it has really shaped my future career goals and what I want my path as a dietitian to look like. I am studying to be a Registered Dietitian and a huge goal of mine is to inspire others to eat healthier. I specifically am interested in cancer prevention, which deals a lot with promoting a plant-based way of eating. My blog is centered around plant-based foods and meals, and I want to use this platform to show others that a plant-based lifestyle can be fun and delicious. FNCE, Food Pinstitute, and Foodtography School have all helped me shape a really unique and attainable career path. Not only did I learn more about dietetics and nutrition, I also gained so much knowledge in other practical areas. I learned about business in areas such as how to register for an LLC, how to file taxes, and how to account when you run your own business. I learned about how to navigate the intricacies of social media and the internet, such as using SEOs to your advantage. I also learned about photography, how to work a camera, and how to edit photos. This project has allowed me to grow so much in my personal endeavors and has given me a new sense of independence, motivation, and confidence. All of the skills and knowledge that I gained through this project will be used throughout my career as a registered dietitian.
Blog: plantifulemma.com