Where are you working now and in what role?
I am a nutritionist and run my own online consulting business 'Nutrition by June'. I'm currently also studying my Masters in Counselling. I help individuals combine healthier nutrition habits with a healthy mindset to prevent chronic lifestyle diseases and a healthier relationship with food. I work with clients 1:1 and in group settings, depending on what their goals are and the amount of support they need. I also work in collaboration with gyms as a sports nutritionist to help athletes improve performance and their body composition.
What do you love about your job?
I love working with people and my clients are incredible. Watching my clients go from completely overwhelmed on their nutrition journey and confused as to where to start, to being the most confident version of themselves and being able to make very intentional decisions around their diet without guilt, shame or doubt is so rewarding. I've helped women who have dieted their whole life let go of diet culture and find freedom around food, while improving their body image and self-worth. I've helped athletes hit new PBs, become faster, leaner and stronger. I've watched parents set up healthy behaviours, so their kids are able to grow up and know what a healthy diet looks like. Every day looks different, but every single day I get that fire in my belly that I've helped someone become happier and healthier.
Did anyone at VHS inspire you to follow your chosen career path?
Ms Paulsen (my Year 11 Society & Culture teacher) showed me what true passion for your career looks like. You could see she loved teaching so much that she made all of our classes fun, interactive and challenging. She made going to class something I looked forward to each week. It showed me that if you really love something and you work really hard, you can truly make a difference in someone's life. I hope that the passion I have for my job changes the way my clients see themselves and helps them make long term changes to their diet so they can live a healthy and happy life.
Did you have many challenges to get to where you are now?
Running your own business, especially an online business can be quite isolating and requires a lot of discipline and hard work. There is no one to tell you what to do and what deadlines need to be met, you are the boss so if you don't turn up to work, the business doesn't run. Also, working online makes it hard to switch off as you are contactable 24/7. So ensuring there are clear boundaries between you and your clients is very important. Otherwise, you end up working every waking minute of the day. Which can easily lead to burnout, so making sure you set aside time for yourself outside the business is very important.
Do you have any advice for our current students?
The cliché of 'do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life' is so true (for the most part!). I think it's so important to choose a career path that you are very passionate about. I LOVE what I do and every time Monday comes around, I can't wait to get stuck into work and help people become healthier versions of themselves. However, any job or study path will always have a component that won't be as fun or exciting, that's just the reality of the real world. Learning to accept this is crucial if you want to do something you're passionate about. The majority of the work you do will be incredible and light you up every single day. However, things will not always be easy and you won't always be motivated. So making sure you have systems in place to stay focused on the bigger picture and why you started is crucial to the long term success of your career. Additionally, invest in mentors and ask for help. I have made the biggest progressions in my business when I have asked for help and learnt from others who have gone before me. Asking for help isn't weak, you can be successful and need help.