Over two years ago, a fellow blogger asked me to help her video interview this upcoming and talked about Sandra Mikhail founder of Nutrition A-Z! I had seen her many times at different networking events and each time had been impressed by her charisma, her ease with public speaking, her smarts and let’s not forget her style! I never got to actually talk with her so when the opportunity came to meet her I was excited and curious.
Leading ladies
The more I grow my personal practice and my life expands, the more I like to surround myself with people, especially women who also dream of having an impact that will outlive them. I want to be with ladies who dare to think big and aren’t afraid to lean in. Sadly, too often we make ourselves small because of our upbringing or the fear of shining brighter than people around us. As a result, we end up frustrated, anxious and depleted.
Our guest today is definitely not one who shies away from speaking her truth and fighting for it because she knows the payoff will be that much sweeter in the long run. She speaks up any chance she gets – from corporate stages to CNN Money!
Sandra Mikhail: Nutrition A-Z
Who are you?
I am a clinical dietitian, a blogger / writer. I have my own practice here in Zürich. I specialise in digestive health, sports nutrition and women’s health as well, just to name a few.
And I’m a Mom!!!
When and why did you move to Zürich?
I moved here almost 6 years. As every expat would tell you, it was because of my Swiss husband! But I also moved to further my education and take a break from work. I found a nutrition Masters course at ETH which took about 2 years.
Where were you before Zürich?
I was in Dubai for a few years and before that I was in Australia.
That must have been quite an adjustment!
Yes and no because I was traveling back and forth for three years before making the final move to Zürich so I was quite familiar with the place. I used that time to create my own social network which needless to say made the adjustment easier. But having said that, you must put yourself out there, meet people and not just sit and wait for things to happen. Living in different places definitely helped me in terms of adaptability.
How was the cultural difference?
Dubai is so multi-cultural but I didn’t notice a huge difference moving here especially because I started as a Uni student. The language was a bit of a struggle. I thought learning German would be easy but it isn’t and I must admit that I didn’t follow through with it! I do think however that it is essential to speak the mother tongue of the place where you live.
But other than that I really didn’t notice much of a difference. The Zuriquois have a stereotype that they are reserved and not so friendly but I did not experience that at all. It essentially comes down to the person that you are.
Now you have a thriving practice. Can you share with us what it took from you to get to this point?
Every position I was ever in, every job led me to be where I am today. I started working at hospitals and clinics then almost eight years ago started my blog. That’s when I started getting a lot of side jobs and Consulting projects. My Entrepreneurial drive kicked in then. I always knew that I wanted to have my own nutrition consulting business – whether it be one to one consultations, public speaking or education at schools. It took a lot of hard work but for over two years now I’ve had my own practice.
If I had to narrow it down to three things that made it possible, it would be:
Courage, embrace Failure and Support.
Those 3 ingredients are absolutely essential to any business owner and anyone wanting to start their own thing.
Did you find that not being from here caused any hurdles?
At first I thought it would but if you do your research, reach out to the right support and find what is possible, it is not any more difficult than any other place. Again I am the kind of person who will do everything possible to get things done and if my initial idea isn’t working, I will have a plan A, B and C and will make it happen 🙂
Who are your clients?
I get patients referred by doctors. People with food intolerance, allergies, eating disorders and athletes. For example I work with Football players (FZZ) and professional athletes. My heart and soul if I may say so lies in gut health. There is so much that nutrition can do when it comes to the digestive system.
But I also work a lot with corporates. Corporate Health and Wellness is a booming area, especially in Switzerland now, and with different brands (like Lululemon, Roots, Pop up Yoga…).
How did you get these clients in the beginning?
By approaching them! You have to seek out the opportunities and create the demand. People need to know who you are. One phrase that stuck with me is along the line of “work hard until you no longer have to introduce yourself!”. And I like that!
If you have a certain standard, people will seek you out.
Were you ever afraid?
Not at all! What do you have to lose? If they don’t think you are the right partner then it is not the right fit so time to move on.
It’s important to understand that not everyone is made for entrepreneurship. But also, continuing knowledge and learning is essential to hone your skills. Like I mentioned before every position I held before has shaped me and helped me upscale myself. They helped me do the things that I thought I was going to be afraid of.
Do you have a lot of competition?
Yes and no. Over here, dietitians are mostly in hospitals or have their private practice. I appeal to both the Expat and German-speaking communities. I also have a very specific niche and specialisation. Certainly there is competition but I always find a way to work with them rather than work against them especially when it comes to women in business. At the end we can all support each-other one way or another. So every competition that I felt was going to be competition in the beginning ended up being a partnership.
As a successful woman entrepreneur what advice would you give anyone who is too afraid to start their own business?
Starting your own thing requires courage, surrounding yourself with like-minded people, create a community and as cliché as it sounds, find your tribe! There, is where you get your motivation, where you learn more and stay excited. I’m lucky to have in my life an extremely supportive partner as well as extremely creative and dedicated women who are moms as well. We share our struggles but also our wins.
Education is a big thing too – you can never put a price on upscaling yourself and learning. Finally embrace Failure as it is for me an essential stepping stone to achieving what you want. It really is the best teacher.
Last but not least, you must block out the white noise!
What are you working on now?
I am growing and hiring other dietitians. My main focal point is Corporate health and wellness especially in stress management. I joined a sports nutrition program, so I’m back studying again!
I’m growing my brand and hoping to grow the Wellbeing Hub into mini hubs for nutrition specialities and corporate consulting. Most importantly quality services offered by qualified people. There is a big question mark on what is the right qualification and who gives the right advice.
A lot of fads out there!
Yes! That’s where the money is. It is a money-making industry but unfortunately certain titles are not protected and the term Nutritionist is loosely used, which is dangerous. It is fantastic to be a source of inspiration and motivation but you cannot be a source of misinformation. I love this saying “You are entitled to your own opinion but not to your own facts.”
Nutrition is an ever-evolving science and it is important that the way it is translated is just and trust-worthy.
How do you filter out all the information?
I get educated. I speak out and put my foot down with my blog and workshops.
At the end of the day it is not as easy as it looks. It is how you understand these studies. Who wrote them? Have celebrities endorse them?
What is the One thing you recommend we take on everyday to keep us healthy?
It would be Mediation. I am getting into it myself. It helps you reconnect and focus and when you are focused you are likely to look after yourself better, nourish yourself better.
I could not agree more with Sandra having been an avid supporter of meditation for the past couple of years. My daily practice has literally changed my perspective on things. Try it and let us know what you think.
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