Women in Business: Lisa Smith

By Taylor Jones

Nutrition is probably one of the most challenging problems many people face in their day-to-day life, mainly because there is so much information, and misinformation on the internet, in books, and on the news, that it’s hard to know where the truth lies. This confusion leads to the ever-present and exhausting question: “What am I supposed to be doing to remain healthy or to lose weight?!” This month, Lisa Smith shared with us her philosophy of helping others heal themselves through nutrition and wellness.

Why are Lisa and her nutrition counseling any different than the infinite nutrition information already available? Her mission with her business, Integrative Wellness Center, she partners with clients to improve their health through knowledge, encouragement, and empowerment. Lisa is not handing her clients a plan that she has given to thousands of others; she considers potential problem areas specific to her clients based on a holistic wellness approach.

Lisa also has extensive training in nutrition, including a Master’s in Nutrition, a Master’s in Biology, as well as recently completed a nationally mandated internship and exam to become a Registered Dietitian. What this education and dedication mean is that Lisa is a qualified and trusted expert in helping you finally answer the question, “What am I supposed to do to stay healthy?” Keep reading as we get to know more about Lisa’s journey to nutrition and wellness. 

Women in Business Feature: Interview with Lisa Smith

Planful: Tell me about yourself, your background.

Lisa Smith: When I first started school, I went to Penn State and was a psychology major, and I went into sales after I graduated. I also started an MBA at this time, so I didn’t have a lot of time to explore my passions. Then I started a family, and I was able to stay home, which is when I really saw where I spent most of my reading. I realized my passion is totally in wellness. I was fascinated by people getting well.

P: Why did you decide to start your business?

LS: I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. When I recognized that I could help other people improve their wellness, that was really my ah-ha moment. I saw that wellness can be my mission and my passion. And I realized, oh, I have all this knowledge and I can empower other people to take ownership of their health.

P: What were your biggest challenges when starting your career? What about current challenges?

LS: My biggest challenges and my current challenges are kind of the same. It’s managing family and work and school and business. It’s trying to fit everything in the day. When I look at the hours of the day, I wish I had more of them.

Being a mom, family is number one – we try to eat most dinners together, and I homeschool my kids. So to run a household, parent, homeschool, and go to graduate school was a lot. That has been the hardest thing – trying to prioritize with a bunch of high priorities. You feel like you can’t always give enough to everything.

P: What motivates you?

LS: Knowing for a fact that I can help people, and then when clients come back, and tell me how great they feel, it’s really exciting. This is what fuels me more to help others with their wellness.

P: What would you like people to know about your business?

LS: My mission is to help others learn key steps to healing and good health and to empower them to take those steps. I’m merely a partner. During an appointment, I take an extensive history, assess health situations, and recommend strategies to improve health. Clients then take charge of their wellness, and when they come back with results, it feels great.

P: What are your best time management tips?

LS: Don’t sleep [laughs]. You can get everything done that way. Really though, I run by a paper calendar. There are non-negotiable family priorities. After that, I block time out for work.

P: Is it challenging finding a work/life balance?

LS: You got it, yes. But I’ve found if I put family first, and know that they’re doing well, then, it frees me to work well. If my mind is concerned with unmet family needs, though it’s tough for me to focus on anything else.

P: Best advice you’ve ever heard?

LS: It’s from John Wayne, “Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” It’s how I roll [laughs].

Another quote is from my dad, “Never leave your common sense at home.” No matter what an expert is saying, always pay attention to your inner voice. My business lies on this philosophy: I’m here with the information for my clients, but I want them to take that information to use it to improve their wellness in a way that works best for them.

P: What is your best advice for women in business, or business owners in general?

LS: Never stop dreaming and pursuing what you’re passionate about. You’re never too old or too young to pursue your dreams.

I love advice from old-time motivational business icon, Zig Ziglar: “The greatest of all mistakes is to do nothing, because you think you only can do a little.” I’ve found that starting to pursue a dream or a goal brings new opportunities that seem to come out of nowhere.

Another great quote from Zig Ziglar is, “Motivation gets you going and habit gets you there.” Those are just some thoughts from a great mind that help us to convert dreams into actions.

As always, thank you, Lisa, for sharing part of your journey with us!