Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Tangel.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I was in undergrad, I originally majored in Art and French for the first couple of years, only to find out I didn’t actually enjoy any of the topics in my classes. Art has been and always will be a passion of mine, but I wasn’t too keen on being creative on a deadline, creating pieces of art that had certain aesthetic requirements. I had to take a science general education class, for which I chose Nutrition Science, because I thought it wouldn’t be too hard – HA! Turns out, I loved the class. I found myself reading more than the required readings, chatting with my professor, and genuinely enjoying the topics. Just like that I was majoring in Nutrition & Dietetics (and minoring in Dance, which is another story!) and had added an extra year to my graduation timeline because none of my classes transferred from one major to the next.
I remember meeting with my advisor before graduation, she asked me what other passions I had besides nutrition and I said fitness. She recommended I become a personal trainer and forget about becoming a Registered Dietitian (RD) because there was no way I’d become an RD. I cried the whole way home, but I didn’t give up. What most people don’t know is that becoming an RD is actually 2 steps. First is completing a BS in Nutrition & Dietetics, next you have to apply for and match to a Dietetic Internship, which is 1200 clinical hours of supervised practice. The only catch is that fewer than 50% of the students who apply get matched to an internship. On my first try, I didn’t get one, which was a bummer. Instead, I spent the following year earning my Master’s degree in Nutrition from Boston University.
During my time at BU, I started to think I didn’t actually want to be an RD in the classic sense – working in hospitals, long term care, food service management, etc. I just wanted to help people. And I wanted to help as many of them as possible. So, LN Fit was born. I created a really basic website and my aunt hired me to help her lose weight. The last 4 years have been quite a rollercoaster learning the ropes of entrepreneurship, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I did end up getting an internship on my second try and I passed my RD exam that same year.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Absolutely not! A lot of people think starting and owning a business is a simple as 1-2-3, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ve had several full time and part time jobs over the last few years in order to support myself while trying to build my business. It’s not exactly a situation of, “if you build it, they will come.” I have absolutely no background in business, so learning how to reach people and find clients was a huge struggle for me. I found myself spending hours and hours working jobs I hated just so that I could afford rent and by the end of the day I’d be too tired to really focus on growing LN Fit. Finally, in the spring of 2016, I took a leap of faith and quit everything except LN Fit. I had to move back in with my parents, which was a tough pill to swallow at age 28. I was finally able to really spend my time doing what I loved the most. Living with my parents for a few months was 100% worth it. Besides, nothing beats a nice home cooked meal with your family, right?
LN Fit – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I specialize in helping people, mostly women, have their cake and eat it too! I’m most proud of offering my clients methods of eating that are sustainable and long-term. Methods that drive results without causing excessive restriction or starvation. It’s not about dieting, it’s about creating a lifestyle that is both healthy and realistic. I’m all about creating a healthy, positive environment for people to find a healthy balance in their lives. I’m an anti-dieting, anti-cleansing, anti-juicing dietitian just looking to show everyone that health does not mean restriction.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me, at least when it comes to my business, is when a client comes to me and says they don’t need me anymore. They’ve reached their goal, they are no longer scared to eat “normal” foods and they’re ready to keep going with their healthy lifestyle out in the “real world”.
On a more personal level, success to me is being proud of what I’m doing with my lifetime, living up to my own expectations for myself and giving myself grace when I don’t.
Pricing:
- $250 for 1st month of coaching followed by $130/month
Contact Info:
- Website: www.LNFit.com
- Phone: 312-785-1729
- Email: LNFitCoach@gmail.com
- Instagram: @LNFitDietitian
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
