Over the past few years the health and wellness influencer business has been booming.  It seems as if every page I follow has turned into an influencer account.  I have found this new trend quite frustrating.  As someone that has put in a ton of time and money educating myself and getting the proper credentials to help others, it is disheartening to see people trust others without the same certifications or licensure.

It has taken me over 3 years to get to where I am in my career.  When I decided to make the change from dental hygienist to health and wellness coach people thought I was crazy.  I was determined to succeed and set out with a very strong business plan.  I already had a license in nutritional counseling under my dental hygiene degree and was a certified personal trainer.  The thing is, I wasn’t quite sure how to coach.

I researched coaching programs online and finally found one in my area that resonated best with me.  Within 2 weeks of completing my certification my website was up and running.  I also started new wellness social media pages.  I was on my way!

I was writing at least one blog a week, posting recipes, motivation, diet tips and advocating for different diseases.  I was spending so much time working and NOTHING!  Not one bite.  This went on for months.  I decided to take more classes to increase my value.

The first course I took was The Science of Wellbeing at Yale University.  I received a certificate at the end of it. It was a 3- month course and I learned so much.  I then completed my RYT 500 Yoga Training, Reiki Master and Keto Coach certifications.  I was acquiring all the tools I needed to coach my clients in becoming their best self.  I saw how implementing everything I had learned into my everyday life was helping me and I began to believe I could help others.

Once the switch went on that I believed in myself, everything changed.  My social media and blog posts were genuine and my followers began responding.  Companies I was tagging in my posts started to reach out.  Family and friends were calling me asking for advice or just to say they were proud of me.  I had finally gotten my first real client!

At this point I was well over a year into my journey.  My schedule was filling up with clients and I was loving it.  Packages were arriving to my door of products to try daily.  That one was tricky.  I didn’t always like what was sent to me.  I decided to be true to myself and never lie.  Unfortunately, a few companies did not get the review they were looking for.  Bad for the company, great for me.

My honesty showed my followers I was in this for them.  Not the 10% commission on a purchase.  Having them succeed, meant I would succeed as well.  Without realizing it, I was becoming an influencer.  This was fun!  I slowly became an affiliate with the companies I believed in.  I was making less than $10 a month, but really enjoying myself.  As time passed I learned my way around the influencer world.

Fast forward to now.  I am still slowly growing my business every day.  I have learned it is not about the money, but more of a passion project.  I love finding great products and sharing them with my family, friends, followers and clients.  I will only promote products and lifestyle choices I believe in.  I need to be able to put my head on my pillow at night with a clear conscience.

I do wish followers and companies did a bit more research on who they follow, let coach them and who they let become an affiliate.  Education matters.  Morals matter.  Follower count, not so much! I will continue to educate myself to be the best influencer I can be for myself and others.

Check out this post from New Hope Network to read their perspective regarding the influencer community:

https://www.newhope.com/branding-and-marketing/brands-plus-influencers-how-make-magic-happen

Katie Corio has an amazing influencer journey that she has shared with Intellifluence.  Click to read: