Welcome to the Pursuing Private Practice podcast!
Join Jennifer McGurk, CEO of Pursuing Private Practice, and Dr. Katie Smith, Registered Dietitian and certified exercise physiologist, for a conversation about functional nutrition, a holistic approach to health, and building a private practice that supports the season of life you're in.
Jennifer and Katie discuss what it really means to look for the root cause of a client's symptoms, why more testing isn't always better, and how gut health, stress, sleep, and nutrition connect to hormone health. They also discuss career transitions and how Katie's decision to leave her "dream job" to create a private practice gave her space for both meaningful work and the life she wants outside of it.
Your clients may come to you wanting their hormones "fixed" or looking for the one test that will finally give them an answer, but this conversation is a reminder of how much deeper nutrition care can go.
You have the opportunity to help clients understand the bigger picture, prioritize what matters, and make changes that are actually realistic for their lives.
This bigger-picture thinking matters in your business, too. You don't need to do everything, follow someone else's business model, or have your entire career figured out. You can keep learning, lean into the work you do best, and build a business that supports both the clients you want to serve and the life you want to live.
Your private practice doesn't have to look like anyone else's to be meaningful, impactful, or successful.
Sponsor:
✨ Business School is designed to guide you through every stage of building a private practice: getting set up, seeing your first clients, growing until you're fully booked, hiring a team, expanding your offers—and even learning how to coast when needed. Inside, you'll follow a step-by-step curriculum with the flexibility to choose the path that fits your current stage of business and life. You'll get access to advanced toolkits, templates, and systems for business topics like marketing and finances, but also for counseling skills and client support. Beyond the curriculum, you're supported by personalized 1:1 coaching, weekly office hours, and monthly themes that address the real challenges of private practice. The program keeps you moving forward with built-in accountability that builds resilience and confidence so you feel like a legit business owner.
Learn more and apply here: https://pursuingprivatepractice.com/businessschool/
Connect with Pursuing Private Practice:
🎉 Instagram: @pursuing.private.practice
📧 Email: Contact Us
Free Resources For Dietitians at Any Stage of Business:
🍎 The Ultimate Checklist to Start Your Private Practice
✨ Free Training: Get Clients Now 3-Day Challenge
👯 Free Workshop: Hire Your Next Team Member
💻 The Pursuing Private Practice Blog
🎙️The Pursuing Private Practice Podcast
About Katie:
Dr. Smith is a Registered & Licensed Dietitian and Certified Exercise Physiologist with nearly 20 years as a health & fitness practitioner and researcher. She received her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Nutritional Sciences and her B.A. in Athletic Training. She is a published author in several scientific journals and has presented throughout the United States and internationally. Her research background encompasses several facets of women's health, particularly prenatal lifestyle interventions to prevent maternal and fetal chronic disease. This work sparked her interest in generational health across the lifespan.
She's also a wife and mom to 4 young girls, further inspiring her professional pursuits to optimize hormonal health & function for all ages. Outside of work, she loves to be active, be in the kitchen with her family, travel, and all things Disney!
Connect with Katie:
Instagram: @fourgenwellness