The Problem
Nutrition professionals typically spend a great deal of time working on essential but routine tasks to ensure the smooth running of their practices. This includes managing appointments, creating and updating client records (such as initial questionnaires and consultations), analysing diets and providing meal plans. Personalised meal plans in particular can be very detailed and time-consuming to prepare, involving complex ingredients analysis, exact recipe quantities and providing step-by-step preparation instructions all tailored to the customer’s specific lifestyles and nutrition goals.
The Solution
Launched in 2016, NutriAdmin is a specialist all-in-one software solution that enables nutrition professionals (including nutritionists, dieticians, chefs and personal trainers) to streamline their business operations by automating routine tasks. Today, hundreds of nutritionists and dieticians use NutriAdmin to run their practices more efficiently. By automating previously manual processes, simplifying workflows and bringing together disparate information into one single and secure system, NutriAdmin frees up practice staff to focus on customer service.
A key benefit of the software is that it can generate incredibly precise meal plans in just a few clicks. Its algorithm quickly identifies recipe options that fulfil individual customer needs and culinary preferences (such as a Mediterranean diet; target calorie, protein, fat, and carbohydrate content; as well as allergens to avoid). By replacing hours of manual research, NutriAdmin also enables certain professionals within the health and wellbeing industry (such as fitness instructors) to offer meal planning as an additional service to their clients that they couldn’t previously justify due to the high time investment required.
Support from Imperial College
NutriAdmin was born out of my personal fitness journey. At university I met several supportive friends who encouraged me to re-evaluate my lifestyle and eating habits. I worked with a nutritionist who helped me to lose around 35kg in a year, an experience that fuelled my own interest in health and nutrition.
Secondly, whilst working on a summer project at Imperial College, I was inspired by seeing an academic co-found his own startup (Dr Mark Richards of Duvas Technologies). Working under his supervision, I developed important business skills such as research and problem solving.
Overall, the environment at Imperial College opened my mind to the vast array of opportunities available and made me aim higher and think more creatively about what I could do in the future.
Successes and Setbacks
NutriAdmin wasn’t our first project. Initially, we came up with multiple business ideas through a brainstorming session, then picked the best one and pursued it. Unfortunately, this approach proved misguided as we spent a year developing an app but failed to attract any customers!
From this failure we learned many lessons, particularly the importance of conducting cost-effective customer research to test out concepts before committing resources to them. In one month, we managed to test six different ideas very cheaply. We set up a prototype webpage for each proposition and contacted our target customers asking if they would pay for the proposed solution. For NutriAdmin, we cold called nutritionists. Their feedback was positive and we realised we’d discovered a genuine gap in the market.
The early start-up days were hard. We had both quit good jobs at a prestigious company and were living frugally off savings. It took us almost two years to make any money. Luckily, we managed to figure out our business model and product in time. We also had to learn marketing, sales and other crucial skills quickly to promote our product and gain new customers. When you create something new from scratch, there’s no defined route or manual to follow and there are many unique challenges to solve on your own.
On the positive side, NutriAdmin has enabled me to earn a good living doing fulfilling work. In addition to being my dream job which I’m very passionate about, our software is helping nutrition professionals better assist their clients which, in turn, helps people to lead healthier lives. It’s a privilege and an honour to be in this position.
Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Find a business partner that you trust and ask your prospects what they need, in as much detail as possible. Read books to get advice and attend events. For current Imperial College students interested in entrepreneurship, take advantage of the free support available to explore your ambitions.
