In celebration of National Small Business Week (May 12th-16th) we sat down with five members to hear about their story, passions, impact, and businesses. The final fabulous member featured in our interview series is Food Blogger, Well-being advocate, & Founder of Food Wisz-dom, Lydia Wisz. Lydia has been in business for four years and has been an active Hera Hub member for the past year.
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What was the inspiration behind your business?
I was fortunate enough to learn how to eat delicious and nutritious foods since childhood due to the healthy diet I grew up with which included an appetizing variety in moderation. Today our country — and the world for that matter — suffer from food-related chronic diseases that are largely preventable. Did you know that today 75% of chronic diseases that are brought on by food-related issues are largely preventable? As a strong advocate of sound health, I have gained my expertise in healthcare and nutrition and have applied it to my work with Food Wisz-dom. After all, Food Wisz-dom is at the cornerstone of sustaining healthy lifestyle behaviors in the interest of minimizing chronic diseases. If you found someone with a food, health and wellness background, mixed in a serious passion for communicating, connecting and added on top of that the talent to create content and relationships — you would get me. A mission mover, connector and ally for organizations in order to promote a healthy living movement.
How has your professional background prepared you for entrepreneurship/your small business?
I have had a strong interest in healthcare and wellness since I can remember. My first job in San Diego as an Emergency Room Registration Clerk gave me my first imprint to everything that has gone wrong with healthcare — starting with the way that people ate, always in a rush and nothing nutritious — mostly processed foods! The growing changes in childhood obesity and how what was once “Type 2 Onset Adult Diabetes” becoming a common theme among children became my second “wake-up” call to want to do something with aligning my views of ways that healthcare and treatments can improve through eating real and healthy foods. For the past 4 years I have dedicated my time to writing my blog, Food Wisz-dom, which focuses on leading a healthier lifestyle by eating wisely with every bite. I have done marketing for a critically acclaimed restaurant group through community and media relations and social media strategies; I have served as a community liaison through a grant award for Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center who’s mission is to connect and motivate students and families from a variety of backgrounds through organic gardening, environmental stewardship, and nutrition education and I’ve done work with UCSD’s Pediatric Department as a nutrition advocate for the California Children’s PowerPlay Campaign. Currently, I am a freelance writer and blogger for Food Wisz-dom and the Food & Beverage Association of San Diego providing social media and marketing.
What is the most rewarding part of owning your own business?
I am proud to be doing work that is inspiring and that is meaningful. I love waking up everyday knowing that what I do makes a difference.
What is the greatest challenge?
Getting clients and having them be interested in learning about ways to improve their diet.
What is your life’s greatest passion? Purpose? How does your business align/support this mission?
I want to share how much I have benefited from growing up with a healthy perspective on food. My business really is meant to bring about more awareness surrounding topics surrounding food, but even beyond that since it is not only about food. There is a trickle down effect and that can be seen through our broken healthcare and broken food system.
What about your business are most proud of?
I enjoy giving advice and if I don’t know something or I learn something new, I want to share it.
What is your business’ future?
I believe things are looking bright for Food Wisz-dom. There is no doubt that there is a need — a need to pay attention to the foods we eat, where they come from and how it all affects our health and well being. The emphasis too is whatever lifestyle a person decides to lead, it can’t be done without feeling well. In order to be a successful and productive human being you need good health — simple as that.
Tap into Lydia’s Wisz-dom by visiting her blog, tasting her latest recipes and ‘liking’ her on Facebook. On June 8th, eat your way to enlightenment with Lydia’s Chakra Food Therapy Workshop, RSVP here.
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Lydia Wisz’s interview is part of Hera Hub’s Small Business Week Feature. San Diego is home to some incredible small businesses and we are proud to say that many of them are Hera Hub members.
