Dr. Megan Lyons Helps Women Feel Their Best With Medical Consulting

Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business:

Dr. Megan Lyons is a functional and clinical nutritionist, and owner of The Lyons' Share Wellness, a nutrition consulting company that has helped tens of thousands of people on their way to health.  Megan graduated from Harvard University with a degree in economics, received her MBA from Kellogg School of Management, and was a management consultant with McKinsey & Co. for 7 years before opening The Lyons' Share.  She is a Double Board Certified Clinical and Holistic Nutritionist, has a Masters in Holistic Nutrition, a certificate in Health Coaching, and a Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition.  Her podcast, Wellness Your Way with Megan Lyons, reaches thousands each week.

Who are your customers?

My primary customers are busy women in their 40s and 50s who have done "all the things" but still don't feel amazing.  They may be dealing with autoimmune issues, thyroid issues, stubborn weight loss, hormone imbalance, emotional eating, or a number of other issues.  I also help people with other chronic conditions.  My unique blend of deep functional medicine education, genuine compassion, and behavioral coaching strategies, combined with my awesome team, makes us the best in the business!

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

Well that's a winding road!  After graduating from Harvard with a degree in economics, I got the job everyone *else* wanted without really considering what I wanted.  It was management consulting with McKinsey & Co., where I stayed from 2007-2014.  I liked it, but didn't LOVE it, so while I was getting my MBA, I took a health coaching certification course on the side, and my fate was set from there!  I knew I HAD to help people revolutionize their health.  I left McKinsey on January 6, 2014 and started The Lyons' Share the same day.  I haven't looked back a day since, but I'm grateful for my experience in the business world because it helps me relate to my professional clients and the many large corporations I speak at.  Since then, I have amassed a second Masters (in Holistic Nutrition), two Board Certifications (in Clinical and Holistic Nutrition) and a Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

My own health journey, combined with the health coaching certification I took, made it absolutely impossible to not help others experience what TRUE health feels like!

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

NO!  No one in my family was an entrepreneur.  I only took 1 entrepreneurship class during my MBA!  I thought for sure I would be an employee forever.

Take us back to when you first launched your business; what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

I spent about a month putting together an email to my mom's friends that I KNEW would be my ticket to a full client roster (LOL).  I sent it, and as you can guess ... CRICKETS.  I then pitched to 50 (!) gyms and organizations in Dallas, offering them a free workshop about "anything related to health" and again, shocker ... CRICKETS.  Well, actually, I got ONE workshop booked from that, and 4 people attended and were sitting on a gym floor.  But I presented my heart out and it lit a fire in me!  Obviously, my systems have upgraded a lot, but starting was hard!  It wasn't until 9 months in that I had a full client roster.

What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way so far and what have you learned from it?

People will tell you what they want and need if you are willing to listen.  This applies to marketing, programs I offer, managing employees, and even guiding people in their health.  Often, they KNOW the answer!

What accomplishment are the most proud of to date in your business?

I have had lots of big time publicity and huge speaking events, but the thing I am MOST proud of is doing over 14,000 (!!) 1-to-1 hours with clients.  I have tons of time in the trenches and have developed excellent skills at translating complicated medical information into understandable and actionable explanations to clients.

Do you have any recent wins from the last year that you'd like to celebrate with our community?

Big year!  My first full year as a team of 4, graduating with my Doctorate of Clinical Nutrition, doing >20 speaking engagements, getting >100K downloads on my podcast, and serving more clients in the first 3 quarters than we have in any previous year!

What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

I am excited to grow our platform more significantly through more media appearances, more podcast reach, more accessible programming, and more speaking.

What is your top productivity tip? 

PLAN PLAN PLAN.  I plan every minute of every day in my PEPPER Planner (which I created!).  It is part of my evening shut down routine (reflection on current day and plan the next day), AND part of my morning routine (prep for the day ahead).  I never waste a moment deciding what to do because it is all time blocked for me.

On the flip side, how do you avoid burnout?

As a giant introvert who set up her business to spend 10 hours per day talking to people (ha!!), my BEST secret is The Getaway House.  I go once per quarter all alone and I couldn't love it any more! https://fbuy.io/getaway/mw3mk4rk 

What is your approach to work-life balance / integration?

I think it's about seasons, both macro and micro.  When I'm on vacation, I really try to connect with the people I'm with and enjoy the time.  When I'm at home on a Sunday and my husband is watching a football game I don't care about, I'm happy to churn out hours of work.  It's about being where you are when you are there, and being OK with that!

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

Honestly, just wish I had started earlier!  This community is already amazing and I'm only a week in!

When hiring, what is your go-to interview question?

What motivates you?

What is your favorite business tool or solution and why?

A little known one ... Followupthen.com.  Because part of my job is to check in with clients at regular intervals, I would NOT be able to keep track of them without this free tool!  It emails me on days I program in advance with exactly which email I should follow up on.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

None of us know exactly what we're doing in every aspect of life, but we can all help each other with one area where we're just a step ahead.  It's a welcoming, engaging community full of inspiration and education!

Learn more about the Entreprenista League and join today!

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