Meet Maya Strausberg | Nutrition and Health Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maya Strausberg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maya, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
I love this question because I think there is so much room for growth and learning when you run a business. And it’s important to approach obstacles as opportunities for progress when we could otherwise let them drag us down.
For me, that was found in the pandemic and a fear of losing business. I had been taking mostly nutrition therapy clients while occasionally taking nutritionist clients who needed help with writing for their businesses. But with the Covid pandemic, I was looking for ways to shift my business more online and more along a schedule that allowed me to be there for my daughter while she was doing online schooling.
It became clear that focusing solely on helping nutritionists with writing and editing gave me that flexibility and so I began offering those services for more types of health practitioners, like health coaches, doctors, acupuncturists and more. I never anticipated shifting my business in that way but it was a huge lesson on being open to taking a business in a different direction if that is where your skills lie and if that is what works well for you in that moment.
We sometimes get so caught up in thinking our work and our business have to look a certain way. But if we’re open to what we are actually skilled in or what is actually needed, there are so many outside-the-box options.
I had a journalism and publishing background but when I went into nutrition, I thought I had moved on and found a new field. I had never thought about those two worlds overlapping in any way. It really wasn’t until I started writing for other nutritionists that I realized how much I missed using the writer part of my brain. I also learned that many people in the health field, while of course brilliant in so many ways, aren’t necessarily skilled in writing blogs, emails, ebooks or even social media posts.
I had to learn how to find that overlap in myself of where my expertise lies and also realize that this made me valuable. This in and of itself is a huge lesson for so many of us: seeing value in what we bring to the table.

What should our readers know about your business?
In my old life, I worked for years in journalism and publishing. Even before that, I was the college student helping my friends edit their papers before turning them in. It was just fun for me and I was good at it. But after moving to Colorado and then having my now-13-year-old, I went back to school in nutrition. I loved working with clients, especially women trying to conceive and new moms.
But there was always a part of me that missed writing and editing.
At one point, a colleague was looking for help writing blogs. I thought, “Writing, but about nutrition? That sounds perfect for me!” The more I wrote about health and nutrition, the more I realized I had something unique to offer.
I often tell my prospective clients that they can hire a good writer but will have to explain so much of the health and science. Or they can hire someone experienced in nutrition and other health fields but they may not know how to write well. With me, you get it all. And I actually geek out on it when I have to do research for projects.
But one of the things I am most proud of is how hard I try to sound like my clients. You won’t get my voice when I write for you. The idea is that I aim to write how you would if you had the time to do it. That goes for editing too. I don’t want to take away anyone’s specific way of getting their ideas across. I only want to help your business grow in a way you’re happy with.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As some who is completely obsessed with food and finding unique gems, I often approach visitors with fun places to eat and what they can’t find anywhere else. And if there’s time, I love to mix the urban experience with getting out of the city.
I’ve found that one thing that makes Denver special is all the food halls. We have so many both in and out of the city. And so many of them are in fabulous locations.
I love Denver Central Market for salads, seafood, barbecue and pasta. Plus you have to check out the murals in the alley when you’re there.
In Golden, the Golden Mill is so much fun and you can walk along beautiful Clear Creek afterwards.
Denver Milk Market combined with Union Station is lovely to eat and drink your way through.
If someone is coming to the Denver area for the first time, I always tell them to go to Tocabe. It’s not often people get to experience Native American food like fry bread tacos and bison ribs.
And there is nothing quite like treating yourself to a completely unique dessert experience at the Inventing Room. Inspired by Willy Wonka, the creator offers a hands-on evening with freeze dried and liquid nitrogen-frozen sweets.
For getting out of the city, I love taking people to some of the hot springs around Colorado. I enjoy Indian Hot Springs, Glenwood Springs and Mount Princeton. But nothing beats the setting of Avalanche Ranch. Just do an image search for it and you will be booking your stay immediately.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The Nutrition Therapy Institute in Arvada is where I learned everything I know about nutrition and healthy eating. They gave me my passion and geekiness for this field because they focus so much on science-based education, something that is too often missing nowadays.
Dianne Koehler, who took over as director there a few years ago, has brought in so many new education and learning opportunities and created new ways to help alumni.
I’m also a part of two online groups that have help me so much, one for more than a decade and the other much more recently.
The Highland Mommies group began many years ago as a forum for new moms in Northwest Denver. As a new mom I found so many friends through that group. And as a working mom, it continues to be an invaluable resource.
The Denver Boss Babe Collective, which I only joined this year, has blown me away in how everyone supports and inspires each other. They have networking and coworking events, but also just prop each other up in amazing ways.

Website: https://www.FamilyTreeNutrition.com

Image Credits
N/A