Meet Rae Brandenburg | Registered Dietitian and Freelance Artist

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

Hi Rae, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I always knew I wanted to run my own business but I didn’t think I was “ready.” When I became a registered dietitian, I thought my only option was to go right into working for someone else. I didn’t have any money at the time so I was pretty desperate. I started out working in the weight loss field doing 1:1 counseling, but got burned out and felt unfulfilled. I had my own struggles with disordered eating in my early 20’s and I saw many clients during my work in weight loss that could have benefitted from a non-diet weight neutral approach. At that time I had also been learning more about intuitive eating and pursuing a certification. Ultimately, I wanted to help these specific people and knew the only way to do that was to start my own private practice. So I finally took the leap! It was terrifying. The process is slower than I thought it would be, but it feels amazing to be working with my ideal client and having control over my hours.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I grew up in the small mountain town of Buena Vista, CO. Being surrounded by a tight knit community and beautiful scenery was what I think inspired my trajectory in life.

I started drawing and painting when I was little, and as I got older I worked to hone my artistic skills by reading books, watching YouTube videos and practicing. While I thought about going to school for something creative like graphic design, I was also passionate about health and nutrition. So I chose the latter, while still continuing to paint acrylic landscapes when I had spare time in college. I had always thought of art as a fun hobby, but a few people close to me told me I should consider selling my art on Etsy. I never thought I was “good” enough to sell my art – I thought I had to have formal training to charge money for my paintings. Thankfully, their encouragement helped me overcome that barrier and I started my Etsy page. I would call art a sporadic source of side income since I don’t have much time to paint these days, but I really enjoy it when I do.

My main focus now is my business, Intentionally Nourished. Boy, was it a long, winding road to get here.

In high school and college, I struggled with my eating habits, body image and mental health. Back then, I thought if I studied nutrition, all that scientific knowledge would solve my problems. However, my issues got worse throughout college. I started restricting food and working out excessively to avoid gaining weight because I had heard messages that weight gain should be avoided at all costs.

That backfired eventually when I became too hungry and went the other direction – binging on whatever I could find. By junior year, I was in a dark place mentally and had gained a lot of weight. I felt out of control, so I finally decided to seek therapy. Working with different therapists helped me overcome my disordered relationship with food. By senior year, I had to decide whether to pursue my dietetic internship or not. It was a difficult decision to go against what others were doing, but I didn’t feel ready to become a dietitian yet. I worked in the nutrition field for about a year as a dietary aide in a hospital, but had always felt pulled to travel.

So, I broke up with my then boyfriend and left on a solo working holiday visa to New Zealand and Australia. It was 14 months of self-discovery, intermittent loneliness, and adventure. I worked in vineyards, on farms and in a brewery.

When I came back, I must admit that part of me regretted traveling. Suddenly, I was around my peers – most of whom had stable jobs and a solid income. It took me a while to appreciate the time I spent away and realize that leaving helped me build the confidence in myself needed to be successful in business and life.

After completing a 1 year internship with the University of Northern Colorado and (thankfully) passing the registration exam, I got my first job working in the weight loss space 1:1 with clients. After almost 3 years in that space, I was majorly burned out. I was carrying 60 clients and didn’t feel like I could form a deeper connection with any of them. I had also been learning about intuitive eating and bringing it into sessions with clients. For the first time they said, something truly spoke to them. They felt free from the restrictive yo-yo diets they had been on for years, and they were learning how to appreciate their bodies.

That’s when I finally took the leap. Without any established source of income, I left my stable job for the unknown of starting my own business. That was in March. Now, I wouldn’t trade it for the world! I love working with my existing clients, helping them create a healthy relationship with food, and create a deeper connection with them. I have never felt more aligned!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ooh this is a tough one. I’m a sucker for the mountains and eventually want to move back there, so there would definitely be hikes involved. I love the Indian Peaks Wilderness, so we’d probably do a hike to Loch Lomond.

We’d spend time in LoHi at Avanti and get ice cream from Little Man. Also in RiNo at Number 38 and brewery hop.

Wash Park is a must! My favorite coffee shop near there is Wash Perk.

We’d definitely have to go to a concert at Red Rocks (preferably bluegrass) and explore the trails around Red Rocks.

Finally I’d take them to the galleries on Santa Fe, especially if it’s the First Friday art walk. One of my favorite scenes!

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?
First I want to give credit to my parents, who always encouraged us to work hard. My mom was an architect and opened her own business, so she showed me that it was possible. I also had a lot of support from friends and family along the way.

Finally I’d like to give credit to Libby Rothschild of Dietitian Boss. Her business is dedicated to helping female dietitians succeed in private practice. I started devouring her podcast episodes 3 years ago and felt, for the first time, like I could also succeed by starting my own business. Now I am enrolled in her business coaching program, which has helped tremendously with first steps and learning how to speak to my ideal client.

Instagram: intentionally.nourished.rd

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raeabrandenburg/