Considering Becoming A Consultant

[JNBunnie1]

Thanks! I'm thinking about working as a gluten free transition helper, personal chef, and trainer for new people on the diet, and your feedback will help me very much to know if anyone would be interested.

[lizard00]

I've been toying with that idea, too. Let me know if you decide to go for it. I've put it on the backburner right now for other reasons, but I think there is a definite need. Around here anyway.

[buffettbride]

I think there is a small market and use for folks to help other folks transition to the gluten-free diet. I'm pretty resourceful, so I probably wouldn't have done it.

However, where I think the real niche is, and would bring the biggest benefit to those following the gluten-free lifestyle, is working with restaurants, food manufacturers, even health care professionals to help them understand. It's a harder place to break into, but Celiacs will be better served by a more educated public.

[Bobbijo6681]

I agree with buffettbride that education is important to our cause. However I think that it would be nice to have someone to go with me to the grocery store and help look at labels. I know all the "big" things to look for, but then I have to get out my "no no" list and check everything else. It is very time consuming to start with and VERY overwhelming. I am now getting used to it, but in the beginning it would have been a big help. Also someone that has been down the road to help with dr's visits and what to ask and when to question the dr's ideas. Kinda a personal advocate for Celiacs.

let us know how that works out for you!!

[Nor-TX]

I agree with buffettbride, but I think a better direction would be to form a company/organization who works with stores, vendors, food venues to present gluten-free product shows. I can visualize product companies paying for space in a product show. Customers like myself, could go to a product show to taste and be introduced to gluten free products.

I am new to the gluten free diet since October and would have eagerly attended a gluten free product show.. especially if there was the opportunity to actually taste products, receive coupons, watch cooking demonstrations, talk to reps from different companies, nutritionists...

I think it would be a great idea and probably be a business that could make lots of money in addition to helping educate lots of people and answer their questions and hopefully advertise all the wonderful gluten free products that now you have to order over the internet or search out at different stores.

I can see that lots of people would be interested in this.

[Jestgar]

You could expand your skills to include other food issues as well, maybe throw in a bit of nutrition counseling and day care feeding tips.

[JNBunnie1]

I agree with buffettbride, but I think a better direction would be to form a company/organization who works with stores, vendors, food venues to present gluten-free product shows. I can visualize product companies paying for space in a product show. Customers like myself, could go to a product show to taste and be introduced to gluten free products.

I am new to the gluten free diet since October and would have eagerly attended a gluten free product show.. especially if there was the opportunity to actually taste products, receive coupons, watch cooking demonstrations, talk to reps from different companies, nutritionists...

I think it would be a great idea and probably be a business that could make lots of money in addition to helping educate lots of people and answer their questions and hopefully advertise all the wonderful gluten free products that now you have to order over the internet or search out at different stores.

I can see that lots of people would be interested in this.

Actually, I've read about a number of gluten free product shows and conventions in my area the past few years. I'm sure there's space for more!

[masterjen]

I agree there is a need for more (both in terms of number and level of expertise) knowledgeable services, in my area as well. I was sent initially sent to a dietician who was considered an "expert" in celiac disease, but I found her coverage of what to/what not to eat, shopping, cooking and dining-out issues to be very superficial, and sometimes even unsafe (ex. she said eating sushi was fine, but to avoid artificial crab . . .but what about when the sushi chef cuts the "safe" pieces of sushi with the same knife he used to cut the "unsafe" pieces, and what about the rolls that contain pieces of breaded sushi: she didn't even mention any of this), and when I tried to probe with more in-depth questions (ex. vanilla, according to her, was safe, but I had found out that only vanilla made in Canada or the US is safe: when I asked if this was true, she said she didn't know, and also she was unable to help me with determining if I should also try going lactose-free). So, everything I now know about celiac disease and being gluten-free has come from various websites but there is always the risk that someone may come across information that is misleading. So, long story short, I think if someone can provide very in-depth counseling/consulting services, and who is an expert in shopping/preparing meals that is specific to their clients' city of residence, would go a long ways to helping those newly diagnosed. Also, if the consultant is knowledgeable about navigating the internet in relation to celiac disease and gluten-free, this would also be a huge asset. My other thought is it would also be helpful if the consultant had some kind of certification (ex. already is a dietician, or is a certified personal trainer or counsellor), as this would increase the legitimacy of the service rather that just "Joe Smith, Celiac Disease consultant", or whatever.

[T.H.]

You might be able to offer this service to companies as well as individuals. I was at a Whole Foods grocery store recently and they had just added a 'gluten free' consultant to their employees. She went through all the items in their store, knew what all their gluten free stuff was, gave a 'gluten free' tour once a month for the store - it was great, and it had a really high turn-out, every time.

[Celiac Nutritionist]

On 2010-04-02 at 0:50 PM, JNBunnie1 said:

Thanks! I'm thinking about working as a gluten free transition helper, personal chef, and trainer for new people on the diet, and your feedback will help me very much to know if anyone would be interested.

Hi! I would LOVE to discuss this with  you and see if anything ever came of it!  (Being 6 years later, I wonder how things have changed...?)