The Importance Of Being Connected: Entrepreneurs In Health & Fitness

When I first started looking into health and wellness opportunities I found the process a little daunting. Who should I speak to? How do I get involved? What organizations should I be a part of?

I’ve learned to be on the lookout for groups or communities wherever I travel that focus on health and wellness. I recently came across EHF (Entrepreneurs in Health & Fitness) which connects like-minded people in Vancouver. They’re all about building a supportive community, collaborations, & learning. Since attending several of their events and connecting with many of the people in the community it’s been great to feel like part of a group in my industry.

What’s interesting to me is how many more women I tend to see at networking events like these than men. Maybe it’s just the demographics in health and wellness (there are certainly a lot of nutritionists!), but it seems women are, on average, more interested in building community than men. Perhaps that stems from evolution, where women tended to be the community builders and maintainers.

Community events are a great way to meet new people. I’ve made so many great connections, from collaborations, to work projects, and more. And they come from all over, as I found that many members come from across the country. Social media has of course been a great platform for staying connected. EHF uses several social media channels to keep the conversation going after events, which is key.

It’s great to be interconnected within your work community, but what’s also important is that it gives you exposure to other sectors as well. One of the recent EHF events was led by a social media agency called Social T, a company that isn’t a mainstay in the health and wellness industry, but gave great insight nonetheless. The power team of women taught us how to amplify our social media presence.

If you’re too wrapped up in your sector’s bubble you won’t grow and learn nearly as much. So take opportunities to get out of your comfort zone and learn something new. Go to those events that sound like they might not be for you because they’re not related to your field. You’ll meet some interesting people, learn something new, and gain connections with different companies you likely wouldn’t have thought to connect with.

When a community builds, sponsors follow. In all sorts of sectors. EHF Vancouver is connected with lots of great local brands like:

• NuIT Almond Butter: Almond butter with plant-based nutrition
• Feed Me Fit: A healthy lifestyle meal prep service
• Bucha Brew: Kombucha fermented tea beverages

It’s cool to see that such a great community is run by strong women. Arianas Fotinakis does an excellent job of connecting people. If you’re based in Vancouver (or Canada, really) I highly recommend you connect with their group (on and offline). And if you’re based elsewhere, look for a group in your area. It’ll make all the difference in your work, your growth, and your opportunities.

So go to those events, focus on making new connections, you never know who you might meet!

Let us know what else helps you connect to your community!