Catalina Bejan
Nutrition Coaching for a Healthier Lifestyle
Cătălina Bejan is a certified nutrition coach who launched her business in July 2023.
Her mission is to empower individuals to lead healthier lives through personalised nutrition coaching. Her services include tailored nutrition plans, educational support, and ongoing guidance. As a solo entrepreneur, Cătălina is passionate about helping people make sustainable lifestyle changes, but she faced challenges in growing her client base and building a sustainable business model.
The Challenge
As a new business owner, Cătălina was introduced to Nottingham Business School during a networking event at the Dryden Enterprise Centre (DEC) – NTU’s dedicated space for entrepreneurs, founders, SMEs, and start-ups to start, grow, and scale. At the time, she needed support in two key areas: assessing the viability of her business model and developing a cost-effective marketing strategy. Her goals included increasing visibility, attracting more clients, and exploring new opportunities such as offering online self-serve nutrition content and forming partnerships with wellbeing retreats. With limited resources and no formal marketing strategy in place, Cătălina turned to the business school for expert guidance.
The Project
Cătălina collaborated with two student consultancy teams from the MSc Management and MSc Marketing programmes. The first team (May–July 2024) focused on business viability, conducting market research, SWOT and competitor analysis, and exploring pricing models. The second team (October–December 2024) developed a marketing strategy, analysing Cătălina’s social media presence and recommending ways to optimise engagement and reach.
Both teams worked closely with Cătălina to understand her goals and challenges. They presented their findings through professional, visually engaging presentations and provided actionable recommendations tailored to her business needs and budget.
The Results
Cătălina was impressed by the students’ creativity, professionalism, and attention to detail. She praised their ability to align with her brand and deliver insights that were both relevant and practical:
“The students did a great job presenting their research and recommendations. I appreciated their creativity, attention to detail, and how well they incorporated my brand guidelines. The visuals were particularly well done, making the presentation engaging and easy to follow.”
The projects exceeded her expectations, offering fresh perspectives and ideas that she is already beginning to implement:
“The students have helped me clarify some key areas of my business, and their work is a great foundation for future growth.”
The Impact
The consultancy experience provided Cătălina with:
- A clearer understanding of her business’s value proposition
- A roadmap for sustainable growth
- A practical, low-cost marketing strategy
Renewed confidence in her business direction
She also appreciated the collaborative nature of the projects and offered advice for future participants:
“I’d encourage future employers to be open to new ideas and not hesitate to provide feedback as the project progresses. For students, it’s important to stay proactive, ask questions when in doubt, and communicate regularly to ensure alignment throughout the process.”
To find out more about Cătălina Bejan, please visit her webpage.