8# - Manisha Morgan: Starting a Business at 48, Viral Success & The Power of Boundaries

So my next guest is an award winning nutritionist and personal trainer specializing in women's health. She has supported hundreds of clients to achieve optimal health through her passion for healthy living. She empowers women to attain the highest degree of health and fitness through a holistic approach to nutrition.

She also believes that food should be enjoyable experience, and no one should give up foods they love, but learn how to simplify nutrition. you To make small changes to their lifestyle, which are sustainable long term. She's also grown a sizable and engaged social media community with her entertaining and informative videos on how to live a healthier, happier, and longer life.

Her personal experience of menopause led her to train as a nutritionist at the age of 48. And as a personal trainer at the age of 52, her journey through menopause, navigating her way through conflicting and misleading information. Fueled her passion for understanding the complexities around nutrition.

Her experience has helped her gain a unique perspective and empathy towards her amazing clients who also may be struggling with similar issues. This amazing lady is Manisha Morgan. Manisha, thank you so much for being here. Gosh, that sounds impressive, doesn't it? Wonder who wrote that? Chat GTPs. I love that so much.

So thank you so much for coming in. Thank you for inviting me. I must say, I was a bit scared to do this podcast on TV. People think I'm a lot scarier than I am. Yeah, and I was like, oh, Manisha looks really great. I really want to speak to her about all these things, but she is a little bit scary. But I'm really glad that I've got you into the studio and we're doing this because honestly, like, God, this is, this area is such a minefield, right?

Yeah. So let's go back to, well, not the start, but kind of the start. So you obviously changed your lifestyle at 46, when you were going through menopause. So just talk us a little bit around that journey. you know, how it all unfolded and how you navigated it. Well, it started a little bit before that, really.

And I kind of tried and then stopped and tried and stopped. I did the marathon, got a few injuries, got to pull out from training. I still did it, but not within my time, obviously. and then I had IVF. So I've had a few kind of encounters with the importance of nutrition along the way, but I still didn't get the importance of it until I hit the menopause.

And then it started, I don't know, I can't really pinpoint. point, what it was, but I suppose my other two experiences kind of made me think, right, this nutrition stuff is, is way more important than what I thought all this, all this time. So, and also then I started to look into the long term impacts of, of menopause.

and at that time, nobody was really talking about it. There wasn't that awareness out there, you know, so I learned a lot of it myself and from just making a few changes myself, I realized how important it was and I thought, right, okay. I think I can help other women. I mean, it sounds really cliche, but that's exactly, but actually I never qualified to become a nutritionist because I had a full time job.

Yeah. I kind of fell into it. Yeah. I just thought I'd do it for my own self first. And then, yeah, and then I quite enjoyed coaching people. Yeah, I can imagine. So obviously the menopause, I feel, again, another area which still, obviously, I'm so glad that people are talking about it now and there's aware, like, awareness is being raised, but it's still a topic of discussion I feel like is not talked about enough.

Like, what are your kind of thoughts on that?Yeah, it's not. I think a lot of people feel embarrassed, to admit that they go through menopause. but having said that there are lots of people that talk amongst their friends, which is good and share their experiences. I still feel that on a public platform, like I have a TikTok account, which is purely menopause only.

And I feel that people, women there are more likely to share their experiences and there are on Instagram. And I don't know if that's just my audience and my audience is predominantly Asian. So I don't know if that's the difference, but, I just find, yeah, I just find that women aren't as keen to share their experiences for whatever their reasons are.

Yeah, and what did you, what helps you Manisha when you were like navigating like the kind of the menopause journey? Like, so I've read a little bit about it and I'm not that age just yet, but. there is obviously various books and stuff. And I just think I just want to have this awareness anyway, because that time's obviously going to come.

so like anything that's helped you specifically or your clients, do you think? I think it's understanding that menopause is forever once you have it and your experience. So like you guys are lucky your generation that you have this awareness, whether you take it or leave it. The, the information is there for you.

We didn't, my generation didn't have that. So I think it's understanding the importance of how your lifestyle needs to change. Your mindset needs to change. Your habits need to change. And the earlier you do that, the easier it becomes later on. So your experience of the menopause is really highly influenced by your habits, behaviors, and mindset.

and your lifestyle. So, you know, you've got all these personal trainers and nutritionists who are in their twenties and thirties, and maybe even their forties have been doing it for a while. They're going to transition into menopause so much easier than people like myself, people like you. Yeah. Because their habits are already in place.

They already know what they should be doing. Whereas when you try telling a woman in their forties, in her forties or in their fifties, right. Okay. Now we need to, you know, Stop the yo yo dieting. We need to stop the fad dieting. We need to do this. We need to, you know, it's, it's a lot to take on. And on top of that, you're going through your menopause as well.

Yeah. So I always say to women, you need to get, you need to get you where to, you need to get to where you want to be before the menopause starts. And some women are in denial. They just, they don't want to know. And I just think it's fine, but it's just going to make your life a lot harder when that time comes.

And trust me, I have that conversation all the time where people, you know, they follow, they listen, they're aware, but they've done nothing about it. And I'm not talking about major things. We're just talking just a few tweaks here and there. That, that is it. What could those simple, tweaks be to anyone that's listening and thinking about this?

You know, like we all know that when I was, I mean, if I could share with you like what I ate in my twenties and thirties, you'd be, you'd be shocked. You just can't eat like that anymore. Yeah. You know, because, your, the fat distribution changes when you go through menopause. people say, Oh, but you know, I haven't changed anything and yet still I'm gaining weight.

It's because your body requires different. Food types. Yeah. And more of certain food groups like protein. So you kind of need to make the changes which are aligning in alignment with the menopause. Yeah. And, and like I said, they don't have to be anything huge, but the earlier you start, it's going to benefit you either way, whether you're going through menopause or not, whether it's for weight loss, whether it's for health, whether it's for PCOS, whether it's a fertility, it's all the same stuff.

It's all nutrition. And we all know what that is. We all know what we need to be doing. We just don't do it. And obviously our culture, the yo yo dieting is something that, you know, is just so prevalent. I remember like growing up in the nineties and like, you know, There's just been so many diets, like the Atkins diet, the low carb, obviously that was the Atkins diet.

Like just so many, like the juice diet, there's just so much, there's so much more now. I mean, I sort of came across one the other day called, well, there's one called the human diet, but there was another one that I just came across and I was like, you know what, if a diet, if a diet has got a name, it's a fad diet.

Why do you think women struggle so much with food? Cause like, even my husband was saying the other day, like. Obviously he's got me and he's got like, his mom and his sister and like loads of other females. And he's like, every woman is always just obsessed with, not every, but like most women do really struggle with their weight a lot.

And, you know, they have this approach towards like, Oh, I'm on a diet now it's summer or I'll overindulge at Christmas. I think it's what I have found really hard on my health journey is to be constantly consistent. Like I'll go through, I'll go through months where I'm so good. I remember last summer I was like, so good.

So on it, working out, eating good, like eating like organic as much as possible. Just just taking care of myself really and then obviously I had everyone who's listened knows I had a really bad Q4 like we had a family member who was super sick And my dad got diagnosed with Parkinson's some other stuff happened behind the scenes and then obviously going into January I had my event prep and then I just kind of fell off the ladder, if that's, if that's, if that's a word.

What, why do you think that is? Exactly the reasons why you've just said. We kind of use food for so many different purposes. Social happiness, stress, sadness. it kind of evolves around everything, doesn't it? And learning to manage that. And especially now we live in a, in a culture where. Food is just available everywhere we go.

You know, so, and even when it comes to socializing, it's almost like unheard of that you just go and see a friend because you've got to see a friend, you've got to have dinner, you've got to see a friend, you've got to go and have a coffee at, you know, Starbucks or whatever. So everywhere we go, there's food around and people eat for different reasons.

You know, we, when we stress, we're happy, whatever that emotion is tied to an emotion sometimes. And then. What quite often happens is, we'll, like, like you say, we'll do something really well for a short period of time. Yeah. But is that thing that you have done, is it sustainable for a long period of time?

Yeah. Because when we start to, become super strict, that's when you tend to fall off because you can't be super strict when you're going through emotional times and things like that. So what I teach is how. to manage everything in real life. Because look in, you know, sometimes people say, Oh, I can't join your program yet because I've got this or I've got that.

And I said, listen, you're always going to be going on holiday. You're always going to have stressful situations that is always going to happen. And actually you're better off being with me during that time. So I can help you manage it because I wouldn't want someone to come to me where they've got a clear three months of doing nothing, no social plans.

And I think I want you to have social plans because then I can help navigate. how you should best manage your nutrition around that time. So, you know, things are always, we're always going to have stressful periods. And I think it's just, it's just being able to manage. And this goes back to managing the habits and behaviors and mindset.

It's really hard. They're really, really hard to change those. And I think a lot of people, women in particular, they've. place a lot of focus on weight. Yes. And I get, and I do get that. I really understand, you know, just like the other day I said, if you want to come to me for weight loss, don't bother.

Yeah. If you want to come to me for weight loss and learn habits and learn how to eat food. Perfect. I'm the one for you. Yeah. But don't come to me just with all you want to do is lose weight because you can go anywhere and they'll help you lose weight. But it's a strategy that they are going to use that isn't going to be sustainable long term.

Yeah. That's so true actually. Cause I, obviously I've been through my own journey of like PCOS and all of that stuff which I got diagnosed with a couple of years and I remember like my skin used to break out so bad. My period was like, honestly, like so much pain and I just, you know, if you look back at that time, I haven't lost like, I've definitely lost weight over the last few years, but like it's not been like.

you know, I'm not dropped like three or four dress size or anything crazy like that, but I just know I'm so much more healthier. Like I'm sleeping better. I feel good. I can get through the day before I was like taking a nap in the middle of the day because I couldn't function. And all of those things will, help you to lose weight.

Yeah. Because if you sleep well, you're more likely to have energy to do things. If you eat well, same thing, you know. So they kind of all have a, it's leading a healthy lifestyle. It's a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. You know, there's, there's the stress, there's, the food, there's a movement, there's water, everything needs to fit in together.

and sometimes we try to do everything, which doesn't help. so, you know, Just, I will say, just pick one thing, get good at that, then move on to the next. Yeah, we're in a culture where we just want everything now. And now I agree because I, I obviously fell off the wagon in January. well, not actually January, it was really good up in the last few weeks since my event, I've been like, it's been so busy.

we've had like really few, really busy weekends. And I told myself, I was like, I've fallen off the wagon. I'm just, this week I'm just going to focus on just eating cleaner a little bit, like healthier, you know, rather than trying to eat healthy, do my work. Like I find it when we're doing, for me anyway, like when I try and do everything at once, it just becomes so overwhelming.

Absolutely. And as women, we do shame ourselves as well. Like if we don't do something right, and especially if you're like a perfectionist and you just want to have everything perfect. And the thing is, I always say to. everyone is don't aim, don't try to be perfect because you can't keep that up, just to be consistent.

And you know, with food, you're going to have to eat no matter what the situation you have to eat. Yeah. Whether you're going through a stressful time, whether you're sad, whether you're busy, whatever the, whatever the situation is, you need to eat. So you might as well make. the best of the eating, whilst you're going through that particular period in your life.

Do you see what I mean? Even just a few simple changes and tweets can make such a huge difference. I think a lot of the time we have an all or nothing mindset, you know, so I don't even like to call it a diet. I call it a diet because that's what people like to hear. But whether I'm dieting or not, my food doesn't actually change.

I still eat the same food. I just eat less of it. So then it's not a diet. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't, and I don't eat anything different when I'm on a diet. Yeah. That is a really, I think that's such a great mindset shift, like to view it like that. Yes. If you just eat what you enjoy, you know, as long as it fits in with all the macronutrients and all that kind of stuff, then, you don't see as a diet, then you don't see it as falling off the wagon.

No, this is true. So it's just that terminology and, you know, that kind of stuff. Yeah, that's true actually. And obviously, Manisha, you set your business up at 51, right? It was at 51? I think so, yeah. Yeah. So just talk us, like talk us through this because I meet a lot of women and especially I think in our culture now, like the online culture at least, like, you know, a lot of people think, oh, you can only have success if you started early in your twenties.

And I think it's so inspiring, to see women of all ages and all backgrounds start businesses at, you know, different times. And obviously you've grown your social media following. incredibly as well. So do you feel like there was like, not from you perhaps, but like, do you think there is a stigma attached to like starting late?

I haven't experienced that to be honest, but I think that probably depends on who you surround yourself with as well, right? so it wasn't planned. like I said, I didn't become a nutritionist to become, for that to become my main job. And then when I started coaching, I actually. Did enjoy it. And then my coaching business started to take off without even really promoting it because I couldn't promote it because I had a full time job.

So nothing, you wouldn't find anything about any of my coaching services. It was all just through word of mouth and people just asking me. And then it got to the point where I was just trying to manage everything, you know, doing the videos, coaching, doing my job, obviously having a family. And I kept saying to my husband, I need to make a decision.

I need to make a decision. But I couldn't, I just couldn't make a decision because I had a really good well paid job. And then I'd be, I was going into the unknown at my age. And what if it didn't work out? Would I be able to go back into my own industry? Because then I'd be well into my fifties then. So I kind of almost manifested getting made redundant and then it happened.

But to be honest, if I hadn't got made redundant, I probably still would be doing both things because I just couldn't make a decision. I just needed somebody to come along and say, right. Just leave. Yeah. And I, and I couldn't. So really it was the best thing that ever happened to me. So, and then I said to Jonathan, I don't think he was that keen if I'm honest, because Jonathan is very, doesn't like taking risks.

Whereas when, before I met him, I only ever took risks, which is why I ended up. financially the way that I, I was because I was on my own and it's just less risky to, you know, to start investing and doing all that kind of stuff. so it did take a little bit of convincing from him, but, but I just said to him, I've just got to give it a go because if I don't, I'm going to spend my whole life wondering what if, and then I thought to myself, like, you know, a lot of people say, Oh, but it's okay for you because you're confident and you know, you're this and you're that.

But when you're entering something that you've never done before, I mean, I mean, literally, I've never owned my own business before. I haven't got a clue, you know, so it's learning all this stuff again. And I just kept telling myself every day that I could do this. Every day I used to wake up for six months and I used to say to myself, you can do it.

Every time a negative thought came into my head, I had to push it aside. You know, sometimes I'd get really upset because I'd think, Oh God, Jonathan wanted a really, like he had his, you retirement, you know, planned out. He wanted to do this. He wanted to do that. And now because of me, it might not have, honestly, like all those things used to come into mind.

Like what, what if this happens? Well, it hasn't happened yet. So stop thinking that way. You know, it's that self talk no matter what you are doing is so, so important and don't get so hard. It is so hard to telling yourself that. You can become a success. a hundred percent. I really have to have that self belief, which again is really hard, but the way that I see it is if you put the work in, you can't not fail.

You will, there are things that I've done, only one, I would say that I think. Well, just like I tell my clients, right? You've never failed at anything. All you've done is learned. And this is exactly the same thing. I've learned a lot of things in the last few years in terms of my business, in terms of boundaries, in terms of people that I might want to work with, people in the industry, I've, I've learned a lot and that's all valuable.

a? Well, unofficially, it was: 2020

And I think one of your questions was about how do you grow your audience? And back then, When I used to do posts, it was copying and pasting from other, it was never my own words. Yeah. Because I always felt like I had to sound clever. Now I sound dumb, right? But I get my message across. I think you sound very clever.

verything I was doing back in: 2020

I needed to do all this engagement stuff on Instagram and all the things I weren't doing before alongside a full-time job. So it really, 2021 is when I started. And you went full-time? Was it? 20 20, 22 at the end of 2022. Oh, so really 2023 was the year started. Yeah, last year. And how so back then? 'cause I know there'll be so many people listening in right now who are literally.

In a really similar position to you back then, like running, trying to run your business, you know, wanting to quit, quit their corporate job as well. But then obviously you've got their family and you know, all the other responsibilities that come as being, as being a woman or a fa a family, with family life as well.

So how did you like, do it all like back then?I think you've gotta have a plan. Mm-Hmm. , Kind of, I treat my business now as I did when I was in a full time corporate job. So I still plan, I still set myself tasks. I keep myself accountable. I'm still trying to get the work life balance. Actually, it's got a lot better, but last year was terrible.

The last two years of my life, I've probably said I've worked the hardest and you know what it really showed, showed on my, on my stress levels, my face. I can tell when I'm going through like my skin, everything just changes. So I think it's, but I think it's also understandable if you're setting up a business, you are going to have to put the hours in.

And I did, but you know, it's just initially setting up all the processes and all the behind the kind of like the admin side of everything, you know? So, I think it's planning helps a lot. and I had a supportive husband, so that's really important. So he kind of really took over, I'm going to say 70 percent of all the kiddy stuff and housework stuff and all that.

So all that left was for me to just to do the bits here and there. So that made a huge difference. But like I said, I had that conversation with him beforehand. I think a lot of the time, whether we're on a health journey, you want to set up your own business, we don't actually tell up. partners, what we want, what expectations we have of them.

So I kind of said to him, look, this is what I want to do, but I need your help. Yeah. So he knew right from the off that this is now is our roles are going to be reversed a little bit now. And he's the main carer, which he was for quite some time. He's probably still is to be honest. Ah, I just love him.

You've got a really good one though, because I work with a lot of clients and, Just people in general that I encounter in my community. And I think especially with like Asian women, they find it really difficult to enforce those boundaries, whether it's like in laws or whether it's partners, but I think it's, you just, I think if you can't enforce boundaries and you can't communicate what you really want, it.

It is that internal people pleasing trait that you have. Yeah. And that's the problem, isn't it? Is you've got to start as you mean to go. So there was no point in me halfway through last year telling my husband, could I have his support? Yeah. I need to have that conversation at the beginning, whether it's your in laws, whatever your, your partner, your children, even if you've got older children, you know, you know, get them to, to help out a little bit around the house, you know, so it's just having that conversation.

Conversation with everybody saying, like, this is what I'm doing guys. And I need your support. I said to my kids all the time, like sometimes, you know, if they have a go at me for being on my phone all the time, I say it's my business just because I'm not coming down in a, in a suit and a briefcase and, you know, I'm not literally.

opening up my laptop, that doesn't mean to say I'm not working. I'm working whilst I might be waiting for the kettle to boil or do you know what I mean? Responding to, you know, I've got like three different apps. I've got TikTok. I've got Instagram. I'm always on my phone. So I've had to educate them into understanding that everything that you have got is because of the work that I'm doing on my phone.

So, you know, very rarely I'm on my phone for social purposes, really, to be honest, it's generally all work related. So, it's just helping other people understand what your work is about and, and how they can help you. So my kids do help out quite a lot now and that's, and they're only 12. I love that. I love that so much.

And I think it's so great to hear from you Manisha, like enforce it, like actually asking how, because that's something, another thing we, I have really struggled with and some women I work really struggle with. And, for me, I call it like the martyr slash like savior syndrome, where, because I'm obviously like from a Sikh family, my parents couldn't speak English.

So from a really young age, I was doing everything for my parents, like filling out their forms. I was doing mortgage applications at the grand age of like 10, honestly, like I was doing a lot. And I think that obviously carries on in our lives, but also the downside of that sometimes can be not asking for help.

And I think you have to, especially in the situation that you were in. So. Manisha, just talk us through like, what would like back then, because I know that those listeners are going to find this so valuable. What would like a typical week look like, like when you were balancing your full time job and like building your business up and obviously have like managing kids and everything?

So my day all starts early. Because, I also have this thing about women puts, they put everyone else first and then if you've got time for you, you do you. Yeah. So, you definitely have to carve time out for yourself during the day or every few days or whatever it might be. So my day all starts off with, even now, either gym or going for a walk.

and then I have times that well, I wake up about quarter past six. Okay. And I know it's not 4 a. m. or anything. I mean, that's again, that goes back to, is that sustainable? And you know what, even my husband or someone said to me the other day about waking up at four or five o'clock in the morning, I said, it's a load of BS.

Like, do you, what, why would, why, if you're a single girl, right. All these people I see on TikTok waking up at four o'clock. Why, why do you need to wake up at four o'clock? Why? I mean, I get it if you're a young mom and you know, you're really desperate to, to, to, to find time. I get that. And you know, if it works for you, that's brilliant, but why would you do otherwise?

I would never, I would never expect anybody to do anything that I'm not prepared to do. And I'm not prepared to wake up at four o'clock or five o'clock. I say pick a reasonable time for you. So that time and routines change as well, because back then my kids were in primary school. So. Things were a little bit different then.

So I would go for my walk, go and do my gym, whatever, come back, get them sorted because they were getting up later and leaving for school later. So, and then we'd walk them to, well, they'd walk to school themselves, but, and then during the day it was just whatever, you know, when I was working, it was, I did a lot of stuff in the evening and a lot of weekends I worked.

So I had to be,quite well organized with how I was going to plan my content more than anything, really, because I can't do it the weekends. The house is too noisy with everyone there, you know, so, it was just about doing what was right. Every week would be planned. Yeah. I'd have a not, and I don't mean like it was all written down.

A lot of it was just in my head. All right. Okay. Well, I've got this meeting at that time, so I can do this, this, and this and Just working out like that. And at the time, did you feel like you burnt out? Yes. Yeah. A hundred percent. And that's why, and I knew it, but you know, like I said, I think, I think it's kind of expected in a way, if you're trying to juggle a full time job and starting your own business, there is going to be that period where you're going to have to work really hard, but you have to know when to stop.

And I knew when to stop. because like I said, I could feel it. Like. I turn up on stories and sometimes I look at myself and I think, bloody oh God, you look like you just put 10 years on because it's the lack of sleep. It's the stress. It's all of that kind of stuff. So you have to know when to take a break.

And I'm pretty good at doing that. and then when I transitioned over into just working for myself full time, again, last year was really busy. but I've got Like, you know, very rarely work weekends now, work some evenings, but that's okay. so it's just having that, you know, life balance back again now.

But I do kind of think you need to go through that period of working hard because I've worked hard and that's where I've got to where I am now. Yeah, I completely agree. Like, I feel like again, there's this misconception online, like you can just build and they'll come, that kind of thing. And it, and I just think It does.

It takes time, but it requires hard work. Like I think so many people think that you can literally magic up a few posts on Instagram, post them and like you're going to get client. It just doesn't work like that, especially in the online space. You have to build credibility, you have to build authority, you've got to build trust with your audience and that you can't buy that overnight.

It takes time. And I think any successful person that I've ever spoken to. It, you just gotta, there's no, there's no replacement for like putting me in the hours, right? I think the thing is, if you're providing a service like you are and like I am, I remember when I qualified as a nutritionist, right? Well, just before we qualified on my course, All the people on my course were all thinking about their websites, getting their photos done, thinking about logos.

And I, and I've come from the sales industry. I've spent 25 years in there. So I thought, well, what I'm going to do first, I'm just going to build my engagement. As in engagement, as in like, build my trust. Yeah. And that's what I did. spent all my time doing that initially. And then I started moving on to everything else.

So, and I look at some of those people, I don't follow any of them, but occasionally, actually I haven't done it for years, but I went back on and saw a couple of them. and. you know, I've definitely progressed a lot further than they have, but they, it might not be their, their priority right now. But then it was all of our priorities to make our nutrition business work.

Most of them were PTs as well. So, personally, I think that it's like with everything in, in, even with, with your health journey, I say to my clients, don't try and do everything. Yeah. Just, just do one thing at a time. And even now, like, I remember it was so overwhelming when I first, decided to start up on my own because it's like YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, this, that, digital products.

I was like emails. And I'm like, what? So I thought, right now I'm just, I'm just going to go at my own pace. Whenever somebody used to say to me, do you need this? Do you need that? I'm like, no, do you know what? Let me just do it in my own time. And I did. I only started TikTok a year ago. Well, a year and a bit ago now.

And then I started doing emails a few months ago. Well, I don't do that. Somebody does it for me. But gradually, gradually, it's building, building, building all the time rather than trying doing everything together. That's what works for me because I have to keep my sanity right and not stress myself out too much because stress is a really big part of, I practice what I preach when it comes to health and wellbeing.

lly blogged, this was back in: 2014

And same with my coaching business. I have my, free Facebook group, like 2017, and then. I launched my first program a year later. So I was just doing free lives, like giving out content, running a few workshops here and there, but like just building that trust because I think a lot of people just think, Oh, just get the branding out, like get the logo.

And obviously that, that helps. Of course it does, but you need that, audience there. So in terms of like, Stress now, Manisha, how do you, how do you manage that? Is it, is it just having really strong boundaries? I think you have to have strong boundaries, but also know what your limit is because, you know, when, when my mom tells me she's stressed because her YouTube isn't working, I'm like, bloody So we all have different, it's very subjective.

so the way that I see stress is, I always put it into perspective. How important really is this for me? And if it's not, then it goes to the bottom of the pile. Yeah. If it's family, whatever, blah, blah, blah, then yeah, fine. Deal with it. But, I am pretty good at managing it. And even the, but even though sometimes you think you're pretty good at managing it, what you, what happens is.

What's happening on the external isn't always necessary what's going on on the inside. Yeah, because, stress has a massive impact inside on your internal organs as well, which is what you can't see. And actually something like 80, 90 percent of illnesses are driven, derived from stress related conditions.

So, I am really aware of it. And, You know, like I said, help, setting boundaries does help. and, you know, just like comments and things like that on Instagram. other people, putting out stupid advice on Instagram. I've learned to manage all of that. I'm not great at it, but I've, I've got better managing my stress levels and I can't help it.

I'm so passionate about what I do. sometimes I get a bit, this is why I scare you. You see, people don't understand. First of all, people don't understand what the online world is really like. Like I've started sharing comments about, comments that I get on some of my posts and people can't believe it.

People can't believe that people are so rude. And you know, I always have to constantly remind people that there is a person, a human being behind that phone that you are tapping into. You know, so if you're going to message me for the first time ever, yeah, just say hello. Yeah. Not asking for much. Just say hi.

And then don't just bang in there with a, Hey, can you tell me what did it? No, I can't. I'm sorry. Yeah. So I'm a little bit funny when it comes to online manners because. Jonathan is so, so, anal when it comes to man and it's rubbed off onto me. And now I just think, let's just have a show, a little bit of respect to people on social media.

If you've asked me a question and I've gone out of my way to leave your voice note or to leave you a long reply, the least you can do is say fucking thank you. I know. This is the other thing I think, I think online, it's just people, there's no etiquette and I, I, I totally get it. We all, some, I sometimes mess with DMs and.

like, you know, I think we can all get busy. One thing I've been really mindful of in the last few months is just getting back to people or just, just being like, Oh, okay. Like, hi. Like, you know, or, Oh, thanks so much. You know what I mean? Like, rather than just leaving it hanging. Cause I think nowadays there's just, There's just no etiquette when it comes to DMs and comments and people can be really, really nasty.

And I think sometimes they don't realize, sometimes they don't realize it, which is fine. Yeah, of course. I get that. They don't have that self awareness. Until you raise it, you know, until you raise that topic, I get it. But other times, I think people just have that expectation. So, you know, like you saying about setting boundaries, you know, how many, how many times can a person ask you a question about something before you say, you know, you Okay.

So you want coaching then? Yeah, exactly. Right. So you can't keep asking me questions. This isn't a, you know, you're not going to keep going to your hairdresser and saying, Oh, can I just have a quick free trim? It's only going to cost you, it's only going to take you five minutes. You wouldn't expect that.

Or you wouldn't expect a plumber to come and change your washer fee for free. So don't expect the same online. It's really quite simple. But you know, people have this expectation that because you're on social media and they're on social media, that everything that you can do, they ask a question and you have to provide the answer.

No, you don't. Yeah, I completely agree. I, for some reason, don't get to, I did write a post about this, but I don't get that many people, I did used to back in the day, but now I think I don't get that many people asking me like loads like businessy type questions. But I think, I think I think people, I used to when I was in the wedding planning world, like people be like, Oh, who can you recommend for so and so?

Who can you recommend? And I think it's this whole thing around just getting information out for free. Yeah. And I think it comes down to self awareness as well. Like I would never dream of like just ask. I don't think I've, I think if I If I really want to pick someone's brain, what I'll do is I'll go into their link tree and see if they can like offer a session, like 60 minutes, 30 minutes.

Like I just wouldn't ever. It just, I just wouldn't do it. I, you know, I've got some business friends as well and some, spiritual friends. So shall we say, Like, sometimes I might ask them a question about like, I don't know, like angels and spirituality, but if I want some Reiki, then I'll message them and be like, Hey, can we book in a session?

Like, I want to help pay you. But I think some, not all Asian people, but some. Asian mentality is just try and get everything for free. You see, like in nutrition, it could be a just a question, Oh, how much protein do I need? Oh, can you tell me best vegetarian protein? Oh, could you tell me what supplements I need?

You see, and then before you know it, it's like you've done a consultation. Yeah, exactly. So it's very easy just to keep asking questions all the time. And I remember a few years ago, there was quite a few people who just kept asking questions. And sometimes I do scroll up the message to see, and, And then one time I remember saying, well, quite a few times saying, Oh, you've asked quite a few questions.

I think you might benefit from coaching. And then I don't hear from that person and I'm like, good for you. Brilliant. Great. Bye. And I know that sounds really harsh, right? But you have to be harsh and anybody who follows me will know. In fact, I said it just the other day. I reply to every single freaking DM, even if it's not well, most 99 percent of the time, it's not about nutrition.

Yeah. It's just, I like that video. It could be anything. It could be absolutely anything, you know, but I reply to every single one and I find it really frustrating when. It hasn't happened much, but a couple of times when I've bought something off someone and then I've gone back to ask a question in DM and they haven't messaged me back after I've bought the product.

That's crazy. And that is just really bad business practice. Yeah, I completely agree. If I can respond to every single freaking DM about non nutrition thing, I'm so sure you can reply to a DM that is about your business, about a product that I've just bought from you, you know, so. I think we all need a lesson to learn, when it comes to managing and setting boundaries on, on social media.

A hundred percent. And, I, what you said about that, Manisha, like, I just completely agree with you. Like I've obviously I've been doing events and stuff and for the last few years and some, some of this, I think maybe because we're like, I remember in my corporate days, like client was so important. Like we'd have to get back to our clients within like 24 hours.

Like the client was coming in. It was just like, Oh my God, the client's here. Like, I think I've had that drilled into me from a young age, but nowadays. It's, I remember I did an event like, I think it was last year or the year before, and the, the people, I won't say exactly who it is, but some of the suppliers like literally turned up like an hour late.

That's so bad, isn't it? But then, okay, fair enough they were an hour late. But then it was like, no, like, I'm sorry, I'm late. If that was me, I'd be like, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I'm late. Like, what can I do to like rectify this? They didn't say sorry. They kind of like made me feel like a bit of an inconvenience.

Like it was my problem that they couldn't find car parking. Although I'd communicated with them where the car parks were and they just didn't even really say sorry. And it was just, it is always like, I call them like celebrity accounts. Like it's almost like an inconvenience. They're providing that service for you, although it's their job to do that.

And I think we all, I mean, I've probably done it, you know, I know that, you know, we, like I try and keep on top of every DM. Sometimes I might miss not a paid product, but like if someone DMs me like, Oh, that's really nice. So, you know, you look pretty there. And I do, I'm trying really hard now to like really message everyone.

And so that's where you build your connection. That's where you build your connections and DMs. Yeah. And even after my event, I made sure I reshared everyone's story who came to my event. Like, it doesn't matter if you're not the person speaking on the stage. Like I want to share everyone. I want to celebrate everyone.

But. So many people don't have that kind of like etiquette and it's so frustrating. And I think in the end that makes, and it has an impact on your business. Definitely. Because even for me, like people are like, Oh, like we had really great things about you. We had great things about your event. This looks great.

Like obviously people talk and if you, You know, just, just a bit celebrity like then, you know, my opinion on that as well because a lot of people now, I mean, I'm in that world now. You're a celebrity now. I don't mean like that. I mean, I get invited to places where there are Yeah, yeah. Other people, who have a massive social media following, or not even necessarily a massive social media following.

And I'm like, wow, okay. , you think you're so, but I, I, I think I have the attitude because I'm a lot older. I really do. I, I, I think I'm, I'm a little bit more, my feet are down to a, you're grounded. Grounded yet because I am older and I can see things from a different perspective. I think if I was doing this when I was in my thirties, I probably would be like a lot of these young.

younger people, I think. but honestly, I don't expect any, like, you know, a lot of people do think that I am quite scary, but honestly, in real life, I'm not at all. And I'll be the first one to say, Oh my God. Yeah. Come on. Let's have a chat. And Baba, you know, I always make time out for anybody that comes and says hello, because I really appreciate it.

Do you know what I mean? And I never change. I doubt I will because you are who you are. Right. But, yeah, being in the presence of some people makes me not want to be part of that community. Yeah, I completely agree. So, Manisha, obviously, I think over the year, maybe, is it the last year your account's really grown on so, like what, Instagram?

I'd say the last six months, six months. Yeah. So what do you think has obviously the viral reels helped? I saw that one, recently, I think it was with your daughter. It was just so adorable. Yeah. That's the one that got a lot of hate. Yeah. 2. 2 million. It's on. Oh my God. I love, I absolutely loved it.

Cause I think it really, spoke to like our culture and like, you know, what we've all gone through. So how, obviously, I hate the whole, I think, obviously, virality is amazing. Like, I'm never going to say it's not amazing. It's great, right? You grow your audience. It's got so many benefits. And I hate it when people are like, how do you go viral?

But I know so many people will be thinking that. So how Like, do you, do you have like a strategy when it comes to things like that? Or do you just kind of go with what you, what you're feeling really? If I had a strategy, I'd probably have a way more followers than what I do now. But the thing is like, look, when you post a video, like, you know, when you post a video, a photo, whatever, you don't know how that's going to do.

You just don't know. but last year, a lot of my, my Bollywood reels last year were really, really popular. but every time I felt that it was going viral, I would just close it down, archive it because I didn't want to go viral.and the reason being is because my viral, those videos in particular were going viral in India.

Yeah. And so it was targeting a group of people that will never become my client, future client. And most of them were men. And I didn't want that. I'd rather have, a smaller following of people actually want to be there. And that isn't really the content of what I do. If my page was a comedy page, I wouldn't care.

I'd like, yeah, yeah. Bring it on. I'll do more. I'll do three a day. But, Yeah. Then this year, I changed. So Friday we have, we call, I call it Friday fun. So it's always a fun reel on a Friday. So, I've tried a few different things. but the Friday ones really are just kind of like for me as well.

Yeah, because it's nice to post something different, but this year I've had quite a few reels go viral and, you don't, like I said, you don't know. if a video is going to do well or not until you post it. but I haven't, I've decided this year that I'm not going to take down any videos that go viral. I made that decision because I have to, because you see, because on TikTok, I've now got the experience of TikTok.

On TikTok, every video that has gone viral, I grew like, I've got more followers on TikTok than I have on Instagram. And I've only been doing that for 14 months. but that, that population is my niche. They're all women got, you know, 40, 50 plus, so I'm kind of comparing the two and you shouldn't really compare the two, but, so yeah, there is no strategy.

I now know what works. I knew what worked last year. That is all my, anything Indian that I do works, but that isn't what my account is about. So that's why I only limit it to doing once a week, doing something funny or non related to what I do. but last year I. you know, I stopped doing actually funny reels for quite some time.

And then I remember I went to the She Awards and, that was the first time really that I'd been out in, sounds like public, but do you know what I mean? Like where there were so many people. And honestly, it was really, really overwhelming for so many people to recognize you, come up to you and tell you how, like, you know, they were going through a really sad phase in their life.

And my reels used to make them laugh and it's really quite overwhelming. And I thought, gosh, maybe I should start up again. Just hearing people tell me that. So I did. and then I stopped again and now I've started again. So I stop and start because like I said, I want to try to build, but that's the thing you see when, when a reel goes viral, you've got no idea who's going to see it, you know, and I'm guessing what happens is Instagram might think, Oh, These bunch of 25 year old love this video.

We'll show it to more 25 year olds. Do you see what I mean? So, this time round though, the videos that are going viral, they aren't, I don't think they're from India. because there's a lot of foreign, like, Canadians and Americans on there, but, and I do tend to look, I do kind of occasionally now and again, click on someone's profile.

Sometimes I remove lots of followers too. if I've got time, I'll do that. because I want to try to. It sounds really weird, but I enjoy doing them. So I don't want to stop. But at the same time, I don't want them to go to people that aren't my audience. And then it impacts your engagement and everything.

Exactly. So it's like, yeah, I totally agree. Because the other day It makes you feel great. Don't get me wrong. When you see your numbers go up, but then as quick as your numbers go up, they'll go down just as quick. Yeah. Because soon those people will realize that, oh, She's posting boring nutrition. Oh, I'm not interested in that.

Unfollow. So I'd rather just not have that because you know, you have a high and then you have a low. So now I just kind of accept it's a little bit like watching your weight go up and down. Yeah. It's great when it's going down, but then when it goes up, you're like, Oh, so just don't look at it. I just I try not to look at the numbers.

And how, because obviously Manisha, like you, how old are you now? 53, 53. And I know for a lot of like Asian women specifically, they, they just have so many tech blocks. Like, and I, I'm in my thirties and I, this is something that I've suffered with in the past. Like, I'm just like, Oh my God, like that looks really hard.

Like, you know, I don't want to do this. I don't, I, I'm literally, I just don't want to get on TikTok because I just can't, I just, The tech stuff side, not the tech, but like, it's just another thing to manage. And I'm like, Hmm, but obviously I'm on TikTok now I've joined, before I just had loads of resistance to it.

I much prefer TikTok than Instagram. I really, I've always, even before I joined TikTok, I used to say, I don't like Instagram, I just don't like it, I so much prefer TikTok now, don't know why. And how, how did you like, obviously just, did you ever have tech blocks? First of all.I don't see it. I didn't see it as a block, you see.

So I suppose that's a mindset shift straight away. Yeah. I just thought, well, there's gonna be loads of new things for me to learn. Yeah. And, you know, so I, you do all my editing on CapCut, getting better at that now, but if I don't know how to do something, I just, I just YouTube it. So, I mean, there's loads of, there's more, loads more stuff I would love to do.

It's just getting the time to do it, isn't it? Like I like doing transitions. I haven't done any of those for like a year. I love doing things like that. But, I suppose right now for me really with editing, there's not really that much kind of that I need to do really. But, sometimes it's not, and again, you know, sometimes you spend all that time doing something absolutely brilliant.

And then that video, like, you're like, Oh, yeah, nobody doesn't know. Nobody even appreciates it. Do you know what I mean? So now I just like, it would be some life would be so much easier for me if I could just do one video and upload it to TikTok and Instagram, but they're different content totally. Yeah.

Which is a pain because that means. there's more pressure on me to create different types of content. So, but you know, but yeah, so that goes back to also your, about the viral reels is you've got to know what works for you and your audience. So long videos on Instagram with me talking, people don't like it.

And it's a shame because that's where the value is. And you've got so much to give in that area. Yeah, I know. And like, you know, Instagram or people prefer the whole, you know, Trending music. I don't like doing any of that because like, what are you saying in 15 seconds? Not a lot. I know it's crazy, isn't it?

That's what I say to my audience. If you, you don't like it, you want the value, but you don't want to watch the video. So obviously I'm not going to, I'm not going to waste all my time doing something that you don't want, but you've got to show me that you want it. It's valuable to you. Then I'll do more of it.

Yeah, a hundred percent. I completely agree with that. how long do you spend on content a week, Manisha? Let's just Oh, do you know, I'm terrible. I am so good at so many things, but I only came, I was saying in January that the one thing I'm rubbish at doing is planning my content. I'm so shit. And I've tried so many different ways to make it easy for me.

And I just can't. And sometimes like I did it today on the train, I thought, Oh yeah, I'll post this reel today. I mean, why can't I just do it the night before? Like, do you know what? I annoy myself with it. Yeah. And, and, you know, sometimes it works. I mean, Friday ones are always planned because I have to have those ones, but during the week, but I'm trying to do like a, a theme which hasn't quite worked out either, but like, you know, do like a nutrition reel one day on a Wednesday, do something else.

you know, do my pillars is what I'm trying to say, but it just doesn't work out, but I've got to get better at that. Yeah. So you never like, just like sit down and do it, right? I have loads in my library, but they're not edited or the caption isn't there. So then I'll wake up in the morning and I think, Oh shit.

Okay. Which reel should I post today? You know, but like I said, I've got, I've got to, on a Thursday, I want to know each day what I'm doing next week, but I've tried that for so long and it just hasn't worked for me. So, yeah, I've got to get a bit more, I've got to get better with my planning on that.

Yeah. Because everything's, most of it's ready. It's just, it's just applying it. Manisha, the time has literally flown, I've just literally been deep in conversation with you and the time has just flown by so quickly. So. I wanted to give you this final question. What would be like three tips that you would give Asian women in business, Asian female entrepreneurs who are trying to grow their business or trying to quit their corporate jobs just to grow their brand and business, I guess?

Some of it we've already mentioned, but the first one is the self belief that you can do it. And it's so hard because naturally as humans, we're kind ofyou have to have the self belief that you can do it. And even if you just try, yeah, you haven't failed. You've just learned a lot. And if you, if you are leaving a corporate job, the worst case scenario, you can always go back to it, but you've got to give it a substantial amount of time for it to work out.

the second one is the whole credibility that you were talking about earlier. The building the audience and all that kind of stuff is really important. And then I would also say is putting in the work. Yeah. Because, you know, there are, there are things that I've had on my agenda that I haven't done anything about last year.

So I can't then moan that, well, it didn't work out. It didn't work out for me because I didn't do anything about it. So set yourself tasks, challenges, whatever it needs to be. keep yourself accountable, but put the work in because without the work, you're not going to get very far. A hundred percent. And just one question before.

We finished, Manisha, because I know so many people will be thinking this. Like, you're so authentic online. You're so yourself. Like, you're, you're, you know, you, you hold your opinions and I think it's amazing that you'll be able to just be yourself and voice, you know, what you're thinking. Has that always been you online or is this something that you've developed recently, do you think?

I think it definitely comes with confidence, but I suppose You have to be that type of person anyway. But, like we were just having a conversation at the weekend on social media about,marrying, non Indians and the whole Indian community and the racism within the Asian community itself. And, my sister said to me, she messaged me, she goes, just to let you know, you're going to get a lot of backlash for what you've just said.

You're going to get a lot of backlash. And I said, actually, well, you're really wrong because. every single message that I got was, thank you so much for opening this conversation. So I think, but listen, obviously there are lots of people that probably were too scared to tell me that they disagreed.

but that's okay too, right? I'm, I try to give a balanced view sometimes. but, it doesn't always work out, but, I'm just sharing my opinion and having conversations with some things that, topics that people don't want to discuss, right? Yeah. and we need to have that conversation. So.I think to answer your question, I think, when people say, quite often people say, Oh, can you give me any advice on how to start a social media account?

What to do? And my only advice is you've got to be yourself. You cannot pretend to be someone that you're not because, you know, if you lie, eventually you'll get found out. Yeah. So just be you, whatever that is. And you know, people love, you know, people don't, whatever reputation I've got, I've got. but at the end of the day, what people I hope will take away from me is that I am real and I am authentic and there's no bullshit.

Yeah. Whether you like it or not, there's no bullshit. So at least you know what you're getting. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, just be yourself. I love that so much, Manisha. Thank you so much. So where can everyone find you online? throughout everywhere, Manisha, your nutritionist, uh, TikTok, Instagram, that's it for now.

Oh, thank you so much, Manisha, for coming in. Thank you for inviting me, Sian. And it's been amazing. Thank you so much.