What is one piece of advice you would give to new wellness practitioners struggling to find their niche? What steps did you take to identify your area of expertise?

Question

Navigating the wellness landscape can be daunting, but pinpointing a niche is crucial for success. This article demystifies the process by offering concrete steps backed by seasoned experts. Readers will gain practical strategies to align their passions with market needs, ensuring a fulfilling and prosperous career path.

Lisa Hillary · Answer

The best advice I would give to new wellness practitioners struggling to find their niche is to align your expertise with both your passions and the needs of your ideal clients. Finding your niche isn't just about choosing a specialty—it's about identifying where your skills, interests, and market demand intersect.
For me, identifying my area of expertise in modern, holistic mental health care came from both self-reflection and experience. I paid close attention to the types of clients I felt most energized working with and the issues I felt deeply passionate about addressing. I also observed gaps in the market—what services were missing in my community? What kind of therapy experience did I wish existed for clients?
Some steps I took included:
1. Exploring different populations and modalities - Early on, I worked with diverse clients to see which demographics and concerns resonated most with me.
2. Listening to client feedback - I noticed patterns in what clients valued about my approach, which helped shape my brand and therapeutic style.
3. Building expertise through additional training - I pursued specialized training in areas that aligned with my strengths, ensuring I could offer high-value services.
4. Clarifying my brand and message - When I founded Hillary Counseling, I positioned it as a boutique, self-pay psychotherapy practice that prioritizes modern, relatable, and holistic care. This distinction helped attract the right clientele.
Ultimately, your niche should be a blend of what you love, what you're great at, and what people need. If you're struggling to define yours, start by reflecting on the clients who light you up and the problems you feel deeply connected to solving.

Rick Mayo · Answer

The best advice I can give new wellness practitioners struggling to find their niche is to stop trying to serve everyone. Instead, focus on serving the right people exceptionally well.
When I started in fitness, I quickly realized that chasing every client type--young athletes, weekend warriors, weight loss seekers--was a recipe for mediocrity. The real breakthrough came when we narrowed our focus to a specific, underserved market: active adults aged 45-65 who wanted strength, mobility, and longevity--not just aesthetics. That decision changed everything.
Here's how you can find your niche:
Look at Who You Already Help Best - Who gets the best results from your coaching? Who appreciates your expertise the most? Your ideal niche is often right in front of you.
Find an Underserved Need - Instead of competing in a crowded space, identify an overlooked or undersupported group. For Alloy, that was active aging adults who wanted a premium personal training experience.
Become the Go-To Expert - Once you choose your niche, own it. Speak their language, solve their problems, and tailor your marketing, services, and messaging directly to them.
Finding your niche isn't about limiting yourself--it's about becoming the best at serving a specific audience. When you do that, you stop chasing clients, and they start seeking you out.

Kevin Huffman · Answer

If you are a new wellness practitioner struggling to figure out what serves the people, start with listening to your audience about their unmet needs. The inspiration behind starting Ambari Nutrition stemmed from the realization that there was a complete lack of quality food that dotted the market which is easily accessible for specific dietary needs such as post-bariatric and diabetes. Connecting directly - via surveys, social media, and community forums - with customers and listening to their pain points and needs was highly informative. By taking this customer-focused approach, we were able to create a product line that really spoke to our customer base and saw our customer retention rates jump by 50% in the first year. Keep it simple, identify a specific audience that you want to address and the real problem you want to solve they've brought up, and your niche will come up automatically.
We had a hypothesis-driven approach and experimented on the ground as well, to help us narrow down on identifying our area of expertise. Market trends were evaluated, existing products assessed, and healthcare professionals were consulted to determine the nutritional needs of bariatric and diabetic patients. This identified a need for convenient, nutrient-dense foods which may help sustain healthy weight management and blood sugar levels post-dieting. Next, we experimented with different product formulations and used customer feedback from early users to fine-tune our product. As an example: we kept getting requests for low-carb, high-protein snack bars that are convenient to have for the bariatric patient and suitable for a diabetic patient - so we decided to develop them. The single product generated a 35% sales increase in the 6 months after its launch.

Renato Fernandes · Answer

At the beginning of my career as a nutritionist I was overwhelmed by the extensive range of wellness paths available to me. In my opinion, new practitioners should concentrate their efforts on areas that both excite them and allow them to create significant change. I searched for my professional niche by collaborating with various clients while participating in specialized workshops and reading widely about wellness subjects. As time passed I recognized consistent patterns between what I enjoyed doing and where I achieved the best outcomes. Also, I requested feedback from my clients which helped me improve my professional concentration. Discovering your niche requires a blend of personal passion with professional experience while listening to feedback from those you assist.

Malka Shaw · Answer

The best advice I can give to a new wellness practitioner is to focus less on what is trendy and more on what genuinely excites you. When you do work you love, you naturally show up with more energy, and clients are drawn to that. Ask yourself, which topics or types of clients leave you feeling more energized? What makes you feel drained? Lean into your natural intuition because it often knows the answer before you do. Sometimes, your focus will evolve as you grow, and that is part of the process. Who you are today may not be who you are in five years, and your work will shift alongside you. The more you tune into what truly lights you up, the more you will build a practice that feels both sustainable and fulfilling. That is what will bring the right clients to you.

Susye Weng-Reeder · Answer

Finding your niche as a wellness practitioner begins with self-reflection and aligning your work with your personal journey. For me, my niche in inner child healing and self-empowerment became clear through my own transformative experiences. I noticed recurring themes in my life—overcoming abandonment wounds, developing self-love, and guiding others through their own healing journeys—and that organically shaped my brand and books.
My advice to new wellness practitioners is to identify what they're naturally drawn to. What challenges have you personally overcome? What topics light you up when you speak about them? Pay attention to the questions people ask you most and the impact your guidance has on others. Then, solidify your niche through storytelling, digital content, and community engagement to build authority and credibility in your field.

Bram Louwers · Answer

Focus on what you're truly passionate about and where you can add the most value. When I started, I experimented with different areas, listened to client feedback, and identified what felt most fulfilling. The key is to blend your strengths with market demand-research trends, understand client needs, and find a gap you can fill. Specializing doesn't mean limiting yourself; it means becoming the go-to expert in a space that excites you. Stay adaptable, keep learning, and refine your niche as you grow.

Alex Cornici · Answer

Diving into the wellness industry can be both exhilarating and daunting, especially when trying to pinpoint where you fit best. One crucial piece of advice for new wellness practitioners is to explore and engage deeply with different modalities within their field. By exposing yourself to various practices, whether it's yoga, meditation, dietary counseling, or personal training, you gain a broader understanding of the options available and where your passion and skills align most strongly. This exploration can be as simple as attending workshops, joining professional groups, or even getting certifications in different areas.
When I was starting out, I took the personal journey of exploring different wellness pathways by working under seasoned professionals and volunteering in community health programs. These experiences were invaluable; they not only expanded my knowledge and skill set but also helped me connect with potential mentors and peers. This network and my hands-on experiences were key in helping me identify that my passion and expertise truly lay in holistic nutrition. The feedback from clients and the observable impact of dietary changes on their health were clear indicators that I had found my calling. Remember, finding your niche is not about rushing but allowing your experiences to guide you to where you can make the most difference.
The journey to finding your niche in wellness is personal and unique, filled with learning and growth. Be patient and open to the experiences that come your way, as they will ultimately steer you toward your special area where you can thrive and make the most impactful contributions.

Lia Munson · Answer

One piece of advice I'd give to new wellness practitioners is to stop searching for your niche and start creating from what feels most natural to you.
Instead of looking outside yourself for answers, turn inward and ask: What do I love to create? What kinds of conversations light me up? What practices do I return to, even when no one is watching? Your niche isn't something you have to figure out-it will show itself when you focus on what excites and fulfills you.
To find my own path, I didn't try to fit into a category. I let my curiosity guide me. I wrote about topics that fascinated me, shared insights through small workshops, and paid attention to what felt good and also helped others. I didn't wait until I felt like an "expert"-I just started sharing what mattered to me. Over time, the right people and opportunities naturally found their way to me.
Instead of stressing over your niche, focus on creating, exploring, and sharing what you love. The more you do this, the clearer your unique way of serving others will become.

9 Steps to Help New Wellness Practitioners Find their Niche

9 Steps to Help New Wellness Practitioners Find their Niche

Align Expertise with Passions and Client Needs

Serve the Right People Exceptionally Well

Listen to Your Audience's Unmet Needs

Blend Passion with Professional Experience

Focus on What Genuinely Excites You

Align Work with Personal Journey

Blend Strengths with Market Demand

Explore Different Modalities Within Wellness

Create from What Feels Natural