Recession Proof Yourself in the Health and Wellness Industry

In the first decade of the twenty-first century, the health and wellness industry experienced an unprecedented boom. This trend is expected to increase exponentially in the coming decade, as more and more Americans consider alternative options to traditional medicine. If you have an interest in vitamins and supplements, organic agriculture, aromatherapy, or any of the other growing fields in this rapidly expanding movement, consider grabbing a slice of what some experts predict will be the next trillion-dollar industry.

Best selling author Paul Zane Pilzer, a world renowned economist and entrepreneur, calls this trend the Wellness Revolution. After conducting extensive research, he discovered that the current market trends for health and wellness products, one that primarily exists in the baby boomer generation, predict a rapid growth spurt in the coming years.

“Fifteen million of three hundred million Americans are getting healthier as they age. As they get older, they’re stronger and better fit. What’s going on? It’s people who have time to focus on it are seeking out the right products and services to make them healthy… I was surprised to find, in 2002, that it was a $200 billion industry. Now, in 2007, it’s become $500 billion… [These] consumers are becoming, and will become the entire nation, I believe, as this new wellness industry emerges,” Pilzer said.

Although there are an increasing number of school programs designed to accommodate this growing market – for example, culinary hopefuls can attend The Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City to become a certified chef dealing entirely with ingredients that have been coined “whole foods” - it is not necessary to further formal education before beginning to benefit financially from the health and wellness industry. Abundant room for success exists for experts and non-experts, those with money to invest, and those with limited funds or no current income.

If you are feeling the effects of the current financial climate, and are interested in creating income in the health and wellness industry, here are some tips to get you started:

• Do a simple internet search of a type of product or service that interests you. You might want to choose something that you have used or would be interested in trying.

• Narrow in on a few of the results and read everything the companies have to say about their products or services.

• Once you choose a company, do a search independent of their website. Is their product sold in a retail environment, or strictly by independent distributors? Is their service offered in local businesses, or just by consultants? Are there reviews available?

• Return to the company’s website and find a person with contact information. Call or e-mail them, asking specific questions about training, realistic income expectations, and inter-company support. Are workshops or seminars offered periodically?

• Looking at the company’s commission/earning plan, weigh the cost of initial investment (usually somewhere between $40 - $300) against the likelihood that you’ll earn your money back in a timely manner.

• If all the practical information you gather looks reasonable, and the product or service itself gets you excited, you’ve found the right place. Sign up with the company.

• Start talking to as many people as possible about your new endeavor. You’ll be amazed at how much interest is out there, and you never know when a conversation may lead to a new avenue for income.

Remember, there is a learning curve with any new project, so pick something you enjoy learning about. Consider what your strengths are, what your own experience has been, and what type of product or service you could really champion. If you have a personal story that relates to your business, you’re likely to acquire more clientele. Icing on the cake? Financial stability is not the only thing the health and wellness industry has to offer. This whole process will more than likely make you healthier.