Be ready to zigzag on the road
Our Woman Business Owner of the month is Veronique Cardon, MS, Founder and Owner at The CogniDiet Weight Loss Programs and Brain Health Institute. We were so thrilled to do her branding shoot. What is a branding shoot? It’s more than your simple headshot. It is about showing your clients who you truly are. More personality, more authenticity and more connection with you client.
Here’s what Veronique had to say about working with us: “It was a pleasure to work with Kapu. She made me feel relaxed and not self-conscious. We are never feeling perfect for a photo shoot but who cares? I just went with the flow. She delivered a professional picture, which was my goal, but she was able to get my soul and kind of little silliness still shine through. In other words, when I saw the pictures, I felt it was really me. I believe Kapu understands very quickly who is in front of her.
Read on about this amazing lady:
What is your specialty?
I believe that weight loss starts in your brain and I apply the proven fact that your brain is plastic (it is a science called neuroplasticity) and can learn new behaviors. It is only by changing your brain wiring and habits that you can lose weight and maintain it for the long term otherwise weight comes back in 90% of the cases.
What were your high points in your business?
Being able to create a weight loss program that was proven effective in a clinical trial with 40 women in 2016, to the point that the results, including improvement in blood lipid panel, were accepted for an oral podium presentation at the American College of Nutrition in November 2017 and a poster presentation at The American Society for Nutrition in June 2018.
The second high point is writing two books published on Amazon “Weight Loss Starts in Your Brain” and its companion book and launching an online program in 2018.
What makes you stand out?
I am doing everything differently than the usual weight loss industry. I believe in taking the time to change your habits. They are like heavy old ropes in your brain that require effort and commitment to unravel, while building new healthier pathways or ropes. I believe that the we need to connect mind, body and self-love in order to help women and men lose weight by focusing on themselves while learning about the power of healthy nutrition and the benefits of exercising.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in their entrepreneurial venture?
Have a vision and a plan, learn to collaborate and find resources, be ready to zigzag on the road and adjust your plan, be extremely perseverant and focus on unmet needs.
When creating your product, what is the first question/vision of the client that comes to your mind?
A happy and well-balanced individual who enjoys life, is free of the burden of constant dieting and takes good care of him/herself.
What does beauty mean to you?
Everybody is beautiful, and, in my program, I teach people to focus on all the positives of their persona, from physical to moral to spiritual traits. By focusing on the positives in your life, you boost your brain with happy thoughts. If your brain is happy, it will have less cravings for food, and will be more amenable to change.
Beauty is all about how you feel about yourself. Some people like to be just natural, some other just like to be more made-up and sophisticated. At the end of the day, it matters that you say to yourself “I love myself the way I am today” when you look at yourself in the mirror.
If you don’t like your hair today, don’t focus on that. Just give yourself a compliment on your beautiful (maybe made-up) eyes.
What is your intrinsic style?
I am floating between polished business woman (but all the dark masculine suits are gone), and rebel and free-spirited, getting more daring and independent. In my looks. Yes, I like a leather jacket or bold accessories. For sure today, I do not really care about what people think of my appearance, my wrinkles etc. I am more confident now than when I was in my thirties.
Who is your inspiration or muse? Who do you follow as your contemporaries?
I am inspired by women and men who question the status quo and care about their communities or are vocal to support their causes. They are champions. They may pay a price.
I am extremely passionate about the following:
- The environment and sustainability of our planet,
- Women’s gender equality,
- Women’s right to choose their health,
- And of course, health in general including the sustainability and quality of the foods we get access to.
What books, movies, music inspire you?
Granted that I have now been writing books two years in a row, I have really stopped reading or going to the movies so much. It is a choice because writing is a daily discipline. But I love Nordic detective novels and being a little girl at heart I can’t wait to see the new Mary Poppins movie. My favorite books are Jane Austen novels, the writing is so exquisite and precise, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez for his vivid imagination.
Favorite quote?
“Just do it”. We can think and plan and ask for advice as long as we want. We can be perfectionists. But at the end of the day, we have to take the plunge. It is only by doing that we create and learn how to do it better.
What is new and exciting happening in your business?
My new Companion book to “Weight Loss Starts in Your Brain” will be available on Amazon January 1, 2019.
I am also launching a full online program in April 2019 but the regular once a week webinar-based program will still be available for 12 weeks and you can register now at www.thecognidiet.com with a special Holiday Package ($119 for 12 sessions instead of $179). It starts January 8, 2019 at 7PM EST and the 45min live session with me can be listened to at any time if you missed the session for three months.
Please share a few words about working with KapuPatel Photography. We love the love our clients show us.
It was a pleasure to work with Kapu. She made me feel relaxed and not self-conscious. We are never feeling perfect for a photo shoot but who cares?
I just went with the flow. She delivered a professional picture, which was my goal, but she was able to get my soul and kind of little silliness still shine through. In other words, when I saw the pictures, I felt it was really me. I believe Kapu understands very quickly who is in front of her.
Two nerds - two passions: photography and nutrition.
