The Growth Show with Whitney Bateson

Hosted by Whitney Bateson

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127

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Tired of chasing big goals without the time or systems to reach them? The Growth Show with Whitney Bateson is where dietitians and health practitioners get practical strategies for building businesses that actually scale – so you can help more people without burning out. Each week, Whitney and her guests break down what's working right now, from packaging your 1:1 expertise into scalable offers to building marketing that works while you're offline. Get ready to learn, take action, and finally build the business and freedom you actually want. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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June 15, 202644 min

Funnel Series, Part 6: 10+ Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Funnel (Organic AND Paid)

We made it to the final episode of the funnel series! Over the past five episodes we've covered what a lead gen funnel is, the four parts of a productive one, how to nail your lead magnet and welcome sequence, and how to measure whether it's all working. This episode tackles the missing piece: traffic. Whitney breaks down the difference between organic and paid traffic, then walks through every major way to get the right people in front of your opt-in page, including your own website and channels, content marketing, direct sharing, other people's audiences, and Meta ads starting at just $5 a day. The big takeaway? You don't need a huge audience. You need a small, steady stream of the right people coming in from multiple places, and it compounds from there.Takeaways:A funnel without traffic does nothing on its own. People won't stumble across it, so you need to intentionally put it everywhere your ideal clients are already looking. Start with the set-it-and-forget-it placements: your homepage, services page, blog, footer, email signature, and every social bio. Your lead magnet should be impossible to miss. Other people's audiences are the fastest way to grow your own. Podcast appearances, guest talks, freebie swaps, online communities, and referral partnerships transfer built-in trust to you. Organic traffic builds slowly but compounds and keeps working after you stop. Paid traffic is fast and scalable but stops the moment you stop spending. The ideal setup runs both together. Meta lead gen ads at $5 a day are enough to bring in real subscribers and real data, so you can see what's working in weeks instead of months.Resources Mentioned:The Lead Gen Funnel Blueprint (free): whitneybateson.com/funnelblueprint Done-For-You Funnel Service: whitneybateson.com/dfyfunnel Free Live Open House & Coaching Call (Thursday, June 18 at 12pm ET): whitneybateson.com/funnelopenhouse Search past podcast episodes: https://offers.whitneybateson.com/funnel-podcast-series/ Charlotte's past episode on authentic LinkedIn outreach: https://whitneybateson.com/ep-84-unlocking-high-ticket-clients-on-linkedin-with-charlotte-ellis-maldari/ Ads Series, Episode 1: https://whitneybateson.com/ep-113-why-practitioners-are-ditching-the-daily-post-for-automated-leads-with-priscilla-zaehringer/ Connect with Whitney:Follow Whitney on Instagram @whitneybatesonSubscribe & Review:If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to follow and leave a review! Your support helps others discover  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June 11, 202631 min

Funnel Series, Part 5: Is Your Funnel Actually Working?

If you've ever looked at your funnel and decided it's "not working," this episode is the gut check. Whitney has had practitioners tell her their funnel is broken, and almost every time she digs in, it turns out one small piece needs a tweak, not the whole thing scrapped. In this episode she walks through the five numbers worth tracking, split into the leading indicators you can actually change this week (new subscribers, open rate, click rate) and the lagging ones that move slowly over months (calls booked, new clients). Then she goes leak by leak through the five most common places a funnel springs a hole, from nobody opting in, to people opening but not clicking, to subscribers who love your emails but still aren't booking. The big reframe: a funnel is a system with measurable parts, not a magic button and not a mystery, so you never have to just guess again. And before you change anything, give it at least 50 people, because judging a funnel off 10 opt-ins is reacting to noise, not a trend.Takeaways:Give your funnel at least 50 people before you judge it. Most practitioners call it quits after 10 or 15 opt-ins, which is reacting to noise, not a real trend. Track 5 numbers in two tiers. Leading indicators you can change now (new subscribers, open rate, click rate), and lagging ones that move slowly (discovery calls booked, new clients). Know the healthy benchmarks: open rate around 30 to 45%, click rate around 2 to 5%, and a lead magnet opt-in page converting 5 to 15% (lower for cold ad traffic). But your most important benchmark is your own numbers over time. An open rate problem is almost always a subject line problem, and a click problem is almost always a body copy problem (an unclear call to action or a wall of text). Fix the cheap stuff before you rebuild anything. If people open, click, and stick around but still aren't booking, that's the good kind of leak. The funnel works, they just need more time, so keep emailing after the welcome sequence ends. That's where a lot of the conversions actually happen.Resources Mentioned:The Done For You Funnel. We build your entire lead gen funnel for you (lead magnet, opt-in page, full welcome sequence, all the tech setup, plus a live Facebook and Instagram ad campaign driving traffic to it) in under a month. Intro price is $1,297 for the first six builds, and it goes up once those are gone. Grab a spot or book a quick call with Whitney first at whitneybateson.com/dfyfunnel Free Funnel Open House. A live call on Thursday, June 18th at 12pm Eastern where Whitney walks through what the done-for-you funnels actually look like, answers questions about the service, and opens the floor for general funnel questions too. Look at your own numbers after this episode and bring whatever you're stuck on. Register at whitneybateson.com/funnelopenhouse (a recording goes out to everyone who registers)Connect with Whitney:Follow Whitney on Instagram @whitneybatesonSubscribe & Review:If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to follow and leave a review! Your support helps others discover the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June 8, 202638 min

Funnel Series, Part 4: Don't F Up the Follow-Up (How to Write Your Funnel Welcome Sequence)

You got the freebie up, people are downloading it, and then... crickets. In this episode, Whitney tackles the part of the funnel that quietly loses the most clients: what happens (or doesn't) right after someone opts in. She explains why the moment someone downloads your resource is the warmest they will ever be, and how a simple five-email welcome sequence can compress what used to take six months of someone occasionally bumping into your content down to about two weeks. She walks through all five emails one by one, the delivery email, your story, a value email, a natural intro to your offer, and a client story, including what each one should say, the job it's doing, and how far apart to space them. There's also a candid moment about the time her own welcome sequence ballooned to thirteen emails and never got finished, because done really is better than perfect. If you've ever wondered why your subscribers aren't booking calls, this is the fix.Takeaways:The warmest moment in the whole relationship is right after someone downloads your freebie. Go silent there and that's exactly where the funnel leaks. A welcome sequence and a sales sequence are two different things. The welcome sequence warms people up and plants the seed. It does not hard-sell. Five emails over about two weeks is plenty: delivery and welcome, your story and why, a pure value email, a natural offer intro, and a client story with a soft invite. Trigger email one immediately and email two the next day, while attention is highest. Space the rest a few days apart, and skip weekends. Done is better than perfect. A short sequence that's actually running beats a long one that never launches.Resources Mentioned:The Done For You Funnel — we build your entire lead gen funnel (lead magnet, pages, full welcome sequence, tech setup, plus a Facebook and Instagram ad campaign) in under a month. Intro price $1,297, six spots. Grab a spot or book a free 20-minute call at whitneybateson.com/dfyfunnel Lead Gen Funnel Blueprint for Health Practitioners — whitneybateson.com/funnelblueprintConnect with Whitney:Follow Whitney on Instagram @whitneybatesonSubscribe & Review:If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to follow and leave a review! Your support helps others discover the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June 1, 202621 min

Funnel Series, Part 3: Getting Your Lead Magnet Right

If your funnel feels like it's almost working but new subscribers aren't actually booking calls, this episode is the one to listen to. Whitney digs into the lead magnet itself, the open door at the front of your funnel, and explains why most freebies fail at the one job that actually matters: leaving someone in the exact mental state where working with you feels like the obvious next step. She walks through a real example with a hormone health dietitian, showing the difference between a freebie that just satisfies curiosity ("5 foods to boost your energy") and ones that genuinely create appetite for the offer. You'll learn the test every freebie needs to pass, the three ways a lead magnet can quietly fail, and the gut-check questions to ask about your own resource. If you've been wondering why your subscribers aren't converting into clients, this is your answer.Grab the Lead Generation Funnel Blueprint for Practitioners: whitneybateson.com/funnelblueprintTakeaways:Topic alignment is the bare minimum. Your freebie needs to create a specific mental state, not just match your offer's topic. A great freebie answers one question and creates the next one your offer is positioned to answer. Surface-level freebies (like "5 foods to boost energy") attract too broad an audience and rarely lead anywhere specific. Self-assessments and insight-driven resources work because they help the reader connect dots they couldn't connect on their own. The final page of your lead magnet should always point to the next step: your offer or a discovery call.Connect with Whitney:Follow Whitney on Instagram @whitneybatesonSubscribe & Review:If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to follow and leave a review! Your support helps others discover the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 28, 202622 min

Funnel Series, Part 2: The 4 Parts of a Funnel That Brings in Clients

Part two of the funnel series, Whitney is breaking down the actual mechanics of a lead generation funnel so you can see how every piece fits together. She walks through the full path a new lead takes (from finding your free resource to eventually booking a discovery call) and explains why this whole system can be about two weeks of automated emails doing the heavy lifting for you. You'll hear the four core components every funnel needs, plus the supporting pieces (like your services page, booking tool, and ongoing email nurture) that keep the whole thing working long after someone joins your list. Whitney also shares one optimization most practitioners miss: the confirmation page after someone opts in. If you've ever felt like marketing your practice means being "on" all the time, this episode will show you a calmer, more sustainable way to bring clients in.Grab the Lead Generation Funnel Blueprint for Practitioners: whitneybateson.com/funnelblueprintTakeaways:A lead gen funnel's job isn't to make an immediate sale, it's to get the right people onto your email list and warm them up over time The four core components are the opt-in location, the lead magnet itself, the delivery email, and a welcome email series Your confirmation/thank you page is a missed opportunity if all it says is "success" — use it to point new subscribers to a call, blog post, or podcast episode while trust is highest Run both an organic funnel (on your website) and a paid funnel (with Meta's native lead form) — they serve different traffic sources and work together Don't go silent after the two-week welcome series — keep showing up in inboxes with a mix of valuable content and clear invitations to work with youConnect with Whitney:Follow Whitney on Instagram @whitneybatesonSubscribe & Review:If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to follow and leave a review! Your support helps others discover the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 25, 202615 min

Funnel Series, Part 1: Funnels 101 - What’s a Lead Gen Funnel & Do You Need One?

The phrase "lead generation funnel" gets a bad rap... and honestly, for good reason. I get those same sleazy emails promising 100 leads a week, and it makes me want to close my laptop, too. But underneath the bro marketing noise, a funnel is just an automated system that takes a stranger and warms them up into a ready-to-book client without you manually following up with every single person. In this kickoff to our new funnels series, I'm walking you through the cold-to-warm-to-hot lead spectrum, why most practitioners put all their marketing eggs on one end (and burn out doing it), and exactly how a funnel quietly does the warming-up work in the background. I'm also sharing why this matters especially for health practitioners — because your clients need a higher level of trust before they ever book that first call.Takeaways:A lead gen funnel is not a replacement for your other marketing, it's the thing that makes everything else (referrals, talks, social, ads) work better by capturing and nurturing the people you're already reaching. Leads come in at different temperatures (cold, warm, hot) and most practitioners over-rely on one source, either grinding on social media to cold strangers or hoping referrals stay consistent. You want leads coming in across the whole spectrum. Trust isn't built overnight. It takes consistent connection, and you simply can't manually follow up with every person who finds you. A funnel automates that nurturing so you stay top of mind without burning out. Email is where the warming up actually happens... someone can be on your list for eight months before they book a call, and that's totally normal. Social media can't replicate that kind of slow-build trust. Your funnel supports everything else you're already doing — ads, talks, blog posts, podcast mentions, Instagram bio links — by sending all those people through one centralized system instead of asking you to follow up manually.Connect with Whitney:Follow Whitney on Instagram @whitneybatesonSubscribe & Review:If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to follow and leave a review! Your support helps others discover the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 18, 202644 min

Ep. 120 - Why Clients Stop Showing Up (and the Systems That Fix This) with Alissa Rumsey, MS RD CSCS

Alissa Rumsey and I went to dietetics school together almost 20 years ago (truly, how), and getting her on the show to talk about client retention was such a full-circle moment. Here's the big idea: when clients stop showing up after a few sessions, we tend to assume it's about motivation, money, or that they weren't "ready," but Alissa argues that most of the time it's actually a systems problem in our practice. The expectations we never set, the friction we didn't realize was there, the onboarding that quietly told them this would be a one-and-done. We get into what to audit in your client journey, why setting expectations on your website (and in your intake forms, and on your discovery call, and at the start of session one) changes everything, and the specific language she uses to build trust and create emotional safety before the work even begins. If you've ever felt like you're working really hard with clients who quietly disappear after session three, this is the conversation.Takeaways:Client drop-off usually isn't about motivation, it's about unclear expectations and friction in your systems. People stop showing up because they feel overwhelmed or ashamed, not because they don't care. Set expectations everywhere: your website, your intake forms, your discovery call, the start of your first session. Tell people explicitly that behavior change takes time, that you typically work with clients for X months, and what to expect at each step. Reduce friction in your booking process. Letting people schedule directly on your website (instead of having to email you first) removes a real barrier and saves your admin time. The first session is not a place to info-dump. A 15-page meal plan and a stack of handouts often makes clients feel overwhelmed, not supported... and they don't come back. Slow down and trust the process. Two small language shifts that build trust fast: opening session one with "how are you feeling showing up today?" and asking permission before giving suggestions ("how does that sound?"). Both give the client autonomy and signal that this is collaborative.Connect with Alissa:Website: https://www.theliberatedclinician.com Instagram: @alissarumseyRD and @theliberatedclinician Free Client Retention Workshop: https://www.theliberatedclinician.com/client-retention-workshop/ Client Retention Toolkit: https://www.theliberatedclinician.com/retention-toolkit/ Book: Unapologetic Eating by Alissa Rumsey - https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Eating-Make-Peace-Transform/dp/1628604255Connect with Whitney:Follow Whitney on Instagram @whitneybatesonSubscribe & Review:If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to follow and leave a review! Your support helps others discover the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 4, 202647 min

Ep. 119 - Stop Doing the Marketing You Hate with Dr. Annie Cole

Dr. Annie Cole is back on the show and this conversation might just give you permission to stop doing the marketing thing you secretly hate. Her new book lays out 15 different customer attraction strategies, and the central argument is that every business has one that's built for it... most practitioners are exhausting themselves on the wrong one. We talk through which strategies tend to fit health practitioners best (referrals and partnerships, SEO and AI optimization, lead magnet workshops, gig platforms for those side income streams), which ones to maybe leave behind, and how to do an honest audit of what's actually working in your business versus what just feels like it should be. Annie also shares how she's made almost half a million dollars in two years with an Instagram following of 800... a great reminder that audience size isn't the metric that matters. If you've felt stuck doing all the things and seeing none of the results, this one will land.Takeaways:There isn't one universal marketing strategy. There are 15, and the right one depends on how your customer actually finds solutions to their problem (Googling? asking their doctor? scrolling Instagram?).Partnerships and referrals tend to be one of the highest-leverage strategies for health practitioners, especially when you set up casual referral arrangements with complementary providers.Don't sleep on SEO and AI optimization. Getting your website to show up in Google and ChatGPT is a long game that pays off over months, not weeks.Borrow other people's audiences instead of trying to build your own from scratch — podcasts, media features, paid newsletter spots, and gig platforms all put you in front of people without building a following first.When you feel like nothing's working, do a personal audit: are people not seeing you (visibility problem) or are they seeing you and not converting (offer or messaging problem)? Pick two to three strategies and give them 30–60 days before pivoting.Connect with Dr. Annie Cole:Website: https://www.money-essentials.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-annie-cole-edd-16ab59135Book: How Six-Figure Business Owners Attract More Customers — https://www.money-essentials.com/6-figure-customer-attractionFree Quiz: https://www.money-essentials.com/6-figure-customers-quizInstagram: @buildwealthwithannieResources Mentioned:Quoted (PR pitching marketplace) — qwoted.comPaved (newsletter advertising directory) — paved.comGig and freelancer platforms: Upwork, Fiverr, Catalant, Contra, Freelancer.comConnect with Whitney:Follow Whitney on Instagram @whitneybatesonSubscribe & Review:If you're enjoying the podcast, don't forget to follow and leave a review! Your support helps others discover the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 27, 202651 min

Ep. 118 - Why You're Still Doing Everything in Your Practice (and How to Finally Let Go) with Charlie Golightly

If the idea of stepping away from your practice for a week makes you cringe a little, this conversation is for you. Whitney is joined by Charlie Golightly, founder of Group Practice Partner, to unpack what real delegation looks like for human-centered practice owners — and why so many of us stay stuck doing everything even when we know it's not sustainable. Charlie shares the "house" metaphor for understanding what room you should actually be working in, the difference between delegating a task versus a full role, and the surprisingly common responsibilities practice owners cling to long past the point it serves them. They also get into trust, neurodivergent-friendly communication, and what to do when your last hire didn't work out and you're nervous to try again. It's a warm, honest conversation for anyone feeling the friction of growth... whether you're a solopreneur making your first hire or a group practice owner managing 20 clinicians solo.Takeaways:Good delegation should feel like an extension of you and your values, not another thing to micromanage. Do a "24-hour recall" of the tasks you've actually done this week, and sort them by category to see where your time is really going. Delegating a task is often a Hail Mary; delegating a role gives someone ownership and gives you lasting relief. If you've got 10+ clinicians and you're still the only manager, you don't need another admin... you need another leader. Trust doesn't have to be fully baked before you hire; setting clear expectations and talking about how you work is often where trust actually gets built.Connect with Charlie:Website: grouppracticepartner.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliegolightly/ Free resource - Business Vitality Assessment: charlie.myflodesk.com/jivn5czyaResources Mentioned:Business Vitality Assessment (linked above)Connect with Whitney:Follow Whitney on Instagram @whitneybatesonSubscribe & Review:If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to follow and leave a review! Your support helps others discover the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 20, 202648 min

Ep. 117 - Your Expertise Is Worth More Than a Salary with Katie Dodd

Katie Dodd didn't set out to be an entrepreneur. She was a geriatric dietitian happily working for the VA — with a plan to stay there until she was 68 and a half, as she puts it — until a chance conversation on a plane sparked her first side hustle opportunity. From that one freelance writing gig, she built a thriving multi-stream business that eventually gave her the freedom to leave her full-time job, be present for her kids, and build a life on her own terms. In this episode, Katie shares her full journey and breaks down 34 (yes, 34!) different side hustle opportunities available to dietitians and healthcare professionals. She explains the real difference between active and passive income, why passive income isn't actually "do nothing and get paid," and how to approach building multiple revenue streams without overwhelming yourself. Whether you're curious about starting a side hustle or ready to go all in, this episode is packed with inspiration and a clear-headed framework for getting started.Takeaways:Passive income takes real groundwork. Katie spent 18 months building her blog before it generated meaningful income, but now it earns thousands of dollars per month on autopilot through ads, digital products, affiliates, and courses. Systems and traffic are everything. Start with "now money" before chasing "later money." Active income keeps the lights on while you build passive revenue in the background. Don't try to skip the active income phase, it's a necessary part of the journey. Pick one thing and do it well. Katie started with her blog, then added digital products, then a course, then a food blog... strategically and sequentially. She credits this focused approach with her long-term success. Your expertise is worth more than a salary. Dietitians have a wide range of monetizable skills — writing, speaking, teaching, consulting, culinary work, brand partnerships — that most never consider because they were only taught one path in school. Failure is part of the plan. As Katie says in her book: if you keep going, your dreams are probable. Not everything will work, and that's okay. The entrepreneurs who succeed are the ones who don't take themselves out of the game.Connect with Katie:Website: katiedodd.com Instagram: @thekatieddodd Podcast: Dietitian Side Hustle Book: Dietitian Side Hustle: A Comprehensive Guide for Starting a Side Hustle, Making More Money, and Loving What You Do — available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, Kindle, and Audible (https://dietitiansidehustlebook.com/)Resources Mentioned:RD to RD / The Well-Resourced Dietitian: platform for selling dietitian-created handouts Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): Amazon's free self-publishing platform Mediavine: ad revenue platform for bloggers Fullscript: supplement dispensing platformConnect with Whitney:Follow Whitney on Instagram @whitneybatesonSubscribe & Review:If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to follow and leave a review! Your support helps others discover th Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.