Meet David Orozco of TD Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Orozco.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started TD Wellness from my home back in 2007 with a conviction that food is medicine and by building a positive and healthy relationship with food people can attain a long and healthy life. I was working part-time as one of the dietetic and nutrition coordinators for the Emory Bariatric and Comprehensive Weight-Loss Center from Jun 2006 to Nov 2007.

As a career changer and coming from a family of entrepreneurs, I knew I wanted to get right back into my own practice. So in Nov 2007 I left Emory and TD Wellness and began seeing clients for one-on-one counseling out of my house and by phone. I then teamed up with a local Decatur physicians practice and established my private practice there, at which time I started taking Medicare and private insurance plans.

I have since expanded my business to incorporate medical nutrition counseling, worksite wellness consulting, fitness programs, tobacco cessation, and nutrition and food demonstrations. My area of expertise is in weight management and eating disorders, which may seem very different, but I find the two very interesting, complex, and challenging. I strive in this area because I too had to deal with obesity in my family, and fell into disordered eating myself.

Currently, I work with another dietitian nutritionist that specializes in digestive health and two sleep specialists psychologists. Together, we provide a host of complementary services that strives to help clients achieve their health and wellness goals.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The two biggest challenge I have is not very different from what most entrepreneurs face in starting their business, but I also see them as strengths that drive my passion and motivate me to excel. The first major obstacle was the lack of focus, or creating my expertise. Early on I dabbled in too many areas (sometimes it still comes back to haunt me).

I got into too many health and wellness area and didn’t focus on building my nutrition practice first. The second biggest challenge is finding an implementor. As an innovator, I have great ideas but I last the experience and strategy on how to implement and execute those ideas and grow my practice. With that said, because these are areas I need to improve, I now have a laser sharp focus on growing my practice. It’s not easy, and there are days that the work just doesn’t stop, but I practice what I tell my clients – plan, prioritize practice, persistence, and patience.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about TD Wellness – what should we know?
I specialize in weight management and eating disorders. These may seem diametrically opposed, but it’s not that very different. I am a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, so I try to take an anti-diet and more mindful and holistic approach to weight management, as well eating disorders. I work with clients to build a positive and healthy relationship with food, thereby building a deeper and more connected understanding of hunger and satiety.

This is not very different with my eating disorder clients. So many of us have a very poor understanding of our body signals and the differences between emotional and physical hunger and fullness. I am passionate in working with clients to rebuild this disconnect to achieve a strong relationship that helps them reach their goals. I am also extremely proud to be a Colombian-American and have the opportunity to work with clients and build my practice.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Integrity – I believe that to be successful you need to conduct your business and oneself with integrity. Do things that you will be proud of and do them well.

Initiative – as an entrepreneur you know that you have to take risks, and sometimes those risks pay off and many times they don’t. The key is to never give up, and learn from mistakes and grow! I always tell clients that “the measure of a person is the whether they make mistakes, but how they deal with them after the fact that matters.”

Flexibility – running a small business means you have to have flexibility – with your schedule, with your life, and with clients. You can’t be rigid to one way of doing things, but know when to flex and how much, staying within your area of expertise or scope of practice.

Balance – I love my family as much as I love my business, so I have to find time for both. I want to work with clients and grow my practice, but I also love to cook, take long weekends with my family, and get out and play.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1201 Clairmont Rd, Suite 110, Decatur GA 30030 (Decatur Office)
  201 17th Street NW, Suite 300, Atlanta GA 30363 (Midtown Office)
• Website: www.tdwellness.com
• Phone: 678-568-4717
• Email: david.orozco@tdwellness.com
• Instagram: davidr_tdwellness
• Facebook: facebook.com/tdwellness
• Twitter: @tdwellness

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