Judy Doherty, President, Food and Health Communications, Louisville, Colo.
What was your first job out of college and how did you get into this business?
My first job out of college was a pastry chef’s position at a very posh private club in Tucson, Ariz., which later turned into executive pastry chef for Hyatt Hotels for almost 10 years. I started having an interest and knack in healthy cooking and eating. Then I began my publishing company off the kitchen table more than 18 years ago because I saw a need for my expertise, creative talent and information in the nutrition and wellness education arena.
Has there been a defining moment in your career? Perhaps when you knew you were on the right road.
We were reporting about educational materials in my newsletter, and I noticed there were none on a few topics so we created them—and the orders started streaming in across the fax. Our ancillary business is actually much larger than our newsletter business today.
In brief, describe your business/company?
Food and Health Communications makes nutrition education look and taste great. We have three websites—for membership, an online store and consumer books.
What are two or three important concepts or rules that have helped you to succeed in business?
1) You have to have something hot now, that people want to buy. I think this is the MOST important thing—you have to have the idea that people want.
2) You have to be able to get that product to your market.
3) You have to make a profit with that product.
What is the single-most successful thing that your company is doing now?
It is not one thing. It is a lot of things and working hard to get innovative products to market and expanding our market. But…if I had to pick just one thing, it is paying attention to what Google analytics is telling us—not for landing pages, bounce rates, new users or anything like that but for what people are actually SEARCHING for. What do they want? What words are they using? This was the biggest surprise; we overlooked some really simple products that have brought in a lot of money and we found a lot of new keywords, some of which were misspellings or different ways of titling things. We were making some really innovative things for our customers, but Google told us that the rest of the world and a lot of new customers wanted basic stuff.
Do you see a trend or path that you have to lock onto for 2011?
More products, more markets—expand and grow and make our online store easier and faster to use. We are adding B-to-C to our B-to-B mix, and we are adding mobile applications for both markets.
What are the key benefits of SIPA membership for you and your team?
I use SIPA to learn more about the business of selling information and content online. I have listened to the MP3s from all of the meetings, and I have learned a lot about SEO, marketing and good customer service.
Where did you grow up?
Boca Raton, Fla.
What college did you attend? Is there a moment from that time that stands out?
The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and Fachschule Richemont in Lucerne, Switzerland. The moment in time that stands out is the sense of accomplishment from having put myself through a grueling program to learn all I could about being a chef and about food. I learned to work hard, get things done and be well rounded.
Are you married? Do you have children?
I have one son, 15, who is an Apple app developer! Proud Mom plug—his website is http://nicholasdoherty.com.
What is your favorite hobby and how did it develop in your life?
My favorite hobbies are healthy cooking and triathlons—the two definitely intersect my work. I have a passion for enjoyable healthy living.
Is there a book you recently read or movie you saw that you would recommend?
Oh yes, it is “Googled: The End of the World as We Know It” by Ken Auletta. It explains how the world as we know it has changed because of this giant. It gives the inside scoop on how Google was formed and how it has travelled the road from student project to a giant company on the cutting edge that interrupted almost every business in some way. It is very insightful about the changes taking place now and explains how working out of the box by passionate founders can really take you somewhere if you have a good idea.
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Member profiles celebrate SIPA membership –
the knowledge, variety, success and VALUE!
Members can register for FREE for SIPA’s June 30 Webinar:
Email Marketing for Publishers: How to Improve Deliverability,
Readability and Results Without Increasing Your Opt-Outs.
Four expert industry speakers will preside. Sign up now!
Members can also log on to our website to see valuable
handouts from this month’s SIPA 2011 Conference.
And lastly, if you are not a member but would like to become one,
see more info here, email Kati Fritz or call 703.992-9339.
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