As part of the Morning Lazziness series highlighting empowering women who are making a remarkable impact with their ideas, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Meghan Garcia-Webb.
Meghan Garcia-Webb, MD, is triple board-certified in internal medicine, lifestyle medicine, and obesity medicine. She produces a weekly YouTube series, “Weight Medicine with Dr. Meghan MD,” and provides life coaching to help people fix the One Big Thing blocking their weight loss. Her innovative private practice combines concierge weight medicine with life coaching, and she is also an internist at an academic medical center in Boston, MA.
In this interview, she delves into the challenges, successes, and wisdom she has gained from over a decade of transforming online businesses.
What inspired you to start your own coaching/concierge practice, and how did your journey begin?
I really love helping people lose weight, but in the traditional medical model, it’s very medication-oriented. Medications are terrific, but there is so much more to weight loss and I felt that people could get even better results if they were also addressing the underlying reasons why they gained weight in the first place. Medications don’t do everything, and so by creating my own unique practice, I am able to tailor things very specifically to each individual patient or client to get them not only great results, but results that are sustainable. They are not only healthier, but they like their life even more.
Why did you choose to focus your business on serving women, and what does that mission mean to you personally?
I see both women and men, but women are more emotionally plagued by weight issues because of the social messaging we receive about weight and worthiness. Helping women untangle that messaging while getting healthier in the process means everything to me – it’s so win-win for the patient or client.
What makes your offering unique in today’s market?
To start, there aren’t a lot of life coaches who are doctors. I think that gives my clients a lot of peace of mind – they know they are working with a professional who has deep experience in helping and healing people. Life coaching is not a regulated industry, and so it can be hard to know who exactly you are working with. Working with a physician life coach immediately eases that concern.
Also I think that a lot of today’s current offerings are very science-based. What’s your weight, how many calories, what’s the total body weight lost. That’s important but it misses the very significant mindset and identity work that goes into becoming not just the healthiest but the happiest version of yourself.
What’s been one of the most rewarding moments in your entrepreneurial journey so far?
Knowing that I have completely changed how someone will eat for the rest of their life. Knowing that they will no longer have these negative scripts torturing them every day, at every meal.
Being able to help them be physically healthier AND have their mind focused on things other than food. For me, that’s priceless.
Can you share a customer story or testimonial that reminded you why your work truly matters?
It’s so meaningful to me when I am able to help someone lose weight through lifestyle changes when they thought medication was their only option. I’ve had patients and clients who are literally in tears because they have lost 40 or 50 lbs through habit changes, and they are so grateful that we did not immediately jump to a medication. Now make no mistake about it, medications are terrific tools for many people. But they’re not for everyone, and I love that patients and clients trust me to help them discover the best path for them.
What gaps or unmet needs did you notice in your industry that motivated you to build your own solution?
People gain weight for so many different reasons, and in an insurance-based, traditional health care model, there is simply not enough time to delve deeply into these root causes. I felt like I wasn’t able to give people all the tools I knew would help them. Now through my own practice, I have the ability to create a very bespoke solution that addresses a patient’s or client’s unique needs.
Also I realized that just because people were on medications for weight loss didn’t mean that their lifestyles were actually healthier. There are a lot of people who are losing weight on GLP-1 medications who still struggle with how to eat healthier, how to get themselves to work out. I saw there were so many people who were leaving results on the table—they could be getting even more out of their medication with a few key changes
What habits or routines help you stay focused, balanced, and productive as a founder?
I am really meticulous with my time. I plan everything out for the whole week ahead of time, and that helps me get everything done, but I never feel that rushed, stressed feeling. I also plan “for” myself – I try to be as realistic as possible and help my “future self” out. I think taking full ownership of your calendar – that your time, your schedule is something that you create, that you are in full control of, whether you work for yourself or someone else, is really important. Whenever I hear people say “I have to” or “I should” – those are red flags that they need to reorient themselves with regards to their own autonomy. You don’t have to do anything. You may not like the consequences, but you are always in charge of yourself.
How do you connect with your audience and build trust with the women you serve?
A lot of it is word of mouth, especially when I am seeing patients in Massachusetts. But a lot of it is also through my videos. I really listen to what my audience is struggling with and focus on what they want to know about.
What has been the most effective way you’ve grown your brand or customer base?
I really cast a wide net. Word of mouth is great, but I also love in-person networking events, people are always so surprised by what I do. Also I have a fabulous publicist (shout out to Little Bird Boston!). And of course, social media too.
What does “women supporting women” look like to you in business—and how do you actively embody that in your brand or leadership style?
I think women are naturally amazing entrepreneurs because we are always looking at systems that, historically, weren’t built necessarily with us in mind. So that creates really innovative solutions. I think my work naturally brings up a lot of messaging that patients and clients received at a young age, so helping women untangle that is a key part of how I work. Also, I always love highlighting women-owned businesses whenever I can, especially on YouTube.
What advice would you give to other women who are just starting out in business?
Keep your focus on the best-case scenario. Take a lot of action. Don’t let yourself get bogged down by confusion. In coach-speak, we call confusion a very indulgent emotion.
Where can our audience connect with you and learn more about your journey or brand?
You can read more about my work and also there is a link there to schedule a consult if you’d like to discuss more directly about how my work can help you.
I work with patients both in Massachusetts (as their doctor and coach) and clients around the world (as their coach) and I’d love to hear more about what you are struggling with!
Also, you can catch me several times a week on my YouTube channel, Weight Medicine with Dr. Meghan MD, where I answer all sorts of weight and weight medication questions, so feel free to ask questions there as well.
