It takes a lot of guts to leave a secure, full-time job, but Nicole Culver, a 2011 graduate of the Health Coach Training Program from South Hempstead, NY, said she would have been crazy to stay. Her dream was to help people have a healthier life, and now she’s living it – watching not one, but two businesses grow.

In addition to health coaching, Nicole has launched Pure Bliss Eats, a healthy online bakery loaded with delicious treats. (The pictures alone are enough to make your mouth water!) The mission behind tasty sweets like organic granola and gluten free chocolate balls is to make healthy snacks easy and delicious for everyone. Read on to learn more about how Nicole got started and what inspired her unique online bakery!

What led you to enroll at Integrative Nutrition?

I was no longer feeling fulfilled and happy from my work as a teacher. I wanted to follow my dream of helping people live a healthier life. After careful planning, I started taking on health coaching clients over the spring. I also opened my online bakery, Pure Bliss Eats. For years I've been sharing my healthy baked goods and I wanted to take it to another level. I worked very hard over the summer of 2011 to build my business both as a health counselor and as the head of Pure Bliss Eats. Building my businesses over the summer allowed me to leave my teaching job. Some people thought I was crazy for leaving a secure job, but I felt like I'd be crazy to stay. I found my passion and I wanted to see where it would take me!

What’s better than one Health Coach working to help professionals and veterans find time to bring health back into their lives? Two! Michelle Kramer, a 2010 graduate of the Health Coach Training Program, teamed up with her business partner Odette Worrell to coach busy men and women in their mid 40’s. Together they run Find Your Organic Soul out of Delray Beach, Florida, and have found a successful balance by listening to and supporting each other.

A career in health coaching had been a long time in the making for Michelle, who first learned of Integrative Nutrition over ten years ago. Years later, she’s following the career path she always desired, and has acquired a fantastic business partner. This interview highlights Michelle’s successful journey, and the unforeseen joys of working with someone who shares her passion for health coaching.

How has your life changed since enrolling in Integrative Nutrition’s program?

Since I enrolled in Integrative Nutrition I have had my seat belt fastened, and boy it's been an AMAZING ride! I have a clear sense of who I am and allow something new to unfold each moment! I have opened my heart to seven incredible women, the South Florida Health Coaches, and I am no longer a lone ranger. I no longer struggle with binge eating or IBS, and I’ve given myself permission to play!

What were some important things you took away from your time at Integrative Nutrition?

I learned at Integrative Nutrition that happiness lies in every choice that I make in my life. I learned that only I know what I need, and if I take a moment and slow down, the answers are within me.

You’ve heard all the excuses before: from “I’m too busy to cook at home,” to “I end up overeating when I cook for myself,” there’s always a justification for what keeps people from taking control in their own kitchen.

These are exactly the challenges that Integrative Nutrition graduates Quinn Asteak, class of 2010, and Robyn Youkilis, class of 2009, set out to tackle. Both have thriving health coaching practices in New York City and share a passion for whipping up healthy, delicious meals. After meeting at the Fall IINto Action Conference last September, the two got to chatting and decided to team up and create a program to teach people how cooking can make all the difference. Thus was born {Healthy} Cooking Camp, an online, interactive 4-week workshop designed to take the totally confused to total connoisseur in the kitchen.

I recently caught up with the pair to learn more and get the scoop on their exciting new project. Quinn and Robyn are fun, energetic and enthusiastic - check out a preview from the series below! With such a zest for healthy cooking, it’s no surprise that they’ve got big plans for the future.

{Healthy} Cooking Camp launches Wednesday, January 25, 2012. For more information and to register, visit the website.

Special bonus: Members of the IIN community can receive $50 off the regular cost of $199 by entering the code “primaryfood” when registering!