Meet Katie Morra

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Katie Morra. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Katie, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I have always attributed my strong work ethic to my father (and of course, to myself). My father has always been one of the hardest, self-employed health care workers that I have had the privilege to so closely watch pave his way. However, what I really attribute it to is the extensive time my father spent teaching and coaching me basketball my entire life. So much so that his dedication to me, led to my dedication to the sport and landing me a division 1 scholarship. Eventually, my interests and priorities switched from sports to education in my masters degree, as did his dedication to helping me succeed. In college, he would go as far as to drive to my college hours away if I felt like I did not understand a concept before a test just to teach me in a way that turned complex matters into easily digested and understood information. It wasn’t until my 30s that I realized my own father had really Mr. Miaygi’ed me into becoming a confident, self-driven, business owner that now aims to helps others take the complex and turn it into digestible information.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am an Institute for Functional Medicine certified practitioner and dietitian. I am also the founder and owner of Gut Honest Truth (GHT). GHT is the quintessential blend of functional medicine and nutritional wellness. Additionally, I am the founder of GHT Academy, a functional medicine and nutrition training academy for all health care practitioners ready to level up their business and care. You can learn a bit more about both below.

Gut Honest Truth:
My team at GHT specializes in the health of the gut, hormones and detoxification. We provide comprehensive health reviews and together create a personalized health plan delivered via telehealth or phone. With over a decade of clinical experience, our team has had the privilege of supporting thousands of patients using a combination of comprehensive lab work, supplement protocols, dietary and lifestyle improvements to uncover the root cause of inflammation, autoimmune disease, irritable bowel syndrome, food sensitivities, histamine reactions, stubborn weight, hormonal imbalances and other chronic disease states.

If you a practitioner or coach and hoping to learn more about GHT Academy:
GHT Academy is dedicated to offering an expansive array of live and on-demand training programs, meticulously crafted to support healthcare practitioners at every stage of their professional journey. Whether you’re seeking to deepen your knowledge, refine your clinical skills, or explore new methodologies of working with your clients, our curriculum is designed with your growth and success in mind. We understand that the demands of modern healthcare require more than just theoretical knowledge—practitioners need not only the competence but the confidence to apply this knowledge in real-life scenarios. This is where the magic of GHT Academy lies.
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For over a decade, I have dedicated my career to the intricacies of functional medicine, immersing herself in some of the most advanced and prestigious training programs available. And while grateful for every opportunity that I had, I could not help but notice a significant gap that persisted across many of these programs: the practical, day-to-day application of putting this clinical knowledge into action in our businesses. This was particularly true of utilizing functional tests and not one-size fits all protocols in real-world scenarios.

My path diverged somewhat uniquely in that I was fortunate enough to work directly with thousands of functional medicine patients over several years. This wasn’t just a chance to apply what I had learned through trainings; it was an opportunity to delve deeply into the nuances of clinical labs, to observe patterns, and to see firsthand what worked—and what didn’t—in various scenarios. This hands-on experience allowed me to refine and perfect protocols that are not only theoretically sound but have been proven effective through real-world application. We understand that not every clinician has the opportunity to accumulate this level of practical experience early in their careers, and this is precisely why GHT Academy was born.

I have also authored and created 5 condition specific e Books and a podcast that you can find out our website www.guthonesttruth.com

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Business sense. I have always observed and taken mental notes from leaders and business owners that both were successful and not quite as successful. By doing this it allowed me to see what worked well for their business consumers and staff as well what I would consider doing differently (or possible never do at all) in my own business.
2. My self-driven work ethic. I believe that too many people think going into business is easy and may not have the self-motivating drive it often requires to power through the hiccups that are guaranteed to happen along the way.
3. My ability to take complex information and break it down in a digestible way. Being able to meet individuals at their level of understanding about the complexity of health (both patients and mentees) has always been one of the qualities I feel has made Gut Honest Truth and GHT Academy stand out.

My tips for those just starting out:
1. I encourage you to have confidence in yourself as you continue to figure it all out. Remember, people don’t know how much you know. Educate yourself, feel comfortable saying you will research things and get back to them, be wise enough to know when to refer out your business but do not allow imposter syndrome to sneak up on you and stop you from starting (the business, working with a new type of client, learning new information etc.)
2. Work for someone else before working for yourself. You can learn so much about what you really desire in your career without taking all of the risk. While simultaneously absorbing every single touch point in your field and growing as a professional in a multitude of ways. When you jump straight into working for yourself, you are the boss. You have no one to ask the questions to or seek mentoring from. It almost always leads to being less knowledgable in your craft and less confidence.
3. Say yes to things that make you nervous and uncomfortable- you have no idea where they will get you one day.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

Two dogs and two small children later and I was strong armed into actually calming that self-drive and work ethic down a bit so I could prioritize my family and find more balance. And while this was uncomfortable at first, I find it to be a blessing for all. I have shifted my business offerings and expanded in ways that actually produce the same financial outcome, employ more individuals (while supporting their work life balance), have an even bigger reach to help more people, all while being able to put my family first and reduce my work hours. It continues to be a work in progress that I am trying keep balanced but setting boundaries (and sticking to them) and trusting the process while continuing to finesse the moving parts seem to be key. Continuing to be open and adaptable to the necessary change, both in life and to what no longer works in your business as you evolve, keeps businesses thriving.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Jade Nikkole Photography

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