Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs: Jenn Pope
Being a woman-owned, successful business means being part of a community for Jenn Pope, owner of Roots Nutrition Counseling & More at 209/211 North Federal Avenue.
“I feel this strong movement right now is for people wanting to shop and stay shopping locally,” she said. “I think that is one of the positive things that came out of COVID that our community has worked to continue to grow strong in. My best form of marketing is word of mouth, which speaks volumes about the type of community we have in Mason City.”
Pope’s mission at Roots is to offer evidence-based nutrition counseling that helps people meet their health goals and application-based learning options to help people bring balance back to food.
“Our nutrition approach is all about moderation and making where we all want to be and where we are now meet somewhere in the middle, Pope said.
“There is no reason we have to think all or nothing, and I hope that people get that message from us,” she said. “Good food is balanced, doesn’t need to be complicated or overwhelming, and can still taste good. I hope that we can continue to spread that message to people and they continue to feel like they can do anything to meet their health goals with us by their side.”
That balanced approach is also what Pope believes makes her business stand out, offering everything from convenient food to classes to nutrition counseling.
“We value listening to our patients and customers,” she said. “The approach we have always taken is that if we listen to what they are feeling and experiencing, critically think through the process, we can get to the root cause and work together to find an applicable, balanced solution. Whether that’s balancing hormones, managing diabetes, or making a new salad.”
Early in her career of owning a private practice, Pope realized people in the business world didn’t always believe in her vision. She soon realized that not everyone needed to believe in her.
“I kept grinding and showing people what we can do here, and it’s paid off,” Pope said. “The people in my corner helped us power through the tough times of doubt and pain leading to what we have now. I’m so glad I never gave up.”
ABOUT THIS SERIES: Here in Mason City, we are proud to celebrate the women at the heart of the Main Street Mason City district, whose businesses not only add vitality to our downtown but also serve as cornerstones for growth, creativity, and connection. Follow along as we spotlight our community's innovative, resilient, and inspiring women entrepreneurs.
