Every failure is just a springboard: From NEWTON to London in pursuit of a dream in nutrition

At a university fair, she was captivated by students dressed as pilots; today, she coaches top-tier managers and athletes. NEWTON alumna Juliana Potoczká talks about her journey from Brno to the prestigious Middlesex University in London, and why a managerial mindset is an unexpected competitive advantage in the field of health and fitness.

Do you remember the moment NEWTON first appeared on your radar? Was it an obvious choice from the start, or what made you decide to connect your studies with this particular school? 

I remember being at a university fair in Brno, but none of the schools really interested me that much. Just as I was about to leave, I saw the NEWTON (then College) stand, which had a completely different energy than all the other schools there. Honestly, at first, I thought it was some kind of "aviation school" since the students were dressed as pilots and flight attendants, which I only found out later was just the theme for that year :D. I don't remember who it was, but one of the students approached me and introduced the study programs. At the time, I was most interested in psychology and marketing. And I must say, in that moment, I knew this was the school I wanted to go to. When I got home that evening, I think I put all the other leaflets away somewhere and applied to NEWTON right then and there.

Did you have a desire to study abroad since high school, or did this ambitious plan take shape during your studies at NEWTON? 

After my experience studying in the USA during high school, I felt that I wanted to go beyond the borders of Slovakia, but not too far — so Brno was the obvious choice. That city in connection with NEWTON simply won me over, and to this day, I don't regret this decision. However, after finishing NEWTON, I felt that I would like to go even further abroad and experience a different system of study, so I started doing a bit of research. I was deciding between Dubai and Great Britain, which eventually won.

Did you have any concerns at the beginning of your studies at a prestigious British university? 

Certainly, yes. I knew from friends who studied abroad, and specifically in Great Britain, that the system there is different, the language is obviously different, so there were definitely some concerns. However, I got into the system very quickly and after the first few weeks, I felt like a fish in water.

NEWTON is primarily about business and management, but you headed towards nutrition. How did this "transformation" happen? Did you find something in your business foundations that gives you a competitive advantage in the nutrition field? 

I have always been attracted to many things in life. That’s why right after high school, I didn't quite know which direction to take. Studying business and economics seemed like the right choice for me at the time, because I knew it would give me a good foundation for any career field in which I might decide to work in the future. Even though I enjoyed the studies and found them interesting, I started discovering my passion for fitness and nutrition during that time, and I knew that in the future I wanted to head in this direction. During my studies at NEWTON, I also started taking various courses in nutrition and fitness, but I knew that if I wanted to understand it well, courses alone would not be enough. I felt that I wanted to offer my future clients consulting at the highest professional level, and that’s when the idea came to me that the only way to achieve this was to return to the academic world.

Was there a specific subject or project at NEWTON that directed you towards solving human performance through nutrition? 

I don't remember a specific moment, but certainly, the way of teaching, which was strongly based on practice, directed me towards thinking about how and where I would like to use this knowledge. It helped me realise that I could connect marketing and management for my own business as a nutrition coach.

The program is called Sport and Exercise Nutrition. Why do you think it is more important for today's society to think more about what they eat and how they exercise? 

The topic of nutrition is key today because it’s not just about what we eat, but how nutrition can affect our performance, energy, cognitive thinking, and ability to be productive — whether at work or in our personal life. Society is facing an increasing number of chronic diseases, burnout, and a sedentary lifestyle, which makes the topic of nutrition and movement something that is no longer just talked about. Also, thanks to my university studies, I understood how nutrition can affect everyday life, work, health, and longevity. Today, there is more and more talk about longevity and a healthy lifestyle — which is not just about nutrition, but its connection with exercise, sleep, and managing stress. A person's performance can fundamentally change just based on how they eat. Another important thing is that every person functions differently and needs a different approach. That's why nutrition in connection with consulting and working with clients interests me so much. The approach looks different with every client — but the output is the same: from people who once struggled with low energy, constant fatigue, and digestive problems, come motivated leaders capable of making important decisions with full strength.

Middlesex University is among the world's top universities. How does studying at such a school differ from studying in the Czech Republic? 

Fuuu, a lot. Since I studied a Master’s program right away, a Master of Science, that was also different from, for example, a Bachelor's. It’s all much more connected with practice and working independently. The curriculum we are taught is supported by the latest studies, and for me personally, one of the greatest added values was learning how to work with scientific studies, how to pull the right information from them, and subsequently apply it in practice. This is something where I still see gaps in our country, but I believe that slowly but surely we are getting there. These world universities place great emphasis on correctly obtaining information from verified sources. They taught us how to work with online databases like SportDiscus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and others, and how to navigate them. We also spent a lot of time in sports laboratories where we went through various tests that are commonly performed on professional athletes. As I already mentioned, practice was an important part of the study, and for one whole semester during our studies, each of us worked with athletes at a professional level. I specifically had the opportunity to work with the English cricket team Somerset County Cricket Club, where I was responsible for correctly setting the nutritional profile of both the men's and women's teams. This included initial testing and subsequently setting up both the athlete's nutrition and proper supplementation. However, in such a position, one also needs to use their managerial, marketing, and psychological skills, in which I drew from my studies exactly at NEWTON.

Can you describe your "aha moment" from studying abroad? Something you won't find in Czech textbooks, but is a standard in London? 

The "aha moment" for me was definitely working with scientific studies. I remember being in total shock when they assigned us to do our first essay using exclusively scientific studies, and I didn't even know how to look for them. And even though it took me some time, as soon as I knew how to navigate it, I understood how important it is in today's world to have information from verified sources, because there is a lot of information everywhere (especially misinformation) and I feel that in our country, not much emphasis is placed on that.

Did you meet people or projects in London that opened doors to opportunities you had only dreamed of before? 

I don't even know where to start :D I feel that opportunities and the right people came my way almost every week. Thanks to obtaining my Master's in sports nutrition, I had the opportunity to apply for an interview at one of the best fitness clubs in the world, Equinox, where I was subsequently accepted and had the opportunity to work in the environment of fitness, training, nutrition, but also high management. Equinox is one of the leading leaders in the world of health and fitness today, and being part of it and learning from the best opened doors to opportunities I hadn't even dreamed of.

How much did your foundations from NEWTON help you in London? Did you feel that you had an advantage in some way thanks to your managerial mindset compared to other nutrition students? 

Yes. My academic foundation in marketing, management, and subsequently nutrition pushed me a level higher than competitive applicants. In my job, I could therefore work on the marketing and management of the brand in addition to working with clients. So my dream of connecting these two worlds came true.

On what most interesting project did you work within the program? Did you have the opportunity to collaborate with real sports stars or companies? 

Working for SCCC was certainly an amazing springboard. Alongside my studies, I also had the opportunity to be at the birth of a Pilates studio, where I was in charge of marketing and management, but I was also there as a nutritional consultant for clients and designed the supplement offer and menu. But perhaps the greatest experience for me was working at Equinox, where I was surrounded by specialists in the field of nutrition and training, but also management and business, which gave me a lot of inspiration on how to do business in the world of health and fitness. Also, thanks to this job, I created amazing friendships and contacts (one of my best nutrition clients is the CFO of the FIA and the Formula 1 team, whom I met thanks to my work in the Pilates studio).

How did this international experience change you as a person? 

Even though the studies played a big role in the development of my personality, the overall experience of living and working in London changed me the most. I feel that thanks to this time, I discovered the best version of myself. The one in which I feel most like me. I gained confidence, determination, and ambitions to work on myself and build a career not only in nutrition but also in other directions of business.

Where are your next steps leading? Do you plan to build your brand abroad, or do you want to change nutrition standards in business and sport in our country? 

After several years in London, I returned to Slovakia less than a month ago. Not because I didn't like it there, but because an opportunity arose here that I didn't want to miss. I am currently working in a family business in the hotel sector in the position of Sales and Conference Manager, where I am in charge of corporate clients. Alongside that, I am purposefully building my own brand as an online nutrition and fitness coach. International clientele is a natural start for me; thanks to the time spent in London, I have contacts and trust there. But organically, Slovak and Czech clients are also increasing, which I perceive as a confirmation that what I do makes sense even here at home. The long-term goal is clear: to bring a culture of healthy habits into the corporate environment. Not as another wellness program, but as a real change in how people function every day. That is, with more energy, a clearer head, and joy in work. I believe that nutrition and movement are tools that turn average performance into exceptional performance.

What would you say to those who have a specific interest (like you in nutrition) but are hesitant about whether studying at NEWTON is the right springboard for them? 

Go for it. In my life, I have always followed the motto to learn and try. When something attracts you, go for it. And if it doesn't work out? Then it’s a great school! So many things didn't work out for me in life. For example, a month before the state exams at NEWTON in the Master's program of the sister university Collegium Humanum, they announced that we couldn't finish because the Collegium Humanum school was ending. NEWTON stood up to it responsibly and offered us to finish another year at their school in Brno or Prague, but I was already accepted to Middlesex University and naturally didn't want to give up this opportunity. So imagine that you study a Master's program for two years and a month before the end they tell you that you cannot finish (I already had my diploma thesis written and graded :D).

So in short, every failure is only a springboard to an even greater success. Be led by your inner feeling, the instinct that shouts first when it catches an opportunity that is prepared for you. Because that is exactly what will lead you to the path you are meant to be on.