Sandy Dalis: From Marketing to Building Her Own Brand

My path into health coaching began after a successful career in marketing, when I realized I wanted my work to feel more personal and purposeful. I had always been passionate about health and nutrition, and I knew I wanted to help people create meaningful, lasting change. As a student in IIN's Health Coach Training Program, I discovered a whole-person approach to wellness that transformed the way I thought about health, while concepts like bio-individuality and Primary Food continue to guide my work today. Later, I returned to complete the Coaching Intensive Practicum, earned my National Board Certification, and further strengthened my coaching practice.

Today, as the founder of CocoBana^™, I continue to bring those same values into everything I do. After years of coaching women through emotional eating and cravings, I created a clean-label electrolyte made with just five recognizable ingredients—something I felt confident drinking and recommending myself. Looking back, every chapter of my journey—from marketing to coaching to entrepreneurship—has been shaped by the lessons I first learned at IIN.

Q&A: The Beginning

BEFORE BECOMING A HEALTH COACH, YOU BUILT A SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN MARKETING. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BEGIN EXPLORING A DIFFERENT PATH?

A: I had built a successful career in marketing, including working as a Multi-Brand Marketing Manager at Dunkin’ Brands, but I reached a point where I wanted my work to feel more personal and purposeful. I had always been interested in health and nutrition, and I found myself drawn to the idea of helping people make changes that could genuinely improve how they felt and how they lived. I wanted a career that used my communication and business experience while allowing me to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

WHEN YOU DISCOVERED HEALTH COACHING, WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE PROFESSION THAT IMMEDIATELY RESONATED WITH YOU?

A: I loved that health coaching was not about simply telling someone what to eat or handing them another set of rules. It was about listening, asking the right questions, and helping people understand what was really getting in the way. The idea that I could support someone in creating sustainable change—while honoring that they are the expert on their own life—immediately resonated with me.

WHAT LED YOU TO IIN, AND WHAT MADE YOU FEEL IT WAS THE RIGHT PLACE TO BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY?

A: IIN’s whole-person approach was what drew me in. It recognized that health is influenced by so much more than food—our relationships, careers, stress, movement, sleep, purpose, and the way we speak to ourselves all matter. That philosophy felt intuitive and realistic to me. IIN also offered a clear path for turning my passion for wellness into meaningful work, and I knew I had found the right place to begin.

Q&A: Discovering Health Coaching

WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU MOST ABOUT IIN’S PHILOSOPHY AND APPROACH TO HEALTH?

A: The concept of bio-individuality changed everything for me. There is no single perfect diet or wellness plan that works for everyone. IIN taught me to look at the whole person instead of reducing health to a list of foods or numbers. That perspective has guided my coaching, my own choices, and now every decision I make as a founder.

WAS THERE A LESSON, CONCEPT, OR EXPERIENCE FROM THE PROGRAM THAT CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE WAY YOU APPROACH WELLNESS TODAY?

A: “Primary Food” continues to shape the way I think about wellness. What nourishes us off the plate can be just as important as what is on it. I also continue to come back to the idea of crowding in—adding supportive foods, habits, and experiences rather than approaching health through deprivation. People are much more likely to create lasting change when they feel supported and empowered, not judged.

YOU LATER SERVED AS AN IIN COACHING CIRCLE COACH FOR MANY YEARS. WHAT DID THAT EXPERIENCE TEACH YOU ABOUT COACHING, LEADERSHIP, AND SUPPORTING OTHERS?

A: Serving as a Circle Coach for approximately 12 years was one of the most meaningful chapters of my career. It taught me that strong coaching is not about fixing people or having all the answers. It is about creating a safe space, listening deeply, trusting the process, and helping someone hear their own wisdom.

It also taught me that leadership can be warm and collaborative. People grow when they feel seen, supported, challenged, and connected to a community.

Q&A: Building a Coaching Practice

YOU SPENT MORE THAN 15 YEARS HELPING WOMEN OVERCOME CRAVINGS AND EMOTIONAL EATING. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO FOCUS YOUR COACHING ON THIS AREA?

A: I saw so many intelligent, capable women who knew what they were “supposed” to do, yet still felt stuck in cycles of cravings, emotional eating, guilt, and starting over. They did not need more information or another restrictive plan. They needed help understanding why they were reaching for food and what they truly needed in those moments.

I wanted women to stop believing they lacked willpower and start approaching themselves with curiosity and compassion.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE BIGGEST BREAKTHROUGHS YOU WITNESSED AS YOUR CLIENTS BEGAN CHANGING THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD?

A: The biggest breakthroughs often came when a client realized, “I’m not broken.” Once women stopped treating cravings as a personal failure, they could begin noticing patterns and responding differently.

I watched clients learn to pause, identify what they were feeling, nourish themselves consistently, set boundaries, and make choices without shame. The most powerful transformation was not simply eating differently—it was trusting themselves.

HOW DID COACHING HUNDREDS OF WOMEN SHAPE YOUR OWN PERSPECTIVE ON HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE?

A: It taught me that lasting change rarely comes from knowing more. Most people already know a great deal about what is considered healthy. Change happens when the next step feels realistic, personally meaningful, and repeatable.

It also reinforced how important it is to listen. When we slow down enough to understand someone’s life, habits, environment, and emotions, the path forward becomes much clearer.

LOOKING BACK, WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND MOST ABOUT CRAVINGS AND EMOTIONAL EATING?

A: People often believe cravings and emotional eating are evidence of weak willpower. They are not. A craving can be connected to hunger, restriction, stress, fatigue, habit, emotion, or an unmet need.

The goal is not to become perfect or never eat for pleasure. It is to understand the message beneath the behavior and build more ways to care for yourself.

Q&A: From Coach to Entrepreneur

YOUR COACHING JOURNEY LED YOU TO CREATE COCOBANA™. CAN YOU SHARE WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO BUILD YOUR OWN CLEAN-LABEL ELECTROLYTE INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO SEARCH FOR ONE YOU COULD RECOMMEND?

A: I was playing a lot of tennis in the Southern California heat and knew I needed more than plain water, but every electrolyte I picked up contained something I did not want—artificial sweeteners, stevia, monk fruit, "natural flavors," dyes, fillers, or an overpoweringly salty or sweet taste.

As a health coach and lifelong label reader, I could not find one I felt good drinking or recommending. Eventually, I stopped searching and decided to create it myself.

CocoBana^™ is made with five recognizable ingredients: organic coconut water powder, organic banana powder, organic lemon powder, sea salt, and marine magnesium. I made it for women like me who want clean ingredients that also taste great.

BUILDING A PRODUCT FROM THE GROUND UP IS A VERY DIFFERENT JOURNEY FROM COACHING. WHAT WERE SOME OF THE BIGGEST LESSONS YOU LEARNED ALONG THE WAY?

A: I learned that bringing a physical product to life requires enormous patience, persistence, and a willingness to keep learning. Formulation, sourcing, manufacturing, packaging, testing, logistics, e-commerce, and marketing each brought a new learning curve.

I also learned not to confuse a delay with a dead end. Some days the next step was exciting; other days it was simply making one more phone call or solving one more problem. The coaching principle of taking small, consistent steps turned out to be just as valuable in entrepreneurship.

HOW HAS YOUR BACKGROUND AS A HEALTH COACH INFLUENCED EVERY DECISION YOU'VE MADE WHILE BUILDING COCOBANA^™?

A: It influenced everything. I read every ingredient and questioned every shortcut. I wanted a product I could explain honestly and feel proud recommending.

I thought about the women I had coached—the women who are sensitive to ingredients, tired of confusing labels, and trying to make healthier choices without giving up enjoyment. That is why CocoBana^™ has no artificial sweeteners, no stevia, no monk fruit, no "natural flavors," and no zero-calorie tricks.

Coaching taught me to respect people's intelligence. My job is to make the label clear and let them decide.

Q&A: Reflection & Perspective

LOOKING BACK, WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR JOURNEY—FROM CORPORATE MARKETING TO COACHING TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP?

A: The most rewarding part has been seeing that each chapter prepared me for the next. Marketing taught me how to understand people and communicate an idea. Coaching taught me how to listen, ask better questions, and stay focused on what people truly need. Entrepreneurship has allowed me to bring those skills together to create something tangible that can help people every day.

When someone tells me she read the label, tried CocoBana^™, and finally found an electrolyte she loves, it feels like the whole journey has come full circle.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS AN IDEA THEY'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT BUT FEELS UNCERTAIN ABOUT TAKING THE FIRST STEP?

A: You do not need to know every step before taking the first one. Talk to people, ask questions, test the idea, and allow yourself to learn as you go. The first version does not have to be perfect; it just has to move you forward.

I often say, “You didn’t come this far to [only] come this far.” If the idea keeps calling you, listen to it—and then take the smallest brave step you can take today.

HOW HAS IIN CONTINUED TO INFLUENCE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING TODAY?

A: IIN gave me a language and framework for the way I already sensed health should be approached: holistically, individually, and without judgment. It gave me the confidence to build a coaching practice, the opportunity to support future coaches, and a community that remains part of my life.

Today, CocoBana^™ is an extension of those same values: read the label, understand what you are putting in your body, and choose what genuinely supports you.

Q&A: Fun Favorites

WHEN LIFE FEELS OVERWHELMING OR OUT OF BALANCE, WHAT HELPS YOU RESET AND COME BACK TO YOURSELF?

A: Movement is usually my reset button.

Whether it’s strength training, going for a walk, or getting on my bike, movement helps me step away from the mental noise and reconnect with myself.

There are also times when I simply need to rest, watch a show I enjoy, or spend some quiet time in prayer. Going to church and strengthening my relationship with God helps me regain perspective and reminds me that I don’t have to carry everything on my own.

When I do those things, life feels a little less overwhelming and a lot more manageable.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO FEELS LIKE THEY NEED TO HAVE EVERYTHING FIGURED OUT BEFORE STARTING THEIR COACHING JOURNEY?

A: I would remind them that the version of you who is capable of doing this work is built along the way. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need to be willing to start, learn, and trust that you’ll continue becoming the person you’re meant to be throughout the process.

Q&A: Fun Favorites

WHAT'S ONE WELLNESS HABIT YOU RARELY SKIP, EVEN ON YOUR BUSIEST DAYS?

A: Movement—usually tennis. It supports my physical health, clears my head, connects me with friends, and brings genuine joy to my day. And, of course, I bring CocoBana^™.

WHAT BOOK, PODCAST, OR RESOURCE HAS HAD A LASTING IMPACT ON YOUR JOURNEY?

A: The End of Overeating by Dr. David Kessler. It helped me understand the powerful role the food industry, ingredients, and environmental cues can play in cravings and overeating. That insight reinforced something I saw repeatedly in my coaching practice: people aren’t simply lacking willpower. Understanding what is happening in our bodies and brains allows us to replace shame with awareness—and make more empowered choices.

IF YOU COULD BE ANY FRUIT OR VEGETABLE, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU BE—AND WHY?

A: A coconut. It is resilient, a little tough on the outside, naturally nourishing, and somehow always makes you think of sunshine. It also feels fitting for the founder of CocoBana^™!