Meet Natalie Samson | Board-Certified Genetic Counselor & Integrative Health Certified

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natalie Samson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natalie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I remember sitting in the hospital at my desk after meeting with a patient who I knew would pass away soon from early onset cancer, feeling both unfulfilled and frustrated. I was having conversations about cancer and Alzheimer’s risk, life-altering diagnoses, but I wasn’t addressing the bigger picture. No one was talking about modifiable risk factors in the healthcare system or how patients could take control beyond screenings, surgeries, and pharmaceuticals. It felt like such a massive gap in care.

At the same time, my father was (still is) battling metastatic cancer. Watching him go through that only reinforced my belief that genetics should be used not just for diagnosing, but for prevention and personalization – real, proactive care that considers lifestyle, nutrition, mindfulness and stress.

I started looking for a job that integrated genetics into a more holistic, functional approach. But it didn’t exist. That’s when I realized: I had to create it.

As genetic counselors, we’re trained to guide patients through hard conversations. But how could I talk to someone about their cancer risk without also addressing stress, nutrition, and lifestyle? Genetics is powerful, and addressing only the Western traditional world of care felt like just one piece of the puzzle. I wanted to bring it into the integrative space, where we could use it to personalize care in a way that actually helps people change their future, not just react to it.

What should our readers know about your business?
What truly sets my business apart is the combination of being board-certified in genetics while also taking a holistic, integrative approach to care. Genetics is powerful, but it’s often used in such a limited way, mostly to diagnose or assess risk. I take it a step further by turning that information into an actionable plan, helping patients use their genetics to optimize their health with lifestyle, nutrition, supplements, and proactive care.

Over the past year, my practice has expanded into many specialties, nutrigenomics, cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and with the help of another amazing genetic counselor who works with me, pharmacogenomics, pediatrics, preconception, and even connective tissue disorders. The goal has always been to give people a sense of control over their health, rather than making genetics feel like a life sentence.

Getting here hasn’t been easy. Starting and running a business is overwhelming in ways I never could have imagined. The logistics alone (figuring out bookkeeping, legal support, marketing, sales) were a crash course in entrepreneurship. At times, wearing so many hats has felt exhausting. But the hardest part for me has been breaking through the resistance of doing something new, something that wasn’t widely accepted in the traditional healthcare space.

I’ve had to build resilience, knowing that when people question or criticize what I do, it’s often more about their own fears than it is about me. I’ve learned to stand firm in what I know to be true, and to push forward even when it feels uncomfortable. This is something I will always work on! But that growth, learning to lead, to set boundaries, to delegate, and to take care of myself in the process, has been just as important as the science itself.

What I want the world to know about my brand and my story is: I want people to walk away from this experience of working with me feeling empowered. I want them to feel golden inside and out. That’s why I named my company Golden Genetics, because everyone deserves to shine bright 🙂

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend were visiting Orange County for a week I’d make sure they got the perfect mix of delicious food, stunning views, and fun experiences!

We’d start the trip with breakfast at Greenleaf Café, where they have the best healthy dishes. Then, we’d head to Laguna Beach, grab coffee at Zinc Café, walk around the art galleries, and find a spot at Thousand Steps Beach to soak in the views. Lunch would be at Bear Flag Fish Co. for the freshest poke.

Morning yoga or a Pilates class at Ra Yoga. Then, we’d hit the Back Bay Loop Trail for a beautiful hike with water views.

I love taking people to The Camp and The LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa, such a cool, artsy area with eco-friendly boutiques, coffee shops, and a laid-back vibe.

A morning at Lido Marina Village, walking around the boutiques, followed by lunch at Zinque. In the afternoon, we’d rent electric bikes and ride along the coast. Then, rooftop cocktails at Topside at Lido House, where the views are unreal.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a huge shoutout to two incredible sisters who played a massive role in my journey: Dr. Leah Gordon and Sadie Ackerman.

During my undergraduate years, I became really sick, and traditional Western medicine wasn’t helping me at all. That’s when I was referred to Dr. Leah Gordon, an extraordinary naturopath who completely changed my life. She didn’t just treat my symptoms, she helped me heal from the root cause and in the process, opened my eyes to the true power of holistic and functional medicine. She supported me through my schooling and later, after I graduated, became an unexpected but incredible business mentor.

When I first started to work with Leah, I was lucky enough to meet her sister, Sadie, who is an intuitive healer. She helped me work through so many mental and emotional blocks, pushing me to trust myself, step into my purpose, and build something that didn’t exist yet. It is scary to go against the grain and she helped me have the confidence to do it.

Both of them gave me the tools, not just to heal, but to have the courage to create the business I have today. I truly don’t know where I’d be without them!

Website: https://www.goldengeneticshealth.com

Instagram: @goldengeneticshealth

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-samson-golden-genetics