Nora Tobin of Nora’s Naturals Coffee: 5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Dramatically Improve Your…

Nora Tobin of Nora’s Naturals Coffee: 5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Dramatically Improve Your Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

LIMIT SUGAR AND STRESS — Consuming sugar found in processed foods, fruit juices, and sugary soft drinks creates a constant state of high Inflammation in the body. Prolonged levels of stress also create high levels of damaging inflammation. This type of inflammation wreaks havoc on the gut, and a number of other areas in the body. This depletes the microbiome of beneficial bacteria and greatly lowers protective immunity.

As a part of my series about “5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One’s Wellbeing”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nora Tobin.

Nora Tobin is the Health and Wellness partner to Fortune 100 organizations across luxury hospitality, financial services, technology, and entertainment. Nora and her teams have scaled global wellness retreats, senior leadership summits, Nora’s Naturals culinary offerings, media campaigns, corporate consulting and wellness voyages on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

Nora is the Founder and CEO of Nora’s Naturals Coffee. She is a keynote speaker, Performance Enhancement and Nutrition Specialist, brand spokesperson, model and Executive Coach. She is certified as an advanced Scuba, Cliff, and Helicopter Rescuer, as well as a Del Mar Ocean Lifeguard. Nora has been a contributing editor to SHAPE magazine and Sports Illustrated. She grew up in South Lake Tahoe, California.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the story about how you first got involved in fitness and wellness?

I grew up in Lake Tahoe where my family and I spent a lot of time together in nature. We would have an ongoing calendar on the refrigerator to see how many outdoor sports we could do in a day. It was a very fun game for my competitive family, as well as an amazing way to spend time together. This lifestyle made me feel like fitness was always fun, since it was outside with people I loved. I incorporated this mindset when I started building my business, trying to make each program enjoyable.

It can also be a way to step out of our comfort zone and discover new strengths. I will never forget a day skiing at Heavenly with the family. It was late afternoon and we were skiing back to the other side of the mountain to head home. I accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up very far out of bounds on an extremely steep cliff surrounded by dense trees. I looked up and it was too far to climb out of the predicament. I looked down and would have ended up on the highway if I could manage to ski straight to the bottom. The eight year old in me screamed for my mom and dad, but they did not realize I took the wrong turn. After what felt like an eternity, I began to build a snow cave. The sun was going down and I was lost.

After several attempts, I realized I should have paid more attention in the wilderness survival class. I finally made my way across the mountain horizontally to finally end up on a regular ski run. I found my way to our family meeting spot, and will never forget seeing my dad’s bright yellow suit. There were many tears and pizza afterward. I realized my strength that day, and think of that story often when faced with a physical or mental challenge.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

My career started as an ocean lifeguard in Del Mar, CA where we were expected to swim into 15 foot surf, become certified as advanced helicopter and scuba rescuers and serve as an ambassador to the community. Being late to work, walking between lifeguard towers or failing to communicate well resulted in buoy swims and cleaning the shed.

The DM Lifeguards did an exchange program with the Muriwai New Zealand guards. We arrived on the stormy, intimidating West Coast of NZ for Zodiac rescue training. The confidence they had in us may have been unwarranted. We were given a rubber boat with an engine on the back and told to run ins and outs in the 12 foot messy surf. I did not time the wave well and went up the face before flipping the boat. Lost the engine, pushed down to the ocean floor and came up to see the boat being washed into the rocks.

I am happy to report that after three weeks of those types of experiences, we received our certifications. I moved forward from lifeguarding with many lessons that have been applicable to my wellness career. One of the most important has been the ability to try, even if the failure could be extreme. The risks from lifeguard training gave me the confidence to take chances- trying to create many different product lines until I finally landed on the right one, cold calls and sending handwritten presentations to executives, putting far too much on my credit card to insist on in person meetings, the list goes on… I would always remind myself that any type of failure in business was not death defying- I was not going to be held under in the ocean by a massive wave or have to save someone from drowning.

Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?

I may not go right to humorous when it comes to this story, but it was certainly an early lesson with a few embarrassing repercussions….

One of my goals was to be a professional beach volleyball player. I started training at P3 in Santa Barbara where a variety of NFL, NBA and MLS teams did their off season conditioning. I cleaned the gym in exchange for the ability to workout there. One day a marketing team came in to do a photoshoot with the top athletes for a new campaign. I was definitely not part of this shoot.

I went to FedEx to print an 8 x 10 photo and typed up a bio (very limited at the time). At the end of the day, I walked up to the marketing team and submitted myself. One month later I opened up ESPN.com and saw my photo! It would have been the best launch of my career, but they did not tell me they were going to use a false title in the ad that read- Nora Tobin, Professional Beach Volleyball Player. At this time, I was getting crushed in the qualifiers with scores of 21–7, 21–8. Brutal and far from being a pro.

Two days later a scathing article came out on CNBC Sports- ‘Why Are We Starting at Nora Tobin?’ It questioned my background and I was heartbroken. Some of the athletes in the volleyball world were upset (for good reason). I reached out to the reporter for a call. To my surprise, he got back to me. I was very nervous and thought it could easily backfire with another terrible article. We ended up having an excellent call where I got to share my true story. CNBC Sports ran a new article that ended up being terrific, and I am still great friends with the reporter and his family.

The lesson- I realized boldness is the right move, but has to come with clarity. I was just so excited about the possibility of being in a national campaign, I didn’t even ask what it would say next to my name. Opportunities come in all forms. I have to always remember that my credibility is not built in a day, but can be taken out in one ad.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the fitness and wellness field? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?

There are many phenomenal wellness professionals with vast experience across a number of categories. One exciting part of being in the wellness space is the lack of limitations. Since health and fitness is always going to be one of the most important aspects of our ability to thrive, there’s no limit as far as the number of experts who can help.

My focus is with business professionals- delivering actionable strategies to shift physiology to adapt to stress, optimize nutrition without deprivation, and enhance deep sleep for optimal performance. The Fit, Fueled and Focused program utilizes techniques that can be done within five minutes, designed for a 24–7 workweek. We use positive stress to make the body and mind have to adapt and become more efficient with fat burning, cellular turnover, and cognitive cleaning. Each aspect can be incorporated into a demanding schedule, all while creating an efficient system and slowing down the aging process.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I have had many incredible people helping me throughout my career, and I couldn’t imagine doing it without everyone. My parents have made the most important impact on me and the path I chose. From a very young age, they had always assured me I was capable of anything and gave me the power to take risks. Growing up in Lake Tahoe, we had many close call adventures from skiing off cliffs in the blinding snow storms at age 10 to getting lost in the backcountry after deciding to take my own route home. Dad climbed the Golden Gate bridge three times, so there was nothing in his mind we couldn’t do.

This translated into the very first steps of building my career when Dad and I taught ourselves how to film and edit workout videos. We just started finding outdoor locations to shoot and did a number of iterations to pitch to SHAPE magazine, Sports Illustrated, and a number of other publications we wanted to create content for. After many, many pitches- I was able to join the team at Sports Illustrated to help create their Edge platform, as well as film the in room workout series for The Ritz-Carlton, Bacara. Dad and I kept up our filming at every level. He passed on July 1st. While I now do my own filming, I feel his immense power and enthusiasm for life in all I do.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. We all know that it’s important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, exercise more, and get better sleep etc. But while we know it intellectually, it’s often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the 3 main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?

  1. Delicate Balance of Rewards vs. Satisfaction: Dopamine is the motivation molecule that grants us the short term pleasure when we do something as simple as check our phone. Due to lack of sleep, stress imbalance, too much screen time and poor gut health; dopamine can become out of balance in the brain. At the same time, serotonin (the satisfaction hormone) can become depleted. This leaves us feeling unsatisfied and not highly motivated to implement new healthy patterns.
  2. 25 Hour Weeks: No matter the industry, work can take priority when it comes to time allocation and health tends to take a backseat. It is not due to the lack of care about our health, but the idea of how much time needs to be spent to put any meaningful practice into place.
  3. Power of the Package: The action packed schedule lends itself to efficiency, reaching for fast fuel from packaged foods that deliver quick satisfaction (raises dopamine). The hidden sugars and processed oils can affect our insulin response, creating a feedback loop in the brain to want more. We may be eating enough, but not ever feel satisfied by lack of nutrient dense foods.

Can you please share your “5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One’s Wellbeing”? (Please share a story or an example for each, and feel free to share ideas for mental, emotional and physical health.)

Perform 10 Minutes of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

WHY

One of the best ways to take care is to incorporate mindfulness based stress reduction practice each day. This can include deep breathing, yoga, or any form of meditation. This type of healing is essential to combat the negative effects that come from anxiety and prolonged stress. In a stressed state, we are more susceptible to illness and increased risk of chronic disease.

“Chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. It can dampen the immune system, increasing susceptibility to colds and other common infections. It can contribute to asthma, digestive disorders, cancer, and other health problems.”

– Harvard University, Harvard Health Publishing

A Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience study has shown MBSR to enhance emotion regulation in patients with anxiety disorder, creating higher levels of satisfaction and enjoyment. Additionally, a Stanford University team found that MBSR brought about changes in brain regions involved in attention, as well as relief from symptoms of anxiety.

TRY

3, 3, 5 BREATH TECHNIQUE

A simple option you can incorporate any time of day is the 3, 3, 5 breathing technique. You can even set an alarm to breathe at the top of each hour. The breath technique is simply to inhale for 3 counts, hold breath at the top for 3 and exhale slowly for 5. This type of breathing puts the body into a calming state, and lets the brain know it is safe.

10-MINUTE YOGA SESSION

Another option is a daily yoga practice, synching breath to movement. Try the above routine each morning or any time you need to uplift your spirit. Take deep breaths as you do so.

Boost Gut Health

WHY

The gut microbiome is genetic material made up of bacteria, fungi and other elements that aid in digestion, regulation of the immune system and protection of pathogens. A staggering 70+% of our immunity is created in the gut and 90% of our serotonin (happiness hormone) is made there. In order to maintain optimal immunity and a joyful state of mind, it is crucial to keep our gut as healthy as possible. The two systems are completely linked.

Our immune system has co-evolved along with a diverse gut flora, not only to create defenses against pathogens, but also to develop tolerance for beneficial microbes. As a consequence, the immune system and the gut microbiota developed a mutual relationship, regulating one another and cooperating to support each other. Taking care of our gut health will have a direct impact on our immunity.

TRY

LOAD UP ON PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS

Prebiotics are a specific dietary soluble fiber that feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut. Soluble fiber comes in different forms but the most common in our diets are insulin and oligofructose (both complex carbohydrates). Some of the foods that contain the highest levels of prebiotics are sweet potatoes, leaks, asparagus, bananas and onions. Enjoy one sweet potato a day with grass-fed butter to get the daily prebiotics.

Probiotics are living microorganisms that provide immense health benefits when ingested. These are gut bacteria that create a healthy environment that increases immunity. Forms of probiotic foods include sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir and kimchi. Aim for at least one serving per day. Another option is to take a probiotic in supplement form. I like the Garden of Life brand, since the probiotics are in their whole form.

LIMIT SUGAR AND STRESS

Consuming sugar found in processed foods, fruit juices, and sugary soft drinks creates a constant state of high Inflammation in the body. Prolonged levels of stress also create high levels of damaging inflammation. This type of inflammation wreaks havoc on the gut, and a number of other areas in the body. This depletes the microbiome of beneficial bacteria and greatly lowers protective immunity.

Quick Swaps To Cut Sugar

Swap Soft Drinks for Matcha Green Tea or Club Soda with Citrus

Each of these swaps provides a refreshing option to soft drinks without the negative effects. Matcha green tea has the added bonus of delivering a potent antioxidant called EGCG that has been shown to greatly reduce inflammation and elevates immune response.

In a recent study conducted by Stanford University, researchers found that matcha shifted cancer cells towards a quiescent metabolic state and stopped their spread at a relatively low concentration. They also found that matcha could affect the signaling pathways that promote cancer stem cells. Diseases thrive in acidic environments. Matcha helps to create an alkaline state in the body.

Swap Packaged Snacks for Nuts, Seeds, Apples and Almond Butter, Hard Cheeses, Hard Boiled Eggs

All of the above provide protein and fiber that curb cravings, lower blood sugar and provide the brain with healthy fats essential for cognitive performance and immune strength.

Swap Candy for Dark Chocolate

The U.S. National Library of Medicine found cocoa strengthens the cardiovascular system. Polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant high in cocoa, improves blood circulation and mitochondria health. Cocoa is also a top source of tryptophan- precursor to serotonin (happiness hormone).

Increase Vitamin D

Why

Vitamin D plays a critical role in the efficiency of the immune system. The powerful vitamin works as a light switch in the body, turning on or off genes that maintain optimal health. It is sent to different areas in the body (immune cells, brain and bones) that all have vitamin D receptors.

In terms of immunity, vitamin D turns on specific peptides in the immune system that triggers a microbial response. This can effectively turn off invaders and pathogens before they affect the body.

“Vitamin D can modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses. Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as an increased susceptibility to infection.

One report studied almost 19,000 subjects. Individuals with lower vitamin D levels were more likely to self-report a recent upper respiratory tract infection than those with sufficient levels, even after adjusting for variables including season, age, gender, body mass and race.”

– London Journal of Medicine

Try

Vitamin D is obtained from diet or it is synthesized in the skin from sun exposure. Stand or walk outside for 20 minutes daily without sunscreen. Since vitamin D is not found in many kinds of food, it can be helpful to take a Vitamin D supplement. 2,000 IU per day in liquid form is recommended.

Oxygenate the Lungs

Why

Deep breathing can be a great healer and detoxifier for the body. By taking deep breaths, we greatly strengthen both the respiratory and lymphatic systems. Both play significant roles in protecting the body from bacteria and viruses, as well as open up the airways to regulate oxygen.

Around 70% of toxins are released through the breath. We are able to get rid of the carbon dioxide (natural waste product of the body’s metabolism) and create much needed oxygen for our cells. Deep breathing also increases circulation to the heart, brain and organs.

The majority of us take short, shallow breaths throughout the day that don’t allow for enough oxygen to enter the lungs. This type of breathing is heightened in a stressed state, which can hinder the immune system from working at full capacity. There are a few simple breathing techniques that will ensure the body is getting enough oxygen, strengthen the lungs and allow the immune system to do its job properly.

Try

DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING

The respiratory system can be quickly strengthened by taking deep diaphragmatic breaths. This simply means longer inhales and exhales from the diaphragm (right below the ribs) instead of the chest. By placing hands on ribs and breathing in and out deeply, you will feel the ribs expand and contract. This oxygenates the body and pushes out toxins. Perform 10 deep slow breaths. Repeat at any point you feel stressed or overly anxious. This will immediately calm the nervous system.

WIM HOF BREATHING

Wim Hof method demonstrates that the sympathetic nervous system (stressed state) and immune system can be voluntarily influenced by breathing techniques and cold therapy. In a recent study by The National Academy of Science, participants who incorporated the Wim Hof breathing had fewer flu-like symptoms and increased plasma epinephrine levels.

Try this method once per day:

•Sit in a comfortable place, take 30 quick, deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.

•On the 30th breath, exhale all your air. Hold breath out for 30 seconds or until you need to breath in.

•Inhale again, as deep as you can, and hold it for 10 seconds. Exhale slowly.

•Option to repeat series two more times. You will feel powerful!

As an expert, this might be obvious to you, but I think it would be instructive to articulate this for the public. Aside from weight loss, what are 3 benefits of daily exercise? Can you explain?

Any type of exercise will have a number of physical and mental benefits. This includes slowing down the release of stress hormones, elevating metabolism to burn fat more efficiently, improving deeper stages of sleep, and boosting the production of hormones responsible for mental wellbeing.

As exercise specifically relates to immunity, there are a few additional ways this practice can greatly improve your wellbeing. Exercise immunology focuses on the ability to regulate the immune system through exercise, and slow down the effects of aging. Recent studies conducted by the Journal of Sport and Health Science, shows that immunity can be remodeled during the aging process. Daily exercise has resulted in lower inflammatory response to bacterial change, longer telomere lengths (the protective caps found on the end of chromosomes essential for healthy cells), increased T-cell proliferative activity, and enhanced vaccination responses.

Exercise increases the white blood cell count, which are the body’s immune system cells that help fight pathogens. Additionally, the respiratory system is strengthened during physical activity and flushes out bacteria in the lungs and airways.

The Harvard Alumni Health Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found the importance of keeping a consistent exercise regime. The participants who started and kept up an exercise program had a 23% lower risk of disease than those who started a program but eventually stopped.

The Department of Physiological and Brain Sciences at Boston University has proven that exercise can help treat depression, while low activity can be a major contributing factor to depression. Moderate daily exercise increases brain derived neurotrophic factor (critical protein in the neural network of the brain) and serotonin (fulfillment hormone), both essential for lowering anxiety and influencing mood.

Perform 20 minutes of daily HIIT training, walk, strength training, bike, swim, yoga… any type of movement you enjoy. Put 20 minutes of movement as an ongoing appointment in your calendar.

If you’d like a guided workout, here are a few options:

LEG WORKOUT PLUS ABS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp6x412kpHI&t=36s

This lower body workout requires no weight and is excellent for all levels of fitness. Perform each set three times with breaks for water in between. You can up level by incorporating any type of cardio exercise for 2-minutes between sets. This can be high knees, mountain climbers or jumping jacks. Go get em!

UPPER BODY WORKOUT PLUS ABS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QgjEPQsxdE&t=19s

The upper body workout tones the arms, strengthens the back and improves posture. Perform each set three times with breaks for water in between. If you want to up level, perform any type of cardio exercise for 2-minutes between sets. This can be jogging in place, burpees or jumping jacks.

For someone who is looking to add exercise to their daily routine, which 3 exercises would you recommend that are absolutely critical?

I would recommend bridges, planks and squats. All three of these movements protect the low back, help to negate the effects of sitting and deliver results for a toned physique. Try to incorporate three sets of 20 reps for the bridges and squats each day, and two minutes of planks (breaks in between 30 second holds).

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?

One of my favorite books for the journey of life is The Alchemist. I originally read it when I took a gap year between highschool and college. I was traveling alone in Southeast Asia and doing my yoga training. There were a number of moments on that seven month trip that made me feel lonely and somewhat lost. I read the book at the time, and have a few times since then, realizing the simple moments can be the most extraordinary and there is no straight path to success. Our energy is a constant output in either direction. The more we put out the positive, the more the universe conspires in our favor.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I have always believed that cultures are all connected in the most important of ways- to love, be loved, have purpose, all the important aspects of our lives are shared by many across the world. Our health and wellbeing is one of those shared needs. I think we can learn a lot from one another. I would create a Wellness Around the World movement that would deliver daily content, global events, unique products and a television series highlighting the specific wellness practices in each region. Wellness is the unifier that brings us together, and we have the ability to share what makes each place special with the world.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?

My dad used to do a cheer with my older brother and I on our way to elementary school. We kept this tradition up… even saying it aloud as I walked down the street of New York before a keynote speech…

I feel fine. I feel great. I feel terrific. Why? I’ll tell you why. I have faith, hope and enthusiasm. Faith in myself, hope in the future, and enthusiasm for life!

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

Oprah, for many reasons. One being her remarkable feat in a multitude of business endeavors. Her work ethic and sheer willpower is a day in and day out commitment. It is clear how much time she has taken to build her empire. I love that she’s been in the depths of it, not skipping over any step. She never seemed to shy away from the hard work and countless hours it must have taken to create a global force of good.

I have always been in awe by her dynamic skill set as a business woman, as well as her sincerity of the soul.

The closest I have come to connecting with her was when I was zipping around Santa Barbara, trying to pitch my first product to stores. I was pulling into a parking spot way too fast and hit the car of Oprah’s chef. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and we jumped into conversation. I ended up sharing my idea for the book proposal- Abs Are Made in the Kitchen. We decided to create it together.

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

I’d love to connect with you! Please join me on Instagram @noartobin for daily workouts, wellness tips and tools to thrive in a busy workweek.

I would also be thrilled to share my new organic coffee- grown in the Finca Isabel mountain range of Nicaragua and roasted right here in Montecito. Visit www.norasnaturalscoffee.com and use the code Nora20 for 20% off.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!


Nora Tobin of Nora’s Naturals Coffee: 5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Dramatically Improve Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Joanna Grace of Sound Healing Energy: Five Things We Can Do To Develop Serenity And Support Each…

Joanna Grace of Sound Healing Energy: Five Things We Can Do To Develop Serenity And Support Each Other During These Anxious Times

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

I’m a real advocate for listening to calming music or making music yourself! If you don’t play an instrument or sing, you can tap your fingers to the beat in a song or move around a bit. Have a dance party with yourself or with a friend. Often times when we focus on the music outside of us or music we create within us, we are transported into a space of not feeling the pain. It’s like the music gives us permission to feel hopeful and relaxed.

As a part of my series about the things we can do to develop serenity and support each other during anxious times, I had the pleasure of interviewing Joanna Grace.

Joanna empowers caring adults to experience personal healing and creative expression so they can embrace their natural ability to heal with sound. Her degrees and certifications are in Music Performance, Sound Reiki, Healing Sounds, Emotional Intelligence and Mental Health First Aid. She facilitates Sound Healing sessions for individuals, those with chronic illness, caregivers, business owners, fitness gyms and people seeking relief from daily stressors.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?

I grew up in a family with a loving mother and loving sister however my father was emotionally abusive which left me feeling on edge about how to behave and what his reactions would be. I didn’t feel safe with him and I was often teased to tears. I bottled up my emotions because expressing them was too dangerous. It was incredibly stressful for me but I found my emotional haven by learning to play the piano and the (french) horn. When I practiced my instruments, I felt safe to express my emotions and had an outlet for my stress.

After my Masters degree in Music, I had my own studio and taught students of all ages. I realized that I could help them express blocked emotions by providing certain pieces for them to play. And in doing so, I have taken the pain of my own childhood trauma and used it in a positive way to help others use music for personal healing and expression. I continue to teach music lessons. And I offer customized Sound Healing sessions, creating customized healing sounds for my clients to relieve physical and emotional tension.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

I recall the first time that I met with a client who suffered from PTSD, anxiety and mobility challenges. As usual, we started the session talking about his personal pain, current emotions and ultimate goal of resilience. Then, we shifted to the Sound Healing part in which I curated the healing sounds for him to release some of that pain in our time together. What I wasn’t prepared for was his question at the end of the session.

He said to me “I don’t need another session with you. How much would you charge me to rent this quiet room by myself?” I was stunned! “Quiet room?” I was right there with him the whole hour making music with my voice and instruments while connecting with his energy! There was nothing quiet, in my opinion, about the session he just experienced. There had been a recording of healing music playing in the background and I was actively using my voice and instruments close to his body to zone in on shifting the physical and emotional pain he was going through.

After a pause, I responded to his question when I realized, from his perspective, the healing sounds helped him quiet his inner turmoil of thoughts and agitation. He felt like he had just experienced a “quiet room”. But he wasn’t yet aware that I had created an abundance of healing sounds in the room. Even if he didn’t consciously hear the healing music customized for his session, he absorbed the healing sounds that calmed his mind. His take-away was finally experiencing inner peace. It seemed as though the sounds I created for him cancelled out the noise in his head and he felt as though he had just experienced a “quiet room”.

What advice would you suggest to your colleagues in your industry to thrive and avoid burnout?

I hear this a lot from business owners and friends When I hear someone complaining about not having the time to do something they want to do and repeating “I don’t have time for that”, I know it’s exactly the right time for them to make the time.

A client said to me recently “This is terrible that I lost the extra car key. I don’t have time to get a replacement key made for my car. The appointment itself takes 2 hours and then I have to schedule it around my kids. It would be different if I were single but I’m married and I more things to manage now.”

Certainly, it can seem stressful or overwhelming. However let’s take a different perspective on that. When this busy mom schedules time for the 2-hour appointment to get the car key replaced, what will she do during the 2 hours? From my perspective, it’s an opportunity to do something different, take a break from routine. She could sit in a chair at the dealership and take a nap or she could read part of a book that she wouldn’t have made time for otherwise. Maybe take a walk in the neighborhood and discover some new sights or have a pleasant conversation with a stranger. Even being pushed to take for time for something out of your busy schedule can actually be a welcome diversion to take a break and come back to regular activities feeling refreshed.

What advice would you give to other leaders about how to create a fantastic work culture?

As someone who is fascinated with how sounds can affect us, I would ask other leaders to consider the sounds that are in their work environment. Are there beeping sounds constantly like at a grocery store check-out line? Or is there a construction site next door? If people are yelling across cubicles, that could be distracting for some employees.

I would encourage leaders to consider adding recordings of healing sounds or even silent spaces into their work environment. Some workers require more quiet to work effectively and it’s good practice to consider supporting workers with healthy sound environment for greater focus and productivity.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

Louise Hay’s “Heal Your Body: The Mental Causes for the Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them” has impacted me. Aside from the controversy around how much of our illness or physical pain we have control over or not, the concept of a physical illness resulting from our thoughts and emotional blocks is fascinating to me. From my own experience, I’ve been diagnosed with 4 chronic illnesses and been told there is “no cure” for them. However, I no longer have symptoms that affect my daily enjoyment of life. So, what contributed those chronic illnesses disappearing over time? I would like to believe that my mindset, attitude and Sound Healing has helped me be healthier and combat the downward trajectory of these chronic diagnoses.

Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. Many people have become anxious just from the dramatic jolts of the news cycle. The fears related to the coronavirus pandemic have only heightened a sense of uncertainty, fear, and loneliness. From your experience or research what are five steps that each of us can take to develop serenity during such uncertain times? Can you please share a story or example for each.

I’d like to share my framework of GRACE. In addition to my last name being Grace, each letter stands for an action step we can take to develop more serenity and resilience in difficult times.

G is for Giving. Ask yourself, who and what are you giving attention to? Where and why? Some people give a lot and feel great by giving. But sometimes people may give out of obligation and feel drained by it. Noticing the feelings and shifts in your energy provide information about what could be best for you.

R is for Receiving. Who and what do you receive energy from? How can you incorporate more of that into your life? If you are giving more of your time, energy and resources than you are receiving, you will likely feel drained, depleted and even resentful over time. Ask yourself: What activities light you up and bring you joy? If you can have more experiences of bringing in the joy without feeling guilty for it, then you will likely have more energy and enthusiasm.

A is for Acknowledging what is going well. Sometimes we can feel so hopeless about our own situations and the news in the world. And, yes, there are some things beyond our control. When we can acknowledge what we’re happy for (a conversation with a friend, having a place to live, hearing a song on the radio) we shift ourselves into a more positive mindset.

C is for Change what you choose. Change can be wonderful and change can be scary. In my opinion, we have a lot more choice to change things than we think. We tend to limit ourselves by saying we can’t do things. But really we can do whatever we want. What we’re afraid of are the consequences of the actions we could take. I’m certainly not advocating to go out and do whatever you want. But you can choose to do something and you can choose not to. And, there are always ways to make small changes in our perspective, situation or response to others that will positively influence our experiences.

E is for Empower and Express yourself. Once you’ve evaluated how your energy ebbs and flows with different people, activities and responsibilities in your life you can enhance your perspective on what is going well and if you want to make any changes. Then it’s celebration time when you feel empowered in your awareness, choices and actions! Express yourself verbally, or through music, dancing, art, sports or anything else that you like!

From your experience or research what are five steps that each of us can take to effectively offer support to those around us who are feeling anxious? Can you explain?

Listening is the most crucial part. Truly hearing someone without an agenda to fix them or their situation is a real gift. For a person who’s feeling anxious, just being there could be enough for them to feel some relief. You can ask them what they need or want and see if you’re comfortable helping in that way. Sometimes people don’t know what they need or want, they simply want relief from their symptoms. So perhaps put on a piece of music and listen to it together. Share space together without talking. That is a gift also! And be patient with the person and also with yourself! It can feel frustrating to want to help someone and not be clear on how be most helpful. Again, I reiterate your presence of being there is so important. Anyone who is anxious is very likely to appreciate you being there for them, even if they forget to say thank you!

What are the best resources you would suggest to a person who is feeling anxious?

I’m a real advocate for listening to calming music or making music yourself! If you don’t play an instrument or sing, you can tap your fingers to the beat in a song or move around a bit. Have a dance party with yourself or with a friend. Often times when we focus on the music outside of us or music we create within us, we are transported into a space of not feeling the pain. It’s like the music gives us permission to feel hopeful and relaxed.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

It would be a huge gift for me to see and hear more people making music together and creating music for their own healing. I imagine that world leaders were required to sing together or play in a symphony orchestra before global meetings, there wouldn’t be so many conflicts or wars. Creating music together requires give and take, mutual respect and really being team players. I would love for the arts to find a permanent way into political debates. Enough said. ☺

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

Visit my website http://soundhealingenergy.ca for a free audio to “Calm Your Mind in 5 Minutes”. You can also join my Activate Resonance Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/353964752963827

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!


Joanna Grace of Sound Healing Energy: Five Things We Can Do To Develop Serenity And Support Each… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Dr. Najifa Choudhury of Dr Peace Lily: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a C

Dr Najifa Choudhury of Dr Peace Lily: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis or CBD Business

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

I wish I knew how hard it would be to open a business bank. Even though my products are from the hemp plant and contain no THC, it’s very hard or expensive to open a business bank account. One bank wanted to charge me $1,500 just for the application fee and there was no guarantee that they would approve my application to even start a bank account there.

As part of my series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis Business,” I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Najifa Choudhury.

Dr. Najifa Choudhury is a licensed pharmacist and passionate about educating others about the benefits of CBD oil. She launched her cannabis company Dr. Peace Lily in 2019 when she realized how unregulated the CBD industry was and wanted to come up with organic products to offer to others who were also hesitant to try out CBD oil. She recently left her six-figure pharmacist job to work on her business full time. Along with being the owner of a thriving business, she hosts retreats and is a life coach.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you share with us the story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Several years ago, I was experiencing a lot of stress and started looking for a more natural way to manage it. During my research, I learned about CBD oil, but initially I was a little hesitant. I did not know how it differentiated from THC. But as months went on, I kept hearing from other friends how much CBD was helping them and finally decided to give it a try. I was really taken aback by how much CBD helped my stress level and my mood. When I started sharing my own success story with patients and friends, I realized there was a big knowledge gap when it came to understanding what CBD is and how it can help. I also realized how unregulated the industry is and the lack of quality in most products. I decided to combine my passion and educational background to go into the cannabis industry and launched my own CBD line.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

A top magazine in Bangladesh recently reached out to interview me. This is exciting given that is my birthplace. I am amazed at how countries around the world are finding out about my small business making me truly realize the impact I have around the world and not just in my city. Sometimes I feel like I’m only a local business owner making local impacts, but that’s far from the truth with the internet nowadays, especially because I am so active virtually now. I’m seeing everyday what social media can do for growing businesses like mine and how I can influence and help so many people internationally. I never would have thought my business could reach from country to country. It is crazy to think I immigrated from Bangladesh to move to America without knowing an ounce of English and now here I am as a female entrepreneur acknowledged by a magazine from my birthplace. This is huge considering women back home are not encouraged to pursue entrepreneurship. Within two years of launching my company, I learned that I could use my voice to inspire female minorities around the globe and educate others about holistic healing.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I first started my company, I was interviewing someone for a position in the company, and I had butchered her name completely. I pronounced it so wrong that she herself didn’t even know I was saying her name and looked very confused on the Zoom call. She said “huh” and then I proceeded to say her name (completely wrong) once again. After seeing her confused face on the Zoom call, I realized my big mistake. I was so embarrassed and did not have the heart to mention I was saying her name wrong or ask her how to properly pronounce her name.

She ended up getting the job, but for the first month I was still so embarrassed regarding the incident and afraid of saying her name wrong that all together I avoided saying her name. What I learned from that lesson is to always Google name pronunciation prior to a meeting and if it’s a name I’m unsure of then to start off the meeting by saying “I’m sorry, I don’t want to say your name wrong. Would you mind pronouncing it for me?”

Are you working on any exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes, I’m currently launching my coaching business and planning my next retreat. People are constantly messaging me on social media and telling me how much I’m motivating and inspiring them to go after their dreams. Friends come to me with their problems, and I’m always there to listen and dig deeper with them to figure out the cause of the problem and help guide them to a solution. I have already found myself coaching without a title and now that I left my pharmacist job, I have more time to explore my other passions and impact more lives.

My goal and intention of hosting business retreats is to help others grow their business or start one. I remember how lonely the journey was when I first started my company and I want others to be able to come to my retreats to build a support system for themselves and for me to share all of my knowledge with them. As they say, “Sharing is caring.”

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I’m so grateful towards my husband for all the help and support. Bless his heart, he didn’t know a thing about designing or building a website, but he spent probably over 100 hours to build me a website when I first started my company, because I couldn’t afford to pay someone thousands of dollars. Two months ago, when I thought about quitting my six-figure pharmacy job to work on Dr. Peace Lily full time, he was the first one that I told. I was so nervous to share my thoughts with him because I had just spent eight years getting my doctorate degree but only worked in my career for two years. But as always, he was super supportive of my decision and encouraged me to go after my dreams.

This industry is young, dynamic and creative. Do you use any clever and innovative marketing strategies that you think large legacy companies should consider adopting?

What I found has helped grow my company the most is collaborating with local businesses for pop-up events or working with local yoga instructors to put on events for the community. When people are purchasing from me, they are not buying a product but a whole experience. I believe for larger legacy companies to continue to grow, they need to help curate such experiences for their customers, as well, and collaborate with local businesses that they have synergy with.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Cannabis industry? Can you share 3 things that most concern you?

Three things that most excite me about this industry is that it is cutting edge, constantly evolving, and people are more curious and accepting about healing with cannabis. Three things that concern me the most is how many people are entering this industry to make a quick dollar, how unregulated it is, and the lack of quality or integrity displayed by many businesses. This can cause confusion and uncertainty for customers, which could eventually lead to false propaganda.

Can you share your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis Business”? Please share a story or example for each.

  1. I wish I knew how hard it would be to open a business bank. Even though my products are from the hemp plant and contain no THC, it’s very hard or expensive to open a business bank account. One bank wanted to charge me $1,500 just for the application fee and there was no guarantee that they would approve my application to even start a bank account there.
  2. Payment processing and obtaining business insurance. A typical product-based business with a similar yearly revenue as mine would only pay a fraction of what I have to pay for product insurance. With this industry being so young, insurance companies do not know how to assess risk and therefore it’s a much higher premium.
  3. You cannot pay for Google, Facebook, or IG ads. Most businesses are able to grow through paying for ads to attract new customers, but in the cannabis industry you cannot do that.
  4. I am not only a product-based business selling an item, but I’m making an impactful difference in my customers’ lives. Yesterday, I attended a city at my local Chamber of Commerce and after introductions, one of the members rushed up to me because she was so intrigued about my business and wanted to learn more. She shared with me how her daughter is 19 years old, does not like to take any medications but needs something to help calm her down and increase her mood. After learning about my personal story and how CBD oil has helped me, she was so grateful for all the work I am doing in this space. She gave me the biggest hug and said she’s so glad she attended this meeting because she was able to meet me. Before I started my business, I never realized what a positive impact I would be making in the world.
  5. The initial judgment from colleagues and friends. Coming from the STEM background, my whole circle consists of pharmacists, doctors, and engineers. Majority of them also come from conservative backgrounds and they are not educated on how cannabis can be used for medicinal use. I was very nervous to disclose to my colleagues about my business due to some of the judgment that I received. I was also afraid of the professional repercussions I might receive from my employer if they found out I was in the cannabis business and I was unsure how to navigate such conversations. For the first year of my business, I did not disclose to any of my colleagues about my business and was even nervous to tell my friends and family. But then I learned to be much more comfortable in my skin and realized that more people need to know what I’m doing because they might benefit from my products.

What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?

My advice is to build a relationship with your employees and actually get to know them. They have dreams and aspirations and as CEOs, we should help others achieve their dreams and hope your time and investment is fruitful towards your business. You want to encourage your employees to grow within the company and not remain stagnant. I also believe it’s really important to be open minded and learn from your employees. We all have our unique blind spots due to our upbringing, culture, and mindset and sometimes we need others to help broaden our worldly prospective. Lastly, I love sharing my knowledge with my employees. I don’t believe in hoarding knowledge and being afraid to see others succeed. I want to elevate everyone around me.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I’m so fortunate that I have already inspired a holistic healing movement amongst my networks. I want to inspire more people to dig deep and to figure out how to bring about holistic healing to every aspect of their lives to truly make a difference. Even as a pharmacist, I don’t believe in solely pushing a pill to relieve your pain. There are outside resources to healing and I am here to educate others on the different options.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

Instagram: @dr.peacelily

TikTok: @najifac

Facebook: @dr.peacelilycbd

Web: https://www.drpeacelily.com/

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!


Dr. Najifa Choudhury of Dr Peace Lily: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a C was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Marriam Mossalli of Niche Arabia On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your…

Female Disruptors: Marriam Mossalli of Niche Arabia On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Women are judged more emotionally. Certain attributes that both men and women share can be received quite differently based on gender. The whole “Bossy versus Bitchy” dilemma. People see a woman walk into the room and if she’s too pretty they assume that’s why she’s there, or if she has a certain last name, its proof of nepotism. I don’t see my male counterparts facing similar superficial judgement.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Marriam Mossalli.

Marriam Mossalli, former news journalist with 15 years experience as a contributing editor for international titles, is the young Saudi entrepreneur at the head of the prominent luxury consultancy firm Niche Arabia and leading voice for Saudi Arabia fashion. Labelled by the international media industry as “Saudi Ambassador of Fashion” she earned global recognition for her innovative activities in the Kingdom, particularly for the role she plays in elevating the Saudi fashion industry by working with local and international clients.
Marriam is also the founder of the Saudi Style Council, a reference point for Saudi Arabia creative scene, aimed at guiding and promoting local talents while putting Saudi Arabia the international fashion map.
Since 2018 Marriam Mossalli is included in the global BoF 500 list, the prestigious award that recognizes key players in the global fashion industry.

Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

My career path was quite serendipitous: I started writing scripts for TVCs and corporate videos, and would freelance some articles to the newspaper. Then one day, the editor-in-chief asked to meet me and I was hired on the spot as the youngest editor for the leading English newspaper in the Middle East. From there, I made a name for myself, co-founding the LifeStyle section of the newspaper. Together with an amazing team of Saudi writers, we focused on local narratives of young Saudi. It was a new concept as most of our lifestyle news was still being copy-pasted from international wires.

From there, I saw there was a large disconnect between what people thought of the Saudi consumer and the reality of who the Saudi consumer is. Niche Arabia was established as an attempt to bridge that gap while portraying an authentic image of Saudi. Today, ten years later, we continue to help international brands enter the Saudi market, while championing the exportation of our own culture through fashion, art and music. Niche arabia continues to set benchmarks in what is possible in the Kingdom, while highlighting the amazing local creatives behind such achievements.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

Ever since I was a little kid, I never accepted the status quo. If you told me not to touch that porcelain bowl, the next minute, I’d be parading the bowl around as a hat. Those terrible twos morphed into a pretty rebellious teenage phase, and then into who I am now — a disruptive industry insider. If there’s no place for me, I’ll make sure to carve my own niche.

My company isn’t just the first; in my very biased opinion, it is also the best. We conceived and executed the first ever female sports day in Saudi Arabia, gathering 10,000 young girls and women in a stadium that until that point was only reserved for males.

Because my country is built on “implied” restrictions rather than actual laws, many things are taboo rather that explicitly prohibited. I’ve been able to push the envelope and open doors that have allowed to mixed runway shows, female sport days, and individual expression to no longer be a taboo.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I worked with family! [she laughs]

Definitely not smart, but also hard to avoid in a country like Saudi Arabia, where you’re seven degrees of relation to everyone!

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

I’ve had many amazing people I consider mentors, who I’ve tried to absorb every ounce of experience and knowledge they may have to share! One such bold and inspiring woman is Her Excellency Saudi Ambassador to the US, HRH Princess Reema Bint Bandar. But ten years ago, she was just a friend commending me on my commitment (as at that time many young Saudis would gain their education abroad and then stay there to pursue their careers). Most professions, especially those in the creative fields, were limited in the Kingdom. Reema saluted my drive and told me that I was too smart for staying home and setting up my roots. And now that Saudi is open, and everyone is wanting an in, I’m sitting here with a company that’s over a decade old, and a career that spans almost two. Her advice to fight the good fight always pops up in my mind, especially on those hard days where I find myself thinking, “God this could be easier if I were trying to do this anywhere else.”

In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?

That’s a great question because you’re right — some things should be retained. I think that disrupting an industry has a negative connotation when its foundations are demolished, and its original values are given little consideration, or worse, are neglected. From this perspective, I believe Saudi Arabia is doing a great job of showing the world that being traditional and contemporary are not mutually exclusive. We can still be a progressive country that retains its cultural identity and is proud of its heritage.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

Lama Alsulaiman, one of the first females to be an elected official in the Saudi government, once told me that if you want to truly be effective, you don’t always have to go against the grain. As female amongst a room of men, which is often the situation I find myself in (as the luxury sector worldwide is predominately run by males in c-suite roles), that you have to speak in their language and mannerisms. I learned very early on how to mimic my male counterparts in business meetings and negotiations, which I fully attribute to my success today as an entrepreneur.

Somayya Jarbati, the highest-ranking female in media in the Middle East (she was then Deputy Editor of Arab News), told me as a woman we have to be stronger than men. That as women, if we are seen as “complaining,” they will say we don’t deserve to be here. So, I would have to learn to deal and solve my own problems, when perhaps a male in the same situation would have his superiors to go to.

Dr Lillian Khan, a dear friend and badass dermatologist, is another female in a profession dominated by males. She never gave me advice, but I look to her as inspiration. She continues to fight for her place and never gives up. Her drive and ambition is something I admire and I hope that I can inspire the young women who work for me in the same manner.

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

Right now, while I am coaching, mentoring and supporting young Saudi talents in the creative industry through the Saudi Style Council, I’m working on multiple projects with the support of our government — a clear shift compared to ten years ago, when it was the private sector making the moves. My hope is to continue to be a clear and articulate a voice for my country as a patriotic capitalist.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

Women are judged more emotionally. Certain attributes that both men and women share can be received quite differently based on gender. The whole “Bossy versus Bitchy” dilemma. People see a woman walk into the room and if she’s too pretty they assume that’s why she’s there, or if she has a certain last name, its proof of nepotism. I don’t see my male counterparts facing similar superficial judgement.

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

WomenPowerPodcast by Wafa Obaidat, who is basically my Bahraini twin when it comes to our careers.

Womena by Elissa Freiha, a young feminist whose Instagram platform is awesome!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

Through my two nonprofits Under The Abaya and Saudi Style Council, I believe I’m doing what I preach: I’m connecting people and giving them a platform to narrate their own stories. As a writer and journalist, I always found it odd that in Saudi, our stories were told for us. The media would morph and edit to fit their brand of sensationalism. Saudi women were depicted as submissive mutes that wore only black, while the reality was a colorful contradiction.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

The closest thing I have to that is my senior yearbook quote, which was an Oscar Wilde quote: The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

I still have that same unflinching curiosity and drive, which I believe has been a catalyst to my success today.

How can our readers follow you online?

@marriam.mossalli @nichearabia

@under_the_abaya @saudistylecouncil_

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!


Female Disruptors: Marriam Mossalli of Niche Arabia On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Erayna Sargent of Hooky Wellness On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your…

Female Disruptors: Erayna Sargent of Hooky Wellness On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Take the timeout before you need it. I wasn’t kidding when I said my therapist put me on time out. At the end of 2019, I decided to take a short-term disability leave. I was at the peak of my most intense burnout experience and, as I put it, “life was life-ing” and was taking more of the bandwidth that I realized. My dad’s fight with cancer and other aggressive health issues was intensifying, the family stuff that comes with that, dual career, cross country moves.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Erayna Sargent of Hooky Wellness.

Leveraging her 15 years in brand innovation at companies including Nestle and Intuit, she uniquely blends mental wellness tools with a digestible Design Thinking inspired approach.

Her personal experience with Burnout set her on a mission to make navigating this experience more accessible. Erayna has coached professionals across organizations, including Google, Accenture, Molson Coors, P&G, and Teach for America, about the power of being proactive with your well-being.

Erayna is the founder of BLEND; a non-profit focused on supporting young professionals of color. She has an MBA from Indiana University and is a member of the Mental Wellness Initiative at the Global Wellness Institute and the AllRaise Visionary Voices Speaker Bureau. Erayna has guest appeared on podcasts including NPR Life Kit, Dribble Overtime, Balanced Black Girl, Ozy Media, Hour Detroit, and Architectural Digest.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I was born and raised in Detroit, where hustle is just a part of our DNA. So I took that baton and ran, building a career in brand management & innovation.

I’ve been a nomad living in cities including Chicago, Cleveland, Bloomington, Indiana, St.Gallen, Switzerland, San Francisco, Kansas City. Last year my husband and I moved to Charlotte, NC, where we recently purchased our first home.

I recognized from an early age that I wanted to build a career that I was passionate about and even recall declaring, “I’m not going to spend the next 40 years of my life working jobs that I don’t like”. So, in my sophomore year, I shifted my focus from the very Detroit career path of computer engineering into marketing.

Since then, I’ve worked at companies including Haworth (workspace design & office future ), Nestle, Intuit, and early-stage startups, where I’ve had the opportunity to work on some of the world’s biggest and newest consumer brands. In addition, I’m a huge foodie that loves wellness experience, and design and I am grateful to have built a career where each of these elements played a significant role.

My cross-industry exposure and design thinking experience have connected me to some fantastic people and enabled me to develop deep empathy and a unique perspective as a workplace cultural anthropologist.

I say that I found my way into entrepreneurship because my therapist put me on time out….literally. As someone whose perpetual curiosity often led to timeout as a kid, it’s ironic that it is what opened the door to my life’s passion.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

In 2019, I left my career in tech to found Hooky Wellness to provide complete burnout relief for today’s workplace. Our digitally integrated experience equips mid-career professionals with a toolkit, expert mental wellness support, and a community of peers to help navigate work, wellness, and the gray area in-between.

After a personal experience with burnout, I transitioned into entrepreneurship and opened my eyes to how rampant it was yet, how alone everyone felt.

For years, burnout has been a taboo topic, ignored by individuals and companies alike. Before the pandemic, burnout was already claiming 77% of the professional workforce, yet people lacked the essential awareness and understanding. Fast forward to today, burnout is top of mind for individuals and workplaces around the world.

What I’ve learned is that people and many company leaders do care. However, they just don’t understand burnout and its impact, and they know even less about what to do about it.

Burnout is a systemic issue with an individual impact that requires a collective effort.

We’re facing it head-on. There’s a lot of talk about “normalizing” mental health and wellness, but instead of saying it, Hooky is about action.

From our workshops, training, and Hooky Day campaign, we’re working with corporations that understand that we need not shy away from combatting this complex problem. Instead, we’re equipping hustle culture with a common vocabulary, practical tools and helping them drive engagement with the underutilized resources that can keep burnout at bay.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Then, can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

There’s plenty of mistakes in the entrepreneurship journey, most of which I wouldn’t call “haha” funny, but for some, I can’t help but chuckle and shake my head.

As a brand marketer, I know that the right design aesthetic can significantly impact, but I didn’t recognize that some things can wait, unlike my experience incorporate. As a result, I wasted a lot of time, energy, and money trying to get just the right color, font, etc., when things were still changing.

The concept of 80/20 has never meant as much as it does now. Now, before I start a project that requires a lot of time, money, or other resources, I pause to make sure it’s needed and define what’s good enough. It sounds simple, but it’s so easy to be in the weeds that you forget to step back to determine if it’s essential.

We all need a little help along the journey. Who has been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

I would have to say my family was my first set of mentors. As the baby of the family, I watched my parents and sisters grind and learned the importance of a strong work ethic. During my childhood, my parents had a crafts business in addition to their full-time jobs. We would spend the weekend in the gym or hallway of a different school to sell blankets, clocks, and other handmade crafts. As early as 9, I remember setting up the display and being the salesperson. I would take my time setting out the crafts to ensure that our top sellers had a prominent position that made my other role as a salesperson easier.

Looking back, I think this was my first learning in understanding people and communication, and I built on that foundation in my early jobs as a waitress, university tour guide and now using those same skills in what I do today.

Professionally, two of my core mentors are my company advisors- Ray Luther, Ph.D. leadership, and Mahima Muralidharan, Psy. D.

I met Ray during the second year of my MBA when he joined the Kelley School of business as a faculty member. I met Mahima because cold outreach works. She was a panelist at a LinkedIn conference, and I just knew I wanted to learn more about her.

I appreciate them both because despite coming from academia and mental health industries, they understand that life is more than theories and whitepapers and about pragmatic, practical solutions that people can incorporate into real life.

They have both been instrumental in not only providing insights and perspective in their areas of expertise but realigning me when I lose sight of my vision. Founders and entrepreneurs wear so many hats that they can easily get pulled into the weeds and lose sight of the path. I’ve learned that having mentors that I can trust to hold me accountable is invaluable.

Brene Brown, Michelle Obama, Kristen Bell, and Big Sean are other life mentors though they don’t know me from a can of paint.

In today’s world, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?

As a child, I read the poem “Invention Shel Silverstein” to the entire school when I was in kindergarten, so I guess I’ve always had the “innovators bug.” My career helped me acquire a deep appreciation for the power of true disruption.

There’s a ton of research on disruption. One of my favorite descriptions is that disruption is all about radical change and uniquely filling unmet needs in a way that can turn nonconsumers into consumers.

A leading and personal favorite example of disruption is Netflix. They started by simply mailing movie DVDs and have now completely changed how we access and interact with video content. Movies and shows are how I decompress. I am thankful that my days of driving to Blockbuster are over. My relaxation starts as soon as I put my laptop down and hit the couch.

What’s most exciting about impactful disruption is that it can support individuals that existing structures and processes have overlooked; however, the biggest issue I see with a disorder is when we disrupt only one part of the problem vs. the entire model.

For example, it’s great that apps make therapy more accessible; however, this has created issues in other parts of the system.

Using technology and traditional startup playbooks to build mental health solutions bears plenty of challenges in itself. For example, startups are expected to be lean and are judged by engagement metrics like time in-app vs. impact. So without changing the KPIs, how can we expect them to help individuals spend less time on their phones or even pay therapists the wages they deserve.

Significant problems like this need to be solved holistically held to different more impact-focused KPIs, and engage key stakeholders from the beginning to ensure end-to-end thinking.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

  1. Take the timeout before you need it. I wasn’t kidding when I said my therapist put me on time out. At the end of 2019, I decided to take a short-term disability leave. I was at the peak of my most intense burnout experience and, as I put it, “life was life-ing” and was taking more of the bandwidth that I realized. My dad’s fight with cancer and other aggressive health issues was intensifying, the family stuff that comes with that, dual career, cross country moves. My therapist set me right and put me on timeout. This was life-changing! As someone that has been on the go from a young age of “burning the candle at both ends,” as my parents would say, the idea of stillness and not working is a foreign, uncomfortable, and unfamiliar process.
    It’s so easy to get caught in the grind that you lose yourself in it. This timeout forced me to slow down and work through this unnecessary guilt of prioritizing myself. I am so thankful that I did because it not only forced me to do more of the fun things I wanted to do but rarely made time for, it also gave me the mental space to think through the creative opportunities for Hooky and is a big reason that I named the company “Hooky.”
  2. “Do it afraid” is one of my mantras. This came from my experience in Founder’s Gym, an online program for underrepresented entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is one of the most challenging things that I’ve done when the leaders, Paige and Mandela, said this — it just hit home. Fear can keep many people from pressing forward, but the power isn’t in acting like fear isn’t real but recognizing the fear and still keeping going.

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

I’m excited to bring greater approachability and access to the world of mental wellness. We often think of wellness as one-dimensional, but it is so much more. I’m excited to merge markets and create dope experiences that reflect real life and have a real impact.

In the near term, I’m focusing on unlocking the practice of grace, personal agency and eliminating the expectation of perfectionism. Perfect should never be the goal. We put so much unneeded pressure on ourselves, our leaders, and our organization to be perfect, which is just unrealistic.

We’re working on some exciting offerings and partnerships for burnout relief. From bringing more accessibility and impact through elevated wellness experiences to equipping MBA students with well-being grounded leadership toolkit, we’re creating solutions that impact both immediate needs and the future of work.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

With women, it’s the mental hurdles of pushing past what we are conditioned to believe, follow the rules, play nice, etc…

It’s even more complex as a Black woman because despite knowing your power, sometimes it feels like the world is doing everything in its power to bring you down and hold you back.

I’m grateful for a support system, community, family, and friends that are cheering me on and contributing their expertise as well.

Steve Jobs said, “…and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones that do.”

I love that quote, but it took me a while to realize that I was resisting this because the idea of “crazy” and “woman” is not commonly viewed as a positive thing.

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

Ashley Kirkwood is a confidence coach with the podcast “Speak your way to Cash with Ashley Kirkwood.” She just seems to know what I need when I need it.

Recently, I was feeling nervous about pitching my most significant proposals to date; thankfully, she had an episode where she broke down how important it is to recognize the value of your thoughts and ideas and how culture has driven us, especially Black women, to discount the power of our knowledge and abilities despite our expertise, experience, and credentials.

As someone building a service-based business, this was huge! Frameworks and tools, I needed to hear this to recognize the power of all of my professional and personal experiences. Thanks to this podcast, I’m walking into partnership discussions with confidence and the receipts for the transformation that I can create.

The book “Start at the End” by Matt Wallaert helped me internalize that behavioral science is more than a degree; it is about the ability to create change. This was another big thing for me because my work in burnout requires equipping people to change their lives and community. Thanks to the power of Twitter, Matt and I have connected, and I am thankful to have his insight and expertise throughout this process.

If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I’ve been setting little fires for what I call the anti-burnout movement with a mission to get people to play hooky more often. It’s not about being lazy or irresponsible. It’s about creating the space to enjoy the life that you’ve worked hard to create.

Our annual Hooky Day celebration is our fun way to catalyze this movement. On October 19th, we will celebrate our 3rd yearly Hooky Day as a professional skip day for mental wellness and partner with organizations that understand authentic engagement is created through action, not words.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead. Walk beside me… just be my friend”. This was my senior yearbook quote and still holds. I think the best leaders are the ones that understand not only how to lead others but how to follow.

It’s the partnership within relationships that gets us to where we need to go. This is the philosophy that I’ve held throughout my career leading cross-functional teams, as a non-profit founder, a wife, and now as a CEO.

Where can our audience keep up with you?

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!


Female Disruptors: Erayna Sargent of Hooky Wellness On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Lessons from a Thriving Power Couple, With Mark & Rebecca Christou

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

It’s not just about “leading” in the typical sense. It’s about listening, collaboration and encouragement. It’s about trusting the people on your team to take ownership and then stepping in to make quick decisions when you have to. And it’s about always leading by example — we still take the trash out at the end of the day, we always say thank you and we treat everyone as we want to be treated ourselves.

As a part of our series about lessons from Thriving Power Couples, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mark and Rebecca Christou.

Mark Christou, Founder & Creative Partner of Independent Creative Agency, ROOK/NYC, specializing in branding, packaging design and creative production, and Founder & Partner of R/Co Ventures, a fund created to invest in and work closely with emerging CPG companies that require brand and capital partnership. Rebecca Thomas Christou, the other side of this duo, is the Managing Partner of ROOK/NYC. As Managing Partner, Rebecca is focused on partnering with clients to collaboratively ideate, develop and deploy impactful, actionable brand solutions to build awareness, drive consumer consumption and impact culture through strategic thinking and disruptive creative.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you two to your respective career paths?

Mark: It was the only thing I really excelled in at in school…I was good at design and art and I’ve always had a passion for typography, so I went the creative route. I studied at Norwich School of Art and Design and started my career in the branding and packaging industry with an internship at Pearlfisher London in 2001. By 2009 I was named Creative Director of Pearlfisher New York.

Rebecca: I started my career in the Architectural industry as a designer. When the market crashed in ’08 my firm took a hard hit, and I was left looking for a new job in an industry that had been completely crushed. I met Mark in ’07 and was fascinated learning about the branding industry through him, so I applied for a job at Wolff Olins (I had admired their work for years) and the rest was history. They really took a chance on me — coming in fresh from another field — and I’ll always be so appreciative of that. I remained at WO right up to the point when I decided to join Mark to build ROOK/NYC.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you two got married?

In 2016 one of our clients approached us to partner with them and a recent equity partner to massively scale their already $300M business. We and our team went to work for their company, building an “internal creative agency” from 3 to over 30 in 18 months. In 2018 the company was acquired by Unilever, and we exited in 2019 to begin rebuilding ROOK/NYC. Working on the internal brand side for that time was an immense learning experience that we were fortunate to have. We had the opportunity to see things squarely from the brand’s point of view and learn all sides of the business from sales challenges, retail partnerships, national advertising campaigns, manufacturing and production, international partnerships…the list goes on. You won’t get that with only agency-side experience. It changes your whole perspective, and develops a level of empathy for your clients that is key.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

It wasn’t funny, but one mistake we made more than once early on was working with the wrong clients. You may have seen Anthony Burrill’s book or graphic prints that read “Work hard and be nice to people.” That couldn’t be a truer statement, and we might follow it up with “and only work hard for nice people.” After we learned the hard way that working with unkind people isn’t worth it (no matter the fees on the table), we’ve become very mindful about who we partner with. Every client that comes through the door starts out with an initial project. If we detect anything concerning in that first engagement, we don’t continue beyond that project. All that to say, we’ve been fortunate to have mostly incredible clients as of late.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story? We’re partners in brand. Not just your typical creative brand agency. When we were working with one of our very first clients, Michael Lastoria (of &pizza), we came up with the brand name “&pizza” in an off-the-cuff naming ideation session in Michael’s living room as he swung a baseball bat around. We really get in there and get to know our clients and the fabric of their businesses through building genuine relationships.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

We’ve been working with a great company called InOn Health (internationally known as Access Mobile, but recently we helped them rename their US arm for this market). They’re in the medical tech communications space and reach untapped communities (both urban and rural) to help individuals get the proper medical care they need.

What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?

You really have to meet each employee where they are and get to know what makes them tick. Each person is different and needs different support. You have to set aside the time to provide that support and be thoughtful about it. It’s easier said than done, since everyone is so time-starved these days, but it comes back tenfold.

How do you define “Leadership”?

It’s not just about “leading” in the typical sense. It’s about listening, collaboration and encouragement. It’s about trusting the people on your team to take ownership and then stepping in to make quick decisions when you have to. And it’s about always leading by example — we still take the trash out at the end of the day, we always say thank you and we treat everyone as we want to be treated ourselves.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Mark: There are too many to list but one person that helped ROOK/NYC become the agency it is today was Tom First. Tom convinced Purity Organic, a brand that he had funded though First Beverage, to work with us on their brand redesign. This was our very first job as ROOK/NYC. Fast forward to today and Tom has continued to be a supporter of ROOK/NYC, so much so that we co-created Culture POP Soda together in 2020.

Rebecca: My former boss at Wolff Olins, Erica Garvey. She really took me under her wing when I changed career paths, and taught me so much. And she trusted me even though I was a rookie. She was an excellent leader and just an all-around great human.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

We both believe education and mentorship for the next generation of creatives is key, and that there’s work to do in bringing more diversity to the creative industry. We have a concept in the works related to this. Stay tuned for more…

What are the “5 Things You Need To Thrive As A Couple”? Please share a story or example for each.

Patience — because it gets intense when you work together AND live together.

Passion — to keep pushing forward even when the going gets tough.

Intuition — because sometimes you just have to go with your gut.

Empathy — because it won’t work unless you have an open mind and heart.

&

Wine — for when you just need to take the edge off after a long day/week.

You are people of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

We really feel strongly that design and creative education needs to be available and accessible for all. We have something in the works to start the conversation on really addressing this need.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

We’ve always been very inspired by the Vignelli’s — Massimo & Lella — who were a husband/wife power duo that championed simplistic, timeless design. They were quoted saying “If you do it right, it will last forever” which really resonates — some of the purest designs we’ve created have truly stood the test of time in an environment where constant rebranding and repackaging is the norm. Massimo was also quoted saying “I am the engine and Lella is the brakes” and that just happens to comically mirror our working dynamic as well.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂

In our industry it would be the Vignelli’s, hands down, if they were still alive.

Rebecca: I’d probably have to have a glass of wine to chill out prior because I stan her, but for me it’s Serena Williams. She’s so inspirational for obvious reasons, but the way she’s powered through all of the challenges she has faced, especially since becoming a mother, really hits home. She’s the epitome of strength to me.

How can our readers follow your work online?

rooknyc.com & @rooknyc on Instagram

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.

Thank you!


Lessons from a Thriving Power Couple, With Mark & Rebecca Christou was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Charly Lester of RealMe On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Be responsive. I’ve always been a planner, and when my dating blog first went viral, I had dreams of writing a book. I never planned to be a tech entrepreneur — in fact people would often ask when I would launch my own dating app, but I knew it wasn’t possible without serious funding. The best points of my career have come when I’ve been responsive to opportunities which have come my way. While I always have a rough idea of where I want to be, and what I want to be doing, I love the flexibility to be able to say yes to a great opportunity and just see where it takes me.

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Charly Lester.

Charly Lester is RealMe’s Dating Industry Expert. She is known for her previous work as the Dating Editor for the Guardian and the Global Head of Dating for Time Out. Charly is also known for co-founding the dating app Lumen.

Charly is also responsible for launching the UK, US, and European Dating Awards. Over the past eight years, Charly has worked in a range of different capacities with dating businesses of all sizes. Charly’s dating advice and insights on the latest dating trends have been featured in national print, broadcast and digital media, and she is a regular guest on BBC Woman’s Hour.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

I entered the dating industry as a blogger eight years ago, and was headhunted by the Guardian newspaper as their dating editor. This led to me leaving my job in banking, and working for Time Out magazine as their Global Head of Dating. My work with the dating blog inspired me to launch my first business — The Dating Awards — which grew to become an international set of industry awards for the online dating industry. Following the success of the Awards in the UK, US and Europe, I was approached to co-found Lumen, the first dating app specifically designed for daters over 50. Lumen was the fastest growing dating app of 2019, and secured over 1.5 million members in its first year. I exited after it was sold to Blackstone Group as part of their acquisition of Bumble Group. Since then I have worked within the dating industry as an advisor and dating expert, working with companies of all sizes in the space, including RealMe — a platform which works directly with dating apps and platforms to verify users potential matches and provide background information to make dating apps safer.

Why is the work you’re doing disruptive to your industry?

I’ve always come at the dating industry from a ‘user first’ perspective. When I was a blogger, I was a singleton, using the apps I wrote about. I created the Awards so that they focused on the safety and legitimacy concerns of users, and what I love about my role now as RealMe’s dating expert is that their service is all about providing safety and security for users. Dating is great, but it is an industry which has the potential to be open to exploitation, and so single people need to be protected on the apps and services they use. What I love about RealMe is that the company embodies the same values and principles I applied to my first business in the industry seven years ago — keeping users safe and putting their priorities first. I believe any business in the dating industry needs to be thinking about their users before their bottom line, because with dating apps users are as much your product as the actual app. If you don’t have members, you don’t have a dating app, and real members want to know that their potential match is who they say they are so they can have a sense of security while engaging online.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson did you learn from that?

I’m afraid it’s not funny — but an early mistake I made was setting my goals too small. I named my first business ‘UK Dating Awards’ — not realizing how much of a demand there would be for them. A few years later I had to completely rebrand ‘The Dating Awards’ as my business spread to other continents. You should never set your goals too small — leave space for yourself to grow, because you never know where that might take you.

Who are some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they’ve made an impact on you?

When I worked at Time Out, I was particularly inspired by Ellie Ford, who was their Head of Innovation. I almost left the dating industry and she was the one who underlined just how much expertise I had established in the space and how rare that was. If it wasn’t for her advice I would have moved to another area of tech — and something I have definitely learned in the years since that conversation, is just how important a niche area of expertise can be. Dating is a very small industry, and there are very few people who have the hands-on experience I do, from a whole range of vantage points within it.

In today’s world, being disruptive is usually a positive trait. Please share your thoughts on how being disruptive can be a positive thing for your industry, and please share examples of what you mean. Are there also examples of when being disruptive is not so positive for your industry?

I think sometimes you don’t necessarily see the full impact of disruption until many years later. Dating apps totally revolutionized online dating — they gamified the industry, making dating something fun and playful, which was no longer surrounded by a stigma. And that’s a hugely positive thing … but a few years later we are seeing some of the biproducts of this change. Dating apps can dehumanize people — making it all feel like too much of a game, and as a result people can hide behind avatars, or behave in ways they wouldn’t in the real world. So there ends up needing to be new disruptions, to tackle new problems which results in change. I like the fact that services like RealMe are there to remind users that they are talking to other real people, and to hold people more accountable for the things they say and do online. Dating should be a fun, joyful experience, and we need to protect that experience as an industry.

Please share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve received along your journey, along with a story or an example for each.

I believe you should always be your authentic self. When my dating blog went viral, at first I didn’t understand why — but when I spoke to people I realized it was because I spoke to my readers, like I was speaking to friends. I have never had different sides to myself — when I was launching Lumen around the world, I would be on TV shows, talking to millions of people, and I always found the best approach was to answer questions honestly and as a human — because people trust other humans. We can see and hear authenticity … and we can interpret it when it’s absent too.

Trust your gut. Over the years I’ve had far too many experiences as a female founder where men who are older than me have underestimated me, and tried to con me in different ways. I’ve realized that my gut is most often correct when I have a bad feeling about a company or an individual. One of the greatest parts of working for yourself is being able to say ‘no’ to situations and opportunities when they don’t feel 100% right.

Be responsive. I’ve always been a planner, and when my dating blog first went viral, I had dreams of writing a book. I never planned to be a tech entrepreneur — in fact people would often ask when I would launch my own dating app, but I knew it wasn’t possible without serious funding. The best points of my career have come when I’ve been responsive to opportunities which have come my way. While I always have a rough idea of where I want to be, and what I want to be doing, I love the flexibility to be able to say yes to a great opportunity and just see where it takes me.

How are you going to shake things up next?

As we’ve seen in recent weeks on social media, there is a huge call for people to be more authentic, and to verify and truly own their online identities. Screens should no longer be a disguise which allows people to say and do whatever they want to other people, because people end up getting hurt. I’m really excited to represent RealMe as their Dating Industry Expert, because I believe the dating industry needs more transparency and accountability, and that starts with knowing exactly who you are talking to.

What are the biggest challenges female disruptors face that their male counterparts don’t?

There’s often no one in the room who looks like us, or who has a CV resembling our own. Whether that’s a board room, or when you’re pitching for investment. People most commonly hire in their own likeness, and there are still so many ceilings out there which need breaking. I believe female founders have to fight twice as hard for many things male founders take for granted, but as a result, we’re doubly qualified to change the world.

Is there a book/podcast that’s had a deep impact on your thinking?

There’s a business book called ‘The Idea in You’ which I reviewed a few years ago for a program I was running for female entrepreneurs. One of the main learnings I took from it was applying the Nike slogan ‘just do it!’ to life. Instead of procrastinating, if you think of something, and it might take less than half an hour to do, do it now, don’t just add it to a ‘to do’ list. I’m often in situations where I’m cramming 12 hours of work and activity into 8, and so that premise helps me to be a lot more efficient and just get things done as soon as I can.

If you could inspire a movement, what would that be?

I want more little girls to believe they are superheroes. Every little girl in my life (nieces, neighbors, friends’ children) has Wonderwoman outfits. From an early age my parents led me to believe I could achieve anything, and I want those girls to feel that way too.

What is your favorite life lesson quote? Please share how this is relevant to your growth/life.

I loved ‘Carpe Diem’, the Latin phrase in the film Dead Poets Society. It’s Latin for ‘seize the day’ and has definitely guided the way I live my life. Both my parents died in their early 50s, and it showed me you never know how much time you have, so you should make the most of every opportunity. I’ve travelled the world, lived in Canada, China and Honduras, and run marathons across the Sahara Desert. I competed in Ironman triathlons and represented Romania (my mother’s birth country) in the Roller Derby World Cup in 2017.

How can our readers follow you online?

I tweet @charlylester and am on Instagram @charly.lester

Thank you for your time, and your excellent insights! We wish you continued success.


Female Disruptors: Charly Lester of RealMe On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Krista Webster of Veritas Communications: Five Ways For Influencers To Monetize Their Brand

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Never underestimate your power to do great things. The safety of a regular paying job kept me from ever being a true entrepreneur and now I realize much later that I could have achieved more. Importantly, also stay humble. Your actions should speak for themselves. Talented PR people don’t need to PR themselves.

As part of my series about “How Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Krista Webster.

Krista Webster is currently the President & CEO of Veritas Communications and Vice-Chair of an MDC Network Alliance that includes North American agencies from advertising, shopper marketing, digital as well as Veritas. With more than 20 years of public relations working with blue chip clients in the US, Canada, Europe and Asia, Webster has been named as one of PR Weeks Top 40 Under 40 & Top Women In PR, PRovoke’s Innovator 25 in 2017, an Adweek Brand Star in 2018. She joined the 2021 PR jury at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity earlier this year.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit more. What is your “backstory”? What brought you to this point in your career?

I graduated with a Master’s in Journalism determined to be a fashion magazine editor, but quickly took on television and freelance writing right out of school. A professor recommended me for a PR job at a Global agency and I really had no idea what that meant, but I wanted the ‘security’ of a real job and took it. I learned a lot by watching and listening and 20+ years later in agency, I have never looked back.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you in the course of your career?

My job has afforded me the opportunity to work with a myriad of heavyweights from celebrities to politicians, like Barack Obama, Kanye West, William Shatner, Arianna Huffington and Taylor Swift. There are so many great stories I have had the ability to ‘tell’ as a publicist, but the real stories that I have experienced in this business are for me to keep in privacy.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I hope so. I try every day to be a role model, but I am definitely not perfect. This business is not for the fate of heart and the pressure is intense. It can bring out the best and worst in moments, but as long as you continue to learn from it, it is all worthwhile. I have had the good fortune of working with global brands that also see the value of supporting women’s issues, wildlife, children and my passion for cause in marketing continues to grow as I continue to evolve in my career. As a Xennial leader, I also feel a profound responsibility to provide opportunities for women trying to get into PR and help them learn from my mistakes, as well as benefit from the positive, which I have been fortunate to have had a hand in shaping.

You have been blessed with great success in a career path that many have attempted, but eventually gave up on. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path but know that their dreams might be dashed?

Never underestimate your power to do great things. The safety of a regular paying job kept me from ever being a true entrepreneur and now I realize much later that I could have achieved more. Importantly, also stay humble. Your actions should speak for themselves. Talented PR people don’t need to PR themselves.

None of us can achieve success without a bit of help along the way. Is there a particular person who made a profound difference in your life to whom you are grateful? Can you share a story?

I have had incredible female and male role models that saw something in me at every juncture of my career and allowed me to take on responsibility at an age well beyond my years. They always gave me enough rope to excel, but never enough to hang myself either. Today, you would call them mentors. In my generation, they were just great leaders who appreciated a hard-working woman trying to make it on her own.

So what are the most exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

The breadth and depth of what I am working on is so diverse that it might send some into a tailspin. But I love variety. From internal employee management to client service, to pitching new business ‘mad woman’ style, every stone is unturned in every vertical and every human situation. That’s why I love this career so much. There is a misperception that PR isn’t real, but the business of PR is as real as it gets emotionally, mentally, and even from a physical stamina standpoint. It’s a race to the middle every day.

What are your “Top Five Ways That Influencers Can Monetize Their Brand”? Please share a story or example for each.

  1. Be genuine and know your audience
  2. Align with brands that represent your values sect, and don’t waver
  3. Learn to say no to partnerships that don’t add long-term value
  4. Stay ahead of social shopping trends and be open to trying new approaches
  5. Close the loop to close a future deal. Always follow-up with agencies/clients to see how your content performed.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

I feel like I have already had the benefit of being part of the making of girls and women movements that truly help effect change financially and from an education standpoint. However, I think there is still an immense amount of work to be done to protect women and children from being impoverished, sexually and physically assaulted. My work to help protect and prevent harm is early days still, but something I absolutely can ever ignore.

I also believe that sharing more women’s stories will help mitigate the issues SHE faces, and would love to double down on a commitment to spotlighting other women — the ‘she-roes’ — who are truly making a difference.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this. 🙂

Wow, that’s a difficult thing to narrow down to one. If I was lucky enough to meet any of these people, I would be honored:

  1. Tony Robbins — I attended one of his sessions at a BrandWeek event but would love to meet him one-on-one in order to help ‘shed’ the fear of failure. Even seemingly successful people like me live in fear of not attaining ‘perfect’.
  2. Nancy Pelosi — She is a true trailblazer; not because of whether I support or disagree with her politically, as a Canadian who has lived some of her career in the US; but rather because I’d want to understand how she was able to get to where she is today both personally and professionally, at the ripe young age of 80.
  3. Gwenyth Paltrow — her ability to pivot from being a second-generation Academy Award winning actress to an all-around “boss lady” who has built the Goop empire is beyond impressive. While privileged beyond doubt, she has leveraged her brains and brawn as much as her beauty and stardust. Impressive!
  4. Malala Yousafzai — her advocacy for women’s rights is unparalleled. As the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, Malala almost lost her life to an assassin who was retaliating against her activism — and yet — she survived and thrived through her devotion to making a difference.
  5. Jimmy and Eleanor Carter — this power duo have devoted their life to being of service of others. Their positivity and humility are things I believe would profoundly impact me and leave a lasting impression of goodness through action.

What is the best way our readers can follow your work online?

You can find me on Instagram at @krista.webster or on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/kristawebster.

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.


Krista Webster of Veritas Communications: Five Ways For Influencers To Monetize Their Brand was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future of Beauty: Shawnda Dorantes of Beauty Lounge Medical Spa On How Their Technological…

The Future of Beauty: Shawnda Dorantes of Beauty Lounge Medical Spa On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The Beauty Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Do something for yourself, whether it’s your nails, lashes, a facial, or a new outfit! I’m a firm believer if you look good, you’ll feel good, and go out into the world with a little more self-confidence.

As a part of our series about how technology will be changing the beauty industry over the next five years, I had the pleasure of interviewing Shawnda Dorantes, MSN, FNP-C, owner of Beauty Lounge in San Marcos, California.

Acclaimed female entrepreneur, Shawnda Dorantes, MSN, FNP-C (family nurse practitioner) is a master nurse injector, cosmetic tattooist and co-owner of Beauty Lounge Medical Spa, a leading, full-service aesthetic destination in San Marcos, Calif., a suburb of San Diego. A powerful force in the beauty industry for the past 14 years and registered nurse of over 11 years, Dorantes’ tailored expertise and innovative service offerings have paved the way for Beauty Lounge’s proven success. With an impressive 36,000 followers on Instagram, the popular med spa is best known for their non-surgical PDO thread lifts as well as their lip and nose transformations. Beauty Lounge’s service offerings include botox, fillers, laser treatments, micro needling, non-surgical face lifts, body contouring, permanent makeup, teeth whitening and results-driven skincare treatments. A recipient of San Diego Metro Magazine’s “Women of Influence” award in 2021 and listed as a “Best Aesthetic Injector in America” in the National Directory of Recommended Providers, Dorantes is making a huge name for herself both locally and on a national level. In 2021, San Diego Business Journal announced Dorantes as a finalist for two of their prestigious community awards, “Rising CEO of the Year” and “40 Next Top Business Leaders Under 40.” The acclaimed family nurse practitioner has treated thousands of patients including famed reality TV star, Farrah Abraham, Heather Minch of MTV’s “Young Moms Club,” Heather Martin of ABC’s “The Bachelor,” runner-up of season four of “MasterChef,” Natasha Crnjac and many more. Dorantes’ approach is to seamlessly enhance the natural beauty and self-confidence of all of her patients.

The renowned beauty expert’s entrepreneurial spirit was ingrained in her at an early age when she began helping her parents run their family-owned business, and she attributes their guidance to her robust career as a Latina entrepreneur. A longtime former in-demand makeup artist, Dorantes began as a Beauty Advisor for Estee Lauder and later became a freelance professional makeup artist for several other prestigious cosmetic lines. After securing multiple credits in film, print, and television for her work, she then joined Estee Lauder’s Regional Artistry Team while working her way through college. Upon triple majoring and earning baccalaureate degrees in Biological Sciences, Women’s Studies and Nursing from Cal State University San Marcos in 2007 and 2010, Dorantes worked as a nurse in the acute care setting for over eight years and specialized in medical, surgical, telemetry and hospice care before entering the permanent makeup industry and opening Beauty Lounge in 2018.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career pathway?

From a very young age, I knew I wanted to help people and I was always dead-set on becoming a physician, but switched gears my last semester of college, and changed my major to nursing. I earned three bachelor’s degrees; Biological Sciences, Women’s Studies, and Nursing. In addition to my love for academia and the sciences, I have always been obsessed with all things beauty, such as makeup and fashion. I grew up stealing my mom’s makeup and always got caught, as I was not allowed to wear makeup till high school. My first job after high school was as an Estee Lauder Beauty Advisor. From there I worked as a professional makeup artist for Estee Lauder’s Regional Artistry Team, and as a freelancer for many prominent cosmetic lines. I earned a few credits in film, television, and print, but ultimately followed my dream of becoming a nurse. I started my nursing career in hospice and transitioned to bedside nursing after 2 years and worked on the Float Team as Med-Surg/Telemetry Nurse. After 6 years of bedside nursing I stumbled upon the permanent makeup industry in the fall 2016, right before the industry exploded. I started my permanent makeup business in the spring of 2017 while simultaneously training in medical aesthetics at a friend’s medical spa. I became OBSESSED with the, medical aesthetic industry, leaving my steady bedside nursing job to go all in on my dreams of opening a medical spa. Fast forward a year later I established a thriving brand, outgrowing my 10 x 8 studio and opened a 1000 sq ft medical spa and permanent makeup studio. After COVID business really exploded and I had to decide where I was going to focus my efforts, as I was being pulled simultaneously in multiple directions. I decided to solely focus on completing my masters of family nurse practitioner and my aesthetic nursing career, officially retiring from permanent makeup. We have recently rebranded and now only offer medical aesthetic treatments and results driven skincare. Our new much larger state of the art location in San Marcos, California will open at the end of August.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

When I first opened Beauty Lounge vendors would often stop by and ask to speak to the owner. I was met with surprise when I would introduce myself as the owner, as I was a younger looking 33 year old woman. I was then asked on more than one occasion if my husband or father was around, as they assumed I could not possibly be the owner due to my age and clearly because I am a woman. However, it is my youth that has allowed me to be so successful and resonate with my patient demographic.

Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?

When I first opened my medical spa, I was working part time nights at a local hospital and running my medical spa, in addition to being a mom and attending graduate school. I juggled all of this for as long as I could finally reaching a “tipping point” nine months in. My hospital job was unwilling to continue to accommodate my weekend parenting schedule, requiring me to make a choice between earning a reliable income or seeing my daughter. Not seeing my daughter was completely out of the question and I made the decision to quit the hospital, losing a steady paycheck and health benefits, to focus on my medical practice. Quitting my job forced me to fully commit to making my business more successful and profitable. Failure was not an option. Although it was completely scary at the time it was the best thing, I did for myself and Beauty Lounge, as I was now able to put all my energy and focus into the growth of my business. Right away I saw our bookings and sales increase, as well customer satisfaction and retention. But it really hit me that I had succeeded when I had several patients fly in from all over the US to see me. The biggest take away is that, if you don’t put in the time and effort, don’t expect the results.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I am so fortunate to have two wonderful women who have helped and mentored me throughout my aesthetic nursing career; Sajia Hamidi RN and Rio Calvert MSN, FNP-C. Sajia and I go way back to our bedside nursing days. She transitioned into aesthetics before me opening three medical spas in five years. When I came to her expressing interest in aesthetics, she took me under her wing and trained me. She is the epitome of women supporting women and I would not be here without her. It was sheer destiny that Rio and I crossed paths. I purchased a new laser for my practice and Rio was the trainer the company sent out to train our staff. As fate would have it Rio was not only a highly skilled aesthetic trainer with years of experience but she was also enrolled in the same Family Nurse Practitioner program as I. I can’t tell you how many late night calls we had discussing aesthetic treatment protocols and techniques and helping each other through grueling assignments. I honestly would not have survived grad school without her.

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. The beauty industry today has access to technology that was inconceivable only a short time ago. Can you tell us about the “cutting edge” (pardon the pun) technologies that you are working with or introducing? How do you think that will help people?

Beauty Lounge Medical Spa was fortunate to be one of the first practices in San Diego to offer Qwo! We are so excited to be offering the first FDA approved injectable for the treatment of cellulite in the buttocks! Despite a healthy diet and regular exercise up to 90% of women have cellulite on the thighs and buttocks. Qwo is a real game changer in the treatment of cellulite and can even be used off-label in the back of thighs. Qwo enzymatically destroys the fibrous septae which causes dimpling, resulting in smoother skin and a reduction in cellulite. Qwo treats moderate to severe cellulite with visible results in as little as 10 weeks. As a woman suffer from cellulite on both my buttocks and thighs I cannot begin to describe how life changing Qwo has been for me! I can confidently wear shorts, dresses, and cheeky bikini bottoms now without worrying about my cottage cheese thighs. Qwo is a huge game changer for the industry!

Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

I don’t feel this question is applicable to Qwo, as there has not been any clinical data to suggest any negative side effects, aside from temporary bruising.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the “beauty-tech” industry?

I’m constantly astounded in the nonsurgical Aesthetic treatments available. We are seeing amazing results in our patients from the Pixel8 Microneedling Radio Frequency device! It’s ability to tighten and retexturize the skin is miraculous! I love Non-Surgical PDO thread lifts! This is a great treatment for someone with mild to moderate laxity, who isn’t quite ready for a surgical facelift! I’m just amazed how much lift we are able to achieve and when paired with dermal fillers how youthful and fresh outpatients look! I’m really excited for all the advances and technologies yet to come in the body contouring industry. We will be adding some new body contouring devices to our menu real soon! Technology has gifted us so many non-surgical aesthetic options that didn’t exist even just a few years ago.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

Lack of regulation specifically around the needle-less hyaluron pen. The hyaluron pen was originally designed for administering insulin. However the device has been adapted to administer illegal non-FDA approved fillers. Due to the device being needle-less unlicensed individuals such as estheticians, nail techs, and even lay people are performing these treatments on unsuspecting customers claiming these procedures to be completely safe and legal. These procedures when performed by unlicensed individuals are extremely dangerous and high risk for complications such as; vascular occlusion, and tissue necrosis.

I would love to see my state, California offer master esthetician license as well as a Laser Technician.

You are an expert about beauty. Can you share 5 ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”? (Please share a story or example for each.)

  1. Be nice to yourself. Push those intrusive negative thoughts to the side. Tell yourself you are beautiful and worthy.
  2. Take care of your body! You only get one! Eat right and get active!
  3. Do something for yourself, whether it’s your nails, lashes, a facial, or a new outfit! I’m a firm believer if you look good, you’ll feel good, and go out into the world with a little more self-confidence.
  4. Leave that resting b* face at home and smile more! Smiling is an instant mood booster!
  5. Accept compliments! You are worthy!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a mvement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

As a successful Latina entrepreneur with a background in STEAM I believe I will make the greatest impact by serving others as an educator, mentor, and leader for those who will come after me. I love teaching and hope to become a clinical nursing instructor at my alma mater CSUSM in the near future, and am excited to launch my new aesthetic training academy later this year. In addition Im looking forward to a recent opportunity to collaborate with my local Boys and Girls Club as a mentor.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela

Every goal I have ever set for myself seemed impossible. I’ve achieved many of my “far-fetched” goals — losing 100lbs, running a half marathon, becoming a nationally qualified bikini competitor, completing not one but three bachelor’s degrees, saving up to buy my condo, opening a med spa, and completing my masters degree, all of which seemed IMPOSSIBLE! After achieving each goal, it really opened my eyes to how much more I was capable of, empowering me to go after an even bigger and seemingly impossible goal next.

How can our readers follow you online?

Readers can follow me at www.instagram.com/beautynursepractitioner and follow Beauty Lounge Medical Spa

www.facebook.com/beautyloungesanmarcos and www.instagram.com/beautyloungesanmarcos

Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.


The Future of Beauty: Shawnda Dorantes of Beauty Lounge Medical Spa On How Their Technological… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The Future of Beauty: Ross Miller of Jane Iredale On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake…

The Future of Beauty: Ross Miller of Jane Iredale On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The Beauty Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

I’ve always found beauty to be so inspirational, consumers get excited when they find a product they really love. I think technology will play a bigger and bigger role in helping the consumer find the product that’s right for her, that creates this emotional connection. I think discovery, more dynamic recommendations, and understanding the benefits via technology are going to become an expectation for consumers in the near future.

As a part of our series about how technology will be changing the beauty industry over the next five years I had the pleasure of interviewing Ross Miller.

Vice President of Digital at Jane Iredale. Executive with over 15 years’ experience driving strategy, ecommerce and technology decisions for consumer brands ranging from $10 million to $1 billion in online revenue. Leadership roles in analytics, marketing and ecommerce across prestige beauty. Recognized for helping organizations elevate consumer relationships using data and insights. Speaker and panelist across a variety of industry events including Shop.org, Internet Retailing, and Client Summits such as Cheetahmail and Bazaarvoice.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I started my career in the marketing technology space leading relationships with brands to own contracts and drive adoption of products and services. I was working at a digital analytics company and Estee Lauder Companies was one of my top accounts. My main contact at the client was leaving her role and said “Hey, you should take my job” — the rest is history!

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career? I’ve always enjoyed the consumer enthusiasm for new product launches. The highest anticipation I’ve experienced was when Rihanna collaborated with MAC, there was a conference room full of team members monitoring the site and I think it was the biggest thing anyone had ever seen at the time.

Sort of work related, I used a search for a company event space to land a regular DJ gig in NYC. We were looking for a location for our team holiday party and there was a lounge area that many people liked.

Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?

I was fortunate to see performance results for many clients early in my career and then across the entire portfolio of brands in my role at Estee Lauder Companies. It gave me a great sense of what works and what doesn’t. As I’ve grown into bigger leadership roles, I attribute my career success to effectively using data to understand consumer needs and really taking a consumer first approach to everything I’ve done in my career.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I worked under a Vice President, Heather Brunner, early in my career. She taught me a lot about dealing with senior stakeholders that really helped me up level my own delivery. She was extremely positive and enabling, she had about 70 employees in her organization, but I always felt like I could walk into her office when there was a serious issue to get help or approval. She’s gone on to win many leadership awards in a CEO role.

Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. The beauty industry today has access to technology that was inconceivable only a short time ago. Can you tell us about the “cutting edge” (pardon the pun) technologies that you are working with or introducing? How do you think that will help people?

I’ve always found beauty to be so inspirational, consumers get excited when they find a product they really love. I think technology will play a bigger and bigger role in helping the consumer find the product that’s right for her, that creates this emotional connection. I think discovery, more dynamic recommendations, and understanding the benefits via technology are going to become an expectation for consumers in the near future.

Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

Within beauty, I think it’s really about helping the consumer in her decision journey at each step of the process. As long as you keep the consumer in mind, I think it limits this type of downside. I think the shift of increased screen time is a larger concern, but the exploration and shopping process are such a short amount of time, it’s not something I really worry about.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the “beauty-tech” industry?

I think that it’s evolving rapidly to serve the consumer in her decision journey and let her experience products in new ways is really exciting. 1) Augmented Reality and Virtual Try On in advertising. This is such an amazing way to stand out and drive engagement in a crowded space. 2) Interactivity like Virtual Consultations to really create a connection when you’re not in a physical space. 3) scientific diagnosis of skin conditions and recommendations via technology applications

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

  1. transparency and standards in ingredients — there is no standard definition of “clean”, and the ingredient labels don’t serve the consumer well in terms of what they should and should not be concerned about.
  2. make manufacturing and product development practices more transparent, such as animal testing and cruelty free

You are an expert about beauty. Can you share 5 ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Get a facial — a comprehensive service with an esthetician feels so refreshing and relaxing at the right location

Add a facial oil to your routine– this adds lots of hydration and other skin benefits

Get a makeover — makeup artists can create a completely different look and show you how to replicate at home

Try a new shade of lipstick and change your mood

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I don’t know if it’s one particular quote, but I feel like people like working towards a positive versus avoiding a negative is so much more enduring. I love to create a sense of team and collaboration and that we’re all working together, having fun, and celebrating success.

How can our readers follow you online?

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossmiller808/

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!


The Future of Beauty: Ross Miller of Jane Iredale On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.