Women In Wellness: Heidi Anderson of Nox Health On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
… Never turn down an opportunity to network. “Get” from your network, but also doubly “give” back by always making a point to pay it forward.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Heidi Anderson, President and Chief Growth Officer at Nox Health.
Heidi Anderson is the President and Chief Growth Officer of global sleep health leader Nox Health. In her role, she is responsible for leading all commercial efforts to promote, sell and manage relationships with employer clients, health plans and partnerships at the enterprise level. Anderson has spent more than two decades building businesses and driving growth in emerging and mature B2B and B2C markets, especially in the healthcare industry, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Strategic Clients and Initiatives and ASO Strategy at Teladoc Health. Prior to Livongo and Teladoc Health, she held senior leadership and officer positions at several start-ups, mid-sized and Fortune 500 companies, including Time Warner and WebMD. Anderson is an active board member of Solis Mammography, a strategic advisor at AliveCor and TaskHuman, and a graduate of the University of Minnesota Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
I grew up in the Midwest, a kid anchored in the values of hard work, love of learning, and kindness. My dad is an architect and I learned how business and creativity intersect by watching him navigate working for others and then himself. I spent the first half of my life in Minnesota and the second half in the Chicago area (or on airplanes!). After journalism school, I worked at advertising agencies and media companies, building brands and leveraging smart storytelling to drive revenue — always with a throughline in the fields of health and wellness.
My entire career has been in the wellness and healthcare transformation space, usually B2B/C with commercial leadership roles. Most recently, the focus has been on the intersection of tech platforms, telemedicine, and human-centric care. I love the balance of rigor and creativity — the art and the science — that goes into the strategic evolution of healthcare transformation.
My greatest joy is setting a vision and then building high-performing teams and businesses to go after it. I recently had the honor of joining my first board this year at a company called Solis Mammography. I have benefitted from incredible women mentors and I love leaning in to pay that forward through women’s leadership empowerment: Chief, Fortune Most Powerful Women, and I started Power Women Windy. I live in the Chicago area with my family. Our three kids and two dogs keep me both grounded and always learning new things, which I love.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
Early in my leadership tenure, I remember leaving an intense meeting with our C-suite and feeling like I’d been through the ringer. There were lots of tough questions and challenges to my thinking and presentation. My mentor and boss met me after the meeting and asked me “How do you think it went?” to which I replied “Wow. That was tough.” She smiled and said “Welcome to the big leagues. That was actually fairly tame, compared to normal.”
That was instructive. It taught me to embrace the pressure, be confident in putting myself out there, and embrace the learning that comes with tough questions. Through the years, I’ve definitely learned much more from the challenges than the wins.
Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I was first starting out in the working world, I had an overly linear view of advancement. I was convinced that staying for years at one company and working my way up one track or channel was the only way to advance.
Over time, I learned that can be limiting. I’ve learned to resist the forces of comfort and complacency. Strategic thinking and leadership skills are highly transferable to new leadership opportunities. The important thing is to not be afraid and enter new situations with an open mind, do your homework, and look for the opportunities. I’m a pretty quick study and look for where I can add value and grow as a human and leader. The important thing is to keep growing, be confident in your ability, and get comfortable feeling uncomfortable. I recently read a great book called ROAR by Michael Clinton about reinventing yourself to roar into the second half of your life. It’s an inspiring, smart read that I am taking to heart.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
After more than two decades in the healthcare space, I’m so honored to enter a new chapter by joining Nox Health, a dynamic company founded in Iceland that is reimagining the sleep space, a fascinating and new-to-me part of healthcare. So many of us struggle with sleep health, and it affects us in so many ways — mentally and physically. Most people don’t even realize the effects poor sleep has on their bodies and their lives, and I am excited to be part of a visionary team that is working to change that.
At Nox Health, we offer people-centered products and services that address the worldwide sleep epidemic. A big part of this is providing new levels of access to sleep healthcare with long-term treatment and support. It is inspiring and powerful to literally help improve millions of people’s lives through our comprehensive sleep-testing devices, technology, and sleep-health solutions.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.
Getting good sleep is #1. We know from our Nox Health research that a good night’s sleep helps us stay healthier, think more clearly, and feel happier. There are so many evidence-based reasons to put down that device and hit the sack earlier. I’ve learned the hard way (I sometimes struggle with insomnia myself) that sleep is foundational to every aspect of a balanced life. Prioritize sleep and it will prioritize you.
Hydrate! Drink at least 2x more water than you think you need. It helps everything function better.
Move. I try to do some form of exercise every day. Variety makes it fun — running, spin class, yoga, and more. When I don’t exercise, everything seems to go out of whack, and the insomnia starts again. It’s all connected, I’ve learned.
During these past 2 years of COVID, I discovered what a textbook extrovert I am. At first, my system was shocked to not be on the go-go-go every minute, surrounded by colleagues, clients, friends and my family, and always on a plane. I’ve since learned to embrace the quiet times. I try to teach my kids that unplugging and sitting with yourself quietly to write in a journal, meditate and recharge — especially for those of us who thrive being around others — is fundamental to a balanced life. I’m still an extrovert, of course, but now I don’t flee from the quiet moments and use them to recharge and reconnect with my values and priorities.
Deliberately CHOOSE happiness.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
The Good Sleep Movement! Helping people understand the sleep-health connection and how small changes in lifestyle can promote really impactful improvements in their short-term and long-term wellbeing. Here’s why: We all need sleep but nearly half of us struggle with it. Humans are the only mammals who deliberately deprive themselves of sleep, and yet sleep impacts every aspect of our lives: how we look, how we feel, if we are sick or well, and how long we live. Obesity and most chronic diseases are tied to sleep issues, as is a weakened immune system. We know that people who sleep well are more productive, happier, healthier, and live longer. Getting good sleep has become a sign of status, yet it’s available to everyone. At Nox Health, we’re on a mission to help everyone wake up to a brighter world, simply by getting good sleep. I’m lucky that I actually get to be part of leading a movement that is so important to all of us.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
Know your worth and value what you have to give. Women too often undervalue themselves.
You become who you surround yourself with, so choose wisely.
Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. You can’t remain who you are and become who you want to be.
Always be willing and ready to pivot. Being nimble is vital.
Never turn down an opportunity to network. “Get” from your network, but also doubly “give” back by always making a point to pay it forward.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
While all of these issues are important, I choose to focus my energy on promoting better sleep, which is intimately aligned to mental health. We know that our work at Nox Health positively impacts peoples’ mental health and reduces the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other preventable illnesses that can cause immense strain on one’s mental health. Identifying the barriers to good sleep can produce a ripple effect to overall wellbeing, and we have seen time and time again the positive life changes that come from identifying and addressing issues related to sleep. Sleep is what we do for one third of our life, and my mission is to help everyone get more out of this essential human need that is core to our universal health and wellbeing.
Women In Wellness: Adrienne Enns of ‘May You Know Joy’ On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
I believe simplicity is key. The more we unclutter and keep things simple, the more ease there is to life. We can unclutter our minds through regular exercise and meditation. We can de-clutter our spaces and keep just what we need and what brings us joy. And, we can also double-check our calendars and keep our to-do lists and commitments simple. Let’s not overwhelm our lives with busy stuff.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Adrienne Enns.
Adrienne is the Founder and CEO of May You Know Joy Inc. May You Know Joy creates intention card decks to inspire our most intentional daily living. Adrienne’s creations are inspired by her journey of recovery.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
Over 10 years ago, I had a career in advertising, a young family and a busy life. In hindsight, I can see how overwhelmed and stressed out I was. I had always loved to drink and at some point this crept in and became my go-to coping mechanism. I had horrible anxiety and debilitating panic attacks. This problem escalated until I landed myself in rehab wondering how in the world things had gone so wrong and also wondering what all of the ‘normal’ people were doing?
That was, by far, the worst and best thing that has ever happened. In the moment, it was a complete bottom. I was a shell of myself and saw no way out. It was also the best because it was a pivotal moment. Something deep inside me shifted and I decided to choose myself and create a new path forward. It’s very hard and slow going. Shame is heavy and living in this world sober is an entirely different ballgame. I sought out a lot of help. I realized how much energy I’d put into my own self-destruction and wondered what I could do if I used that energy for good?
I would ultimately leave that career to start May You Know Joy. It began as a small life coaching practice and I created some card decks to share with clients, family and friends. I created the card decks because similar decks had helped me. These simple daily reminders opened my eyes to new ways of thinking, to hope and to possibilities. I wanted to create my own to inspire people to connect with themselves and find joy in day to day living. The cards would ultimately take on a life of their own and here we are 7 years later with retail partners across North America and the globe.
Personally, this transformation has also taught me to find and cultivate joy. I make my personal well-being a top priority. It has allowed me to show up, to learn and grow. As a result, I have a strong relationship with my kids and beautiful friendships and relationships I could never have imagined. It has been a true gift.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
The thing that never ceases to amaze me is how far and wide the cards spread, who they reach and how people are touched. I often hear from people about how they chose a card, what it meant to them and how that shifted things. It’s so simple but, incredible at the same time. The cards are used in classrooms, in yoga studios, at seniors homes, by coaches and therapists. They’re in rural Africa and in retail stores across North America. I love their versatility and that they can spark joy wherever people are open to it. I regularly receive e-mails often or see social media posts to this end. It continues to blow my mind. I never get tired of it. In fact, it’s quite the opposite — I find it energizing and inspiring. It fills me with a lot of gratitude and joy. So, it’s a lot of little moments rather than one defining story per se and it reminds me that when we create from the heart and stay on a simple, consistent path, organic growth follows.
Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I think the biggest mistake I made was doing things that made my business feel “legitimate”. I paid a lot of attention to my logo and branding and having an office space. I believed I had to do things that “real” businesses did to be taken seriously. It was just a façade. I believe this was also combined with continuing to “hide” myself as I’d done in my active addiction days. These things were a drain financially and never yielded the results I’d tied to them.
When I began showing up authentically — just sharing my personal journey and attending tradeshows, markets and events — genuine conversations took place. I shared the cards and met all kinds of interesting people. I could really share the essence of what I wanted to create and contribute. It was imperfect, very meaningful and brought me joy. I was able to get great feedback and talk to people about their journeys. This made all the difference. I could make smarter financial and creative decisions. I was getting on the ground market research and I was able to build my business organically and authentically.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
Today, we have an ever-expanding line of intention card decks. The premise is simple — people can choose a card and have it inspire their day and their actions. We have decks focused on joy, gratitude, recovery, love and self-care — with many more exciting projects in the pipelines.
The mission of May You Know Joy is to inspire people’s most mindful (and joyful!) daily living. We want to inspire them to open their aperture, be curious and create their lives on purpose. We want to remind people that it’s the simple things they do consistently that make a really big difference.
We want the card messages to be universal and resonate at the heart level. We also work with an incredible designer to deliver the reminders in a way that is intentional, inspiring and very beautiful.
In speaking to thousands of people, I see that many people have become very disconnected from the simple things that bring them joy. They deny themselves simple daily joys because they feel unworthy, like it has to be extravagant or they need to earn it. I have also seen that people want “big” joys or transformations and the magnitude of the desire often paralyzes them into inaction. So, our goal is to remind people that it’s the simple things we do consistently that create a life that we really want. If people need inspiration or ideas, that’s what we offer. We also want to encourage people to make the most of each day and remember to savor the simple things.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.
I encourage everyone to think about their intentions. When you’re starting the day or entering a new situation — this is a great opportunity to center ourselves and decide how we want to show up. In doing this, we’re aligning with ourselves and giving our energy and attention to what we’re choosing for ourselves. It won’t always go as we planned but, we also aren’t leaving things to chance.
I believe simplicity is key. The more we unclutter and keep things simple, the more ease there is to life. We can unclutter our minds through regular exercise and meditation. We can de-clutter our spaces and keep just what we need and what brings us joy. And, we can also double-check our calendars and keep our to-do lists and commitments simple. Let’s not overwhelm our lives with busy stuff.
Be kind to yourself. I’ve found that we can be our own toughest critics. It can be hard at first to be kind to yourself but, it can change everything. You can start when by looking in the mirror, smiling and say something kind. I know it sounds super hokey but, try it consistently and mean it. We can be kind to our bodies by moving them, hydrating them and letting them rest. You can text a friend, listen to a song you love or stop to smell the flowers. I encourage you to look for the many small things you can do in each to be a little kinder to yourself.
Just being present in our lives is essential to our well-being. We can spend a lot of time stuck in the past or worrying about the future or generally distracted. We can miss our moments. A simple deep breath and a look around us can center us. Where am I? How am I feeling? What is here for me? Is there anything I need to shift? Let’s make our moments matter.
And, last but not least, a tweak that can change everything is finding and cultivating our joy. I’ve spoken to thousands of people about this and joy can feel elusive or like something for later — once we’ve achieved things. It’s also common to feel like it’s for other people and we’re not worth it. I remind you that joy is already here and within you. Let’s stop and ask ourselves what actually brings us joy? What small activities, what people, what places, what music lights us up? And, can we look for little moments every day to find and cultivate joy. It’s this simple, consistent allowing for joy that really creates a joyful life.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
That’s a big question! I really believe that it’s the simple, consistent things that we do daily that add up and shift our course over time. To me, being intentional is foundational. Checking in with ourselves and our values and from there, deciding how we want to show up today. This means getting off autopilot and taking mindful action. One of my core intentions has been joy. Can we choose to create joy and harmony in our bodies and minds? Can we infuse joy into our moments, our actions and our communities? If we all opted to be intentional and commit to bringing a little more authentic joy to this world, perhaps our shoulders could drop, our hearts could open, we’d smile more and we could create some meaningful change — together.
So, I’d love for people to take a minute every morning to check in with themselves and set a mindful intention for the day. I want them to love themselves a little harder and take simple steps to cultivate joy in healthy and nourishing ways.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
1. Simple and consistent actions will make the biggest difference in the long run.
2. Take time (frequently) throughout the year to re-assess and to re-connect to your bigger vision.
3. Make plans and be open to the unexpected opportunities to come your way.
4. Look at the numbers, assess the risk and trust your gut.
5. You will make mistakes and, more often than not, those will be huge opportunities for growth and transformation.
To be honest, there are some things I’m happy people didn’t tell me like how long it would take and how many ups and downs there’d be. I’m glad I didn’t know that!
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Mental health is a top priority for me. As I answer your question, I have recently celebrated my 10th year sober. I understand addiction and debilitating anxiety deeply. Recovering has been my most difficult and rewarding journey. I sought the help of many professionals (doctors, therapists, counsellors, healers, yoga teachers) and also faithfully adhere to the lifestyle tips I shared above. It’s not like one day you figure it all out. It’s always a work in progress.
When I was getting sober, I found it difficult to search out resources. That’s why I’m happy to see so many options and diverse voices sharing their experiences now. When we know we’re not alone, there’s hope. We need to eliminate the stigma around mental health issues. We need to make resources widely available and accessible at every level — without waitlists. Mental health is something I believe everyone is confronting — at varying degrees at different stages of life. Understanding how we can holistically improve our individual and collective mental health must be a priority.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
Eddie Andre of Grillo’s Pickles: Five Ways To Leverage Instagram To Dramatically Improve Your Business
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
We get messages from A list celebrities, pro athletes, musicians, designers and people who just LOVE pickles. Treating them all the same is what we do. We give EVERYONE special treatment. The way you respond to someone on IG is how they’re going to view you as a brand ongoing. Keeping it real and having solid customer service is something that has always been very important to us as a brand. The return of a repeat customer and loyal brand enthusiast is priceless.
Eddie Andre has been with Grillo’s Pickles as the company’s first employee and worked the pickle cart selling 2 spears for $1 in downtown Boston. After over a decade of helping Grillo’s Pickles grow into the #2 refrigerated pickle companies in the country, he now is the Head of Brand Experience and leads lifestyle collaborations and product innovation.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I was graduating from highschool in 2009 and got introduced to Travis Grillo through a mutual friend. I was playing in bands at the time and was looking for a flexible job so when I heard about this new pickle company that was starting it seemed like a no brainer. I became the first employee of the company selling 2 spears for $1 in the downtown Boston Common. After a few months we started getting a cult-like following and even got written up in the Boston Globe. That’s when Whole Foods found us. From that day on we decided to try and make Grillo’s Pickles the biggest pickle brand in the country. I’ve seen the company from just a small pickle cart selling pickles on the streets to now a national brand sold in over 12k retailers and have done major collaborations with brands like Ewing, Urban Outfitters and designers like Anwar Carrots, and Dee and Ricky. When it comes to Grillo’s I’ve done just about anything from working the pickle cart and sampling events to leading a 75 person ambassador program across the country and having sales meetings with major retailers such as Whole Foods, Kroger and Ahold.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
Some of my favorite memories of Grillo’s is when we would pull up to NYC for the Lower East Side Pickle fest on Orchard St between Delancy and E. Houston. We attended that festival every year for 6 years up until covid hit and it’s always been some of the best memories for me as a person but also as a brand. It was such a fun time, setting up our booth and being the loudest brand on the block. We’d bring megaphones and blast music, and every year, would sell out of all our products, gear and custom pickle jerseys. From this, we have met celebrities like Quest Love and Kate McKinnon at our booth, and even made friendships that have become some of my best friends to this day. The atmosphere and energy that Grillo’s brings to pickles is unmatched and that was when we really saw the hustle and passion, come to life. Some notable collaborations we’ve done at the Lower East Side Pickle Fest include Round Two NYC merch collab and limited collectable pickle jars, Lower East Side legend Mikey Likes It Ice Cream pickle flavored ice cream and Scarrs Pizza with a cubano pizza.
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?
The funniest mistake I made was probably when I threw away my car keys and van keys at an event at the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) on accident. I was cleaning up and must’ve thrown them away during the process. I searched through the trash for a good 30 minutes before giving up. Not only did I throw away my personal car keys but I also threw away the keys to the van which was parked in a pay-by-the-hour parking lot. I had the pickle cart with me and had no way of getting the van out of the lot so the museum was kind enough to let me keep the pickle cart in the Museum overnight!! We are probably the only pickle company to have an overnight stay at a museum. The next day I had to call a locksmith to come to the parking lot and cut me a new key. I finally got the van, loaded up the pickle cart and then went to my car and had another locksmith cut me a new key for my car. Moral of the story, don’t throw your keys away while working an event.
Ok. Let’s now move to the main focus of our discussion. For the benefit of our readers, can you explain why you are an authority about Social Media Marketing?
Social media is always evolving and over the years, and some brands do it better than others. It can be challenging, but we let our fans do the talking and from that, get endless user generated content and cultivate strong relationships with our fans. We do our best to keep it as human as possible and talk to our community just like we did when we were selling on the streets. We want people to know that there’s a real person behind the screen that is enthusiastic about the brand and our fans, but we see this as a brand for everyone so want to make sure to keep the community feel.. As we’ve seen how social burn can happen to brands, what I’ve found works best for a brand like Grillo’s is to keep it as real as possible and don’t force things. We make pickles and we like to have fun and make people smile. Social media can be a great tool to reach out to people who you might not ever get the chance to meet in real life and connecting dots is something I love to do. We got a Grillo’s Gang forming and it’s all love!
Which social media platform have you found to be most effective to use to increase business revenues? Can you share a story from your experience?
Overall we lean heavily on Instagram as our main social media platform but the power of TikTok is real. Last year a video someone posted about how great our pickles were from Target and the following two weeks we had some of our highest sales ever at Target. It turns out the video went viral and because the person said “i got these at Target” that’s where the tiktokers went! Pretty wild how a trend, recipe or challenge can spark something so fast. I guess that’s why they pay the influencers big bucks! For us we’re lucky to have fans, influencers and celebrities that do it because they truly love our brand and product, which always feels good.
Let’s talk about Instagram specifically, now. Can you share five ways to leverage Instagram to dramatically improve your business? Please share a story or example for each.
Step 1- We get messages from A list celebrities, pro athletes, musicians, designers and people who just LOVE pickles. Treating them all the same is what we do. We give EVERYONE special treatment. The way you respond to someone on IG is how they’re going to view you as a brand ongoing. Keeping it real and having solid customer service is something that has always been very important to us as a brand. The return of a repeat customer and loyal brand enthusiast is priceless.
Step 2 — Maintain strong relationships and use IG as a tool. For us, using the connections we have to help drive awareness on IG, is a major way not only for us to get the word out and more eyes on our brand, but also a great way for us to generate authentic, craveable content. Whether it be through partnerships we have with chefs, skateboarders or merch collaborations, we want to show up where other brands in our space aren’t. If you can connect with someone on a personal level it gives them all the more reason to want to buy your product the next time they see it.
Step 3 — Give the people what they want. No one likes to be oversold or yelled at from all angles to check out their brand or product. It can get annoying and can give the wrong impression of who you are as a brand. For us, we let our fans have the mic and love sharing their experience with the brand in our stories and posts. IYKYK has been a popular tagline our fans use when talking about Grillo’s and sharing Grillo’s on IG. It happened organically and created this FOMO effect and we couldn’t be happier.
Step 4 — Every brand and page has their own identity so it can vary from account to account but for Grillo’s it’s all about standing out and doing things our own way. As a food brand content and messaging can get stale pretty fast. Our goal is to always remember where we came from and keep that same hustle and quality product at the forefront while creating a fun, pickle loving community.
Step 5 — If you’re doing IG ads, get creative with them and try to make it feel the complete opposite of an ad. The goal is to leave a lasting impression and spark curiosity. Be smart about who and where you’re targeting to get the best returns.
Because of the position that you are in, 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.
Small acts of kindness every day can change the world. You don’t need to do much, a simple smile can go a long way, you never know what people are going through. I’d like to see everyone do a small act of kindness everyday until treating people with kindness is normal.
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
I’d love to grab a coffee with artist Jasper Johns. He’s one of the greats and one of my all time favorite artists. I’d love to dive deeper into his thought process and hear stories about his early career and other legendary artists he came up with. I make art myself and have been heavily influenced by him. One day I hope to hang one of his pieces in my home!!
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this!
Modern Fashion: Kristy W Gilbraith Of FLOH Wear On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today
An Interview With Candice Georgiadice
Know Your Audience: Like any business, a fashion brand should know their primary audience, who they are selling to, and also the “why” behind the brand. When a brand attempts to focus on everyone they sell to no one. Therefore, identifying who is buying and understanding what they like, what they read, what they watch, etc. This is key when it comes to leading a successful fashion brand. This coupled with the brands why is critical.
Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?
In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”
As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Kristy W. Gilbraith, MBA.
Known as the Menstrual Maven, Kristy W. Gilbraith is a veteran, licensed registered nurse passionate about women’s below-the-belt health awareness, and founder of FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft.com. She launched her undergarment brand after receiving a medical diagnosis that negatively impacts up to 70% of women in their reproductive years. Kristy has also been featured in Cosmo, on The Sharifah Hardie Show, and Morning Lazziness.
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 childhood “backstory”?
Oh, thank you! Yes, certainly. I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which many may know for the Trail of Tears journey, and in more recent years the renewed popularity of the historical happenings of Black Wallstreet. Growing up, I was an extreme introvert, a self-described bookworm of sorts, and very inquisitive. These traits, at least being curious and a bookworm, has undoubtedly proven to be beneficial in my adult years, especially as a business owner. I also loved science and writing growing up, but I was an awful mathematician, Candice. Did I say awful? It is true! Nonetheless, it all worked out, eventually. Thank goodness for small miracles!
Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?
You know, higher education and entrepreneurship were very commonplace growing up. Most of my family were educators or education administrators. However, my penchant for entrepreneurship came from my grandfather. He was the first person of color in town to own a brand chain filling station. He was also the first person of color in a management role for the primary newspaper serving the northeastern and eastern portions of the state.
Part of my grandfather’s role as a District Manager included providing oversight of delivery teams. Despite being a kid, it was not lost on me that these people were, essentially, independent business owners. I thought that was the coolest thing ever! Owning a business, making money, providing a product people wanted, etc., who would not want that?
That left an indelible impression on me, so much so that my first legit business, where I was responsible for inventory, taxes, etc., was in high school selling an extremely popular direct sales make-up and skincare brand. I felt like I was helping people be a better version of themselves while also learning key business and life lessons. One of my most memorable lessons was “listen to your customer” and the other was “always keep impeccable records.”
I must admit, as a teenager I was not good at either initially, but eventually I got it down. I definitely credit my foray into business to my experience selling make-up and skincare, as well as observing my grandfather. Both were tremendous examples of what business leadership and entrepreneurship look like. These collective experiences were the start of the entrepreneurship bug for me. After having that make-up business, I knew I wanted to build a company someday that would make a difference for people, a company that would improve the lives of others.
However, it was not until I was much older that I experienced a situation resulting in a medical diagnosis that negatively impacted my health and quality of life. That experience was the impetus for me to launch FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft.com. I recognized my condition was not unique to me, as many others have similar experiences, and I wanted to provide an option that was quality and really delivered. So, I put my bookworm skills to work, and I started researching how I could support others with similar conditions and people in general with periods, postpartum, and mild bladder leaks.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
The pandemic has undoubtedly been remarkably interesting for me as a business owner. However, I have to say I did not anticipate COVID impacting my brand in such a critical way. Because of the global supply chain shortage, we experienced a delay in launching our latest styles as planned. Now that all our styles are available, it has been interesting to experience receiving emails from competitors doing a terrible job at posing as “customers” inquiring about our products to get a competitive edge.
Although, Candice, I will say it is very flattering that we are causing a stir amongst those with whom we share the same space, mainly because we are relatively small in comparison.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Being resilient, agile, and a visionary has been tremendous for me as a business leader. These are traits you hear people talk about, and on the surface, it may sound like fluff. However, these three have truly been my saving grace from ideation to full-on launch.
For example, when I think about resiliency in business, what comes to mind is when my manufacturing partner indicated the fabric supply was going to be a problem due to the interruption of the global supply chain. This challenge stalled my launch of new styles for a year. I was really at the point of wanting to give up.
However, instead of throwing my hands in the air, I did the exact opposite. I dug my heels in after giving myself 24hrs to panic and sulk, and then I quickly readjusted my lens. The “lost” time became an opportunity to optimize operational tasks and processes versus viewing it as a problem.
Agility is also an important thing with me because it is a skill I learned both while serving in the military and as a clinician. As such, the carryover of the agility trait is ever-present in my business. There are things one cannot account for when it comes to running a brand. I have to tell you Candice, even the best-laid plan has a hidden fissure and being able to adeptly side-step those challenges in such a way that causes minimal impact is vital.
I am building my brand by leveraging transferable skills learned from my time in the military and as a registered nurse. One might question “what does the military or healthcare have to do with running a brand?” My standard reply will always be “everything.” For example, the cost of fabric has increased since the pandemic, and I am in a position where I have to assess what’s business-critical versus what’s nice to have, so that I can continue to deliver the quality my consumers expect from FLOH Wear™. No, it is not life or death but they are decisions that impact real people at the end of a purchase. So, decisions must be made with care.
Lastly, having a vision and staying focused despite hiccups is primary for fashion brands and businesses in general. Having a vision of where I see FLOH Wear™ over a timeline of years and knowing its impact on people’s quality of life has kept me hyper-focused on pushing forward. Having a clear direction and vision is like oxygen for a brand, especially during challenging times. It keeps the fire burning, you know. If you lose your vision, that passion for the brand, the business… it becomes that much harder to stay motivated and continue to push through difficult moments.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
FLOH Wear™ stands out because the very pain points our products address are relatable. Anyone who has ever had a menstrual period, baby, or even post-menopausal bladder leakage can resonate with the anxiety, stress, even fear of leaking. However, beyond that, I also shared my own relatable story on FLOH Wear’s™ IG Live because it is important people do not feel shame about bio-physiological happenings.
Neither my condition, uterine fibroids, nor my experiences managing symptoms associated with fibroids are unique. However, they are relatable. Very rarely do consumers experience the leadership of a brand being transparent in this manner. That said, it is this level of transparency that also differentiates FLOH Wear™ from our competitors and is one of the reasons we are gaining popularity with consumers.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” is one of my favorite quotes. It is relevant because when I launched my brand, there were others in the same space, and I had this self-doubt and fear that caused me to lack confidence and question, “who’s going to want my stuff?”
However, the reality is I would have never known had I not chosen to “shoot my shot,” so to speak. Just because a brand or business is more popular right now or has been around longer does not necessarily mean they are better. We already talked about it, but this is why being a visionary is an important trait to have, especially in the fashion world. Consumers are looking for what you are bringing to the table, but you have to be able to connect to set yourself apart. The love for a brand by a consumer is in the details, be it your fabric, your packaging, quality, etc.
I believe my personal story with uterine fibroids is what resonates with many seeking FLOH Wear™ as an option to manage their bio-leaks. The condition impacts up to 70% of people with menstrual periods in their reproductive years. Even if one does not have uterine fibroids, many have experienced the unpleasant challenges of managing the pain points FLOH Wear™ addresses at some point or another because of bio-leaks.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?
Most definitely! When I consider where we are today and our direction, I predict we will see more fashion brands leaning into sustainable fabrics. Bamboo, increased use of recycled fabrics, and unconventional materials such as plastic bottles turned into garments are a few things that come to mind.
Additionally, I believe we will see supply chains become more optimized due to some rough lessons we all learned from the pandemic, along with the increased use of tech on the manufacturing end of fashion. Some examples of that would be technology assisting in predicting styles, popular colors, silhouettes, and patterns that are predicted to be fan favorites of consumers.
Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?
More than 26% of people in the world have periods, many of whom are negatively impacted due to stigmas and period poverty. FLOH Wear™ is bringing awareness to these topics and other below-the-belt health concerns people born female experience to support informing people how to advocate for their health and wellbeing.
We address topics such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, fibroids, what is normal and what is not, to name a few when it comes to menstrual periods. We do this via our blog, our below the belt health commentary on social, and in the media. The more FLOH Wear™ can provide information to the public around “taboo topics,” the more likely it is for those experiencing these conditions can have open conversations, not feel stigmatized, and better advocate for themselves.
Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?
Yes, absolutely! It is important I operate my company with a level of responsibility that benefits consumers and our ecosystem. As such, I partner with vendors who hold the same values and ethos as I do. When I am looking to partner with a vendor, I assess the following to guide my selection:
Employees (how employees are treated, wages, conditions, etc.)
Eco-Impact (sustainability efforts)
Manufacturing Processes (use of chemicals, waste, etc.)
Additionally, I may make an impromptu call to a vendor and ask them to put me on camera and give me a tour of the facility where manufacturing takes place so I can see for myself. This is an excellent practice for any brand to employ, especially when partnering with vendors overseas.
Fast fashion has an advantage, that it is affordable for most people, but it also has the drawback that it does not last very long and is therefore not very sustainable. What are your thoughts about this? How does your company address this question?
The idea of fast fashion is concerning not only because of the finished product quality and environmental impacts, but also because of textile waste, treatment of employees, and their working conditions. As fashion brands become educated on the impacts of fast fashion and more selective with whom they opt to partner, I think we will begin to see a more significant shift in reducing these issues because the bottom line of those manufacturers will see their revenues negatively impacted. Therefore, they may be more inclined to course-correct.
To address these challenges, I seek out companies who voluntarily elect to be audited and certified by third-party organizations, including SGS, OEKO TEX Standard 100, and Global Recycle Standard, to name a few. These organizations ensure employees’ occupational health and safety standards are maintained, compliant manufacturing processes are followed, environmental impacts are limited, and transparency regarding recycled content of materials.
Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.
Although not an exhaustive list by any means, I do believe the five points below are certainly a few of the main ingredients when it comes to the secret sauce, if you will, for fashion brand success.
1. Research Skills: Anticipating what is coming next and performing competitive intelligence to uncover consumers’ pain points is necessary. When launching FLOH Wear™, I made it a point to assess what consumers of comparable products complained about. From there, I evaluated the pain points to identify trends. This served as a jumping-off point for leveling up FLOH Wear™ before even getting up and running.
2. Know Your Audience: Like any business, a fashion brand should know their primary audience, who they are selling to, and also the “why” behind the brand. When a brand attempts to focus on everyone they sell to no one. Therefore, identifying who is buying and understanding what they like, what they read, what they watch, etc. This is key when it comes to leading a successful fashion brand. This coupled with the brands why is critical.
For example, FLOH Wear™ are leak protection undies. Although our undies serve those with periods, postpartum, and mild bladder leaks, we have a core audience that gravitate to our products. These are the people we lean into, focus on, and seek to cultivate relationships with.
3. Have Humility: Not everyone is going to love every style you launch or even your brand in general, and that is OK. As a fashion brand, one must realize an end of one is just that, one person’s opinion. They do not speak for all consumers. Take the feedback and be appreciative because the most valuable thing anyone can give you is their time and feedback. However, receiving feedback does not mean action must be levied at that moment. Assess if others have similar experiences and then act accordingly.
I recall before launching FLOH Wear™ sharing samples with several people. One of the people I provided a sample to offered feedback on a style designed for a particular absorbency. They shared “really liking” the undies, but they could not use them for the absorbency they were rated for, but they were great for other days during their period.
Of course, this was great feedback! However, I also recognized their feedback was an end of one. Had I heard similar feedback from others, I would have made some changes. However, when most consumers are satisfied, that is where one should be focused.
4. The Ability to Pivot: Being agile and shifting gears when something is not working or when unexpected events occur is necessary not only for a fashion brand to be successful, but for any brand or business. The pandemic was a real-life lesson for many of us in fashion, as everything from shortages to delivery times, etc., was negatively impacted.
For FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft.com, we took a significant hit due to a fabric shortage with the pandemic. Still, we acted quickly and refocused efforts on growing our audience and optimizing our internal processes so that we could move quickly when everything was back online.
5. Address a Need: The idea that a shirt is a shirt is a shirt, or all shoes are created equal, or in our case underwear, is simply not true. Informed consumers know this as well. So, a brand must do more to address the needs and desires of their core audience, whether it is ensuring quality, or the fabric feels amazing, drapes beautifully, etc.
For FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft, we meet our consumers’ needs by ensuring our undies are made with quality and sustainable fabrics such as bamboo. They are also made to feel extremely soft and luxurious for comfort because the reason for wearing them is not always comfortable and certainly not luxurious. In addition, FLOH Wear™ also addresses pain points consumers most often complain about when it comes to bio-leaks, per our research. As such, we provide confidence, comfort, and a conscious choice for feminine hygiene options.
Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?
Candice, it is no secret social media plays a pivotal role in fashion, be it bathrobes, belts, ties, or traditional clothing. Additionally, influencers on social media wearing fashion have a significant impact on those of us consuming the images we see. This sometimes creates an unrealistic expectation, especially for highly impressionable individuals.
Thankfully, the fashion industry is becoming more inclusive, and we see that with large mainstream brands to more niche brands. As an industry, I think we must continue to nurture this shift in showing diversity with the people chosen to represent brands, not only in skin color, but also in body types and size.
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. 🙂
Well, thank you for that. Advocating for women’s below-the-belt health and ending stigmas regarding menstruation is a real passion of mine. There are more than 800 million people in the world at any given time with a period, that is roughly 26% of the global population. So, providing education to all, especially school-age people, regarding the bio-physiology of persons born female is a significant part of bringing awareness about what is considered normal and not normal when it comes to below-the-belt health.
In addition, ending period shame and stigmas is certainly a movement I would like to see gain traction. Frankly speaking Candice, menstrual periods is not a gender thing. Menstrual periods are a bio-physiological occurrence tied to public health and should be addressed as such.
As a clinician, I would love to implement programs starting in sixth grade that educate on female below-the-belt physiology. Why? Because this is about the age many young people begin to experience or become aware of menstrual periods. Everyone should understand there is nothing shameful about menstrual periods, whether it is happening to them or to people they know and care about. Information is the key to dispelling fears and empowering people to feel good about their bodies.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
FLOH Wear™ by UndiesLoft.com can be found at the following:
Women In Wellness: Blakeley Blackman on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
The first thing I wish someone told me is that a lot of people equate being healthy to losing weight or being slim. This is a huge misconception because weight does not necessarily determine whether someone is healthy or not.
Blakeley Marie Blackman, CEO of Blakeley Blackman Enterprises LLC, is a nutritionist, certified Zumba instructor, financial coach, single mother of two, and advocate of developing a healthy lifestyle to avoid preventable diseases and ailments. In 2015, before Blakeley’s grandmother passed, she expressed her regret in not listening to the doctors who were avidly trying to correct her diet and lifestyle choices. It is Blakeley’s goal to make sure that she educates women and her community about the importance of generational wealth and financial literacy. Her health and wellness coaching encompasses a full circle of nutrition, fitness, lifestyle, and financial wellbeing with her clients. She is partnered with a whole food nutrition company, along with credit monitoring and restoration services that include attorney consultations. Throughout COVID-19, Blakeley has continued to empower women everywhere to remain focused on the keys to longevity — nutrition and fitness, along with their financial freedom.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
My grandmother passed in 2015 due to kidney failure. Throughout her life, she had over twenty-seven surgeries and had even had a lumpectomy in her seventies to remove cancer. My grandmother was a warrior in her own right. However, before her passing, she revealed that she regretted not listening to doctors in the past who told her to live a healthier lifestyle. After seeing my grandmother suffer, I knew that I did not want that for myself or my children. That experience ignited a passion from within, and since that time, helping others develop healthier lifestyles has been my mission.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
One of the most interesting things that have happened to me was realizing that I was getting in my own way at the beginning of my career. As a single mom of two girls, I started to compare my life to the other health coaches that I saw on Instagram who were living these glamorous lifestyles and traveling all over the world. I became intimidated because I felt that my life wasn’t as glamorous and that people would rather be coached by these other women who seemed to live carefreely. I eventually had to realize that I was the only one limiting myself and that there was a place for me in the health coaching space. I learned that the only person I should be comparing my journey to is myself.
Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The biggest mistake when I first started was not realizing that everyone has their own health journey and their own process to get to where they want to be. This may seem obvious, but it wasn’t obvious to me at the time. I had a friend that I was encouraging to get healthier. They expressed their dislike of being overweight and I wanted to help. I began to pour a lot of myself into my friend and their health journey, but it seemed like they weren’t as dedicated to their journey as I was. Health and Wellness is my passion, and I couldn’t understand why this friend expressed a want to lose weight but was not listening to the lifestyle changes that I was suggesting them to make. I pushed them too hard and it eventually caused a wedge between us. The lesson I later learned from this experience was that there are a lot of factors that can contribute to why some people have a difficult time losing weight and developing healthier lifestyles. Sometimes it is rooted in mental health issues like depression. Other times it is rooted in physical health issues. This experience showed me to have more compassion and to be more attentive to a person’s needs altogether.
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 am grateful for my mentor and business coach, Chris Holder. He is the busiest man that I know, but he makes himself more available than anyone else I know, too. I have known Chris for years because he mentored my mom for about 10 years before he became my mentor. One of the things that he taught me years before I became an entrepreneur was about the importance of constantly evaluating the quality of your friendships and the people around you, and whether they are adding to or taking from your life. I didn’t completely understand until I became an entrepreneur, but I have appreciated that information because it has helped me to prioritize myself and my clients and the change that I want to make in the world.
Ok perfect. Now let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
The work that I am doing is super important, especially because we are currently in a global pandemic. I am always stressing the importance of fortifying your immune system and eating more whole foods because our food is our medicine. The pandemic made this a more important issue. While doctors and experts were pushing the importance of wearing gloves and masks and social distancing, I felt that it was equally important to talk about what we are putting in our bodies, and making sure that we are eating more fruits and veggies to increase our source of nutrition. The stronger our bodies are the more we have a fighting chance against any virus whether it be the common cold or COVID-19. Moreover, I use my grandmother’s death and the experiences of people around me to encourage others to develop healthier lifestyles. Earlier this year I learned that Tufts University had done a study that determined that the U.S. alone could save $100 billion in medical costs if doctors prescribed more fruits and veggies. This would ultimately prevent about 650,000 deaths, 120,000 cases of diabetes, and 1.93 million strokes and heart attacks every year. This information only further proved how important what we eat is, and how we can prevent so many ailments if health and wellness became a priority in our lives.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.
I love giving people lifestyle tweaks because wellness is all about taking baby steps until it becomes part of your everyday routine. The first lifestyle tweak I would say is to incorporate some type of movement into your everyday routine. Whether it is a workout you found on Youtube, or just taking a nice walk around your neighborhood, it is important to keep your body active. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which ultimately makes you feel good. It may be hard to start at first, but once you get your body moving, you will start to feel better overall. The second lifestyle tweak I have is to not go cold turkey and quit unhealthy habits immediately. Some people can go cold turkey, but others struggle and tend to return to their unhealthy habits if their goals seem unattainable. It takes 21 days to develop a habit so start developing healthier habits slowly. You can start with something as simple as drinking more water or reducing your consumption of fried foods. Once you can master this for 21 days, you add on something else. Third, it is okay to have a cheat day, as long as they are sporadic and you don’t overindulge. You know yourself and you know what your body can and can not handle. I always suggest making your cheat day about every two to three weeks but don’t make it too close together where it will be easy to fall back into your bad habits. Also, don’t spend that cheat day overeating and eating the most unhealthy foods that you can find because that will counter all of the lifestyle changes that you have made, and your body will not feel good after. The fourth tweak I think is super important is to surround yourself with people who are going to support your wellness journey. Whether it is family and friends or an accountability group you found on Facebook, this journey can be tough. I needed support when I began to develop a healthier lifestyle, and you will feel so much better with people around you who want to see you improve your wellbeing. The last and most important lifestyle tweak is to not depend on diets and to truly make wellness a lifestyle. So many people look at health and wellness retrospectively, instead of doing things proactively. You should not wait until you are sick, or struggling with your weight or other ailments to eat better and change your habits. If you made an effort to eat better and live better now, then you could prevent a lot of sicknesses in the future.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
A movement that I would start is education around the critical connection between nutrition and mental health. This is one thing that I teach my clients because people don’t realize how what we consume can affect our brains. There is a reason why certain foods make us tired, while other foods make us energized. I feel like this is very important and isn’t talked about enough. In my own journey combatting depression, I came to learn that I was lacking essential vitamins and minerals which were a contributing factor in my energy levels and mood. More emphasis needs to be made on incorporating more holistic treatments into Western Medicine, especially preventative ones.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
The first thing I wish someone told me is that a lot of people equate being healthy to losing weight or being slim. This is a huge misconception because weight does not necessarily determine whether someone is healthy or not. The second thing I wish someone had told me is that there are a lot of people that just don’t care enough about their health to make the lifestyle changes that they need to make. I have coached many people, and some people tell me outright that they refuse to make certain lifestyle changes. This response especially hurts when someone is seeking my help due to a health issue like high blood pressure or diabetes. It is heartbreaking to know that someone would rather struggle with their health than take certain things out of their diet to improve their overall quality of life. The third thing I wish someone told me was that it is okay to have your off days. At the start of my health and wellness journey, I used to feel bad if I craved some ice cream or cake once in a while. I used to feel even worse if I gave in to those cravings. I had to learn that I was not a failure and my journey was not inauthentic just because I ate something that wasn’t healthy. I even have my days now where I will enjoy something sweet, which does not mean that I do not care about myself. This is something that I make sure to share with others at the beginning of their wellness journey. The fourth thing I wish someone told me was to not get discouraged when I lose clients. This can be general advice with any business, but I would get so excited with people starting their wellness journeys, that I would take it personally when they decided that they no longer wanted me to be part of that journey. I had to learn to wish them well and to not let it get me down. The last thing that I wish someone had told me is that this wellness journey does not have to be miserable and restrictive, it should be fun. The wellness journey is all about finding the activities that you like and can have fun with, finding healthy substitutes to the foods you crave, and still giving in once and a while.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Mental health is definitely a cause that is dearest to me because I have struggled with my mental health. In January of 2019, I suffered a mental breakdown. Before that breakdown, I had also been struggling with having panic attacks and severe insomnia. I had been struggling with depression for a long time, but as a single mom of two who worked and went to school full time, I figured that I didn’t have time to go to therapy and get help. My mental breakdown was my wake-up call and I immediately put myself in therapy, and I was put on antidepressants. I was able to address a lot of my issues in therapy, but there was something else that I realized while I was going through this experience: my diet was horrible. I saw my primary care doctor a lot during this time and learned that my iron, blood pressure, and Vitamin D levels were low, and I had never had these problems before. While seeking therapy was still part of my healing journey, I realized that I had not been taking care of my physical health during that time. I always knew that unhealthy habits could be a contributing factor to depression and anxiety, but now the evidence was right in front of me. The day that I nearly passed out in my doctor’s office in April 2019, I knew that I had to return to my healthy lifestyle. I reestablished my health habits and my iron, blood pressure, and Vitamin D returned to normal. I also was eventually taken off of my antidepressants. I tell this story often because many people do not understand how much unhealthy eating habits can be a contributing factor to depression and anxiety.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
Jordyn Pollack of Ziggys Naturals: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis or CBD Business
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
The thing that excites me the most about the CBD industry is how much CBD appears to be helping so many people. While we are not allowed to make “claims” as to exactly what CBD will do for you, we are constantly hearing from our clients how much our products are helping them in so many different ways. That was my goal, to help people and we are!!!
At Ziggy’s Naturals, products are made using unique formulations specifically created to meet the needs of consumers, while adhering to the highest standards in efficacy, purity, quality and consistency.
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?
I’ve always wanted to own my own business. My father has been in his own business for as long as I can remember. Several years ago, during the holidays, my dad sat me down with my brother and told us he wanted 10 ideas from each of us for a business we could start together. He was all about the saying “if I only knew then what I know now”. He wanted to take his knowledge from years in business and give it to us. At the same time, he wanted to learn from our knowledge about the millennial generation, what we like and the type of consumers we were.
Our first goal was to venture into something where we could really help people. I had already been working in the cannabis industry, first on the payroll side of the business and then in medical cannabis. Both my brother and I believed that with all the growth ongoing in that business sector, that it was definitely the area we should pursue. I was always into the plant and how it can help people in so many different ways. At first, we investigated creating a line of edibles, but we kept running into roadblocks and the red tape for entry into actual cannabis products was not easy to overcome.
We then started considering what else we could do in the industry where we could really help people. After an extensive amount of legwork and research, we decided that producing a line of CBD products was the way to go. We partnered up with one of the best hemp farmers in the country, worked on our branding and Ziggy’s Naturals was born!!! At first it was just my father and I running the business, but a short time later my brother joined the business as well.
I am really excited about the direction our company is heading. We are continuing to establish new relationships to help grow our social media marketing. We are adding new products to provide a wider array of choices. We have also made a very strong push into the LGBTQ+ community. Being a transgender male, this is a huge area of excitement for me. We are selling our products throughout the country and look forward to continuing to grow our market share in this very competitive business. We strive every day to provide the best customer service possible and do our best to make every client feel like they are our most important customer!!!
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?
I think the most interesting that happened to me was learning that someone who works at the state Capitol building here in Texas was using our product on a regular basis. A friend of mine happened to be in their office one day, and a Ziggy’s Naturals product was on their desk. He told my friend that he got the product from another person that worked at the Capitol. Pretty cool!!! The lesson I learned; everyone is a potential client!!!!
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?
This is embarrassing, but I will share it. About a year ago, I accidentally erased our entire Dropbox folder that contained EVERYTHING. While that does not seem too funny, we all actually laughed our way through rebuilding our files by searching through emails, both sent and received, and we were able to get everything back. It was like a walk down memory lane reading all of the emails going back to when we first started the business. The major lesson I learned was to slow down and not rush through computer work….and definitely do not click on any buttons unless I 100% know what the result will be. Even though we got through it, my dad and brother constantly roast me about that mistake.
Are you working on any exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?
As part of our push towards marketing to the LGBTQ+ community, we are working on new partnerships with people that identify as LGBTQ+. We have recently partnered with Rob Kearney, a gay man that is a World’s Strongest Man competitor who has been a world record holder and is a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community. We are also working with Alex Tilinca, a trans man whose goal it is to be the 1st trans man to win a Mr. Olympia competition. A long-standing partner is Aydian Dowling. Aydian was the first trans man to appear on the cover of Men’s Health Magazine and was also a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
By aligning with these individuals, we believe we are raising awareness in the LGBTQ+ community and inspiring people to be who they truly are and to aspire to achieve all of the goals and dreams they have for themselves.
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 am extremely grateful for my father. First of all, he has supported me unconditionally throughout my journey and my transition. Neither one of my parents even flinched when I told them I wanted to transition. With my dad, it was particularly important for me knowing that he always looked at me as “Daddy’s little girl”. Starting this company together and having my father by my side as my partner is amazing. The experience is truly more than I could have ever dreamed of. He has taught me so many things about life growing up, and now he is showing me the path of being successful as an entrepreneur. He pushes both my brother and me to be the best people we can be every day, in all aspects of our lives. He is definitely helping us to learn about and reach our true potential in life.
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?
I think our social media marketing strategies are the key to our success and the way to sell products now and will continue to be for years to come. There are so many people that are glued to their phones and are constantly interacting on social media. By partnering with the right influencers that have a solid amount of followers with strong engagement, we can reach consumers with our message quickly and effectively. TV commercials and radio ads are old school. Most people are streaming both TV and music now and pay a bit extra to get rid of ads. Why waste money trying to get to the consumer on the big screen….the little one in their hand is the true target.
For us, our message is very clear. We want everyone to know that we are an inclusive brand for all. We try to make that our motto. Even though we are selling CBD, we want to make sure our clients feel loved by our brand and that they are not just a customer, but part of our family. Using social media in the right way allows us to get that message across.
Large legacy companies should utilize their marketing budgets to partner with influencers that have massive social media followings. With the amount of money available to them, they could simply scale up the same strategy we use and I believe they would see incredible results.
Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Cannabis industry? Can you share 3 things that most concern you?
I will address the CBD industry, rather than the cannabis industry, as they are definitely different.
The thing that excites me the most about the CBD industry is how much CBD appears to be helping so many people. While we are not allowed to make “claims” as to exactly what CBD will do for you, we are constantly hearing from our clients how much our products are helping them in so many different ways. That was my goal, to help people and we are!!!!
I am definitely excited to see how widely accepted CBD products are becoming. Since the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed Industrial Hemp for the Schedule 1 Drug List, the CBD industry has exploded. The industry is projected to continue to grow at exponential levels for many years to come.
Finally, I am excited about the future of testing and trials to learn about more ways that CBD will be able to be used to help people. We are still at the infancy stage in this industry, the best is yet to come.
Concerns:
A lot of people have ventured into this business and not everyone is producing good products that contain what they are advertised to contain. We independently lab test every product and have a QR Code on all our packaging that will lead the client directly to the lab report for exactly what quantity of CBD is contained in that product.
Another concern is that different states have different sets of rules regarding the sale of CBD products. This can complicate things. We try to be as transparent as possible about our products and to stay on top of all of the changing rules and regulations around the country.
Finally, there are still some people that have a misconception about CBD in comparison to marijuana. This is a concern in that it may prevent those people from ever exploring the potential ways that CBD can help them. More education is the key, which is an area that we will continue to expand upon.
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.
I wish that someone would have told me about how difficult it would be to advertise in the CBD business. For whatever reason, even though CBD is legal, and you see it everywhere, there are still tremendous restrictions on advertising. What is frustrating is that companies that are marketing “Hemp Oil” are given much more freedom in advertising, even though they are essentially selling the same product. There have even been several companies lately that have changed their labels from “CBD” to “Hemp” and now their ads are popping up everywhere. This is something we have considered doing, but with how quickly things are changing in this industry, we believe that soon the use of CBD will be allowed without issue.
I wish that someone would have told me how many people would get into the business. Even though the industry is super competitive, we believe that we have a special niche in the LGBTQ+ community and that our products are far superior to so many others in the industry. We know that many people will not survive as competitors, and that we will continue to rise to the top.
I wish that someone would have told me at the outset that getting credit card processing was going to be difficult. While this is no longer the case for us, early in the business we had a tough time getting a merchant account that would enable us to take credit cards. We had many companies offer their services, with assurances that they could approve us for processing, but only one came through, and that took several months to accomplish. We lost a lot of business at that time.
None of these things would have deterred us from starting our business, but awareness of them would have helped in our planning and business development strategies.
What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?
What I would have to say, particularly as a former employee, is to make sure that your employees are kept happy. Always listen to and try to understand their position. Empower them to achieve the goals that you set for them and that they set for themselves. Encourage open communication with your employees so they know they can come to you with any questions or problems. Create a fun and exciting working environment. Lead your employees and empower them to lead their teams.
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 just want all people to accept all people. People don’t need to try to understand why someone else feels a certain way or wants to be or look or dress a certain way. THAT IS WHO THEY ARE. We need to just let everyone be themselves. Without the questions, without the stares, without the laughs. Just let them be and love them like you would anyone else.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
@jojopollack
@ziggysnaturals
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
Women In Wellness: MacKenzie McClain Hill of LumiBloom on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Finding the answer to a problem often occurs when you stop looking. It turns out staying loose fosters creativity and problem solving so when there is something that you just can’t figure out, it helps to take a minute and turn your attention to something else.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing MacKenzie McClain, CEO of LumiBloom.
With over a decade of experience in creating the best health and wellness products available, MacKenzie combines her love for innovation with a sincere desire to help women unlock authenticity, confidence, and boldness.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
The thing that defines me is my competitiveness and resilience, which really started to assert itself when I began running track as a 13 years old. I will never forget winning my first race, seeing the tape at the finish line, and the overwhelming drive I felt to get there first. I went on to become a state champion, to earn a place on the podium in my first international competition serve as co-captain of my University track team and have continued to train and compete in competitions around the world while building a wellness and beauty lifestyle brand.
Competitive sports instilled in me an appreciation for my own strength, the mental toughness to run at top speed toward 10 hurdles; and the physical endurance to train 4 hours a day before heading off to lead my business team. It triggered a real reverence for the gift of vitality that can be achieved through consistent effort and an understanding of the powerful relationship that exsits between your mind and body. Most of all it helped me better understand my own uniqueness, to be confident in my abilities and ultimately led me to my entrepreneurial passion project… LumiBloom.
Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The biggest mistake that I made when I was first starting was to undervalue my own experiences and ideas. I was too easily influenced by outside “experts” and as a consequence deferred to advice that did not always line up with how I saw things.
Over time, I learned to trust myself, and to not just believe in my vision, but to defend it. There is a place for collaboration, partners and expert assistance, but at the end of the day, the final say rests with me, and these days I’m really good with that.
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?
There have been so many people that have contributed to my success, but the one that I appreciate most is my mom. She is an attorney, an entrepreneur and an advocate for women’s leadership and empowerment.
A little over a year ago I arrived at a crossroads in my company’s evolution. Moving forward required me to completely shut down for a period, while I revamped the entire business platform and formulated new products. I was determined to lean all the way into our mission of prioritizing the needs of women and inspiring confidence. That said, I was uncertain about the timing and of course any kind of shift or business disruption is a risk. My mom didn’t just support me, she helped me put together the plan to raise the capital so that I could make it happen. Even more important, she reminded me that trusting my instincts and following my passion had been the key to my success up to that point. It’s just one of the many ways that her light has illuminated my path. And, I know that my own commitment to not just promote wellness, but to inspire confidence in others, is in many ways related to her and what she has done for me.
Ok perfect. Now let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
At LumiBloom, we believe that beauty starts from the inside, so we focus on products and ingredients that support a healthy lifestyle. We are excited to support and celebrate the unique beauty, strength, expressiveness, individuality, diversity, and resiliency of all women. More than a brand, we’re building a platform to connect with and inspire other women, and to share and magnify their stories.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.
Drink lots of water. It’s so basic I know, but so essential. I drink 64 ounces a day which is a lot, but it really does make a difference in terms of flushing out toxins, and supporting systemic bodily functions.
Pay attention to how your body reacts to certain foods. After an elimination diet, one, where you stop eating foods that may trigger allergic reactions, (gluten, dairy, nuts and things like that) slowly reintroduce those foods one at a time to see how your body reacts. When I did it, I discovered that I have a high sensitivity to gluten. Consuming it resulted in me having headaches, bloating and breakouts. Now that I’m gluten free, I don’t experience any of those issues. Some people will find they have problems tolerating sugar, milk or a number of other things. Nutrition is really important, and can be very particular to each individual, not one size fits all. Listen to your body.
Power naps work. We all have different body clocks, there are morning people and night owls and I’m all for leaning into what works for you so long as you realize that your body needs rest. If you’re like m,e and you do your best work at 2:00 am, it’s fine, but a 30 minute nap in the middle of the day is game changing.
Pilates or other exercises that promote strength and flexibility will pay dividends for your entire life. I am so committed I bought a Pilates Reformer for my home so that I can take classes remotely during the pandemic.
Explore CBD as an alternative to pharmaceuticals for pain management, to combat anxiety, and/or gain clarity and focus. What can I say, I believe in the products that I market, they work for me and offer a safe and natural alternative to the things that I deal with every day as an entrepreneur and elite athlete.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
The movement would focus on women and girls and center around self-acceptance, self-care coupled with magnifying your achievements and achievements of others.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
What a great question. The 5 things I wish someone told me and why…
There’s a lesson in every experience, no matter how it turns out. Not everything that you pursue in business is going to work out the way you expected. Knowing that you either win or learn helps keeps things in perspective.
Don’t let perfection become the enemy of the good. Knowing that your efforts are always a work in progress allows you to keep moving forward.
Celebrate the small things along the way. It’s easier to stay motivated if you recognize every success no matter how small.
Finding the answer to a problem often occurs when you stop looking. It turns out staying loose fosters creativity and problem solving so when there is something that you just can’t figure out, it helps to take a minute and turn your attention to something else.
When it comes to executing your vision, you really do know best. Over time I have learned to be vigilant about resisting self-doubt, if you let your guard down, sooner or later it comes knocking. Say hello and then firmly close the door in its face.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Sustainability and of course climate change are critically important issues but if if I had to choose just one cause to promote from your list, it would be mental health. At the end of the day, I believe that everything begins with individual wellbeing. The capacity to tackle our challenges as a society require us to first and foremost care for ourselves. Good mental health, emotional wellbeing and clarity is foundational to every other human endeavor.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
Follow me on Instagram @MacKenzieMcClainHill and of course check out @LumiBloom on Instagram as well.
Female Disruptors: Mari Nazary of Bloom Institute of Technology On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Know your strengths. But don’t stop there. Use and lean on your strengths instead of constantly trying to level up your weaknesses. As I grow in my career, I’ve found this is great advice for leading, too. Not everybody’s the same. Each member of a team has inherent strengths, and letting them shine is the best way to lead. People feel successful and rewarded when they’re able to tap into what they’re best at, rather than feeling like they never measure up.
As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mari Nazary.
Mari Nazary is Chief Experience Officer at Bloom Institute of Technology, where she focuses on delivering an unmatched learning experience that yields the best possible outcomes for BloomTech learners and hiring companies. She is rethinking the education experience to create an accelerated path to employment in tech — accessible to more people who have traditionally been underserved by higher education. She lives in Miami, Florida with her husband and son.
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?
My background had a big influence on where I’ve ended up. I come from an immigrant family: My parents were born and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan. They had to make sense of a totally different world when they moved to Queens, NY. My older sister and I were their de facto translators growing up.
My parents stressed the importance of education for me and my two sisters. I started tutoring other kids in my elementary school when I was in the fifth grade. I still remember how excited I felt when I saw them understand something — those “aha” moments lit me up!
I went on to study classics, Spanish, and linguistics. I never lost sight of wanting to help others learn, so I joined Rosetta Stone — a revolutionary company at the time — to develop its first online classroom experience. I then focused on instructional design and product development at Education First, Voxy, and DataCamp.
At one point, I took a computer science course at a prestigious university. On the first day of class, the professor lectured for three hours, and we didn’t write a single line of code. After class, I asked him when we’d begin the hands-on portion of the course so we could practice what he was teaching. He explained to me that he’d been teaching for decades, that he knew how to best teach, and he was going to keep on teaching that way.
I walked out of that classroom and never went back.
Since then, I’ve built my career on questioning “how it’s always been done” to create results-driven learning experiences that work for students.
Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?
As the Chief Experience Officer of Bloom Institute of Technology, I lead the design of our online programs and learner experience. We’re hyper-focused on meeting the needs of motivated learners underserved by traditional higher education. Every detail of the program experience, from curriculum to career guidance to post-graduation support, is focused on a single goal: helping learners get a better, more rewarding, and higher paying job. I wish this work weren’t so out of the ordinary, but jobs-focused education is less common than it should be.
Too often, work — especially in the tech field — is like a fancy club or gated community. If you’re a member, you get access to all the benefits. You have better opportunities. And once you’re in those opportunities, you pull up more people behind you who are like you — who are already in the club.
That kind of exclusion infuriates me. It’s why I’m so proud to be part of BloomTech, where we provide an accessible, direct, and accelerated path to higher income and a tech career.
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?
Fair warning: This mistake isn’t particularly funny, but I carry its lesson to this day — so I think it’s worth sharing.
My legal name, and what my family calls me, is Morwarid. It’s a Persian pearl that means “pearl.” It’s also a lot of consonants, and anytime someone sees it, you can see the look of panic on their face. So in high school, I shortened my name to Mari.
During one of my first jobs, I was meeting with a director within the company, and he mispronounced my name — he called me Mary, like “cherry.” I didn’t correct him. It was an awkward moment, and the uncomfortable situation just spread. My coworkers felt awkward on my behalf and didn’t know if they should correct him. Then other people started calling me Mary. It was a mess.
Now I correct people much more readily. “It’s Mari, like ‘sorry,’” I say, to everyone from venture capitalists to CEOs to candidates I’m hiring. Names are powerful, and everyone deserves to hear their name said correctly.
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?
My mom has been my mentor from day one. When I was little, if I wanted to give up or I was falling behind in class, she’d say, “Those other people can do it. Why can’t you?” Her point was that I shouldn’t sell myself short. She was right. Whenever I felt like I didn’t understand something, I’d ask myself, what am I not getting? Then I’d go figure it out.
I’ve internalized my mom’s voice to the point where I ask myself, “Why can’t you do it?” — but for others. Everyone has the potential to learn, code, build a website, build a regression model — all of it. Human beings don’t lack potential. They just need a GPS. We’re designing BloomTech courses to be that guide and a cheerleader along the way. We surround learners with resources like live instruction, career success coaches, office hours in the day and evenings so they can get help when they need it. That way they’re eliminating barriers to learning and gaining confidence.
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?
Too often, people think distraction equals disruption. If a company or a person is doing something different, but it doesn’t make a difference, it’s gratuitous, not disruptive.
True disruption is tied to accessibility and opportunity. Are changes a net positive for opportunity or accessibility? That comes from rethinking an existing model to make it better.
I think of Uber. It offered both customers and drivers more access, flexibility, and opportunity. Drivers were able to make money on their own schedule by using a commodity they already had — their car. Passengers benefited, too. That led to other ridesharing companies, and the old model — taxis — adopted things like apps and more transparent pricing to compete.
At BloomTech, we’re trying to disrupt higher education and formal education. We’re providing people a faster path to the jobs that used to be reserved for only those who had the time and financial resources to get a four-year college degree. It’s my ultimate goal to contribute to a statistically significant change in the demographics of people holding tech jobs.
Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.
The first one: Know your strengths. But don’t stop there. Use and lean on your strengths instead of constantly trying to level up your weaknesses. As I grow in my career, I’ve found this is great advice for leading, too. Not everybody’s the same. Each member of a team has inherent strengths, and letting them shine is the best way to lead. People feel successful and rewarded when they’re able to tap into what they’re best at, rather than feeling like they never measure up.
Another one is to tap into your experience as an outsider. When I was an undergrad at Barnard, I think I was the only student of Afghan heritage. I felt different from most of the students. My parents couldn’t afford to pay for my college and I earned scholarships and grants on my own to get there. I didn’t have a Kate Spade backpack; I did work study; I didn’t look like my classmates.
It was sometimes hard at the time, but those experiences allow me to empathize with people who aren’t members of the fancy club. I can better understand our learners, many of whom have been left out of opportunities because of their background or life circumstances. That perspective pushes me to create a more inclusive team and a learning experience that works for more people.
Finally, a mentor reminded me that delegating gives people room to grow. It can become second-nature to take on more and more, to add things to your list, especially as a woman and a mom. At one point in my career, I had put my name next to all these OKRs in my department. My mentor told me to delegate. You know what? I realized that empowering others to take on responsibilities, too, allowed them to move in and move up.
We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?
I can’t stop talking about making BloomTech even more jobs-driven. We’re implementing changes literally every day to make tech education more accessible to more people. For example, we’ve made changes based on feedback from hiring managers who said our graduates needed to better communicate about their code. Our curriculum continues to focus on technical proficiency, and we’ve incorporated computational thinking and professional skills as well. We help them practice explaining their thinking and whiteboarding. We support them in producing and refining what we call career artifacts, such as their LinkedIn profile, GitHub profile, and resume.
The career aspect of our programs are now baked into the curriculum, which makes sense, since everything we do is designed to help our learners find and thrive in rewarding careers. Learners can’t move on in a unit until they pass everything, from technical sprints to earning a solid score on the General Coding Assessment, which is often used as a filtering mechanism by hiring managers. They can repeat the parts they don’t pass, and we support them throughout. That way they’re ready to be hired as soon as they graduate.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?
I could talk about so many challenges faced by female disruptors, unfortunately. I wish this didn’t even have to be a question. Layer on top being a woman of color in an industry that has representation issues and you have even more to discuss.
First off, risky or disruptive ideas are often more palatable coming from a man rather than a woman. By definition, unconventional ideas disrupt the status quo, and that can ruffle feathers. So from the get-go, that gets in the way of the pressure for women to be “likable.” Plus, women are too seldom seen as pioneers, creatives, and entrepreneurs. That means people sometimes fail to see their ideas as pioneering, creative, or entrepreneurial.
So many times in my career, I have offered new ideas only to see someone else get credit for them. As female disruptors, we have to find ways to amplify our voices without being perceived as pushy.
It’s really too bad because we end up splitting our energy between innovation and the delicate work of not offending people. It’s a waste.
I wish I didn’t have to share tips on how to navigate offering your best to make your industry better. One thing I’ve found that helps is to share your opinion in writing. It’s especially useful in today’s world, when it may be uncomfortable to jump into the conversation over Zoom. This strategy has the added benefit of connecting your opinion to you so you get credit.
I’m thrilled that most of these issues don’t apply to me in my current role. Not everyone works in as supportive an environment as BloomTech’s leadership team, though. I hope that talking about disparities helps nudge all workplaces toward welcoming minimized voices and innovative ideas.
Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?
This isn’t business-related, but one of the most impactful disruptors in the parenting space has been Emily Oster. Her data-driven parenting books, such as Cribsheet and Expecting Better, cut through the noise and are a total departure from the usual unhelpful parenting advice.
It was very nerve-wracking to have someone else’s life in my hands when I had my son. It’s overwhelming. You have to wade through unsolicited advice, which always seems to contradict the wise words you heard from someone else just minutes before.
Reading her books helped me relax a little because she doesn’t tell you what to do. She dives into the data, shares what you should consider as tradeoffs, and gives you tools to figure out what works best for your family.
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 wish people would listen more and talk less. This applies at home, at work, and even at a geopolitical scale. Miscommunications arise when people talk over each other or are just waiting to get airtime.
We can learn so much by listening. Pay attention to other perspectives, especially when you disagree. Focus on the other person’s story rather than formulating your own opinions or counterarguments.
A good rule of thumb: Every time you want to talk, wait five seconds. That small change would be a movement I could get behind.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I recently read something that hit hard: Be the adult you wish you had growing up. It changed how I look at everything. Being a parent, I’m always questioning how I’m doing. Am I focusing on what I should focus on? Am I spending too much time on my phone? Is my son getting what he needs?
Thinking about what I wanted and needed as a child crystalizes the kind of parent I want to be.
You can look at just about every aspect of your life through this lens. I want to build the type of school I wish I had and, more importantly, our learners wish they’d had. Thinking about our learners’ needs first guides all my decisions.
Women In Wellness: Brenda Scott of Tidy my Space on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Have some quiet time! Just 5 minutes alone with your thoughts, this can be while you’re out on your walk. Nobody else, maybe you and some soothing music. Or if you need to stay inside, put a set of headphones on for 5 minutes and just be still. Reground yourself, listen to your body. What’s it saying?
As a part of our series about “5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One’s Wellbeing”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brenda Scott.
Brenda Scott retired after working 31 years at Kelloggs, and is the owner of Tidy my Space, a Home Organizing company in London, Ontario, Canada. She works with clients who need help getting their homes decluttered, organized and safe to live in. She uses her years of experience to deliver an unique solution specific for each client.
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’m not in fitness and wellness, I help clients achieve wellness through decluttering and organizing their homes.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
A client shared with me that after clearing her kitchen table and dining area, she was able to have friends over for coffee. Something she hadn’t been able to do in years, she felt light, happy and her confidence was through the roof.
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 went into a clients’ home with a plan of getting it done quickly but they wanted to chat about each item and visit. I learned to let the clients tell their story, especially if they’re senior, but still get the work done. They need company as much as they need work done. They have a sense of pride about their home and their sense of self is part of their home.
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?
My approach to wellness, is to help my clients achieve a home that makes them feel good, proud of and happy to share with others.
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?
My mom helped me to see that a tidy home can and will make a difference in the people who live in it. An untidy and disorganized home will have people who are losing things, feel frustrated, miss deadlines, grumpy, quick to anger, feel overwhelmed with housework and sometimes verbally abusive.
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?
The 3 reasons I see are: 1. Too much information that gives you different answers, we don’t know what to believe.
2. Money is a big factor, some healthier choices are more expensive and not realistic for a whole family
3.People don’t like change! Simple and to the point, they want to keep doing the same.
My clients want their home organized and tidy as quick as possible but still want to continue to purchase too much stuff. You can’t have it both ways, it’s either a tidy home with a lifestyle change or a messy home with a ‘more’ lifestyle.
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.)
Write your thoughts down, Journaling is just another word for a Diary. Secret thoughts, dreams, wishes, inspirational quotes, all help to get us in a better mental mood.
Get your home decluttered and organized. Being organized is having your life under control, you control the stuff not the stuff controlling you. When you have a home full of clutter and can’t find important items or it takes more than 5 minutes to find an item, you feel totally out of control and scattered.
Get Outside! Even in the cold weather, go for a short walk. Break the cycle of being inside and refresh your mind.
Have some quiet time! Just 5 minutes alone with your thoughts, this can be while you’re out on your walk. Nobody else, maybe you and some soothing music. Or if you need to stay inside, put a set of headphones on for 5 minutes and just be still. Reground yourself, listen to your body. What’s it saying?
Read a book, find a title that speaks to you and escape to other world or time. Fantasy and Dreams are still important.
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?
Social interaction; humans are social animals that need to feel like a part of something bigger.
Better physical condition; it’s important to keep flexible and healthy to cut down on medical bills and expenses
Improved emotional attitude; after a workout, the feel- good hormones are high and you feel great about what you just achieved.
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 walking. Simple and inexpensive.
A resistance training like resistance bands to keep muscle tone without bulking up.
Yoga for flexibility and stamina.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?
No books, I enrolled in Revkor, a resistence yoga class taught by Angela Revard. The program was yoga moves and stances with overhead bands, it really gave you a great workout with weight training combined.
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. 🙂
Classes that teach young women about their self- worth, a place to learn life skills, a place to speak their minds without judgement.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
‘There is nothing more satisfying than being loved for who you are and nothing more painful then being loved for who you’re not but pretending to be’ by Neil Pasricha This has come to mean so much to me because I started to lose my identity by trying to run my business like everyone else. Be yourself!
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 🙂
I would love to sit down for a chat with Michelle Obama. I’ve read her book and even though I live in Canada, I’ve watched and admired how she lives her life so real and truly concerned for others.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
Female Founders: Nikki Day of Ayla & Co On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Be patient with yourself and don’t compare yourself to other brands or companies. It’s easy to focus on where you want to be and get caught up on how far you are from that. Don’t compare your year one or year two to someone else’s year ten!
As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Nikki Day, founder of Ayla & Co, the innovative diaper bag company that is helping parents everywhere take on the chaos of life with a little less mess.
Ayla & Co combines both fashion and function, with beautiful diaper bags and handbags made for the modern women, that also can include their patented 1 lb cordless vacuum! With its dual suction and beautiful design you can tackle life’s messes wherever they happen.
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?
First and foremost, I am a wife and mom of 4 little kids. In fact, we had four kids in 4 years (no multiples) so it’s safe to say life was/is a little hectic. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and have owned various smaller businesses over the years. I remember one pivotal moment that really got the gears turning for Ayla & Co was when I “graduated” to minivan status (yes that’s a thing that many of us moms have to embrace). I told my husband I would only drive a van if it had all the bells and whistles. Long story short, the van came with a small built-in vacuum. At first I thought it was ridiculous, but I ended up using it almost every single day. It made me think about how nice it would be to have a small hand held vacuum with me wherever I went, because let’s face it, kids are messy! I was also feeling extremely frustrated with my current diaper bags and felt that nothing was really suited for my needs. This is what led to my “light bulb” moment when I really knew I could design something better, more functional, and more innovative than anything else on the market. It took about a year of product development and design but we finally launched our business at the tail end of 2020. Looking back, I’m not entirely sure how I survived that year because I became the sole income provider and a homeschool teacher for my four children all about one week before our business officially launched. It was nothing short of sink or swim, but I did it. All that hard work has paid off and will continue to pay off.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
As I stepped into the role of leader and founder, I noticed a shift in my confidence. The self esteem that I’ve gained and the sense of purpose outside of my role as just a mother was real. Being a mom will always be a very important part of my life, but it isn’t the only thing that defines me. Running my own business allows me to explore that creative outlook and nourish myself in a way that I wouldn’t necessarily be able to outside without it.
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?
This is a little embarrassing to admit but if you can’t laugh at yourself you are never going to make it in this world. I once was doing an instagram live and was showing our followers our new products. The “live” lasted about 25 minutes and once I finished I watched it back over to make sure I didn’t forget anything, and to my horror, I realized that my cute oversized sweater was tucked into my underwear and showing above my pants waistline. All in all it was visible for about 30 seconds of the video. It was pretty embarrassing (luckily nothing R-rated) but definitely not my best moment.
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 was lucky enough to have a lot of mentors who were just a few years ahead of me in the product development world. I was able to ask lots and lots of questions and they so graciously offered their advice, support and help throughout my startup life. It is very easy to feel isolated in this entrepreneurial world and having that connection with other business owners is a priceless blessing that I was able to experience. It is my hope that I can return the favor one day to a fellow entrepreneur.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?
While we have come so far in the last 50 years with women in business, we still have such a long way to go. The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t helped in recent years. According to a recent study, 1 in 5 women were forced out of the workforce since the pandemic began, most citing child care or family care responsibilities and have not returned to work. That is decades worth of progress erased in a matter of months. The challenge of running a household, providing childcare, homeschooling and/or working from home all hold women back from founding companies. Today, more than 80% of CEOs are male. The glaring discrepancies between men and women in the workplace are likely to deepen and last for generations. We desperately need a recovery plan that supports women in the workplace.
Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?
My advice is to set clear expectations with your partner about both your work life/home life balance. Figure out how to divide up childcare, work, and what accommodations need to be made. While you could have the most supportive and productive partner in the world, the fact is that women still carry most of the emotional and mental load in a relationship and families and this really is a huge factor in why women don’t have a larger role in business. Women don’t have adequate access to resources needed to succeed. The reason there aren’t more women CEOs is unfortunately because as a society we set women up to fail. In addition to these limitations, there are also the same old assumptions about assertive, empowered and successful women. We need to teach people how to reframe their view of a successful woman.
As a society, we need to aspire towards more affordable child care, and better maternity leave options. We also need larger corporations to create more accommodations that make it easier for women to have more flexible schedules. Lastly, we need to address the pay gap discrepancy, especially for women of color.
This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?
Arguably, the best time for women to start a company is now. Women have been fighting back against lost jobs by creating their own. According to the most recent census, women were two times more likely to start a business than men and over 4.4 million businesses were created in the US during 2020 alone. This is the highest on record to date. It’s never been easier to get your product or service out there to the world. Marketing, word of mouth, social media, and the resources available to you on how to be successful are all at the tips of your fingertips.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?
I would like to dispel the myth of what you think life as a founder looks like. What people typically see on the outside is surface level and might look a lot like financial freedom and creating your own schedule. This is the tip of the iceberg and while entrepreneurship can bring those things, it is often not as simple as that. Owning a business and being a founder is super rewarding, but it is also a lot of work. I quite frequently refer to Ayla & Co as my fifth child. There are a lot of sleepless nights, tears, sweat, and worry put into this business. While I knew it would be difficult, there are some days that I never dreamed it would be this challenging.
Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?
Resiliency. You have to have the ability to dust yourself off after falling down and be willing to try harder. You can have the greatest work ethic in the world, but if you quit after one set back you will never make it as the founder of a business. If I would have quit after my unfortunate instagram live video, I would never have been able to hit my million dollar mark in sales and be able to celebrate that win. If you can learn to look at your setbacks as growth opportunities, then they can propel you forward and help you make necessary changes within yourself and your business to really achieve the growth and success you are looking for.
It is also important to surround yourself with people who believe in your aspirations. If you create a support system that helps you thrive, the chances of doing so become much greater. I am lucky enough to have a very supportive husband and family who are able to help with childcare while I work.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
It’s a marathon not a sprint. Focus on the journey not necessarily the end goal, and remember that the small steps forward that you make each day will make the biggest difference in the long run.
All growth is not necessarily “good” growth. Grow responsibly. In other words, make sure you can support the scaling that you are wanting to do. It can be a business crippling problem to grow faster than you can reasonably support.
Start creating a profitable business as early as you can. Of course there are certain start up investments related to starting a business, but turn your focus to profitability as soon as you can. It is all too easy to get caught up in the “reinvestment” strategy of the business and never graduate from that. At the end of the day, you are starting a business to pay yourself and be profitable.
Be patient with yourself and don’t compare yourself to other brands or companies. It’s easy to focus on where you want to be and get caught up on how far you are from that. Don’t compare your year one or year two to someone else’s year ten!
Don’t be afraid to hire. Hiring new team members can feel impossible early on and not financially feasible. However, hiring out the work that you can, really can be a catalyst to scaling and growing your business. Find your strengths, focus on how they can support the business, and hire out your weaknesses.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
At Ayla & Co we like to find ways to give back. One of our favorite causes that is near and dear to my heart is World Purple Day which is March 26th. World Purple Day is a day to help bring awareness and public understanding to Epilepsy. In March of 2020, my 6 year old daughter was diagnosed with a seizure disorder and we have been learning to adapt and thrive with this diagnosis ever since.
As many as 65 million people worldwide have Epilepsy including 3.4 million in the United States, 470,000 thousand of whom are children. 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy at some point in their lives, so you probably already know some one with it!
In honor of World Purple Day, Ayla & Co donates 100% of their profit from the sales that day to the Epilepsy Foundation for research and to train more people in seizure first aid response. In addition, we match that amount donated to the foundation and put it towards new books that get donated to the Neuro Trauma Unit at one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I would love to eventually get to the point where we are able to set up scholarships for women entrepreneurs. I would love to find a better way to help support and encourage women in business.
We are very blessed that some very prominent 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.
I think it would be amazing to sit down with Kendra Scott. Not only is she one of the most notable self made women in America, but she is also a mother as well. It would be an honor to pick her brain and learn from one of the best.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
