Women In Wellness: Author Kyra Evans On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Take tiny new actions. Martha Beck calls this “one degree turns”. I’ve learned that no matter how lost we feel, taking small micro actions and trying new things can open up opportunities we wouldn’t have otherwise had access to. Worst case scenario, even if you’ve made a mistake, you’ve learned something. You don’t have to do the same thing twice if it doesn’t work. Just be willing to try.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kyra Evans.
Kyra Evans is an author, speaker, and certified mindfulness instructor who lives in Muskoka, Ontario. Prior to transitioning into wellness leadership, Kyra spent over 15 years working as a tech and finance writer for some of Canada’s biggest brands including RBC and Telus. Now certified in the Unified Mindfulness method (a straightforward, no-fluff system backed by Harvard), Kyra offers 1:1 training and corporate group sessions, bringing a relatable, no-nonsense approach to her teachings. With a robust portfolio of clients ranging in size from multinational corporations to startups, Kyra utilizes her firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by corporate teams to deliver practical, results-oriented wellness services including multi-day executive retreats and tailor-made corporate wellness curricula. You can learn more about Kyra by visiting https://www.kyraevans.com/, and can find her work in publications such as HuffPost and Introvert, Dear.
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?
Thanks so much for chatting with me! I spent the majority of my career as a finance and tech copywriter, writing for big brands in banking, telecommunications, and software. I like to say that the biggest skill I learned during that time was how to turn complex concepts into easy explanations. I enjoyed copywriting, but the thing about it is that you’re always writing in someone else’s voice. After 15+ years, I felt pulled to pivot and begin sharing my own writing, under my own name. Much of my content centres around mental health — topics like anxiety, overwhelm, and people pleasing.
After seeing enormous benefits in my own life from the practice of mindfulness, I gained certification as a mindfulness instructor and began teaching corporate groups. Today, I use many of the skills I learned from copywriting for the purpose of teaching. And my firsthand understanding of the corporate world sets me apart from other mindfulness instructors who come from, say, a yoga background. I think it’s a good example of how the Universe works: Nothing goes to waste. Everyone’s story is perfectly orchestrated to get them where they’re meant to be.
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?
5 years ago, I read an article about a charity called “The Period Purse” that was collecting menstrual products for people experiencing homelessness. The story tugged at my heart, and I felt pulled to contact the charity to offer my copywriting services for free. An hour later, I received a message back from the founder, Jana Girdauskas, that said something like, “This is so crazy that you just wrote to me. Earlier this afternoon I was telling my husband that I needed a copywriter, but had no idea where I would find one!” I’ve donated my writing to The Period Purse ever since. It’s been one of the most meaningful client relationships I’ve ever had.
The moral of the story is this: If you feel a sudden nudge to send an email, jump on an opportunity, go to an event, or even read a specific book… do it! I really believe that we’re given these impulses for a reason. Follow them in a timely fashion and magic will unfold.
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’m a recovering people pleaser. Many of my biggest mistakes have been related to the tendency to self-abandon in order to be liked, accepted, or avoid conflict. When I first started my Instagram community, I was always reaching outwards for things to post, trying to figure out what would get the most “likes” and “follows”. And I kept hearing crickets! Nothing I posted gained any traction until I totally gave up on pleasing the algorithm, and instead started shifting my focus inward. I began sharing insights from my personal journey — the things that felt interesting to me. Ironically, that’s when my community started to grow. When you lean into your own authentic path, embracing who you truly are and sharing your unique perspective, that’s what magnetizes the people and opportunities you’re seeking.
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?
Right now, the world is feeling pretty out of control: War, the pandemic, the climate crisis… When everything feels like it’s falling down around your ears, it’s tempting to just pull the covers over your head and stay in bed. But today, we need all hands on deck. The trouble is that if we are not individually well, healthy, and thriving, we don’t have the energy to help anyone else. One of the most significant ways I’m influencing change is through my work with corporate groups. When organizations invest in mental wellbeing (including practices like mindfulness) from the top down, they have the opportunity to impact the lives of countless individuals. Not only their employees, but their employees’ children and spouses and friends. I see my teaching work as influencing corporate culture, which creates infinite outward ripples.
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.
Get curious. We’ve been raised to believe that there’s an answer for everything and that our job is to get all the answers right, just like in school. But the truth is that our job is not to know the answers — our job is to ask the questions. Questions like, “What if this thing could be easy?”, “How can I cultivate a sense of peace inside myself?”, and “What am I resisting?” place us in a seat of equanimity rather than control. Not only does this decrease anxiety and overwhelm, but it enhances creativity and resilience.
Take tiny new actions. Martha Beck calls this “one degree turns”. I’ve learned that no matter how lost we feel, taking small micro actions and trying new things can open up opportunities we wouldn’t have otherwise had access to. Worst case scenario, even if you’ve made a mistake, you’ve learned something. You don’t have to do the same thing twice if it doesn’t work. Just be willing to try.
Know your Self. Over half of women identify as “people pleasers”. 70% of girls grow up feeling like they’ll never measure up to the culture’s expectations. This causes us to reject who we truly are, and try to live up to an external expectation of who we “should” be. But it’s a losing game! No matter how good we are at pretending, it won’t make us happy. Getting to know your Self, and allowing her to steer the course of your life is the only route to happiness. This is actually the topic of my second book!
Face the facts, and shed the story. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or freaked out, I have a practice of removing the emotional charge of a situation by looking at only the facts. So for example, right now I’m writing the proposal for my second book. I’m very hopeful that a traditional publisher will want to buy it. It’s tempting for me to dive into a story like, “This proposal has to be PERFECT! I can’t make any mistakes! It’s the most important document I’ve ever created!” Instead, I peel it back to simply, “I am writing words.” It takes my anxiety way down. Sounds simple, but I’m telling you — it works.
Cultivate present moment awareness. When we worry about the future, or ruminate about the past, we’re signing up for suffering. If you find yourself feeling anxious, worried, or regretful, instead direct your attention to this moment, right now. What do you see, hear, and feel? That is what’s most real.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
It would be teaching people how to journey back to the true Self. I think many of us feel lost because we’re playing this cosmic game of musical chairs. Imagine that when we arrive here as babies, we each have a chair — some greater purpose we’re meant to fulfill. As we grow, we’re taught that we “should” have another chair. For example, maybe we’re taught to swap our “artist” chair for an “accountant” chair because that’s perceived to be more financially viable. The trouble is that every time you swap chairs, you’re taking up a seat that someone else was meant to be in, fulfilling their own destiny. I think the original seating arrangement was perfect! So much of our existential suffering could be eased if each of us just quit this game and sought out our own chair — the true Self.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
Only five? Oh boy. There are so many things I wish I’d known.
1. Your own story is perfect. I’ve often felt like I needed to pretend to be someone else — someone with a different background or qualifications. That’s nonsense. There are people out there who are looking for exactly YOU! To change anything about yourself will make it harder for them to find you.
2. You don’t look smart when you pretend to know things. The smartest people in the room admit when they’ve reached the edges of their knowledge. Ask lots of questions. Cultivate what they call in Zen Buddhism, the “beginner’s mind”.
3. As Brene Brown says, clear is kind. Say what you mean. When you dance around your feelings, you make other people work even harder to figure out what you want.
4. When you’re facing conflict, lean into the truth of your heart. If you keep that as your compass, you’ll never have any regrets.
5. Listen to your instincts. If someone feels like a bad match, or if someone gives you instant “mean girl” vibes, run in the opposite direction, even if you can’t put your finger on why.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
My work is centred entirely on mental health. I love Jane Goodall’s perspective that when we think locally, we have the courage to act globally. Right now, our world needs all the kind-hearted, generous, sensitive souls to nurture their own wellbeing, so that they can then step into positions of leadership within their communities. If we are not mentally well at the individual level, and if we can’t lend ourselves compassion, we won’t ever have the energy or care to invest in solving larger global issues.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
Women In Wellness: Gabriela Ramirez Ortiz of OCA On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
You will need to be resilient. Hearing “yes, you are approved,” or “no, maybe next year,” from retail buyers makes you realize how difficult it is to have a dream and actually pursue it.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Gabriela Ramirez Ortiz.
Ortiz serves as the Global CEO of OCA, a globally distributed plant-based energy drink powered by tapioca, an extract from cassava root native to Brazil. The groundbreaking beverage is part of the WeBelivMagnus venture between Beliv, Latin America’s fast-growing bec-tech company with 40 brands in 35 countries, and Magnus Media, the media venture of Grammy Award-winning artist and Latino icon, Marc Anthony. In her role, Gaby has led OCA through massive expansion, with the product now being distributed by grocery stores and online retailers throughout the world, including Kroger and Amazon.
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 had been working in the beverage industry for many years, starting with PepsiCo. It was the best way for me to start my professional career, because I was able to gain a lot of knowledge while there, but because it’s a big organization with so many different products, there are challenges to being nimble. Eventually, it got to a point where I wanted to be part of something from the ground up and be a category leader and gamechanger — so I moved to Beliv, where I have been for the past 11 years.
The company values creating, developing and distributing products that are better for you, was very appealing to me. Slowly, I started expanding the markets I was in charge of and growing the new ventures team, which led to me co-creating OCA, a plant-based energy drink powered by tapioca. I led functionality and consumer studies, marketing, branding and investing for the brand, and helped launch it at retail. I am also involved in every process on a ground level — this includes speaking to consumers directly, and using that data and that personal connection to inform current and future strategy for OCA.
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?
I have always been an entrepreneur and I have always loved to travel. On a trip to Mexico I found out about a donut company that everyone was talking about, but I couldn’t try them because the earliest delivery was one month after my initial order. When I came back, one of my best friends at work talked about the company, and how “easy” it would be to do a company like that one. She agreed with me, and we set off to do the same, but better. We created our company in 2 weeks (logo, slogan, business plan, recipes, packaging, go to market and marketing campaign). Everything seemed easy and it was flowing well; at the end of the day, we were two marketers who were used to doing this for a living. We decided to launch only on social media so we could control the sales and deliveries. We even ran some tests with family and friends and everyone loved it and encouraged us to launch — which we ended up doing in time for Valentine’s Day of that year.
After launching our paid media campaign, we didn’t check our progress since we didn’t think we’d do as well as we were actually doing. We had to upload a sold out post since the demand was so big that we couldn´t deliver. We had our friends and family helping us with the cooking, packing and delivering. It was crazy! Even though we were passionate about it, we realized we had no experience in the food industry so we closed the company a few months later. It was a very profitable business and we were doing well, but it wasn’t the right fit for us.
I learned that oftentimes, you only see successful businesses and it seems easy, but you don’t know all the work behind getting to that point. I also learned how adaptable, easy, fast and fun it is to do something without overthinking too much about it when you have the right partner to do it with. And last but not least, I wish I could have handled it a little more and sold the concept or the business to an investor within the food industry, or at least pitched the idea to the owners of that Mexico business, as it was the first food-pastry business to be sold only by Facebook at that time.
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?
A few years back, I launched a product for the kids’ segment that sought to improve what was out there in the market. It was especially dedicated to moms, so they could buy the best product available for their kids. These products had no strong value proposition, and had no differentiation attractive solid enough for moms to choose ours vs a leading brand, but the most important thing I learned is, I was not listening closely to what consumers and shoppers had to say about our product. It was exhausting trying to explain, justify and adapt, but most importantly not hitting our goals every month until the decision came to kill the innovation.
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?
With OCA, one of our main goals is to make people more mindful of what they’re putting into their bodies. So many people drink coffee or high-sugar energy drinks across the world — while feeling energized is important, products like that can be addictive and are filled with ingredients that are not good for your physical health. The goal of OCA was to find a way to keep consumers energized while providing them a product that is all natural, organic and plant-based. It was quite a challenge, but we did it and it’s been a successful story not only in retail but from a consumer’s perspective.
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.
Working towards a plant-based diet. I started with a ‘Plant-Based for Dummies’ book at the top of my journey, and ended up losing some weight with a combination of plant-based eating and exercising but most importantly I was feeling energized, I was sleeping better and actually feeling good about my day to day choices. I love my new lifestyle!
Expand your palettes to different tastes and flavors from other cultures. With OCA, we currently offer four different flavors inspired by fruits that are popular in Latin America, like prickly-pear lime, guava-passionfruit and mango.
Adapting quickly to your environment. When I moved to LA, I started from zero: I was away from my friends and family, and had to learn to live in a new environment by myself. I was fortunate enough to be able to create new friends and memories, and learn to call this place home.
You are never done learning. Overseeing a business demands learning and updating your knowledge, from sales and co-packing to freight and marketing. It’s scary, but at the same time, learning about things I don’t know energizes me to keep transforming myself and keep the learning mode always on.
By surrounding yourself with a multifunctional team, you will have the opportunity to impact and copy what other great leaders have done, and learn to be a better and more influential leader for your team. Teamwork makes the dream work.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
I would encourage everyone to pay attention to what you put into your body, whether that’s food and drink or alcohol consumption. Everything you consume to recharge yourself has the potential to either help or hinder your physical health down the line, and having an understanding of what you’re taking in each day can only help you on your road to a healthier lifestyle.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” in relation to OCA, and why?
1.You will need to be resilient. Hearing “yes, you are approved,” or “no, maybe next year,” from retail buyers makes you realize how difficult it is to have a dream and actually pursue it.
2. Choose your best team — as Kobe Bryant said in his Mamba Mentality “we don´t quit, we don’t run, we don’t cower, we endure and we conquer.”
3.You will need to be able to celebrate every little step forward. Trying to disrupt a highly competitive segment is very tough, so make sure you enjoy every small step.
4.You will need to adapt quickly. Having moved 3 times from different states, living in a hotel while finding a new home all while working… it’s easier when your passion and your dream is at the forefront.
5. Dream, but dream big — dreams come true, but especially for those who work hard enough to get them.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
It’s impossible to just choose one, because they’re all connected, and all lend to each other. There are studies that show that your mental health can be improved by eating and living well. Eating and living well will have a better impact on the environment around you, and vice versa.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
You instill your values in your children and they in turn grow up with a solid foundation of values like faith, family, grit, integrity, kindness, etc.
Growing up in a poor, mountainous region of Puerto Rico, I had no idea I would end up where I am today: an executive shaping the future of health care and public policy in America and a father dedicated to faith, family, and perseverance.
Today, as an executive of a health benefits company, I get to see hopes and dreams lived out in the lives of members every day as I work to advance improvements in health care quality, access, and affordability.
Over the last two decades, I have held a variety of roles, including serving as chief strategy officer of a multi-national hospital company, leading my own consulting company, growing a successful not-for-profit organization, investing in real estate, and enjoying a rewarding career in public service.
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us your “childhood backstory”?
I grew up between a poor community in Puerto Rico and in my teenage years, in a poor, working-class urban city in Massachusetts. The backstory is simple, I grew up fighting my way out of poverty in search of a better future that often seemed all but unattainable.
Can you share the story about what brought you to this specific point in your career?
A lifelong journey of learning important values from my parents and understanding how the choices I made daily would impact me in the future. I knew I did not want to be poor, but I did not know how to achieve better. I learned from watching others around me either fail or succeed and I held a deep passion for personal improvement and growth. I embraced the tenets of faith, family, and grit to get where I am, and those are the key themes I share in my new book: American Familia.
Can you tell us a bit more about what your day-to-day schedule looks like?
I lead a health benefits company that provides health coverage for almost 200,000 state employees. My day starts at 5am:
5am: pray and read the bible
5:30am: read emails and the news
6:00am: wake up my two sons and my wife and prepare breakfast
7:15am: share drop off duty with my wife
8:am: meetings / calls
12pm to 1pm: lunch with my wife
1pm to 6pm: meetings / calls
6pm: dinner with my family
7pm: emails
8pm to 9:30pm: family time
930pm to 11pm: work out and read
1130pm: bedtime!
Weekends: family time!
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the core of our discussion. This is probably intuitive to many, but it would be beneficial to spell it out. Based on your experience or research, can you flesh out why not spending time with your children can be detrimental to their development?
You can either instill core values in your children or let schools and strangers do so. Your children are like sponges, and they absorb and learn from your actions and words. The more you let others shape them, the more they develop traits and values that are not your own. I structured American Familia as a conversation with my sons to help communicate the direct role of parenting in instilling the values that helped shape my personal success.
On the flip side, can you give a few reasons or examples about why it is so important to make time to spend with your children?
You instill your values in your children and they in turn grow up with a solid foundation of values like faith, family, grit, integrity, kindness, etc.
You can “re-engineer” or correct false information or erroneous information they may learn from others
You can teach your children to be productive adults and embrace work ethic and entrepreneurship, vital to self-reliance
You can advance personal responsibility and critical thinking to teach them how to think, not what to think
You can teach your children to embrace and appreciate the freedoms we enjoy in American and learn to be grateful for the constitutional freedoms we enjoy in America
According to this study cited in the Washington Post, the quality of time spent with children is more important than the quantity of time. Can you give a 3–5 stories or examples from your own life about what you do to spend quality time with your children?
Reading time — read the bible together
Critical thinking time: discuss current affairs and argue pros and cons
Put away all technology and eat together
Play pool together
Take long walks
Take long drives
We all live in a world with many deadlines and incessant demands for our time and attention. That inevitably makes us feel rushed and we may feel that we can’t spare the time to be “fully present” with our children. Can you share with our readers 5 strategies about how we can create more space in our lives in order to give our children more quality attention? Please include examples or stories for each, if you can.
Intentionally schedule family time on your work calendar
Shut off your emails and cell phone during family time
Take time off work at least three times a year to spend time with family
Proactively let your company know about certain family events that are mandatory and for which you will not be available to work
Ask your supervisor or staff not to email or call during family time
Sacrifice your time or sleep for your children’s activities
How do you define a “good parent”? Can you give an example or story?
A good parent is someone who selflessly sacrifices their time and energy to raise strong, confident, loving young men and women. In my case, I declined a multi-million-dollar job to raise my two sons and restore my relationship with my wife and children.
How do you inspire your child to “dream big”? Can you give an example or story?
I expose my children every day and every weekend to remarkable people and I encourage my children to aim to do better than my wife and I have done. I also remind them that they are capable of achieving more than they can ever imagine. We remind them that the only obstacle is the person they see in the mirror. We also discuss with them the tactics thy can take to achieve their dreams. For example, if they want to become doctors, they will need to go to college and medical school and then they can strive to not just be a doctor, but the CEO or owner of the hospital. One of the key takeaways from American Familia is that any young person, from any background or circumstance, should dream big and become more.
How do you, a person who masterfully straddles the worlds of career and family, define “success”?
Success is my ability to instill faith, confidence, kindness, integrity, and love in my children by my actions. My family and their welfare always comes first.
What are your favorite books, podcasts, or resources that inspire you to be a better parent? Can you explain why you like them?
The bible — the source of truth, love and redemption. The psalms, proverbs, and the book of Ephesians and Romans are especially powerful
Conversations with my parents
My wife — she is my pillar
Pastor Tony Evans (YouTube sermons)
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“People don’t have to believe what you say, they have to believe what you do” — Coach David Dempsey (my high school football coach)
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. 🙂
Tell everyone how blessed you are, no matter the circumstances or challenges you may be facing.
Thank you so much for these insights! This was so inspiring!
Women In Wellness: Tracy MacNeal of Materna Medical on The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Never burn bridges — always leave places and jobs better than you found them, and when you leave, be gracious. That means thanking people for their contributions to you and for the opportunities that you had, letting the hard times go on your way out.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tracy MacNeal.
Tracy MacNeal is a healthcare pioneer with an engineering background and strong business acumen, with leadership expertise at successful start-ups, mid-size companies and Fortune 100 corporations. 20+ years in pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, digital health and medical devices combined with her expertise in FemTech has led Tracy to lead Materna Medical as President and CEO.
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?
My background is in Engineering, having graduated with a BE in Chemical Engineering from The Cooper Union and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. After 20-plus years in the healthcare industry, I’ve witnessed the failure to focus on women’s health firsthand. I’m a deep believer in the importance of contribution and collaboration within our shared healthcare ecosystem. We’re seeking to transform the standard of care for women in our product categories, potentially improving millions of lives.
As National Chair for the Advamed’s Women’s Executive Network, I work to amplify the voices of women leaders who are shaping the future of healthcare. While we work on making lasting, impactful change in the healthcare industry at large, I am also committed to helping women take charge of their own health.
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 most exciting moments of my career involve negotiating deals with big companies. The details of those are confidential, but they all center on principle-based negotiation. My deals have included acquisitions, divestitures, licensing arrangements, angel investments, venture financing, and complex supply agreements. In every situation, my approach has been to make sure that the healthcare patient is at the center of our plan — if we’re not focused on the patient’s best interest, the deal is no good. Once we’ve set our intentions, we seek to understand what’s truly important to both parties. If those principles are not aligned, no amount of negotiation can get the deal done, and that’s why so many deals fall apart, seemingly last minute. Being candid, deals that fall apart often didn’t have enough common ground to begin with. If there is common ground, then there is usually a way to “get to yes” that appeases everyone and allows us to make progress in healthcare innovation.
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?
In my early years as a business professional, I let one of my customers know that they had really irritated me. You know the old saying, “the customer is always, right?” That customer never forgave me, and it created a tension that never healed. I think about that a lot, wondering how I could have handled it differently. Maybe he was more deeply offended because I was a young woman and he was an older man. It wasn’t a career-altering error, but I learned to really consider my words before I speak. I now devote significant time and energy to building understanding in all my relationships, personal and professional. There are some situations that are unavoidably challenging, but I always seek to honor everyone’s humanity, first and foremost.
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?
Our primary goal is to bring pelvic health solutions to every woman and healthcare specialist in the US. Our focus is on women’s pelvic health, a part of healthcare that is extremely understudied. Too often women’s painful symptoms are dismissed, and they are told that their issues are considered a ‘standard’ part of life that must be tolerated. We understand that not everyone wants to speak about their vaginal and pelvic health, but women shouldn’t live in unnecessary or avoidable pain, nor be made to feel like the problem is in their head.
At Materna Medical, we combine medical rigor with emotional intelligence to create products that empower women to take control of their pelvic floor health. Our pioneering devices include Milli, a vaginal dilator indicated to help relieve the symptoms of vaginismus and related dyspareunia. Vaginismus is a type of high-tone pelvic floor disorder with symptoms that include pain and anxiety with wanted penetration, including tampons, pelvic exams, or sexual intercourse. Milli is a single, FDA-cleared dilator that expands inside the vagina, at her pace, at her control, millimeter by millimeter. Materna Prep is an investigational device which is currently the subject of a clinical study to determine its ability to reduce pelvic floor injuries during childbirth. Materna Prep is placed in the vagina during the first stage of labor, and gradually expands to pre-stretch the vagina and surrounding pelvic floor muscles over a longer period than would occur when the baby comes through the vagina. The device is currently investigational and is the subject of an ongoing clinical study to evaluate if this pre-stretching reduces pelvic floor injuries associated with vaginal delivery. Both Milli and Prep seek to improve women’s pelvic health by combining innovation and empathy to transform the standard of care in women’s pelvic health.
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.
Meditation — I take 30 minutes nearly every morning to meditate. There are so many ways to meditate, and so many resources online to get started. I recommend that everyone takes the time to explore their inner lives more fully. At an inner level, what we often want is just a quiet moment to remember who we really are and connect with a sustainable source of energy.
Exercise — We all know this. It doesn’t have to be a fancy gym membership or a hot yoga class. For me, it’s often just taking a business call on the phone; instead of using Zoom at my desk, I’ll ask my meeting partner, “I’ve been sitting at my desk for three hours straight. Can I take you for a walk while we talk?” They inevitably laugh and say, “Absolutely! I wish I could do the same!” These walking meetings are often better conversations because they started with humanity first.
Hydration — Drinking water makes a huge difference for me. I love my morning coffee, but I switch to water by 10 am and stay with it all day.
Grounding and relaxing — I recommend finding mentors who can help manage energy. Grounding your energy, relaxing, and staying calm and open-minded — from simple physical therapy or massage to other forms of energy work like Tai Chi or Reiki. There are many types of research that show better creativity, more happiness, better productivity, better outcomes when we’re not in “fight or flight” mode. It’s a mindful discipline to notice when your shoulders are tense, when your jaw is tight, when you have tension in your stomach, or whatever your body’s signals are when you need to just center, ground, and relax.
Vegetables — I love fried food, chocolate and bagels with cream cheese, but too much of those are counterproductive for my health. Rather than eliminate them, I crowd them out with very veg-focused foods. After a big bowl of yummy butternut squash soup with a coconut drizzle and toasted pepitas, I’m happy with just a bite or two of a treat.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
I believe that when we invest in women, we all win. Investing in women’s healthcare transcends more than just solving physical health problems. By working in this mindset, we can inspire future generations of women to create and preserve the future of female health care. Designing healthcare that truly supports women will be the legacy of FemTech leaders in this country.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
It’s a small world — you’ll meet many people, and you’ll see them again. Your credibility and honor are everything, so treat all people well.
Never burn bridges — always leave places and jobs better than you found them, and when you leave, be gracious. That means thanking people for their contributions to you and for the opportunities that you had, letting the hard times go on your way out.
Just say yes — life brings tremendous opportunities to try things that you have no idea how to do and which you’ve never done before. Just say yes. Don’t be afraid to fail — everyone fails, and everyone succeeds. If you’re not sure, ask for help, ask for training, buy a book, get a mentor, but go for it!
It’s a marathon — there are times when you need to burn the candle at both ends and really push through tough deadlines and overcome challenges, but there are times when you should take a break and recover. Burnout is real. Learning how to manage your energy and self-care is key to enjoying the whole race.
Every journey is non-linear — society emphasizes “Hero’s journey” stories that have a classical storyline of beginning, middle, and end. In retrospect, we can usually fit our life experiences into those molds, and that’s why they’re timeless. In the middle of the story, however, it can seem confusing and linking it all together feels like a challenge. In my experience, trying to tell my life story in a linear way is a distraction. Life is an adventure, and I’m enjoying it just the way it is.
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 is a topic I think a lot about. Our family has chosen a few ways to try to be sustainable in this crazy, unsustainable chapter of Earth’s existence: gardening, composting, fuel-efficient cars, and eating at home in a plant-forward way. Professionally, devoting myself to women’s health is connected to sustainability; we know that when women are happier and healthier, the world is happier and healthier.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
LinkedIn is my most active social channel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracymacneal/), and you can see my amateur photos and silly sense of humor on my Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tracymacneal/)
Thank you so much for these insights! This was so inspiring!
Women In Wellness: Chik Lai Ping of YTL Hotels on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
To invest earlier and I wish I had learned the term “compound interest”. As a result, I shared what I have learned with the people around me, encouraging them to invest even at the start of their work lives and how to compound their interest.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Chik Lai Ping.
Ms. Chik Lai Ping is Senior Vice President of the Spa Division at YTL Hotels, and oversees operations of the group’s award- winning spas under the brand, Spa Village. Her passion for the industry stems from her profound interest in the indigenous beauty rituals long practiced in the multi-racial society of Malaysia. Today, with more than 200 associates, 11 luxury spas and a destination spa, Lai Ping is set to take YTL Hotels’ Spa Division to even greater heights.
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?
My career started in the hospitality industry, but I only began to focus my attention on the spa industry in 1999. Beginning with a humble fitness center in the JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur and a team of 15, I was given the opportunity to develop a unique spa brand for the YTL Hotels. Extolling the healing culture of the region each spa resides within, Spa Village made its debut at Pangkor Laut Resort in 2002, and, under my guidance, expanded and eventually went global with the launch of its first international spa resort, Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali in 2007.
Fast-forward to today, we have an international presence beyond our home-ground of Malaysia with Spa Villages in locations around Europe and Thailand, each with its own unique offering. Take for example the Spa Village Bath in The Gainsborough Bath Spa, opened in United Kingdom in 2015 which offers a contemporary perspective of the city’s thermal water heritage, and Spa Village Koh Samui in The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui — offering a 3,800 square meter sanctuary with pre-treatment rituals inspired by the Songkran festival.
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 most interesting story has to be how I started in the spa industry. I was the Recreation Manager for JW Marriott Hotel pre-opening team in 1997. Right after we opened the Asian Financial Crisis hit and in 1999, the said hotel was purchased by YTL Hotels. I was interviewed and selected to be the head of the newly created YTL Spa Division to work alongside our spa consultant to develop the Spa Village brand for YTL Hotels.
During the transition of the hotel takeover, many of my colleagues chose to quit, worried about the uncertainty of new ownership but I stayed on. It turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me. It enabled me to join the spa industry and transition from the fitness industry. I was able to grow with a new career from what I felt was my darkest moment professionally. Having a background in fitness, I was immediately able to create wellness experiences long before that term became popularized. I have since opened 12 Spa Villages globally in Malaysia, Bali, Thailand, UK and China.
The lesson learnt was not to simply follow the others; assess your situation and make your own choice. It could be a make or break situation.
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?
One crucial thing I learned is not to cover up my mistakes or give excuses for wrongdoings. This is a lesson well taught by my superior who studied law and is the
Executive Director of YTL Hotels. His way of understanding is to interrogate and examine both sides of the coin before he makes a decision. It helped me develop my critical thinking and that being straightforward was the wisest.
Apart from my work, I regret not having picked up the ability to cook for most of my life which has resulted in me eating out very often. The Covid-19 pandemic forced me to stay at home due to the governmental movement control order. During that period, I watched YouTube videos and made my own meals. Surprisingly, I now enjoy shopping for ingredients and cooking calmed my mind and soothed my soul. It was nurturing to me. I also started sharing the food I cooked with my family and friends. It was such a joy to see them enjoy my food and also a way to convey my love.
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?
In developing and building the Spa Village brand of YTL Hotels, we have positioned ourselves with the concept of “Honoring the Healing Traditions of the Region”.
My focus was on the ground researching the methods of healing in each region by speaking to healers and the elderly in the village. In the process we found a Malay family connected with the royal house willing to share their traditional secrets of beauty and health care. Transforming their traditional healing methods into the modern spa experience has been very rewarding. Authenticity, respect, and involvement and blessing of the people is extremely important to me.
We strongly feel that healing traditions, along with the indigenous herbs and plants, should be preserved and shared with the rest of the world.
In the year 2002 the first Spa Village was launched in Pangkor Laut Resort (a private island in north west of peninsula Malaysia). The spa treatments were based on honoring the healing cultures of the Malay, Chinese (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and Indian (Ayurveda).
I have also found satisfaction in hiring staff members from the local villages such as Tembok, Bali. At Spa Village Resort Tembok, Bali we have successfully engaged close to 100% local employees. We provide English and hospitality classes and train them to be professional spa hoteliers. Most of them are quite talented, are able to multi-task and are very artistic. For example: The pool attendant is able to perform Silat classes (Balinese martial arts). The musician who plays the traditional music is able to teach drawing on the lontar (crafting words/art on dried wood). All spa therapists generally know how to make boreh (body scrub), canang (flower offering) and Jamu (traditional herbal tonic). We are able to raise productivity and offer more traditional activities to the guests. We also provide meaningful employment that enables the young people to remain in the home country while supporting the traditional culture. In the end I find giving back to the community is one of the greatest aspects of this project.
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.
My grandparents operated a coffee shop from the 1950’s before I was even born. Naturally, drinking coffee has been part of my life since I was young. I started to have “zero sugar” in my coffee for the last 10 years. I would advise my fellow colleagues, especially the hotel General Managers who consume coffee with a few packets of sugar daily throughout the day to reduce the amount of sugar by half and slowly omit it. It has shocked me that they, like many people, never count how many coffees multiplied by how many packets of sugar they in-take daily. The good news is that Ayurvedic teaching says that your taste buds are trainable.
I “drink warm water” every day. It started 5 years when I was traveling during the wintertime outside of Malaysia. The drinking water was so cold in the morning! My mentor gave me a thermos bottle during that trip that warmed my heart and I remembered listening to a Hong Kong celebrity’s interview. He said drinking warm water is healthier. That concept is true in both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. I also consume warm water at home from a thermos bottle and I keep it by my bedside when I sleep at night for easy access. It is very soothing to my body. This doesn’t mean that I don’t consume any cold drinks. When I eat out I allow myself a lime juice or ice lemon tea.
Eating regularly and sensibly is critically important to wellness. My morning breakfast usually is fruit and yoghurt, except when I travel. I used to have Chinese noodles most days in the morning when I was much younger. Now lunchtime is when I will have my noodles. Dinner can be anything but no rice or carbohydrates. Most of the people I know are on brown rice but I have decided to omit rice and keep traditional Chinese noodles in my diet.
Considering that Malaysia is truly a food paradise, I realized that I could not let go of all my favorites. So I indulge sparingly in “sin food”. Once a week I enjoy food like Char Kwey Teow (oily Chinese fried noodles), Nasi Lemak (Malay coconut rice with chili), Roti Canai (oily Indian pancakes).
I wake early to set aside 30 minutes for morning exercise. Like many people, I used to think that going to the gym three times a week would be sufficient. I realized that if I missed one day I would be left with only two days. If I commit myself to daily exercise, even if I missed two days I still have five days left. Being a strong business woman, it is not surprising that I was finally able to convince myself with a bit of math.
You may notice a pattern from my answers above. 80% of the time be disciplined. 20% of the indulge. I believe life is about BALANCE!
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
My friends said that I am a positive minded person, highly disciplined. I am able to influence and convince people, am solution driven, self-motivated and a good counselor. With these qualities I would like to motivate and give strength to women to step out of their comfort zone. Most women focus too much on their family and work. They care about everyone else and hardly take any time for themselves. I would like to start a movement for all women around the world to walk outdoors, ideally at the park on certain days so they could feel the difference. Hopefully, this “movement for movement” will lighten and brighten their days and create a global community of walking women.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
I wish I had been advised about my new career path from A to Z. My current job has allowed me to be involved in the company’s Talent Development program where we chart out the talents’ career path as soon as they came out of our YTL International College of Hotel Management.
To invest earlier and I wish I had learned the term “compound interest”. As a result, I shared what I have learned with the people around me, encouraging them to invest even at the start of their work lives and how to compound their interest.
That I should balance spending time with my family and not solely focus on work. Because I have worked hard I was able to purchase a penthouse for my mother to live comfortably. Fortunately, we have recently started spending more time together. I take her to the supermarket every couple weeks and now I am even cooking for my lovely mother, as well.
To look after my skin. I was always very active, swimming, diving, and enjoying the outdoors without sunscreen. Sunspots are stubborn and hard to correct.
I spent my first 7 years working in food and beverage departments prior to the fitness industry. During this time, I wore high heels for work and injured my ankle while working. The injury had a knock-on effect, affecting my entire body including my back. I wish someone had warned me about this beforehand and that high heels for female employees were not mandated or strongly encouraged. Thankfully, through years of stretching and yoga practice my back condition has improved.
Reflecting on my comments above, even if they could be reversed and someone had told me what I should do before I started, the stubborn ME may not have listened.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Addressing mental health is dearest to me. In my generation when we got stressed or depressed we would have to somehow overcome it and move on. As I have been mentoring young ones that graduated from our College, more and more are claiming they have mental health issues and visit psychiatrists. To be honest, I have not figured out fully how to mitigate these challenges.
To me mental health begins with mental strength. Brain muscles are like body muscles: they need exercise, too. In my early years of traveling, I carried along with me a sudoku book; I played mental challenge games on my phone. In my free time, I like to sketch. I go on hikes with friends and when I am tired I go for a swim to recharge. If I have the luxury of time to travel, I love the freedom the sea has to offer.
Finally, I find it essential to have one or two close friends and mentors. Someone that listens to me and I can pick their brains when needed. I count on them a lot to give me strength and for my mental health.
It was a great opportunity for me to reflect and share my career and life experiences through this interview. Hopefully the professional and personal journeys and insights I have shared in this interview will go some way to inspire someone to make a positive change for their well-being, however small that change is.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
Modern Fashion: Anifa Mvuemba of Hanifa On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today
An Interview With Candice Georgiadice
Perseverance without validation — When I stopped trying to fit into an industry that unfortunately wasn’t ready to embrace me, I quickly began to see milestones of success. In an industry where designers rarely “make it” without a helping hand of some sort, I’m incredibly blessed to say that faith and hard work have gotten me here.
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 Anifa Mvuemba.
Anifa Mvuemba is the Founder and Designer of ready-to-wear contemporary brand, Hanifa. DC-based Hanifa was born with an ambitious spirit to make edgy, feminine, size inclusive clothing that compliment the natural curves of a woman’s body.
As the first brand to livestream a virtual runway show on Instagram via Pink Label Congo of May 2020, Hanifa has been credited by Vogue, Essence, Forbes, Elle, Teen Vogue and more.
As a Congolese American designer, Anifa M. is dedicated to creating spaces for emerging designers through her platform CBYAM.
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”?
My journey into the fashion industry was a lot different from many. I didn’t go to a fancy design school in New York or interned at Vogue. I studied fashion merchandising at a local school in Maryland while balancing a retail job where I learned more about the business side of fashion. My passion for fashion expression actually started at a very young age. As a child, I remember watching my mother get dressed for work early mornings and later raiding her closet. She was my introduction to fashion, and I took inspiration from her well-tailored suits that later became our signature look.
My family fled to the United States when I was three years old to escape war and start a new life, and I’ve since then, found a way to embrace my Congolese heritage — through African-influenced color palettes and silhouettes that pay tribute to the women from my country and all of the continent.
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?
Tech is essential. We are living in a digital era where 3D models, virtual fashion worlds and NFTs are changing the way we see ourselves, our day-to-day lives and how we dress. The industry is technologically advancing by the year, and it is up to designers to keep up by challenging the traditional ways of showcasing new designs to the public.
What do you think makes Hanifa stand out in your industry?
I’ve been fortunate in being able to build my business click by click and by truly understanding my target customer, the power of tech, digital marketing and having the right team!
I consider my designs to be celebratory statement pieces that truly compliment the female form. I take pride in crafting bold, sophisticated body-loving silhouettes for women of all sizes.
To further separate my brand in what feels to be such a competitive market, I challenge myself daily to redefine the norm, and I’m always thinking ahead when finding ways to connect with our customer. For example, my first-ever virtual runway presentation went viral during the pandemic. The clothes were 3D modeled on floating figures who walked down the runway like the real thing. I’ve always been very intentional about creating for the future of our brand. The world is changing, things are shifting, there is no need to follow what everyone else is doing…chart your own path.
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?
Stay Inspired — I admire things that cause me to shift my mindset and put my phone away from time to time. I take pride in being able to find inspiration in almost anything. That is incredibly important to me as a creative and a huge factor (I think) in becoming a successful fashion designer. For instance, I could be on a flight and see a cloud and think to myself, ‘that would make a really nice skirt.’
Gratitude — I will forever be grateful for the opportunities I’ve received over the years and I’m very intentional about paying it forward. In 2020, I started a mentoring program for other emerging designers called Concepts by Anifa Mvuemba — to provide access to the industry for designers who are just getting started, especially those from the DMV like me. It means everything to me to be able to help mentor other designers, providing them with the guidance that I needed back then.
Diligence — I started Hanifa with no external funding, but through diligence, faith and countless research — I’ve managed to build a business that thrives off of its loyal customers despite being based outside of what is considered a “fashion” city. We’re doing BIG things on our own, and we always will!
Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?
We’re always researching ways to improve our sustainability and production practices for the present and the future. We do thorough visits, background checks, and make sure that our sources are compliant to ethical standards. We have a relationship with our manufacturers and work together to source the best fabrics for our customers that won’t harm their skin or the environment.
With this process we incorporate thorough quality control procedures and are very honest with our customers when it comes to providing fabrication details.
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?
There have been times where I’ve personally witnessed my own designs on a fast fashion retail site and while it feels incredibly disheartening, it is also problematic when they duplicate the efforts and designs of growing brands. Unfortunately, for us, there are no laws set in place to protect our designs from being replicated unless there’s something incredibly unique to them and their trademark.
What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.
Perseverance without validation — When I stopped trying to fit into an industry that unfortunately wasn’t ready to embrace me, I quickly began to see milestones of success. In an industry where designers rarely “make it” without a helping hand of some sort, I’m incredibly blessed to say that faith and hard work have gotten me here.
Know your audience — I pay close attention to the needs of the women that support me and have supported Hanifa from the beginning. And while I still have plans to expand the brand, I am always keeping our audience top of mind.
Stay True to Self — As a brand owner, I’ve always tried my best to avoid being put in any sort of box. It’s easy to feel pressured into what you see regularly. I’m thankful to have found a way to cut through the noise and build a business that speaks to many while still remaining true to myself. I refuse to limit myself. I design for the limitless woman so why not be that and live that in every single aspect of my life.
Utilize your resources — I always tell young designers to put in the dedication and look at all the resources that are available to them, even with mentorship. You may not get DVF or Michelle Obama to be your mentor or sign off on your brand, but you can go buy their books and find inspiration by reading about their journeys. When I started my business, I soaked up all the knowledge that I could like a sponge. YouTube was my best friend, and while I didn’t have access to a lot of industry knowledge growing up, the videos helped me to reinforce what I was working on in real life to become a self-taught designer.
Practice, practice and more practice — I think it’s important to make sure that you are not only fueling your passion, but consistently working on your business. As a designer it’s important to constantly stretch your creativity, however, it can’t hinder your progression as a CEO — you still need to put in the time to learn a new skill set, you can still find ways to improve your professional development to benefit your team and your business. There will always be room for practice.
Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?
I believe there is room to create and design in multiple spaces as you see fit. The fashion industry specifically, tends to push creators to exist as one specific thing, and that rings especially true for people of color. Black designers are constantly fighting the belief that their designs remain in only one space, or for one audience. I don’t believe that’s true, and I will continue to divert my brand down every path that interests me — whether that is footwear, tech, or even a combination of all three.
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?
With the help of my team, I have already begun my own give-back movement with Hanifa Dream, our social impact initiative to give back to women from any background with a diverse set of needs. I am always keeping my eyes open for ways to pour back into the communities that have given so much to me.
Women In Wellness: Author Neelou Malekpour On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
No one knows what they’re doing. This is the biggest myth about adulthood (in my opinion). Dispel the notion that people know better than you because they are further along in their careers or have more education, or whatever is psyching you out. People are great at faking things and even the smartest, most successful people are fumbling through life just figuring it out one day at a time. So there’s really no need to wait until you feel ready or have enough experience under your belt — just do the thing.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Neelou Malekpour.
Neelou Malekpour is an entrepreneur and author. She was born in Seattle and raised in Tehran, Iran, before moving to Los Angeles during the Iranian Revolution. She started SMUDGED as a tribute to her late grandmother, who taught her to be responsible for the vibrations she put out into the world.
She has worked with brands such as UNICEF, YogaWorks, 1 Hotels, Selina, Soho House, Sydell Group, Guerilla Union, Real Dog Rescue, and more. Malekpour has contributed to publications such as New York Metro, the Los Angeles Daily News, Us Weekly, and Harper’s Bazaar.
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?
Yes! I got my undergraduate degree in English literature with an emphasis in creative writing and then I went to law school (which I hated). When I got my JD I had a bunch of jobs from the United Nations in peacekeeping to finance to events and more. The one thread was that I was always on a spiritual path that started with what I had learned from my grandmother when I was little. Eventually, I started a side business which was in alignment with all the teachings I have had over the past 20 years and SMUDGED was born.
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?
I think the way I found an agent and got a book deal is pretty interesting — in that everything that I’ve read in publishing blogs was not my experience. I found the agencies of authors whose books were in my genre and that I really loved and I shared my proposal without really thinking about it too much. I just sent the emails in the middle of the night one night when I felt restless. The proposal itself took me a few hours to write. Rather quickly I got an amazing agent and my publishing deal came with that ease as well. I even received almost the exact amount I wanted as an advance. Nothing in my experience was typical and I am sharing this with you because anything can be a reality. Just hold the vision very clearly as your intention and then get busy and do the work.
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 made a lot of mistakes starting off. I really can’t remember a huge mistake because really everything always works out. The important takeaway about mistakes is to learn from them quickly and keep the energy moving. Don’t dwell — move on!
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?
In my opinion, it all starts with us. How we feel. How in alignment we are. Like take Putin, that man is so out of alignment — look at the chaos he is causing. Energy is real. So, SMUDGED is all about attaining and maintaining an elevated vibrational frequency. If we are feeling bad or out of sorts, it’s likely we are going to take that out on the people around us to varying degrees. So if we want the world to be a better place we have to start by being aligned internally — mind, body, soul. From that place, you can facilitate so much positive change that ripples out globally.
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.
Morning practice — in the mornings I always do a breathing exercise, light a bit of sacred smoke before chanting a mantra, focus on gratitude and what fills my heart with joy, and a visualization exercise — all before turning on my cell phone or computer.
Drink lots of water — water is magic — drink enough and your whole life will change.
Find a group of like minded people and support each other — we have an online community where we chant together — it’s a sacred space that brings so many blessings to the people who participate.
Breathwork — this is a life changing practice — I hold breathwork circles on zoom regularly, if you’re curious join one.
Evening practice — I turn off my electronic devices about an hour before bed and wind down mindfully — I look back on my day and choose the thing I was most grateful for — consciously choosing my last thoughts before sleep.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Breathwork. I always think about how different my life would be if I had access to breathwork when I was in high school. It is a powerful healing modality utilizing the breath to heal old patterns, dislodge stuck energy, and balance the chakras. Practicing in a group setting, even virtually, has a powerful collective healing energy that facilitates deep release.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
No one knows what they’re doing. This is the biggest myth about adulthood (in my opinion). Dispel the notion that people know better than you because they are further along in their careers or have more education, or whatever is psyching you out. People are great at faking things and even the smartest, most successful people are fumbling through life just figuring it out one day at a time. So there’s really no need to wait until you feel ready or have enough experience under your belt — just do the thing.
Cut the fat. If you have any naysayers in your life — friends, family, whoever — who make you feel like your dreams are dumb, unattainable, people who encourage you to play small, and especially the ones who plant seeds of doubt into your mind — distance yourself from them. Do not let their limiting beliefs influence you. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and are willing to help you. Find your tribe of HYPE women (or men) who are willing to share their knowledge and help open doors for you. Being successful in anything takes a community.
Embrace your own uniqueness. Find the thing that lights you up and expand it. Competition and comparison are traps to keep us all in a rat race. Find a way to share your personal gifts with the world and make that your focus, not what anyone else is doing.
Release the notion of perfection. Get comfy with making mistakes and share things before they feel perfect. You will get SO much more done and it will feel a lot better than stressing yourself, and others around you, out trying to be perfect.
Align instead of hustle. So rest, drink enough water, move your body, quiet your mind, have fun and really live a life filled with joy — like romanticizing your life! Because, what’s the point if you’re not enjoying yourself?
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 so important. We are in a society full of struggle and overwhelm. Almost everyone is medicated. How many people do you personally know on some kind of antidepressants, antianxiety medication or self-medicating with alcohol and cannabis? With the social media addiction and the negative effect that’s having on the mental health of younger generations — we need some relief. I wrote The Art of Sacred Smoke because I struggled with such bad anxiety in my 20s and 30s — I wish I had a book like that or tools like breathwork and mantras to support me when I was struggling. My hope is that it brings peace of heart and peace of mind to anyone who reads it.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
@smudged.co on Instagram and you can join our mailing list from www.smudged.co
Modern Fashion: Alana Smith of Kitten D’Amour On The 5 Things You Need To Lead A Successful Fashion Brand Today
An Interview With Candice Georgiadice
Brand Identity — The world is a very busy place with millions of brands all trying to gain our attention. It’s vital to have your own identity and not to try to be ‘all things to all men’. We know and understand our customers and we don’t deviate from the styles we know they like and want from Kitten D’Amour.
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 Alana Smith.
Alana Smith is the founder and designer of the popular Australian Fashion Brand Kitten D’Amour. Kitten D’Amour was established in 2003 and has over 270,000 followers in Australia and over 4,500 5 Star Trustpilot reviews. Kitten D’Amour has dressed numerous celebrities including Lady Gaga and Britney Spears and their designs will be featured in the new HBO/ Paramount+ ‘Grease’ prequel, ‘Rise of the Pink Ladies’ that will be screening later this year.
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”?
I grew up in Brisbane, Queensland. As a girl, I had very little interest in clothing design apart from dressing my Barbie dolls! My distant grandmother was a fashion designer in nineteenth-century Paris and my great-great-grandfather was a ‘Staymaker’, in other words, he was a skilled artisan dressmaker. I find it fascinating how the skills of our ancestors can be passed down from one generation to the next!
Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?
My first job (when I was 18) was working at Benetton as a salesgirl. As you might know, everything about Benetton is about attention to detail and quality, and I was shown at an early age the importance of merchandising. This is where I really started developing my interest in fashion. My next job was the one that truly set me on my path to creating Kitten D’Amour. I worked for a popular Australian clothing brand that was driven by fashion trends. One day the buyer for the company visited one of the company’s Brisbane shops where I was working. I remember it as if it was only yesterday, the buyer told me all about the current trends that were popular at that time in the US and Europe…..I instantly knew that this was the job that I wanted! Fast forward three years, I moved to Sydney and landed my dream job…the new buyer for the company! I would travel around the world buying samples and discovering the latest styles and trends in London, Paris, New York, and Los Angeles six times a year.
Between trips, I also designed for the company and it soon became apparent that the styles I was creating would often ‘out-sell’ the designs modeled on samples that I had bought on my buying trips. I then decided to start my own label. With no formal training, it was a real learning curve. I basically taught myself to create and grade patterns, cut fabric, sew and assemble garments and create clothing designs that I felt would be popular. I sold my designs to various clothing boutiques in Queensland and this gave me the confidence to open my own shop…I have never looked back.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
We now have shops in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast and a popular online store where we sell to people all over the world. I feel blessed that so many people appreciate the designs we create. We recently had a popular Australian film called ‘A Stitch in Time’ feature our designs as part of the story of the film. The director (Sasha Hadden) told me that he was inspired to write and make the film after visiting one of our shops. To think that the designs we create are now inspiring others to be creative is very exciting. There are so many wonderful stories that I would love to share with you, I think it’s important to grab every opportunity that comes your way….this is something we are always doing. Not every opportunity ‘pays off’ however you will be surprised as to how many do!
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?
‘Over Deliver’ — The owner of the ‘trend-driven’ clothing brand I used to work for in my 20s would often ask me to travel overseas on buying trips without much notice! I never questioned when and where I had to go, and I would ‘hit the shops’ to gather clothing samples the minute the plane landed. I had no interest in finding my hotel and resting after a long international flight. I had a job to do, and that was my first priority. I soon discovered that the more I ‘over delivered,’ the more successful I became.
‘Intuition’ — We don’t follow trends at Kitten D’Amour, and I believe that you should never deviate from what ‘your gut’ is telling you during the creative process. We do our best to always be original, we don’t create designs just to be ‘on trend.’
‘Don’t Get Too Comfortable’ — I have a saying: “I am only as good as my last collection!” The success of Kitten D’Amour all depends on how popular each of my collections is. I never take the success of Kitten D’Amour for granted and I strive to make each collection the best I’ve ever created. We have adopted this philosophy in each department at Kitten D’Amour, our mantra is to deliver collections and products that continually inspire our guests to shop with us.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Kitten D’Amour has such a loyal following. I believe that this loyalty has been created for a number of different reasons. 1) Consistently creating quality products that our guests love. 2) Creating the very best shopping experience in our boutiques. We have our own ‘unique’ Kitten D’Amour Fragrance which is dispensed through diffusers. We use the same ‘signature fragrance’ when packing online orders, and our guests absolutely love it. We have our own radio station (Kitten D’Amour Radio) that can be streamed anywhere around the world. We play our own ‘unique’ style of music in-store, and guests can then listen to the station at home or on their phones. We incorporate Pinball Machines, antique lamps, antique furniture, and unique custom-made wallpaper that are unique to each individual shop. 3) We have the most brilliant staff, most of whom have been with us for many years. 4) We invest heavily in beautiful packaging ensuring that every Kitten D’Amour product is exquisitely presented. 5) We only make very small quantities of each style (on average 300 pieces of each design). This creates exclusivity for each collection. 6) We introduce a new collection of designs every month, this ensures that Kitten D’Amour is constantly re-inventing itself. We never repeat any of our older designs. This keeps the brand fresh and exciting. With each new collection, we invest heavily in photoshoots that allow us to have lots of new content to inspire our guests to shop with us.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that was relevant to you in your life?
“The harder you work, the luckier you become.” This is a very well-known quote, and at Kitten D’Amour we call this the ‘Time Machine’ theory. Basically, there is ‘Time Travel,’ however, time travel only works in one direction…forward. To make a difference in the time you experience in the future is down to you today! So….if we work hard now and put a lot of effort into making your brand the best it can be, the ‘Time Machine’ will hopefully reward you by delivering you a popular, successful brand in 5 to 10 years. This is true for everything in life such as health and relationships…I just wish I could apply this principle and commitment to my exercise regime (haha).
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?
Right now, there are lots of micro-trends in fashion, and I believe soon we will reach a point where people will work on their own personal style rather than buying into quickly evolving trends.
Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?
Bringing ‘goodness’ to the world is a wonderful and admirable ambition. We do our very best to spread ‘kindness’ and ‘thoughtfulness’ whenever we can. This can come from creating collections designed specifically for guests that might be going through tough times. Making donations to help Australia’s wildlife (such as during last year’s horrendous Bush Fires) and donating to other animal-related charities. It’s a privilege to be able to be in a position to help others where we can. We are huge animal lovers and we are particularly passionate about helping our beautiful koala population.
Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?
As most Kitten D’Amour designs are ‘fitted’ and structured, it’s important that we use skilled machinists and tailors. We have used the same small factory in China for 15 years. The owner of the factory (Simon) is the son of a very talented tailor that created the finest business suits and shirts in Hong Kong. The majority of Simon’s tailors and machinists have worked for Simon for over 10 years. As the factory is small, Simon is able to focus on making designs primarily for Kitten D’Amour. We visit the factory on a regular basis, and with Simon’s help, we have built up an excellent supply chain of suppliers that manufacture fabrics and other materials to the highest of standards to the strictest ethical standards. Using the same suppliers over a long period of time has made it much easier for us to be confident that our materials are ethically-sourced. We also do not use any animal products of any type. I believe that you need to see things with your own eyes to be truly confident that the materials you use are ethically-sourced and that the people making your designs are treated well.
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?
Nothing we do at Kitten D’Amour is ‘Fast Fashion’ related. The thought of working in ‘Fast Fashion’ scares me. Most consumers believe that anything and everything made in China must be very cheap to manufacture and the price should reflect this. This is not always the case. Yes, labor and some materials are cheaper in China, however ‘skilled’ people are scarce everywhere, even in China.
Most of the world’s most prestigious brands manufacture their products in China. This is based on how many highly skilled people are in China. We understand that if we want the most beautiful fabrics, the best quality accessories, and if we want every garment to be exquisitely tailored to the highest standard, we need to be ready to pay for it.
The old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ is very true, particularly when it comes to clothing, bags, accessories, and shoes. We find that our guests truly value each ‘Kitten D’Amour’ design and some of our older collections can sell for more ‘used’ than when we first introduced them. This is a testament to the power of creating products that people admire, cherish, and ultimately love.
We are fortunate enough to own a number of classic cars, including a 1956 Thunderbird and a 1959 Corvette. I’d like to think that these cars are similar to the Kitten D’Amour designs we create. Our classic cars have been enjoyed and cherished by numerous owners over the years. The goal at Kitten D’Amour is to create clothing that will also be enjoyed and cherished by different owners over the years and not discarded after a few wears.
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.
High-Quality Products — You must have a beautifully created product that is of the highest quality. Customers are not foolish, they will only come back and buy your designs again and again if the clothing designs you create are consistent of the highest quality and make each guest feel and look incredible.
Brand Equity — It is vital to invest time and money into your brand. Building brand loyalty can only begin when guests know and trust the brands they buy from. Equity in your brand can be created from the quality of the products, the experience your guests receive, the quality of your packaging, and ultimately the service you provide.
Consistency — It’s not enough to have one or two winning designs. To build a successful fashion brand, you must be able to provide guests with consistently high-quality products, over and over again.
People — There is an old saying ‘Hire Slowly and Fire Quickly.’ Basically, invest time and effort in finding the right people in every area of your business. Everyone associated with your brand should be the right ‘fit’ for the brand. If anyone isn’t quite the right ‘fit’ it is much better to part ways with those people quickly (after adequate training and guidance have been given). We have followed this theory for some time and we are truly blessed to have the most wonderful team. Our staff turnover is extremely low and this also allows our guests to see the ‘same faces’ whenever they shop with us. This leads to customers forming strong connections with our team.
Brand Identity — The world is a very busy place with millions of brands all trying to gain our attention. It’s vital to have your own identity and not to try to be ‘all things to all men’. We know and understand our customers and we don’t deviate from the styles we know they like and want from Kitten D’Amour.
Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?
Fast fashion has been popular for a number of years, it’s cheap and disposable. I truly believe (and hope) that this trend is coming to an end. The world is quickly learning that the planet can no longer sustain the damage that fast fashion is causing. You don’t need me to list all of the horrendous issues that fast fashion creates for our beautiful planet. We feel it is better for everyone to enjoy fashion that is beautifully designed, created from ethically sourced fabrics, and manufactured in an ethical environment. Timeless beautiful designs might cost more, however, we find our designs are worn year after year and are often passed onto other owners rather than discarded.
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. 🙂
That is a fabulous question. One of the greatest gifts of having any form of success is to have the ability to provide good advice to anyone just starting out on their journey. Mentorship is vital in helping others to succeed. I’d love it if everyone that has found success could inspire and assist others to achieve their goals.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Please click on the following links to experience Kitten D’Amour!
Women In Wellness: Ann Seide of Seide Integrative Health On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Resist the urge to measure up to some Instagram image of wellness. Don’t convince yourself that you (or your doctor) failed at making you healthy when you face a devastating diagnosis like cancer or heart disease. It is the nature of being human to become sick and to die: none of us make it out of here alive! Have a provider at your side who brings empathy, compassion, and honesty to your care. It is sometimes in our greatest challenges that we find sources of strength we never knew were possible.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Ann Seide.
Ann Seide, MD, is a former US Navy Lieutenant Commander and board-certified Internist and Integrative Medicine physician with 25 years of experience caring for critically ill patients. Dr. Seide brings her unique skills in mind-body practices, herbal medicine, and a compassion-based communication practice called Council to the bedside, as well as to groups as diverse as police officers and prison inmates. Dr. Seide partners with people seeking wellness, often in the midst of challenging situations. Learn more about her practice at www.seideintegrativehealth.com.
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 was raised in the Midwest by remarkable parents who, having never attended university themselves, encouraged me to pursue advanced degrees in zoology, molecular biology and medicine. Their love for each other and the natural world, their respect for marginalized people, and their work ethic all informed the path of my life’s work.
In the US Navy as a doctor, I was privileged to care for active duty and retired veterans. Naval medicine provided a strong foundation of rigorous allopathic training, while allowing me to engage in home visits with patients where I learned the “softer” ways of healing.
Twenty-plus years of practice as a Hospitalist (providing exclusively in-hospital care) brought me face-to-face repeatedly with catastrophic illness. Intimacy with the brevity of life and the importance of presence to this moment led me to deep personal practice which has influenced my medical practice. Whether struggling with the side effects of cancer treatment, or with the heart-wrenching decisions made daily in the ICU, providers need skillful means that extend beyond what conventional medical training affords.
Although I know Western medicine is powerful and effective, I have remained open and curious about other healthcare systems: indigenous healers, traditional Chinese medicine, and herbalism in particular. Being able to view migraine headaches, for instance, from varying perspectives offers up treatment plans that can be far more effective than using Western medicine’s drugs alone. In this example, traditional Chinese medicine might ask a migraine patient about how she expresses emotion and about her menstrual pattern, because a blocked liver meridian is associated with headaches as well as abnormal menstrual blood flow and repressed anger. An indigenous healer might prescribe whole herbs that bring balance to her system, or offer a ceremony in which drumming, smudging, and dancing serve to clear out unwanted influences. Such descriptions often seem “crazy” from a Western perspective, but I find them rich and interesting. Sort of like understanding poetry as an expression of truth, in contrast to factual reporting.
Knowing, however, that not all complementary and alternative forms of medicine are beneficial, I sought out additional training and found the Weil Integrative Medicine Fellowship at the University of Arizona. Focusing on evidence-based therapies, the program emphasizes a healthy dose of skepticism alongside openness and curiosity. This board-certified specialty attracts physicians of all specialties, naturopaths, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, acupuncturists and other allied health professionals, offering me a diverse community with whom I can pose questions and share patient cases. It’s a community that also knows the importance of self-care for those engaged in the caring professions, something of particular importance to me.
In 2013, I lost a dear friend and physician colleague to suicide. Unable to get the help she needed, Shawn left a family and a community of physicians bereft and questioning how this could have happened. She became a touchstone for me as I began to question how we, as providers, might learn better self-care along with being better equipped to care for each other. In 2014, I enrolled in a chaplaincy program at Upaya Institute, focusing my studies on contemplative practices, systems theory and provider wellness. Several years post-divorce, I was in a place personally that quite honestly was not seeking another life-partner, but as fortune would have it I found exactly that! My now-husband, Jared Seide, was also in the chaplaincy program. His focus was on bringing a mindfulness-based dialogic practice called Council to deeply suffering populations, and right away I saw its relevance to burned-out providers of healthcare and first responders. Over the past 8 years, I have been privileged to join Jared in such diverse places as Rwanda, Auschwitz, Bosnia, Bogota, as well as prisons in California, facilitating Councils and seeing how deeply needed this practice of heartfelt speaking and listening is.
To sit in a circle among people with whom I might not identify, listen to their whole story without feeling the need to agree or disagree, and be able to speak what’s present for me in the moment is a wholly different way of communicating that what we were trained to do in medicine. (Studies show that, on average, physicians listen for a brief 11 seconds before interrupting a patient!) For me, the practice of Council took meditation “off the cushion”; Jared and I often refer to it as “mindfulness 2.0.” The foundational Zen Peacemaker tenets of Not Knowing, Bearing Witness and Loving Action become very real for me in this practice, whether I’m formally training a group of LAPD officers or simply sitting at the bedside of someone diagnosed with stage 4, inoperable cancer.
My practice of Integrative Medicine approaches health from the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual perspectives. For me, being truly integrated means to leave nothing out…not my rigorous Western medical training, nor my experience as a Council Trainer, nor my interest in other health systems. I invite my patients into the same experience of leaving nothing out, to enter into each encounter curious and willing to explore together what wellness means for them.
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?
In 2008, a beloved colleague — orthopedic surgeon Ed Farrar — was struck head on by a car while riding his bicycle in to work. Not far behind was another physician, an anesthesiologist, who quickly realized the severity of Dr. Farrar’s injuries and within minutes an ambulance brought him to the very hospital where he’d been heading to operate. The operating room was alerted, and the crew of nurses, techs, and fellow orthopedists and neurosurgeons were at the ready.
Despite such rapid response, Ed’s spinal cord was severed in the mid-thoracic region, and further injury higher up his spine left everyone uncertain at what level Ed would be paralyzed. Everyone hoped for the best, but feared the worst, especially as the days that Ed remained dependent on a ventilator increased.
My group of Hospitalists staffed the intensive care unit, rotating 12-hour shifts, day and night. There was both a sense of wanting to be assigned to Ed and dreading it. Some doctors, particularly men who previously rode bicycles or kayaked the rapid Wenatchee river along with Ed, found it difficult to care for him. Though most tried to maintain what they felt was “professional distance,” I now see that what they were experiencing was secondary trauma — something I later learned affects first responders, as well as bedside caregivers, and can lead to future ill health, damaged relationships, and even suicide.
I, too, took my turn caring for Ed, and began to notice a pattern. The day shift would make strides one day in weaning his dependence on the ventilator, only to return the next morning to find him sedated and on higher vent support. We blamed the night crew, thinking they would “snow” him with sedatives and then have to turn up the vent.
But on some days, Ed would appear alert, relaxed, and less sedated in the morning, and would require less ventilator support. I eventually realized these days happened following the night when a particular nurse was on and had been assigned to Ed. One of my night shifts covering another floor, I went down to the unit just to visit, and found this nurse giving Ed a deep tissue massage in his shoulders (an area that Ed would often complain caused him a lot of pain). When I asked the nurse what meds he was scheduled to get to help him sleep, she just smiled and said he wouldn’t need any. As I became aware of this, I started to track his use of pain meds the day following, and found a notable decrease the days after his bedtime massage.
Ed had been a loquacious person, but being intubated and hooked up to a ventilator robbed him of the ability to speak. A family member had brought in a child’s Speak & Spell toy, which Ed would use to communicate. It took time, and most often doctors and nurses wanted him to give brief yes/no answers. Anything requiring more than a few words was just too time-consuming. But, on days when I had fewer patients (or could visit outside of when I was on shift), I would spend a couple of hours with Ed, allowing him to laboriously tap out things he wanted to say. I vividly recall one day when he typed, “Former spine surgeon, paralyzed, now needs more…” He never finished this phrase, as he drifted off to sleep, and I’ve over and over again pondered how he might have finished this.
Something even more surprising in these Speak & Spell conversations, was that on those days — similar to the days following his bedtime massage — Ed requested far fewer doses of pain medication. I even remember one day in particular, that his nurse came in to offer pain medication while we were conversing, and he waved her off!
It is these recollections of caring for Ed that make me realize the power of complementary approaches to healthcare. Of how simple touch reduces pain, of the importance of presence and not shying away from the difficulties of caring, of how listening without an agenda provides a space for healing.
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?
In 1996, when I was in residency at Portsmouth Naval Hospital rotating through the emergency room, a mother brought in her 4-year-old child who was having an allergic reaction. He had a localized rash, but no signs of airway compromise, and a history of playing outdoors and probably coming into contact with a plant that caused the reaction. Basically, a condition that did not require admission to the hospital, and that could be dealt with at home with some basic allergy medications. I prescribed Benadryl, and some topical creams to ease his itching, and sent them on their way. My shift ended at 7pm, and I went home: at that time, my daughter was @3 years old, and I was pregnant with my son.
The next day I went in for my ER shift, and the doctor in charge pulled me aside. He said that the mother had brought her son back later last evening, beet red all over, agitated, crying, and tachycardic (a fast heart rate). In reviewing my visit earlier in the day, the resident who saw him the second time saw that I had overdosed the Benadryl: I had prescribed an adult dose for a 4-year-old, which caused these symptoms.
I felt my own heart pounding, envisioning what it would be like for this to happen to my own children, and the fear the mother must have experienced. This fear soon expanded, as the ER doctor went on to say how angry she was, and that I should consider what “damage control” I might enact.
At first, I wanted to hide. Once I verified that the child hadn’t been admitted, that he’d been able to go back home after the second visit, I thought perhaps it might be best to just “leave well enough alone.” Being in the military meant we didn’t really have to be concerned about the mother suing; this is a fear more relevant to civilian practice. But the more I pictured my own children, and my own fear of their being injured at the hands of someone else, I knew I couldn’t just walk away, content that no ultimate harm had been done by my actions.
And so I called the mother. She indeed was angry with me, and a little taken aback that I called. I listened as she recounted what had happened the prior evening, resisting the urge to defend myself or try to counter anything she said. I told her I too had children, and couldn’t imagine how scared she must have been. I apologized for my error, and as we continued to talk, I could sense even over the phone that her anger was dissipating. Within a few minutes, she began to describe something else she’d been concerned about regarding her child, and actually asked could she bring him in that day again to see me! This floored me, that after my egregious error she would even consider letting me see her son again.
Over and over again, through the years, this lesson has resonated with me: the importance of remaining present, particularly in difficult situations, not shying away because it is uncomfortable to be with suffering. When I feel my own heart racing, my own dry mouth when considering a tense situation, I recall this brave younger me who made a difficult phone call when she wanted to run away.
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?
My approach to wellness acknowledges the presence of illness and death not as demons to be fought off, but as omnipresent in a world that continually lives in a state of flux. To be integrated means to leave nothing out, and often this includes accepting parts of ourselves and of the world that we’d rather not admit exist.
When working with an individual, this frequently means seeing someone battling with cancer, or chronic immune disease, and helping them integrate the identity of “being sick” with their aspiration of wellness. In my private practice, in which I work with patients to develop comprehensive, integrated approaches to their health, I do so outside of conventional insurance-based compensation. In doing this, I can provide hour-long visits (more if needed), in which we delve into aspects of their history that almost never come up in a traditional doctor visit. Rather than the appointment being “physician-led,” I turn the reins over to the patient, allowing them to guide what we speak about. This is a radical shift for many people, who have been conditioned to expect that a doctor visit consists of answering directed questions, an examination that involves exposing parts of their body, and perfunctory prescriptions for pills and tests.
It is my hope that, in the future, wellness isn’t something sought after by the wealthy as a way to deny or stave off illness, but is embraced as an approach to maximal health exactly where someone is at the moment. I envision a clinic where patients participate in a membership model, rather than fee for service or HMO-dictated care, where they are encouraged to visit for health-maintaining practices, as well as when they are facing health challenges. Throughout these visits, they would see an integrative physician as well as a nutritionist and additional ancillary providers (like licensed acupuncturists, mental health providers, massage therapists, body workers) for a team approach that is coordinated and evidence-based. And I believe such a center could be central to a community and not set apart from it, incorporating local indigenous practices alongside traditional Western approaches.
When I am facilitating Council, or training a group of police officers in the impact of stress on their physical, mental, and emotional health, I am also in the presence of deep suffering that cannot be avoided. Some of these officers work homicide or are battling the effects of gang violence, and the decades of secondary trauma can lead to early death from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke or even suicide. Three years ago, I helped my husband develop a six-month training program for police called POWER (Police Officer Wellness Empathy and Resilience) that his non-profit organization, Center for Council, has brought to officers in Los Angeles and Jacksonville, FL. It has been deeply rewarding for me to not only develop the program, but to also be involved in offering these workshops “on the ground.” We invited officers from LAPD who had completed the POWER program to a day in which they spoke of the impact of the program on their lives. It was powerful to hear in their words how valuable this training was for them, their families and their colleagues; you can check out the video of this conversation here.
Whether interacting with one person to help them improve their own personal health, or with a group of first responders in a training, I am often aware of countless others in the room. They are the ripple effect; people I may never meet but who will benefit from the impact of my work here and now.
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.
To be “well” often challenges us to re-frame our state of mind and to change some basic daily practices, realizing that some might offer restoration to a state of health, while others may simply offer support during difficult times or insurmountable crises. With this in mind, I offer these 5 approaches.
Nutrition: By this I mean to include everything you take in that might nourish you. This includes what you eat, but also what you intentionally listen to, look at, feel and smell. What images in your day are toxic? What words do you speak (which fall first upon your own ears) that cause more harm than good? How might you cultivate an environment in your home that is nourishing, so that you venture into the world more resourced and better equipped to weather the daily stressors?
Just Breathe. Intentional breathing is the most basic, readily available, effective tool by which you can interrupt your stress response. Our brains are wired to pay attention to changes in breathing pattern above all other signals received, both internal and external. With daily breathing practices you can reset your autonomic nervous system to be healthier. Two of my favorite practices to teach are “5-count” and “4–7–8 breathing” (see this link in which I teach these and the science behind them). In the video of LAPD officers talking about the benefits of using breathing to be mindful, Officer Lyndon B. said it well: “…something about the mindset of being present, for whatever reason, slowed the game down, which allow[ed} me to think quicker.”
Sleep: My husband will tell you that I am a great lover of sleep. A full 8 to 9 hours a night is a necessity for me, and less than that not only leaves me cranky the next day, it will often lead to a migraine headache. What used to be thought of as a time in which we “shut off” our daytime, productive self (and thus, in a fast-moving corporate world, something to sacrifice in order to gain more time to work), sleep is something researchers are realizing is necessary for overall health. In a study published last month, obese patients who slept less than 6.5 hours a night were placed in 2 groups: a control group of subjects who did not alter their sleep, and an experimental group in which participants increased their sleep time to 8.5 hours. With no other difference between the groups, those who slept longer lost more weight and took in fewer calories each day. I am also heartened by the image of sleep “washing out” the accumulated tau protein that accumulates during the day, leaving my brain clean the following morning and, I hope, reducing my risk of dementia.
Not Knowing: Here we venture into how my spiritual practice affects my work. One of my Zen teachers, Bernie Glassman, framed the three tenets of the Zen Peacemaker practice as: Not Knowing, Bearing Witness, and Loving Action Arising. The first of these, Not Knowing, is something I think anyone can benefit from, and you don’t have to wear black robes and sit immobile on a zafu cushion. It simply means letting go of what you think you know. It isn’t being uninformed or ignorant. Rather, Not Knowing includes seeking out all that you can on a subject, learning as much as you can, and then letting go of it. In my practice as a physician, it means learning all I can about physiology, chemistry, anatomy, as well as all there is to know about a particular patient (their labs, history, medications), but when I sit down with that person, I intend to let go of what I think I know. There’s a saying in Zen, attributed to Shunryo Suzuki, that goes, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.” Of course, that patient needs for me to be as robustly educated as I can be, and they also need me to be open to the many possibilities of the beginner.
Gratitude: My mother was a great proponent of counting your blessings. She truly lived this, even to the point of expressing gratitude for life’s challenges and for things that had been lost. (She would often say, when my father expressed sadness over the loss of things or of relationships, “Don’t be sad it’s gone, be grateful that it happened.”) Researchers now know that gratitude isn’t just a nice platitude. Intentionally practicing gratitude yields measurable beneficial effects on heart rate variability and on the brain itself, where regions associated with attention and decision-making increase in size and connectivity. During the most recent POWER training with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, I hooked up one officer to a heart rate monitor during a brief gratitude practice to demonstrate the effects of practicing gratitude on his physiology. We projected the read out on a screen in real time. The visible shift in his heart rate variability from an incoherent to a coherent pattern was striking, showing how quickly physiology changes in response to emotion. For the sake of your own health, as well as those around you, make gratitude an intentional practice every day!
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
I believe that the POWER training for first responders, and the sister program I helped Center for Council develop for healthcare workers (CARE — Compassion Attunement & Resiliency Education for providers), have the potential to revolutionize policing and healthcare. Alongside Jared, I am committed to continuing to do this work, and develop “train the trainer” models that allow this work to impact police training and healthcare education on a broad scale. If we can improve the health of those tasked with caring for all of us in our times of need and crisis, the impact across society will be immeasurably beneficial.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
Having begun my path to being a physician over 30 years ago, most advice that might have been given prior to that bears little relevance to today’s healthcare system! I might reframe the question and offer “5 Things Everyone Who Needs Healthcare Should Know.”
Having excellent healthcare insurance does not guarantee you’ll get good care. In fact, sometimes having insurance makes it more difficult! Consider the wait times for pre-authorization of procedures or medications. Or how the list of doctors you can see is limited by your insurance carrier. Sometimes patients with even “the best” insurance coverage are outright denied care. Our insurance system does not prioritize what care people need, nor is it created to support doctors in taking care of people. As we look to the future of how individuals spend their healthcare dollars, I believe we are going to see models that minimize payouts for insurance, and leave cash in patients’ pockets to spend on care that is truly tailored to their needs.
Don’t pick your doctor from a “Best Doctors” list in a magazine. Or from anyone’s list, for that matter. Make your first visit one in which you “get to know” your potential partner in healthcare. Even a 15-minute conversation will give you a sense of fit, and whether this relationship is one that is going to benefit you.
Know that being healthy often requires change. Change in diet, change in mindset, and willingness to let go of what you thought you knew when new information comes to light.
Realize that #3 applies to your healthcare provider as well! Medicine is a constantly changing field, and what we knew 30, or 5, or even 1 year ago may no longer be correct. Partnering with a physician who not only stays up-to-date on current research, but also is willing to admit what they don’t know (and then look for the answers with you) will serve you far better than an inflexible “expert.”
Resist the urge to measure up to some Instagram image of wellness. Don’t convince yourself that you (or your doctor) failed at making you healthy when you face a devastating diagnosis like cancer or heart disease. It is the nature of being human to become sick and to die: none of us make it out of here alive! Have a provider at your side who brings empathy, compassion, and honesty to your care. It is sometimes in our greatest challenges that we find sources of strength we never knew were possible.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
The topic of sustainability resonates deeply for me. I have long felt that the push to make more, do more, be more, have more is a recipe for misery. Nowhere in nature do we see unmitigated growth without there also being death; in fact, life is only possible because other things die. I am a huge proponent of regenerative farming. A winding, 20-minute drive from my home brings me to Apricot Lane Farms (location of the award-winning documentary Biggest Little Farm), where Molly and John Chester proclaim that they are in the business of making dirt. The basis of healthy herbs, fruit, animals, and ultimately the humans who both eat and care for them starts in the rich soil, which is composed not only of seeds of things to be, but also of fungi and bacteria whose job it is to break down the dead into nutrients. Rich, compost-y soil even releases compounds that, when inhaled, mimic chemicals in our brains that act as antidepressants! (Explaining why my mother often pronounced a day spent gardening as “the best day of her life”). I look upon the farm (and my own little home garden) as living metaphors for my own health, my relationships, and how I practice medicine. Sustainability to me means having enough, practicing gratitude for all that shows up (even the parts I don’t like), and being mindful of what I give back in response to what I take.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
Women In Wellness: Tiffany LeRoy of Envision Personalized Training On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
Surround yourself with people who are only going to empower you and lift you up. They always say “you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with” and if you are constantly surrounding yourself with people who are negative and bring you down, then you will become just that. Don’t be afraid to cut people out of your life who no longer serve you because in the end, you are all that matters.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tiffany LeRoy.
Tiffany LeRoy is a Fitness & Lifestyle Expert in Scottsdale, Arizona and the owner of Envision Personalized Training. She is one of the most respected up and coming names in the Phoenix fitness scene. Her passion and drive make her a living example of what she inspires in her clients. In less than a year of starting her own business, her success continues to elevate with new partnerships and a growing clientele.
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?
Growing up I always loved being active and playing sports. I was a swimmer throughout my adolescent years and in high school I qualified for the State Championships all 4 years. I enjoyed every second of it, but even though I was active and constantly moving my body, I wasn’t exactly what you would consider “fit”. I was always the tallest girl in the class, so I was as “big” as the boys throughout grade school. That made me feel a little self-conscious as a kid growing up, but I remember specifically in middle school being told that I had cottage cheese legs. I never forgot about that day. During my last year of high school, I decided I wanted to take my fitness to the next level because I no longer wanted to feel self-conscious about my body, and that was when I was introduced to the gym. Trust me, I had no idea what I was doing for the longest time when I first started, but I fell in love instantly. I just loved the way it made me feel and I was so eager to learn more, so I spent my last year of high school learning what I could about the gym.
When I graduated high school, it was clear that I wanted to go to school to be a personal trainer, and I was so PUMPED, but at the time, I was young and naïve, and I allowed a boyfriend I had to talk me out of going to school for training and to stop working out altogether. I instead went with the safe route of going to school for nursing because overall I really liked to help people, so it made sense to me. One year went by and I ended things with my ex and also realized that I definitely didn’t want to be a nurse. I loved the thought of helping people, but that wasn’t it. Feeling very lost and so annoyed for all the time I wasted, I once again switched majors to something “safer” which was communications and business.
Finally, after 5 years, I graduated college with my bachelor’s degree in communications and business. I tried dabbling in the field for half a year, and don’t get me wrong, it was fun and all, but it was NOT my calling, so once again, I felt so lost and confused. Well, during that time I was also eating, sleeping, and breathing the gym while also consistently posting about my fitness journey on Instagram. I started getting a lot of friends and strangers messaging me asking for fitness help and advice, and I LOVED IT. It hit me so hard like a ton of bricks that helping others and training was my calling and that it is what I needed to be doing all along. So once again, I took myself back to school to get what I needed to be able to train, and I also posted on my Instagram that I was accepting clients to start gaining real life experience. I got 3 clients that I trained for 3–4 months for dirt cheap while I also still worked my full-time job. After about 4 months of training on the side, I got the opportunity of a lifetime to train full-time with the training company of my dreams and be mentored by a very well-known trainer in Scottsdale. I was on cloud 9, a real dream come true! After two years of constant learning and mastering my craft day in and day out, I decided to branch out on my own and start my own training company called Envision Personalized Training which brings me to where I am today. I am so passionate about helping people change their lives inside and out and being able to say I do this as my “job” every single day is really a dream come true!
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?
When I first applied to my first training job, it wasn’t your typical application, but I was asked to send my resume over, so I did, and from there I never heard from them again. I was so discouraged and started to feel like I was wasting my time trying to be a trainer when I graduated for something completely different. A couple months go by and the same training company I applied to posted that they were looking to hire a new trainer, so I took a big deep breath and messaged them again. At this point I had nothing to lose, they already rejected me once, so how much worse could it get? Well to my surprise, they messaged me back and wanted to set up an interview and from there the rest is history. I landed my first real training job, and I was so ecstatic!
This just shows that if I were to give up after the first time I got rejected and failed, then I would not be here today almost 3 years later owning my own training company. Life isn’t always going to be rainbows and butterflies. There is going to be a lot of ups and down along the way, but you can’t go up without being down, and those downs are what is going to make those ups so much more worth it. Be persistent about what you want in life, and you will be amazed at how much life will work for you.
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 first started, I didn’t realize how much effort it took to come up with training plans for each individual client. I sort of went with the “one size fits all” method and shortly found out how wrong that really was. Each client has so many factors as to how they exercise and what fits them best, and I learned quickly how to identify what fits each client’s needs best. To me this just shows that even when you think you know, you still can learn more. I am constantly trying to learn new things every day to perfect my craft, and if I were to just settle down and think I had it all figured out because I landed the job, then I would fail as a trainer so fast. Always take life as a learning opportunity, no two days are the same, so go out and make the best of them.
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?
When it comes to health and wellness, I train women in the gym on how to properly perform exercises and execute a successful workout while also teaching them how to find that balance of incorporating their fitness and health goals into their lifestyle. I train women of many different professions which means everyone’s approach to how they can integrate their health and wellness into their already busy schedule will be different for each. I think that it is important to understand that if you are trying to have a life of good health and wellness that you need to properly learn about what that actually looks like for your own lifestyle.
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.
Practice mindfulness. I know this can be a vague word, but I think that it is very powerful to be aware of your situation, your flaws, your way of thinking, the way you act, and why you do the things you do. Being mindful of your life and the world around can help your understanding of why things are the way they are.
Drink the damn water! Water heals you from the inside out. It delivers important nutrients throughout our bodies to help it function properly on a day-to-day basis. Not only does it aid in physical health, but mental health too and even though it may seem like such a small thing, water makes a big difference in how we feel!
Move your body daily! It doesn’t always have to be something intense, but it will make all the difference in living a healthier lifestyle if you keep your body moving! It can be something as simple as walking your dogs, playing outside with your kiddos, going on a hike, doing yoga, dancing, etc, so if you’re not working out that day, just make sure you move your body.
Slow it down. Don’t forget that your life is for living! Make sure you are taking time out for yourself because your mental health will be at stake, and that reallymatters! You cannot pour from an empty cup, so make sure you are filling up your cup.
Surround yourself with people who are only going to empower you and lift you up. They always say “you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with” and if you are constantly surrounding yourself with people who are negative and bring you down, then you will become just that. Don’t be afraid to cut people out of your life who no longer serve you because in the end, you are all that matters.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
You do not have to have it all figured out to start. You will constantly be learning no matter what part of the journey you’re in, and a lot of what you need to learn will only be through experience and actually doing what it is you want to do. Messy action is better than no action, so take action.
Failure is normal. Having a “poor me” mentality when you fail or when things get tough is going to get you nowhere and will make a huge difference on your outlook on life. Failure is how we learn, grow, and get stronger, so changing your outlook on failure and seeing it as an opportunity to be better will make it much easier to handle those tough times of failure. Which leads me to my next point…
It is not going to be a linear path. One day you may feel like you’re on cloud 9 with everything going right, and the next day everything feels like nothing is going right. You must remember that this is normal and is part of the process. Just always believe in yourself, stay consistent, and keeping pushing forward no matter how far off path you feel.
Stop trying to please everyone! You can be the juiciest peach in the patch, but there will always be that someone who doesn’t like peaches. It is not your job to please everyone around you, so take care of yourself first and stop making your decisions based on trying to please others. Live for YOU and your purpose.
It is okay to take breaks. I know society glorifies “the grind” and I’m all for it and working hard for the things you want in life, but burnout is real and if you aren’t taking care of yourself, then you won’t be able to take care of things you are doing to your fullest potential.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Although I think all of these are very important, mental health hits a little close to home. Being close to a lot of people that struggle with their mental health and knowing firsthand how it effects peoples lives, it is something that I take very seriously. Mental health is so important because it affects how we feel, think, and even act. If our mental health is suffering, that starts to bleed into other aspects of our lives and the effects are rippling. I always say “change your mind, change your life” because I truly believe that if you actively work on changing that way you think on the inside, then how you live your life on a daily basis will reflect on the outside. With how the world has been these past couple years, now more than ever, is it extremely important to check in with yourself and make sure you are doing okay, and also know that it is okay and normal to not be okay every single day. If we had perfect days every day, then we would start to judge those days too.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
You can find me on Instagram @tiffanyrochelle_ , or if you are in the Scottsdale area I’d love to meet for a free trial! You can visit my website envisionpersonalizedtraining.com to set one up!
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
