Day: April 18, 2022

Women In Wellness: Muirgheal Montecalvo of Vacayou Wellness Travel On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks…

Women In Wellness: Muirgheal Montecalvo of Vacayou Wellness Travel On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Take a break from technology. Our minds need peace and time away from TV’s, phones, devices. We have become too dependent on them. Our brains have become overworked, and it seems we can’t even escape for a few days without needing to check in. Digital detox can do wonders for our bodies.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Muirgheal Montecalvo, founder and CEO of the North American’s 1st Wellness and Active Travel Website where you can research, find and book amazing trips where you don’t have to compromise your health when you travel.

Muirgheal was born and raised in Europe where she developed a love for the outdoors, walking on quiet beaches, wandering through the sounds of nature and most importantly a love for travel. After a strong career in sales, Muirgheal went back to her first love to create a wellness travel company.” It takes a few days before you feel that sense of peace and disconnect where we could truly begin to relax, let go and rejuvenate”, says Muirgheal,” it’s important to take enough time to allow yourself to refresh”. Muirgheal believes that we each have our own versions of wellness, whether hiking through the quiet forests or listening to the the waves crashing as you walk along the beach, or perhaps it’s a full immersive wellness spa experience. All these activities provide us with a way to leave the sounds of the world outside and detox our mind, body, and soul.

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 Ireland just outside a little village on the entrance to Cork Harbor. It was quiet, a small fishing village in winter and in the summer, we got the “blow ins” and the village was alive with people enjoying the beach and the weather! With the oldest yacht club in the world being the village claim to fame, we had great regattas in the summer out of the harbor and lots going on! However, winter was quiet, dark, and cold. We made the best of it with the local kids. We found things to do, crawled through local ruins to explore, took long walks, and find solace in the silence. It was nice and always peaceful. Although like most 18-year old’s, I wanted to get out and experience more excitement, so I left for the USA to come to college. What a huge change! I missed the beach walks so I moved to St. Pete Beach where I could have the best of both worlds, a city, and a beach close by. It was here that I enrolled in the waterfront Bayboro Campus and graduated from USF with a degree in Geography and a continued love for travel.

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?

My early career quickly started in travel and hospitality sales. I trained on the GDS system in Dallas, but quickly found that I would rather be active than sitting behind a desk. I joined a company that worked with hotels and restaurants and launched many new products, there was always something new! I was fortunate to be chosen as one of the sales team to build out a new travel website call Expedia — funny when I think about it today, no one knew what Expedia was! It was owned by Microsoft at the time. I loved it! — and won an award for bringing on board the most hotels signed in a short amount of time! This was it! I was hooked on the startup world and launching new travel and hospitality products.

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?

There were a few, and I don’t necessarily call them mistake but perhaps missed opportunity and teachable moments. I have been entrepreneurial since I was a child with a love for independence. Although, I never had the courage to take the chance to go alone. Maybe it wasn’t the right time or the right idea. When I finally decided to go it alone and build my own company, I thought I should bring on a partner although I didn’t know much about business partnerships. I had a great idea, a market problem, and an opportunity to potentially fix it and others quickly saw my vision although they were also quick to take advantage. My trusting nature gave way to not getting solid legal advice about partnerships and it didn’t end well. I came close to losing my dream. I quickly learned that it’s important to get good advice right from the beginning and to hire slow and cut your losses fast if it’s not working out. I’m fortunate now to be surrounded by good people and have learned to trust my intuition and if possible, hire contractors first so that you can test their capabilities and your relationship before making commitments. It was empowering to push back and get those people out of my life. No one said a startup would be easy!

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

At Vacayou we envision a future where every travel experience enhances your well-being, and you can do that through mindfulness, movement, nourishment, and destination. Leave the stressors of the world behind and disconnect with yourself where you come back relaxes, healthier, happier, and more productive.

At Vacayou our mission is to education you on the benefits of taking a healthier vacation and help you find and book the perfect wellness experience so you can feel the transformation of this type of getaway.

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.

Exercise — is by far the most important of the five. Getting your body moving each day can change the way you feel. It has so many great benefits other than just a good-looking body, you are healthier inside and out. It creates a healthier mind, healthier lifestyle, and can supply clarity to make better decisions. Even your body organs function better. Exercise endorphins lead to living a better lifestyle where you are less likely to feel anxiety and stress. Take the plunge towards the journey of living a better and fuller lifestyle. Your body will thank you for it.
Take a break from technology. Our minds need peace and time away from TV’s, phones, devices. We have become too dependent on them. Our brains have become overworked, and it seems we can’t even escape for a few days without needing to check in. Digital detox can do wonders for our bodies.
Eat healthier — watch what we put into our bodies. Stay away from fried foods and eat plenty of vegetables and greens.
Always be open to learning — there is so much useful information out there and it feeds your mind and keeps your brain moving and active.
Explore — Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Take a trip, explore a new town, or start a new sport or challenge yourself to a new hike. It will keep you moving!

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 great to find a way to bring wellness programs into the schools. Many schools dropped recess and children need it! Recess is so important as it allows kids to get outside and get fresh air, form relationships, run around play with their friends. This is wellness and feeds their minds and add a wellness class into the curriculum every year, not just PE where they learn about all thing’s wellness including nutrition, foods they should avoid, exercise and what it does for the body and mental well-being. I feel reaching children in schools at an early age will reach the most amount of people to live a healthier lifestyle.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

Protect yourself from Day 1
Entrepreneurship is not always easy
Focus on One Core Product
Hire to your weaknesses
Trust your instincts

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

They are all important to me although with everything that has happened with the pandemic over the last 2 years, I think mental health stands out right now. So many are struggling with being alone and separated from others. Our children have been hidden behind masks, not being able to see their teachers faces or the smiles of friends, away from their families and sports. I believe that right now many need a mental reset. Mental health effects our emotions and our social well-being. It decides how we manage stress and relate to others. Its present in how we think, feel and act and how we make choices. The effects of the last few years could be lasting and its important right now that we address this as a society and make sure everyone is getting the reset and help, they need.

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

If you would like to stay in touch, follow me on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmontecalvo/

You can also follow our social channels at:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/vacayoutravel

https://www.instagram.com/vacayoutravel/

https://www.pinterest.com/vacayoutravel/

https://www.facebook.com/vacayoutravel

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Muirgheal Montecalvo of Vacayou Wellness Travel On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Natalie Holbrook On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s…

Women In Wellness: Natalie Holbrook On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Money does not equal happiness. We hear this all the time, but when you begin as an entrepreneur, the hunger for stability and security is at its peak in order to survive. I’ve noticed in the coaching space the mass influence of sharing income, which can be empowering, and can also spark comparison and competition, and a tone of “you haven’t made it if you’re not making x amount of dollars.” One of my early business coaches lived in this influence, and my first year I was encouraged to do whatever it took to make x amount of money. I did, and filled up my schedule so much that yes, I was making my goal income, but my life felt completely unbalanced. What equates to happiness now for me is freedom, purpose, and daily play in all that I do, regardless of how much money I have!

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Natalie Holbrook.

It all came to her on a ritualistic beach walk in Los Angeles at a time where loneliness was encapsulating her human experience. As she listened to an astrology podcast explaining Pisces energy, she felt a jolt of resonance. She rushed home, found out how to pull her chart and saw that her Jupiter, the planet of expansion, sat right there in Pisces in the 8th house, the energy of mysticism, transformation, death and rebirth. It was in that moment that she remembered her fullest expression, her passion, her calling. It was all sitting there in her astrological chart.

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?

As an Astrologer, people are always surprised when I share that I was raised in the Mormon religion, not a typical path for a lover of the stars and the cosmic realm of the esoteric to hatch from! I look back at my journey of religion with so much gratitude, as it solidified my relationship to trusting in a force of life that was more powerful than myself, that I have the ability to co-create with. Before changing my career path to become an Astrologer, I lived a polar opposite lifestyle: I was a music and nightlife journalist in Las Vegas, interviewing top DJs and artists, and working in event production for Heineken. At 25 years old and in this environment, you can imagine the lifestyle! I ended up with mysterious gut issues, chronic stress, and such physical pain that my body shut down, and forced me to leave that world. I moved back to the Bay Area in Northern California where I was raised and took time to heal with acupuncture treatments, and a wise medicine man, Dr. Lau, changed my life. It was through this darkness that I saw the light, and I learned how to slow down, listen to my body, and gain deeper self-awareness.

I was opened to a path of spirituality through the portal of the physical body, which is many of our first steps into taking more bold self-responsibility. I took some time to travel abroad, and went on to work in technology, then went back to school to get a masters degree in Nutrition, which I didn’t complete because during that period is when, what I like to say, I “remembered Astrology.” I was working as a Health Coach in Los Angeles, and experiencing heart-wrenching loneliness as I was blazing a new career path. I was walking on the beach one day listening to a podcast that explained the Pisces energy is one that is here to explore loneliness. I resonated and knew I needed to learn Astrology and how this could help me understand myself! The teacher quickly appeared; I learned all I needed to know in a three-month period. It felt as if someone hit the “reactivate” button on me. Over the next few months, I incorporated Astrology into my health coaching work, and soon was getting solely booked out for Astrology. Now this is my world: Teaching Astrology, conducting group programs, giving readings and hosting retreats (and this summer Astrology Camp!) to help individuals understand themselves and their purpose on the deepest level.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

One of my favorite stories is about the long and winding road it took me to get to my career! My journey is a testament that you never know what is waiting for you, that magic is real, and to listen to your intuition, above all.

After my time spent healing and getting past my own version of Leaving Las Vegas, which had left me feeling jaded and confused, I took a pause from working to fall in love with the world again. I took time to travel and live in Spain and South America for 18 months, and upon returning went back to school to study nutrition. I was convinced I finally found my path. A few months later, a friend and I went to India for a meditation and seva (service) retreat. While meditating for hours a day in an ashram in Bangalore, I kept hearing a voice whisper, “move to San Francisco, work in technology!” “No way,” I thought. “I’m on my path!” But sure enough when I returned, that was the only thing to do that felt right. A bit begrudgingly, I went to find work in the hustling and competitive start-up world, and it ended up changing my life.

I learned the core foundations I needed to run my own business: business development, marketing, sales, events. My biggest takeaway was to follow these promptings, even if in the moment they make no sense, because down the line, you’ll understand why it all unfolded as it was meant to.

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 began my business, my eyes were bigger than my nervous system! I first began coaching individuals on a 1:1 basis, and when I launched my first coaching program, took on 23 clients. This was an insane amount of people to be helping and holding space for! Unfortunately, my self-care was the first thing that went out the window, as I had overbooked myself and quickly experienced burnout. This was an incredible lesson in realizing the necessity in prioritizing my physical, mental and emotional wellbeing first, and that I cannot work from an empty cup. Now, my morning routine, healthy meals, and daily movement are non-negotiable!

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?

As an Astrologer and Spiritual Coach, my mission is to bring realization, empowerment, and validation through self-recognition by the language of the stars. Astrology helps one to see why they are the way they are, and the path that their soul chose to experience in this lifetime. It guides us to understand our needs, our desires, our dreams, and the best ways to go about making those things happen. It offers an ability to have untethered compassion for ourselves and another. I teach how to understand Astrology in learning to work with the planets in the here and now, so we can comprehend what transit (a planetary movement), or phase of life we’re currently in, and how to best navigate it. Astrology grants peace of mind, confidence in one’s path, and motivation to pursue what you know you came here for.

When we can understand and fuel the true nature of ourselves, and deeply love ourselves, we can show up as our highest selves, and spread that love to others.

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.

Learn about your Moon Sign. Our Moon in Astrology represents our greatest needs, emotions, and how we process stress. Each sign and element needs something different, and when we learn these, it’s a game changer! Fire sign moons need physical exercise, to be seen and freedom. Earth moons need lots of sleep, to connect to nature, and to feel secure stability. Air moons need communication, meditation to clear their monkey mind and a change of scene. Water moons need to release their emotions, be fully heard, and a creative outlet. You may ask, “but don’t we all need these things?” Of course, but we can get more specific based on our personal chart on what works best for us individually. Try it out! Pull your chart at risewithnatalie.com

Find out what type of morning routine works best for you. The morning is known as the most important time of the day, and I believe it! How we tend to ourselves shapes the whole day. So find what you love and what gets you excited to wake up. Maybe you pray, meditate, pull oracle cards, journal, drink water, walk or exercise, do something to ensure you’re taking care of your mind, body and spirit first and foremost.

Learn how to navigate the transits in Astrology. When you know what’s occurring Astrologically for you, everything makes sense, and we can omit the perplexing state of “why is this happening to me!!” The transits are what is going on in the sky and you can read how it’s affecting your personal chart and expect certain areas to change or challenges to grow through. It gifts us an acceptance of knowing this too shall pass, and that there’s a great learning to receive with it.

Look for, or be a miracle, every day. There are two phrases I say aloud to the Universe every morning: “show me a miracle or let me be a miracle for someone today.” When we are on the lookout for magic, it appears! This can be anything, from a synchronicity in a thought coming to life, or asking for a sign to see a specific number or animal, and then seeing it, or having the opportunity to speak or meet someone new. You can always be the miracle in another’s day by smiling, giving a compliment, surprising the person behind you in line by buying their tea or coffee, etc. Make life a fun experiment and watch how you feel in return.

Learn your purposes in Astrology: Your rising sign, North Node and Saturn. The science of Astrology gives us insight into what we’re here to become, step into and master. The rising sign, also known as the Ascendant, shows us what we’re here to rise up to and how others perceive us. Our North Node displays the energies our soul wants to move towards, and Saturn shows us where we MUST work extra hard to achieve our greatest desires. When you learn which sign and house these placements live in, it gives you a better understanding of what direction to go, and why things may feel challenging at times. When I learned these, it all began to make sense and I now know my compass is unshakable. My hope is for everyone who desires to learn these things to do so, and step into living out their greatest purposes while on Earth.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

Bringing Astrology into schools and the workplace is a dream of mine. Astrology teaches us our natural gifts and talents, and where we may be more prone to display the negative or, what is called the shadow sides of a sign. If this was widespread in schools, kids could focus on developing the qualities that they’re born with and celebrated for them. It would wipe out the confusion and torment so many experience when searching for their purpose or to get their needs met. It would help others to understand each other more. In the workplace this is an excellent tool for understanding the needs of team members, how they operate and communicate, and how to best work together harmoniously.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

Money does not equal happiness. We hear this all the time, but when you begin as an entrepreneur, the hunger for stability and security is at its peak in order to survive. I’ve noticed in the coaching space the mass influence of sharing income, which can be empowering, and can also spark comparison and competition, and a tone of “you haven’t made it if you’re not making x amount of dollars.” One of my early business coaches lived in this influence, and my first year I was encouraged to do whatever it took to make x amount of money. I did, and filled up my schedule so much that yes, I was making my goal income, but my life felt completely unbalanced. What equates to happiness now for me is freedom, purpose, and daily play in all that I do, regardless of how much money I have!

Self-preservation first. In order to better serve in our roles, we must first serve ourselves wholly. If I am not well-rested, meditating, energized by revitalizing food and partaking in daily movement, I’m like a walking zombie on autopilot. We need to also preserve our happiness and joy outside of work, like nurturing relationships, developing our own hobbies and talents, spending time in nature, and being involved in our communities. When we are well-rounded, we can bring more to the table, and end our day with more satisfaction.

Time Management: This is everything! Get clear on where you’re spending your time, and what the purpose behind that is. Is it making you money? Is it for marketing? Is it healthy for your mindset? Give yourself deadlines and a time frame to do something within, and if you need to, get someone else (like an assistant or another entrepreneurial friend) to hold you accountable. Do this with radical self-integrity, don’t let yourself down by incomplete projects, or staying up to the wee hours to finish work.

Ask for help. We are not meant to do it all alone! Humans are social creatures, with needs for connection! It can be very easy to isolate or keep our heads down when we have lots of work or big goals, but it is through our relationships that our dreams can become a reality. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, advice, or outsource to free up your time. People are willing to help you, and many of them are also looking for something bigger than themselves to be a part of.

Slow down. You can do it all at, just not at once. I’m a big idea person, and admittedly thrive when lots is going on in my life. But this took a toll. When I realized that I don’t have to try to accomplish everything at the same time, it was a huge sigh of relief. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. There is time. Give yourself goals that are doable and be realistic on what’s possible for you to accomplish, while still maintaining a happy life outside of your achievements.

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 lives so dearly to my heart, as it’s something that I’ve had to tend to for myself from a young age. As someone who dealt with depression and suicide ideation during my teenage years, I am so relieved to see that mental health and the perception of therapy, coaches, and getting to the root of many of our issues are being surfaced, reconsidered and widely discussed with alternative solutions to former offerings.

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

Follow me over on Instagram @risewithnatalie, tune into my podcast, The Cosmic Earth Podcast, join my community on Patreon (patreon.com/risewithnatalie) to get exclusive Astrology insight, videos and personalized questions answered each month, or pull your own birth chart on my website, risewithnatalie.com.

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Natalie Holbrook On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Minna Taylor of Energize Your Voice On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help…

Women In Wellness: Minna Taylor of Energize Your Voice On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Take Risks. There is no shortcut to transformation. You must walk through the valley of uncertainty that exists just outside of your comfort zone. Test your limit like you would test the temperature of water. You do not put your whole hand in, you start with the tip of a finger. Resilience to the experience of risk can be developed over small, incremental moments of asking one simple question: “I wonder what would happen if …”

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Minna Taylor.

Minna Taylor is the Founder of Energize Your Voice, a NYC based communication coaching and training firm. With an experiential approach, rooted in the principles of play and performance, she and her team support organizations, individuals, and entrepreneurs to explore their full potential in public speaking, storytelling, and leadership communication.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I like to refer to my backstory as my origin story, the conditions under which I was formed. I grew up in Appalachia Virginia on a farm. This was pre-internet, so the fields, forests, and mountains were our entertainment. I have two sisters, one is an identical twin, and we would play make believe for hours in the pastures amidst the cows. Growing up in such a small town in the Blueridge Mountains, people relied on community and knowing your neighbors. I was exposed, at a very early age, to the power of personal story and the impact of sharing that story with others. That is how we learn, that is how we build relationships, that is how we survive. This wisdom took on a whole new meaning when I began studying acting at NYU. Storytelling became a physical activity and an expression of my deepest need. Through my theater training, I came deeply in touch with my purpose and my impact on others.

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 remember one Equity (the stage actors union) audition I went on in NYC. It was for a tour of a Shakespeare play. I had just graduated with my MFA in acting and had done my thesis performance as Prospero in The Tempest, so I was feeling pretty self-assured about how the audition would go. I was waiting outside of the audition room and my focus was entirely misdirected. I was scanning the waiting area and assessing the others present. I was comparing myself, not preparing myself.

The audition coordinator came into the waiting area and called my name. I was abruptly pulled out of my eavesdropping and called to attention that it was my turn to present my audition.

I was not as prepared as I could have been in terms of familiarity with the monologue and didn’t give myself adequate time to get present. I was conscious of the casting director observing me as I walked to the center of the room to deliver my piece and this totally distracted me from centering myself in the space. My focus was on what they were thinking rather than preparing for what I was about to do. I landed in place and moved directly into executing the text. I didn’t calibrate myself in terms of where I was going to land my focus or allow my body to prepare to engage in the defined objective. I simply began, before I was ready. Almost immediately my leg started to shake. Not a tapping of the foot or a mild tremor, but a full on undulation of nervousness. My right knee was bucking to the right and I could not plant my heel for the life of me. I was aware of this happening, but rather than pause and breathe, I trudged through and completed the piece with tremendous effort.

The director and casting director looked befuddled, but couldn’t have been more gracious as they wished me well on the rest of my day. I walked the long walk back to the door, feeling a film of regret encase me as I turned the knob to exit.

What I learned from this was that, when I become distracted by my ego and disconnected from my breath I am entirely ineffective and step out of authenticity. By landing attention back on my body, my physical use, and relationship to my circumstances that were in my control, I could have made wise decisions about how to negotiate this challenging moment when called to rise to the occasion. I have taken this lesson with me every day since.

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

I think every mistake that feels consequential has usually come from hitting send too early or starting before I was ready. It’s not one moment, but rather a collection of moments, all related to forgotten attachments, wrong dates, misspelled words, inadequate detail, and lack of clarity in the delivery of my message. What I have come to learn is that there is no rush. Regret is the outcome of urgency. There can be drive, momentum, and expediency, there can even be expectation, but there is no need to rush.

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

The world needs your voice. The world needs us all to raise our voices to create a collective call to action of transformation for a more inclusive and sustainable future. Where I see friction arise in this vision, is the individual agency to speak up and contribute with confidence. There is tension in the space between desire and action, which creates resistance in the human experience. The desire to make change and to impact our communities is confronted by the vulnerability of actually speaking up and letting the desire be known. I call this the threshold of truth or the chasm of fear. I work with individuals and organizations to gain clarity around this threshold, find their voice through the power of play and reconnection to the body, and empower them with tools so that they can share their stories powerfully and with a deep connection to their authentic selves.

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.

Observe. We cannot change what we cannot see. Objectively and without judgment, observe when you feel least like yourself. When do you stop breathing? When does your body retreat in fear or advance with purpose? When does your voice feel alive and when does it feel restrained? Observing your habits around your own empowerment is fundamental to lasting behavior change.

Make choices. Once you observe and identify habits that are limiting you from expressing your most essential self, you can now make conscious choices to introduce more effective habits. Do you dip your chin at the start of a meeting and lower your gaze so as to diminish your physical presence? Simply make the choice to keep your chin lifted and see what happens to your breath, your presence, and your ability to engage with purpose.

Take Risks. There is no shortcut to transformation. You must walk through the valley of uncertainty that exists just outside of your comfort zone. Test your limit like you would test the temperature of water. You do not put your whole hand in, you start with the tip of a finger. Resilience to the experience of risk can be developed over small, incremental moments of asking one simple question: “I wonder what would happen if …”

Play. If you are unwilling to feel silly, you will be unlikely to feel successful. Play is the most powerful tool in the human toolkit and the one most vital to leading an easy life. Play is not unserious. It is very serious business.

Breathe. Breath flow, body flow, brain flow, confidence flow. Breath is the fuel for voice, thought, and movement. If you are disconnected from your breath, you are disconnected from yourself.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

Kindness as a value. We won’t always like each other. We won’t always agree. We don’t even have to always be nice. But we can always choose to be kind.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

Care deeply, but don’t give a shit. Caring deeply implies a sincere connection to your purpose and reason for engaging with others. What upsets our intention of authenticity and relationship building, is our attachment to getting it right and our resistance to failure or looking foolish. Once I surrendered that attachment and stopped giving a shit about acceptance or approval, my message became more powerful and the world began to listen.

Listen more. It takes knowledge to know the answer. It takes wisdom to know when to share it. I was the kid in class whose hand shot up everytime the teacher asked a question. I always had the answer. I realized I actually learned more when I presumed to know less and left myself open to learning from others.

Live in the question. In a rush to bypass the process and get to a conclusion, I robbed myself of tremendous moments of discovery. Impact requires innovation, but if we are not thinking through challenges and asking daunting questions, we limit the capacity for unanticipated moments of inspiration. Living in the question is more vulnerable, but immensely more valuable.

Empower others to empower yourself. It is all too easy to become self-obsessed in our pursuit of impact. As social innovators, we must keep a lens on the notion of giving with no expectation to receive. It is in that exchange that humanity is fostered and celebrated. We become more deeply in touch with ourselves through developing a deeper appreciation for others.

You are in control of you and not much else. Stop comparing. Stop making excuses based on your circumstances. Stop limiting yourself because of things beyond your control. You have tremendous agency to lead the life you want. The reward is in the risk of living a life of challenge and change.

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 the most all encompassing. I am a vegetarian, not necessarily because of animal rights, but because of the waste and impact on the earth. Industrial farming is not sustainable for a healthy planet. Personal sustainability and personal energy reserves are just as important as environmental sustainability and global mental health. Sustainability should always be the great equalizer when making decisions of impact.

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

Connect with me on Instagram at @minnataylor_eyv

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Minna Taylor of Energize Your Voice On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Founders: Melissa Rogne of Chapter Aesthetic Studio On The Five Things You Need To Thrive…

Female Founders: Melissa Rogne of Chapter Aesthetic Studio On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Everything you say or do will be analyzed. Pause before you speak, send the email or text. Your words will have a significant impact on those around you. I remember one team meeting after one very long night up with a teething baby. I expressed my frustration with lack of performance in a less than empathetic way; it took me months to rebuild the trust from that one meeting where I was not on my game.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Melissa Rogne.

Melissa Rogne is the founder and president of Chapter Aesthetic Studio. Fueled by her passion for helping others, Melissa has transformed the modern narrative around medical aesthetics by giving more people access to high quality, trusted non-surgical cosmetic treatments. She is a graduate of North Dakota State University with more than 20 years in the aesthetics industry.

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

I would love to! My story is a bit unique for someone in the beauty industry. I grew up on a family farm in rural North Dakota. As a child, I was obsessed with creating skin care products using whatever my mom had in the kitchen: eggs, yogurt, oatmeal, honey — I was always experimenting! I also had subscriptions to EVERY beauty magazine and would spend countless hours poring through each and every page. In high school, I remember doing a demonstration speech on applying makeup. My teacher gave me a perfect score and commented that I would be a great Mary Kay salesperson. As I began college, my passion for beauty took second place to my passion for people when I majored in Psychology and Communications. My dream job was to be a beauty editor at Allure or Glamour. I met my husband right out of college and put aside my dream of moving to New York to become a beauty editor. Instead, I decided to go back to school for my esthetics license as a weekend hobby while I continued my full-time position working at a counseling agency. I never dreamed esthetics would become my career — but it truly was always a passion for me!

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

There are so many interesting stories — but I will tell you one that is important for others to hear. When my company was just four years old, I was pregnant with my first child. During that time, I lost my brother to suicide. Just 18 months later, I was pregnant with my second child, and I unexpectedly lost my father. During this crazy personal time, my business was growing and needed so much love and attention to flourish. One day, shortly after I returned from my second maternity leave, I pulled over on the side of the road on my way to work. I just couldn’t do it anymore. I went back home and told my husband that I needed to sell the business. I just didn’t have what the business needed me to give anymore. I was heartbroken over my losses but powering through each day for my new babies. What my husband did at that time was nothing short of remarkable. He walked away from his career and stepped in to help me run my business. He carried me when I couldn’t carry the load by myself. The business continued to flourish and slowly I healed and was able to once again give the business what it needed. I share this story, so others know that it is okay to be vulnerable, even as founders. We are all only human!

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

I have a very big sense of humor so feel like I am always laughing at myself! I can think of many antics — I have fallen off my treatment room stool trying to sit down, have walked into the office with a tissue stuck in the corner of my sunglasses, and more than once have forgotten to zip the back of my dress. I joke that my mind is so busy sometimes my body can’t keep up. The best lesson in all of that — do NOT take yourself so seriously. You need to learn to laugh at yourself and know that letting others see your human side is not a flaw.

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

I think my most interesting story can clue you in on who that may be for me. Without a doubt, my husband, Cory. He was a franchisee for Quizno’s Subs when we met and really introduced me to the world of business. I will never forget the first business book I read — “The E Myth” — was his. It transformed how I thought about business ownership. He was the one who encouraged me to get my esthetics license. Honestly, I never dreamed I could be a female founder. He believed I could, though, and supported me from the very beginning and in the critical moments that have defined my business success.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?

I think it is perfectly summed up in this quote, “She believed she could, so she did.” I know that I did not believe that I could do it, and it was only the strong encouragement of my husband that convinced me otherwise. The message I received as a teenager was that I could aspire to sell makeup door-to -door. Nothing more.

Girls need to be taught at a young age that they are capable of anything. This needs to be encouraged by parents, teachers, business leaders and those who are able to influence. They need to be encouraged to fail. Yes, fail. The only way to gain true success is to remove the fear of failure. I like to ask my daughter, “What would you try if you knew you could not fail?” and then encourage her to try it anyway. Founding a business is a bold move. It takes unwavering confidence and a willingness to fail. We need to let our girls know that it is okay to be bold. It is okay to stand out instead of fitting it. It is okay to try and fail. It is okay to choose a non-traditional academic setting. There isn’t a cookie-cutter formula to success so let’s encourage exploration, creativity, and innovation!

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

I believe it starts at a very young age with the messages we are sending our daughters. Are we forcing them to fit into a box? Or are we encouraging them to think OUTSIDE the box? Do they feel empowered to make choices? Are we building their self-esteem by letting them prove to us they are capable, or are we hovering over them removing all obstacles and disappointment? Building future female founders means we need to create healthy, confident, grounded girls who can weather the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.

Additionally — I would love to see our education system focus more on building entrepreneurial habits. As someone who self admittedly “marches to the beat of my own drum” it can be difficult for me to see how our education system stifles creativity and innovation. I still see such a focus on memorization and following the rules. We reward those who follow directions and don’t question authority. While those may make great students, they don’t make great founders. Let’s nurture those innate abilities to look for a better, faster, more creative, or innovative way to solve a problem!

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

The most perfect reason for a woman to become a founder: because you CAN! We live in this amazing country where we have countless opportunities. Take advantage of those opportunities and let your light shine. The world needs your thought leadership! If you have an idea — don’t let fear or self-doubt get in your way. You don’t want to always wonder — “what if?”

And remember — our daughters are watching us. I don’t know any more powerful reason than setting the example for our next generation that women can do anything we choose to do!

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?

One of the myths of being a founder is that it is a very glamorous role. If you are looking for power, recognition, and glory — I’m not sure if being a founder is the right role for you. As a founder, you need to be able to roll up your sleeves and do the work. You need to be able to work with little to no recognition or credit. You need to be able to take care of your people first and yourself last. I remember working for two years before I even took my first paycheck. Whether you call it servant leadership or some other name, founders are the found-ation (see what I did there?!) to a successful company. We are the drumbeat that others follow. We must always get up, show up and dress up!

Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?

I believe that anyone who wants to be a founder can choose that path, but that there are some traits that will make that path easier. I believe the important traits for a founder are risk tolerance, innovative, visionary, strategic, humble, committed, ability to inspire, a high conceptual ability, resourcefulness and above all else: have confidence — because you must be willing to bet on yourself! There are many wonderful women out there who love following a vision, using their talents and abilities to connect the dots, create processes, collaborate, and execute. I’ve sometimes heard the term “integrator” used for these individuals. Every great founder has a person like this by their side. I believe the best teams are a result of bringing in a variety of individuals with different strengths to accomplish a shared vision.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

Everything you say or do will be analyzed. Pause before you speak, send the email or text. Your words will have a significant impact on those around you. I remember one team meeting after one very long night up with a teething baby. I expressed my frustration with lack of performance in a less than empathetic way; it took me months to rebuild the trust from that one meeting where I was not on my game.
Being a founder is the most humbling experience. If you are not willing to do the work of every single person in your company, think about your career choice. We do laundry in our studios so that we can have the softest, best smelling linens. I have spent countless hours folding sheets after hours so we could have what we needed for the team the next day. Because I was willing to do that, our managers modeled that behavior. And our team modeled their behavior. You must be humble and willing to do anything the business requires.
You will experience a roller coaster of emotions. You will experience your highest high and lowest low. Hang on. You can make it through. I remember having an extraordinary month and thinking I had finally figured out this game of business; the next month, three of my top performers left and I had no idea how I was going to pay the bills. Remember: this too, shall pass.
Leaders are readers. Read anything and everything you can about leadership and personal growth. Your business will never be more successful than your capability to lead. Recognize that learning is a journey. I started reading and never stopped. Always consider yourself a work in progress. Be willing to share that with your team. Your authenticity will speak volumes.
Don’t compare. Your journey is your journey. Comparing yourself to other founders is a waste of your precious resources. I remember being obsessed with every competitor in my early days. I would spend a ridiculous amount of time on their website and social media. I was constantly comparing. One day, I decided to stop. I asked someone on my team to keep me informed of any major strategic changes I should know about but didn’t need to track their every move. It was one of the most freeing moments. You are on your own journey. And guess what? There is plenty of room for us ALL to be successful!

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

My personal mission has been to have the greatest impact I possibly can by empowering as many women as possible to discover their best versions of themselves. While I see this daily in the guests we serve, the area I feel I have had the largest impact is on our team members. To see the transformation in these women from the day they begin their journey with us to learning how to become a strong, empowered female leader is truly my “why.” I believe by creating opportunities for these women to grow professionally and personally has made my corner of the world a better place!

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

I would love to start the Compliment Challenge! I love giving compliments and seeing someone’s face light up when you recognize something beautiful and amazing about them. This is a small building block to establishing a healthy self-concept. What if we challenged ourselves to genuinely complement each person we interact with daily? I’ve seen so many women struggle to give and receive compliments because of low self-esteem. We know that high self-esteem helps lower the rates of depression, domestic violence, poverty and more. Let’s do it!

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

SARA BLAKELY — She is such an inspiration. She has remained authentic, humble and focused on putting her team first throughout all her success. She also is passionate about helping women feel like the very best version of themselves. I would love to have a glass of wine, share stories and LAUGH with her! She isn’t afraid to make fun of herself either — which I find so refreshing. Just a real woman out there making a difference in the world by being the best version of herself!

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Female Founders: Melissa Rogne of Chapter Aesthetic Studio On The Five Things You Need To Thrive… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Female Disruptors: Candace Chen of Protege On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

One piece of advice I carry with me is the Japanese concept of the “beginner’s mind.” It’s all about constantly learning new things, even if it means starting from nothing, or starting from the bottom. It keeps your mind fresh. That’s literally the concept of Protégé, which means student in French. To me, the brand is all about constant innovation, constantly pushing the boundaries.

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

Candace Chen is a groundbreaking Taiwanese-American Mechanical Engineer, Designer and Entrepreneur. She is the Founder of Protégé, a high-end footwear brand focused on creating truly painless high heels without sacrificing style. Her innovation and timeless design have disrupted the heels industry with her premium essential collection, “The Painless Stiletto”.

Absolutely. I was born in Taiwan and my family immigrated to California when I was three years old. When we first got to the States, my parents struggled financially, but always prioritized my future and nurtured my intelligence.

From a very young age, I always had an analytical mind, and was drawn to engineering. In fact, I even used to set booby traps for my mother as a kid! Back in elementary school I’d get home before her and want to watch cartoons, but didn’t want her to catch me in the act (I was supposed to be doing homework). So I engineered some booby traps that would alert me when she opened the front door, like falling cups of water, loud objects being knocked over or objects that would make noise when stepped on or moved.

I ended up excelling in math and science as I grew older, and then went to MIT for Mechanical Engineering. I loved my experience at MIT so much, I would actually sneak into some of the machine shops at night, to borrow machine equipment like bandsaws, laser cutters, or just to have extra time to learn how to prototype and to create and design. I focused on tech and consumer electronics, and always thought I would end up somewhere like Apple.

I ended up taking an opportunity in Arizona for a startup company that manufacturers luxury golf equipment, where I worked for 7 years in product design, development, and operations. I learned how important it is to get consumer feedback for new products, and incorporate those design elements into a product that people truly love.

But I always knew I was meant to start my own company. So one evening, I went out to a networking event that turned into a party with lots of dancing. I was in heels all night. When I got home, my feet were in excruciating pain, blistering and bleeding. I thought to myself, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of design and development effort being put into making shoes comfortable. So as a Mechanical Engineer, I set out to create heels that are actually comfortable. That’s how Protégé was born.

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

With a $37.8b heels industry, women’s comfort is still not a consideration for the majority of the market. Most designers are male and only focus on the looks of a given shoe. But I know that we as women need and deserve to both look good and feel good.

Once I set out to create truly comfortable heels, nothing could deter me. It took me 18 months and 67 iterations of prototyping and designing, all with my 3D printer, sewing machine, and years of experience in product design. I spent hours and hours doing market research studying the most popular, classic, and timeless high heels styles worn from upscale lounges to the Met Gala.

I persisted, and created a completely new design meant to inspire confidence and provide luxurious comfort. Women usually have to choose between more practical footwear, or being forced to be uncomfortable in their heels. Protégé takes away having to choose, so ultimately we can focus on presenting our best, most confident selves all of the time.

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

There was a lot of testing and prototyping before I finally landed on a design that was comfortable and truly enabled movement. To create these prototypes, I’d first create a 3D design on my laptop and then 3D print the midsole and heel with a 3D printer. I also took leather and sewed it to create the counter and toe strap. For structural integrity of the counter, I used an off-the-shelf heat-activated stiffener. Each walkable prototype could take up to a week to create. Once the prototype was assembled, I would then wear the shoe and test it for comfort and enabled movement.

In one of our tests near the W Hotel Scottsdale, when I was wearing the latest hand-made 3D printed stiletto, the 3D print snapped across the midsole (I had chosen a less durable 3D print option because I wanted it to 3D print faster), so my two friends had to physically support me as I hobbled on one foot back to the car which was parked 2 blocks away!

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

The person who has probably made the biggest difference is my middle school math teacher, Mr. Doug Buhler. He made learning so much fun and took the time and effort to make sure his classes were as entertaining and interactive as possible, and to really inspire his students. As a kid with ADHD, I struggled to pay attention in most other classes. I honestly don’t think I would be as interested in math at that age, or even pursuing engineering at MIT if it weren’t for him. Thanks Mr. Buhler!

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

Disruption can be ‘not so positive’ when someone aims to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. Meaning, we should always have the consumer experience and consumer needs as the most important focus, rather than creating something different only for the sake of being new or different.

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

One piece of advice I carry with me is the Japanese concept of the “beginner’s mind.” It’s all about constantly learning new things, even if it means starting from nothing, or starting from the bottom. It keeps your mind fresh. That’s literally the concept of Protégé, which means student in French. To me, the brand is all about constant innovation, constantly pushing the boundaries.

I also remember hearing “Don’t do something you wouldn’t sign your name to.” I think that’s where my perfectionism comes in. I want to create the best innovation or design I can, no matter how long it takes. My basketball coach also told us to “always follow through,” which is another important piece. You can strive for perfection, but at the end of the day you have to share your products and ideas with the world to get iterative feedback and continue to grow.

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

New Protege designs will be launching soon! These include a lower block heel, and a pointed toe pump. I’ll also be launching my own namesake brand of heels Candace Chen in the next year or so!

Outside of footwear and fashion, I have a couple of product projects in the works that I’m planning to build companies around. Stay tuned!

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

I feel like as a male disruptor, there are so many “correct” ways to present yourself. But as a woman, I feel there I’ve experienced more judgment, and have found myself having to walk a fine line between being personable and friendly, but not overly friendly so as not to be taken seriously. Beauty and femininity can also take away from being taken seriously in a given field even though it shouldn’t. Male disruptors can wear hoodies or T-shirts, or suits and ties, but women are judged more critically on our outward presentation of appearance and held to a different standard. I’d rather be judged on my abilities.

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

I’ve currently been reading a lot of books on consumer psychology on my Kindle. Why We Buy, and Zero to One were both fascinating.

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

I want people to know how much power they have over their own lives. Perception is reality, so if we change how we perceive, we can change our entire reality. I hope people learn from my story and feel inspired to create something that has never been invented, or that the world deems impossible. It means a great deal to me to be able to help women to present themselves with utmost confidence while not having to experience physical pain. I’m proud of that, and I would love to continue to inspire confidence.

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

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” — Albert Einstein. I created 66 unsuccessful prototypes before getting it right, so don’t give up on your 66th try! 🙂

How can our readers follow you online?

https://www.protegefootwear.com/

IG: @cantdancechen

IG: @protegefootwear

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

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

Female Founders: Jessa Maddocks of JessaKae On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a…

Female Founders: Jessa Maddocks of JessaKae On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Trust your people. Trust is a big one. Trust the people that you work with. Trust your vendors, trust your employees, trust your manufacturers, trust your shipping company.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jessa Maddocks.

Jessa Maddocks is the founder, CEO and head designer of JessaKae, a dress and mommy-and-me brand that focuses on making women of every size feel elegant and powerful. A serial entrepreneur, Jessa combined her love of photography, fashion and design to create JessaKae in 2016, and continues to champion size inclusion in her clothing. Jessa lives in Utah with her two sons and husband, Jordan Maddocks, President of JessaKae.

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I had my own photography business and was always pursuing my own passion projects. So, it just made sense to combine my love for fashion, design, and photography into one business.

Then, I noticed a large population of women were severely missing out because so many brands weren’t inclusive of all sizes. I wanted to make that my personal mission to be a brand for all women with no divisions, whereas most brands have a “regular” size section and a plus-size section.

Having that segregation divides women. It’s telling the plus-size women that they’re not good enough.

So, on my site, I don’t have a plus-size section. It’s just this is our dress and it comes in these sizes.

The way the backstory of JessaKae relates to me personally is that I had a grandma who was plus-size. Growing up, I witnessed firsthand her struggles as a plus-size woman. I would see her flip through catalogs to see if her size was available, order clothing, try it on, and return it. It was eye-opening for me to see that when I was younger.

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

We recognized early on how few companies were offering dresses for all sizes and representing women of color. We wanted to lead the charge in making these women feel seen.

It’s not a typical thing to see a brand focus on these efforts the way we are at JessaKae, especially when we started in 2016. I’m seeing a lot more brands do it than have in the past, but it’s still something that needs to be improved.

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

I can’t think of an actual mistake, but I can think of something funny regarding how we got started.

I started JessaKae, with the help of my husband, in our basement apartment with our clothing line taking up tons of space. We replaced all of our furniture with warehouse shelving. And that’s how it operated for six months. It was like we were just living in a warehouse.

I think the biggest lesson with that is we quickly realized how beneficial it was to operate as lean as we could, for as long as we could. It was a big “Aha” moment for us because when we didn’t have any other overhead, we were able to keep buying additional inventory.

That really helped us with extending our runway for the business. We stayed in that basement for as long as we possibly could.

One mistake we did make at the beginning was starting off as a boutique, offering way too many types of products from other companies at the same time.

We quickly learned that we wanted to have our own brand. We didn’t want to be carrying other people’s designs. We wanted to have full control over sizing and the product quality. I think after just being a year into the business, we realized that the direction that we wanted to go was building out our own dress brand.

In a way, we were spreading ourselves thin by carrying so many different products like tops, bottoms, shoes, everything.

The secret we found is to focus on one main product and make that product really good before moving on to other things.

While JessaKae came from my own passions and ideas, my husband, Jordan, has been my biggest cheerleader, supporter, and worker. I couldn’t do it without him.

My weaknesses are his strengths and his weaknesses are my strengths. We really just come together in that way. All the things I hate doing, he’s good at. And the same for him.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?

I feel like women receive a lot more criticism than men, especially when it’s doing something brave like starting a business.

And the criticism isn’t even just from men.

I remember a woman told me recently, “As a plus-size woman, I would never buy from you because you’re not plus-size.”

That took me by surprise.

I wanted to say, “I’m on your team. I want to help you, support you, and offer you what other companies aren’t.”

The criticism comes from both sides of the spectrum. Even when we’re trying to help each other, I feel like women definitely receive a lot more criticism than men do. No matter what type of business it is.

Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?

We need to develop a stronger support system for female founders and entrepreneurs. Women are really powerful, but we can also be fiercely, and unnecessarily, competitive. I feel like supporting one another, and women working harder to lift each other up, is what we can do as a society.

There’s room for everyone in the industry. There are so many people in the world trying to start businesses and I see my competitors, but I don’t wish ill upon them.

I urge people to buy from other female-owned businesses, including ones in my own industry. I’m happy to support them.There is room for everyone.

I know there are also government-sponsored programs that I feel could be purposed more towards minority groups and female founders. We need more opportunities in general. Whether it’s for grants or different opportunities like that.

Sometimes that’s all that it takes to give people an opportunity, especially those in minority situations. Having those types of programs available makes it super transparent. I think that’s a huge deal.

This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?

Women are so creative and the world often suppresses the creativity they have to offer. The world needs their ideas, visions, and leadership. Female founders can provide those to any and all industries.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?

You hear a lot about quick success. Many people want to believe that things happen overnight and that’s never really the case.

Everything you do in your life leads you up to a moment. For me, my photography and my love of fashion snowballed me to where I am.

There was a slow buildup to my success. That’s more common and realistic than gaining overnight success.

I think everyone could be a founder if they’re willing to put in what it takes to be successful. But it definitely takes a lot of grit, perseverance, and discipline to be a founder and own a business. Especially for a female founder.

It’s a lot harder because you have to separate your personal life from your work life. A lot of the time, these two aspects of life intermingle with each other. And then when times get hard, you have to figure out new solutions and be optimistic that these pivots will get you where you need to go.

Another big myth is that it’s going to be easy. When really, you’re working twice as hard as you do during a normal 9 to 5. You’re working longer hours. There’s a lot more uncertainty and you have to continue on, despite the fact that the whole world might seem like it’s caving in and you still have to continue pushing forward.

Anyone can be a founder. You just have to be willing to do what’s necessary to make it work and overcome obstacles, and know your strengths. You can have an idea and then someone else can run with it as you delegate tasks and responsibilities properly.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Focus on one thing when you’re first starting.

2. Hiring good people is difficult but crucial to your success — Finding your “ride or die” people is vital to running your business

3. Persevere through the difficult times — There will be times when it seems the whole ship is imploding — Continue on and persevere.

4. Don’t let negativity get you down — Negative comments from competitors, customers, social media, etc.

5. Trust the people you work with and the professional relationships you build — Partners, vendors, shipping, manufacturer (quality), etc.

One of them we already discussed is to focus on one main product. You should perfect one thing before moving on to the next. We started with way too many products at once and became overwhelmed with the management involved in running our business that way. It wasn’t until we focused on only one thing at a time that we really started seeing growth and success.

Second, I would say that hiring good people is really difficult. But finding your “ride-or-die people” that will stick with you is crucial to running a business. We have had experiences where we have hired the wrong people and see what a negative effect it can have on a business.

There was somebody that lived out of state interested in hiring for a marketing position. We knew that marketing was something we really needed to master and was really important for reaching the next level of success. So, we started taking in applications and found somebody claiming to have all the credentials and experience we were looking for. We got on the phone with them. Everything sounded great.

Long story short, we ended up moving them to Utah. And then, on their first day of work, it took very little time for us to realize they weren’t what they said they were. It was really tough and we ended up firing them shortly after. Luckily, we ended up hiring a really good person who completely changed the trajectory of our whole business. We spent a lot more time in that investigation phase vetting them out and asking certain types of questions that could give us some qualitative information on who they were. It’s just interesting how those hires can lead to such a big difference in the end.

Third, I would say it’s important to know there are going to be times when it seems like the whole ship is imploding. And when things seem to be at their absolute worst, it could always be a level worse than that. It helps to know this ahead of time because it makes a founder less likely to make the hole deeper for themselves than it already is. My advice would be to continue on and persevere through these struggles, allowing them to make you stronger along the way.

Fourth, I would urge female founders to not let the negativity get them down. You’re always going to get pushback and negative comments from people. From competitors, from customers, and especially from social media. Don’t let other people bring you down or control the way you feel about what you’re doing.

Fifth, trust your people. Trust is a big one. Trust the people that you work with. Trust your vendors, trust your employees, trust your manufacturers, trust your shipping company.

But also make sure that you maintain a sense of awareness. Build professional relationships that are based on mutual trust and mutual value.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

We’ve worked incredibly hard to make our brand inclusive of women of all sizes. Early on in our business, we reinvested our money in growing our size range.

We’re a brand that’s very “ear to the ground”. We listen to customers’ feedback on our pieces and our fittings. We’ve taken that feedback and invested it into research and getting the measurements just right. Plus sizing is a whole other ballpark in and of itself. We are constantly reinvesting our money into making our company inclusive of all women.

I get weekly comments about our photoshoots as we always try to include multiple body types and sizes. For example, I was recently in San Francisco and we were shooting in this public garden. I had two people stop me and say, “Wow, I can see how this dress looks on someone like me. They’re not just a skinny, tall model. It’s someone that looks just like me.”

We get comments like that a lot. And we love it. We see the difference we’re making and the people we’re helping.

The movement I would love to inspire is holistic size inclusion for women in the entire fashion industry. When I was in the middle of starting JessaKae, it opened my eyes and I realized how truly deep the lack of size inclusion was. I would go to markets and there were thousands and thousands of brands with only small, medium, and large sizes. There might have been two booths in the entire convention carrying plus sizes. Even today, designer brands only go up to an XL. The average American woman is around a size 16. At JessaKae, all our dresses are consistently in sizes ranging from XXS to 5XL, and we’re very excited to be working on 6XL.

I’d love to just get rid of the term “plus-size” altogether, like plus-size stores or plus-size sections on the website. A brand should just make their piece of clothing and adjust it so it fits every size for women. We do it. It’s possible.

There are so many amazing women in business who have achieved great things. But the woman I have noticed who has been really good in her business ventures is Jessica Alba. I follow her brand, The Honest Company, closely and would love to pick her brain on business and the way she has reached such a high level of success.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this!

Female Founders: Jessa Maddocks of JessaKae On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Veronique Lee of CandaScent Labs On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help…

Women In Wellness: Veronique Lee of CandaScent Labs On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Engage with your community — Being able to cultivate a network of trusted companions and deepening those relationships has been the most meaningful outcome of all my endeavors — it has shown me how all of humankind’s aspirations can be reduced to a desire for community and service. From scientists whose research ushers in new eras of discovery and sheds light on our place in the universe, to artists who illustrate the unnamed shades of human thought, to inventors who solve the inconveniences of the human experience with ingenuity, to entrepreneurs whose products revolutionize the way we communicate with one another and ourselves. I am grateful to all those people that I have had that privilege to share a journey with.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Véronique Lee.

Véronique Lee brings over 15 years of sustainability and wellness expertise to her CandaScent Labs venture as the CEO and Founder. CandaScent Labs is a health and wellness aroma brand with a collection of products built to promote whole-body wellness through the olfactory system. Lee was previously a partner at beauty and fashion retailer, Modavanti, which was listed as a ‘Top Ethical Fashion Site’ by Instyle Magazine, Honoree for Best for NYC by The New York Economic Development Board and B Corp Labs, and one of the ‘Coolest Fashion Startups of 2016’ by the Huffington Post. She served as an Advisory Board Member to the Fashion Institute of Technology Textile Development and Marketing Department in New York City. Lee currently resides in Oakland, California with her family, where she’s striving to raise awareness of selfcare through the olfactory system.

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 current endeavor of providing botanically derived wellness aromas stems from my passion for sourcing and sustainability. I’ve always been interested in sourcing, which led me to my first job working for one of the largest grain merchandisers in the world. I wanted to see how our global food system worked and how food got to our table. It was a fascinating journey into learning how the intricacies of the world stage influence our food, and ultimately our health and that of the planet’s. I saw how the desire for efficiency and profitability was transforming how our food was made, sourced, processed and marketed, and it drew out of me a passion for sustainable sourcing.

The sourcing of our clothing was a natural outgrowth of my interests, and in 2008 I founded Atelier360, a social enterprise bringing artisan and eco-friendly brands to market. I sought out unique handmade and sustainable fashion from talented designers and artisans around the world. Keeping artisan skills from going extinct, while finding innovative ways to tackle emerging environmental and social problems in the fashion industry led to a philosophy of supporting an ever evolving and innovative movement in locally produced, ecological and socially responsible fashion. Atelier360 then partnered with Modavanti, a sustainable beauty and fashion retailer that offered an online, curated selection of ecologically and socially responsible wellness products from a community of designers and artisans.

Years later a move across the country led to a serendipitous encounter with chemists where I learned more about terpenes and the synergy of plant compounds. I was particularly interested in terpenes, aromatic molecules produced by plants and their effect on our health. I was also intrigued to find out more about Beta-Caryophyllene, which is the only aromatic molecule known to interact with our CB2 receptor of our endocannabinoid system to promote homeostasis. The chemistry of smell and how it affects our body became fascinating to me. Through my work in sustainability and wellness, I was also aware of how elusive “fragrances’’ are in that they offer little to no transparency in their ingredients because of trade secret privilege. Ultimately it led me to create CandaScent Labs, a health and wellness aroma company offering full transparency of ingredients with scents that are 100% botanically derived, free of all synthetics, and powered with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients.

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 interesting story is more of an unveiling of seemingly unrelated experiences that came together. In 2014 I read a story in The Economist about our sense of smell, and how it serves as a sobering precursor to illness and even death. I hadn’t thought too much of our sense of smell in that way, but I was so intrigued I kept the article. I couldn’t possibly have known this then, but after reading that article I was set on a course to delve into the science of aroma to capture its therapeutic benefits. The interesting part is that not much attention had been given to our sense of smell, really only unveiled 30 years ago when our olfactory receptors were discovered, but after launching CandaScent Labs, the pandemic happened and now we are amidst a period of research and continued discovery about our olfactory system. It’s an exciting time in research for learning about our sense of smell. The main takeaway from all of this is that seemingly random experiences or data points can come together into a bigger whole. It’s the idea that whatever your experiences are, you will draw from them in your next adventure.

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

When I was first starting out as a woman founder, one thing I didn’t think to consider was my legacy. What am I leaving behind? What is the impact of what I’m building, and who can I pass the baton to? I’ve been a part of inspirational movements and projects that, upon completion, left a void where we once were and no one left to fill it and continue our work. One of the things I really wanted to make sure of when I started CandaScent Labs was to turn the company into a training ground, a place to foster growth and inspire another generation of young female leaders. I am so proud of my team and what they are capable of, and watching them evolve over their time has been its own kind of joy and fulfillment. My recommendation to anyone starting their own company would be to think hard about your legacy, and to sow the seeds of growth in your team however you can.

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?

I think of wellness like an ecosystem — it is holistic and all-encompassing, involving not only your physical, mental and spiritual well being, but also taking into account your environment and preventative care for your future health.

At CandaScent Labs we look at the big picture — we invest in our supply chain and in so doing support the cultivation of healthy plants, a sustainable future, and our own wellness. We formulate our aromas with organic and sustainably sourced essential oils, free of all synthetics, believing that no synthetic ingredient can replicate the olfactory intricacy that only nature can offer. We are careful to source mindfully and have our oils tested. It is estimated that about 80% of essential oils are adulterated, which means that something has been added to them to change their composition and purity and make them less expensive. These adulterated oils can impact our health. We are a proud Business Member of the Airmid Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the global education, research, and sustainable management of medicinal and aromatic plants. The Airmid Institute supports projects and education focused on aromatic plant medicine, ethical sourcing, sustainable harvesting, and forest regeneration.

We also consider our packaging especially given that out of all of the items flowing through the consumer economy, only 1% remain in use 6 months after sale. Our candle jars and organic cotton gift bags are designed for reuse, and we make it easy for consumers to get product refills without creating waste. From soil, to final product, to reuse, we are mindful to find ways to reduce packaging and waste. We are hopeful that retailers and consumers will support us in making these sustainable decisions.

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.

1 — Connect with your senses and your sense of smell

Whether I’m taking a walk in the woods with the dogs, or pouring myself a cup of coffee in the morning, connecting with my senses and being fully present allows me the ability to find joy and meaning from what I am doing. When it comes to our sense of smell, it not only allows for mindfulness, but also serves to alert us to what is happening with our physical health. Loss of smell has been linked to depression and can be a precursor of illnesses such as viral, neurodegenerative or autoimmune diseases. Being aware of aromas around us can help reinforce our sense of smell and our overall health all while building gray matter in our brain. You can train your sense of smell by beginning to smell things with intention. Tapping into your sense of smell is totally free of charge, but provides a wealth of benefits to your mental and physical wellness.

2 — Be mindful of what you consume

What we consume — whether we are eating, drinking, or breathing it — has an impact on our cognitive functions and physical health. It is all too easy to forget that the air we breathe, including the chemicals and particles that are in our environment, enters our bodies and directly affects our overall health. We need to pay attention and select products that can help keep our air healthy to breathe. We all deserve to know what we consume and make the best possible choices for ourselves, which is why I chose early on to list every single ingredient of our formulations.⁣ I wanted to do my part to provide the peace of mind I would want for myself — a totally transparent ingredients list that shows we have considered purity and sustainability at every step of our process.

3 — Learn about mother nature’s benefits

Nature yields scientifically proven benefits. For example, our latest scent MOJO, taps into the well documented benefits of forest bathing. The Japanese call it ‘shinrin yoku’, which means taking in the forest’s atmosphere to experience the multitude of benefits it brings — from lowering blood pressure, to improving memory recall, to boosting immunity, and more. Rich in the phytoncides of the forest, MOJO contains aromatic molecules emitted by trees that protect them, and us, from illness.

Nature also allows us to recalibrate ourselves. We are interconnected to nature, and I believe experiencing it brings us closer to understanding ourselves and bringing us closer to our natural equilibrium. I have always felt better when I am surrounded by the lushness, the serenity, the textures, and the marvels of the natural world, whether the embrace of a forest or the vastness of the coastline.

4 — Movement is medicine

It bears endless repetition to say that our mind and bodies benefit tremendously from healthy movement. Every single system in our body relies on healthy exercise — from our lymphatic system and immune system, to our musculoskeletal and digestive system, to our central and peripheral nervous system. Even beyond the benefits to our body’s systems, exercise releases endorphins to make us feel good and relieve stress, creates a space where we briefly get to disconnect from everyday challenges and responsibilities, allows us an outlet for self expression, and reinforces a healthy connection with our bodies. All beautiful things require maintenance, and our bodies operate at their best when we engage in physical activities daily, even if just for twenty minutes a day.

5 — Engage with your community

Being able to cultivate a network of trusted companions and deepening those relationships has been the most meaningful outcome of all my endeavors — it has shown me how all of humankind’s aspirations can be reduced to a desire for community and service. From scientists whose research ushers in new eras of discovery and sheds light on our place in the universe, to artists who illustrate the unnamed shades of human thought, to inventors who solve the inconveniences of the human experience with ingenuity, to entrepreneurs whose products revolutionize the way we communicate with one another and ourselves. I am grateful to all those people that I have had that privilege to share a journey with.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

The movement would be to drive olfactory wellness, by educating people of nature’s benefits and the environmental dangers of chemicals in our environment. Our olfactory system serves as the only direct link between our environment and the central nervous system, so the aromas you surround yourself with should be clean and obviously, good for you, right? This is something not a lot of people are considering, yet

Earth’s creatures communicate with each other through their olfactory system, using the chemicals around them — from bacteria, to fish, to insects, to plants, to other of the world’s creatures, we are all interconnected, intertwined, and interdependent.

Chemicals can disrupt the stability of the biological systems of our ecosystems and affect our ability for clean air, food and water. The growing cocktail of chemicals in our environment with little regulation for change threatens our global ecosystem. It is estimated that of the approximate 350,000 chemical compounds registered globally, there is only a small fraction assessed for safety and the list of chemicals continues to grow. It has been reported that the pace at which new chemicals are being produced is not within safe limits for our ecosystem. Driving awareness of this and how chemical pollution is threatening the earth’s systems is a big deal.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1.Courage is one of the most important things you can cultivate. Courage comes with practice, arriving in increments every day. It can be hard and unpleasant because it forces you to take a stand for what you believe in. Ultimately courage provides you the ability to tackle change, rise up to challenges, and grow with failure. When things happen that are out of your control, courage helps.

2. Build a trusted community. It takes time to get to know people and find people you build trust in. A trusted community of family, friends, and relationships nourishes and enriches your life and those around you.

3. Make the best decision you can every day. Hindsight is always 20/20, and you can think twice about whether you made the right decision. If you understand why you made the decision and how it was the best decision at the time, it will provide a path to understanding, and steer you away from regret.

4. You are always a work in progress. It’s a comforting thought to think that you learn all you need to know when you are young, you implement that knowledge, and you become an expert and voila! But the landscape you are working in is constantly changing and you will need to adapt. I think a large part of intelligence is the ability to deconstruct and reconstruct all over again, which means seeing a different perspective and vantage point. This is very difficult to do when we are in our own head and thoughts, but I think it builds wisdom and understanding.

5. Nature is always there for you to enjoy. Nature has become more and more vital to me. Being in nature allows me to reconnect with what is important to me. Our natural world shows up on an everyday basis, providing constant beauty and wonder, and it humbles me. Nature makes me feel a part of a greater whole. I thank mother nature for what she so freely offers us daily!

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

I think sustainability is the greatest challenge currently facing the human species and the planet as a whole. As our planet is delicately interconnected, the health of the environment affects absolutely everything, from all of Earth’s creatures, to global politics, to the food we eat, to even our mental wellness — nearly half of Americans believe that climate change impacts their mental health. I have loved nature since I can remember and believe in its therapeutic benefits — this runs through CandaScent Lab’s brand ethos, to respect and nourish nature and what it provides us. Growing up in California it was hard not to fall in love with its incredible natural landscapes, its multitude of ecological textures — from the vast and sparkling Pacific Ocean, to the wild desert and its secret denizens, to the awe-inspiring majesty of the Redwood forest. It’s difficult to witness the changes in the landscapes I have known, and to know that my future grandchildren may not be able to enjoy the same natural world I once did. It is this sentiment of wanting to pass down the planet like an heirloom that inspired me to work in sustainability. Unfortunately, aiming to implement ecologically sound business practices is not enough. Companies are starting to understand that you need to be restorative, regenerative — we need to start actively giving back to the planet.

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

Please peruse our website (www.candascent.com ) and subscribe to our newsletter, where we share insights, research, and findings on olfactory wellness, the health benefits of various terpenes, new aroma products, botanical and olfactory science and more. You can also follow us on Instagram @candascent.

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Veronique Lee of CandaScent Labs On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Deneen Joyner On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s…

Women In Wellness: Deneen Joyner On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Make a commitment to yourself to face pain and trauma from the past before you are made to. Most people think they can continue hiding from their life’s pain, but I want them to know it’s just a matter of time before the bottom falls out and you have no other choice. Choosing to heal your life instead of being a hostage to pain is empowering!

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Deneen Joyner.

Deneen Joyner is a renowned soul medium, spiritual coach, and storyteller whose mission is embracing her ancestor’s ancient Indigenous healing practices to guide others in healing and breaking generational curses. She uses her deeply-rooted intuitive gifts as a shaman, soul medium, empath, spiritual channel, and clairvoyant to read, heal, and teach. Deneen is also the author of Soul Wounds & Sacred Revelations, a nationally award-winning memoir examining the DNA surrounding emotional pain and providing a blueprint to examine the lessons sent in our lives to master pain and healing.

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 was often described as a wise old soul who’s been here before. I was the ‘weird’ kid who would rather be reading under the sun at recess than playing kickball with other kids. I’m my parent’s seventh daughter and the black sheep in my family.

At five years old, I became highly aware of many spiritual gifts, one of which was centered around being so sensitive to the feelings of others that I felt compelled to help them feel better. Because I was a child, I didn’t have a filter and often blurted out questions that made adults uncomfortable and gave them unsolicited advice about confronting feelings and life circumstances. What I perceived as exciting, helpful, and enlightening, soon became something cringeworthy as my guidance became unwelcomed and embarrassing for the person I was reading as none of them took kindly to spiritual counsel from a child.

My emotional interpretation of not fitting in with others and the rejection of my gifts left me feeling like I wasn’t good enough or there was something wrong with me. This perception became the story I believed, and it manifested in painful, traumatic experiences in my life. I learned to live with pain by numbing and pretending to be happy.

Until, at the age of 47, the bottom of my soul fell out and could no longer hold my unresolved pain.

Feeling suicidal, I pleaded to God to help me. He responded. This set me on a sacred journey to find answers to my deepest “why” surrounding my pain, gifts, ancestry, and life’s purpose. Doing the internal journey to heal and learn everything about myself introduced me to my God Self — the being I was before I was born, before pain and judgment of others got in the way and made me forget.

My awakening and healing were much bigger than my surface success. My ancestors, who were highly gifted healers, enlightened me about emotional pain and why I needed to embrace all of my beautiful gifts so that I could fulfill my ancient soul contract.

Healing through major pain and trauma and finally accepting my spiritual gifts has enabled me to see the power inherent in teaching and guiding others to know and understand their own family linage and emotional DNA as instrumental tools in healing and releasing emotional pain, remembering who they are, and leading with greater purpose.

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?

A big part of spiritual guidance when reading souls involves using my gifts to connect with the ancestors of the person I am reading. I can feel the energy surrounding their personality and hear them. Being able to channel energy from those who are departed gives me a panoramic view of the family’s history with unresolved pain along with the person’s pain, lessons that need to be mastered, and their gifts.

I had been estranged from my father since the age of 7. The things I know about my paternal side have mostly come from my mother. After having an ancestry test done, I committed for several years to learning about my father’s family and communicating with my kinfolk online. One relative reached out to me off and on for a little over two years.

Later, I became Facebook friends with someone I didn’t know. I can’t say how this came to be because I’m very selective with who I befriend.

This person and I hit it off. We both liked spirituality and often inspired others through our posts. I received a message from him wanting to schedule a soul reading. He was going through a rough patch at the time, and we lost contact for several months and he never scheduled. One day in the middle of the night, I woke up and he was heavily on my mind. What I thought was strange and random became so much more.

I meditated and wanted to send him good energy and peace, but this was interrupted by my sensing and feeling of his ancestors. These ancestors felt warmly familiar to me but also like strangers. This had never happened to me before, so I was intrigued. They didn’t speak to me, but I could sense their powerful presence, love, and gratitude. This overwhelmed me and I came out of meditation wondering what was going on.

I jumped on my computer and felt a need to go on my ancestry profile to reread old messages. I was drawn back to my relative who I had been communicating with. For the first time, I really looked at his profile picture and realized that my new Facebook friend was actually my cousin using an alias. My mind was blown.

My takeaway from this continues to be the importance of offering ancestral soul healing. Also, there is so much more power in following our intuitive gifts than we realize. I learned that remaining open to learning more about myself and my abilities allows me to evolve and grow spiritually on a personal level, as well as a healer for those I teach and guide.

This event gave me even more validation that there is a divine world beyond the earthly one, and how blessed I am to be used as a vessel to lovingly share messages that impart lost information to descendants, connecting them to their lost spiritual inheritance while bringing healing resolution to departed ancestors and breaking generational curses.

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

The mistake that stands out the most was paying for a spiritual hybrid publishing company to market my nationally-awarded book Soul Wounds & Sacred Revelations.

Months into the contract, a representative told me they had concerns. The owner, a retired Pastor, said that my spiritual memoir might not be a good fit for the company. He wanted to read the book himself and would get back to me with an answer on how to proceed.

One week later, I was told my story centered around very nebulous content in sharing my relationship with spiritual gifts and being able to connect to angels, spirit guides, and ancestors to heal myself. They said if I was willing to remove some of my story, they might be able to continue our work.

I took this as a lesson that there are many levels to spirituality. I thought partnering with a spiritual publishing company meant that they would understand me. I learned spirituality has many meanings and I must be especially careful when it comes to partnerships with my brand.

I learned so much about taking a strong stance and honoring my truth even if no one else believes or supports me. My healing work is God-centered and meets His approval. I could never deny the gifts I have been blessed with.

I told the owner that I was not willing to edit or change my story to accommodate them and that I would be self-publishing. This was a game-changing moment.

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 soul healing work empowers people to awaken and take inventory of their life on their own instead of resigning to carrying emotional pain and hitting rock bottom.

Being vulnerable and transparent by owning my life story gives others permission to become curious about their own pain and to find the courage to look closely at their lives.

My soul guidance provides a proven spiritual vehicle for others to explore their own experiences along with uncovering their family’s spiritual inheritance tied to both spiritual gifts and traumatic karma patterns that have been passed on and replicated unknowingly from generation to generation.

Soul work supports people in having new relationships with themselves and others. They establish a new emotional framework that aligns with healthy ways of responding to emotional pain.

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.

Being a spiritual life coach requires that I meet people where they are emotionally on their journey toward healing their souls. The top five “lifestyle tweaks” I would offer anyone would be:

Make a commitment to yourself to face pain and trauma from the past before you are made to. Most people think they can continue hiding from their life’s pain, but I want them to know it’s just a matter of time before the bottom falls out and you have no other choice. Choosing to heal your life instead of being a hostage to pain is empowering!
Find the courage to become curious about your pain and its history within your family. The emotional pain and trauma that most experience is something that has been passed down generationally. It only takes one person to become curious enough to begin to follow where it originally began. Having conversations with family members about your ancestors will enlighten you to better understand some of the ‘why’ behind your experiences.
Become a student of your life. Have you ever taken a course or taken up a new hobby in something you are interested in? Healing your life requires that you become interested in yourself in the same way. Many painful things have happened throughout your life and because of that, you have unknowingly equipped yourself with emotional defenses to keep yourself from feeling. When you become a student of your life, you open up to learning everything about yourself and how you came to be.
Surrender former ways of reacting to emotionally painful triggers. Once you learn your emotional defenses, you have a greater sense of your emotional framework and how you have been showing up in the world. Moving forward, you can become more consciously aware of your triggers and no longer react, but respond with emotional awareness and self-control.
Never stop healing. Some people make the mistake once they begin to feel emotional freedom from their pain and trauma, that they are healed and no longer believe they need to be conscious of their former pain. Healing is an ever-evolving journey and requires a lifelong commitment to growing emotionally intelligent each 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 would offer a movement by way of a spiritual course called Healing: Day 1.

Healing: Day 1 is an accelerated live intensive healing group course that teaches the Indigenous art of self-guided soul healing practices that organically partner with oneself to identify, understand, and begin healing childhood pain and trauma that is intergenerationally tied to unresolved ancestral karma.

This live course will show the world how to heal their lives using ancient Indigenous medicine, which highly promotes self-exploration, self-love, pro-family, and becoming a student of one’s life.

The movement will offer newfound emotional awareness, increased consciousness, and foundationally a healthier life perspective and emotional framework, making the world a more emotionally authentic place.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

To invest in my well-being as much as I invest in the people I work with. Being a healer requires me to utilize all five senses and, at times, can deplete my energy. Today, I make time to practice more self-care and quiet time for connection and self-reflection.
Take your time. If you are doing something every day towards your business goals, they will manifest. Working smarter not harder is the way to go. Having a “to-do” list is good, but it doesn’t mean that you must do it all in one day. Use the list as a blueprint to keep you on track, not to make yourself a workhorse.
Be honest about what you are good at and look for help in the areas that you are not. I learned the hard way that I’m not the strongest at things like bookkeeping or setting up automatic email lists, so I hired someone to help me. This allowed me more freedom to focus on the things that I really enjoy and to be more attentive to other areas in my business.
Don’t forget to have fun! When I took over my family’s business, I had a lot of pressure on me because I wanted to make sure I was representing my ancestors in the highest regard possible. What I didn’t realize was that I could still have fun. I made things way too serious when they truly didn’t have to be. I was introducing people to something amazing that they had never experienced before and realized that we could still do it through laughter.
Do it, even if nobody else gets it! I used to be a people pleaser. I’m recovered now, and it feels good to proceed with my ideas even if others frown and don’t get it. Although it is important to get honest feedback from people I respect, what’s not important is their feedback becoming the driving force. If it’s something I believe will add to the healing experience and education of the students I work with, I’m going to do it.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

As a retired social worker, I have seen the impact of both illness and mental health. Mental health is near and dear to my heart.

I have witnessed hundreds of families who have been through generations of pain and trauma and have seen how impactful these events are without formal support or counseling. I know that without mental health support, generationally similar events will continue to occur unless the cycle of karma is broken. Having a new perspective through spiritual coaching and counseling gives people a different way of being and seeing their life’s potential through a new lens.

Unfortunately, many people don’t believe in receiving therapy because it’s never been done before in their family before, and the family’s thoughts on asking for outside help are not good. My work as a spiritual life coach introduces people to something totally different. I am merely showing them how to use what they already know about their family’s history of pain and trauma and connect it to how it’s impacting them today. They become empowered to implement lifelong practices to not only heal themselves but their family.

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

www.deneenjoyner.com

www.instagram.com/deneenjoyner7

www.facebook.com/deneenjoyner/

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Deneen Joyner On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Dr Shannon Thompson of Ace Feet on The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help…

Women In Wellness: Dr Shannon Thompson of Ace Feet on The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Fight the urge to compare yourself. There’s always a competitor who seems to be outdoing, overachieving, etc. That really doesn’t matter as long as you focus on doing your best. I think there’s plenty of room for everyone who provides valuable services.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Shannon Thompson of Ace Feet.

Dr. Shannon Thompson is one of Boston’s leading podiatrists and the owner of Ace Feet, a premiere private practice specializing in orthotics, medical pedicures, foot pain treatment, fungal toenail removal, and much more.

Dr. Thompson has over 10 years of experience treating patients in hospitals, podiatric private practices, sports medicine facilities and hospital-based clinics. She is a member of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, as well as the American College of Sports Medicine.

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 thought about establishing Ace Feet for a while before I actually ventured out–I have two kids and when they were younger it was easier for me to be employed. There was also initial hesitation centered around the fact that being a business owner is quite different from just being a doctor. There was a steep learning curve and I had to be mentally prepared to make the transition. As time progressed, I needed the flexibility. At the same time, I was ready to do something different, so I decided to bet on myself and establish my own practice.

Prior to starting my private practice I’d treated patients at a number of top institutions in the Greater Boston Area including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Fenway Health (2013–2021), Bowdoin Street Health Center (2012–2021), and Boston Common Podiatry (2010–2012).

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?

Fresh out of residency, eager to see patients and make use of the years of learning, I was faced with a new patient. He was an elderly gentleman with a self-described “big belly” that prevented him from being able to reach his feet and that he needed help with his left foot. He complained of pain that felt like he was walking on a pebble. Now, what most people may not be aware of, is that, “the feeling of stepping on a pebble”, is a classic symptom of a few foot conditions, including plantar warts, calluses, and Morton’s neuroma. So, I started to examine his feet, using all the tools and tests available. But after a lengthy exam, I couldn’t find anything wrong. Finally, I grabbed his shoes and took a look inside. What do you know…there was a small rock inside of his left shoe. Over the years, I’ve often seen that the simplest answer is usually the right answer. This particular patient taught me that it’s important to really listen to the patient. Most people know themselves and will be right on target with their symptoms. Sometimes there actually is a pebble in the shoe.

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

When I was opening my own practice, I had a lot to learn about business operations. I had no experience with contracts, no lawyer or readily available counsel, and no negotiation skills. I needed to obtain an expensive piece of equipment and was unsure of whether to buy or lease. I spoke back and forth with a company representative who seemed to be able to offer a great deal on the equipment. I signed on for a lease with this company despite several warning signs. For example, this representative would chit chat with me about nothing important, but in doing so would contradict himself. He also challenged me to put down a hefty deposit and threatened a time sensitive deal. He would make jokes and ask how things were going, which would typically be the type of person you’d enjoy dealing with. But I got a pit in my stomach every time spoke. I ignored these warning signs and signed the lease, which eventually cost me greatly. The equipment broke every so often. Every month I wrote a check, overpaying for this disappointing piece of equipment. I should have gotten some help or taken the time to investigate options. I learned that it pays in the long run to invest in expert advice.

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?

I always say when your feet feel good, you feel good. I have patients who come in for medical pedicures or the foot revitalization treatment and they’ll say that it’s the best part of their month. Outside of actually caring for people’s health, I help them feel good about themselves. It’s more than medical care, it’s also self-care. I think my work also has an important ripple effect: when we care for ourselves, we’re in a better position to care for others which undoubtedly impacts the world beyond the sphere of my patients.

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.

Wake up early. If I have a long day ahead of me, I find that waking up early helps a great deal. I either use the time to prepare in some way for the day ahead, like go through emails or make sure I have everything I need to take with me to the office that day. Other days I use the extra time to get calm. I have an extra cup of coffee and listen to something inspiring or just entertaining.
Go to the gym. I’m not always consistent with this, but when I do go to the gym every day I have more energy and just generally feel better.
Keep learning. I find that researching topics in my field, going to conferences and learning from colleagues helps me with my practice. I think that challenging myself in this way improves my work life and general wellbeing.
Taking a break now and then is essential. I think most of us tend to get sick easily or pick up a cold or other illness when we’re stressed or burnt out. Just having some time off can help me recharge and stay healthy.
Fight the urge to compare yourself. There’s always a competitor who seems to be outdoing, overachieving, etc. That really doesn’t matter as long as you focus on doing your best. I think there’s plenty of room for everyone who provides valuable services.

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 start a movement where people take care of their feet at a younger age. People tend to neglect their feet until there’s a problem. I remember I once had a patient with a foot condition who happened to come in with her daughter. Turns out her daughter had similar issues, but we were able to course correct because she came in at a younger age. I see a lot of this–many of the issues people face in my field can be offset if they had a little TLC earlier on.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

I wish I had encouragement to start even earlier. Years ago I felt that my life was too busy and that starting a practice on my own would be too difficult. Looking back, I think I could have gotten started earlier.
Nothing goes smoothly 100% of the time. Expect a few bumps in the road and just keep going.
I also wish someone had told me that it would work out. Starting a business on your own can feel like a gamble and a word of encouragement never hurts!
It’s okay to take a break. This goes hand-in-hand with knowing everything will work out, because if you believe that, you’ll be okay taking the break(s) that you need to stay refreshed and on top of things.
I touched on this earlier, but it’s really important to trust your instincts when it comes to fostering new business relationships, and to invest in expert advice and guidance whenever you can to double check everything. That small investment can save you tons in the long run.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

Environmental changes are pretty scary. I love to be outdoors and am a new, but avid, gardener. I’m shocked at the increase in gardening zones (plant hardiness zones) that have happened over recent years. Just another sign of the world heating up. I think it’s important to take care of the world we live in and hope that we can do that. My next project is to try composting. Maybe a small way to reduce waste and recycle/reuse.

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

Instagram: @acefeetpodiatry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ace-feet

I can’t wait to connect with you!

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Dr Shannon Thompson of Ace Feet on The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Ashley Seling On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s…

Women In Wellness: Ashley Seling On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Let go of societal and cultural expectations and give yourself permission to be YOU. It might sound cliche, but when I honor what works for me and my family life is more calm and fun. This was difficult when I first became a mom, but as time went on, I realized it didn’t serve my child or me to try to meet societal and cultural expectations that didn’t resonate with me.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ashley Seling.

Ashley Seling is a Parenting Coach and a certified Positive Discipline Educator. She has helped hundreds of moms become calm and confident in stressful parenting situations through her Tantrums to Tranquil method. She is known for her reparenting process which allows moms to learn how to healthily communicate with their children so that they can consistently feel like great parents and raise calm & emotionally balanced children.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I grew up in the Orange County, CA area. My parents separated when I was about 10 years old and I was their only child. I have a half-sister that I met later in life and two stepbrothers that I watched grow up. One of my parents came from a physically abusive family. The cycle of physical abuse ended with my parents. It’s crazy to me that the generational gap wasn’t that long ago where it was acceptable and appropriate to physically punish a child for simply looking at their parent the wrong way.

If you had asked me eight or nine years ago what I would be doing with my career I would have told you that I was aspiring to be a supervisor in a back office operations department of a bank. I worked at the bank for five years. I was balancing ledgers and investigating when ledgers didn’t add up right, editing old bank procedures, and traveling to train new employees in my department. I know it sounds boring, but I loved my job! On the evening of my last day of work, and I didn’t know it would be my last at the time, I overexerted myself while shopping for my baby shower dress and I started to go into preterm labor. My son, fortunately, waited a few more weeks to make his debut but I was on bed rest and unable to return to work.

I became a mom at 25-years-old, and started my business one year later, in 2016, to support new moms going through their ‘4th trimester.’ Understanding that motherhood unintentionally takes us down a road of self-discovery, I quickly became aware of my parenting wounds when my son told me he hated me at 2.5-years-old… yep, that hurt! From there, I immersed myself in the knowledge and tools needed to reinvent my parenting skills and expanded my mentorship programs to support women around the challenges of parenthood. My secret sauce within my work is through my reparenting process where I help moms uncover their “Parenting Triggers” through my self-discovery process and strategies. This allows clients to heal their triggers, parent their kids in a kind, loving, and firm way, AND break the cycle of generational parenting beliefs that no longer serve 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?

Your child is becoming you. Realizing that what I believe about myself I will pass on to my children has made the most significant impact on all areas of my life. Our thought patterns — good or bad — affect our parenting decisions and our decisions directly affect our children’s life. When we take a step back from our thoughts, we can ask ourselves, what would I tell my son if he came to me and said, “Mommy I feel like I’m a failure and I’m never good enough.” A mom would console her child with these concerns. And as women, we need to console ourselves like we would our child when these negative thoughts come up. I believe every mom deserves to feel like a great mom.

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 used to seek verbal approval and validation from other people that I was good at what I do. I realized this is a slippery slope because seeking validation outside of myself is my inner child wanting to be loved. So, I’ve learned to love myself and have my own back even when something doesn’t go according to plan. And let’s face it, when kids are involved rarely do things go according to plan!

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?

I help parents heal what causes them to lose their cool and in turn create better wellbeing for their children and their future generations to come. I help heal the way parents and their children perceive life to become the best versions of themselves while creating a fulfilled happy life. I’ve helped hundreds of moms become more patient and confident in their parenting approach through my Tantrums to Tranquil method. In this method, I also teach parents to pass on and model healthy emotional regulation skills to their kids.

The Tantrums to Tranquil method implements personalized communication tools to meet each child’s emotional needs, while also becoming the best versions of themselves to live a joyful and fulfilled life. I guide my clients to take a deep look at their own childhood experiences, and then help them gain Confidence and Certainty in their newly-established decisions as a parent themselves; and by integrating my 4×4 Communication strategy. After this program, my clients feel in control of whatever behaviors come their way, achieve (what I call) “Emotional Mastery,” and allow themselves to become a parent that they can be genuinely proud of.

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.

Let go of societal and cultural expectations and give yourself permission to be YOU. It might sound cliche, but when I honor what works for me and my family life is more calm and fun. This was difficult when I first became a mom, but as time went on, I realized it didn’t serve my child or me to try to meet societal and cultural expectations that didn’t resonate with me.
Take time to re-parent yourself and heal your parenting triggers. When you parent from a healed state you will make more meaningful parenting decisions. When you parent from a place where you are triggered by your child’s behavior because they are doing things you couldn’t get away with as a child, you will parent in a way that isn’t authentic to you as an adult.
You can’t pour from an empty cup. When you take care of yourself, you are a happier, more fulfilled person. Everyone in your life benefits when you take care of yourself first.
Own your relationship with your child. Let go of needing your spouse to buy into your parenting style. The way you parent your child will determine your relationship with your child. The way your spouse parents your child will determine their relationship with their child. It isn’t up to you to control how your spouse parents your child. Please seek professional help if there is abuse.
Being perfect is only for fairy tales. It’s OK to make mistakes. Mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow. Mistakes are opportunities to show your child how to effectively react in difficult situations. Use mistakes as a way to show your child that mistakes are natural and they’re going to happen.

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 start a movement to revolutionize conventional parenting. Where children were encouraged more than shamed, punished, and blamed for being bad kids.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

I pour my heart and soul into my business. I’m an expert at what I do and with that comes a duty and responsibility to share my knowledge. Parents deserve to have more parenting skills and knowledge so that they can create safe and strong life-long bonds with their children. Here are 5 things I wish someone told me before I started:

Being a mom has made me a better leader. I lead my clients through my Tantrums to Tranquil process to become more confident and calm moms. Being a mom of two kids helps me understand where my clients are at in their journey. I’ve been there… I’ve been in the mess and I know how to lead them to the other side.
You don’t have to do it all. There may be a new way to market my business but that doesn’t mean I HAVE to do it. I can do what works for me and what feels good for my business.
Asking for help doesn’t make you weak. It actually makes you stronger. When I first started my business, I thought I had to figure it out all by myself. I realized that receiving support actually felt really good and it was more fun!
My worthiness isn’t tied to how much money I make or if someone chooses not to work with me. We are all born worthy. Knowing this before starting my business would have helped me be more detached from people who say, “You charge too much.”
Building a business isn’t always fun. It’s emotional. It’s hard. But I’ve learned that I can do hard things. I honestly wouldn’t change anything about it because it has helped me become successful in my business.

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 dearest to me because if we aren’t taking care of our mental health, then our future generations will pass on our same mistakes. It’s up to us to show future generations how to promote their well-being and create a fulfilled life.

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

I can be found on Facebook, Instagram, my Facebook Community group, and www.ashleyseling.com.

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Ashley Seling On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.