Category: Featured

Female Founders: Laura Frederick of ‘How to Contract’ On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and…

Female Founders: Laura Frederick of ‘How to Contract’ On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

“Set aside time for yourself.” I think it’s the easiest thing to lose when you start a business. Everything, especially in the beginning, “relies” on you. We get a mindset that we have to be 24/7 in our business to make it grow. And it’s hard not to do that because you see all the things that need to be done and you want your business to be a success. But I think creating a space in your life to balance is definitely one of the most important things you can do. To schedule that time is essential.

As a part of our series about “Why We Need More Women Founders”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Laura Frederick, President and Founder at the digital contract training hub How to Contract with over 300 members globally. A former Tesla and Morrison & Foerster lawyer with over 25 years of experience, Laura is known for bringing real-world contract training to lawyers and professionals in the US and beyond. She is a LinkedIn influencer famous for her daily contracting tips and funny self-made trademark cartoons. Laura is also the author of the Amazon best-seller “Practical Tips on How to Contract: Techniques and Tactics from an Ex-BigLaw and Ex-Tesla Commercial Contracts Lawyer” that has sold over 3,000 copies and the creator of the How to Contract Conference, the first-of-its-kind annual conference on contracts. The first edition of the event attracted roughly 400 attendees from several countries in January 2022.

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?

Sure! I’ve been an attorney for about 26 years. During my early career, I was always looking for information about how to work on contracts — what to draft, how to negotiate the provisions. I didn’t want to keep bugging the partner who was in charge of me in the law firm or lawyers with whom I was working. And I couldn’t find a source that would provide me with the practical guidance on how to draft and negotiate contracts. There were tons of legal education programs, but they talked at a very high level and gave vague advice. Things like “Draft this carefully thinking of all the issues” and “Research applicable state law and consider it for every provision and concept in your contract.” But nobody said: “When you see this word, change it to this word” and “If your situation is this, do it this way, if your situation is that, do it that way.” Even conferences covered case law in a type of industry and kind of deal — basically, topics within the law — but I couldn’t find one that could teach me the basic stuff relevant to the work I did on contracts every day.

What I really wanted was the answers. Don’t teach me a vague concept — teach me exactly what I need to do with the contract I’m working on right now. Teach me the job skills for the job I have. It’s one of the challenges of the legal industry that we don’t really approach our jobs from a job skills perspective. We approach it from a knowledge perspective — from having lots of vague and high-level information about the subject. The working theory is that if you know a lot about the law and the subject, you’ll know how to draft and negotiate that subject. But it doesn’t work that way.

This challenge of finding training to help me learn contracts became even worse as I became more experienced. It got even harder for me to find sophisticated training on what I do every day. So I learned mostly from personal experience and research on my own.

Then I reached a point in 2020, after twelve years at law firms (including almost two in my own) and fourteen years in-house, that I wanted to give back. I wanted to capture and share all those contract job skills that I had learned over my 25 years. I could help other lawyers who didn’t get the kind of training I had to learn how to do what I knew how to do.

It led me to create the training platform called How to Contract. A lot of other contract experts talk about how to draft things clearly or teach highly niche issues like blockchain, social media issues, or privacy. But the goal of my platform is to share real-world job skills for how lawyers or professionals draft and negotiate contracts.

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

One of the things that have happened since I started was seeing how my book “Practical Tips on How to Contract: Techniques and Tactics from an Ex-BigLaw and Ex-Tesla Commercial Contracts Lawyer” has been embraced by a lot of law schools and law school professors. For example, a transactional program at the University of Miami Law School that teaches how to draft and negotiate contracts has started to use my book on the curriculum to teach students real-world answers and perspectives about issues relating to contracts. I hear from the professors and adjuncts that it’s been really useful, that students really appreciate it.

Another cool thing is that one of the lawyers who joined my membership eight months ago got hired as an adjunct and now teaches from my book to the students! It was a full circle of How to Contract. He joined the membership to complement his already strong contract drafting and negotiation skills. He is like a lot of my members who already know how to draft and negotiate contracts but want to keep it fresh and talk about the issues. That was such a cool thing to watch!

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 a funny one, but I can think of a big one. It is about not hiring a skilled accountant and bookkeeper from the start. I learned the hard way that if I had gotten that advice upfront, it would have saved me a lot more money over time than what I thought I was saving by hiring an inexpensive accounting firm and bookkeeper. I ended up paying so many more taxes than if I had spent the money to hire a solid accountant and bookkeeper. So, that’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned.

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?

It’s a good question. I’d say it’s Flo Nicolas, Chief Growth and Community Officer at How to Contract and host at the educational video series Contract Tech Showcase. I met Flo when she started commenting on my daily posts on LinkedIn. From the beginning, she showed so much interest, generosity, and support. It felt like I had a cheerleader in my community just ready to jump up and down and cheer me on with everything I did. I just felt that everything was better and more fun when Flo was involved.

Flo was one of the founding members of the How to Contract Network. As time progressed and she was looking for a new role, I suggested joining How to Contract as the Chief Growth and Community Officer. It’s been wonderful! She has continued to provide that support, enthusiasm, and energy to make everything better. It’s been a fantastic, healthy, and positive relationship!

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’s fear. Women feel a lot of responsibility for taking care of their family and community. They don’t have the energy to take that leap into starting their own business because in their eyes it’s too risky. Look at my story. I’m a single mom with four teenagers. Everybody was very shocked that I would leave Tesla and go into business for myself.

I think the lack of women founders also reflects society’s message that you need a salaried job to be financially secure. What many women may not realize, and what I learned, is that there is a lot more potential for financial security with owning your own business than with having a salaried job.

I also believe it is because women tend to not apply for jobs unless they feel they have all the skills required. When a job lists ten things you need to know how to do, the studies have found that most men will apply even if they just know a couple. In contrast, women would say: “Oh, there’s two of those I don’t know how to do, I better not apply.” I think women feel more comfortable taking on a role when they 100% know how to do everything already. I think that hesitation translates into being more reluctant to opening their own business. Because when you open your own business, you have your technical skills — for me, it’s being a lawyer — but you also have to be an accountant, an HR, a graphic designer, a sales person, a marketer, a video person, you name it. I think that would hold back some other women, too, because it’s so overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you figure out how to do these things? And then the fear of failure and letting down their family, not being able to provide that support they want to provide comes to play again.

I believe women let fear drive their behavior more than men do. If we generalize about men and women — not all fall into these patterns — we see that men are able to see the fear and continue regardless, whereas a lot of women see fear and hold back to play it safe. It comes from how we’ve been socialized and the way our rules play out in our family and community. Boys are raised to take risks and dive in, while girls tend to play in more controlled environments without the same kind of reckless abandon.

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?

One of the ways our society can help women entrepreneurs is to continue to share their journeys — just like Authority Magazine’s series about female founders or Cheryl Robinson’s Forbes column highlighting women. Because we need to show those who are just starting out how to get from point A to point B, how to go from starting a business to being a successful business, what the steps along the way are. Because we see successful business owners and it just feels like they just knew how to do it. Whereas, in fact, they stumbled, fell, took wrong turns, had disaster after disaster.

So, as a society, if we continue to focus on the journeys of entrepreneurs, particularly, female entrepreneurs, tell their stories, shed the light on their experiences, and the challenges they face and how they overcame those, and how they manage to get comfortable with the risk and the challenges of being an owner, I think that will go a long way.

I also love mentorship programs for people who want to open their own businesses. It’s one of the things I want to focus on in the next phase of my business. The thing is that I’ve been successfully creating this business (that started as a side hustle about ten months ago), I’ve got a book and a conference, I’ve got all these things, — and there are a lot of people coming behind me who don’t have this now but want to have it in the future. I’d love to set up a series of workshops where I could train people on everything I went through, all my mistakes, and teach people how to do what I’ve done. I had to figure almost everything out on my own. I didn’t have anybody to show me how to do this stuff. And I’d love to be able to help people and save them some of that training.

Another thing is to provide financial support and infrastructure. As female founders, we are extremely busy. A lot of us are like me. I have my business, but I also have my family and other commitments. All of this makes it hard to organize a lot of workshops for female founders even if I want to. So, it would be great for society if bigger players whose role is helping women businesses get started continued providing money and platforms for female founders to help other female founders.

To sum up, I’d say we need to provide more training, more storytelling about women founders, more mentorship programs where women founders get to learn from other women founders about how they do this, and more financial support.

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?

Because it offers what a lot of us need, which is freedom and flexibility. I think, as women, we have an interest in creating our own story and a path that fits us. Where I grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, most of the women in my world grew up to be nurses, teachers, and other roles like that. We’ve come a long way from there when we were being steered in that direction. Now, most women want to develop that flexibility and freedom to create our work-life balance in the way that we want. It’s not just “get promoted and make money.” A lot of women want a more balanced life. I found having my own business gives me that balance because now I’m in charge of deciding what I do, when I do it, and who I do it with. I can build and do the work I love as opposed to having to work with people that I don’t particularly want to.

The other great reason to be a founder and create your own company is to empower you to live as your authentic self and be true to who you are. In my 24 years of working for other people, I spent a huge amount of time worrying about what people thought of me: “My boss might not like it if I do this” or “I hope that irritated coworker whom I couldn’t help doesn’t interfere with my project” or “My boss’s boss may not be happy if I post publicly on social media or speak at industry events.” And there’s a reason we worry like that. We have to spend a lot of time trying to please influential people in our organization above us because they decide whether we get fired or we stay, whether we get a promotion or not. So we have to invest time in pleasing these people. And often we don’t know what they want. We are just trying to please what we think they want.

When I went off on my own, I didn’t have to do that anymore. I got to just be myself. Especially, over the last year, I felt so much more comfortable and so much less paranoid and worried. I didn’t answer to anybody. I could live the life that I wanted, say the things I wanted, and build the business I wanted. I could be silly and playful. I could use words like “awesome” and “cool.” I could be me without worrying that some higher up disapproved.

I think that taking off that layer of trying to please other people has the potential to unleash the greatness that I know is inside all of us. We can really give back to the world with our gifts and help other people and do more because we are no longer going to be held down by our own self-talk and self-doubt and trying to be somebody that we think we are supposed to be.

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

I think I’d like to dispel the myth that it’s a huge financial risk to launch your own business.

It definitely takes time to build your finances and customer base and all that. But what I found, and what I think a lot of female founders have also found, is that by creating our own business we actually have significantly improved our financial standing and reduced our financial risk.

As an employee, you are incredibly exposed. At any moment your boss or your company decides to lay you off without notice. And then you suddenly have no paycheck. In the US, you may even lose your health insurance. And you are just stuck. You have to go out and find something, which takes a while, leaving you and your family at risk of unexpected loss of all your income and financial security. This is especially true for single parents like me.

But it is so different if you create your own business and start to have multiple income streams and clients. Now one client or income stream going away doesn’t change a lot. I’m still successful. I still have an income.

It’s such a great path. Especially for people who are willing to work hard. And most of the women I know are incredibly hard-working. They will get the job done. They will do what needs to be done. So, you play out those skills, but now for your own benefit instead of some other company.

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 think it’s a great question. I don’t think that everybody is built to be a founder.

Number one thing you need is self-motivation and the ability to do the work even when it’s not easy. If somebody is looking for a job to show up at 9 am, have someone give them a list of ten things to do today, and then to go home at 5 pm, and they don’t want to think about it otherwise and they don’t want to figure out what to do, those folks are better off with the job. And it’s not to say that it’s a bad thing.

Also, if that’s where you are now, it doesn’t mean you always will be. I had periods in my life when I was so busy dealing with my kids and other personal crises that I would not have made a good founder. I did not have the emotional or mental bandwidth to climb the mountain, to take on building a business. But it doesn’t mean you won’t later. I found that mental resilience and made it work in a way that would not have worked five or six years earlier.

I think the other essential is the ability to be open-minded about learning new skills. Because one of the things you have to do as a founder is to wear a lot of hats. You are going to have to organize your financial things, hire and manage people, do sales and marketing. You can hire people to do all those things but unless you understand them, unless you have a strategy for those roles, it’s not going to be a success. You need to understand all these different parts of the business, and I think there are people who have no interest in that. You have to want to do more than a technical skill. You have to be interested in learning new tasks and being comfortable swimming in all the lanes instead of just swimming in your lane. If you only want to swim in your lane and never leave it, you are probably not a good person to start a business.

There are also mindset issues coming into play. If I look at myself and point to the number one big difference between not being ready to be a founder before and then being ready to be a founder, I’d say it was going to therapy. Therapy made me stronger and gave me more clarity about what I want. It helped me learn how to understand myself, others, and that it was ok to put myself first and pursue my dreams. I think a lot of women tend to put other people first. But when you go through therapy, we learn to prioritize our own needs. We learn how to harness our own energy to achieve the life we want. I learned how to approach the world in a much healthier way. I think developing the strength that therapy provides is a GREAT way to get to a place where you are ready to launch and build a business successfully.

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.)

The number one thing that I wish someone had told me is “It is going to be the best thing you ever did.” I didn’t know that. I kind of wanted to build a business. I knew I wanted more flexibility. But I didn’t necessarily realize how absolutely and utterly amazing it is to work for yourself, to create income for yourself, to create income for other people. It is so empowering and satisfying! It brings so much joy to be able to do that.

When I was starting out, I didn’t think of that part of that. I just thought: “Oh, I’ll launch a business. Won’t that be great?” But I didn’t realize how much bigger and stronger I would feel by having done this compared to how I felt before. Not that I was a little person before, but I felt a lot smaller than I do now. I think people who knew me before and know me now see it as well — my light shines so much brighter now.

Number two is “Find people whom you can trust.” When you are in a company, those people are supplied to you. You are an employee at a company, you have people in place to support your goals — finance, accounting, sales, marketing. But when you are in charge of the business, you are the one finding and managing all the functions. Finding the right people who are on your team — whether it’s employees or contractors — I think is another critical part.

Number three is “Be flexible and iterate.” Staying flexible about what the product is and what people want is critical. You may open your business thinking your product is A, and then as you start offering A, you see there’s not that much demand, but people are talking about B and that it would be cool if you had B. I would encourage new founders to pay attention to that and be ready to move quickly to B if that’s where the customers are. Make sure that you have flexibility in your mindset about your business, about what you do and how you do it, so that you could be nimble in response to the market.

Number four is “Set aside time for yourself.” I think it’s the easiest thing to lose when you start a business. Everything, especially in the beginning, “relies” on you. We get a mindset that we have to be 24/7 in our business to make it grow. And it’s hard not to do that because you see all the things that need to be done and you want your business to be a success. But I think creating a space in your life to balance is definitely one of the most important things you can do. To schedule that time is essential.

Number five is “Hire a good accountant.” You probably remember this story from one of the previous questions.

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

My mission for this business is to help lawyers and professionals to gain confidence and job skills of how to draft and negotiate contracts. There are several dimensions to it: my daily contracting tips posted on LinkedIn, the How to Contract learning hub, my book, and the How to Contract conference about contract drafting and negotiation (more to come).

I can see the effects of my business all the time. I have people who write to tell me: “I didn’t apply for this job in the past. But I’ve learned so much from you that now I’m applying for it” or “I just got hired in this great new role that I got because of skills I learned from you.”

I also get messages from people around the world who tell me about how much they look forward to my content each day. Some look forward to the contract drafting and negotiation tips and learning about contracts. Others like my daily cartoons — they make them smile or even laugh — and it’s a nice way to start the day. I love that I give a few moments of humor and learning to start their day.

It feels like I can make a big impact with some people who take my courses at How to Contract, attend the conference and really dive into my training. But then I also help people who aren’t my customers and are just out there in the world — through teaching better job skills or through a smile each morning.

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 think it would be to encourage professional women to get therapy earlier and more often. I think doing so would make a huge difference to so many. It would teach them to put themselves first, take time away from their family and work, and invest in themselves. Helping them become the best themselves they can be.

Because therapy doesn’t change who you are. It just helps you see how much power you have inside you. It shows you that you are stopped by self-limiting beliefs and negative self-talk. Women are going to be limited as long as they continue to listen to those inner voices that tell them they can’t or that they are second best. Empowering women to overcome those voices is going to have a huge impact on the world. Because powerful, confident, and strong women help their families, businesses, and clients.

I can’t think of anything that would do more collective good for women in the world than more therapy. We are so powerful individually and collectively when we believe in ourselves and stop holding ourselves back from our potential because of our self-doubts.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in business, venture capital funding, sports, and entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the U.S. with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

I’d say, Michelle Obama. Michelle embodies what a lot of women lawyers want to be regardless of our political party. I love how she manages to balance her own personal achievements with her family’s. I love her elegance and the way she takes the high road on things. She inspires me with how she approaches conversations with people, how she talks about the world, how she engages with the world. One of her famous slogans is “When they go low, we go high” which says about not getting in the mud fighting with people about stupid things. I find her the most inspiring woman in the world today.

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

Female Founders: Laura Frederick of ‘How to Contract’ On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Holly Jean Jackson On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s…

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

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Take Responsibility-Own Your Journey. Healing is an inside job. Building your legacy starts with you. Take responsibility today for your life and your health. As soon as you do this, you will be unstoppable. Release the lens of victimhood.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Holly Jean Jackson.

Holly Jean Jackson, Holistic Business Coach, helps business leaders love their life and business again. Taking a holistic approach, she helps clients get their groove back physically, mentally, and emotionally. Holly sets three core tenants: health, clarity, and business. In fine-tuning these, clients can live the life of their dreams today.

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?

For years, I struggled with crippling fear and anxiety. This forced me to shy away from the things that challenged me most.

It took a face-to-face confrontation with a bear on a backpacking trip to learn that I was powerful.

Confronted by this animal, my instincts took over and instead of running from my fear. I charged at it with all my might. Two amazing things happened. The bear left me alone and I finally realized that I could handle anything that came across my path.

We all need to conquer our own self-limitations if we’re ever to get what we want in life.

Since then, I left my very lucrative, successful job. I got tired of climbing the corporate ladder only to face layoff after layoff. I decided I wanted a different way of life. I wanted to define and build success on my own terms.

I started out as a health coach but realized I wanted to offer the full package to those go getters. For the action takers out there, who wanted a different way of life. I got certified as a life coach. I attained two certifications including mastery credentials in transformational coaching. This means I can help business owners 360 degrees.

Having a holistic coach is crucial. They can help you see the blind spots in your health and keep your health foundation strong.

They can guide you to clarity in your life. Discovering your values, your goals, and the legacy you wish to leave behind. Oftentimes clients are building a business that’s not aligned with what they want. We must define success on our own terms. Otherwise, we will never design the life we want. This takes intention and guidance.

I help my clients not only in their health and life but on how to scale their business to serve and heal more people. I help them design the best path forward. Based on their needs, goals, values, and the legacy they want to leave in this world. We work together in partnership to scale their business to the next level. I help them through a combined approach of coaching and consulting.

My clients walk away clear on what action they need to take next. They walk away inspired and ready to take action. They walk away clear instead of overwhelmed so they can be the healer they need to be.

I am passionate about the health and wellness community. Because these leaders have a ripple effect. We need more hope, healing, and inspiration in our world. These are our new front line workers. We must support them. Cheer them on when things get tough. Support them when the world needs them most.

I believe that we all deserve to be living the life of our dreams. And that requires us being healthy and clear on what that means. The health and wellness community are the foundation to make this a reality.

It’s my goal to help them be successful. So that we can spread healing and inspiration like wildfire throughout the world

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

I have learned that when I am open to the flow of things in my life and business that miraculous things just fall into place. For example, I shared with my coach a year ago that I wanted to write a book. But I was forcing the process. I was trying to take on too much. I wasn’t walking my talk. So, she suggested waiting.

She said, “Holly when the time is right you will meet an amazing book coach and publisher and that’s when you know it’s time to start writing your first book.” And you know what? She was right.

A few months later, I met my publisher who coached me through all my excuses for not writing the book. She broke it down for me. Helped me put it into three books instead of one. Coached me through the process of how to write a solid book that would help heal lives and reach business owners.

Nine months after meeting the right person at the right time, I published my first solo book! It’s called Inspiration Contagion, Health Secrets for Raving Success. The book hit #1 new release status in two categories and was a bestseller on Amazon in three categories. What an amazing experience!

If you still don’t believe…here’s another story…. I knew I wanted to scale my impact. I wanted to help entrepreneurs and business owners who were struggling during the pandemic. Through several serendipitous moments, I came to the idea of starting a room on Clubhouse. But it didn’t work. I tried it with another coach on the west coast. Then we pulled in a marketing contact of mine I met through his podcast show.

The coach bailed on the program. But Matt suggested we move our idea to Livestreaming. We now have a successful livestream show that helps hundreds of business owners grow their business. We also launched a mastermind focused on community, growth, and FUN. In our Business Builder Ninja Community our members walk away with a clear path, a community to combat isolation, a safe space to share fears and challenges, and a place to celebrate small and big wins along their journey.

The power of flow and collaboration are real. Lean into that. I promise you it works.

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

The biggest mistake I made was trying to serve everyone. This is something my clients struggle with as well. But the sooner you define your niche, the better off you and your clients will be.

Get specific. Know exactly who you want to work with. Know who you can help. Get clear on the problem you solve for them.

Share who your product, service, and program are NOT for. Marketing and growth in our business is about attracting the right clients. But it’s also about pushing away those who aren’t a fit. If you want action takers, say that. If you want clients who trust you, be clear about that.

I have two non-negotiables when working with clients. My clients must trust me. And you must be an action taker, no matter what life throws your way. The trust part is key. Because coaching and even marketing consulting requires a partnership built on trust. If you don’t trust me, I can’t help you grow yourself or your business. If you aren’t willing to take action, nothing will change.

I’m not a miracle worker. Life and challenges are a constant. I want to work with clients who commit and are passionate and willing to take action no matter what happens.

Niche down. Get clear on the problem you solve. Know exactly who you want to work with. This will move mountains in your business.

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 the pandemic continues, it’s clear that health is the most important thing. Without it, we can’t do anything. I want to help support our front-line workers. With the pandemic, this means supporting our health and wellness workers. I want them to have the tools to be healers. To free up their time to work their magic.

I work with health and wellness business owners. I help them with their strategy and roadmap forward. Clearing out all the noise and providing a clear path forward. I provide marketing consulting for those who don’t get the marketing side of things and don’t have time to touch it. I help them grow to serve a broader client base…. without burn out and overwhelm.

We all need better health. When we are in pain, we can’t get clear on what we want. We can’t define success on our own terms. We can’t be the parents, spouse, friend, and leaders we wish to be. We can’t help anyone until we are healthy.

The best way I can have a larger impact on the world is through helping healers reach more people. I help massage therapist, coaches, acupuncturists, and holistic wellness centers. I help chiropractors and all healers reach a wider audience. We’re in this together. Why not start from a healthy foundation?

If you know someone with incredible healing talents, I would love to talk with them. If you are in health and wellness and want to help more people, I would love to talk.

We need you to heal our world. You are the front-line workers. You are here to help us shape the next generation. You’re worth it. You’ve got this!

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) Build your morning routine. How this looks is different for each of us. But start experimenting with what works for you. Here are some ideas to help you get started. Consider meditation, visualization, journaling, gratitude lists, affirmations, exercise, movement, and writing.

When I show up for me every morning, my day goes better. My morning routine has changed over the years and seasons. My morning routine consists of meditation, energy work and visualization. I also use intention setting, tune into my values, work with my mantra, exercise, and writing. That’s a lot and it ebbs and flows. Each day looks a bit different.

Before I had a morning routine, I never got much done. I wasn’t clear on what I needed to do. I wasn’t tuned into my own energy or needs. I would show up as the smallest version of myself. But when I fine-tuned my morning routine, now I show up as the best version of me. I know what I need to do to take care of myself. If I need to make adjustments that day. I can hear my intuition which serves me so well in my business.

It’s powerful work. Take the time to discover the morning routine that works for you. It will change your life forever. You’ll find yourself having more energy. Getting more done. Happier. Let me know how it goes and what’s in your routine. You’ve got this!

2) Build Your Stress Buster and Self-Care Toolkit. Stress isn’t going anywhere. And our brains and bodies don’t know the difference between good and bad stress. Stress is stress and it wreaks havoc on our bodies.

So, you must learn tools and strategies to cope with your stress. From breath work activities to doing yoga. From working out to going on a walk with a friend. Figure out what works for you to manage your stress. My book has a whole chapter on stress and how toxic it is. And the tools you need to combat it.

One great tool for managing stress is to make self-care a priority. Many of us have no idea what we need for self-care. I would argue most of us think self-care is selfish. I am here to tell you self-care is necessary. You can’t combat stress without it. You can’t be healthy without it.

Build out your self-care menu. What brings you the most nourishment? What heals you from the inside out? How do you refuel and recharge your batteries? For some of us, it’s being around our community. For others, we need time alone to retreat and reflect.

Play with it. Experiment. Make time to build out your self-care menu. It will help you combat stress and up-level your toolkit for better health. There’s an entire separate chapter in my book on self-care with examples of how to build your toolkit. If you need more inspiration, check it out.

Before I had my toolkit to manage my stress and up-level my self-care, I suffered. I was a shadow of who I am. I was running on empty. I was burnt out. Overwhelmed. Then one day, I had a severe concussion. I couldn’t work for 7 months. This forced me to work on managing my stress. I had to do everything it took to heal my brain. And a big part of that was managing my stress and taking the best care of me I could.

This was a transformative moment. I don’t want you to wait to hit rock bottom before you build out your toolkit. Learn from my lessons. You don’t want to learn the hard way. It’s painful. My book has everything you need to make lasting change that works. Check it out. You’re worth it. You’ve got this!

3) Make Sleep a Priority. Stop fooling yourself. You can’t survive on less sleep. Science shows us we need at least 7 hours of sleep each night for our bodies to heal. But we live in a society where sleep isn’t valued. Where we celebrate people who pull all-nighters. Where we embrace workaholics.

But the truth is we all need sleep. We can’t survive without it. And the more you fight it, the faster you are digging your own grave. Sleeping less shortens your life span.

When we sleep it allows our bodies to heal. Our brains can process emotional situations. We come back stronger the next day with solutions when we sleep.

Convinced? But not sure where to start? Start with unplugging an hour before bedtime. No Wi-Fi, no cell phone, no bright lights. Do something relaxing to unwind. This will help you fall asleep faster and sleep better.

Need more tools and ideas? Check out my book, Inspiration Contagion, Health Secrets for Raving Success. I have an entire chapter dedicated to this topic.

I used to struggle with insomnia for years. And then I had my concussion which forced me to fine tune how I managed stress. A big part of that was optimizing my sleep. I became obsessed with sleep. Now, I rarely have trouble falling asleep. And I have a toolkit with strategies in it that work when I get off track.

I hope you start catching more ZZZZ’s. You’re worth it. Your body and brain are craving that time to rest and heal. And I promise you will get a lot more done when you get more sleep.

4) Shift Your Thinking. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “Mindset is everything” over and over. That’s because there’s truth and wisdom in that statement. We are stuck with the thoughts we have in our minds. It can cloud or clutter our experience, our perspective and how we show up in the world when it’s off.

The thoughts and beliefs in our minds influence how we approach life. How we show up. How we see the world. Wouldn’t it be great if you could shift your thoughts to serve you? To help you go after your dreams and passion?

You can! And it’s never too late to get started. Today is the day. This moment is the moment. The first step is to become aware of what you’re thinking. Start tuning in to how you speak to yourself. The thoughts you have around experiences. How often you are thinking rather than listening or being in the moment. Jot it down on a piece of paper.

Most of us will discover that a lot of our thoughts are negative. It can be alarming at first. Know you’re not alone. We all have thoughts we need to work on.

Now that you’re aware of your thoughts, you can start working with them. You can even dig deeper and uncover your limiting beliefs. To learn more on that check out my book and the chapter on mental health and shifting our talk.

Now when you have a negative thought, you can step back, take a breath, and choose another thought. Say hey that’s an interesting thought but I don’t believe you. I choose to think something else. Then replace that negative thought with something positive. And if you’re beating yourself up about something, imagine what your best friend would tell you. Replace your negative thinking with what they would tell you. Shifting our mental talk takes a great deal of patience, curiosity, and compassion.

I used to think the worst possible thoughts about myself. I was in an abusive marriage. From that I came to believe that I was ugly, fat, a bad person, terrible at communication and unworthy of love. Crazy right? And yet I believed that for years. When I got out of that marriage, I started working with a therapist. I did a step study on codependency, and surrounding myself with loving, kind people. I discovered that those thoughts were so far from reality.

Now I know I am beautiful, amazing, inspiring. I am fun, loyal, a deep relationship connector, wonderful at communication, and fit. I know how to work with my thoughts when they spiral to a negative lens. I have the tools I need to get out of the rabbit hole. Because it is an ongoing battle. Healing is a lifetime journey. But we are all worth it. You’re worth it. Get started on your journey today!

5) Take Responsibility-Own Your Journey. Healing is an inside job. Building your legacy starts with you. Take responsibility today for your life and your health. As soon as you do this, you will be unstoppable. Release the lens of victimhood.

Once you have a solid health foundation, it’s much easier to get clarity. Clarity around what success means to you. Don’t let others define success for you. This will only leave you chasing after a ladder you don’t want to climb. Building on a foundation that won’t bring you happiness…. but instead, burnout and overwhelm.

Build your compass. Dig into what your life priorities are. Define your core values. Build your community. Design your life the way you want it. Go after your dreams. Check things off your bucket list.

The secret to happiness and raving success is to take action. Take one small step towards your dreams. But make sure you are going after your dream…. not someone else’s.

I used to blame others for my unhappiness or failures. Then one day I realized that I am responsible for how my life turns out. The only thing we have control of is our response, our perspective, our actions and how we show up in the world. I choose to show up as an empowered, inspiring connector. I am here to help spread inspiration and healing like a contagion. To combat fear, darkness, and desperation. Together, we are capable of unlimited potential. The stronger you grow, the stronger I grow. The happier you are, the happier I am. It’s all connected. So, take responsibility for your journey. Pay it forward. Help someone else do the same. We’ve got this!

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

Inspiration Contagion is the movement of my lifetime. It is the legacy I want to be remembered for. I want to help others find inspiration from within. Discover that spark that lets you know you can do anything you put your mind to. Including building the health foundation you need to show up for you, your family, your community, and your business.

You deserve to live the life of your dreams. I believe in you.

If you want to be part of the movement, follow the Inspiration Contagion podcast. Buy a copy of the first book. Follow me on social media. Join my email list.

This is just the beginning!

I want to spread inspiration like wildfire across the world. And eventually I want to use what I learn and the leaders I meet along the way to develop a non-profit for children ages 13–16.

To help them learn soft skills like entrepreneurship, community, communications, mindfulness, etc. I want our kids to have every resource available for them to be who they want to be. For them to shine brightly with their gifts. For them to define success on their own terms.

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

There are so many things I wish someone told me. Where to start?

The biggest thing I wish someone told me was to get out of your own way. And that to do so I would need coaches and mentors to show me my blind spots. This would have saved a lot of time. Having a mentor and coaches to help you grow is essential. When we try to go it alone, we cap our potential. We limit our thinking. When we surround ourselves with people who are just a few steps ahead of us, we learn. We grow. Even when we surround ourselves with peers, we tap into new ideas, fresh perspectives, and inspiration.Spend time with people who inspire you to grow, help you learn, and give you a kick in the butt when you need it to stay on track.
It’s not a sprint but rather a marathon. Enjoy the journey. Every single step. The more you can celebrate every small win, every step you take towards your goal, every setback you recover from, and every lesson you learn, the happier you will be. It allows you to enjoy the journey. To weather the storms. To remain passionate, inspired, and energized. If you don’t celebrate the wins, what’s the point? If you don’t have people you love to celebrate with, what’s it for? If you aren’t taking steps towards your dream, who’s dream are you chasing? It takes time to do anything worthwhile. Be patient. Be patient with yourself, with your business, with your clients, with your loved ones, and with the process. Building a business takes time and dedication. Make sure you are building a business that you love. That supports your life priorities. That’s aligned to your core values. That’s your dream. You have the choice to design your life. Make sure you’re designing it based on what you really want and need. You’ve got this! I believe in you.
Growth and learning are lifelong. The day we stop growing, we start digging our own grave. The day we think we know everything, we stop growing. We stop getting curious. We stop serving our clients. We become irrelevant. The only thing that remains true in this world is that change is constant. It’s inevitable. We can’t fight it. Stop resisting it. Accept it. Continue to learn and grow with the world as it changes. We can always make ourselves better. We always have stuff to work on. Things to let go of. People to forgive. Beliefs we can up level. As the seasons change, there’s always something new for us to learn. People come and go. Some come into our lives for a season. Some come into it for a reason. And others stick by our side for life. Find your people. Learn from every single soul that crosses your path. The moment you wake up and realize that every person we meet is meant to teach us something, is the moment the world becomes your teacher. Release control. You don’t have it. Set goals. Make your plans. But be ready to adjust. The better equipped we are to pivot and flow, the more successful and happier we will be. The more we cling tight to the way things used to be, the more we will struggle and suffer. And ultimately become irrelevant.
Your mindset impacts your life and business potential. This is not a woo-woo thing. It’s real. I’ve worked with hundreds of clients. When they get stuck but are doing all the right things but not getting the results, we dig into their mindset. I can’t tell you how many times a client has a low sales conversion process and its related to their relationship with money. When I ask them to write a letter to money and share everything they think and believe about money, it’s a transformative exercise. They realize how much pressure they put on money. Oftentimes, they have a negative outlook about money.
Once we uncover this, we can take steps to fix it. And when we do, guess what? Their sales conversion goes out the roof! They start selling to almost every client that’s a great fit.
Clients who are coming from corporate America to build their business have a lot of unlearning to do. Marketing for your own business is a completely different mindset than the corporate space. It’s more intimate. It’s more vulnerable. You are the business. It’s your baby.
That’s a lot of pressure. We work through their beliefs around it. We work through how they are showing up in their marketing. In their founder story and their why story. Once we uncover these and get them tuned into their values and what they want their legacy to be, they can show up in a new way. And it helps them find amazing clients. Regardless of what it is, mindset is usually the problem when you aren’t getting the results but taking the right actions. Instead of treating the symptoms, it’s my goal to find the root cause and then to heal that. Because then you can do anything!
Collaboration is where the magic happens. It’s not a weakness to work with others or to ask for their help. It’s a huge strength. I’m currently reading the book Big Potential by Shawn Achor. In it, he shares research proving that the biggest factor behind success are the people you surround yourself with.

When we try to build something alone in isolation, we limit our potential. When we remain open to collaboration and surround ourselves with smart, inspired people, we thrive! When we help others grow, we grow even more.

How can you tap into your big potential? Consider joining a mastermind. Find a coach and a mentor. Find peers who you admire. Build strong relationships where you support your friendships and partnerships equally.

It needs to be a mutually beneficial relationship for it to help you “super bounce”. Shawn shares in his book that when we work with others who are also trying to grow it allows us to super bounce. We get even more benefit when we help each other grow.

What communities, networks, and groups do you need to join to help you super bounce? Who can help you grow and stay inspired? Who can you help grow today? What relationships do you need to nurture because you let them fall by the wayside?

The more you invest in people, the better you become. The more you connect with your community, the more you amplify your impact. Because when we invest in others success, they are equally invested in our success.

So why not get out there and help each other super bounce? I hope you are inspired. I hope this helped. I’d love to hear how your super bounce building is going. Reach out to me on social anytime. It’s all about people. I would love to hear from YOU.

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 believe that mindset and thus mental health are the foundation to better health and raving success. There’s not enough support around mental health. People working with a therapist or counselor are ridiculed. Admitting you need help is looked down upon. When it should be embraced.

There is nothing braver then taking the time to work through your stuff. It shows wisdom, vulnerability, and a desire to be the best version of you. So why do we feel so uncomfortable talking about the important stuff? Why do we shy away from emotion? Why do we run and hide or numb out from our pain?

It’s because we don’t know how to work with mental health as a society. We don’t understand it enough. There isn’t enough education on it in our schools. There isn’t enough awareness out there for how to help people. It shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of experts alone. This is something we need to band together as a community to heal.

We are better together. When we leave others behind to suffer with depression, anxiety, stress, or more serious mental health conditions, we all suffer. When we show up with curiosity, compassion, and kindness we thrive. We all need to show up as more compassionate humans in our communities, workplaces, homes, and networks.

Take responsibility for the big problems we face in the world. Learn about mental health. Because today more than ever we are facing an epidemic of depression and loneliness like we have never seen. And loneliness has huge negative implications for our physical health. Just like stress kills, so too does isolation. We need each other.

That’s why I wrote my book and have my podcast. To spread inspiration, healing, and light. We are fighting fear, darkness, and hopelessness. The solution is that we each take our stand. That we band together. That we become part of the solution. Otherwise, we will never grow. We will continue to decline.

Who can you help today? How can you show up as the best version of you? What’s stopping you from doing that? Go do that. Make it your top priority. Pay it forward.

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

You can find me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

I would love to hear from you. What are your health goals for 2022? What action will you take today to get 1% closer to them?

And if you read my book, what did you think about it? Better yet, if you loved it, post your review on Amazon and Good Reads.

Remember, I believe in you. You’re not alone. You’ve got this!

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Holly Jean Jackson 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.

Female Founders: Kim Baker of GLAMAZON Beauty On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as…

Female Founders: Kim Baker of GLAMAZON Beauty On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

More women should become founders because I feel we bring calm to any storm, we are Great at multitasking, and we tend to have great communication skills when it comes to simply listening and allowing someone to feel heard! Along with being intuitive and when we set our mind to our goals we usually will succeed at whatever we set out to do!

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

Kim Baker is a former model with the prestigious Wilhelmina model agency where she helped pioneer and shape the plus size model industry! Kim transitioned her career path to beauty as a renowned makeup artist and created a skin conscious beauty brand Glamazon Beauty!

I am a former model who went on a spiritual journey after being indicted in a case, centered around my much older then boyfriend! It took me two years to clear my name while I was facing up to 65 years in federal prison. “Once I cleared my name, I still had to do community service but what I discovered from doing community service is I truly enjoy empowering women through beauty and building confidence and self esteem.

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

Yes dodging covid and trying to pivot through this pandemic. I have had to try to be really creative with marketing so I have appeared on morning shows such as GMA.

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

The funniest mistake I made was thinking that you put up a website and then you’re in business. I never knew about about testing or retargeting ads and now that I do I am a much wiser business woman! Silly me I thought you launch a site you’re in business that is the farthest thing from the truth!

The person who really stepped up to the table and surprise the heck out of me was my youngest daughter Natasha she had watch me her entire life on tv sets, music videos, photoshoot and developing the brand and when she started with Glamazon Beauty she was a pure power house at developing content and social media. It was as if she went to school for media and marketing and while she did attend and graduate from Rutgers I am still dumb founded about her knack for social media and videography!

I have to be honest I feel that women owned companies are currently the fastest growing group and I don’t feel anything can hold us back if you refused to be held back. I think my journey is proof of that I am a black single woman born and raised in Newark new jersey but I knew if I could survive being raised by a single mom abandoned by my father who happens to have been my mothers ex husband and a college professor! I could survive and win at anything! So I’m sorry! More work still needs to be done but I say within ourselves! When you bring something to the table and it is viable an investor knows a good investment and the objective is to make money!

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 can only speak as an individual, I already know this government doesn’t hand out without putting its hand out. So, I chose to start out by selling to my community to help get the word out and using the women in my community as a sounding board as to if I had a viable business and when women started ordering online, I knew I had a great product!

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?

More women should become founders because I feel we bring calm to any storm, we are Great at multitasking, and we tend to have great communication skills when it comes to simply listening and allowing someone to feel heard! Along with being intuitive and when we set our mind to our goals we usually will succeed at whatever we set out to do!

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

The women are poor negotiators, women are less ambitious than men, being mothers will slow us down! Well I say wrong, wrong and more wrong. I am one of the best negotiators and I don’t know what it’s like to be a man so I negotiate from a place of knowing my worth and the value of what I bring to the table! Ambitious is an understatement for me. I have so much drive that every day I wake up at 4:30 to start my day to get ahead of myself and as far as being a mother, my children are the reason I Ieft modeling and corporate America to pursue my independence in this market place!

I don’t think everyone is cut out to be a founder. Can you master yourself to become a founder? Absolutely! A founder or entrepreneurs are not sleepers, we’re thinking and doers ! I knew from elementary school that I would someday found my own beauty company! If you don’t like work, self-discipline or stress go get a job! Being a founder encompasses a lot of these qualities, especially being honest with yourself.

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.)

I wish I had known to join a founder’s group! I wish I knew that a website doesn’t mean you’re up and running, I am happy I knew to do a focus group. I wish I knew to jump on Instagram from the beginning but who knew? LOL I wish I knew that Social media like facebook would be such a powerhouse but now that I do know I will do even better! When we know better, we do better!

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

Yes I like to do things for strangers. I occasionally will pay for groceries for the elderly or help someone in need but I always buy Christmas toys for single parents. It is a personal joy that I like to do hoping to bring some holiday cheer and be pleasing to God!

My dream is to organize a dinner with people of different races and backgrounds and have everyone explain their culture and tradition and try to get people to see we the human race have all want the same things in life I will never understand how you can not like someone for their race that sounds more like a issue with God than an individual and all of our arms are way too short to box with God !

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

I would love to sit down with Jay-Z and Beyonce, Meek Mill and Labron and Savannah James! First of all I would love for Savannah to shoot for us but I would love to speak to Jay about the beauty industry and Prison reform! Two very different spectrums but I am familiar with both oh so well! There are a lot of people doing time for things they are not guilty of, especially if it was an election year! Trust me Jay would know exactly what I mean.

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

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

Women In Wellness: Ginger Peer-Spencer of Heart Felt Touch Massage Therapy On The Five Lifestyle…

Women In Wellness: Ginger Peer-Spencer of Heart Felt Touch Massage Therapy On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Build a vibrant, diverse community of people who can love, teach and support you. We are not wired to do life alone, nor are we equipped to handle it. Get a mentor, see a therapist, connect with like-minded folks who understand and relate to your life. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you need human connection. Invite others in!

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ginger Peer-Spencer.

Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) and Owner of Heart Felt Touch Massage Therapy, LLC, headquartered in Gloucester, Virginia, Ginger Peer-Spencer is marking 2022 with her 10-year business anniversary. Her passionate plea for the critical need for physical touch began with her travels to East Africa, and she has extended her heart for those least touched to her work in Virginia, providing (and teaching) Compassionate Touch to those navigating later life stages, hospice, and palliative care.

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?

God planted the seed that would grow into what has become Heart Felt Touch Massage Therapy way back in 2004.

The name was intentional, the vision clear. The heart was to be felt, both given as the therapist and received by the client. Physical touch is healing, restorative and so much more than biological attention to our bodily needs, although that is absolutely critically important for our health and wellbeing. I believe physical touch is required and is at the essence of our humanity. A lifeline to love, intimacy and community with others.

Yet so many are aching for that touch. That is where the dream began.

I found myself in East Africa, desperate to live out my childhood passion through ministry service, even while working as a flight attendant and having just barely gotten my license as a massage therapist. It wasn’t until a return trip to Uganda in 2008 that God aligned my passion with His purpose. He revealed the sea of faces that yearn for human touch during a visit to an AIDS clinic that was integrating holistic alternative therapies in their practice.

I know there were people who were on the outskirts of the community, ostracized for their disease, left overlooked and alone, in deep physical and emotional pain. I felt my calling come to life.

When I returned home, I found myself wondering about the least touched people in my own community. After researching who were the least touched in my community, I realized that it was our elders. So many who are lonely, who have lost, and who are aching for a warm smile and a gentle touch. Simply being present with them made my heart soar. Being able to touch them and provide pain relief, connection and love moved my mission far beyond anything I had ever imagined for myself.

I leapt into my training for Compassionate Touch, focusing on those navigating later life stages, hospice and palliative care. I received my business license in 2012, enabling me to go into personal residences, hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care when those in need could not come to me.

Every hour I have spent offering hand massages in Alzheimer’s units has been a blessing. As that tiny seed God planted so long ago continues to grow, I’ve offered workshops for caregivers of those with Alzheimers highlighting the power of touch, and have recently become a certified educator of Compassionate Touch, which has opened doors to new opportunities to teach caregivers and nursing home staff. More recently, I traveled to both North Carolina and Ohio in 2018–2020 to train staff at over 20 different care facilities in power of touch and other techniques to help alleviate expressive behavior in those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. I also teach Dementia Live, a class where caregivers can experience what it feels like to have dementia so they are better equipped to serve by way of a deeper understanding that elevates the care experience for both the person and the caregiver. My heart continues to pour into those who are hurting through additional training I apply in hospital settings for post-surgery, oncological and end of life care.

I continue to study how physical and emotional traumas affect the body and how to apply TRE (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises) to serve those who have experienced trauma. Whether our elders, our neighbors in Africa or our friends, trauma is so often a part of our story, and I am committed to doing all that I can to serve, support and help others heal through touch.

Heart Felt Touch Massage moved into our current brick-and-mortar space in November 2015, and I am proud to work alongside six additional therapists (LMT) and serve up to 200 clients every month. Every single member of my team brings a unique approach and skill set that has allowed us to serve a far greater range of needs than I could on my own. This is the beauty of human touch. Each therapist is uniquely wired to serve those people that need them most, and as the business owner, I get to watch those bonds form and see the results of their handiwork as lives are changed and bodies are restored. Seeing God’s tiny seed of a dream blossom into a flourishing garden of tender, loving care overwhelms me each and every day. I am grateful.

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?

Of my many unforgettable moments and memorable encounters, one particular gentleman stands out in my mind. I met him by chance, as I would pass his room weekly to provide therapeutic massage to an elderly woman weary with Huntington’s Disease. I soon learned he had experienced a stroke, leaving him unable to communicate. I would stop by for a few moments to rub his back, and while he sometimes tried to communicate with me, our visits were largely nonverbal. I loved him and our time together.

In conversation with a nurse, I learned some things about this gentleman and his life that challenged my love and respect for him. I wondered how I could love him so deeply and still serve him compassionately, knowing what I now did. I realized that my mission was to love him where he was today, with a clean, fresh slate and pure intentions. It was not my role to exact judgment, and even more so, it was my responsibility to serve him with compassion and tenderness, regardless of his past.

We all need love, care and human connection. It is not up to me to determine who deserves it, or better stated, who does not. God has called me to love and love well, pouring my heart and energy into the people I meet through the work of my hands. I take that responsibility very seriously. This is sacred work.

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

Oh gosh, I’m not sure it was the biggest mistakes that were the most challenging. Often, it’s the daily missteps that get sticky over time. I’ve had a full range of experiences — flat out failures and blazing triumphs — in the last six years with my brick and mortar. Transparently, I went from an LMT (licensed massage therapist) to a business owner practically overnight, with literally no business experience. At most, I had some basic tools from an introductory 8-week business and financial course. That’s it! Even now, there are many days where I still feel like a bird who is learning to fly.

Perhaps my biggest mistake was the purveying sense of fear that I allowed to choke my candid conversation with my employees and business associates. In hindsight, I realize my fear of having tough, but necessary conversations ultimately hurt the business and people that I loved. I’ve learned the hard way that business owners must speak confidently (with grace, dignity and respect) and then release any sense of responsibility for how others respond. I still struggle with candor from time to time, and I also passionately and fiercely protect my integrity. When I filter tough conversations through my commitment to integrity, those conversations get easier every time.

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?

Touch is essential. Without it, people fail to thrive. You are likely familiar with the reality of children struggling to grow and thrive in environments devoid of nurturing and healthy touch. You may not have considered that we are all vulnerable to the effects of “touch deprivation” and “skin hunger.” Whether you are 2, 12, 42 or 82, lack of physical touch can directly impact your quality of life.

There is a general awareness that the vulnerable, especially elderly, populations are at risk, even while resources and solutions are not easily accessible to all. With the entrance of a global pandemic, for the first time, we are living in a world that often discourages human connection, proximity and touch. I worry about the mental and emotional impact in this desert of human touch, as many have been driven to loneliness, anxiety, depression and fear. I pray the negative impact of skin hunger and touch deprivation does not prove more dangerous than the virus itself.

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.

Be aware of your body, specifically as related to any trauma you have experienced or chronic stress within your life. You must prioritize time and energy to work through these challenges, or you risk moving your body into a constant state of survival. Constant bodily alertness impacts sleep, muscle tightness, digestion…the list goes on and on. You must give yourself permission to craft a life which allows your body’s nervous system to naturally return to a state of rest.
Sleep, sleep and more sleep. Once you have made space to address the challenges in my first point, prioritize sleep. Your body needs it and you’ve earned it. Be kind and generous to yourself.
Stimulate your mind! Whether you read, listen to podcasts, or work on puzzles, find a way to challenge your brain. A great mental stretch often translates to bodily health.
Stay connected to God. You are a masterpiece from head to toe, inside and out. You are so loved, valued and purposed. Embracing that love, provision and faithfulness naturally extend to your body’s ability to rest and restore.
Build a vibrant, diverse community of people who can love, teach and support you. We are not wired to do life alone, nor are we equipped to handle it. Get a mentor, see a therapist, connect with like-minded folks who understand and relate to your life. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you need human connection. Invite others in!

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

This is a fun one for me, because I get to actually share that I’m in the process of building what I hope will bring the most amount of wellness to the most people, at least related to my little corner of the world. One of the exciting adventures I’m embarking on as I mark this 10-year milestone in business is the development of a nonprofit agency that will provide free therapeutic massage to those in later life stages, those aging alone and who lack the resources. I’m still taking baby steps on this journey, and I hope to build an international network of massage therapists who are standing by to serve in someone’s greatest need, simply by providing compassionate touch.

On a daily basis, it’s the small stuff, right? Don’t sweat it. Be generous with your smile. Love well.

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

No one expects you to know it all when you’re just starting out. I was so incredibly intimidated, not only as a new massage therapist, but later as a business owner. It takes time, and sometimes a lot of it. Be kind to yourself. As long as you are seeking to learn and grow, you’re on the right path. A small note for my fellow LMTs out there — We’re not wired to understand and serve every body. We each have our own skills and modalities, many of which are still developing! People respect honesty. When you’re out of your depth, be honest and know when it’s time to enthusiastically refer them to another therapist who is better equipped to meet their unique needs.
Your learning is only just beginning when you finish school, get your license and dig into your career. The real learning happens on the job! Stay open to the reality that you don’t know it all and embrace the journey. Whether that’s learning how to cultivate trust, when to speak and when to stay silent, how to listen with your hands and heart — your life and career in therapeutic massage will be a lifelong evolution of your talents, gifts and human understanding. Lean in!
Silence the comparison narrative running in your head. You have to confidently and humbly walk your own path. I spent a lot of time trying to mimic other massage therapists. It took me a long time to embrace what makes me special in this industry. It took me even longer to realize that being myself made me the best massage therapist I could ever be.
Sorry, folks, but you aren’t going to get rich your first year in. In massage school, I was told that my six-figure career was right around the corner. That simply isn’t true. It takes work and it takes time, just like everything else! Roll up those sleeves. There is no easy button.
This will be the most rewarding opportunity of your lifetime. The reciprocity and reward of cultivating human connection through physical touch is immeasurable. I did not expect to receive as much as I gave. I am truly blessed to be a blessing. To me, therapeutic massage is ministry. Healthy touch reminds people that they matter. Delivering that message to each and every client is my life’s goal.

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. Lack of human connection and physical touch leads to diminished mental health. Period. Through my work, I have the great honor to contribute to improving mental health every day. This is not a responsibility I take lightly. Everyone deserves mental health and wholeness. Whether it’s physical touch, access to therapeutic care, medical regimens, etc. — many pockets of our society are lacking access to the resources that will fuel their mental health. This is unacceptable.

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

https://www.heartfelttouchmassage.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HeartFeltTouch

https://www.instagram.com/HeartFeltTouchMassage/

Follow the new nonprofit as it comes to life! https://www.instagram.com/heartfelt_community_gloucester/

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Ginger Peer-Spencer of Heart Felt Touch Massage Therapy On The Five Lifestyle… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Lessons From a Thriving Power Couple, With PJ and Lizzy Antonik of Oak Development & Design

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

We think trusting people to do the right thing and allowing them the runway to make decisions independently is key. The more we allow our employees to have a say or give them the liberty to do things themselves, the better work we get out of them.

As a part of our series about lessons from Thriving Power Couples, I had the pleasure of interviewing PJ and Lizzy Antonik.

PJ is a Cape Cod native and grew up visiting his dad in Connecticut where he learned the family trade of Carpentry. Being surrounded by mechanics and trades people, he quickly learned additional trades including general contracting, landscaping and finish carpentry. PJ attended Hofstra University for communications and pursued a career in the corporate world building a knowledge base of marketing, sales and communications. After years of corporate world experience, he started to take his skills as a manager and adapting them to his hands-on skills as a carpenter. The natural step was to start buying, fixing and selling real estate. His philosophy is to buy the cheapest houses in the most expensive neighborhoods, looking for the worst of the worst, the house everyone else turns their nose at. In his mind every house has potential, you just need to buy it right. Some just need a bit more love than others. PJ resides in Hingham, Ma and does home renovation projects across the South Shore of Massachusetts. He lives with his wife Lizzy, and their two kids.

What people don’t know is that for about 5 years Lizzy has moonlighted as the lead designer as she worked a full-time job in Athletics. As she helped her husband PJ pick all the finishes in the homes we realized it was a skill that takes real patience and creativity. Lizzy also came to the realization that this was something she loved and was incredibly good at! Since 2020 Lizzy now acts as the full-time Lead Designer at OAK DD. She is in charge of working with our team members to pick every finish in our spec homes while helping organize the flow of materials to meet our aggressive deadlines.

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

PJ Antonik— I think my background with my family business and real estate sales in my 20’s made it pretty predictable that I would end up owning a business of building homes. It took years for my vast experience across many fields to collide and create my current role but once it did it made complete sense.

Lizzy Antonik— My story is a bit different and less predictable than PJ’s; I spent many years in athletics both coaching varsity rowing and running an athletic department at a private high school in Massachusetts. When PJ started Oak I realized I had a love for design and kind of fell into helping him with all the finishes of the homes he was building. Eventually, it was a natural move to resign from athletics and pursue a full-time career in design and partner in our business.

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

When our daughter Oakley was born (yes, Oak Development & Design is named after her!), we were definitely not expecting the labor that Lizzy went though. 42 hours, two epidural needles, and an unplanned C-Section later, we can definitely say that was a little too interesting for the both of us! Lizzy was a division 1 swimmer, and rower so she took it like a champ but I, on the other hand, was a wreck by the end! Needless to say, everyone made it through with clean bill of health, but it was definitely interesting! Whether it be personal or professional, that experience taught Lizzy and I that we could overcome anything so long as we were tackling it together.

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

PJ- God, this one is really tough. It’s not totally funny, but a huge mistake I made when I started Oak was quitting my job too soon! A rookie mistake. Everything you read tells you not to quit early! I, of course, did not listen to anything I read and haphazardly quit (thanks to advice from my new wife at the time…). It put us in a TERRIBLE financial situation! But we got through it. So, lesson learned. DON’T QUIT EARLY.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

It sounds funny, but communicating. In the world of construction it’s hard to find a residential builder who communicates. For example, many times when I send a meeting invite to a buyer or client, they respond that they are amazed that I sent it! It’s the simple things that allow us to keep a clear line of communication and therefore allows us to execute much more efficiently.

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

We have two that come to mind. The first is a renovation of a historic church turned single family home in the 90’s. We are actually turning the unfinished attic into a really unique loft room with a wet bar and hang out area. The unique thing about it is the room will feature the original 5′ wide stain glass window from the 1700’s and all the original post and beam framing will be exposed. The second is more about helping people as we are donating all the excavation work for two homes for the South Shore Habitat for Humanity in Hingham, MA.

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

We think trusting people to do the right thing and allowing them the runway to make decisions independently is key. The more we allow our employees to have a say or give them the liberty to do things themselves, the better work we get out of them.

How do you define “Leadership”?

Treating people well and supporting your employees with anything they need.

PJ — I truly believe that you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. Especially people who have given us advice along the way. I have several business mentors, my Dad, my stepdad Ernie who works for us full time now and then people outside my family such as my great friend and advisor Glenn Tobin who is always there to lend an ear or bring me back down to earth.

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

We would say our television show Heart of Oak is our way of bringing goodness and connecting with the world. Every time someone mentions the show to us, or tells us how they love to watch our show on the weekends with their kids, I am reminded that the show is not only entertainment, but also a way to bring families together and have some downtime. This is what I think about every time it gets tough to manage and I feel like moving on from producing our show.

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

For us, the most important part of life is treating everyone equally and promoting being kind. We need a lot more of that in our busy lives for sure.

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

One of our past employers and now mentor said “Never do it for money, but do it because it’s what you want to do and the money will follow…” He totally nailed it, the second I (PJ) stopped working for others for the money and followed what my passion, things fell into place. I’m still looking for the money, but it’s finally coming!

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?

PJ — Again a tough one! As you can expect I love the entertainment industry and have huge respect for anyone that is successful in it. If I could have lunch with Steven Spielberg, Sydney Lament, Peter Burg or any other successful director in Hollywood I feel it would be a massive check off my life goals for sure.

Lizzy — As a former 3 sport NCAA athlete, I have admired so many Olympic athletes throughout my past. If I had the chance to meet with a gold medal Olympian such as Dana Torres, it would be a great day for sure.

How can our readers follow your work online?

Readers can connect with us via social media @heartofoakTV.

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

Lessons From a Thriving Power Couple, With PJ and Lizzy Antonik of Oak Development & Design was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Nia Elin Davies of Yugenial On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support…

Women In Wellness: Nia Elin Davies of Yugenial On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Mindfulness — realizing that mindfulness and meditation doesn’t have to mean sitting and doing nothing for hours, but that it helps to meditate on the go i.e. when I become aware that I am getting lost in thought and following anxiety down the rabbit hole, disengaging by focusing on the breath. Also bringing more awareness to unhealthy coping mechanisms and channeling this energy into something else.

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

Nia is a founder and wellbeing writer from London. She has a BSc in medical science from Imperial College and an Mst in entrepreneurship from Cambridge University. You can find out more about her venture and portfolio at niaelindavies.com

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

Having left medical school during my finals due to an unhealthy lifestyle and mental health concerns, I became more interested in holistic approaches to personal wellbeing and self-discovery.

As someone who’s heritage is Welsh-Korean, this meant integrating Eastern and Western perspectives and finding more crossover in the intersection between mainstream and ‘alternative’ practices.

With regards to the world of work, this hybrid approach translated into creating more creativity and autonomy in my life — which has now become the norm thanks to the increasing numbers of people having the option to work with the remote model.

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’ve had a lot of experiences along with their ups and downs since starting this journey. The lesson I’m still learning is to better balance polarities — such as enjoying putting myself out there and taking risks, whilst also being discerning and finding equal appreciation in the every-day, or generally trying to treat life more like a marathon as opposed to a series of sprints.

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

When I first started, I was inexperienced and lacking in confidence so I was always looking around for answers, but I think that’s a natural part of the process and there are some lessons that are just better learned in practice than in theory.

I think it’s less about making the right decision and more about making the decision right and that very much depends on the circumstances and who you are as a person. For example, whereas some might prefer to start small and grow slowly, others are more comfortable going big and launching straight into the abyss.

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 started a holistic wellbeing brand at yugenial.com to tie in with the interests I’d been exploring. It led me into the world of plant medicines including cannabis, and I became interested in their rich spiritual history — especially their ritualistic and ceremonial use. I think these are tools that help us to reconnect — both to ourselves and the wider world. In this time of ecological crisis, I think that not just thinking — but feeling our place in this wider ecosystem is becoming more important.

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) Mindfulness — realizing that mindfulness and meditation doesn’t have to mean sitting and doing nothing for hours, but that it helps to meditate on the go i.e. when I become aware that I am getting lost in thought and following anxiety down the rabbit hole, disengaging by focusing on the breath. Also bringing more awareness to unhealthy coping mechanisms and channeling this energy into something else.

2) Journaling — writing down 3 things I’m grateful for in my Gratitude app every morning, and journaling away some of the overthinking, so I can form a more coherent picture and narrative.

3) Parasympathetic Activation — yoga, breathwork and giving myself permission to take time out. I love exercise like running, but it’s important to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system too

4) Supplementation — my diet isn’t always as healthy as it could be, but I try as much as possible to stick to the 80:20 rule, and take supplements such as Turmeric, CBD and Fish oils.

5) Tarot Cards — personally I love fun little rituals that bring a bit of magic back into the daily routine and I find tarot cards serve as great little prompts to help you look at an issue in a new way, or give you themes to think about.

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

1) Everyone else shares the same human fears and insecurities, and they never really go away no matter your position or experience

2) Enjoy the process not just the outcome — because the outcome is often mostly out of your hands but if you enjoy the process you’ve still won

3) Balancing direct and emergent opportunities requires staying open minded and flexible

4) Appreciate the failures as well as successes, because there’s always a blessing in the curse

5) Have more confidence in yourself and don’t always assume other people must know better.

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, because I think if we tackle that, then the other compassionate causes may naturally follow. Mental health is invisible but it affects every one of us, and dictates so much of how we live our lives.

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

@niafaraway @miafordfotographie @yugenial

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

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

Female Disruptors: Sarah Barnard On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Spend at least ten minutes a day in the sunshine. It’s easy to forget to take care of the basics, and we forget that like plants, sun and water are essential for our wellbeing. I love this advice because it’s a good reminder that caring for yourself involves going back to basics, and our basic needs are tied into nature.

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

Sarah Barnard, WELL AP + LEED AP, is a leading designer of personalized, sustainable spaces that support mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. An advocate for consciousness, inclusivity, and compassion in the creative process, Sarah’s work has been recognized by Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, Vogue, HGTV, and many other publications. In 2017 Sarah was recognized as a “Ones to Watch” Scholar by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).

I have always been interested in architecture, textiles, and nature. My design practice is founded on an appreciation of precious spaces, both natural and built, and a desire to preserve and protect them. Working as an interior designer exposed me to a wide range of design materials and the importance of designing with the environment and wellbeing of the resident in mind. Creating custom textiles, wall coverings, area rugs, lighting, and furnishings to meet my clients’ ethical and aesthetic standards has always been a part of my practice. I founded Kale Tree to make these specialized, healthy home products more accessible. Our online shop shares our California nature-inspired home aesthetic with the world.

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

My goal is to make lifestyle products by considering environmental and personal wellbeing at every stage, which requires more methodical production methods, and sustainable sourcing rarely seen in manufacturing. We live in a fast-paced world with high expectations for speedy results. While it can be convenient and rewarding to acquire something you desire quickly, the processes behind the pacing we’ve become accustomed to are rarely sustainable. Good things take care, and care takes time. Many of us are interested in knowing how our food got to our tables but are quick to overlook how materials made their way into our homes. We work with local artisans and sustainable methods to create products from materials considerate of home health. We also look to nature for inspiration, using Biophilic design practices to foster wellbeing and beauty in the home.

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 enjoy baking and was inspired by elevated chef-made biscuits to perfect a biscuit of my own. In my early trials, despite my best attempts, I wasn’t achieving that flakey fluffy texture that makes biscuits so wonderful. I consulted recipes from several sources with varying techniques. I repeatedly diced butter into pea-sized bits, folding it gently into the flour, each time blending beyond the shaggy texture I desired. It wasn’t until a friend advised me to freeze the butter, grate it into curls, and freeze it again that the mystery was solved, and my biscuits forever improved!

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?

Phyllis Birkby was an architect and feminist activist in the 1970s. Her work and activism overlapped as she fought against gender biases and stereotypes and explored a feminist theory called “women’s environmental fantasies,” which encouraged women in the US and Europe to “define their ideal living environment by abandoning all constraints and preconceptions.” She is credited with being a trailblazer in the architectural sphere and feminist movement and bringing attention to LGBTQ+ artists, architects, and interior designers while the country was going through a cultural shift towards liberation and acceptance of all people in every industry. As a designer, her integration of social activism into her design practice is a source of inspiration.

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, while often valuable and necessary, can sometimes create unexpected consequences. Revolutionary shifts in production brought quick product turnaround and streamlined manufacturing, disrupting industry standards at the time and increasing consumer convenience. Demand for comfort and the pressures to meet that demand have only grown with time. While this may feel positive for the consumer, it often is accompanied by a decrease in high-quality products and fewer supportive workplace environments and may be harmful to environmental wellbeing. Disruption may cause more harm than good when the big picture is ignored. Disruption can become positive when it pushes against practices that have become habitual and offers new perspectives and methods to shift thinking and processes.

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

Spend at least ten minutes a day in the sunshine. It’s easy to forget to take care of the basics, and we forget that like plants, sun and water are essential for our wellbeing. I love this advice because it’s a good reminder that caring for yourself involves going back to basics, and our basic needs are tied into nature.

Intake is as important as output. There is a time to bloom and a time to nourish ourselves. Many of us experience pressure to constantly produce and neglect the time needed to seek comfort, explore curiosities, and find inspiration. It’s as important to spend time to absorb information from our experiences and surroundings and to take in art and nature as it is to be creating something new.

The process is the point. I consider this to be good life and design advice. It’s easy to forget that the “end” product in design is often the start of its life, whether a freshly designed room or a newly upholstered sofa. In the early stages of designing, considering the function and lifespan of an item can help make thoughtful decisions in terms of an item’s emotional and environmental impact. It also offers an opportunity to ask questions and take stock of our current habits and choices. Thoughtful design can be a profoundly mindful and inquisitive experience towards change and discovery. Taking time to embrace each stage of the process is essential for creating something extraordinary and lasting.

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

I specialize in highly customized spaces in my design work and creating bespoke items best suited to my clients. I love the experience of working closely with clients to create personalized spaces and decor, and my goal with Kale Tree was to make these items more accessible. While our products are available as shown, we also offer the opportunity to work with us to customize any of our products to fit a client’s specific space. It’s particularly exciting to be able to work with other designers and architects to assist in providing products and materials for residential, hospitality, and commercial design projects.

I’m looking forward to the next stages of our store and expanding our offerings, whether that’s new applications for our biophilic textiles or an expansion of our California flora and fauna inspired home decor.

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

Part of any movement towards true disruption involves uplifting often overlooked voices. It can be challenging to find community and essential to seek and create opportunities for connectivity. I feel fortunate to have had the chance as an ASID Ones to Watch scholar to connect with women in my industry and push towards a more supportive design community. As the ASID website notes, “the Society prioritizes participants whose backgrounds are currently under-represented in management roles within the interior design industry, including women, members of racial and ethnic minority groups, LGBTQ, and persons with disabilities.” Finding and creating new opportunities for support and connection is crucial for any change to happen.

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

I’m deeply inspired “What is Cosmopolitical Design?: Design, Nature, and the Built Environment” edited by Albena Yaneva. Cosmopolitical design asks us to consider our role as a component of a larger environmental system. The book encourages me to consider the bigger picture at every stage of the design process.

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 would love to see a shift in value towards the natural home, emphasizing home health and environmental impact. I see Kale Tree as a step towards that, with designs that inspire a love of nature and promote wellbeing while considering the environmental impact of production. I hope for an increased demand for natural products and a public embrace of healthy, organic materials, shifting towards slower, more thoughtful production that considers world impact.

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

There is a quote by naturalist Lorrie Otto, “If we care about the Earth we could heal it by removing lawns, by finding alternatives to lawns. You can do wonderful things on your own property to protect the environment. Each little island, each corridor will help bring back the butterflies and birds.” It’s a good reminder that even small changes can make a big impact. By focusing on our little corners of the world and making positive shifts considerate of the environment, we can move towards a more prosperous future for ourselves and our planet.

How can our readers follow you online?

You can visit my online store at www.kaletree.com, or follow us on instagram at @kaletreeshop. My interior design work can be found at www.sarahbarnard.com

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

Female Disruptors: Sarah Barnard 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.

Women In Wellness: Macy Sarbacker of MacyMichelle On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help…

Women In Wellness: Macy Sarbacker of MacyMichelle On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Switch to low-tox products. Slowly switch to low-tox products. There are so many toxins in our environment. We can make small changes to eliminate and reduce these toxins. One example is using a reusable water bottle. Ditch the plastic disposable water bottles and refill a water bottle. Plastic water bottles contain toxins that are endocrine disruptors.

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

Macy Sarbacker is a personal trainer, wellness expert and Executive Editor of MacyMichelle.com. She is an advocate of intermittent fasting and real food. You can see Macy’s writing and media mentions on health and wellness across the internet on these sites such as Women’s Health Magazine. She lives with her fiancé and fur-baby in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

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 on a dairy farm in southern Wisconsin and am the oldest of 5. I then went on to graduate from Iowa State University with a degree in journalism and mass communication. When I graduated from college, I had gained weight and was dealing with painful hormonal acne. I was sick of feeling crappy and decided to start taking care of my body. It was then that I fell in love with health and wellness. It’s definitely been an adventure and it took time to figure out what worked for me, but I’m so grateful I got started and found my passion in this area.

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

One of the most interesting things that has happened in my career was transitioning to working remotely for myself. On social media, being your own boss looks glamours. The reality is that it’s a lot of hard work. You have to show up every day, even when you don’t feel like it. There isn’t a boss looking over your shoulder and keeping you in check. There’s also other things to figure out like taxes, health insurance, etc. Overall, transitioning to working for myself was the best decision I have made. I have learned a lot about myself and how to be productive, even on days when I don’t feel like it.

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

When I first started my health journey, I tried to do everything all at once. I tried to workout 7 days a week and I tried to drastically change what I ate. This ended up backfiring because it’s hard to completely change your life! From this I learned that baby steps toward better health are the best thing you can do. Start slow and take little tiny baby steps forward. What one choice can you make today that will help you toward your goals?

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 number one thing I hope to teach and share with the world is that being healthy and living a healthy lifestyle is affordable and can even be cheap! There are so many free things we can do to be healthier — like intermittent fasting and spending time outside! Prioritizing real food over packaged food is also more affordable and healthier!

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.

Add intermittent fasting to your daily routine. Intermittent fasting is free and is a great lifestyle tweak. Simply change when you eat, not what you eat. Intermittent fasting can help reduce inflammation, help with weight loss, help reduce insulin resistance, lowering your risk for type 2 diabetes, can help reduce oxidative stress, may help prevent disease, may help prevent cancer, can help extend your lifespan, has many anti-aging benefits and more!

2. Consume real food. Start eating real food. Real food is food that doesn’t come in a package. Focus on what ingredients are in your food and strive to recognize those ingredients or have minimally added ingredients.

3. Prioritize sleep. Sleep is a very overlooked part of wellness. Sleeping allows our bodies to repair themselves and our brains to consolidate our memories and process information. Make quality sleep a priority! You can set reminders in your phone to help you get to bed at a decent time.

4. Spend more time outside. Our bodies were not made to sit in an office all day and then sit in front of a television all night. Expose your eyes to sunlight, put your feet on the ground, go on hikes or walks. Spending time in nature is associated with lower blood pressure, less stress and can help reset our circadian rhythm.

5. Switch to low-tox products. Slowly switch to low-tox products. There are so many toxins in our environment. We can make small changes to eliminate and reduce these toxins. One example is using a reusable water bottle. Ditch the plastic disposable water bottles and refill a water bottle. Plastic water bottles contain toxins that are endocrine disruptors.

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

I would encourage everyone to start intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is 100% free and therefore accessible to everyone. There are so many health benefits of intermittent fasting!

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

Weight loss and getting in shape doesn’t come down to eating less and moving more. So often people are told to just eat less and move more. Weight loss is SO much more than eating less and moving more. Weight loss has a lot more to do with hormones and how the body stores energy.
The most important thing on a nutrition label is the list of ingredients. We should all be counting ingredients and chemicals in our food — not calories! Eat as much real, whole food as possible and avoid packaged junk.
Avoid seed oils at all costs. Seed oils like canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, etc. should be avoided. These oils are created, washed with solvents and sometimes even bleached. These oils are very inflammatory, highly processed and bad for our bodies. Stick to coconut oil, olive oil and avocado oil.
The water you drink matters. We all know that water is important, but what’s in your water? It’s scary to learn what’s in your tap water. You can find out exactly what’s in your tap water by going to ewg.org. There’s lots of amazing water filters on the market. Take time and do your research to find a filter that is in your budget and can properly filter your water.
What you put in, on and around your body matters!

Everything that you put in, on and around your body matters! From the makeup you use, to the body wash you use, to the containers you store your food in. All of these items can contain toxins and endocrine disruptors.

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 very important to me. Did you know that the food you eat impacts your mood? The food you eat has a direct impact on your mental health! Good food = good mood! I have dealt with depression and have close family members who also struggle with mental health. It is really empowering to know that we can change our mood and improve our lives with simple choices like what we eat.

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

Readers can find me at my website: www.macymichelle.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heymacymichelle

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/macy-sarbacker/

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Macy Sarbacker of MacyMichelle 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: Kimberly Griffith of Ombre On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support…

Women In Wellness: Kimberly Griffith of Ombre On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

…Know your sense of purpose — At times, the same monotonous routine can be discouraging. We all have a purpose and knowing yours, reminding yourself of it, and keeping that in your mind can help ignite positive feelings that contribute to your wellness journey.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kimberly Griffith, MS HNFM, CNS, Head of Science at Ombre.

Kimberly is a microbiome researcher and Functional Medicine nutritionist that uses science-based, individualized approaches to promote optimal wellness for each individual. Her persistent focus within lifestyle medicine application and research are firmly founded within the microbial community, understanding health effects from gut, skin, oral and vaginal dysbiosis and how best to optimize each biome for ideal health and wellness. Kimberly is a board Certified Nutrition Specialist and holds a Masters of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, alongside continual education within microbiome research.

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 have always felt passion for anything health and wellness, but nutrition specifically fascinated me. The idea that we can alter our athletic performance, happiness, disease manifestations, weight, productivity and so much more all by what we choose to consume (which we already do each day) led me into the field of nutrition and functional medicine. The gut microbiome was a topic and source that continued to resurface as I studied deeper into the field of preventative medicine. The more I read the more I learned about what the emerging science has presented in this malleable ecosystem. Its influence has been tied to everything from asthma, diabetes, cancer, and fertility. This prominent community, which is unique to each of us, has far-reaching effects and they are directly nourished by our choices.

This led me down a path embedded in epigenetics, microbiome research, and helping others find the root causes of their imbalances to achieve their optimal health. My passion within this field and confidence that the microbiome does highly influence our health and overall wellbeing led me to a company named Ombre. A company that focuses on helping individuals understand their influential gut bacteria and how best to optimize it by way of personalized food recommendations, high-quality probiotics with research-supported strains targeting specific imbalances, and lifestyle modulators.

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?

Initially, in my education and career, I was always busy absorbing as much data from the specialists and leaders within the field and movement of Functional Medicine and microbiome research. I read all the blogs, listened to most of the podcasts, and dug into any study referenced or published by these experts. I revered each of these specific individuals as almost “larger than life”. I then had the opportunity to meet with one of these individuals. To my surprise, they requested my input, my advice. They were seeking my perspective in this field, and it took me back a bit. For a moment, it felt as though I had transitioned from student to teacher. It was an unfamiliar feeling that made me second guess every word that came out of my mouth. Afterward, I had time to evaluate and validate everything I had discussed with them. Following this confirmation, I had a weirdly euphoric feeling. Despite my uncertainty in my delivery, I found that the information I had given wasn’t wrong, I had support behind my words and I gained confidence.

I learned from this situation to not doubt myself, believe in what I know and have confidence in it. None of us can be experts in everything, but we can all learn from each other. If we are not taking advantage of our colleagues’ experiences, then we should be. Never be afraid to stand by what you believe. In my experience, even experts don’t have all the answers at times. In my field, I have observed experts become experts by being humble enough to seek advice, ask questions, and grow their knowledge even further.

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 fell into a common pitfall that many of us may experience when we finish school and are ready to heal the world. We take this wealth of information that we are passionate about and then try to apply it all at once to each individual. Too much, too fast, and application without interpretation was not resulting in a favorable outcome.

When it comes to increasing health and wellness, a mental component has to be considered beyond just the physical metrics. I found early on that implementing the tools I was so confident in to help people resolve imbalances or achieve more excellent health was a quick fix lacking lasting results. Initially, I neglected to understand or truly appreciate the influence of empowering individuals to take on the “why” behind the application. I worked with many clients and gave detailed recommendations to achieve their desired results. Still, I felt adherence was limited to a short period before they revisited me. I was confident in my recommendations and knew the necessary tools to use, but I shorted them on the interpretation of the why behind my recommendations. I learned that giving someone all the tools to correct an imbalance or achieve better health will be limited if they don’t truly understand or believe why they should make the changes. When most people understand the “why” behind needed lifestyle change, and are encouraged to take on them at a comfortable pace, I have found that adherence and actual lifelong benefits are the more likely results.

I quickly course-corrected and learned from the most potent form of feedback, the experience of my mistakes. Knowledge is indeed power, and I have found that empowering people to understand influential areas of their health, such as their gut microbiome, will help them achieve lasting effects in their wellness journey.

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

Our health should be at the forefront of each of our thoughts. It’s one area that cannot be purchased; however, we live in an exciting time where the focus of health is shifting to self-care and preventive medicine, which is very encouraging. Founded within the message of preventative health is monitoring your health, watching for trends that could affect your health, and implementing applications supported by emerging research that encourages self-care. The research supports that our gut microbiome is tied to and influences almost every system in our body. Our gut houses most of our immunity and is often the starting point for inflammation. Our goal at Ombre is to help empower individuals to understand this influential ecosystem and give them the tools to achieve their ultimate wellness goals.

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.

Invest in your health in a proactive way.

We live in an exciting time in science and health where we are learning more about monitoring our health and implementing self-care practices such as microbiome testing. Being proactive about your health and wellness goals is more protective against disease manifestation than responding once symptoms arise. We should use the tools we now have to track our health and look for trends.

Be mindful about your food choices and incorporate a diversity of plants.

Food is indeed medicine; with every bite, we nourish bacteria associated with disease or health. Knowing which foods are best for you that increase your health is powerful medicine. So be mindful about the foods you choose to consume and aim for a colorful plate with a diverse amount of plants that nourish all the different beneficial bacteria contributing to health.

Take time to quiet your mind.

With the fast pace of life we live, stress is common among most individuals. We know that stress can result in chronic inflammation, and inflammation is associated with most age-related diseases. It is not always easy to remove the stressors in our lives, but we can be mindful about taking time out of our day to counteract these stressors. Take a daily walk without your phone. Set the alarm once a day where you take 15 minutes of quiet time. Naps are great; meditation apps and yoga can all help alter stress perception, positively contributing to our overall well-being.

Know your sense of purpose.

At times, the same monotonous routine can be discouraging. We all have a purpose and knowing yours, reminding yourself of it, and keeping that in your mind can help ignite positive feelings that contribute to your wellness journey.

Don’t discount the influence of lifestyle choices.

Self-care and preventative healthcare not only include being mindful about the right foods and supplements, lifestyle influencers such as exercise, good sleep habits, stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, quiet time, and healthy social interactions all influence inflammation and the gut microbiome, which contribute to a better sense of wellbeing.

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

There are many dimensions of wellness, but they are all interconnected and build on each other. In my opinion, creating balance within one’s life helps distribute these dimensions and is part of our journey to wellness. One way to create balance is to refocus yourself every day and determine if life feels out of balance. Most days, many of us go nonstop without ever checking in with ourselves. We live in such a fast-paced world that we forget to take time for ourselves, refocus our intentions and purpose, and think about truly living, not just surviving.

My movement would be a mandatory quiet time during the day recentering, away from any electronics and any stressors, where we take a few moments to concentrate on our life, our breath, and our balance.

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

Control doubt, do a gut check often. While doubt can help us avoid pitfalls, it can also impede advancements to our goals. Generally, outstanding achievements began with uncertainty, fear, and doubt. Don’t let these feelings control your path; they can hold you back. Knowing how to manage these feelings and truly living in the present, which is really the only part of life we can control, can help you get closer to your intentions for your life.
Uncomfortable situations can help you grow. As children, we step out of our comfort zones by encouraging teachers or parents. Maybe we accept that solo only because we are pushed by our choir teacher. Maybe we are willing to run for a student council position because a loved one practices our speech with us over and over. Most of the time, we are glad we did after we do so, and it helped us grow. As adults and leaders, we can limit those uncomfortable situations by not being willing to engage in that feeling of nervousness, anxiety, and fear. However, stepping out of your comfort zone can help you grow, help you achieve, and help you gain confidence.
Find a mentor. Find someone you trust who has your best interests and will be honest with you. This does not have to be someone directly in your field of expertise. It should be someone that will help you control the doubt, give you the encouragement to step out of your comfort zone and be an excellent sounding board.
Know when to step away for a moment. I genuinely feel lucky to work within a field that ultimately feeds my passion. However, passion for something can overtake every moment of your time. For many years early on in my career, anytime I took time for myself, such as daily runs or just sitting down to read, it was always focused on my area of interest, the microbiome. I would listen to podcasts while running or read studies I had messaged to myself. While that helped grow knowledge, it wasn’t good for me overall. It was too much. I now force myself to listen to music when running or listen to general wellness podcasts. You have to know where to draw the line and disengage for your overall well being.
Set your intentions for life, not just your work life. Setting intentions for our lives helps us feel purpose, gives us guidance, and helps us course-correct should our path diverge from our goals. Intentions should be long-term and short-term. Intention setting is empowering, you write your own story, and it becomes your life. It is one of the most critical influencers in your wellness journey.

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. Mental health is an area where we don’t focus enough attention. Many times it’s viewed as far different than a physical ailment, which can’t be further from the truth.

At the core, we are all human, and we have all felt “down” before; we share that commonality across the entire world. For me, this leads to a sense of accountability, and it starts by taking care of yourself so you can help others. Concentrating on your health and caring for yourself enough to invest the time and energy into nourishing your mental health contributes to the universal journey to better wellness.

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

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

Women In Wellness: Author Aisha Gordon-Hiles On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support…

Women In Wellness: Author Aisha Gordon-Hiles On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Find time for silence — silence is really underrated. It is something we often try to avoid, but in actual fact, it’s the one thing we should try not to avoid. Silence helps us connect with ourselves. Connect with our wants, and our needs. Which in turn helps us manage the challenges life throws at us.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Aisha Gordon-Hiles.

Aisha Gordon-Hiles is an internationally sold author and accredited counselor, and life coach with extensive experience working with adults, children, and young people. Her counseling work is trauma informed and heavily influenced by psychodynamic and humanistic principles. Through the sales of her book and her counseling work, she has helped thousands of individuals learn the tools they need to love and accept themselves, and she is on a mission to help thousands more.

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?

Sure! Well, I grew up in London, and from a very young age I knew I wanted to help people. It always shocks people when I say that I knew I wanted to be a counselor from the age of six years old, but it’s true. I wasn’t great at handling my emotions (not that I should have been, I was six) and life had thrown me some difficult cards. I felt alone, and I knew I didn’t want anyone else to have to feel the way I did. Fast forward to the age of eleven, and I started entering agony aunt competitions, and not long after that I was making business cards that invited people to come and talk to me about their worries. I still remember them to this day. They were printed on baby blue card, I cut them out and I hand laminated them with sticky back plastic. I even offered people a free lip gloss to come and talk to me, as my mum had bought me a lip gloss maker for my birthday one year. It’s funny, because back then I was offering a free ear to listen, and free lip gloss, and no one took me up on it! I bet it would be very different if I offered that today.

Fast forward to today, and I’m knee deep in degrees, life experience and client hours. I am constantly looking for new ways to expand my professional expertise, so that I can adapt my practice to all who come through my (virtual) doors.

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 can, and I really wish I could say more about this, but I can’t just yet!

However, what I will say is this… A few years ago, one of my friends took a new career path. I was fascinated by the concept, because I had always known I wanted to be a counselor. I never even dreamed of being anything else. Anyway, I made a random comment one day, after hearing about all the opportunities in her new field, that I would like to get into that field one day. I was mostly joking. But to be honest, that was probably because I didn’t have the confidence to believe it would be possible back then.

Anyway, a good few years later, I signed up for job alerts in that industry, and to this day (it’s probably been about 3 years) I have never seen a job alert connected to wellness in that field. To be honest, when I signed up for job alerts, I didn’t think I would see any. I just thought I had nothing to lose.

A few months ago, I got an email from someone claiming to be in the industry that my friend worked in, and I thought it was a scam. I asked them how they found me, and they told me on Instagram! I couldn’t believe it! At the time, everything was so exciting that I didn’t even remember I had asked for this all those years ago. But once I had completed the job and the dust had settled, I realized that there were points in my life that were significant to me manifesting this role, and I had to laugh. It was so scary!

I will be able to say more on this in a couple of months, and if you want to find out what it was, give me a follow on Instagram @selfforhelp. I’ll be sure to give you a follow back!

What I can tell you though is this:

Allow yourself to dream big, even if it is just for a split second. What is meant to be for you will always be for you, no matter how many people in the world are doing what you do. Put yourself out there in the spaces where you are likely to attract those dreams and stay there. Your dreams can’t find you if you are hiding and not taking any action.

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?

Honestly, the biggest mistake I made when I first started was not believing in myself enough. After qualifying, I fell victim to the talks about how many counsellors there were in the world; how there were not enough clients; not enough jobs. I took these lies and I went into a different career for a few years. One that would give me stability, was easy to get, and would help me hit a few financial goals that I wanted to hit.

I was bullied by my manager while in that role. And thinking about it now, I am sure that was the universe’s way of telling me I wasn’t supposed to be there. But, my self-awareness hadn’t got to uncovering that part of my journey yet, so I stayed and it was really damaging for my mental health.

Anyway, a day came when I broke down and I couldn’t take it anymore. I had been applying for jobs for ages without success. I decided I was going to resign whether I had a new job or not, and I kid you not. The week before I was due to resign, I got a call and was offered my first salaried counseling job.

Now, I don’t regret it, because for me, I look back and I am happy that life forced me out of that situation, and that I have taken more risks since then. This was an important part of my journey. I am now a coach, author and consultant, as well as a counselor. But I do sometimes reflect on what life would have been like had I just remembered that this was my calling (I had known since the age of six, after all), and what was meant for me would be for me.

Yes, there are loads of counselors in the world. Yes, funding can be scarce, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t space for you in wellness. The world is abundant.

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?

Recently, one of my clients told me they had convinced two of their friends and their ex-partner to start counselling off the back of her experience working with me. Another told me that she feels like she is walking around life wearing HD goggles after a couple of sessions, because of the clarity she now has, that she had been struggling to gain for over 5 years.

Nearly every client I have ever worked with has made a reference to how working with me has helped them feel more comfortable in themselves. And since we live in a society that is hell bent on making us uncomfortable with who we are, I would say my work is helping to make a massively positive impact on the world.

It’s helping to undo so much of the damage that society does to us. Helping to heal wounds. Helping to inspire people and give them confidence to achieve their wildest dreams. Every time I end with a client, I smile, because not only has the work changed their life, but it’s changed the lives of those around them and those they bring into this world, too. Even if they don’t realise it yet. The impact is not just for now. It’s generational.

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.

Find time for silence — silence is really underrated. It is something we often try to avoid, but in actual fact, it’s the one thing we should try not to avoid. Silence helps us connect with ourselves. Connect with our wants, and our needs. Which in turn helps us manage the challenges life throws at us.
Declutter your space — our physical space is a reflection of our inner minds, but it is also the thing that has the biggest negative impact on our minds. Kind of like a chicken and egg thing. Either way, taking the time to de clutter and organise your space will help you declutter and organise your mind, which in turn helps the way you think about and navigate life.
Do regular body scans — a body scan is where you bring your attention inwards, starting at the top of your head and making your way down your body, visualising each part of it and spending a moment checking in with each part to see how it feels. Regular body scans help us understand the physiological reactions our bodies have to the events in our daily lives. They help us to identify tension stored up in our bodies from stressors during the day, and when you notice those pockets of tension, take a moment to relax that part of your body, to help the tension of the day melt away.
Practice mini moments of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a bit of a buzz word at the moment, and that can make it difficult to have faith in, but it really does help. It helps to ground us in our experiences and regulate our emotions. Now, you don’t have to make a grand gesture. You don’t have to sit cross legged on the floor, spending ages in silence. In fact, if you are a newbie, it’s better to keep it simple. An example of this would be to practice while you are washing the dishes. Pay attention to the pattern the soap suds make on the dish, the way they feel on your hands, their smell, their movements, the sound they make as they pop.
Bring nature in. Whether it’s ensuring that you have something living in your house (other than humans), like plants or animals, for example, or going outside for a walk, it is imperative to bring nature into your life. We are all connected to nature, and nature recharges us because of our connection with it. And best of all… It’s free!

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 think I’d have to say the movement I am currently working on! Helping people understand themselves and others. I genuinely believe that 90% of the world’s problems come from people not understanding themselves, and people not understanding others.

In fact, I would also add to that and say that it is also people not understanding themselves in relation to others. We (human beings) have had an issue with both ourselves and difference since the dawn of time. The need to control others, the need to scapegoat others, the need to pretend to be something that we are not.

This coupled with the fact that our society is so geared towards us ignoring our pain, and the things that make us uncomfortable, instead of processing them and understanding them, means that society is essentially setting us all up for failure. I am going to do my best to reverse that!

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

Oooh, this is a great question!

I think the first would have to be that you never stop learning. I think when I first started out, I didn’t consider the life-long learning that it takes to be a successful woman in wellness. In fact, I chose to go down the counseling route because I didn’t want to go down the psychiatry route. I thought training to be a doctor would take too long! Little did I know that in training to be a counselor, my learning would never stop. Everyone I work with is unique, and that means I need to keep myself on top of tools, techniques, research, training and developments to ensure I can support the needs of everyone I work with.

The second would be that my degree wasn’t going to fully prepare me for the world of work as a woman in wellness. This one is kind of related to the point above. My first and second degree (in particular) taught me what I needed to do to work safely and ethically with my clients, but what it didn’t teach me is how to work for myself, which is typical for my line of work. It didn’t teach me marketing, finance, the legalities of being self-employed, for example. When taking the plunge to work for yourself, it’s not knowing these things that really catch you off guard. And if you don’t have a mentor or someone who can share this information with you, it can be a very costly, and time-consuming process.

Next, I think I will refer to the story I told earlier. My biggest mistake. I wish someone had told me that the world was abundant. I had so much around me telling me otherwise, and now it’s the one thing I believe with all my heart. That phrase provides me with so much comfort and direction… Who knows where I would be right now had someone said it to me back then.

The fourth thing would be that your friends aren’t always going to be your biggest fans, and that’s okay. Whilst the world is abundant, when you are working with things like social media, it can be easy to forget and get demotivated. Get bogged down on things like “likes”, “saves”, and “shares”. There is a tendency to look at those closest to you and expect them to be doing all they can to promote your work. But oftentimes it doesn’t work like that. Some of my biggest supporters are people I have never once met in real life. Never even had a video chat with. And that is okay. In fact, it’s great. I don’t feel pressure to make my friends like or promote my stuff, because again, the world is abundant and what is meant for me will be for me. That pressure comes from fear. From scarcity. And it can ruin wonderful relationships — don’t let it.

Finally, I would have to say make sure you write down every idea you have, no matter how little or silly you think it is. Ideas have an interesting way of coming back around to surprise you when you least expect it. Take my story of the most interesting thing that’s happened to me. I think it’s a great example of that. In a lifetime, you will have millions of ideas, and oftentimes it’s a right place, wrong time situation with these ideas. Keep them around you, because you never know when an opportunity will present itself for you to materialise an idea you have, or even develop it to make it more than you ever expected it to be!

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

Oooh, well I would obviously have to say mental health. As I mentioned earlier, this has been a passion dear to my heart since I was six years old. I grew up and went through some really difficult experiences. Back then, I didn’t feel like I had anyone I could turn to, and so I tried to cope the best that I could, but a lot of those ways ended up being quite harmful to me. I really struggled with the pain I felt, and there was a burning fire in me that never wanted anyone else to feel the way I did, or to struggle and feel like they had no one they could turn to. I have spent my life dedicated to this cause, and I always will.

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

Thanks for asking! I am mainly on Instagram (@selfforhelp), but they can also follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aisha-gordon-hiles-bsc-msc-pgdip-mbacp-accred-1888b7aa/

Thank you for these fantastic insights!

Women In Wellness: Author Aisha Gordon-Hiles On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.