This "How I Broke Into" interview is filled with stories of courage and self-discovery, and provides tremendous insight into how a global brand can result from the initial efforts of one person’s decision to forge a new path. Here are notes from the show:
Jill's love of yoga and fitness began early on. She has a love/hate relationship with business--she grew up in a solar community and her family's business was solar. She worked in the family business from a young age.
As a child, Jill was on the standard American diet, was overweight, teased, scrutinized. She discovered Jane Fonda's Workout and Raquel Welch's Yoga Program (Total Beauty and Fitness). She discovered how important a teacher, even one on video, is. But she overdid t with the videos and became anorexic.
We discussed "The Best Little Girl in the World" (1981) with Jennifer Jason Leigh (I wrongly said it starred Ally Sheedy).
Anorexia/Bulimia is the #1 cause of death in teenage girls.
For Jill, falling in love led to a path to self-love.
She started studying shiatsu while attending Northwestern University, and this led to healing.
The Coregeous Ball is part of her product line; it's a soft, grippy pliable ball meant for self-healing.
She never planned to teach. But she was inspired by her mentor Glenn Black at the Omega Institute. Shortly before 9/11, she decided to explore teaching.
She enrolled in the 200 hour Teaching Program for yoga. She felt inhibited by the rigidity of the teaching program's failure to take time for body and tissue sense. She started to change the way she taught.
Jill became known for her lateral abdominal churning--Nauli Kriya--and had an 8 page spread in Yoga Journal.
Her mother worked for JetBlue, which has a family program of flights all over the U.S. Jill offered to fly to yoga studios all over the country.
"I had balls. And now I have a ball products business."
She does compassionate cadaver labs with Gil Hedley so movement educators can see the anatomy on the inside.
Yoga Tune Up does not stay in the yoga space.
Center for Pain Rehabilitation - Mitchell Prywes, MD, Danbury, CT
Hospitals are finally embracing all parts of well-being.
Tune Up Fitness has 500 teachers worldwide.
Jill's husband Robetr is a serial entrepreneur. 6 months into dating, he came to a 3 hour core workshop and couldn't believe how fast it flew by. He said, "We need to bottle this." The collapse of her mother and step-father's business made Jill reticent to build a business.
She licenses materials and products globally.
The Roll Model is being translated into other languages.
"Self care health care."
She has shared perspective with Dr. Kelly Starrett, best-selling author Becoming a Supple Leopard and Katy Bowman, author of Move Your DNA.
She doesn't quite feel like she's arrived yet.
We discussed the school system and deskbound kids. She recommended Starrett's Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World.
I mentioned how much I enjoyed Starrett's appearance in 30 Days of Genius on Creative Live, in which he mentioned Jill.
She did programs on breath, fascia, and pre-natal fitness for Creative Live.
"We met at a time when all of us were trying to reach people."
Robert is her business backbone, loves building businesses. It's scary to go along with new initiatives.
Jill knew, in writing her first book, that she need to capture the soft-tissue soft tool market, so she did The Roll Model instead of a book on breath. That will be her second book.
She has become known as a go-to expert in the field of fascia.
She is impressed with Wim Hof's breathing method.
Her daily practice involves soft tissue self-care, walking, range-of-motion exercises. Josh Landis is a strength and conditioning coach that has been helpful.
Web sites include YogaTuneUp.com and TuneUpFitness.com.
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After practicing law for nearly 10 years, Melissa Garcia left it all behind to follow her dreams in fashion and hasn't looked back since. Melissa spends her days making appearances as a fashion expert on shows such as the TODAY Show, The Wendy Williams Show, EXTRA or The Meredith Vieira Show to name a few; shooting segments for global network-Fashion One as their Business/Fashion Expert; writing fashion Columns for sites such as E! or Ivanka Trump or styling actors/TV personalities. Melissa embraces charity work; she was lead stylist on a charity shoot benefiting the Women's Prison Organization, is a volunteer for Dress For Success and has also offered her services for both women's and children's cancer organizations. Her relatability, professionalism and expertise make Melissa one of the most highly sought after fashion experts in the country. Melissa lives in New York and is married to her high school sweetheart with whom she has three beautiful children.
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@mgarciastyling
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Notes from the show:
From an early age, Melissa loved fashion. Her grandmother knitted and crocheted and her grandfather was a tailor.
She always thought that success meant becoming a doctor or lawyer.
She almost dropped out of law school, but she doesn't consider herself a quitter.
Melissa practiced for 10 years, and hated most of it.
While she was an attorney, Melissa found that people sought her fashion advice.
Melissa's best friend, a holistic life coach, convinced her to leave law.
She started up a web site after taking an 8 week online course.
A local blogger, Amy Selling of LuluandLattes.com promoted her.
She creates a "digital lookbook" for easy repeat use from a phone.
Every woman has a different feeling about hiring a personal stylist. There is a lot of insecurity involved.
"I feel we're all given gifts that we're born with, and whether you choose to pursue them or not is up to you... What do you love to do that comes naturally and easy to you, that's not easy for everyone else? That's your gift."
Her job is to tap into each individual's personal style.
Having a supportive husband was instrumental to her success.
One of her best friends' friend is in PR, and connected Melissa. They shot a segment on an iPhone and that got her her first gig: better TV.
"I always come from a place of 'Yes.' "
"Fear: False Evidence Appearing Real."
"If you don't let fear get in the way, and you kind of take a huge chance and leap of faith and walk through the fear, amazing things happen on the other side."
The Today Show had her first appearance during a blizzard.
"My real job is when I am home."
It takes a village.
Social media keeps her in the loop.
"I've had to become comfortable in the uncomfortable."
Book recommendations:
Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success by Steve Harvey
Destiny: Step Into Your Purpose by T.D. Jakes
Discussed Life is Too Short for Miller Lite
The joys of helping clients feel beautiful
She has worked with a number of charitable organizations, including Dress for Success and Women's Prison Association.
She still works with everyday women.
Melissa wants to do more television and more charitable work.
When she left law, her family took a financial hit.
Her preference for social media platforms has shifted from Facebook to instagram to Snapchat.
"Please, take that leap of faith!"