SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to What Would Amber Do with your host, Amber Howard. Each week, Amber dances in conversation with inspirational leaders how to make a difference for what matters most to people. She brings you incredible guests who share their real life experiences of being a leader and what it looks like to live a truly created life of service to others. And now, here is your host.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Good morning, everyone. Welcome back to What Would Amber Do. It is my privilege this morning to be speaking with Sophia Tade. Sophia left a career in the corporate world where she worked in diversity and inclusion and change management to open her own spa in Colombia. Sophia is passionate about healing the skin and really healing people from the inside out. She has a mom and a proud entrepreneur. And I'm so excited to have this conversation today, in particular, because Sophia just told me that she has expanded her business, moved into a new space, and they're having a reception this evening to celebrate that success. And Sophia and I have worked together earlier in a few, I guess a few years ago now, looking at her business and how she could move forward. So Sophia, just so amazing and wonderful to have this time with you. Thank you for being here and sharing yourself with us.

SPEAKER_03 1:22

Thanks for having me. Thank you, Amber.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

Yeah, so at first glance, you would think that, like, okay, you're working in corporate in diversity and inclusion and change management, and then all of a sudden it's like, oh, I'm gonna leave that world and go open a spa. Like it seems like a little bit of a like a real shift in direction and focus for the work that you do in your career and your profession. Share with me a little bit about what was that journey like? What was the impetus for making that move, Sophia?

SPEAKER_03 1:52

Sure. So for me, it was um it's always been about uh finding what I really like, truly like in life. And I but I had also to think about expenses, you know, like living, like surviving like everybody else. And I remember um when I was very young, I used to love plants. And I used, I just like healing, everything that has to do with uh healing through food or plant, it was it, that was me. But I my I remember my parents were like, no, you were you were built to be in corporate, you know, you you're going to law school. This is I I I have a master's in business law, uh, that was my first master's. And that's it. So I did that. I went to a la I worked for a lawyer for a few years, and then I moved to the US uh in 2002 and for graduates for second master's, and I did um communication at the University of Maryland. So before I finished, I got a job. So I was like, okay, you know, dreams that plan, that healing thing, and it's you know, it's not it's not meant to be. So let me just work. And I worked for corporate America for eight years, but I was burned out. I was extremely stressed out, so I wasn't really happy. Um, even though the money was good, the job was good. I was I got to travel to see many places, work with um sea level um uh clients, work across industries. It was really, you know, the dream of any immigrant coming to the US. And yet I I had this little voice in me that was always that was not um happy. So uh in 2002, I just decided to take a leap of faith. I and had the trigger was I one of my friends, I was so stressed out that he sent me to a spa, like a day at a spa. And when I got there, the peace, the calmness, and uh I just felt at home that day. So I I had a full day at a spa, and I was like, this is a place I would like to be. And that little girl, the voice, you know, that wanted to heal, and it the the voice just came, it was louder. It was like I couldn't, I couldn't ignore uh that voice any longer. So I said, you know what, I get to leave once and I I'm not gonna um do my dad's and you know, achieve my dad's dream for him. I have to go for mine. So I that's how I just I did it and I left for like uh cold Turkey. I went to school full-time for one year. I used my savings and I started um I started uh um taking clients, um, work for two organic spas and I knew I wanted safety. I knew I wanted to really um be there for my clients. And it's for me, it's not the it's not the scheme that I'm working on. I'm working on the people from inside out. So my work, like you asked me, how does it, how I did that um that switch. But what I I feel like I never really left because I I I take with me all the experience, like understanding how different people work, understanding the importance of relationship, uh like building strong and long-lasting relationship. My clients have been with me for over at least five or six years. And the new one, when they come, they feel at home, they stay. So uh, but I I really wanted people to be to feel heard and to go beyond because the skin is just um it's it's just a reflection of what is happening inside. So it's like that into what is going inside and uh bring the beauty of each one of us to the surface. So that's that's what I do. So I do um it's like I I create that harmony between who you are, who you truly are at the beginning, and uh uh and what you look like. So it goes beyond the skin. So it's it's truly like healing. My and the the little story is my grandfather was uh a natural healer. He he he had a little farm and he had his um his plants, his herbs, and people used to come from all over to see him, and he will heal you, he wouldn't even speak to you. He will be you come, he'll be just sit down and he will go get the plants that he felt like you needed, and he will give it to you. And most people were cured when they came to see him. So he was either healing people or uh praying, and I think I have that in me. That's uh some of it at least is uh I have that in me. And I get often you have healing hands. Um it's good to be uh with you. I just feel at home, I feel at peace. So I so that's that's uh basically, I don't know if it's too long, but no, it's beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 6:51

You know, I so many things you said kind of resonated with me. The the, you know, one of them, like we only get to live once, right? And whose life are we living? And you know, you and I are both parents. We we we really do. Um, we do our best, we want the best for our children. And sometimes inside of that, like we get a little bit, we can, and parents can get a little bit attached to what having the best for their children looks like. And you know, it's like, oh no, well, there's no money in it being an artist, or there's, you know, it's it, or in even whether it's about uh external success or not, sometimes it's a concern for the hardness of the journey. Like, oh yeah, you could be an entrepreneur, but like it's gonna be really difficult. And I think this is like just really illustrates the importance of conscious parenting, like really doing the work on ourselves as parents to be like, what's my stuff? You know, what are my views? You know, my kid, my child wants to is expressing a desire for X or Y or Z or whatever it is. And what do I got going on about that so that you can guide them? Because it's not our life, right? I really believe, I really have always believed that they're not mine, they don't belong to me. I've been gifted this opportunity to help, you know, guide them to through their through this phase of their life. And if I'm blessed and I and I have been thus far to continue guiding in whatever capacity my children want me to, but it's not my life. So the guiding has to be in service of what they want, not what I want for them. And so, but really, I mean, we could sit here and make our parents wrong for, you know, as many people have and do for like, oh, like I don't love my life, it's my parents' fault. They forced me to go, you know, none of that has any power, right? But we could just like be grace, gracious at where they were coming from, that it would really was for the most part coming from a place of love. But then like we only live once. So this is your life. What do you want to create with it? Who do you want to be for people? And and I love because the more and more I talk to leaders, the more and more I just talk to people, but really people like yourself, Sophia, who who have returned to a dream, a calling from, you know, most of them, it started very young in life. They they intuitively knew, right? Like, and and I felt this myself. Like I knew from a young age that I was here to make a difference in the world. I just took me a long time, I would say, to get clarity about like what that difference was and and how best to fulfill on it. And I'm still discovering more and more all the time. And uh I just think that's such a great place to look from. Like if this is, you know, whatever your spiritual beliefs are about whether we get to come back and do this again in another form or whatever, at this, you know, journey through life, you've only got one of them. So I just acknowledge you for being someone who has the courage to live your best life, not live a life that someone, you know, like not a life that someone else has designed for you, even if it was designed from the best of intentions.

SPEAKER_03 10:03

That's right. That's right. This is not the easier route, for sure. Uh and I, you know, I get uh I get their concern, like you said, of my parents wanting to make sure we we have uh good situation, like we have good jobs, we have good degrees and all that. I get that because it's security at the end of the day. You have a salary, you know, every month, you don't have to worry about is it gonna snow? Are you kind of show up? You don't have any of that stress. If you lose your job, you can go back and get another job. So um I'm thankful. I'm very extremely grateful for my parents because I've learned a lot um throughout all the um the schooling, you know, the job that I I've held, I learned a lot. So I it's it's not it's not lost, it's something that I have with me. And you said earlier um uh offline, you know, when we were just chatting, that my reviews are five star. And there's a reason behind that is because I come from a consulting background. So I listen to what my clients want, not what I think is best, but what is the the want first, and then I provide the consulting advice. It's like I don't sell anything, I just listen, I hear what they want, I give them my professional opinion, and we work together, we take that journey together. So it's not just like a one-time thing, and people appreciate that because other places may not have the same um processes. So I'm very performance, I'm very result-driven because I know that this is what produces good re good outcomes. So it serves me every day, and I understand different cultures and understand different backgrounds, understand, you know, because I did that. That's all I used to do, diversity and inclusion work. And it's it's the same. It's the same here. We're still dealing with people that want to be heard, that want to be seen.

SPEAKER_01 12:01

Really is like a fundamental need, and I say need, right? Of human beings. Uh to be heard and to be understood and to be gotten and be seen, right? Just as just as we are right now, and that like almost like permission, that it's okay to be accepted just as we are in this moment. And I I think um a lot of people do a lot of healthy and unhealthy things inside of trying to get that need fulfilled.

SPEAKER_02 12:33

That is right. That is right.

SPEAKER_01 12:35

I I I like what, you know, I think it's becoming more and more the norm, at least in North America, and I know this is probably shifting in other parts of the world as well, that people have multiple careers. And and I think it's great, you know, this idea that nothing's lost, right? If you, you know, there are like because whoever's moving forward into the next career and the next industry, the next space, um, you're coming with all of that experience and and you leverage it in order to be able to make the biggest difference. And I would assert, like as someone who does change management as well with people, Sophia, that even like that training, in even though it's in the space of health and well-being and beauty, it's like understanding the process that people need to go through or the processes that people, the spaces that people go through when changing would help inform your being with your your clients at your spa in in such a way that would have them achieve more effective results and and it for the things that are important to them, because you are gonna understand that you've got it, it's a it's a journey you take people through when transforming. That's right. Yeah. So it was that exp. I was gonna ask you the question, I would like why beauty, but you know, you said that does that experience of going to that spa back in 2002 sounded like a little bit of an experience of coming home? Like it's like, oh, this is like this is the kind of space I want to be in, and then I want to create that for other people. What as someone who hasn't always taken care of their health and well-being, like what I'm talking about me here, um, and is discovering newly, seems like daily, the importance of self-care and and all of these things. Like, what difference does it make in our lives, in your experience, Sophia, when we do, you know, tend to our physical well-being? Like, what impact does that have on emotional, spiritual, mental well-being, like the all of it?

SPEAKER_03 14:43

So I think from like from my experience, people feel it builds confidence. When I have someone who has um really damaged skin, like from sun exposure without SPF or from acne, uh, with COVID, we've seen a lot of what is called the mask. You know, it's like you have all this lower part of your face that has a lot of congestion, a lot of buildup from the skin not being able to break properly because of the mask. So people don't want to go outside and they have they put on a lot of makeup. So when you when they we start, we start them on a regiment and we start them on treatment and they start seeing their skin cleared out, it just builds the confidence. You know, they start to love themselves even more. I have clients that say they I cannot leave my house without makeup, and they are able to do that, you know, to go out without makeup. Like I most of most of the time I don't wear makeup because I don't feel a need to do that, uh just because I know my skin is um is is glowing naturally. So there's that confidence building, and that triggers other um positive uh things in people's life as well, because when you feel good about yourself and this is the mirror that people will see, then you you know you do things better around, you know, move around. So you you you're more comfortable with your uh your friends with uh at work, at home, you know, you you don't have to hide anymore. So that that opens up um other spaces for you. And uh so and it's usually, I mean, it's like even the acne. Sorry, you wanted to say something.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

Oh, I just was like, I just got like, you know, it's so interesting. We said a couple moments ago that one of the fundamental needs of human beings is to be seen, um, you know, gotten, understood, heard, all of these different things. And yet, for many of us, I know for myself for a long time, I didn't want anyone to look at me. Right because I had shame. I had, you know, I had not empowering conversations about my body or, you know, like whether it was good enough and all of these things. So it's kind of interesting that paradox, right? Fundamentally, we want to be seen, and at the same time, because of shame and and and you know, uh unhelpful conversations in our own minds, we we often will put up barriers to be seen, right? And uh, so one of the things I hear in in the work that you do, Sophia, is there's something healing. Yes, and and and an access to like actually wanting, like aligning that need to be seen and wanting to be seen, because I think they're not, I think I'm just getting in this conversation right now, they're not the same thing. Like we have a fundamental drive to be seen, and many of us don't want to be seen because we've got negative or you know, conversations about, you know, and it it may not just be what we physically look like. Right, right. And this is why I think part of the work you do, and I know that you've done a lot of self-development work as well, and learned different frameworks from the world of mindset and and and all of that, like the healing from the inside out, it's like it's it's not just about being physically seen, but just even being seen in as our authentic selves.

SPEAKER_03 18:04

That's true, that's true. And uh so I guess my work is also part of it is removing those barriers, like just remove it, peeling off those layers little by little. Um so yeah, but that's what you know, it's uh it's all healing, it's truly and we I look at all as like I have a holistics fast, so basically it's looking at the well-being from a 360 point of view. So I look at nutrition. I have a nutritionist um coming on staff, I look at that. We look at um home, like habits at home, like how how do you wash your face? What do you use? Do you use a um a paper towel, a towel, air-dried out of your face, because all of that is gonna matter. Do you use chemicals in your house or do you use um healthy um products, like cleaning products at home? We look at um your immune system, what are the supplements you're taking, you know, it's like meditation. There's so many visualizations. It's not just you come for a facial, you come to look at the different ways we can um we can target to really bring you to a place where you really feel at peace with yourself. So, and that's what I'm I'm creating. That's what I'm I'm really committed to to um to building. Is that one stop where you come, you get your massage. If you need a massage, you get I have advanced treatments that um I have, for example, bow and work that rebuilds your immune system um through different techniques on your body. Um I have uh the um um nutritionist that is coming on board uh that is gonna look at that as well, right? And I have uh facials, very advanced facials, different modalities that can correct whatever I see here, and then you you go home with something to help on the surface while you also work on the inside. Um visualization, you know, um putting your mind at uh in the right uh frame. Um and even oracle cleansing, um, that's something I'm looking into bringing on staff as well. So it's really look the person as a whole, basically. That's what I'm looking at.

SPEAKER_01 20:37

It's really uh what's coming to me is this idea, and I I can see so clearly where I did this in in and maybe in some ways still do in certain aspects when it comes to my physical, my physical well-being. But like we compartmentalize ourselves, I think, as human beings, Sophia. You know, it's like and we'll focus on one area, and you know, maybe we go to work on our financial well-being. And I'm not saying that it's not important to have specific goals and um, you know, looking at specific areas of focus at a given time, but really it's a system.

SPEAKER_03 21:10

It is, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 21:11

You know, like our mental well-being, our emotional, physical, spiritual, like it, it's a it's a system. And and by spiritual, you know, you can for anyone listening to our conversation this morning, you can bring to that whatever you want, right? Whether it's like a um participating in in a formal or organized religion or you know, your relationship with nature, whatever spirit is for you. Uh maybe spirit for you is just you know living a purposeful life, you know, whatever that is for you. But I think it is a system. And so we need to be tending to you know our what we want and our level of satisfaction and happiness in all of the areas of well being.

SPEAKER_03 21:50

That is right. That is right. And I come from a um system like we used to do comprehensive consulting, which It's a systematic approach to addressing any organizational or individual uh needs. So I always have that framework in my mind as I when I work, and I just bring it naturally to what I do here because we we live in an ecosystem, it's like it's a system. We're not it's not just one thing in a vacuum here. You know, I cannot I can't I can't heal your skin if I don't know what is happening at home with you, if I don't know what is happening with in your life. You know, I it's not possible. It's gonna be just like a little band-aid. But if I um I understand what is happening with you, like I get a lot of data from from my clients, you know, through conversations, um then I am uh able to, I'm better able to assist them in a way that produces um powerful results. And and my goal is resulted because I feel like you're investing, you need to see results. I it's that like a feel-good thing with me. No, it's uh it's experiential, it's a journey, and you get the results of uh what you've invested for. There's a return on investment.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

Really beautiful. So from our work together in the past, I you know, I know that you are someone, Sophia, has, you know, really I don't say big because big or small, it's like, but you know, you have uh you have commitments for people, you know, like in terms of your leadership, there's like a world that you would like to see fulfilled upon for human beings. And if you were to kind of communicate what that is, like what is your commitment for people?

SPEAKER_03 23:45

My commitment is uh living a peaceful life, like people knowing who they truly are as a spirit, having this human experience, but uh seeing how beautiful it is, you know, to get to do this thing called life and not be miserable about you know, one people here or one people there, whatever it is. So it's really like having that peace and love for yourself. That's what my commitment is like I because I I always feel like society put an emphasis on the traditional education, and you have to struggle to figure out who you truly are as a as a being, as a spirit. And uh if we could bridge the two, you know, people will be so empowered, people will just they would go to the you know, it's like they would do whatever they want to do in life because the disconnect happens because we don't hear the voice of that spirit in us sometimes or most of the time, and we don't even know what it is, you know, and so being able to do that, bringing the two together, you know, the traditional, the spiritual, putting them together so people can see and be grateful, truly, you know, see that at a place of grace and love for themselves and for life itself, because it's beautiful, whatever created this world. It's amazing to not have to worry about a heartbeat, like missing missing a heartbeat or whatever, because everything works in perfect harmony. And figuring understanding truly what that is, and uh what what we the power we have to co-create with that thing called life. Create the the the the physical, you know, the look that you want because you know how to do that from inside out. So that's my commitment, is that being that bridge, like building that bridge between the two.

SPEAKER_01 25:56

I love that co-creating with life. It's uh it I think you know, sometimes we say these things, but if you I like if you and and it kind of like it's like oh yeah, yeah, yeah, and then you move on, right? But if you actually allow yourself to be with what would become possible in the world for human beings, for the planet, for other living things that we share this space with. Um like I I get moved sometimes when I think about like I've you know, the shows like we're almost at the end of the first full year of the show. And I've interviewed now, I think this will be um the 60th interview that I'm having with you, which has been such a blessing. It's just such a joy. I I love these conversations, and I just think like, wow, like if only one of the commitments for humanity that of the people that I've talked to came to fruition, like we would live in a completely different world, right? That's right, yeah, and and I there's this um oh there's this great quote, there's this book I'm reading through, and I'm thinking about this because you know, we about what we focus on, like we get what we focus on, right? And that's right, yes. And um there's this book called Notes from Unhurried Journey, and the author James Taylor says um today's newsline newspapers could have carried the headline, no one died of smallpox yesterday. Why didn't it happen? Is the headline true? Yes, it is good news. Oh, yes, it is good news, and newspapers don't print good news. Not true. Newspapers often print good news. The headline did not appear because it's old good news. When good news becomes so common that it is not that it is non-news, the human race has achieved a victory. 50 years ago, the smallpox headline would have been unbelievable. A century ago it would have been impossible. Non-news is wonderful. There is so much bad news and it gets headlines. There is some important good news, and this gets headlines. We can always count on large print announcing war has begun and war has ended. Most of our life will be spent without headlines. Our work-a-day world is comprised or composed of non-news. We may share a considerate family, live among reasonable neighbors, and participate in a community which is about as stable as we will tolerate or deserve. No headlines for us today. How lucky can we get? And the reason I thought about that, Sophia, is like there are way more people out there in the world, you know, non-news, who are like who are have profound commitments for what could be possible for human beings. And why I think I enjoy the doing the podcast so much and the show is I get to speak with those people and give them a platform so that others get to hear about the work that they do and the things that are important and matter to them. And and and you never know what the ripple effects of that are gonna be. Who's gonna hear one of these conversations and it's gonna spark something in them or or give them some hope or guidance or you know, um, but uh I just there's way more to celebrate if we allow ourselves. There's way more like to celebrate in life. That is right. That's right.

SPEAKER_03 29:30

Yeah. That's a lot to be thankful for, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 29:34

Yeah, it's a good time of year for that, you know, a good time of year to kind of take inventory of the blessings and and not to discount that it has been another hard year with COVID and and you know, the the impacts of that on people's lives. And um so inside of your commitment, if we get back to your commitment for a while for peace, for harmony, for people, you know, for this holistic experience of life, how does the work that you do in the spa really help you fulfill on that commitment in your day-to-day life, Sophia?

SPEAKER_03 30:06

Um it helps me in the sense that when people like the feedback I get usually is um thank you because thank you for what you you do, because you have um not only you know made my skin glow and you know got rid of the condition that I was struggling with, but also thank you for being like a good listener to me and for showing me ways. I always give people resources, I always tell them, you know, it's like if I I come across something that might help them, I will send it to them. And they are thankful because they from their feedback to me, it's like they they see the value in uh um what do I put, how do I put it? They see that I I care, right? I care for them and uh they they enjoy coming with uh to see me because they know that whatever they share with me, if there's something I can do to help, I will, and I will send them the resources, I'll follow up with them, and they get to take on all of like um more for their life or for themselves. So I act as um pro bono coach, if you want it. Because I, you know, I don't get paid for that except for that, you know, it it keeps retention if we want to look at it that way. But bottom line is I truly care and I feel like from their feedback, I make a difference uh with them. I have clients that call me about their kids, like or they will call me because there's something happening, like you have a minute, you know, and we'll talk about their family, the you know, issues that they have. And after the call, they will send us like thank you, you know, just allow me to vet has helped me to just calm down or you know, bring uh more peace into what I thought was this huge mountain. And uh, oh, you know, hey, you taught me about this class, I attended the class, and um, you know, I'm at a different stage. So that's how I it gives me joy to come to work knowing that I can be that you know, clearing for people, quote unquote. Like I just get to I I'm there with them. I just like somebody told me yesterday, um, you leave, yeah, like like you were leaving what you're doing. You were just so focused when you're working that it's like it's it's a different person standing there um in the room with me. So and I I just take it as a blessing that I'm able to, people are able to relate to me like that, because that's really what I just want to be. I just want to be a medium. Even before I start working, I my prayer is always like, please, you know, universe, God, whatever, just allow your healing to pass, to use me as a medium. So whatever they came for, they can get because that's what I want to serve. That's the I I always ask them, how can I be of service to you? That's what I feel like I am. I want to be a contribution to bringing peace, to bringing love and hope to people. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:27

You know, I what I really hear in what you're sharing is like caring. You cater for people. And I think I interviewed a couple weeks ago uh an executive director of a not-for-profit who does work in Africa or supports organizations doing work in Africa. And uh, we talked about the difference between supporting people and just caring for them. And and and when you, you know, if we if we choose to believe, and I do, that when we're just out here in the world caring for people, providing what's wanted and needed, the money will show up, the money will flow. But it's it's it's just a function of reciprocity, right? Right. But it really what's what's doing the leading is your your heart, your care for people, and and the commitment that you have getting expressed through your work, whatever you know, your work is. And and I think that's like it's it's just so beautiful. Thank you. Yeah. Well, thank you for being someone who was willing, yeah, take something. It does. Yeah, especially as parents, you know, I think not that to diminish in any way single people who don't have families, like we've all got different commitments. Um, but I think you know, this whole conversation about being responsible and making sure you have safety and and you know, the illusion of security, because I think if COVID's taught us anything, that you know, really things are not certain. No. And um it's like to take the risk, to be willing to take the risk to follow your dreams. And and one of the things we get on the other side of it, Sophia, is the risk really isn't as big as we think it is, but you don't know that. You can't see that from here, right? You can't see it from the the space of comfort, right? From the space of comfort, the the leap looks massive, like it looks bigger than you could possibly imagine being, you know, it takes a real act of faith and courage, I think, to take that leap. And on the other side, I think looking back, I don't know if this has been your experience, it's like, oh, that that gap, that chasm wasn't really as big as I thought it was. It just seemed real big from the other side.

SPEAKER_03 35:51

That's right. That's right.

unknown 35:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:53

That's how, yeah. Just looking back, I'm like, did it take work? Yes, it did. Is it gonna require more work? Yes, it will. And it's not uh at the end of the day, it's um it's not as bad as we think it is. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 36:09

I was uh doing my reading in my Facebook group this morning, and the conversation was about like failure. And uh, you know, I'm curious to know your thoughts on this because when I look at my own business, like and what I'm up to in the world and the commitment I have. And um, one of the questions was like, at on a scale of one to seven, how how willing are you to risk to fulfill on what it is that you say you're here for and you're committed to? And and I think it's a very personal question. I but when I looked at it, I mean, I definitely have taken risks in my life to pursue my purpose and why I was created. But I had this experience of like, given the magnitude of the commitment, like I could probably risk more. Right. I could, you know, and I'm curious to know what are your when you look at, because I and I know you've taken some considerable risks along the way, but what are your thoughts on that idea of kind of leaning in more?

SPEAKER_03 37:11

I am a big risk taker. So and I think before having my daughter, my risk um tolerance was probably higher. Um, and with her, it's like I always keep on because I really want to be there with for her. I want you know create that work-life balance. And I uh so my I want I want big things that is true, and I know there is a sacrifice that comes with it. Now I am not willing to sacrifice time with her, so that reduces a little bit my appetite for risk. Uh so she's the deemer a little bit like and I I I enjoy I embrace that I because I choose that. I choose time with her and uh a quality time with her versus you know just going big, big, big, big, big and not seeing her. And then if I turn and then she's 18 and she's like, bye, mommy, I don't want that. You know, I want I want to be there for her. She asked me this morning, why do you have to work on Saturdays? And I was like, because everybody that's that needs to be taken care of is not working on Saturdays. So I have to go and be with them. And I promise, you know, as I the business expands, I will make sure to give you my weekends, you know, at least two or three. I I made that promise this morning to her because I know it matters for her that I am able to go to birthdays that happen on Saturdays and not miss all of them. So uh, yes, and I work around my schedule. So, in terms of race, to you know, short answer is uh I will I will continue to take risk, but keeping in mind that this little one also needs my attention.

SPEAKER_01 38:58

So great, right? It's all I think it's there's so many. What I'm getting in your sharing is there's so many, like as we move through different phases in our life, there's so many different like I had a friend of mine this week. There's so many different commitments that we have, and sometimes those commitments can can seem like they're in in conflict with one another. And I, you know, I really honor your your your commitment to spend as much time with your daughter as growing up as you can. I think that's beautiful, Sophia. But I wonder sometimes, right? Like if like what is it, like if we could be in the world and with no particular attachment to what the answer looks like with being with all of it, like I have these multiple commitments. How do I have all of it work and continue to grow and expand and you know, like to fulfill on what it is that I want? And uh I had a friend that she was going through a little bit of a trying to make a decision about whether to go on a trip or not. And one of her kids was going through a little bit of a rough time. And and I I said to her, Well, you it it seems like you have conflicting commitments, like you have this commitment to be there with your child, you have a commitment to your development to go for this training. What could it look like to fulfill both of those? Like if we gave up that there's any particular way it looks like to fulfill all the commitments, how could you fulfill your commitment to your daughter and fulfilling your commitment to yourself? Right. So I think that's a like for me, that's always been a very powerful, uh well, not always, but because there were times in my life where I didn't even have the awareness to think like that. But it's a very powerful way of being in life. Like in a world where anything's possible, right? I don't have to choose, and I can fulfill on now. What does that look like? Right. And I think you know, as a business owner, it looks like could look, you know, oh, we're gonna hire, and I know you've been expanding your staff, which I think is brilliant. Like I just watch her progress over the last couple of years since I met you, Sophia, and it's just amazing. Um, and you do keep leaning in and you do keep looking for the opportunities to expand and make a bigger difference, and and over time the scale of that difference will expand to whatever capacity you want it to, which I think is is beautiful. And um, yeah, yeah, yeah. I just uh I really want to acknowledge you and and thank you for being someone who's out in the world, being a demonstration for the people around you, for for your daughter, for for me, you know, of what it looks like to live a created life. Because that, you know, the you didn't articulate it necessarily that way, but that is the shared commitment that you and I both have is that people get to get that they can live a created life of their own design. And you're someone who's out there in life fulfilling on that commitment and being a demonstration of that. So just thank you so much for sharing yourself with us this morning for being on the show. I wish you the most successful reception tonight for the the relaunch of your spa and your brand new space. And in you know, one of these days I'm probably gonna have to get myself down to Columbia for one of your facials and all the treatment.

SPEAKER_02 42:18

And uh just uh I would love to have you here.

SPEAKER_01 42:22

Yeah, just thank you for for being part of my journey and for our ongoing and and evolving friendship and relationship, Sophia. Just such an honor.

SPEAKER_03 42:33

Likewise, it's a privilege knowing you. You are such an inspiration to me. It's like like you said, we've known each other for a couple of years, and I've seen also the progression, and it's like she can do it. I think I can try as well. So thank you for leading the path and uh for always being there. Like it doesn't matter whenever I call you, you know, I text you, you're like, sure, hey, yeah, we can get let's do something. So thank you, and thank you for giving me this opportunity today. It's really from the bottom of my heart. It's uh it's been a nod and a privilege. It's it's really good knowing you.

SPEAKER_01 43:10

I agree. I concur. It's pretty good knowing you too, Sophia. For those of you listening to this conversation this morning, just thank you for joining us. And you can find out about Sophia and her spa and the things that she's up to in the show notes. Have an amazing weekend, and we will see you next week.

SPEAKER_00 43:28

Thank you so much for joining us for this week's episode. For more information on the show and our extraordinary guests, check out whatwoodamberdo.com.