Lindsay is an integrative nutrition health coach, blogger, and author releasing her first healing fiction novel in February of 2019. On a mission to empower women to speak up for their wellbeing, Lindsay is sharing her story and providing a safe space for her clients to heal. Facing hypothyroidism and general hormonal imbalance after having her first child, Lindsay wanted to get to the root-cause of her poor health. Experiencing the power of self-care, combined with exercising her throat chakra, Lindsay found a path to healing. In coaching, her goal is to create a supportive community for women who want to feel better, have more balance in their lives, and most importantly, be heard. In writing her first novel, Lindsay is utilising the power of story to bring hope and inspiration to those seeking their best life.
Hey Lindsay, can you introduce yourself to us?
Hi! I’m Lindsay, and I’m from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I’m married to my husband Josh, and we have two children, and our third child due in February. I’m an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and received my certification at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I started my health coaching practice, HeartSpeak Health, in June of 2016. On my website at heartspeakhealth.com, you’ll find my blog, free resources, and more about my upcoming book. I’m currently writing a healing fiction novel called ‘In The Lavender’ that is due out in February. Writing is my passion, but it wasn’t until I started the journey to resurrecting my health and wellness that I rediscovered this missing “food” in my life.
Can you take us through your journey to where you are now?
In the fall of 2014, my first child, Sully, was over 1 year old. At that time, I was having many symptoms including severe fatigue, blood sugar imbalance, hair loss, and cold hands and feet. I was told I had sub-clinical hypothyroidism. This basically meant that even though I was experiencing all the symptoms of hypothyroidism, my lab numbers weren’t quite showing I was hypothyroid. The endocrinologist told me that he couldn’t prescribe medication, but that I’d probably end up taking it in the future. Dissatisfied with what I was hearing, I decided to start researching the causes of an underactive thyroid and was determined to improve my condition by treating the root causes. I went on a bit of wild goose chase, but eventually found a holistic nutritionist and hired an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach to help me on my path to healing. The journey to healing that I experienced with my coach is what lead me to enroll at IIN, and becoming a health coach myself. I have been serving clients since June of 2016. I’ve done both individual and group coaching, and it’s been an amazing journey to help other women who are so much like myself. To be honest, it’s mutually healing. I always tell my clients that although I’m the coach, they are helping me just as much as I am helping them.
Writing is my passion, but it’s something that I pushed aside because I didn’t have the confidence to make anything of it. When I started my coaching practice, I knew I wanted to create an avenue for writing. Before I had my second child, Celia, in July of 2017, I launched my website and blog. After having her, I dug out notes that I had been taking that documented ideas and characters for a story that started unraveling several years ago. After going through my experiences with having my children, and overcoming challenges in my health, I felt ready to write it. In September of 2018, I started writing my novel. I’m enrolled in the course, Launch Your Dream Book, with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. My goal is to complete my book by February 2019, which is the due date for my third baby. I guess you could say that I like a good challenge! The truth is, once I revamped my wellness, my heart and brain won’t stop. I have so much to share and am excited for the opportunities ahead.
What is a day in the life of you like?
My husband and I are both able to be with our children in the morning, and we take turns getting our son to the bus for Kindergarten. Recently, my husband has wanted to be at home more, so he watches our daughter on Monday and Wednesday while I go to the juice bar we opened in January of 2018. I am currently working on getting a staff member to transition into a marketing and community development position. On Tuesday and Thursday, I have a sitter who comes over to watch my daughter so that I can meet with coaching clients, write, and manage marketing emails and social media for our juice bar. On those days, I can typically catch a class at our local gym or go for a walk. When I get home in the late afternoon/early evening, I put my phone in the bedroom and just focus on my husband and children. It’s really important to me to be present with my family. I notice my son gets anxious if my husband and I are distracted by work at home. We really make it a point to disconnect when we’re with him and our daughter.
Our children are thankfully good at bedtime and sleep pretty well. In the evening my husband and I catch up on everything, and we share household tasks. This is also my time to take a bath or do something to unwind from the day. If we’re lucky, we can huddle up on the couch or have time alone before falling asleep! We’re always ready for bed.
What was the concept behind launching Heart Speak Health?
When I was brainstorming what I wanted to call my coaching practice, I started doodling a picture of a girl from the shoulders up. She’s looking up and expressions are coming out of her mouth, but originating from her heart and passing through her throat chakra area. This doodle of mine would later turn out to be an existing piece of art by Jo Jayson of New York City. Jo painted Blue Whispers of Truth in 2009, and it’s the logo/ artwork on my website and business cards. I also bought a tapestry of it, which hangs in my office. I literally stumbled upon Jo and her work online, and the rest is history.
So, that was the inspiration, and what came to my mind was “Speak your heart. Heal your life.” The name HeartSpeak Health came to mind after that quote. Speaking my heart is exactly what I did with my health coach, Frederick. I would sit there and be a self-cleaning oven with him. Hearing yourself say what you want is a powerful thing, and that’s why I feel so strongly about health coaching. So many times, women especially will stuff down their expressions. I feel that they get trapped and create the anxiety and illness that so many of us have. The concept of sitting down with a loving and present person and feeling heard changes your life.
How is Heart Speak Health-funded, is it bootstrapped, self-funded etc?
This has been self-funded. I started with individual clients and then rotated doing a group coaching program. For a while, I was also a doTerra Wellness Advocate, so that helped me with funding my business too. I opened a credit card to help me with expenses that I didn’t have the cash for, and have been able to keep that paid off.
Can you tell us more about your brand DNA and ethos at Heart Speak Health?
The sentiment of my brand is experiencing freedom and wellness through self-expression. Seeking the truth in who we are and what we need creates long-term solutions for healing. How are you are helping your clients to gain their overall health, vitality, and have
How are you helping your clients find pure clarity of their own purpose on this planet?
What I have discovered in working with my clients is that each woman is sitting on top of her own buried treasure. My clients know what they need to do to gain their overall health, vitality and have clarity of their purpose. The problem is that they are either:
- A. unsupported/unheard at home because of having a poor marriage or poor relationships
- B. stuck in a soul-sucking career that takes over their life and blurs their identity or
- C. they have developed coping mechanisms with food, drinks, drugs, or self-deprecating habits due to having an unsupported or traumatising childhood. Through the process of utilising high mileage questions, a term coined by Joshua Rosenthal, I’m helping them uncover who they are.
The goal is for the client to do all the talking, and hear themselves say what they need to do to dig up their own treasure. As a side note, something exciting that I typically have happened is my clients quit their jobs and start new careers. There’s nothing more joyous to me than to get a text or a call from someone crying tears of joy because they walked away from a job or career that was at the center of their health issues.
Can you give us 3 useful tips to help us find our own path to wellness?
- My first tip is, to be honest with yourself in why you are doing different things that aren’t good for you. Why are you lighting up the cigarette? Why are you drinking the wine every night? If the answer is that you’re stressed or angry, then we need to address the trigger for the stress and the anger.
- My second tip is to find support when you decide you want to make changes in your life that will bring about wellness. Whether it’s an accountability partner at work, your sibling, or your spouse, it’s much better to have someone be with you on the journey.
- My last tip is to understand that the path to wellness is life-long. You don’t arrive at a place and sit down with a martini and you’re all done! (I mean, we should totally do that sometimes, but..) Deciding to be well needs to be forever. If people looked at wellness as more of just doing the little things each day that foster your best self, as opposed to a diet or wellness program that’s short-term, we’d see more of it. Complication runs rampant in the health and wellness field. My goal is to help others simplify their path.
Who does the team involve behind you Heart Speak Health?
Right now, I’m the one who is doing everything for the business with the exception of my tax accountant. My husband is on my team too. He will watch the kids when I need time to work or give me business advice when needed. He supports me in various ways, and that means everything.
Where can you see yourself within the next 3-5 years?
I can see myself being a published author who is writing more books in the Healing Fiction genre. I also see myself continuing my blog, and doing the more public speaking. The possibility of creating an online course is there too. I’ve considered different options such as offering a course that helps others tap into their creativity by first focusing on creating optimal health.
What strategies do you have in place when looking at the expansion of Heart Speak Health?
Lately, I haven’t been able to implement any strategies in expanding HeartSpeak Health. I’m at a maintain-rate with my coaching clients, as I’m focusing on completing my book. The book course I’m taking is providing us with marketing strategies for getting our books out there, so I’m following that. My husband and I opened a juice bar last January, which has taken far more of our time than we originally planned on. It was not supposed to be what it has become, so that’s caused me to have to delay expanding HeartSpeak Health…for now.
Can you tell us what areas you have struggled in professionally?
In recent times, I’ve been struggling with consistency. I’ve not been consistent with my blogging, videos, or social media posts. Again, my husband and I have had challenges within our juice bar we recently opened, and taking care of our growing family has had to take precedence too. Balancing family life with our business life has always been a challenge, but in recent times, I have really felt that struggle.
Have you ever had any other mentor? If so how has this benefitted you to grow?
What’s really wonderful about the health coach I have worked with, Frederick, is that he’s actually a business coach. He became certified in health coaching because of his wife being diagnosed with breast cancer, but he worked in the corporate world for many years and does business coaching. Frederick has helped me and my husband both in simplifying processes in our businesses, as well as taking necessary leaps with hiring, marketing, and business structure.
What outlets do use to market your Heart Speak Health?
I’ve really just been using my social media outlets such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. I have a YouTube channel, but again, I’ve not been consistent with it. I was doing The Weekly Speak, and then I had to notify my followers that I would be taking a break from it for a bit. On social media, I share articles and info from my website, as well as create original posts across those outlets.
Which methods are you using to build your own support network?
I am a part of local female entrepreneur networks and small groups. These are mainly on Facebook, but I have several friends who are business owners. We get together or talk on the phone to discuss our challenges, and create opportunities to network and share services.
What do you believe are the common misconceptions about holistic health and how are you using your platform and voice to educate people more?
One common misconception regarding holistic health is that it’s centered heavily upon food. Physical food is important, but what I’m trying to do on my platform is spread the awareness of the fact that every area of our life feeds us. Our careers, physical activity, relationships, and spirituality are dubbed “primary foods” at the Institute for
Integrative Nutrition. Joshua Rosenthal, the founder of IIN, coined this term and belief that these four areas are very important to our nutrition. I also see women making fun of various aspects of holistic health (i.e. the food, the meditation, etc.) and I do see the humour. Trust me! This is especially true for moms because when you have children to take care of, it can be very difficult to make healthy meals and find time to rejuvenate at yoga or a meditation session. I totally get it. What I try to do in my blog and in my social media is make being healthy attainable and realistic. I focus on simplifying things and removing the pressures that I think many women feel when faced with making better lifestyle choices.
What is the best piece of business advice you have received to date?
I have to share two. The first is that consistency is king when it comes to starting and running a business. You just have to keep going at a steady pace and believe in the actions you’re taking. Having patience, and being willing to steadily work at it through the rollercoaster that entrepreneurship is will determine if you make it or not.
The other is to outsource the work of your business that you simply don’t want to deal with or can’t do. This is a popular topic from Denise Duffield-Thomas in her blog. It’s an investment up front, but you are getting relief from the tasks you dread. Being able to focus on the areas where you know your genius exists is vital to the success of your business.
What is the number 1 critical lesson you have learned in your career so far?
You can’t always trust everyone around you, but you can trust your own gut feelings. When something doesn’t feel right, then it’s not right. I’ve had that bad feeling in the past and tried to press on, but it always ends up being bad. As soon as your gut or intuition is reacting to a person or situation in a negative manner, it’s time to go.
How do you create an evenly balanced work and personal life?
I have become better at this by first setting boundaries. I have to set boundaries with people, as well as with technology. Who we surround ourselves with presents a major influence over what we’ll accomplish. I have always been a people-pleaser, so it’s taken practice and self-discipline to not overextend myself to others.
In regards to technology, it enables us to have our work with us 24/7, and although there’s convenience in that, there’s also a lot of trouble. My husband and I put our phones in our bedroom or somewhere away from us when we get home. That way, we are physically removed from the devices and can focus on the kids, having dinner, and just being together for a while. Organisation and self-discipline are really important in this too. We have our designated times and days to work, and we stick to that. If one of us needs extra time, we let each other know right away and plan for it. This leads to another point, which is communication. My husband and I are always checking in with each other so that there are no surprises.
It’s not always even, and sloppy days happen, but for the most part, we are pretty good at holding each other up so that we can do what we need to do.
The highlight of your career so far?
The highlight of my career has been getting positive feedback from the women I’ve coached. When someone tells me that they couldn’t have done something without my support, or they thank me for helping them make a change in their life, that’s the best part of what I do. I used to be a teacher, and I always loved getting feedback from students and parents when I made a positive impact on their children’s lives.
What gives you ultimate career satisfaction?
I guess this goes with the previous answer, but knowing that I’ve helped someone gives me the ultimate satisfaction. When I’m told that my support and influence made a difference in someone’s life, then I know I’m on-purpose.
What challenges have you seen to have been presented during the growth of Heart Speak Health?
The top challenge for me has really been the fact that I’ve had growth in this business at the same time as growing my family. Balancing the growth in both areas of life is very challenging.
Which other leading entrepreneurs and pioneering game changers do you also admire and why?
I absolutely love Denise Duffield-Thomas. Her practical and down to earth way of presenting the truths behind money mindset are what got me started in my own business. Everything she says clicks with me. I can also relate to her as an entrepreneur because she’s married and has three children while operating her business.
Her take on “babies bring abundance” completely changed my perspective on having more children. The truth is, even though there are challenges within having kids and running businesses, they push you to be your best self. My kids inspire me to go after my dreams because I want to show them that it can be done! I also admire Marie Forleo. My favourite thing about Marie is that she makes me feel more comfortable about the fact that I’m a multi-passionate entrepreneur. I love holistic health, writing, and coaching, and she gives you confidence that you can marry all of your interests while not appearing to be a flake.
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
I just read ‘Big Magic’ by Elizabeth Gilbert for the second time. I need the inspiration as I’m writing my book!
Top 3 go-to Podcast channels?
- ‘The Lucky Bitch Podcast’ with Denise Duffield-Thomas was the first one I would regularly listen to.
- ‘Write Now’ with Sarah Werner.
- ‘Writing Coach’ with Ann Kroeker.
How do you measure your own terms of success?
If I’m able to make a positive impact on other women, all while being able to be the mom and wife that I want to be, then I feel I’ve succeeded. My children and my husband are most important to me. I will not sacrifice our happiness and stability for something else.
Life is long, and I plan on being here a while. There’s going to be a lot of time for me to do certain projects or achieve goals that I have set. My children’s childhood and my marriage can’t be put on hold, but other things can be.
What does #BEYOUROWN mean to you?
To me, it means that we have to embrace and utilise our uniqueness while we’re alive. The things we yearn to do were put inside of us for a reason. At one time or another, many people have been discouraged from standing out or being different. The truth of the matter is that our weirdness or uniqueness is our greatest asset. No one sees the world like you do, and what the world needs is your perspective.
Twitter: @lindsay1koach
Instagram: @heartspeakhealth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartspeakhealth/
Website link: heartspeakhealth.com
