Today we’d like to introduce you to John Quirk.
Hi John, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
From Corporate Chaos to Calm (With a Few Dirt Roads Along the Way)
Ten years ago, I walked away from my last corporate job in New York City. At the time, I was a television producer and journalist—living on deadlines, caffeine, and the desperate hope that Friday would arrive before my nervous system fully imploded.
Like many people in high-stress careers, I was “successful” on paper and completely fried in real life. I was surviving for the weekend, not actually enjoying my days. Eventually, I had to ask myself a very uncomfortable question: Is this sustainable?
(Spoiler alert: it was not.)
So I asked a better question: What actually brings me peace and joy?
The answer showed up immediately—and loudly: yoga.
I dove headfirst into teacher training and spent the next two years obsessively learning how to become the best yoga teacher I could be. I taught everything—group classes, privates, workshops—and eventually had a wild thought: What if I took this deeper? That idea turned into my first retreat in Costa Rica with a group of students.
That trip cracked something wide open.
Retreat life allowed space for the bigger questions I’d been circling for years—meditation, breathwork, metaphysics, and the radical act of slowing down long enough to actually be present. The experience was transformative not just for the people who attended, but for me. I realized I could travel, teach, and build something sustainable—without burning out the way I had in corporate life.
Soon after, I followed a lifelong dream and moved to California. Not long after that, I officially launched SoCal Wellness Retreats, which recently passed its seven-year anniversary (a milestone that still surprises me).
In the early days, the retreats were… let’s call them rustic. Weekend experiences held at a ranch in the middle of nowhere outside San Diego. Think dirt roads, no cell service, and more than a few guests wondering if they’d accidentally joined a very polite cult.
But those retreats worked.
They were approachable, affordable, and accessible for people who wanted meaningful transformation—without flying halfway around the world or diving into anything that felt too woo-woo. And they were accessible for me, too.
The first few years were challenging and deeply rewarding. I did everything. I cooked the food. I made the beds. I hauled the trash at the end of the weekend. There wasn’t much money in it, but there was a lot of heart. I knew I was building something special.
Eventually I would level up to some nice airbnbs but finding the right properties was challenging and I would essentially have to turn the property into a retreat as many things weren’t there that we needed. It was, still, a labor of love. I would have to put deposits down and pray I could sell the spots. It deeply tested my faith in myself and the universe.
At my busiest, I was running up to ten retreats a year—which feels slightly unhinged in hindsight. Then COVID hit, and like many businesses centered around travel and community, everything stopped. It was a tough chapter. I went back to teaching yoga and private clients, while quietly holding onto the vision of what SoCal Wellness Retreats could become once the world reopened.
When it did, I returned to my roots—leading retreats again in Costa Rica and Bali, while also hosting five to six retreats a year back in San Diego. Things picked up, but I made some hard-earned lessons along the way—especially around scaling and marketing. Creativity came easily. Sustainability? Not so much.
I tried different marketing solutions and spent over $100k on things that didn’t work. I call it my custom MBA.
That forced another honest reassessment.
What I realized was simple but powerful: the part of my work I loved most was one-on-one and small group coaching—helping people reduce stress, regulate their nervous systems, and build healthy habits, especially in the morning and evening when the brain is most receptive.
It felt like a key sliding perfectly into a lock.
Coaching grew quickly through my existing network of people who already trusted me. And in a full-circle moment, I found myself back in corporate environments—not as a stressed-out employee, but as someone helping teams manage burnout, improve focus, and work better together using tools like meditation and breathwork.
Now, the ecosystem feels aligned. I still run retreats. I coach individuals and leaders. I bring nervous-system education into businesses. And I still get to travel—this piece is being written from Bali, fresh off wrapping a retreat with an incredible group of humans.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned? The work only works if I practice what I teach.
As an entrepreneur, no one tells you when to stop working. The regulation, presence, and balance I guide others toward are the very things that allow my own business—and life—to function. When my nervous system feels steady and inspired, everything else tends to fall into place.
I’m grateful for the early struggle. It taught me resilience, patience, and how deeply I wanted to make this path work. The story is still unfolding, and I’m excited for the next chapters—bigger stages, wider reach, and continuing to help people remember that slowing down isn’t a weakness. It’s a superpower.
As you know, we’re big fans of SoCal Wellness Retreats. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
SoCal wellness retreats is still at its essence built to be away for people to receive health and support in a way that is accessible, anchored in community, and a lot of fun. I think in a world where many folks try to tell you that they have the one silver bullet answer to your challenges. I’m very transparent with people that I may not. I authentically walk the path of all the things that I teach and share. I offer a lot of good science and Auntie total evidence, but I also advocate for people to explore for themselves. What works from the buffet of options that I share with them. I don’t believe there is one correct way up the mountain and because I’ve been so open to different approaches over the years I’ve built a strong trust and following with the people that are in our community. I’ve also quietly helped a lot of people without asking for any thing in return. I’ve given out plenty of free Retreats spots, hours of free coaching, and made resources accessible to people as often as I can. I am a huge believer in community and karma. My most proud of the fact that I’ve never had to sacrifice my integrity to pursue my passion of helping people and also building a business around it. I’ve had tons of people tell me that the work I’ve done with them has changed their lives and even a few have told me that it saved their life..
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Being authentic is hugely important to me. So is being of integrity. I have at times been guilty of looking at what other people were doing or tried to emulate myself around people that I respected. I think it’s fine to be inspired by certain character traits of others, or to be inspired by their journey, but ultimately we have to forge our own path and be willing to say no when certain things, people or places just simply aren’t a fit. I’ve also found a way to define what I do, who it serves and what it’s worth so that I’m able to run my business in a way that is aligned and also takes care of my needs, which is important.
Pricing:
- Coaching $6,000+
- Retreats $777+
- Corporate wellness $3,000+
Contact Info:
- Website: Socalwellnessretreats..com
- Instagram: @socalwellnessretreats
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/socalwellnessretreats
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@socalwellnessretreats8926?si=k8wssrm_AjeAZgUx
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