Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Chetaud.
Nicole, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Yoga is the throughline of my story. I discovered it and became a dedicated practitioner in 2001 at 28 years old when I moved to La Jolla, Ca. The Bikram studio was located in downtown La Jolla, and a friend from my time living in O’ahu recommended it when we discussed his massive physical and emotional transformation. I had no idea what to expect, as every yoga class I had tried before it had been unheated and slow-paced. Needless to say, that first yoga class was unexpected, impossibly challenging, confronting, uncomfortable…and I absolutely loved the way I felt after it! That class truly was the beginning of my journey into yoga practice, becoming a yoga instructor, teaching all over California and Hawai’i, moving to Marin, and ultimately how I met my then-husband, which lead to marriage and having my only daughter. Flash forward to 2009, I was divorced and moved temporarily to Paso Robles, Ca to stay with family with my infant daughter as I tried to recover and rebuild my life. I stumbled upon a studio in San Luis Obispo, Ca where the instructor worked at MINDBODY, Inc. For those who aren’t familiar, MINDBODY, Inc. is the software solution industry leader for entrepreneurs in the yoga, wellness, beauty, and fitness space. I was familiar with it as an instructor and client for many years while teaching and practicing Bikram yoga. I immediately applied for the first open role I could find, and long story short – was hired to run their premiere client education event, MINDBODY University (MBU). In less than 1 year, I grew the event from 2 struggling locations to 8 thriving, fully booked events in New York, LA, San Luis Obispo, London, UK, and Sydney, AU. I not only sold, marketed, directed each MINDBODY University (MBU) event but became a consultant and core faculty member, delivering over 10 presentations at 8 events a year for 5 years. MINDBODY University (MBU) grew my audience, client list, and my reputation as a consultant who was empathetic, business-savvy, dynamic, results-oriented, and understood the industry inside out. I became a sought-after business consultant with a 6-figure business for over 10 years with clients around the world who owned yoga, fitness, beauty, and wellness studios. I’ve worked with well-known brands such as the Dailey Method, Bikram Yoga (over 40 studios worldwide), The Bar Method, Modo Yoga (formerly Moksha Yoga), Unplug Meditation, and thousands of boutique, franchise, and multi-location brands. I’ve taught on stages all over the world for Yoga Journal, Wanderlust, MINDBODY BOLD, and at private client retreats. In 2018, I created and developed a highly successful online course, The Profitable Studio Method, based on over 10 years consulting with thousands of fitness/yoga entrepreneurs, which has been a game changer for over 3000 clients worldwide. Currently, I’m sought after as a thought leader by software founders on industry trends, user experience, product, client needs, customer success, leadership, and business development. My clients have included BrandBot, Perkville, FitGrid, Momence, and Airclub.
At this time, I’m a wellness advocate for entrepreneurs. My work centers around helping entrepreneurs prioritize wellness so they can thrive in life and business.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
For many years, it was almost like the path was being laid out for me. The more I followed my love of yoga and entrepreneurship, the more I succeeded. I also was fortunate to have an incredible mentor and friend who taught me the foundation of business consulting in this space. My challenges and struggles along the path were more personal in nature. In the midst of building MINDBODY University, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at 39. For a year, I went through intense cancer treatment, inclusive of radiation, chemotherapy, and abdominal surgery, as a single mother to my then 4-year-old daughter and working for MINDBODY. The team at MINDBODY were incredible in their support for me, my family, and my career. I’m forever grateful to the leadership of Bob and Beverley Murphy, Rick Stollmeyer, and my MINDBODY University team during that time for the encouragement, love, and belief in me. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Later in my journey, my daughter was diagnosed with a rare seizure disorder which required multiple medical appointments with dozens of specialists, hospital stays, tests, and ultimately, a flight to Texas for a specialized brain surgery. This was in 2017, about 2 years after I relocated to Marin County, Ca. Although extremely stressful and frightening, I’m grateful for the consulting work and my clients, as it provided the flexibility I needed during a time where I was needed 100% in my daughter’s life. Then as a final blow, I was diagnosed with mast cell activation syndrome due to hidden exposure to toxic mold in our home, which we lived in for 7.5 years. One symptom turned into 30 unrelated issues which went undiagnosed and misunderstood by over 30 doctors, specialists, and functional MDs. I went from being 100% healthy to completely disabled in less than a year. I was finally correctly diagnosed after 2.5 years of decline and am now fighting to get my wellness back on a very long road of healing and detox. It has been during this health challenge that the pandemic hit and negatively affected my practice as many of my clients went out of business, closed, went bankrupt, or chose other careers. My business is just starting to come back as the world opens up more, new business owners have come into the space, and wellness is front and center in the collective consciousness.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Wellness is Wealth?
I’m known as a wellness advocate for entrepreneurs. After overcoming and healing from 3 devastating, life-changing health challenges while coaching entrepreneurs on business strategy, I’ve become a thought leader who helps entrepreneurs prioritize wellness in their quest to succeed.
9x out of 10, entrepreneurs literally burn their health down in the pursuit of success, winding up with mental, physical, and emotional health issues that just get worse and ignored as they prioritize everything else over their wellness. Many of them don’t know where to start, how to balance running a business with a wellness practice, or why this is critical to their success (let alone their lives)! They fail to see that all the money, success, and notoriety won’t matter if they are sick, unhappy, and chronically stressed while pursuing or achieving it.
There is no amount of money in the world that can buy back your wellness…anyone who has gone through cancer treatment understands this statement. Wellness cannot be bought; it’s something every person has to prioritize every day in many areas of life. It takes action, intention and needs to be a priority above and beyond any monetary or business goal. We only get one body and mind in this life; how we take care of it matters.
At a very basic level, how can one lead effectively from a place of chronic illness, emotional dysregulation, and loneliness? What many entrepreneurs fail to see is that the more they prioritize wellness, the more success follows.
What brings you happiness?
Being with my daughter Giselle, practicing yoga, spending time with friends and family, hiking, going to live theater, watching movies, heading to the beach, warm weather – all of these things make me happy. At my core, I love to be in community with people; I’ve always had a natural affinity for social connection – I’m deeply interested in the potential I see in each person. I’m not someone who can stay on the surface very long – as in small talk is not my forte – instead, I like to really get to know people and hear their story. People will often say that what I shared with them changed their lives. Truthfully, it’s more that I’m a very attentive listener and naturally intuitive. Practicing yoga and hiking are both ways I take care of my mind/body. Yoga has been the throughline of my life; it has profoundly helped me feel more centered, grounded, strong, and stable. As someone who loves being in nature, hiking is something that makes me feel energized, more thoughtful and is an invaluable way that I take care of my physical body. Film, movies, and watching live theater is so much fun – I love the imagination, the theatrical experience, and the way a story is told. The creativity is so inspiring! And my daughter? She is the light of my life. I truly love spending time with her. She brings so much joy, laughter, and sweetness…I feel very grateful that I get to be her mom.
Pricing:
- Retreats: $50 – $5000 per person
- 1:1 Coaching Packages: 3 months @ $1200 per month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nicolechetaud.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellnessisthetruewealth/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolechetaud/
- SoundCloud: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wellness-is-wealth-with-nicole-renèe-chetaud/id1640338341
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/43uRppguvy3AAVUTLDXh8i?si=dc276f8850b54798
Image Credits
Laurie Bishop
