We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Wade Brill. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Wade below.
Hi Wade, thanks for joining us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?
I grew up in New York City, thinking I wanted to work in the fashion industry. All of my internships were in fashion, and it seemed like a glamorous world to be in. I also loved studying human behavior. My favorite courses were in psychology, sociology and anthropology.
However, I had a not-so-typical American college experience that changed the trajectory of my life and set the path for my professional career. When I was a junior, I was studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I was loving life–the adventure of living abroad, practicing my Spanish and meeting amazing people. Until one day, I discovered a swollen lymph node on the right side of my neck. After various tests in Spanglish, I was told, I had Hodgkins Lymphoma, a form of cancer. I flew back home to New York City and began six months of chemotherapy.
As if this life interruption at the age of 21 years was not brutal enough, about two months later, my mother suddenly lost her life to her 10-year cancer battle with Leukemia. These gut-wrenching life experiences taught me how precious our health, time and choices are on this earth.
After beating cancer and graduating from college, I was inspired to become a life coach. Already a pilates and meditation teacher, I wanted more education and tools on how to support people in taking charge of their own lives and well-being. I was passionate about helping people create alignment and fulfillment in their lives since we only have one mind, one body and one life to live. I look back on these life interruptions with gratitude because they taught me some invaluable lessons at a young age and motivated my life’s purpose.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I call myself a Mindfulness Coach because at the core of what I do with my 1:1 clients is to help them live “awake” and purposefully. Most of my clients are entrepreneurs who are highly motivated to create a significant positive impact in this world through their work while also craving life balance. Through our work together, we work on both the inner and outer work. For instance, my clients build more inner trust, confidence, self-acceptance and self-compassion while growing their businesses, finding their romantic partners and creating rituals that keep them grounded. Along the way, they build their toolkit of resources and tools they can use to help them thrive.
I also work with corporations, supporting leadership teams and company culture, managing stress, and building more resilience by heightening people’s awareness and managing their energy.
Most recently, I have loved offering individuals and groups silent retreat experiences because we need a quiet space to gain perspective in a world of noise and chaos. Conditions of silence support us in listening more deeply to our inner selves instead of the external world. Listening inwards is where we find true alignment to live on purpose.
My approach to bridging my New York City upbringing with no-bullsh*t energy with West Coast woo-woo vibes sets me apart from other life coaches in my industry. I hold a loving, grounded, nonjudgmental space while also not being afraid to challenge my clients so that they can connect to their authentic truth.
When people join my community through my newsletter, Instagram or the Centered in the City podcast, they get a taste of what it means to live life vulnerably and authentically. I love to demonstrate the real, raw and beautiful moments of everyday life. Life is full of unpleasant and pleasant experiences. Learning to grow our capacity to be with the whole spectrum of life is the key to staying centered.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Finding a community of people you can lean on is essential. Being a solopreneur can get lonely. I have found it necessary to get out of my head by having a community or many communities to turn to for brainstorming, feedback and support. People in your community can sometimes see things you can’t as a business owner. Hearing their words of wisdom and feeling their support boosts me anytime I swirl in doubt or analysis paralysis.
More specifically, to thrive in the coaching industry, it is vital to ensure that you are walking your talk. If you are not aligned with your values or what you preach, it can affect your business and the trust you create with your audience.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
The entrepreneurial journey always requires resilience. Like many people, the pandemic created a rupture in my business. I usually taught and facilitated workshops and speaking engagements in person. However, during the pandemic, I had to beef up my technology and creative skills to make my workshops still feel intimate, engaging and powerful. One lesson I learned is that just because we are in “tiny zoom boxes” doesn’t mean we have to be confined to thinking in the box. I would sometimes instruct my attendees to go on a scavenger hunt in their space and use it as a mindfulness exercise. I also reached out to other facilitators to crowdsource best practices. Asking for support and willingness to try experiments is so important in running a business and staying resilient with the ever changing times.
Right now, with the introduction of AI tools, I need to be open and curious about how this can support and enhance my business and impact. I am leaning into the same best practices of engaging trusted community support.
Contact Info:
- Website: wadebrill.com/
- Instagram: @OneWade
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wadebrill/
- Other: https://www.centeredinthecity.com website for mindfulness and holistic self-care practices
Image Credits
Mackenna Lewis