We recently connected with Daisy Mollica and have shared our conversation below.

Daisy, appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was moving my entire life from Belgium to the U.S.—without a plan, a job, or any guarantee that it would work out.

It started when I was 21. I had just graduated with a degree in Business Management (major in accounting and taxes), and before starting my first “real” adult job back home, I took a trip to California. I signed up for an international language course—mostly because my mom wouldn’t have let me travel to the U.S. solo otherwise—and that’s when I first landed in San Diego. I immediately fell in love with it: the energy, the lifestyle, the sunshine. Something in me knew I wasn’t meant to go back. But I had a job waiting, and life was moving forward, so I did what I was “supposed” to do.

I ended up working at that job for about six years. But something always tugged at me—this feeling that I had left something unfinished in California. After my long-term relationship ended, I decided to go for it. I wanted to move to the U.S., for real this time.

I spent about a year applying to jobs online, trying to make something happen from across the world. Nothing stuck. Eventually, I just said, “F*ck it. I’ll go out there and figure it out.” I came with my bike and a suitcase. At the time, I was still in accounting and had been working in the cycling industry back in Belgium. I brought my bike to a local shop to get it assembled—and by complete coincidence, it turned out to be one of our old Ridley Bikes dealers. Even crazier? I had actually met the owner years before, during a previous trip to the U.S., through the Ridley USA rep I was staying with at the time.

I started riding with the staff from the shop, and they encouraged me to apply. I didn’t think it would lead to anything—he was a small business owner, and I figured the visa situation would be too complicated. But one day I just sent my resume. We talked, and to my surprise, he said he’d help me get a visa. That was the start of it all. Within the first month I was here, I had found a job. I joined the team, did the books and inventory, and eventually worked my way up to running the shop when the owner wasn’t around.

That decision—leaving everything familiar behind to take a chance on a feeling—changed the entire course of my life. How I transitioned from accounting to personal training and massage therapy is a whole other story… but it all started with that leap. Almost ten years later, I’m still here—running my own business as a personal trainer and massage therapist.

Another big risk I took was last year, when I partnered with another personal trainer to move into the online coaching space. We knew it was a completely different world from in-person training, so we invested a lot of money into business coaching to help us get started.

At first, it felt exciting and full of possibility. But as we got deeper into the process, things started to feel off. The coaching program didn’t really align with our vision or values—we were being taught to sell something we didn’t fully believe in, and that never works. We were doing everything “right” on paper, but it didn’t feel authentic. Eventually, I burned out.

We ended up pulling the plug on the whole thing in March of this year. It was a tough call, especially after putting in so much time, energy, and money. We did make back the initial investment, but also racked up some debt in the process because the online business had become our only focus.

The biggest lesson? Just because something looks like the next right move doesn’t mean it is. It reminded me how important it is to build a business that feels true to who you are and how you want to serve. Since then, I’ve refocused on in-person training and massage therapy—and it feels so much more aligned and fulfilling.

Daisy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a personal trainer, massage therapist, and energy worker based in Carlsbad, California—originally from Belgium. I moved to the U.S. in 2016, following a gut feeling I just couldn’t ignore. I had a degree in business management with a major in accounting and taxes, and while I was good at it, I knew deep down it wasn’t what I wanted to do forever. Still, it’s what got me a job out here.

Fitness wasn’t part of the plan initially—but it quickly became a huge part of my life. I had always been active growing up—group classes, Zumba, spinning, cycling, running—but I didn’t start lifting until my mid-20s. That changed everything. Once I started strength training, I began feeling more confident, powerful, and grounded in my body in a way I never had before.

In late 2018, my own personal trainer offered me an opportunity I hadn’t expected: he bought the gym we trained at and invited me to become part of the team. That opened the door for me into the fitness world, and I never looked back. It felt like everything finally clicked—I had found something I was passionate about and good at.

A few years later, I had surgery just before COVID hit—and my recovery was rough. I was on bed rest for weeks, and by the time I could move again, my body felt completely disconnected. Muscles that used to fire easily were inactive, others were overcompensating, and even holding a barbell felt foreign. I needed months of bodywork before I was ready to lift again—and that experience changed me. I realized how powerful hands-on therapy could be, and how deeply it supports the healing process. That’s when I knew I wanted to offer that kind of care to others, too. It’s what led me to become a massage therapist.

Today, I work mostly with women who are successful, busy, and juggling a lot—entrepreneurs, moms, and career-driven professionals who have put themselves on the backburner for way too long. They come to me feeling stuck, overwhelmed, uncomfortable in their skin, and unsure where to even begin. I help them reconnect with their body and build a lifestyle that feels strong, sustainable, and supportive—not punishing.

I offer personal training, massage therapy, and energy healing (like Reiki and craniosacral therapy), so I support clients physically, emotionally, and spiritually. A big part of my work is simply holding space. I’ve been told I have a calming energy—even though I absolutely have the mouth of a sailor lol—and people feel safe opening up to me. Whether we’re training, stretching, talking, or doing energy work, I meet people where they are and help them move toward where they want to be.

What sets me apart is that I’ve been through it too. I know what it’s like to not feel at home in your body. I’ve felt the disconnect, the frustration, the discomfort. And I also know what it feels like to rebuild—through movement, through healing, and through learning to trust yourself again. It’s never a straight line. There are ups, downs, and seasons. But I’m here to help people ride those waves with more confidence and compassion.

If there’s one thing I want people to know, it’s that you’re not broken. You don’t need to be fixed. You just need support, consistency, and a space where you feel seen and safe—and that’s what I offer in everything I do.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that doing everything “right” guarantees success.

For a long time, I believed if I just followed the steps—worked hard, stayed consistent, checked all the boxes—I’d get the result I was aiming for. That belief came from my background in accounting and numbers: if A + B = C, then do A and B, right?

But life—and especially business—doesn’t always work like that.

Last year, seven years into being a personal trainer, I partnered with another coach to launch an online coaching business. We hired a business mentor, invested a lot of money, and followed the “formula” we were given. We were told what to sell, how to sell it, what to post. We did what we were supposed to do… and it didn’t work. Not in the way we wanted it to.

We made some money—but also took on more debt (because of course we did). Worse, the whole thing felt off. We were trying to sell something we didn’t fully believe in, chasing someone else’s version of success, and that disconnect drained me. I felt burnt out, out of alignment, and completely exhausted. Eventually, we made the hard decision to walk away and return to the work we actually love—helping people in person, one-on-one, in a way that feels real and aligned with who we are.

That experience taught me that success doesn’t come from checking boxes or copying someone else’s blueprint. It comes from doing the work in a way that’s authentic and sustainable for you. Sometimes the “right” way isn’t your way—and that’s not failure. That’s wisdom.

It also taught me how important it is to listen to your gut—and your body. I pushed myself so far that I burned out, and my health started to suffer. I was dealing with constant fatigue, inflammation, and low energy for months. It wasn’t until I finally made the decision to step back, recalibrate, and get back into alignment that things started to shift.

Now, I make decisions from a place of intuition and integrity—not pressure or performance. And that’s made all the difference.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

After the online business didn’t take off and we officially pulled the plug earlier this year, I had to pivot back into in-person coaching and massage therapy.

The truth is, my in-person business had taken a hit. I had poured all of my energy into building the online side during the second half of 2024, so when that didn’t pan out the way we hoped, I had to start 2025 almost from scratch. To make things more stressful, I was also without a roommate for 2.5 months, which meant I was spending more money while making less than the previous year. It was rough.

But I’ve learned that when things fall apart, space opens up for something better.

Since then, some new opportunities have come my way—and I’ve said yes to a few. I started working one day every other week at Vital Touch Massage, inside Adapt Movement, where they primarily serve clients with spinal cord injuries, MS, and ALS. It’s a very unique and humbling client base, and I know it will make me a better therapist and human.

I’ve also been collaborating with Annette from Mauka Makai Mobile Massage, and we’re talking about how we can support each other’s businesses and create something meaningful together.

Things are still unfolding, but I have no doubt that the second half of 2025 is going to be a season of rebuilding and growth—and I’m excited to see where it takes me. I know we’ll bring something fresh and powerful into 2026.

This is my buckle-down season. Whatever life throws at me—or at us—I’ll find a way to move through it and come out stronger on the other side.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.daisymollica.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daisy_mollica (my account is currently suspended because I was hacked last week)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daisy.mollica/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daisymollica/
• Other: booking page: https://DaisyMollicaMassageTherapy.as.me/

Image Credits

Photographer Makenna Mullins under Making Magic Media (https://www.southerncaliforniaphotographer.com/)