We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elaine Morrison a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Elaine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

I had been teaching Pilates for 7 years when I was offered the opportunity to work in a stock brokerage. I loved teaching Pilates and adored my clients but I was hungry for a new challenge. Working for a stock brokerage required me to obtain my series 7 and 66 licenses. I hadn’t studied or been in school for 20 years and it felt daunting to me.

I traded my athleisurewear for business casual and went to work and spent six months studying to take the series 7 exam. It was both challenging and at times boring to study and memorize day in and day out. I had so much riding on passing this exam as the management team was very skeptical that a Pilates instructor could pass them.

The day came to go to the testing center and take the 6-hour, 250 multiple choice question exam. I had taken a one-week review course to prepare and the last piece of testing advice was to close your eyes and take 3 cleansing breaths after every 10 questions. I decided it couldn’t hurt. At the end of the 6 hours, you submit the test and wait for the results to be calculated. It was the longest two minutes of my life. The screen flashed green that I had passed. I took the biggest exhale.

I stood up and went to the receptionist to receive my paperwork and I felt the tears well up in my eyes and stream down my face. I was proud of myself for pushing outside of my comfort zone and for pushing beyond all of my own doubts. In that moment I had given myself a gift, a reminder that I can persevere and do hard things even when so many people doubted me. It became the springboard for deciding to start my own business.

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.

In 2003 I watched my Dad nearly die of heart disease. He had two massive heart attacks and subsequent emergency quintuple bypass surgery. He continued to have heart attacks after the surgery and at one point was nonresponsive. He spent 56 days in the hospital and nearly died. He then had to completely rebuild his strength which he did a step at a time. I made a deal with him that if he would do his cardio rehab I would go to the gym and workout. I hired a trainer and fell in love with working out.

I had been working in the garment industry as a fully commissioned salesperson which was highly stressful. I decided to give it up and went to Pilates school. I wanted to help people take care of their health after watching my Dad nearly die. In 2006 I completed my 500 hours of training and went to work teaching pilates.

In 2013 I faced my own health challenge and was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and guttate psoriasis, both autoimmune disorders. I went in circles with doctors telling me there was nothing I could do but take medication and that I’d only get sicker. I went in search of my own answers, changed my diet, and reduced my stress and one by one my symptoms started to go away.

One of my symptoms had been hair loss. I read about collagen as a way to support hair, skin, and nails. I began adding it to my diet and my hairdresser noticed a lot of new hair growth. With no prior experience in consumer packaged goods, I decided to start a collagen water. I learned so many hard lessons trying to break into the beverage business. My product was copied by a large competitor who had received venture capital money. I ultimately decided to get out of the beverage space.

I pivoted to powdered collagen in 2019 just before the pandemic hit. I learned so much about e-commerce and being an Amazon seller and as of this writing I am closing the e-commerce portion of my brand.

My heart and passion is in teaching and encouraging clients to take better care of themselves. I believe that our health is our most precious asset. I noticed over the 17 years I’ve been teaching Pilates that I would hear women come to group classes and whisper about the many symptoms of menopause. They struggled to get clear information. The message in our culture is that there’s nothing you can do. This is just a “normal” part of womanhood.

When I gained weight and struggled with sleep as menopause approached I decided to look into the research. Again, like I had 10 years before I adjusted my nutrition and movement and I lost the fat and gained muscle.

I’ve created The Midlife Blueprint and I’m offering courses and group programs to educate and walk women through exactly what their body needs as they approach midlife. I’m a firm believer that menopause is a powerful transition, not an ending. I’m creating a community to support women in this time of life that is full of so much change.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I’ve said many times that entrepreneurship is a spiritual journey that takes you so far out onto a limb of discomfort and that’s where your growth begins. When you’re building a business you’re going to run up against all of your own self-doubt, false beliefs, and voices in your head. The work is getting beyond your own mind and all the people in your life who want to doubt you.

Resilience comes from not giving up on yourself. I think every entrepreneur has dozens of stories of wanting to quit. It’s choosing to put one foot in front of the other. When I went from selling a bottled beverage to selling powdered collagen online I knew absolutely nothing about e-commerce. I launched just before the pandemic began. When Los Angeles shut down and I couldn’t go to work teaching Pilates I decided to start learning all the technology. I had always told myself I’m not a techy person. I decided to just buckle down and figure it out. There were many, many moments I wanted to throw in the towel. I went to college before the internet existed. But, I persevered and didn’t quit even though I felt like I’d never get the hang of it. It’s paid off in spades. I understand many of the platforms needed to run an online business. As I switch from e-commerce to digital products I’m able to navigate the new technology with ease.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to learn in business and also life is when people show you who they are believe them the first time. This is a quote from Maya Angelou.

Over the past many years, I’ve hired consultants, attorneys, brokers, and freelancers. Many of them I kept. on for far too long. Their behavior clearly showed me they weren’t competent yet I gave them many chances to perform. I also often deferred to them because they were the expert in their field and not me. I often overrode my intuition and listened to their advice that I disagreed with on a gut level.

When it’s time to pivot in business or in life I have learned to trust that quiet inner knowing. It’s always been the best choice. I also see people for exactly what their behavior and actions are showing me. Based on those two criteria I make pivots in business and in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: elaine-wellness.mykajabi.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/elainewellness
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/elainewellness
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaine-morrison-12b7717/

Image Credits
Angelica Marie Photography