We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Heather Neff. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Heather below.
Heather, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
The risk I took was starting my business Heather Neff Wellness. To take on this endeavor I had to leave my super secure but also super toxic job as a server which felt incredibly risky considering I would be taking a large initial pay cut as I created momentum. Not only was the financial burden a risk but I also clung to the comforts of my hospitality community, my addictions, and my identity. I knew in my bones that these had to shift if I were to be the face of this new business but I had a really hard time letting go of my attachments. I could no longer casually drink beers every night, sleep in until 10am and pretend that it was normal if I wanted to represent a wellness business and teach yoga. As I began testing the waters I felt judged and like I couldn’t relate with my co-workers as I was stepping into something that served my soul instead of just paying my bills. Life was inviting me to step up, not only for myself but also to help spread more support and wellness to others, and it wasn’t easy. I had to put myself out there and make my marketing more bold and seen, I literally had to reveal myself on a much more vulnerable scale and step into a role that changed the way I related to myself. The whole experience was incredibly spiritual, and that is what gave me the inspiration and the confidence to keep going even when it felt incredibly uncomfortable. Looking back now, 5 years ago, I barely even recognize myself as a person. I have completely evolved and wholeheartedly embodied the practices that I preach on multiple levels, cleaned up my addictions, and built an entire new community and business within the wellness industry, in a very short period of time. Now I am the co-owner of a beautiful boutique retreat and wellness lodge in the green mountains of Vermont as well as running my personal business on the side where I work directly with clients to guide them on their own paths towards consciousness. This is my life’s work, it is very clear, and without taking that initial risk to leave the comforts and attachments of my past I wouldn’t be here today.
Heather, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a Conscious Living Guide. I work with the wisdom of Ayurveda, yoga practices, and my own intuition to inspire others to live more consciously, feel balanced with their mind and body, and help them to share their higher purpose with the world. I curate unique and transformative retreats, lead online seasonal cleanses, work 1:1 with clients through consultations and mentorship, and teach yoga classes. Teaching is in my blood, it just took me a while to direct my purpose as I also have a zest for living the good life and enjoy time off for travel and simply being. I value autonomy so having a boss always felt a bit…off. I have a degree in Art Education, I am a certified yoga teacher, and teacher of Ayurveda. I worked in hospitality for a decade so that I could make easy money, travel, and be a ski bum, but my purpose kept knocking at my door and the more I ignored it the louder it got. I eventually burned out and suffered from anxiety mostly caused from alcohol abuse and other addictions that are normalized in the restaurant culture. Now I help others get out of similar situations, and discover their purpose. I got into yoga and Ayurveda by choosing the most intense and strict WWOOF’ing placement in Kauai, and underwent a major cleanse and rebirth. I had no idea what Ayurveda was but I knew I needed some discipline to help me get clear and work through unhealthy attachments I was dealing with at home. Turns out my intuition knew all along because almost ten years later Ayurveda and yoga are the pillars of my life. I would be completely lost without their knowledge and wisdom. What sets me apart from others is my authenticity. I find I am pretty relatable, and I share what I have learned from my own path without shaming or marketing towards others “pain points” which in my opinion is a toxic element of the modern wellness industry. I don’t want to relate to others on a level of pain, I want to relate to them on a level of their potential, on what is possible for them to live a more wholesome and vibrant life. I create all of my own marketing and branding myself, and I absolutely love this part of the process. My intention with design is to create a vibe and an aesthetic that my clients can feel into. I believe this represents who I am more creatively than a list of my “help statement” or “what you get from my product” essay. Selling and launching is super fun for me and I love sharing my gifts with the world, I feel blessed that it comes this easefully, but when you are in alignment with what you sell and truly believe in its wisdom it feels as natural as breathing. I am most proud of following my heart and creating a unique and innovative path in a world where it can be damn easy to just take the simple job or follow the status quo.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
When I started HNW I also worked part time as a manager at a local yoga studio in town. When covid hit I was let go and our in person classes that I taught were put on hold. Without skipping a beat I quickly pivoted to online classes. The panic surrounding my community (and our world) was tremendous and palpable and I felt immediately called to pivot my offerings and make myself available for providing a space for folks to become present, breathe, move a bit, and connect. I immediately began teaching online yoga and offered about 8-10 classes per week of varying lengths and instruction. I had the option to do this through the studio I was teaching for but opted to teach most of these classes through my own business. It was the best decision I made and ended up being incredibly lucrative! I was making 3-4x more a week for online classes than I was managing a studio and teaching classes there. I instantly saw the benefits of using my own voice for marketing and began putting more energy into sharing my classes via Instagram. It rocked and showed me that anything is possible.
How’d you meet your business partner?
Well, my business partner is also my life partner/boyfriend. We were each searching for a partner who shared similar interests, values, and a desire to bring more love and light into the world. We both wanted someone who could mirror for us where we had opportunity on our paths to deepen and evolve, as well as work through our karmas. It was very clear once we began sharing our desires that we were meant to be together and fulfill such large endeavors in our lifetime. We met in the yoga studio I managed, we were both attending another teachers class, (which feels important to say lol)…and he was one of my biggest advocates of leaving my serving job behind to share my gifts with the world. Our relationship has had a tremendous impact on my personal business and our shared business as he was able to show me something I could not yet see in myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.heatherneffwellness.com/
- Instagram: heatherneffwellness
Image Credits
Ali Kaukas Danielle Visco