We were lucky to catch up with Julia Brunner recently and have shared our conversation below.

Julia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

With each passing year, I grow more grateful for my parents and the unwavering love and support they have shown me throughout my life. They got many things right—teaching me the importance of kindness, responsibility, and treating others with respect. However, when it comes to my entrepreneurial journey, my dad has been my greatest teacher. Through his own path as an entrepreneur, he showed me that bringing a heart-centered vision to life requires discipline and consistency.

When I was little, my dad started a small softball tournament, bringing together my sisters’ team and eleven other Michigan teams for a one-day event. His goal was simple: to give young athletes an opportunity to learn, compete, and enjoy the game. What started as a local tournament soon grew into something much bigger. Inspired by its success, my dad expanded the event into a weekend-long competition, added more tournaments, secured sponsorships, and eventually built it into a tournament series with over 300 participating teams.

Though the tournaments themselves lasted only a few days, I saw firsthand the work he put in behind the scenes—marketing, scheduling, communicating with coaches and parents, and building a reliable team of umpires, field maintenance workers, and site managers. His dedication to the process created a positive experience for hundreds of families. Watching him turn a simple idea into a thriving business taught me that success isn’t just about having a vision—it’s about putting in the daily work to make it a reality. His example continues to shape my own approach to entrepreneurship, reminding me that with passion, persistence, and a commitment to excellence, anything is possible.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I spent the first twenty-two years of my life ensuring everything looked good on paper, and this pursuit of perfection was amplified during my university years. I was an All-American collegiate swimmer with academic and athletic accolades. I held leadership positions within my athletic department and graduated with two degrees and a 3.91 GPA. On paper, everything was going *swimmingly* (ba-dum-ch).

On the inside, however, I was riddled with anxiety, lacked a true sense of direction, and I constantly sought external validation for my decisions. With each week that passed after my graduation, these feelings intensified. With nowhere to turn and a stubborn streak that made it difficult to ask for help, turned to a local meditation group at the beginning of 2023, hoping that I could quiet my mind for at least two seconds. The little glimmers of total presence, though fleeting, encouraged me to keep practicing, so I committed to going to the group weekly. Each meditation session, I kept catching these glimmers of presence, until one day, after two months of consistent practice, I had my first breakthrough- an experience that completely changed the trajectory of my life. I find it hard to put this breakthrough moment into words, but in that instance, I had the understanding that there is something beyond the mind and body- something worth exploring and sharing with others.

Learning the Lotus, is an extension of that exploration. My mission is to share meditation practices, philosophy, and insights, along with somatic tools, that help others cultivate inner peace, self-trust, subconscious transformation, and personal and spiritual growth.

I specialize in facilitating meditation and somatic practices, as well as educating others on the topics of yogic philosophy and theory, breathwork, and mindfulness. Right now, my focus is on building my brand, refining my skills, and building a strong foundation so that I can best serve my future clients and community. As my work evolves, I aspire to collaborate with businesses, individuals, sports teams, and children, as well as host group events, to share the meditation and somatic tools that align with the mission of Learning the Lotus.

What sets me apart is my ability to bridge both scientific and spiritual approaches to meditation, meeting people wherever they are on their journey. I understand firsthand what it is like to be burdened by anxiety, insecurity, and lack of clarity. My goal is to make meditation approachable for others, whether they view the practices and philosophy through a scientific, spiritual, or practical lens. By sharing the tools that have transformed my own life, I am to help others create profound shifts in theirs.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

“The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle, “Consciously Live What You Feel” by Terrance G. Swejkoski, The Conscious Clarity Center (website: consciousclaritycenter.org), “The Four Agreements” by Miguel Ruiz, Paramahamsa Vishwananda, Thinking Bhakti podcast, The Gabby Rosely Podcast, Bela Divine

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Apart from training and knowledge, having structured systems is vital to the success of a soul-driven business. I first learned this piece of advice from Bela Divine, so while I cannot take credit for it, it has dramatically shifted my approach to business.

Passion and creativity are essential, but without organization- clear workflows, marketing strategies, and structured ways to share your message with the world- you will not maximize your impact. Your perspective and your life experiences set you apart from others in the industry and create your unique voice; that is intrinsic to you. Systems and structures, however, don’t always come naturally to people, so learning these skills- whether on your own or with a coach- is crucial. Structures help translate your unique voice, ideas, and practices into something accessible and actionable for others, ensuring your message reaches the people who need it most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://learningthelotus.com/
• Instagram: learningthelotus
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@learningthelotus

Image Credits

Katie Heller
Rob Tomlinson
Karen Swejkoski (Conscious Clarity Center)