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

Lauren, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I came into this world wanting to perform. I grew up dancing, singing, creating stories and shows, movement and storytelling was my language, my way of relating to the world and expressing myself. I knew I wanted a career in the arts so I moved to New York out of high school to study dance performance and musical theater at the Alvin Ailey School & Fordham University at Lincoln Center. Right out of college, I started performing with professional dance companies and soon moved to Broadway National Tours, Radio City Music Hall, and then into Broadway itself. Along the way, I was always curious in how I could best support my physical body and mental health while performing, so I became a personal trainer and then Holistic Lifestyle Coach, to support myself more than anything else, but it quickly became half of my working hours, I loved it so much!

I was always curious, always seeking better ways to improve my health, physically/mentally/emotionally. I wanted to keep raising the bar, to be the become the best version of myself, and also…. to get out of my own way! I knew that I had a purpose in the world, and I wanted to “biohack” my health potential and feel as amazing as possible.

When the pandemic hit, Broadway shut down and I had to quickly pivot into supporting myself full-time through health coaching and personal training. It was such a huge passion of mine, I truly lived it day in and day out, and knew that someday, when my body couldn’t handle performing 8 shows a week anymore, I would transition fully.

That transition came sooner than expected, because when Broadway started to remount and the world came out of shutdown, I was restricted from returning, due to prior health history and my own health beliefs. The career that I worked my entire life to achieve and succeed at was gone in an instant, almost erased overnight.

I was hurt, frustrated and confused, and certainly could have chugged along with my “why me” sob story of a twinkly job on Broadway suddenly being no more. I was grateful and lucky to have had the opportunity I had, but with my incredibly disciplined and determined work ethic, I was absolutely crushed.

I always believed in going with the flow, the least path of resistance. Though I was angry that something so precious could be taken away from me, I had perspective. The world was hurting, and this was my chance to step into something greater. To adapt and be resilient and forge a new path.

I stepped fully into my mission as a health educator and provider, with the goal of teaching others how to truly support their metabolic and mental health, what the world needed more than ever.

Today I am thriving in my business, and doing what I’m told is “changing lives” every single day. Helping men and women of all ages become their most vibrant selves, getting out of pain, avoiding chronic diseases and medications, losing the weight they could never lose, and feeling truly resilient.

I never thought this work could fulfill me as much as standing on a Broadway stage in front of thousands of people every night could, but it does.

There is still pain from the lack of choice that I had, though I did have choice. I choose the path that surprisingly opened right before my eyes, the path that I knew would fulfill me for the rest of time, and that could give back to humanity in a really powerful way.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, Holistic Lifestyle Coach, CHEK Movement Practitioner, and Prep & Integration Coach for Plant Medicine.

I help clients to improve their energy, mood, metabolism and healthspan through diagnostic testing, data quantification, and mindset optimization. I bridge the gap between conventional medicine & physicians, and the educated health consumer/advocate.

My clients come to me when they feel stuck, gaslight by their doctors, or when they have seemingly tried everything but nothing is working.

I have lived in NYC for the past 22 years, but now work completely virtually with clients all over the world!

In addition to 1:1 Health Coaching, I co-host a podcast with my sister, Renee Belz, called The Biohacker Babes, which educates and empowers YOU to be your own best guru.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Trusting in the power of referrals. Get your clients to feel AMAZING, and they will tell everyone they know! My business relies primarily on past and current clients spreading the word.

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

Continually working to improve my own well-being, including my mental & spiritual health, has been a huge asset to me as I continue to grow my business. This work helps me to show up as a better educator to my clients, but also as a better listener, compassionate servant, and more relatable human being.

Plant medicine has been a huge growth tool in my journey, helping me to get out of my own way, address mental blocks and blindspots, and step into my power. I know use this is my coaching work for clients that feel stuck or can’t take the next step forward, despite knowing what they should be doing. I don’t believe plant medicine is for everyone, but every day I witness immense progress in my client’s health goals simply by their willingness to look into their traumas and their subconscious. This type of emotional work goes deeper than traditional talk therapy, and is an essential part of a wellness journey.

I studied this work through the Third Wave and their Coaching Certification Program, and now work as a Practitioner of Mycology Psychology, a network of therapeutic practitioners supporting a comprehensive healing journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.laurensambataro.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lauren_sambataro
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/biohackerbabes
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-sambataro-and-renee-belz-0197671b1/
• Twitter: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjOq6PhmvaCAxWUrokEHTggAt8QFnoECBEQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fbiohacker_babes&usg=AOvVaw0POGIfhfsJcnvEGuQE7mpe&opi=89978449
• Youtube: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiz14L4mvaCAxVRC3kGHdplB8cQFnoECA4QAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fm.youtube.com%2Fhashtag%2Fbiohackerbabes&usg=AOvVaw16LIYvuIoNq2wrOGHNGd2u&opi=89978449

Image Credits
Herby Joseph Lauren Listor Eric Snell Travis Curry