Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leigh Hurst. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Leigh, thanks for joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

So my background is Gerontology, which is the study of aging.

Back in 2012 when I started my business, I called it Awake and Aging. My idea was to teach people who were aging how to live differently so they did not end up in nursing homes.

My business suffered from 2012 until 2016 because people could not understand the concept of Awake and Aging.

Many people kept encouraging me to change the name since no one was understanding what the business did or what the name meant.

Finally, a very good friend of mine sat me down and talked very strongly to me that no one knew what the name meant except for myself. After a five hour discussion and Starbucks, I decided to reach out to the following that I had and have them help me choose a better name.

We came up with Purposeful Living, which honestly connects people to their purpose, while giving them the tools to become the better version of themselves.

The total name is Purposeful Living Healing Center. When people see that sign on the street they understand what that means kind of.

I work with so many different types of people. From people getting divorces to having cancer, changing careers, mindful parenting, guiding children, and teaching them sound healing. I work with couples on their sexuality and communication. I also help people with mindful transitioning, basically dying.

Leigh, 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 have a degree in Psychology and a degree and Social Work and also a Master Degree that is almost completed in Gerontology.
When I saw that social work was all about paperwork instead of putting more of the skills to use for people then I decided social work was not for me in that sense.

I actually attended a retreat where people were teaching about tantra and energy work. It was vegetarian and vegan and had about 100 people at this event.

When I learned how to help someone have a full body energy orgasm (Which I had studied sex and aging my whole life and never was taught this) I knew I had to open my own business to be a light in this world.

I have owned my business for 12 years in 2024.

There are thousands of people that I have helped with life’s struggles.

I always have a team of women who volunteer or intern for my business.

I have a pretty large international following.

I have been in the building. I am in right now for over 10 years. It was a meth house that had been caught on fire. At first there was no way I was going to move into that space. It took me about a month to get it all together once I said yes. I tell people if that building that was burned and on fire can transform itself into a healing sanctuary, We can also do the same.

The last night of fixing that building up a homeless man came up to me and said is this going to be your business? I answered yes. He said is it going to be my favorite business? I said I sure hope so! I said what is your favorite business? He said topless girls on roller-skates serving me hamburgers! I shook my head and told him that he was going to be the first person to see this building completed. He walked up to the building taking his knit cap off and gasped. He said is this (pausing) Church? I started crying because he could feel the sacredness of my building.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Yes. I had the belief that I had to have jobs for corporate America that paid decent so I could support my entrepreneur journey.

At one point in time, I had five jobs I was going to and running my business and still falling behind my bills.

People that I worked with kept encouraging me to take the leap and go into business full-time.

Of course, I was scared to death and fear held my feet to the floor at a nursing home that I worked at.

The Executive Director was completely out of touch with compassion for people and kindness. He constantly put me down and made fun of me in front of the staff.

I gave five years to that place. One day I went to ask him a question about the scheduling and he told me it’s the same schedule that’s been hanging up on the wall. I said that one from last year is the new one? He said it’s the same thing it’s not rocket science!

That was all I needed to get up the nerve to take him my resignation letter.

It was during Covid and I was doing jobs that were not mine to do. He was keeping Alzheimer’s patients locked up in the rooms for months and not letting them out and they could not understand why they were locked down.

In my exit letter I told him that our values and morals did not align with each other. He threw his hands up in the air and raise his voice to me. What do you mean our values do not align with yours? I said I don’t believe in keeping people locked in their rooms for three months, and having Alzheimer’s and not understanding what’s going on. He threw his hands up in the air and said see ya! I said hello Bob’s 14-year-old boy.

I left for lunch called my partner and he encouraged me to take the leap and standby my word and leave the job.

The Executive Director took me outside when I returned because you’re supposed to give a 30 day notice. He said I already listed your job on the website but I will consider taking you back if you want to have your job. I told him no thank you. He tried to put fear into me and tell me you’re not going to have health insurance and you’re going to suffer.

That was in January 20 2021 and I have been running my business full-time as a solo entrepreneur ever since!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Back in 2012 when I was starting this business, Facebook was completely different.

You would make a post and it would be seen by thousands of people.

In 2013 I had almost 18,000 followers and people liking my business page on Facebook.

Now you have to pay for everything and learn marketing tools to be good with social media is what people think. Or they think you have to hire someone to run your social media.

One of the things I can instantly say is, it’s about engaging with your following and asking them questions and having them run your post with their answers. I have a very successful empowering women’s group and they look forward to the daily questions so they can connect with each other.

Also, don’t make it so business formulated. People can get to learn about me through our social media.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.purposefullivingcenter.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purposefullivingcenter
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purposefullivinghealingcenter
• Linkedin: I’m on linked in but can find a link to share with you
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/u509eA5bP_
• Other: I have also been a speaker Morning Break for Reno TV on ABC once a month for the past three years. If you like I can provide different links for that or you can check out or Google Kolo 8 Reno