We recently connected with Tatiana Vickerie and have shared our conversation below.

Tatiana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Feel Seen came from a desire to create intentional spaces where young professionals working in high-intensity, fast-paced environments can pause, gather, and genuinely connect with others and with themselves. In many of these industries, people are constantly performing, producing, and pushing forward, but are rarely given the space to slow down and simply be present.

The concept of “feeling seen” is often associated with external validation, being acknowledged or recognized by others. But what I’ve come to believe is that others can’t truly see you if you don’t see yourself clearly first. That insight became the foundation of Feel Seen. While the events are about meeting new people and building community, we intentionally incorporate movement and reflective experiences that help attendees connect internally before connecting with others.

I also wanted to create a unique approach to networking that removes the transactional nature many traditional networking spaces carry. Instead of focusing on titles, industries, or what someone can offer you, Feel Seen creates an environment where people can show up more authentically. From there, relationships, collaboration, and community form more naturally.

What excited me most about this idea was the opportunity to redefine what professional connection can look like. By blending community, self-connection, and thoughtful experiences, Feel Seen offers a refreshing alternative for professionals seeking deeper, more meaningful relationships, not just another networking event.

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?

Wellness was once something I treated as a “nice to have.” I often placed myself last while making sure everything else was completed, leaving very little time for reflection or internal work. Over time, I realized that caring for myself could not be optional if I wanted the other parts of my life to feel aligned and meaningful. When we constantly move from task to task, it becomes easy to bypass our own needs just to get through the day’s checklist. Sometimes that simply leads to an off day, but over time it can lead to an off life where you are unsure if you are truly happy or simply moving through expectations that society has placed in front of you.

That realization became a turning point for me and ultimately influenced the creation of Feel Seen. The goal of Feel Seen is to help attendees and members reconnect with themselves so they can show up more fully in their lives and relationships. When people are able to see themselves clearly, they are better able to see and connect with the people around them as well.

Our events are designed to create that opportunity. They combine intentional movement, guided reflection, and thoughtful conversation in a welcoming community setting. The structure allows people to slow down, check in with themselves, and then engage with others in a way that feels authentic rather than forced. While people often attend to meet new individuals and expand their networks, what they gain is often deeper: a sense of presence, connection, and belonging.

Beyond our events, Feel Seen’s Burnout Prevention Membership is designed specifically for busy professionals working in fast-paced, high-intensity environments. Through partnerships with licensed wellness professionals, nutritionists, acupuncturists, and fitness studios, members receive access to a network of expert support along with personalized wellness roadmaps informed by biometric insights. The intention is to help individuals better understand their bodies, manage stress proactively, and build sustainable habits that support both their personal well-being and professional performance.

What makes Feel Seen unique is the balance between community and intentional care. We are creating spaces where people feel welcomed and understood, while also providing structured resources that help them take ownership of their well being. At its core, Feel Seen exists to remind people that when they take the time to truly see themselves, they are able to show up more fully in every area of their lives.

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

One book that significantly shaped my thinking as an entrepreneur is Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph by Sheila Johnson. Her story, which traces her path to becoming America’s first Black female billionaire, is deeply honest about the personal and professional challenges she faced along the way.

What stood out to me most was how she approached moments when life did not go as planned. Rather than allowing setbacks or heartbreak to define her trajectory, she treated them as turning points that required courage, reinvention, and clarity of purpose. Her ability to pivot in the face of adversity became a powerful lesson in resilience and strategic thinking.

The book ultimately reinforced an idea that continues to shape how I approach both leadership and entrepreneurship: difficult seasons often carry the seeds of the next opportunity. Johnson’s story shows that pain and uncertainty can either stop you or sharpen your vision. In her case, she transformed deeply personal challenges into fuel that allowed her to build new ventures and create opportunities not only for herself, but for others.

That perspective has stayed with me. It reminds me that building something meaningful often requires perseverance, adaptability, and the willingness to see possibility even in the most difficult moments.

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

One of the most effective strategies for growing our clientele has actually been the most organic one: word of mouth. As a small-business founder, it is very easy to get caught up in the numbers tied to social media, such as followers, likes, and engagement. While visibility and digital presence are important, I have found that those metrics do not always translate into the type of community or trust that sustains a brand long term.

For Feel Seen, our growth has come primarily through a friend of a friend effect. Someone attends an experience, feels genuinely connected, and then brings a colleague, or friend to the next one. That type of introduction carries a level of trust that traditional marketing cannot easily replicate.

From the beginning, our focus has been on going deep rather than simply going wide. Instead of trying to reach as many people as possible at once, we have prioritized creating thoughtful experiences where attendees feel welcomed, present, and truly connected. When people leave feeling like they were part of something meaningful, they naturally want to share that experience with others.

That approach has helped Feel Seen grow in a way that feels both authentic and sustainable. Each new attendee is often connected to someone who has already experienced the community, which strengthens the overall culture of the space. In many ways, our most effective strategy has simply been focusing on delivering an experience that people genuinely want to talk about and invite others into.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.feelseenwellness.com
• Instagram: @feelseen_wellness