We were lucky to catch up with Tina Lopez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tina, thanks for joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
The idea for Healthy Life Phases, LLC came to me during a pivotal moment in my own life. I had been working hard, prioritizing everyone else’s needs above my own including my current employer and family, and feeling the consequences of burnout creeping in. That’s when I started asking myself a series of powerful questions: What would my life look like if I truly put my health and happiness first? How would it feel to help other women do the same? That moment of clarity sparked the vision for a business centered on guiding women to rediscover themselves, reclaim their time, and infuse their lives with health, balance, and joy.
The day after the idea struck, I dove into research. I looked at successful health and life coaches to understand what they were doing, and I asked myself, What do I uniquely bring to this space? I already had a passion for creating community and fostering joy, but I wanted to see how to structure that into a service.
Within weeks, I realized I needed to formalize my expertise. I enrolled in a health and life coaching certification program from the Health Coach Institute. This step was both thrilling and daunting—I was juggling coursework with my existing responsibilities. But it was worth it because it gave me the tools and confidence to coach others and a clear framework to start building my business around. I also read books, joined webinars, and sought guidance from mentors like Jennifer Grace, whose Clarity Catalyst program would later become a foundational part of my coaching.
Over the next several months, I worked on defining Healthy Life Phases. What made my coaching different? I wanted to focus on work-life balance, playfulness, and building sustainable habits rather than quick fixes. I also knew that community and fun were core to my personal life—like my paddleboarding group on Lake Lewisville at DFW Surf—so I decided to integrate these elements into my coaching. My motto became about helping women “play like a kid again” while still being productive and fulfilled adults.
Tina, 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?
Over the next several months, I worked on defining Healthy Life Phases. What made my coaching different? I wanted to focus on work-life balance, playfulness, and building sustainable habits rather than quick fixes. I also knew that community and fun were core to my personal life—like my paddleboarding group on Lake Lewisville at DFW Surf—so I decided to integrate these elements into my coaching. My motto became about helping women “play like a kid again” while still being productive and fulfilled adults. “I help overweight and overwhelmed women up to 2 pants sizes in 12-weeks without giving up prosecco and pizza”
Now it was time for the nitty-gritty: creating a business plan, setting up the LLC, and establishing my brand. I spent countless hours figuring out things like:
Legal structure: Registering as an LLC and making sure all paperwork was in order.
Website and branding: I wanted my online presence to reflect my vibrant, playful energy. I created a logo and website that felt welcoming and inspirational.
Programs: I sketched out my coaching offerings, including my 12-week Health Catalyst and 8-week Clarity Catalyst course, which was inspired by my mentorship under Jennifer Grace.
One of the biggest leaps was putting myself out there. I started by hosting free workshops and events to build trust and visibility. My paddleboarding group was an amazing way to introduce women to the idea of self-care as fun and social connection. These initial interactions were key to building momentum and gathering testimonials that I could use to grow my reach.
The official launch of Healthy Life Phases wasn’t a single day but a culmination of efforts over several months. My first clients came through referrals, and from there, I began refining my processes. I learned to embrace feedback and evolve my offerings to better serve my ideal clients—women who were ready to put their health first, even with busy lives.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of the most significant pivots in my life happened over the past year and a half as I went through my divorce. It was a deeply personal challenge, but it also forced me to rethink my career, my priorities, and how I wanted to show up in the world—not just for others, but for myself.
Before my divorce, I was in a place where I felt like I had to hold everything together—for everyone. But as my marriage ended, I realized I couldn’t keep living in survival mode. I had to step back and ask: What do I really want my life to look like? What would make me feel whole, grounded, and genuinely happy? It was a wake-up call to focus on myself and make decisions that aligned with my values and passions.
This period of change became a catalyst for starting Healthy Life Phases, LLC. I had always wanted to help other women, but going through the emotional and logistical challenges of a divorce gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of self-care and creating balance. I realized that if I could come out of this stronger, I could help others navigate their own life transitions—whether that was divorce, career changes, or simply feeling stuck.
The pivot wasn’t just professional; it was personal, too. I began reconnecting with activities that brought me joy, like paddleboarding and spending time outdoors, and I started making my health—physical, emotional, and mental—a priority. This mindset shift spilled over into my business. It helped me create programs that truly resonated with women who were also navigating major changes in their lives.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One of the biggest lessons from this pivot was the power of letting go. I had to let go of the life I thought I was supposed to have and embrace the one I was building. It wasn’t easy—there were days when I felt like I was starting from scratch. But in those moments, I leaned into my support system, my faith, and the values I wanted my business to stand for: resilience, playfulness, and growth.
Today, I look back on that time as a turning point—not just in my personal life but in my career. It taught me how to be more authentic, more empathetic, and more intentional about the work I do. I now feel a deeper connection to the women I coach because I understand what it’s like to rebuild, to pivot, and to discover new possibilities on the other side of change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.healthylifephases.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachtina_waterwoman/ https://www.instagram.com/healthylifephases/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tina.h.lopez/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinalopez1972/
