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

Victoria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear from you about what you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry and why it matters.

Corporate America wants to capitalize on the wellness industry. The content and products that are created are meant to be eye catching and “trendy”. It can be a very superficial look into wellness. A lot of the focus is placed into bite sized tidbits, and there’s not a lot of useful information being shared. A lot of misinformation can also be spread, because the general audience is taking what they’re being told, without an informed background.

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?

My name is Victoria Sallie. I’m a yoga instructor based out of Long Beach, California. I am also the creator of The Safe Space Journal. It is an undated daily journal with positive affirmations, gratitude lists, intention setting, as well as check ins for mental & physical health.

I’ve always had a passion for the wellness industry. After leaving an abusive relationship at the age of 24, yoga and journaling helped save my life. Re-learning how to listen to and trust my inner voice was integral to my healing process. Journaling was one of the easiest ways for me to safely get my thoughts out without fear of shame or retribution.

The Safe Space Journal aims to live up to it’s name – a safe space. It offers people the chance to authentically connect with themselves. It’s perfect for new journalers, who may be overwhelmed by “not knowing what to write”. It’s also great for people that are looking for new writing prompts to help hold themselves accountable.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Starting an entrepreneurial journey is tough. Besides planning, creating, and eventually selling the product, funding is a key concern. Not having a surplus amount of cash available to start my business, I had to get creative. The pandemic cost me job security, and I was unable to just throw money at everything. I had to smart small, prioritize, and be clear about what I planned to invest in. I got a part time job for cash flow, and used money from that and my savings to fund my business. I was honest and realistic with myself about what I needed to spend on, and what I would be able to do on my own for now. Then, with every sale, I was able to invest that money right back into my business to make bigger moves and take more strategic risks.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

After being on social media for so long, I got swept up in the idea that you had to quit your 9-5 in order to grow a successful business on your own. While that may work for some people, I had to accept that everyone’s journey is different. Some people thrive in uncertainty, and are able to succeed through gig work while they follow their dreams; I learned that my path didn’t necessarily look like that. After working full time for over 5 years, I used the pandemic as a time to focus on myself. Combined with the stress that was circling the globe, I found myself becoming discouraged and depressed at the idea of not being able to support myself solely through my passions. I was experiencing imposter syndrome and was less motivated to work on my projects. Eventually, I realized I had to reframe my thoughts and find compromise for myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.vsallie.com
• Instagram: @TheSafeSpaceJournal | @victoriasallie
• Facebook: facebook.com/vsalliewellness

Image Credits
Sherman D Taylor Photography