Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Pettit.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was a ballet dancer growing up and thankfully learned the importance of taking care of my body well early on. In high school, I started paying attention to how my body felt when I ate certain foods, got enough or too little sleep, and exercised at ballet.
In college, my love for ballet and my fascination with the human body expanded while I studied Exercise Physiology at Brigham Young University. I would teach my friends all the cool things I was learning from nutrition to taking good care of their bodies. I was often asked for my opinion or advice on health concerns and once encouraged a ballet friend to head to the hospital to have her appendix checked out after complaining of persistent lower-right stomach pain during ballet class, and she actually had her appendix removed that night!
Fast forward a few years after graduating from college. I had a brand new baby and a two years old. I started to think more and more about how I could help them have the best, healthiest start in life. I knew what they ate, the amount of sleep they got, playtime, etc. really mattered for their healthy physical and emotional development. I became aware of the importance of avoiding environmental toxins that come from so many places like household cleaners, beauty products, and more. So that was the next research project I started to tackle – reducing the toxic chemicals my family was exposed to.
Around this same time, I was introduced to essential oils and decided to use them to replace the chemical cleaners I wanted to throw out. I mixed up a simple all-purpose spray and tossed the toxic cleaners that weren’t safe to have around. The replacements worked as well or better than the scary stuff and I’ve never looked back.
When my baby was about four months old and still having a hard time sleeping, I was desperate to find a solution for both of us. I read about using Lavender essential oil for sleep and used a teeny tiny bit on my baby. He took a glorious 2 1/2 hour nap the first day! Within a week, he was sleeping on a better schedule, and I was hooked. I started finding other ways to use essential oils and fell in love with their incredible benefits both physically and emotionally.
During this time, my husband, Spencer, was working on building a start-up, often working over 80 hours a week and we rarely saw him. Our friends who had introduced us to essential oils invited Spencer to partner with them in their new venture and he took the leap into building a business with them.
I continued to research and share what I was learning with friends and family and was often a go-to resource because they knew I had done the research and trusted my opinion. I loved researching anything health and wellness and shared what I learned with Spencer to pass along at the dozens of wellness classes he was now teaching.
For a couple of years, I watched him create a wellness company focused on teaching others how to take control of their own health through using essential oils. I started to notice a change in him. He was becoming a better version of himself. He was helping others create better lives for themselves, and I could see the change in him and those he worked with.
I wanted a part of that. I wanted the growth in myself and to help others grow too. My heart pulled me into sharing on a larger scale and we made the decision to turn his business became OUR business. We’ve worked together for the last few years, and it’s honestly one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.
Every day I get to teach people how to take better care of themselves, create the life of their dreams, and make a difference in the world. Nothing inspires me more than the endless stories we see and hear about people getting control of their health. So many examples of hope, growth, and new beginnings. That gets me out of bed early and keeps me up late. I LOVE what I do.
Has it been a smooth road?
Not at all. Nothing worthwhile is easy. Being an entrepreneur and building anything that changes lives will always require you to overcome obstacles. We have failed so many times in so many different ways, but getting up and trying again and again eventually moves the needle. We’ve struggled with flaky business partners, difficult setbacks, and even our own motivation when things get really hard. You have to get out of your head, get still and quiet the opposing voices, then focus on what you know in your heart. When what we do is heart-driven, we are happier and we can endure the more difficult days.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Build Mind Body story. Tell us more about the business.
Our business, Build Mind Body, was founded in 2011. With my background and degree in exercise physiology, I knew we needed to include all aspects of wellness – nutrition, exercise, sleep, managing stress, and essential oils. I knew I wanted to focus specifically on teaching women how to love and take good care of their bodies both physically and emotionally. As a mother, I love to focus on teaching moms how to not only take care of themselves but teach their children how to take good care of their bodies too.
When I see someone’s life change, that’s everything to me. When I see the light sparkle in a woman’s eyes when she understands her worth, or when I see a mother tear up with gratitude because what she’s learned will help her and her children, that’s worth all the early mornings, late nights, setbacks, and time away from my own babies.
There is a peace we have in our hearts and home because of the knowledge and understanding we have, and I want that for everyone. As a mother you can feel guilty sometimes spending so much time on building a business, but I know that it’s worth sacrificing some of my time with my family so that others can experience the peace my children know.
I’m most proud of the number of people we’ve helped. To date, we’ve helped over 4,000 people make significant changes in how they care of their families, and that’s incredible. We focus daily on gathering more people to be part of this movement of empowered parents who know how to help their families in safe and natural ways.
I also love being able to work together as a couple. We have grown together and loved spending so much time together and with our kids. Running our business has even allowed us to do some amazing things as a family like travel for 18 months in an RV.
What sets me apart? My knowledge base and years of experience. I have over 18 years of experience in the wellness industry and a B.Sc. in Exercise Physiology. I’m a certified fitness instructor, and I’ve been using essential oils for ten years. I walk the walk so I can talk the talk. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find it.
I’ve also worked really hard to create a thriving community of women who support each other in their individual journeys. Women need each other. We’re better together. I love making new friends and providing a safe space for women to learn and grow.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see my industry sky-rocketing in the next 5-10 years. All the industry experts are projecting it, and we are prepared for it. More and more people are looking for natural solutions to their health problems. People are fed up with conventional methods and a broken healthcare system that costs far more than it returns to the average family. I think people will continue to open their eyes and take health into their own hands. We know over 80% of disease is preventable, and many can even be reversed through education and small changes. Almost every major disease is on the rise and what we teach directly lowers these scary statistics. Good information is more and more accessible, and many people are being led to make better nutrition, exercise, and medical choices. We are at the cutting edge of these worldwide movements, and no one has better tools to empower the individual. Period.
Pricing:
- Families can get started using these natural options for around $100. Once they are part of our community, all education and support is free.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.buildmindbody.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/buildmindbody
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/buildmindbody
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