Barbie Bent of Jaybird Studios: Emotional Self-Awareness and Personal Alignment Drive Sustainable Growth in the Wellness Sector

The global health and wellness market is worth more than 1.5 trillion dollars. So many people are looking to improve their physical, mental, and emotional wellness. At the same time, so many people are needed to help provide these services. What does it take to create a highly successful career in the health and wellness industry?

In this interview series called “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In The Health and Wellness Industry” we are talking to health and wellness professionals who can share insights and stories from their experiences.

In this particular interview, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Barbie Bent.

Barbie Bent is the CEO and co-founder of Jaybird Studios. She is a serial entrepreneur with a focus in the health and wellness space. Prior to Jaybird, Barbie founded Lagree West, a BC based boutique fitness business that specializes in high intensity pilates with 5 locations and growing. Barbie is an investor in a variety of early stage businesses in the health and wellness space including Othership, 101 Cider House/ Pulp Culture, and Vine Ventures, a venture fund focused on novel approaches to health and wellness through psychedelics.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you grew up?

My backstory is not the most conventional path to a career in the wellness space. I received my undergraduate degree at the Richard Ivey School of Business and my first job was on an equity sales desk at Desjardins. My first month on the job was the same month that Lehman Brothers collapsed, so needless to say it was not a great year to be in finance! In pursuit of more stability and drawn to the entrepreneurial nature of the job, I decided to complete a Masters degree in Optometry. While studying in the UK, I fell in love with boutique fitness, specifically Pilates. It helped me feel strong in my body, relieve stress, and stay focused. I came across Lagree Fitness, did some due diligence and decided to purchase the licensing rights to operate in BC. That was the start of my entrepreneurial journey in fitness. I’ve built 5 Lagree West locations since 2016 and opened Jaybird with a co-founder in 2019.

Was there a particular person or event that inspired you to live a wellness-focused lifestyle? Can you tell us about your main motivation to go all in?

I’ve been focused on wellness my entire life, starting with an early influence from my Oma. She had a massive vegetable garden and would always extol the benefits of eating well. In terms of my motivation to go ‘all in’- I’m not really sure where it came from. At the time, I remember feeling like it was something I was fated to do. I loved the product and the idea that I could help people create stronger, better versions of themselves.

Most people with a wellbeing centered lifestyle have a “go-to” activity, exercise, beverage, or food that is part of their routine. What is yours and can you tell us how it helps you?

Both Jaybird and Lagree West are an important part of my weekly routine. Lagree West is a hardcore, high intensity Pilates style workout and I use this to focus on power of self. Jaybird is a different type of experience; it goes deeper emotionally and is about embodiment of self. Movement for me is so important to maintain my energy level, regulate my mood, and improve my performance in other areas of my life. Aside from movement, meditation is the most impactful activity for me though this one takes much more discipline.

To live a wellness-focused life is one thing, but how did it become your career? How did it all start?

I touched on this in an earlier answer, but it was really from the intersection of my education in business combined with my passion for the wellness space. It’s more fun building something that you love! I’m not sure if this is the right way to do something, but I also seem to build businesses with myself as the target demo. When I started Lagree West, I was more concerned with my physical body. It’s hyper focused on becoming stronger mentally and physically. As I got a bit older, I started learning more about consciousness and prioritizing balance and that’s partly where Jaybird came from.

Can you share a story about the biggest challenges you faced when you were first starting? How did you resolve that? What are the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

There have been endless challenges on my entrepreneurial journey, with the most notable being operating throughout the pandemic. However, when first starting out what comes to mind most powerfully is not a singular challenge (I’ve probably blocked those all out haha), but rather the collective nature of being an entrepreneur- wearing a lot of different hats and not knowing the answers to almost anything. I learned really quickly the ability to problem solve and make decisions and the importance of asking for help. If I could change one thing, I would have hired people earlier. We put these practices into place at Jaybird, with a really talented corporate team and the product is much stronger for it!

Can you share with us how the work you are doing is helping to make a bigger impact in the world? Can you share a story that illustrates that?

I believe that small change can have a big impact and that having a positive impact on even one person’s life can have massive ripple effects throughout the world. Helping people live a more balanced life, feel stronger, and improve mental health can truly change how someone shows up in the world and who knows what they will accomplish with that power. We shifted to a digital strategy during the pandemic and had a lot of clients reach out and let us know that it was a lifeline for their mental health. That was really powerful to hear.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

I am laser-focused on growing our Jaybird brand. We just opened our second location in Toronto with hopefully a third on the way soon. What makes Jaybird unique is the depth of the experience. When we land it, along with receiving a killer workout, a guest also experiences the importance of balance and learns key mindfulness tools in an accessible way. The impacts from increased mindfulness and self awareness are seemingly endless: better relationships, more compassion, increased focus, improved mood etc but traditional practice can be hard to unlock. Jaybird creates a more accessible pathway to some of these benefits and we hope it can be a spark that encourages people to continue diving deeper in their journey.

You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Three traits that have contributed to the growth of my businesses are emotional self awareness, optimism, and perseverance.

Emotional awareness allows you to lead with composure and a full understanding of your impact on others. If you have a solid understanding of what brings about your emotions, it is much easier to regulate your behavior and control the impact your emotions have on your team. Having a level of emotional self awareness allows you to sift through emotions and handle high-pressure situations well. This has been most beneficial when having crucial internal conversations. It’s allowed me to separate my emotions from the facts and be more intune with where the other person is coming from. Two crucial conversations that may arise in business are performance management and letting someone go. The ability to be in tune with your emotions and those of others are key to successfully navigating these types of conversations.

I believe optimism is so important in leadership. To me, optimism is the ability to remain positive despite setbacks. Optimism is critical to perseverance and one’s ability to motivate and inspire their team. An important person in my life uses the phrase ‘options more than two’ when describing optimism and I think that’s such a powerful statement to help us shift from binary thinking. Running a brick and mortar business in hospitality during the pandemic was challenging. Remaining optimistic that our company would not only survive but thrive and showing up with that mindset for our team was an important part of coming through the pandemic. An example of ‘options more than two’ was shifting to a digital strategy during the pandemic which helped provide work for our team and an outlet for our community.

Perseverance has been a defining factor in driving our business forward. I live by the motto ‘just put one foot in front of the other’. At times, problems or challenges can feel insurmountable, but I have found if you step back from the challenge as a whole and approach a problem with each step required the solution will reveal itself. Learning to become comfortable with the discomfort has been a major learning experience. It is in this zone where I have experienced the most growth.

OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Let’s begin with a basic definition of terms so that all of us are on the same page. Wellness is an incredibly broad topic. How would you define the term “Wellness”? Can you explain what you mean?

To me, wellness is the practice of building habits that improve your physical and emotional wellbeing. That is still an incredibly broad definition and so by nature will look very different to different people. Practices that improve emotional wellbeing could look like time in nature, connecting with loved ones, making space for mindfulness, less screen time. As you can see, I don’t think there is a one size fits all approach to wellness. Everyone is on their own journey and part of the process is discovering what works best for them. That being said I think there are a few pillars of wellness that are fairly universal including connection with others, self love, focusing on sleep, healthy eating, and a movement practice that resonates.

As an expert, this might be intuitive to you, but it will be instructive to expressly articulate this. Can you please share a few reasons with our readers about why focusing on our wellness should be a priority in our lives?

I believe that prioritizing wellness leads to a more fulfilling life. One of the most fulfilling acts can be through serving others, however we can only effectively serve others when we have taken proper care of ourselves. A focus on wellbeing has the power to shift energy, mood, and even longevity. Doing the inner work allows us to show up as our most powerful selves which can have a deep impact on our lives and the lives around us. That to me is an incredibly appealing aspect of wellbeing.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increasingly growing understanding of the necessity for companies to be mindful of the wellness of their employees. For the sake of inspiring others, can you share steps or initiatives that companies have taken to help improve or optimize their employees’ mental and physical wellness?

It’s been so positive to see a growing awareness on the importance of wellbeing in the workplace. I think one of the most powerful initiatives is communicating top-down that wellness is important. This signals to employees that it’s a priority for the company and gives them permission to make it a priority for themselves. I think it’s a beautiful thing that people are feeling more comfortable speaking about and sharing issues surrounding mental health. I believe that a healthy workplace is also the most productive workplace. In our organizations, we strive to instill the importance of balance to our team and create a safe space for employees to come forward if they require support.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career In The Health and Wellness Industry”? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.

Know your why. I strongly believe in the vision of our companies to inspire personal growth through movement. Having a strong purpose helps me move through difficult days and challenges that arise and supercharges my motivation to share Jaybird with the world.

Build a strong support system. As someone who places a lot of importance on independence, asking for help was initially very difficult for me. Through a learning process that was more difficult than it had to be, I have learned the value of a strong support system. Don’t be afraid to seek outside counsel or ask the ‘stupid’ questions. Find your champions who can support you, both personally and professionally. This will make the difficult times more manageable and the amazing times more rewarding. Two years ago I became a member of a Mastermind group, with some really impressive founders. In overcoming the imposter syndrome feelings that initially arose, I was able to unlock so much learning from a group of experts that are incredibly supportive.

Focus on what makes your offering unique. Keeping your passion + why in mind, pay close attention to what makes your offering different from other options available. There are a lot of movement studios in Toronto, but what makes Jaybird unique is our focus on mindfulness through the experience of sensation including a dark room, immersive sound, and infrared heat. Focusing on what makes you unique will help you to attract a community that is authentic to your brand or offering.

Practice Self Compassion. My entrepreneurial journey is full of mistakes! However, these mistakes are where I have realized the most growth. Cultivating self compassion allows you to pick yourself up when you feel hurt, embarrassed or ashamed and allows you to move forward in a more meaningful way. Earlier in my career I had a habit of leading by consensus. I am conflict-avoidant by nature, so this leadership style helped me avoid the discomfort of confrontation. This led to a situation where I avoided my gut instinct in favor of consensus and the outcome had an adverse affect on our business. Self compassion helped me to recognize the mistake, but not get hung up on it. Now when making decisions, I keep independence in mind and I am thankful to my past self for teaching me that lesson.

Don’t give up. While I believe the definition of ‘success’ is personal and can only be defined by you, I think that regardless of the definition the road to success will inevitably include challenges, both large and small. On those occasions our intellect and ambition may help us navigate the challenge, but it’s our ability to withstand those trials that will ultimately see us to the other side. The pandemic was a challenge that felt insurmountable at times. We went through 4 lockdowns and had capacity restrictions over a 24 month period. I’m so proud of my team for facing every day of that challenge with courage and optimism. It was that tenacity and resilience above anything else that kept us going.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would promote the most wellness to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Starting a journey into wellbeing can be intimidating and some of the most impactful practices can take a lot of discipline. I’ve noticed that having the support of a friend can help overcome these barriers. An interesting movement would be a ‘pay if forward’ journey in health + wellness. It doesn’t have to be the same practice but the idea is you share a practice that enhances well being, perhaps inviting someone to a movement class and they share with the next person, maybe doing a kind act for a stranger and so on. I think this would have massive ripple effects! Bonus points for encouraging someone to try something new!

We are blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

I’ve always been incredibly inspired by Danny Meyer, author of Setting The Table and founder of Shake Shack and Union Square Hospitality Group. He is the King of guest experience and has a very enlightened view of hospitality. He was able to create and scale systems that enabled authentic connections with guests which I think is so important when building community.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

You can view our brands at www.lagreewest.com and www.jaybirdjaybird.com or on instagram @barbiebent @lagreewest @wearejaybird or find me on LinkedIn as Barbie Bent.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success and good health!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my learnings!