IAM084 – Conscious Entrepreneur & Coach Empowers Others to Overcome Trauma & Thrive

Marian Bacol-Uba is a Conscious Entrepreneur, Transformation Coach, Speaker and Author. She empowers men and women to overcome trauma and adversity and thrive in mind, body, and soul through holistic wellness and conscious living.

In addition to offering one-on-one coaching and online group programs, Marian speaks and advocates for sexual abuse awareness and mental health. She has appeared on numerous TV shows, online publications, and podcasts such as CBS Los Angeles, Channel LA-18, The Filipino Channel/ABS-CBN, Thrive Global, Elephant Journal, Bustle, CEO Blog Nation, Miami Under 40, The Tao of Self-Confidence Podcast, Daring Woman Podcast, and more. Marian is also the host of Thriver Lifestyle Podcast and Mondays with Marian on YouTube.

• CEO Hack aka “Thriver Basics”: Meditation,  the app Insight Timer and journaling
• CEO Nugget: Courage isn't the absence, it is having fear but still moving forward.
• CEO Defined: Being in control and creator of your own life. You have the power to do whatever you want. You can create the life of your dreams and make it a reality.

Website: http://www.marianbacoluba.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbacoluba
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarianBacolUba
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marianbacoluba
Podcast: http://www.marianbacoluba.com/podcast
YouTube Channel: http://bit.ly/2uxKuQN

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Intro 0:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:27

Hello, hello, hello this is Gresh from the I AM CEO Podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today. I've Marian Bacol-Uba of marianbacoluba.com. Marian, it's awesome to have you on the show.

Marian Bacol-Uba 0:38

It's great to be here. Thank you.

Gresham Harkless 0:40

No problem, no problem. And what I wanted to do was just read a little bit more about Marian so you can learn about all the awesome things that she's doing. And Marian is a Conscious Entrepreneur, Transformation Coach, Speaker, and Author. She empowers men and women to overcome trauma and adversity and thrive in mind, body, and soul through holistic wellness and conscious living. In addition to offering one-on-one coaching and online group programs, Marian speaks and advocates for sexual abuse awareness and mental health.

She has appeared on numerous TV shows online publications and podcasts such as CBS Los Angeles, Channel LA-18, The Filipino Channel/ABS-CBN, Thrive Global, Elephant Journal, Bustle, CEO Blog Nation, Miami Under 40, The Tao of Self-Confidence Podcast, Daring Woman Podcast, and more. Marian is also the host of Thriver Lifestyle Podcast and Mondays with Marian on YouTube. Marian, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

Marian Bacol-Uba 1:39

Absolutely.

Gresham Harkless 1:40

All right, let's do it. So the first question I have is if we can just jump right in and hear a little bit more about your CEO story. And what led you to start your business?

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Marian Bacol-Uba 1:48

Yeah, well, I've always actually been pretty entrepreneurial. Since I could remember as a child, we were I wanted to be a chef. So I was cooking things at home, things like that. But how I got into this space was really through my own personal transformation. So for over 12 years, I've always been in marketing. And by the time I was 27, I was a Marketing Executive, The Marketing Director of a large international retailer and grocery chain.

And on the outside, it looked like I had everything together. I was a high functioning depressive. And you see this very often with professionals and CEOs. I traveled everywhere, I had a good title. At the same time, my food blog was doing well as was I doing TV and videos. And on the outside looking in, you're like, oh my god, she has everything together. But internally, I was actually a mess. I had severe anxiety, and I was depressed.

And I actually suffered from PTSD from childhood sexual trauma that I just never address, it was always that you push it down, and forget about it. And I just always numbed with drugs and alcohol, you know, just because I had to be up. So as long as I kept my little secret here, I'm good. And then in front of the world, I had all mushed together, and I thought that's what life was, that's what we were taught that that's as long as we looked like everything was good, we're good.

And then when I was 28, that all crumbled and basically blew up in my face. Because Odede and I had an out-of-body near-death experience that absolutely changed my life. And from there, I made a choice. I was like, I can't keep doing this, or else I really will, I won't have a second chance.

And so I bought a one-way ticket, and I moved from LA to Miami and here, I literally rebuild everything. Because my whole life, I had looked for outside sources to fill a void. You know, whether it was drinking, whether it was work, I was a workaholic, whether it was working out relationships, whatever it was. And so for the first time ever, I finally went inward.

So I started meditating, I started really diving into meditation into holistic health, wellness, working with energy, and from there through my own transformation and really just sharing that openly through my own journey of being very vulnerable and authentic. I just started getting other people who are like, how did you do that? How did you change your life?

And so now I coach other men and women who've gone through trauma who go through mental health probably recovery addictions that there is life after that, and we can live inside and out and have a great career business-wise, that's in alignment with how we feel. So that's how I came to be in this new business now, which is Coaching, Speaking, and Writing on Holistic Healing and Wellness.

Gresham Harkless 4:35

Wow, wow, wow. Well, thank you so much for being so authentic, obviously, and being vulnerable and telling us your story and being able to tell so many people your stories because I know a lot of people like you mentioned are going through a lot of things and sometimes there's not an avenue to do that you kind of have that fake it till you make it and pretend like everything's okay. But you've shown a lot of courage and vulnerability of course, but the courage to be able to tell your story and also not just help yourself out but also reach back and I also help some other people out as well, too.

So I wanted to drill a little bit deeper and hear a little bit more about how you help those clients or people that you work with or so serve those clients that might need the help that you're providing.

Marian Bacol-Uba 5:11

So one is through speaking. So I've spoken to different women's organizations, I've spoken actually, to now it's going to more professionals and corporate environments, a few banks that I feel because I've been there, in corporate and in entrepreneurial environments, we're sort of we don't think about our mental health, right, we're like, let's go, go go, you know, mental health is so like this distancing, I'll do it when I achieve this. As opposed, we can incorporate that into our daily lives, and we can actually achieve more.

So I actually help a lot of not just survivors of trauma, sexual abuse, and suicide, but also professionals and corporate people who want to learn how to incorporate wellness and meditation and these practices into their daily lives. Because it's not just some faraway thing. No, you don't have to go to an ashram, in India or in the jungle to meditate. People think like, it's a chore, like, I have to do this and everything has to be perfect, we can actually do it in our daily lives in just five minutes or less.

So I help in that way professionals, entrepreneurs, and survivors, through speaking through coaching, I do private coaching or group coaching online, and I write so to get the message out because you never know who's reading or listening to what you have to write, I wrote an article for elephant journal that got circulated 10s of 1000s of time, and I didn't really anticipate that for, you know, six do's and don'ts of how to talk to someone who's a survivor of any trauma or abuse from the lens of a survivor.

And I just got so many emails and feedback, because, you know, it's not just a survivor, it's the parents, it's the friends you know, there are so many more people affected with all the things going on. The same thing to mental health, when someone is anxious or depressed or going through mental illness, it's not just them, it's their loved ones that also are affected.

Gresham Harkless 7:04

Yeah, that makes perfect sense. And sometimes you forget that when you're going back for day to day that but there's definitely all these other people that are doubt into you and depend on you or just connect with you. So sometimes when you're going through something, or you're going through a trauma or some serious issue that also affects other people.

So I'm sure like the articles and all the information, the speaking that you're doing is doing a phenomenal job of helping out so many people. So definitely appreciate you for doing that for the world, and everybody who of course needs it. And now I wanted to ask you for what I call your secret sauce. And this could be for you, your organization, or your podcast. But this is essentially what you feel kind of distinguishes you or kind of sets you apart. So do you have a secret sauce for us?

Marian Bacol-Uba 7:41

I don't think it's much of a secret, because I say it so openly. But one, it's really authentically sharing. And this is something I had to learn because most of my life, I'm Asian American, I was taught to not talk about these things, you know, don't bring shame and disgrace to talk about those things you have to put up, you know, like, everything is great. But at the moment, I really just bared my soul to the world, actually. And before I was fearful people are going to judge me that you know, I not going people aren't going to like me, and there will be people who don't, but it actually opened up so many doors because I created a space for other people to be like, Oh my gosh, no one's talking about it. But I've gone through that too, or I am going through that.

So I think being able to talk so openly about it gives other people permission to talk about it. So I think that, to me, is a big core of who I am and my business now, because it's relatable. And because it's so polarizing, there are people who won't like you, and our people will attract only the ones who I know are ready to hear the message.

Gresham Harkless 8:42

Yeah, I mean, I think you know, everybody who does hear it, everybody's going through something. And sometimes, you know, when you get the opportunity to see somebody that's actually you know, being transparent and being open about what it is that they're going through. Everybody shouldn't be able to connect, kind of connect with that. And even those people that may not say they can connect with it, sometimes they do, they just want to face some of the things that they might be going through as well, too.

So I would definitely say You know, that's a phenomenal example of a secret slash nonsecret sauce that you have. But I appreciate you for doing everything that you're doing. And now I wanted to switch gears a little bit and ask you for what I call a CEO hack a CEO hack could be an app or a book or a habit that you have. But it's something or a couple of things that you do that make you more effective and efficient.

Marian Bacol-Uba 9:24

I actually have a name for that. And I teach that to my clients. I call it Thriver Basics because my book with everything with the podcast is Thriver because there's another level you can't just be a survivor, you need to be a thriver that's really truly living life to your biggest potential. So Thriver Basics are those foundational things that you go back to when your world is kind of going crazy. I commit to being the eye of the storm is always a commerce part.

So as long as you're in the eye of the storm and you're calm, everything else could go crazy around you. But as long as you go back to those basics, and for me, the first one is meditation. Meditation absolutely, it's what changed my life. It's what I go to when I need that clarity or calmness. And it can vary. Some days I do deep meditations that could last 45 minutes an hour longer. Some days, it just doesn't stick and I sit for 5-10 minutes. And that's all I could do, you know, or I do something more mindfully.

So for me, meditation, I think is so important. And in conjunction with that one of the apps that I recommend, and it's a free app, I'm not affiliated with it whatsoever. It's called Insight Timer. I love it. Because there's something for everyone there is an Insight Timer, it's a free app. And if you want to listen to guided meditations, which I think for new meditators is a great way to get into meditation because someone guides you with their voice. And you can do, I think there's some that are like a minute or less, or you can do 30 minutes or more.

So if you're just starting in a minute, it's all you have, I think everyone has a minute to spare too, you know, give that gift to themselves. So those are really the two. Oh, and another thing is journaling. That's probably my third one, I write everything. And it's a good way to deal with anxiety, I feel because when we're anxious, it's just all these thoughts that are jumbled in our head, and it kind of goes, spins and spins all around, we keep repeating it, but when we put it to paper, we actually see everything we realize how ridiculous those thoughts are. And those thoughts aren't us. So journaling is a huge one. So those three.

Gresham Harkless 11:22

I love those three. And I swear by Insight Timer as well. So I think that's a great app that everybody should check out. And definitely, you know, being able to write things out, sometimes we get so much stuff kind of stuck inside of us or in our minds that sometimes when we write it out, it's just a good way for us to release all those that pent up energy or frustration or stress that we might have. So great CEO hacks. And now I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO nugget. And this might be a word of wisdom or a piece of advice or something you would tell your younger business self.

Marian Bacol-Uba 11:49

My younger business self? Oh, I love this quote. And it's Courage isn't the absence of fear, it is having fear. And still, I'm totally butchering it. But still moving forward. I think it's a Mark Twain quote. And I believe it because people think, Oh, you How are you so fearless? It's actually there, it's there. But knowing that on the other side of it is so much more. And it's just a muscle. As long as we practice it, we know like, Okay, I'm feeling this way. That means on the other side of this is something even greater, and there's more growth. And you just keep building that muscle over and over and you start realizing it's just another thing that you overcome, and something better is on the other side of it.

Gresham Harkless 12:32

I love that. And it makes perfect sense. Yeah, just remembering that you know, we all have fear, I think everybody has fear. But if you're able to kind of like you said, exercise that muscle and continue to work it out, you can face that fear and not have it kind of paralyze you, which is I think, something that happens to a lot of people. So I think that's a phenomenal CEO nugget. And now, I want to ask you my favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping to have different, quote-unquote, CEOs on this podcast and get different insights into what exactly that might mean for everybody. So what does being a CEO mean to you?

Marian Bacol-Uba 13:03

For me, being a CEO isn't just professional, I think it's something we can go into our entire life personally, it's being in control and being a creator of your own life, and knowing that you have the power to really do whatever you want, you know, and it's all in your thoughts and your actions in the people you surround yourself with, you can really create that life of your dreams and make it a reality.

Gresham Harkless 13:28

Very true, very true. Well, Marian, I truly appreciate you for taking some time out of your schedule. What I wanted to do was pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional you want to let our readers and our listeners know and how best people can get a hold of you.

Marian Bacol-Uba 13:40

Yeah, I think maybe my lasting words and I say this to everyone is that you have the power to change your life, you know, no one else is going to do it for you. And we all have a choice too. So it's a constant choice that we can do every day, just that little thing that will you know, progress you to the next step.

So that is one is that everyone is powerful and everyone has the power to change their life. And just to really find me I'm on my website, marianbacoluba.com. And probably Instagram is the most that you'll find me I'm super active on Instagram @mbacoluba. And I do a lot of IG stories, actually love IG stories. I post meditations positive like affirmations all things good for you know, Mind Body Soul.

Gresham Harkless 14:29

Awesome, awesome, awesome. And we'll make sure to have those links in the show notes just so that anybody can follow up with you. But Marian, thank you so much again for taking some time out and for all the awesome things you're doing to make the world a better place. I truly appreciate you and I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

Marian Bacol-Uba 14:41

Thank you. Thank you you too.

Outro 14:44

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co

I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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