Nixie Marie is a podcast host, activist, feng shui practitioner, and co-founder of CLARYTI, a zero-waste, eco-friendly cleaning product line. Not only are we fans of Nixie’s entrepreneurial spirit, but we love that she’s also a loyal Yoga Wake Up user. She’s even taking over our Instagram on Sunday to show how she uses the app in her everyday routine!
To celebrate Nixie’s first-ever online course, we’re putting the spotlight on her in our first-ever series, Dreamed It, Did It, where we feature aspirational movers and shakers in the wellness industry and beyond.
Tell us about your journey! When and how did you find your passion?
Upon growing up, I always found myself to be multi-passionate. I was always the girl who played multiple sports all at once because I couldn't choose between which one I loved most. That hasn't really changed much in my adult life including my career. I started my journey in fashion and moved to Los Angeles from Orange County to pursue my dreams of being the next big Alexander McQueen. It didn't take me long in the industry to realize that the industry itself felt toxic and when the documentary True Cost came out it really put things into perspective for me. I left the industry in 2013 and started my own line. That was my first run at being an Entrepreneur and I got to taste everything from the challenges, failures, success, and rollercoaster of a journey that it is. That's when I fell in love. Some may think it's crazy, but I found so much beauty and growth in the entrepreneurial space. My mother said as soon as I got out of her womb, I near ran for the outside world to taste my own freedom and independence.
That was exactly what this entrepreneur journey felt like. While it definitely isn't for everyone, I knew it was the path for me. That excitement and passion to create and build my own empire landed me into many failed attempts. I stumbled into odd side hustles to support myself and that's when I discovered cleaning homes. As the entrepreneur that I am, I saw a gap in the space where there weren't any good high-quality, eco-friendly cleaning companies in Los Angeles. I decided to run with an idea and began building Nixie Dust Cleaning in 2016. My aim was to provide the Los Angeles community with a greener option to keep their home clean. Inside the business, I began making our own products using natural plant-derived ingredients. We grew quickly into a fairly decent small business and I started learning about how cleaning doesn't just clean space but shifts energy and we began focusing deeper on how we could bring positive energy into the lives and homes of our clients. This led to my current passion now as a Feng Shui Practitioner and Co-Founder of CLARYTI, a line of eco-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products.
How have you had to pivot during the pandemic? Any lessons learned?
The pandemic has been filled with many lessons. It truly has been medicine for me. During the time of quarantine, I got to slow down and closed Nixie Dust Cleaning to help flatten the curve. What I didn't realize was I needed a pause. As I mentioned, I am multi-passionate, which can often lead to burnout. While I was running my company, I was also growing my online presence through my podcast, NÜ Earth, and there were often days I worked nearly 13 hours just trying to meet deadlines and handle the daily operations. It was in the slowdown that allowed me to reevaluate how I wanted to live my life. While I initially started my company with so much passion and excitement it began feeling more and more stressful the larger my team and clientele base grew.
Instead of focusing on re-opening Nixie Dust Cleaning stronger than before, I decided to go back to my daily spiritual practice and meditate on how I could best serve during this life-altering moment in the history of our time. I began spending more time sailing, hiking, diving, surfing, and being creative. I realized how much I had neglected the things I truly love because I was so focused on running the company. I think this is where there is a slippery slope with success. I believe it is imperative as an entrepreneur that we do the inner work and have some sort of spiritual foundation because, without it, the Ego can easily gain power and take the lead desiring more success when perhaps that level of success is not in alignment with who we really are or what we really want. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. In our culture, we are sold a dream that says if we make it to the top, are famous, or have lots of things all our problems will be solved, and we will be happy. I think now more than ever, we are seeing through the illusion, and recognizing this is a false promise. I see so much more bliss and love in communities that are humble, grateful, and cherish everything they have because what they have is what they love. Upon this realization, I felt the call to serve in a new way. I decided to close Nixie Dust Cleaning this year and focus my energy completely on my product line, CLARYTI, my podcast NÜ Earth, and my Feng Shui Business. With my partner in life, relationship, and business we decided we want to do it all from our sailboat which is a fully self-sustaining vessel and travel the seas. We want to live what we preach within the sustainability space and educate on plastic pollution in the Oceans while running our businesses.
It’s such a unique time that calls for more of a focus on self-care. How have you been taking care of your mental health?
Self-care as an entrepreneur can get easily neglected, throw a pandemic on top of that and WOAH it’s easy to lose it. I made a commitment to myself to spend at least 1hr each day nourishing me. It often looks different every day and I am getting better and better each week finding my new flow. I tend to pick from what I like to call my spiritual toolbelt what I need for the day. If I am feeling heightened anxiety, then it's straight to my meditation pillow to do some breathwork or listen to a Yoga Wake Up guided meditation. If my body feels tight and tense, then I will do yoga, go on a hike, or have a solo dance party. Tuning into my body's needs each day is the foundation on what leads me to my practice. However, I ALWAYS find inner peace when I spend time out in nature.
What would be your tip to those who want to follow in your professional footsteps?
If in the moment, the journey doesn’t make any sense at all or you haven’t found your purpose or passion, just keep moving forward and surrender. Find what it is that lights your soul on fire and do more of that. If you fail, use it as fuel to propel you forward and don’t be afraid to fail! If you desire to live a life filled with adventure, you’re going to need to take risks. Lastly, learn how to lead from the heart. When we come from that place, we have the power to create a much better world.
How have you overcome adversity when building your business?
I took a leadership training course and we learned that when life throws you challenges or you are met with adversity, say YES!!! Then accept that those challenges are happening for you, not to you. There is always a lesson inside of the tough times and even if we can’t often see it right away, later when that clarity comes, we can take a moment to be in gratitude for how much the universe really always has our back. I have taken that with me into my career and every aspect of my life.
I hear you’re a big fan of Yoga Wake Up! How and when do you use the app? Do you have a current go-to session?
I am definitely an avid user of the app especially because it gives me an opportunity to nourish myself as an entrepreneur. I am actually on a 10-day streak as I type this! Since I am right in the middle of moving from our 4-bedroom home in Topanga to our sailboat and packing orders to put in our shipping/fulfillment center I have a lot on my plate. Pre COVID-19, when I would have a lot on my plate, I would neglect my daily nourishment, so to avoid burnout and create a lifestyle that works for me, I am using Yoga Wake Up for my a.m., afternoon, and p.m. right now! So far, I have seen a significant shift in my energy levels and focus throughout my day to make sure I am checking everything off the list.