Today we’d like to introduce you to Gigi Santiago.
Hi Gigi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I began this walk very early in life, my advocacy for women and balance. I was raised to question everything and search for answers that satisfied my curiosity. But I noticed that the women in my world worked really hard; their giving of themselves never acknowledged. It was expected and taken for granted that they would give and give, despite how they felt or what was a priority at the moment. I saw my mother and grandmother always providing for everyone around them. As the only girl in a family of five children, I remember that idea did not sit well with me. I had four older brothers and knew that I would be run ragged if I followed the established tradition. So, I would question why things were the way they were; questioned why I had to serve the “men” their food; questioned everything in the terms of gender roles as a child and tween. Relief from this stereotypical life came in the form of my parents’ divorce; my family did not get broken, in my eyes, it got fixed. We no longer lived in tension and fear.
I was always the person people would come up to and ask advice, and sometimes I gave my advice when I wasn’t asked, hahaha. I am observant and watch what people say to see if it matches their actions, as well. Between my curiosity and observance, I grew intuitively and empathetically, sensing people’s struggles with self-worth and balance in their lives.
I wanted to help people and each job/position I have held has been a way to help others. I taught in the South Bronx for four years in the 80s, walked as a pastoral care minister in a church setting, gave marriage retreats for those who were engaged, married and remarried, advocated for those seeking an annulment in a religious setting. To help people, I learned early on that I needed to learn to quiet my thoughts and really listen to people. I am a trained Spiritual Director, helping people see how God walks in their lives, daily, moment by moment. As I was sitting with others as a SD, I noticed that people really were talking about their everyday lives and the difficulty they found at times to serve God the way they were.
It was sitting with many people stating these thoughts of difficulty I realized I needed more training in how to bring forth more information about their overall lives, not just their “spiritual” lives. For me, I see them connected yet I sat with people who did not.
I decided to find a way to help people see the connectedness in their lives of “mind, body and spirit” to create balance in how they perceive their lives and themselves. I fell into Life Coaching, a term I had never heard of as a professional until 2013. I began to read more and more about it and eventually found a certification program that complimented my spiritual direction training. I was certified in 2016 and have been officially coaching since. But as I mentioned before, I was always someone people would come up to and talk to or ask to pray for them. My coaching firm is “wholistic” in that I work with many who are seeking it all while creating balance.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Yes and no. My biggest struggle has been TIME. I am married to an entrepreneur who I help network his business, I work a full-time during the day and I do my coaching, early morning (for my UK folks) or in the evenings and weekends. The discipline I have developed has made it a smoother road but getting there was a struggle.
I love learning. Falling into coaching, learning about how people think, believe, and act, plus continuing to learn more about how our brains work has been fun. But that too has been the struggle, in that there is so much information out there AND I WANT TO LEARN IT ALL! That I drive myself a little nuts. (hahaha)
Finally, finding what my true mission or life purpose is, took time as I have always been an advocate for women, empowering them to take control of their lives and creating healthy boundaries, which is a result of my early years.
With introspection and people (mentors) whom have allowed me to bounce thoughts and ideas around, I was able to find my life’s purpose is helping entrepreneurs, especially women, who are beginning a business or who want to scale their businesses while creating time for family or social life. They don’t want to be defined by what they do, they are more interested to being known for who they are at the core of their being. I help overwhelmed entrepreneurs create Intentional Success through mindfulness techniques as they establish practices of work-life balance. Intentional Success is my signature “wholistic” approach to connecting mind, body and spirit.
Another part of my struggle, as I began my coaching firm, was that people who knew me prior to establishing MY coaching business had put me in a box, labeled me, as only just one thing in their minds, so getting the word out about my coaching was difficult because although they had used my talent for listening, couldn’t put their label of me aside. But I am finding now that I am clear in my purpose those who crave balance want my services.
We’ve been impressed with Optimal-Mindset, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Optimal-Mindset is the goal when I work with my clients. It does not matter what stage they are in their business(es), it’s a matter of helping people get out of their own way to create the life they desire and deserve.
I offer presentations on creating Intentional Success in your life and your company to groups. My e-book, Emerging Mindset: Breaking through Scarcity to embrace PROSPERITY!, helps readers begin to see how they can change their thinking from things they want with longing (scarcity) to a mindset of being and creating (prosperity).
Having a background in both the spiritual and life coaching, I provide my client’s opportunities to step back and look at their lives as a whole, not compartmentalized into life or work. I have been an entrepreneur with my husband since 2000 and know the struggles business owners have, not just financially but also the mental struggle of making a go at a business others don’t get. In my search to be a better listener and coach, I have obtained certification in Money Breakthrough Practices, NLP Practitioner and a Master Mindfulness Practitioner, which help to provide for my clients an overall better experience.
As an intuitive, empathetic coach, my clients say I have the skill to know what they are saying behind their words and gain clarity of their desires, setting goals to achieve them. I offer my clients clarity, peace of mind, awareness and the opportunity to think BIG in terms of goals and create Intentional Success. I offer a wealth of possibilities to my clients, whether in an individual coaching plan or a group coaching program or offering coaching and training to corporations and business owners who are establishing/affirming a company culture for their managers as they lead the employees.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’m pretty much an open book. Everyone knows that I am married to my college sweetheart; we have five adult children and two grandchildren. My husband and I are relationship coaches as well. We love holding live retreats for couples who have a good relationship and want to make it GREAT!
Pricing:
- Seasonal individual coaching (3 months) approx $3400
- Individual coaching (6 months) approx $6400
- Year-long Intentional Success approx $11500
Contact Info:
- Email: optimalmindsetllc@gmail.com
- Website: www.gigisantiago.com – www.optimalmindsetllc.com
- Instagram: gigisantiagocom
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GigiSantiagocomCOM
- Twitter: @gigisantiagocom
Image Credits
headshot – Joey Genoviese
