Women In Wellness: Ali Schwebel of Vibrant Body Company On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Boundaries — With technology we have the ability to respond and be available 24/7. You have to set boundaries, whether that is when you are available for work or your own social media scrolling. Your mind will thank you and so will your friends and family.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ali Schwebel.

Ali Schwebel is passionate about mission-driven, female focused brands that put an emphasis on women’s health and wellness and forever disrupt the status quo.

For the past 8 years she has been an advocate for Beautycounter, the leader in clean beauty. Through her efforts she has been an advocate for change, working with lawmakers on the importance of stronger personal care legislation that has transformed the skin care industry.

As of September 2022, Ali has been the CEO of Vibrant Body Company — a company pioneering Certified Clean First Layer™ in the Intimates industry through education and a Body First™ design mentality.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I’m a Tennessee girl who has been living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the past 18 years. I am a wife and a mother of 2 and interestingly, it was becoming a mom that put me on the wellness focused path I am on today. When my kids were little I became hyper aware of what I was putting on their skin and in their mouths. That was around the same time I learned about the lack of regulation in the personal care industry and ultimately led to me joining Beautycounter as an advocate. I was outraged when I learned about the lack of regulation. Here I was, a new mom, trying to do my best for my kids but having no idea that the products I was using on my kids and myself had potentially harmful ingredients in them. I was shocked to realize none of my friends had access to that information either and it was then that I realized I needed to do something about it. So I joined Beautycounter to share this education with other women. Cleaning up my personal care products led to me cleaning up my cleaning products, my cooking utensils, our food and beyond. But it wasn’t until I was introduced to Vibrant Body Company that I had ever really thought about the fabrics, dyes and chemicals that were in my First Layer™ — bras and underwear. Finding out the apparel industry was as unregulated as the personal care industry was less of a shock the second time around. I knew that I had a voice and a platform to share this important education, on top of loving their Certified Clean products, so saying yes to Vibrant was a somewhat easy decision.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

One of the highlights of my career was traveling to Washington, DC with 100 other Beautycounter consultants in 2018. I have always voted, but never had I engaged so closely with the democratic process as I did on that trip. We sat down with numerous legislators to talk about the importance of more health protective laws in this country, specifically as it related to personal care products and it was shocking to me that most of them had no clue about the lack of regulation or the lack of power the FDA had over the industry. It was also the first time I truly realized that our legislators work for us. They are there because we put them there and it is their duty and responsibility to listen to their constituents. We should never shy away from making our voices heard on issues that are important to us. That experience was so powerful and left a lasting impression.

Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I think the biggest mistake I have made is not trusting my own instincts. When I started as CEO of Vibrant Body Company, I had a lot of doubts because I didn’t fit inside the box of what I assumed a CEO was: I don’t have an MBA, I haven’t risen up the traditional corporate ladder, I’m not always perfectly polished….But I now realize my value comes in many different forms. My value comes from my instincts, my passion and my in the trenches experience. The lesson I learned was to not compare yourself to others, instead use others to learn. Soak up the knowledge you don’t have and lean into your strengths. I don’t believe you have to know it all or be good at it all. Find people that fill your knowledge gaps and lean and learn from them.

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

I have a passion for sharing Clean products and also helping women create financial opportunities for themselves and their families. I consider myself very lucky that the two jobs I have allow me to do both.

My job for the last 8 years has been as a leader with Beautycounter. I have worked to educate people about the lack of regulation in the beauty industry and the importance of looking at what is in the products they are putting on their skin daily. I have helped people realize that making safer swaps doesn’t mean they have to compromise performance and they have fallen in love with our products. Through my work with Beautycounter I have also helped hundreds of women to build their own businesses. I feel so passionately about women having access to financial opportunity wherever they find themselves in life. Stay at home mom, working mom, college student, post college, etc. To be able to make a social impact and simultaneously have financial opportunity is really rare.

As the CEO of Vibrant, I am on a mission to educate women on the importance of what they are putting on as their First Layer on their two most porous areas. Like the beauty industry, the apparel/textile industry in the US is not highly regulated. So it is important to be conscious of what fabrics, dyes and chemicals are in your bra and underwear. At Vibrant, everything we do starts with what is best for a woman’s body. Our hero product is a wire-free, constructed bra (no uni-boob ladies!) that is truly the most comfortable bra you have ever worn, but also is Certified Clean — which means there are no harmful fabrics, chemicals, dyes, etc. We have also created an affiliate program so that women that love and shop our products have the opportunity to be rewarded for their referrals. Again, marrying my passion for sharing Clean as well as giving women access to financial opportunity.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

1. Boundaries — With technology we have the ability to respond and be available 24/7. You have to set boundaries, whether that is when you are available for work or your own social media scrolling. Your mind will thank you and so will your friends and family.
2. Movement — Move your body every day. Whether it is a walk or a workout class. For me the Tracy Anderson Method is life so I wake up at 6am during the week and get my workout in. It is truly my time where I am prioritizing myself and my needs. And it took a while but now my kids know not to interrupt me!
3. Prioritize Sleep — There are so many studies that show the importance of sleep for our minds and our bodies. Listen to them! I make sure I get at least 7 hours of sleep most nights. There is no arguing on how much better I feel and how much better my mindset is when I am well rested. For me, it has been important for me to impart this to my kids as well. It’s not a punishment to go to bed, they are honoring their bodies.
4. Unfollow — Find yourself following accounts on social media that leave you feeling bad about yourself or about other people? UNFOLLOW them! This simple change can dramatically affect how you feel daily in a very real way.
5. Hydrate — I am that annoying person that always has a cup with them. I drink water or tea all day. Which also means I probably go to the bathroom more than most too!! There are also numerous studies on how important staying hydrated is, so listen to the experts! Find a favorite cup and take it everywhere. For me currently, it’s my huge Yeti with a straw. You will hardly ever see me without it.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

At Beautycounter and Vibrant, I believe I am part of a wellness movement. We are educating and empowering women to make safer choices for themselves and their families while simultaneously giving them access to financial opportunity. Can you think of anything more transformative?

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. Your instincts are your greatest strength — listen to them.
2. If something scares you, it’s usually a good indication of something you should lean into.
3. There is never a perfect moment, so don’t wait for it!
4. Don’t hesitate to ask questions. If you don’t know what someone is talking about, ask for an explanation. It’s not a weakness. It’s a strength to have the confidence to ask for clarity.
5. You don’t have to be good at everything. Leaning into your strengths and leaning on others for theirs is just good business.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

I really struggled with this question. I would say sustainability is the topic that I think about on a daily basis. It’s mind blowing the amount of waste we generate, but the good news is that as an individual there are small actions we can take that can have a bigger impact. Reusable shopping bags/straws/cups, composting, staying away from fast fashion, never taking plastic bags, investing in products and clothing that will last are just some of the lifestyle changes that overtime can add up. And I also love how it can make you feel like you have some control.

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

@alischwebel on Instagram

Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.