Women In Wellness: Dominique Side of The Luxury Vegan On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Following a blueprint doesn’t negate your intelligence… I used to think that if I didn’t come up with my own unique way to approach something that it meant I wasn’t smart. You’ve heard the saying “work smarter, not harder”. Not reinventing the wheel is the epitome of that statement. Don’t waste your time coming up with a new method!

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

Dominique Side is a Compassionate Lifestyle Expert & Founder of The Luxury Vegan, the world’s only concierge transition service for vegan lifestyle. Dominique helps individuals live a more compassionate lifestyle by easing them into veganism in every aspect of their lives.

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?

First, thank you so much for having me! I appreciate the opportunity to share with your readers.

My name is Dominique Side, and I am a serial entrepreneur based in Houston, TX. I’m also mom to four incredible individuals and a handsome dog. My wellness journey has been scenic. Ha! As I’m sure most are. There’s nothing straightforward about prioritizing yourself, especially when you’re the kind of person who tends to hide behind the needs of others. If we can be honest and transparent, that’s usually what it comes down to. We use the act of caring for others as an excuse not to meet our own needs, and we label it “selfless”. But ultimately, what example are we setting for our loved ones and what kind of life do we expect to have?

My “aha moment” snuck up on me. And while it was for my ultimate good, there was some fallout along the way. After a couple years of making positive changes for the benefit of my own physical, mental and emotional health, I found myself at the end of a 20yr chapter and in a position to truly realize my potential. The way it hit me showed no inkling of a silver lining, but because of the people I had surrounded myself with, I was able to see the makings of one. Did I still want to care for others? Of course! I didn’t know how not to. But I had some healing and soul-searching to do before I could without causing any detriment to myself.

Fortunately, my village rallied around me to make sure I was being adequately supported through that major life transition. Divorce can be a catalyst for many things. It can stop you in your tracks or it can push you forward. My friends and family gave me space to establish new boundaries and prioritize myself. That was crucial in reestablishing myself in this new phase.

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?

I feel like most of the areas I operate in were roles that I “fell” into. Nothing that I’m doing now is what I saw myself doing when I was growing up. Most of these opportunities were presented to me as if they were always designed for me. The most interesting aspect of my journey is that I have a business partner. I honestly never saw myself expanding in that way. I realize now that 1) due to the confines of my previous relationship and 2) due to my lack of trust in other people’s ability to follow-thru on their promises, I had never entertained the idea of a business partner. My need to control matters was simply a defense mechanism I had adopted to protect myself from disappointment. I didn’t know the relief that comes with sharing such a burden would be so freeing. As rewarding as entrepreneurship is, as you scale and grow your team it is a wonderful thing to have someone next to you that can pick up the slack, celebrate and commiserate with you.

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?

When I first started out, I really sold myself short. I see that now. I knew SEAM had growth potential when I brought on an agency client that more than tripled our accounts. I didn’t see myself owning the company but when I was offered the opportunity, I began to consider a different future for the company. Up until that point I hadn’t been in a position to need employees. I was very much the “solopreneur”. I’d say the biggest mistake I made was not consulting an attorney when I took over the company to ensure my long-term interests were considered and accounted for.

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?

All of my companies in recent years have been birth out of a compassion mindset. I am vegan and those principles essentially guide my decision making. I have a vegan grocery store, and my digital media complex is vegan (furnishings, etc) as well. Not too long ago I decided to add a more personalized touch to my efforts in helping people make a compassion mindset shift… The Luxury Vegan. I developed a concierge style consultancy to help the thought leaders of the world make a transition. While my ultimate goal would be that all of my clients choose veganism, that isn’t necessarily the premise. Helping people to center their decision making in compassion as it relates to themselves and everything/everyone around them is the desire. And through these people, so many others will be impacted.

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.

Consistency — in whatever you do, the key is consistency. I’m sure you’ve heard if you do something so many days in a row it becomes a habit, etc. And this is true. The difference between the most successful people and others who try is typically consistency. When I commit to activities like working out, I have to be consistent to see results. I also have to make sure that whatever else I’m doing compliments that activity, like eating properly.

Morning Routine — this is an activity that requires consistency but also compliments activities like the workout routine I mentioned. Waking up at a certain time everyday, eating breakfast, journaling, meditating, working out… These are all activities that can be incorporated in your morning routine. Having one gives you a centered place to start each day from. My routine is super simple and doesn’t yet include all of the activities I think I should be doing. But it still keeps me grounded. And any time I deviate from it, I typically forget something at home or am a little off key to start my day.

Alone Time — it may seem simple, or it may seem impossible based on the dynamic of your household. A really important component in making this count is not feeling guilty about it when you do it. So many people, especially parents and/or primary caregivers, cannot actually find peace in the moments of solitude because their minds are clouded with guilt and all of the things they think they should be doing instead. If you’re stuck in that space, then it defeats the purpose of alone time. I have come up with my greatest ideas when I’ve made space for them. Sometimes to get the most out of my alone time, I have to do what I call a “brain dump”. I write down or type up all of thoughts in my head in no particular order. Once I feel like my brain is clear (could be 3 pages later), I feel a sense of relief. In that moment I decide if I want to organize the list or if I want to put it away and enjoy the space I’ve created in my mind.

Rest — like “Alone Time” this can be a little tricky. I’m in the building phase of a couple of my companies which means there is a heightened sense of demand on my time. I’m also a single mother and have other companies. I have learned that I require a certain amount of sleep or “rest” to operate at an optimal level. You must prioritize rest to avoid burnout. Lack of rest can amplify your stress level, anxiety, and even contribute toward depression.

Compassion — one of the things that helps to foster peace in my life is my compassion mindset. If I remind myself that I should consider others, my environment, and myself, then usually I go about my decision-making differently. Most often it’s easier to put others first, but embracing your own need to be compassionate toward yourself can be life changing. Me deciding that I was worth it allowed me to love myself in a way I hadn’t yet, which meant that I knew how I needed others to love me.

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

It’s already in motion. The purpose of The Luxury Vegan is to create a trickle-down effect and ultimately change the world!

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

Your family and friends aren’t your clients… It would’ve saved me a bit of disappointment if I knew not to expect the people closest to me to patronize my businesses.

There isn’t just one path… We get married to the path society has programmed us to believe is the correct way to journey through life. It’s a social construct that is truly impractical. It’s your journey and you decide what turns to make along the way. A detour doesn’t mean you won’t make it to your final destination.

Following a blueprint doesn’t negate your intelligence… I used to think that if I didn’t come up with my own unique way to approach something that it meant I wasn’t smart. You’ve heard the saying “work smarter, not harder”. Not reinventing the wheel is the epitome of that statement. Don’t waste your time coming up with a new method!

Partners can be beneficial… If you choose someone who complements you, it can help make growing your business easier. I have certain strengths and my partner has others. Having different perspectives, if you don’t allow disagreements to stunt your growth, can be a huge asset to your business and create a better experience for your clients.

Consult with ancillary professionals before you think you need them… If you consult with experienced professionals who provide accounting, legal services, trademarking, real estate consulting, branding, marketing, etc. in the beginning it will help you to avoid an major mistakes as your business grows.

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

Veganism is dearest to me because it is the lifestyle I’ve chosen to adopt and I feel makes the greatest impact. It can actually crossover into each of the other listed topics. From veganism I became involved in sustainable practices, it had a positive impact on my mental health, and it helps to thwart negative environmental changes.

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

There are multiple ways to keep up with me! Instagram and Twitter — @vgnbaedom FaceBook and LinkedIn — Dominique Side Website — www.TheLuxuryVegan.com

Thank you for these fantastic insights!