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What if the life you want is on the other side of the decision you’re afraid to make?

As we step into the final days of the year — that reflective space between what was and what’s possible — this episode of Mission-driven founders speaks directly to anyone feeling the pull toward change… but unsure how to take the leap.

In this deeply honest conversation, we sit down with Lauren Rudick, international yoga teacher and founder of Yoga Academy International, to explore what it truly takes to walk away from comfort, trust your intuition, and build a purpose-driven life.

Lauren shares her journey from sold-out retreats to redefining success on her own terms — navigating uncertainty, fear, and reinvention along the way. This episode isn’t just about yoga or wellness; it’s about career pivots, personal transformation, and the quiet courage required to choose yourself.

Whether you’re:

• Considering a career change
• Feeling stuck in a life that no longer fits
• Craving meaning, freedom, or alignment
• Or standing at the edge of a big decision as a new year approaches

This conversation will meet you exactly where you are.

As we look ahead to what 2026 may bring, this episode invites you to reflect, reset, and imagine what’s possible when you stop playing small and start listening to your inner voice.

✨ You don’t need to have it all figured out — you just need the courage to begin.

📖 Wanda interviewed Lauren for Authority Magazine, read the full interview here. She is also featured on the Women in Wellness book.

🙏 Deep gratitude to Lauren for sharing her story and wisdom with our community.

Learn more about Lauren and her retreats:

Instagram: laurenrudick

Website: laurenrudick.com

🌿 Join us as we celebrate innovation, empowerment, and the movement toward a more mindful, compassionate future. Subscribe to Mission-Driven Founders on your favorite platform and never miss a story that inspires change!

📖 Get your copy of Women in Wellness on Amazon or on our website:

🌍 Explore Crunchy Mama Box and discover certified wellness products:

✨ Learn more about the CMB Certification Program

🎧 Subscribe to Mission-Driven Founders

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What does it truly take to transform cutting-edge nutritional science into effective, trustworthy wellness solutions?

In this powerful, science-forward conversation, we sit down with Dr. Noelle Patno, PhD, MS, Chief Science Officer at Bened Life, to explore the real-world journey of turning microbiome research into clinically driven, high-integrity probiotic solutions.

Created for health entrepreneurs, supplement founders, medical professionals, researchers, nutritionists, dietitians, health coaches, naturopathic practitioners, and anyone deeply curious about the microbiome and how the gut influences both physical and mental health, this interview goes far beyond surface-level wellness trends. Dr. Patno breaks down:

• The real science behind probiotics and the human microbiome
• How food truly functions as medicine
• What founders must understand about research, formulation, and regulatory integrity
• How to avoid misinformation and low-quality supplement pitfalls
• The growing role of personalized nutrition in clinical and consumer health
• What it truly means to maintain scientific credibility while scaling a wellness brand

Whether you are:

• Launching your first supplement brand
• Expanding a nutrition-focused practice
• Teaching or researching in medical or nutritional sciences
• Or guiding clients through functional and holistic health

This conversation provides relevant, behind-the-scenes insight into how high-level science becomes real-world healing solutions—without compromising integrity.

📖 Read the full interview here.

🙏 Deep gratitude to Dr. Noelle Patno for sharing her brilliance, leadership, and scientific wisdom with our community.

🌿 Join us as we celebrate innovation, empowerment, and the movement toward a more mindful, compassionate future. Subscribe to Mission-Driven Founders on your favorite platform and never miss a story that inspires change!

📖 Get your copy of Women in Wellness on Amazon or on our website:

🌍 Explore Crunchy Mama Box and discover certified wellness products:

✨ Learn more about the CMB Certification Program

🎧 Subscribe to Mission-Driven Founders

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Step inside one of the most influential movements redefining how America lives: wellness real estate. In this episode of Mission-Driven Founders, Wanda Malhotra sits down with Amaya Genaro, Vice President of Community Services at Rancho Mission Viejo—one of the world’s largest intentional wellness communities and a standout case study in the Global Wellness Institute’s Build Well To Live Well report.

Amaya shares her deeply personal story, rooted in intergenerational living, spiritual connection, and farm-to-table wellness—all of which shaped her visionary approach to community development. Together, Wanda and Amaya uncover:

• How Rancho Mission Viejo blends intergenerational living with cutting-edge wellness design
• The history and mission behind this 23,000-acre development
• Why community, belonging, and ageless living are essential to long-term health
• How intentional environments can combat loneliness and support whole-person well-being
• The challenges and breakthroughs behind creating America’s most innovative wellness community

This conversation is an inspiring look at the future of real estate, lifestyle design, and community-driven health—built on purpose, connection, and a culture of care.

Click here to watch this interview on youtube.

Learn more about Rancho Mission Viejo:

Website: ranchomissionviejo.com

Instagram: @ranchomissionv

Youtube: Rancho Mission Viejo TV

🌿 Join us as we celebrate innovation, empowerment, and the movement toward a more mindful, compassionate future. Subscribe to Mission-Driven Founders on your favorite platform and never miss a story that inspires change!

📖 Get your copy of Women in Wellness on Amazon or on our website:

🌍 Explore Crunchy Mama Box and discover certified wellness products:

✨ Learn more about the CMB Certification Program

🎧 Subscribe to Mission-Driven Founders

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Discover how the CMB Certification Program empowers brands, giving them the recognition they deserve for creating clean, eco-friendly, and socially responsible products. The certification empowers consumers to make informed choices about their health by guiding them toward truly green products.

Join us as we elevate wellness and sustainability into a global movement—because together, we can make ethical living the norm, not the exception.

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