Today we’d like to introduce you to Janel Taylor
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I call myself a wellness community and experience designer. I curate wellness-based communities and experiences with the guiding pillars of community, joy, rest, and wellness.
I was born on the west coast (California) but came of age on the east coast (Newport News, VA). After graduating from George Mason University and living in Northern, VA for 11 years, I found myself moving further North. I’m not quite sure if it’s a gravitational pull because I definitely prefer warmer climates. I am drawn to wellness, I study relationships, and I am an advocate for community. I find joy in planning, hosting, & attending events and retreats, music, festivals, concerts, podcasts, YouTube vlogs, nature, and fun drinks.
I was inspired to create a wellness business for various reasons. I realized that wellness was not apart of my upbringing, It hit me when the pandemic hit, I realized that I had never stretched daily, then I started to incorporate fresher food, the outdoors, resting, and mindfulness. I recognized wellness energized me so music and I wanted to hold it close. A common theme is my life has been having a yearning for community and recently found a project from grade school about me starting an organization for teen girls. I totally forgot that I had done this project. Fast forward, I started a women’s organization from 2015 – 2019 called Sunflower Social. It was the companion organization to my blog at the time. I now realize that wellness was always a part of the mission of the organization although at the time the focus was women in their 20’s. While utilizing social media I was able to connect women through wellness and community. I ended the Sunflower Social shortly after hosting it’s first in – person retreat, due to my own burnout of not putting my wellness first. How could I have an organization about wellness when I was not treating myself well?
Now, at 30 something, with a new outlook on my wellbeing and how to connect with people. I am building With Joy, Janel and Invitation to PAUSE, two wellness offerings that utilize social media, modern technology like AI, and good old – fashioned community. With a background in HR, Talent Development, and Event Planning, I am able to lean on my skills acquired from those fields and create the most impactful experiences for community members.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. Is anything ever? I had been putting off the business for 3 years and as soon as I made up my mind to officially pursue it a couple months ago, opportunities have been presenting themself. Me, being in my own way has been my greatest struggle as well. I feared what others thought, that I had to have more money to get started, and that it had to be perfect to be presented. I had a lot of initial interest in both virtual and in-person experiences only for less than a quarter to actual show up or engage. Although disappointing at first, I realized that it even if one person shows up that it was still impactful. Balancing life, work, and business has been another challenge that I am candidly currently working through.
We’ve been impressed with With Joy, Janel , 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?
With Joy, Janel is my literal signature turned personal brand name of joy – centered virtual and in person wellness experiences and events. “Where finders, keepers, seekers, & dreamers of joy unite.” So far I have virtually led groups for 1 -3 months of gratitude, pen pals, and joy walks. I was inspired to make Joy Walks the first signature event that will start back in the Spring through the early days of Fall. It’s a bi-weekly opportunity to connect in community and joy through movement – walking and talking together at Lake Montebello. Joy Walks can happen anywhere around the world or in the comfort of your very own community. I am planning to offer a monthly membership that will include a private community chat, weekly meet-up events, and daily wellness – based support. I am proud of launching Joy Walks and the Community Conversations I have been having on Instagram.
Invitation to PAUSE is a rest – centered service offering group wellness coaching, retreats, & experiences that happen virtually and in-person for organizations, companies, and friend groups. Guiding them through the 7 types of rest as they explore and deepen their understanding of wholistic rest.
Through both With Joy, Janel and Invitation to PAUSE I have created newsletters for people to stay engaged with both offerings. What I’ve learned so far in this journey of wellness, entrepreneurship, and life in general is that we need community and support. That is why I created a specific community for wellness/ life / relationship: practitioners, founders, coaches, entrepreneurs, business owners, and organization leaders called The Well Connected. We will meet quarterly virtually to discuss building and maintaining our wellness businesses, sharing accomplishments, challenges, resources, and opportunities.
We are living in a capitalistic, work – obsessed, and individualistic society. These offerings are your invitation for joy, rest, and community. Will you accept?
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
The guiding pillars of my business are community, joy, rest, and wellness because this matters to me the most. We were not brought here to live alone. Our ancestors were members of villages and now I cannot go a day without seeing a push to be alone or isolate. No matter what chapter of life you are in, community is imperative. I had a person that attended the first Joy Walk say that they had been telling themself they were going to go walking for weeks and that her friend texting her about the Joy Walk encouraged her to show up for herself. Community is that hand reaching out to you and the warmest hug embracing you. Joy matters because the world can get sad and dark. Joy is the light. Joy is gratitude for life. Rest is a nonnegotiable and what’s even more important is wholistic rest. We are encouraged to live work-obsessed and that only begets chaos and burnout. We are all worthy of rest and no matter where you are in life, there is a recipe to get more rest. Wellness matters so much to me because it saved me. I thank God for bringing wellness into my life at a time that I was at my lowest version of myself. My core values or what I call my personal trifecta is God, therapy, and wellness. As long as those 3 are in good shape in my life I can be the best version of myself and in the community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/withjoyjanel
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withjoy_janel
