Krystal J [00:01:06]:
Today we have the incredible Michelle Parad. She is an intuitive guide for conscious leaders. She's also an author and a speaker and is known for the Your Brilliance Archetype, which I'm so excited to dive into today, as well as the S.E.L.L. method, which is a spiritual philosophy which has helped empower her clients to build businesses that really align with their path towards self-actualization. I am so excited to be diving into what you do, Michelle. But first and foremost, thank you so much for joining us.
Michele P [00:01:41]:
Oh, thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here. And what a great time. Just, just in time for the new year, right?
Krystal J [00:01:48]:
Oh, my gosh, yes. Well, by the time this is live, it'll be past. The new year will be a few months.
Michele P [00:01:52]:
Yeah, it's time of recording, but. Yes, true.
Krystal J [00:01:56]:
But in this moment in time where we're talking, yes, this is. It's great to really be able to surround myself with women that are ambitious as you and have that really free flowing, positive energy. It's such a great way to lead into the new year. But since we're... now that it, you know, once it's live, since we'll already be in there, hopefully we've, you know, made some strides since, right? But anyways, let's go back to you and your story. So talk to us. What is your background? How did that lead you to what you're doing now? And where are you joining us from? Because we've had a lot of speakers from just all over the place now. So where are you joining us from also?
Michele P [00:02:41]:
Absolutely. Yeah. So at the moment I'm in New York City. I can't promise that in April I'll be staying stationed from there because I am really embracing a little bit of a nomadic lifestyle this year. So that's been part of my goal and just really being in a place of surrender and allowing for new opportunities to come to me and being mobile has been part of that and being able to be malleable and adaptable to really whatever comes up for me. So. But yeah, just to dive into my story a little bit, I worked in marketing and business development for about twelve years or so across different startup organizations. Some were in the clean technology space, some in HR, a few other industries as well.
Michele P [00:03:43]:
And I was always searching in a way for that something, silver lining of purpose. That was always something that was ingrained in me. And I first looked to organizations that I thought had an inbuilt impact and purpose. So I really focused on trying to find those organizations first and foremost until I got to a point where I had a little bit of a dilemma, an internal dilemma of, you know, and this is astrologically, if you believe in this, right around 29 years old, which is, you know, your Saturn return. And so I had a bit of a... I don't know... quarter life crisis where I just started asking, why am I here? Is this really what I meant to be doing? There's got to be more to life than this. And so I really delved into spirituality at that point in time. I had no background, no religious background, really, no interest in God, nothing. So it's kind of interesting that it occurred to me that point in time to delve into in particular kabbalah was where I started and I really delved deeply and I went into a mystery school at that point in time.
Michele P [00:05:20]:
So I went from zero to like 100. And through the process I was very skeptical about everything. But there was something that just drew me curiosity, really, and I stuck with it, which is great, even despite my skepticism for everything that they were talking about. And then I kind of eight months into the program I was doing, I actually had a real visceral experience that made it real for me. You know, it was a real feeling and a knowing that there is something beyond just the physical plane. And that's really where things really took a shift for me, in starting a relationship with source energy, if you want to call it whatever it is, what you wanna name it, it could be God, it could be whatever. And so that's where it started. And I was on a healing path, first for myself, then I started healing others.
Michele P [00:06:38]:
And I got to a place where I wanted to integrate all of my gifts all together and bring some kind of offering where I could bring the two worlds together, the business, the strategic, along with the intuitive side that I was opening myself up to. And so I went on a journey of, how do I even go about that? How do I invent that or create that? Because I didn't really know too many people who were doing it. Of course, now I do because it's like once you go on that path, it seems like everybody is. It's like the red car. Suddenly when you want a red car, then you're like, wait a second, everybody has the red car. And so you start to draw other people who have similar aspirations as well and start kind of surrounding yourself with those people too. And so that's kind of in a nutshell what happened. And so for me, it was definitely an evolution from just giving healings to now, you know, really having a very thought through system, mainly because I never received it along the path.
Michele P [00:08:01]:
I was like, how do I describe what I do? How do I tell the story of who I am and how can I share that and make profit from it? And so it was through my own discoveries of different spiritual tools, such as the gene keys, which I really love sharing with my clients, along with other kind of personality tests. I have my own archetype test as well. And these are all beautiful clues and blueprints into how we are designed and how our soul has been incarnated and what our ultimate mission is and how we're meant to bring it out in the world. And so a lot of times we get very confused about what our role is. Even if we're on a purposeful path, you know, if we don't know ourselves intimately, we could be confused by being in a different design.
Michele P [00:09:03]:
So many founders tend to start out as builders, but actually they might be educators or they might be community leaders or they might be networkers, right? So you want to design your business around ultimately your gifts, because that's actually where the best prosperity comes from. And so it was really my own discovery. And now I've sort of packaged that into a one-on-one program where we really go through a process and an activation as well, going through subconscious work to benefit you and to release you from any layers that you've told yourself about yourself and expand your potential for what you can receive and you can do.
Krystal J [00:10:00]:
There's so much I want to dive into in your story, and you've touched on so many points that I think are really intriguing to me. But, when you mentioned that you were saying that you really didn't believe in all the spirituality stuff, this woo-woo thing, and then several months into your program, that's when it started becoming real for you. But it was almost like that spirituality was always kind of there, that intuition, because you were feeling that, like, nudge, that pull in that direction, that curiosity.
Michele P [00:10:35]:
Right.
Krystal J [00:10:37]:
And it made me think of a conversation that I had with Clare Garner, who you might be familiar with, who is also part of Women Thrive. And we were kind of talking about similar things where, you know, spirituality really can be for everyone and it doesn't always look the same. And you might have this, you know, preconception of what that means in your head, and maybe that's not for you. It's not the kind of person you are. But when you just start diving into it and seeing how it connects to your own story, there's a real evolution that takes place within you. And you also kind of brought us to what my question was with, how do you tell people what it is that you do, right? I love that you've taken all this marketing background and now you've packaged it together with this spiritual journey that you've been on. But that's not typically something that, you know, gets thrown out there, right? Like this idea of spiritual marketing or marketing based on a higher consciousness. So what does that even really look like?
Michele P [00:11:48]:
Such a good question. Yes. Absolutely. And to your point, just backtracking on what you mentioned about spirituality, of course, it's so individual for each person. They could have a different modality that works specifically for them and opens them up. And so I'm never one to say, you know, you should follow exactly my methodologies or the ones that I've been exposed to. Of course, I like to tell people about the tools and resources and then allow them to be guided themselves as to what excites them and what's going to open them up the most. And I do actually go into that a little bit in how I work with my clients is to really have them understand what their specific energy strategy is, because even that is customized and super individual. And that is part of the unpacking of this S.E.L.L. method. And the last L letter is light up. So you have to understand what lights you up, what's going to put you in a happy nice vibrational state, so you can attract the things that you desire, but that in and of itself is probably not enough.
Michele P [00:13:21]:
Only you have to really combine it with other things like doing shadow work and again, having a, a relationship with source and having a direct channel which everybody has that ability to get information from the universe. And so, you know, over time, and I'm sure when I was a kid I had more of this ability and a lot of the times we all shut that down because it's not taught over time. So it's just a reacquaintance with all of your senses and all that is around us because it's all here to guide and there's so much information we can gather just from our immediate environment and other input and sensory input that comes in.
Michele P [00:15:22]:
So yeah, I was intuitive from the perspective that I was always feeling different things in different environments, but didn't know, I wasn't aware that I was being affected, but I knew like, I would go into a room and feel weird and then in another room I would feel really good. So I would definitely observe that, but not know what it was all about until later. I started to understand that I guess a lot of empathetic people have that. It's that understanding also of, you know, is somebody sad or angry or happy. And you can pick that up very, very quickly when you're tuned in. What was your, I know you had a second part to this question and it was, tell me again.
Krystal J [00:16:25]:
Yeah, what is higher conscious marketing?
Michele P [00:16:28]:
Higher conscious marketing, yes, very good question. So the way that I have seen it and where I personally am moving myself into is around collaboration. That to me is the highest version of marketing. And again, of course every person has their own methodology for marketing and that has to do with their individual gifts. You know, what good at, too. Some people are supposed to be public speakers, other people are really good at writing, you know, tap into those things so that you can get your message in the way that you find it's the most beautiful to you. And so you don't have to necessarily copy what's around you. You know, you have to find your own version of expression.
Michele P [00:17:29]:
So that's the first part. But secondly, I do think for everyone it's beneficial to get in a place of collaboration because we're not meant to do this alone. If we try, you know, it gets hard. So get as much support around you as possible through different groups. And it's not just about getting resources and necessarily getting into a venture partnership, although that can help. But honestly, just being surrounded by like minded people, you can really pick up on the details and information that you've been looking for. I mean, now whenever I go into a networking or zoom call, I know that I have like three or four things in my mind of what I need to resolve, and I tend to find the answer within that room, within that hour of just meeting up with people. So I think it's really important to, to seek out people around you, like a network, a community, or several of them, and to cross promote each other.
Michele P [00:18:52]:
Ultimately, especially with people that are on a similar journey and that you value what they're doing. So I think by supporting each other, we are all going to really benefit in the end of the day. And so that's what I aspire to create, is to create that kind of movement, and I want other leaders to do the same and to have that same kind of mindset for themselves as well. So that's really, I think the higher conscious marketing where we're headed and at the end of the day, it's about authentic connections and doing that in whatever way possible. And I think, you know, in a world where we're moving actually more towards systemizing marketing and AI and things like that, I actually think that there's going to be an even stronger, even more important, dire need for us to humanize what we're doing as well. And I think that you'll ultimately stand out from everyone else when you are adding that personalized touch, when you're adding even the in-person elements to your business as well. I think that's really what's going to differentiate you from what everyone else is ultimately doing. It doesn't mean don't use AI. I'm just saying, you know, make sure to keep the authenticity there.
Krystal J [00:20:48]:
I really love how you kind of reframed AI because I never really thought of it in that perspective, as prominent as AI appears to be getting, it's just kind of opening that window opportunity for us to continue to differentiate ourselves by bringing that authenticity, which is one of my favorite words and something that I try to practice on a daily basis with our business. And you are absolutely right. The bigger AI gets, the more people are going to start seeking out genuine connection and a genuine community. And I also really love how you broke down higher conscious marketing to really just what is your energy strategy. I love that phrase, taking it back to what feels good, like knowing what rooms make you feel, whatever type of way, and figuring out how to beautifully blend your traditional marketing strategy of looking at the data and what people have done in the past, things like that, with really what feels good, what lights you up? And you mentioned the last L of your S.E.L.L. method, but what is everything? What is the S, E, and the first L of that?
Michele P [00:22:07]:
So S is source. So that's going back to sourcing information from your higher self, from the creator. And then E is to expand, basically expand your vessel, your ability to receive, your ability to imagine something greater than the box you sort of put yourself in currently. And then liberate is the shadow work. It's the L. So it's the things you have to really get rid of in order to clean up your vessel, in order to be able to, yeah, go forward with everything that you're wanting to and then light up, like I said, is the vibrational strategy as well. So you need all of those basically, to really move in a direction of what I want to call self-actualization. So that's really when you are going in a path of true fulfillment, and it's a challenging path.
Michele P [00:23:18]:
It's not one of those things where I do think that there's a warrior archetype that really comes into play. And when you're on this path, because contrary to what some spiritual leaders talk about, it's not all roses. Once you get to a vibrational state, there's this process of contraction and expansion that continues to happen throughout your journey. So you're always going to be met with the next sort of test. And now I think that now that I know that it's easier to be a little bit more resilient through those times that are kind of ups and downs, you know, that, okay, whatever is coming through is actually for my highest benefit, even if it feels a little constraining or fearful or painful in the moment.
Krystal J [00:24:24]:
So you mention this word archetype a couple of times. I know that's one of the things that you're known for, Your Brilliance Archetype, right? And how everyone kind of has this gift or the strength. I think you mentioned builder, guide, mentor, and a warrior archetype. So with that, when people are just starting their businesses, they kind of go into it assuming that they know so much about themselves, right? But obviously, for a reason, there are mentors and coaches and people like you that are really helping guide these entrepreneurs to a place of better alignment.
Krystal J [00:25:05]:
So maybe they weren't quite where they wanted themselves to be. So what kind of advice do you have for someone that is kind of still trying to figure out what their archetype is, what their purpose is, how to really build that alignment, especially having already launched their business? Because, of course, there's going to be a lot of pivots that have to take place after that when you're trying to figure out, okay, how does this really align with who I am, what my purpose is, what my gifts are, how can they navigate all of those changes while still kind of doing the inner work for themselves?
Michele P [00:25:43]:
Yes, great question as well. So, you know, I encourage you to take my quiz, but of course, there's archetypes all around us, and you can choose an archetype, or you can go through this energetic process in a way to see which archetype chooses you. But essentially, I see it as the incarnation of what your superwoman or superman would look like, and that's actually who you really are. So the way that you see yourself now... There might be a little bit of a gap between where you see yourself now and that higher, highest archetype of who you actually are. And so in order to shift from where you are now to that archetype, like I said, there are different activations and the S.E.L.L. method that we can think about. But really, it's a process of starting to imagine yourself as that archetype. Like, what would this archetype do in its day to day? How would it act? What decisions would it make? How would it shape its environment so that it could best be suited for this type of person? What kind of content can you create based off of this archetype as well if you were to really embody it? So it's starting to really, and even just like, putting imagery of or even getting props like, whatever it is, to get yourself into that role can really help you elevate and start to think differently about. Yeah. What you should do in your day to day. So, yeah, it's very individualized, of course, because it's contextual. You know, it's like astrology.
Krystal J [00:27:59]:
Right.
Michele P [00:28:00]:
You can't just look at the sun sign of someone. It's in context within the business that they're trying to create as well. So that's also the piece that we really dive into as well.
Krystal J [00:28:14]:
Yeah. And it's. not about, you know, having to make this a big, major change, right? Taking it in digestible pieces and allowing yourself to really just honor that process, right? As you continue to evolve, as your business continues to evolve, as you continue to allow yourself to lean into that intuition and wherever you're feeling drawn to. Love that.
Krystal J [00:28:38]:
There was another favorite word of mine that you said a little while ago, and that was collaboration. I am all about collaboration, and it is something that I'm definitely a proponent for. I'm always curious how people are working together and what I can do with the people in my community to really help expand our collective networks, lift each other up. So I would love to just dive into that a little bit on your end. What are your past collaborations look like? And I really especially love that you broke it down, how it doesn't have to be like these big partnerships. It can just be like, little ways that you're working with people. So what have some of your collaborations looked like within the industry that you're in and what kind of outcome have you seen from that? And also, how have you landed those collaborations? So it's a three-part question.
Michele P [00:29:36]:
Well, I'm just at the getting started. I have to say, I know that what I have planted seeds for right now is really going to grow into something even more beautiful, but so far, I have put together a summit that's, you know, will be live in January, so it'll be past when you hear this recording. But it was pretty magical because it wasn't something that I, and this is going into a little bit of my archetype, which is the magician. So I really loved that I didn't have to put a whole lot of effort to find the people. It was just, it was just the people that are already kind of in my sphere. I was already being in different networking groups, and so I just posted about it and it was just very beautiful how, you know, the people that came in were so aligned with the topics that I had sort of set out to begin with that aligned with the summit and beyond that, you know, it was not just an invitation for them to speak. We then had other conversations that spurred from that, and that turned into, for me, you know, invitations to other podcasts. It turned into collaboration on a book.
Michele P [00:31:16]:
It turned into, you know, these other speaking gigs. And so there was all this beauty that came out of it that it was, you know, even more than I had really expected than just coming, you know, interviewing people at the end of the day, because I did really value each of the connections that I made through this. It wasn't a transaction for me. It was like, wow, I'm really so blessed to have these amazing individuals that I'm crossing paths with, and I'm always curious how, what else we can do together. I think that's really that curiosity then starts to foster the wheels turning for each of these people that I met to say, okay, maybe, you know, in the future we're going to do a retreat together. I don't see it's not today, but I know six months from now that beautiful creation is going to come into play. So I'm really excited for what's to come. And like I mentioned to you before this interview, I started a community as well, and it's called the Co-Creator.
Michele P [00:32:35]:
So again, very much a collaboration platform, as well as focused on not just co-creating with each other, but co-creating again with the universe. So, hence the name. And it's really going to start out with just making authentic connections, as I mentioned. And then we're going to, it's going to turn into, like, a laboratory of how can we now curate interesting collaborations that are, you know, unexpected and what can we do here that's new? You know, it's that... Yeah, of course we can, we can all be on each other's platforms, but what's kind of the next stage of that? You know, maybe it's a co-created course. Maybe it's honestly just meeting in real life, you know, you never know what really stems of it. So I'm excited for that to get started. And we will see how it takes form and takes shape, because it's not just about me. I'm going to see ultimately, whoever the founding members are of it are really going to end up shaping and forming it in the future. So we'll see where it goes.
Krystal J [00:34:08]:
Yeah. I'm so excited to see how it manifests, especially once this episode goes live. Like what has transpired in these next, these past few months. If I'm speaking from the future, we love the name of it Co-Creator. It just sounds like there's really so much opportunity there and so much desire. Like we said, like people are going to want that connection. People are looking to connect with other women, collaborate with other women, and just bring all of these creative ideas to life like that we can't always do on our own. And there's just, there's so much opportunity there. I'm so excited. I am definitely going to be looking into it. But until then, Michele, you've been incredible. So where can everyone I find you and start working with you and figure out where this community is?
Michele P [00:35:02]:
Yes. Oh, you can reach me on my website, of course. Micheleparad.com instagram, @michele.parad and you'll find on my instagram bio a link about joining the community if you're interested in the archetype quiz and all that. So really excited to connect with all of you.
Krystal J [00:35:25]:
That's going to be amazing. And I'm going to take that quiz too. So everyone listening, make sure you head to her website, take that quiz, be on the lookout for her community. I know I will be. But again, thank you, Michele, so much. You are truly incredible.
Michele P [00:35:40]:
Oh, thank you for having me. This was so much fun.