Helen Christoni: Women’s Brain Health, Make Time Wellness & Healing Through Grief | Ep48

Christian
What’s up, beautiful people? This is Christian from the Successful Spiritualpreneur Podcast. And today I’m super excited to have Helen Christoni on the podcast. She is a wellness entrepreneur and co-creator of Make Time with a deep passion for helping people live healthier and more purposeful lives. With over 20 years of experience in health awareness space, Helen has helped scale category-defining brands to education, innovation, and authentic partnerships. Welcome to the podcast, Helen Christoni.

Helen Christoni
Thank you, Christian, so much for having me on today. I’m super excited to be talking to you.

Christian
Lovely. All right, so tell us about make time.

Helen Christoni
You know, it’s interesting. So me and my friend Emma, who’s the co-creator, we during COVID, like we’re on a Zoom one day and she was telling me that she was taking all these supplements for her brain health because, know, like as women, we have brain fog. We like just don’t feel right. You know, we lose focus, we forget things. And she was saying that she was taking all these supplements that a brain health doctor had given her.

And she wished she could put it into a drink because nothing was like, it was just not sustainable for her to be taking these handful of pills. And so I was like, I can do that. You I have a background in product development. so then I really started looking into just the space for women around our brains. And really there was nothing. Everything was very mannish.

And nothing on the shelf is really talking to women and their specific needs as women. And so we really dug in and during COVID, we made this drink that really kind of checks a lot of bases for women so they can take care of their daily vitamins, their energy, their beauty, but also make sure that we’re taking care of our brains. And so we launched about two years ago. ⁓

And ⁓ it’s been great to kind of get the world talking seriously about this subject because one out of every five women will get Alzheimer’s. And nobody knows that. Like no one’s talking about that. so, and that’s compared to like one out of eight women that’ll get breast cancer, which everyone talks about, right? So it’s very important that, you know, to me and Emma, the co-creator of that,

We have this movement to get women thinking about our brains, which is our best asset.

Christian
Beautiful and what have you seen so far? I saw you went to the expo in Las Vegas and you know How was your experience there and the resonance of like people because I imagine it was such a new product and people not really Knowing that there is an issue. It’s like I don’t really understand, you know

Helen Christoni
You know, we always say like, when’s the last time that someone talked to you about your brain? And women say, never. You know, like our doctors aren’t talking to us about this. We’re not talking about it with our girlfriends. And so usually, I mean, the response so far has been thank you, you know, and thank you for bringing this awareness because everybody has a story. Everybody knows someone that has had Alzheimer’s, dementia. Like this is everyone’s

story. And I think now that we’re learning so much more about menopause, midlife, just air quality, microplastics, all these things, as women, it’s really important that we’re just aware of the risks. And it’s something you can easily do something about.

Christian
Beautiful. And what we say is the secret sauce when it comes to brain health in your supplement, make time.

Helen Christoni
I mean, you know, I think it’s a couple of things. Like it’s really a lifestyle or really a movement. And so first of all, when you’re taking supplements, whether it’s ours or someone else’s, just make sure you’re taking something for your brain. We have something called Cognizant in our product. It’s heavily studied on women. It improves focus, clarity, cognition. And also we have curcumin in it, which is a huge anti-inflammatory. So I think…

I think when you’re thinking about your supplementation, it’s super important that you just don’t forget about your brain. We’re doing all the things for our hair, our skin and nails and that’s in our products too. So you can add a little bit of brain stuff in there and then that way you’re covering all your bases and reducing some of your risks.

Christian
Beautiful. where would you say when creating the packaging for the product, where do you find your inspiration? Why, you know, since that is such a passion topic of yours.

Helen Christoni
You know?

Yeah, I mean, you know, we really wanted to go from like the insane, women are so busy and they do not make time. And so you’ve got like messages and work and kids and working out and your husband and bills and carpool. And like, we tried to show in our pack that you can go from this.

to actual rainbows and sunshine if you just take care of your brain and you think about it. And so if you just make time, you can go from all this chaos into really having more control over your day to day. Because if you put your brain first, Emma loves to say this, everything else falls into place.

Christian
Yeah, I love that. And I think it’s so important in a day and age where you just get inundated with messages and notifications every single hour or even minute of the day. So I think that’s a really, really great mission. And what would you say, or maybe what would Emma say is like, why did you guys choose to take the name or choose the name Make Time? Because it sounds more than just a product. You understand? There’s a whole philosophy behind that.

Helen Christoni
Yeah, you know, it’s cute because we were thinking about names, you know, and naming a product is so hard, right? Like it’s one of the hardest things. And Emma, she signs her cards, make time, Emma. That’s like how she signs off. And I always was really touched by that. You know, like I felt like it was just so kind. It was so caring and

So when we were brainstorming, I’m like, why don’t we call it make time for this? And we could make time for this, we can make time for that, we can make time for a lot of things. And one of the things that kind of drove that decision was the term self-care has really been absorbed by beauty. It’s turned into getting your nails done. It’s turned into getting your hair done, a massage, facial, but it is not really like those things are great.

But like making time for you to read a book, to go for a walk, to connect with a friend, like those are things that are really vital to making sure that we’re taking care of our brains and our mental wellbeing.

Christian
Yeah, I really love the name. think it’s super catchy and it allows for a lot of products and things to be held under that name. So I think it’s really, cool. And with MakeTime being around now for two years, what else do you think and intend to create? Is there other products? mean, you already have multiple, but are there verticals you want to step into? What do you think?

Helen Christoni
Yeah, I mean, think there’s a lot of things that women can make time for. And so when we were initially brainstorming the brand, that was a part of our dream. This can really grow into many different categories, but primarily right now, our mission is to really focus on brain health. And getting this conversation and really starting this movement, because it needs to be for the sake of women’s health, we need to talk.

it. So right now we’re only talking about our brain health. It might evolve into menopause, gut health, all these things. There’s many things we can do. Skin care, body care, vacations, I don’t know. You know, so there’s many things we can do with the brand and that’s our dream. But our passion and our mission is to really drive awareness. Also, we have a huge impact program. Like we donate five percent of product sales to charity.

We work with Hilarity for Charity, which raises awareness for families that are going through some sort of dementia or Alzheimer’s in their household. They have programs for kids. we really, I think like impact in our mission is the most important part of this and the products is a benefit.

Christian
beautiful. And so what would you say in your eyes is the definition of a successful spiritualpreneur?

Helen Christoni
gosh, mean, I think, look, it has to have purpose. You know, I have worked with a lot of different brands in my career and I think it’s the purpose driven, like I’m at a point in my life personally that if it doesn’t have purpose and if it’s not doing something for our planet and for the people in our planet, then it’s not worth doing. And so,

I think that you can pick where you focus your energy. And I’ve learned just through my life that you need to really feel good about what you do every day and that you’re giving back in some way, whether it’s through advocacy, education, building a community. We all need all the help we can get, right? So that’s really, it has to have purpose.

Christian
Yeah, I love that. And I think it’s a very, a very feminine way on economics, right? Which is great.

Right? Because for centuries, you know, economics and capitalism have just been driven, you know, by the male kind of like this and the profit, you know, it’s just like the numbers and the logic and the brain. But not as much so from the heart and purpose and, you know, really feeling into a brand, a product, a person’s path, like a founder, like you don’t, you don’t, you don’t exist to make money. Like, yes, also, but not only you understand.

Helen Christoni
I do. And, you know, I mean, this is, you know, during our journey here at Make Time, like, I lost my grandmother to dementia. My partner is Emma Hemming-Willis, she has, know, Bruce Willis, her husband, has a frontal temporal dementia diagnosis, which was, you know,

Christian
So.

Helen Christoni
We’re all supporting Emma through that. I lost my mother-in-law to frontal temporal dementia two years ago. I also just over, it’ll be two years in July, I lost my daughter to mental health. So, you know, I’ve experienced a lot of loss and.

So I think that, you what I was saying about how you have to lead with purpose, like before, if you would have asked me three years ago, I may have been having another conversation about profit, scalability, you know, doing &A and transactions, that sort of stuff. But now, I really just want to do something that means something because

that after so much grief and sadness, like this is what gives me joy, you know.

Christian
you’re healing yourself, others, pasts, know, things that happen in your life that give you not only, you know, the reason to start but also the fuel to continue a passion and a journey that you really want to and bring to the world, right? So I think that is, it’s so crucial when you put something out there in the world, you know?

Helen Christoni
Yeah, and like we’re doing it together, you know? So like Emma and I are both walking through this tough journey together. And I think like empowering women, building a strong community, it really gives us a lot of, you know, it’s very fulfilling. And so I think like when you have these major changes in your life, you know, finding out what truly fulfills you and is the…

know, life changes. And so now I get, you know, fulfilled by helping people, really, and helping women.

Christian
Beautiful. And so what type of advice would you have for women in their mid-20s or early 30s that want to start a company around or of their passion or their purpose? Let’s assume some person already has kind of found what they’re interested in. What advice would we have for them?

Helen Christoni
Yeah, network. mean, really like network and, you know, connect with other women leaders, get mentors. And I think more than just the fun, right? Like get out there, have lunch, go for walks, go to conventions and stuff like meet people, build relationships. It’s much easier when you’re younger to build relationships than it is as you get older because you’re

your responsibility increases as you get older. So, you know, when I was in my twenties, when I was in my twenties, I was throwing, was still an entrepreneur, I was throwing nightclubs, right? And so like, you know, it was easy for me to connect with people. I was out all the time. I was doing this, I was doing that. Well, then when I became a mother, I had to give that attention and time to my, my daughter and my family. And so I think that

while you, if you’re young and you’re a female entrepreneur or spiritpreneur, find your, find your crew, like your girls and start asking questions. Like me, I’m, I love helping young entrepreneurs with their ideas. I always have. And so I think just reach out to people on LinkedIn, see if you can meet for coffee, pick their brains. ⁓ Don’t be shy.

Christian
Beautiful. Yeah, I think it’s so valuable. know, as they say, your network is your net worth, right? So start young, start early, because you never know who you’re going to meet and how that person might impact your life.

Helen Christoni
I also think like do what you want to do, you know, like don’t do what other people are doing. I’m a big like, don’t worry about the competition type, you know, marketer. ⁓ they’re always going to be there. There’s always going to be somebody that has something that launches something, does something. You need to figure out your cost of doing business and then you need to do what you’re passionate about because if you’re phoning it in, it’s not going to work. And so I think that really like doing what you want in your heart.

like is really important. And there’s a lot of chatter that happens when you’re starting something. And so I think you really just have to be true to your dream and it will fall into place.

Christian
Yeah, I agree. And especially I feel women are like ideally or like better made in that sense that you know, they have this innate connection and intuition and know like they feel when something is right, right? Like the male side is more like the structure building stuff, right? But like, I feel when ⁓

a woman has an idea, it’s like a vision, it’s usually a very big vision and a very deep vision, not just like a superficial thing.

Helen Christoni
Yeah, I mean, of course the economics need to work, right? So you need to make sure that the economics make sense for the outside of the economics making sense. Like then it’s like fair play. And then you also have to be adaptable. know, sometimes things come up and you have to change gears a little bit. That’s okay. But as long as you stay true and you’re aware and you know, ⁓ they say fast launch fast and then pivot. I am a big believer.

you know, that you just need to launch fast and you can do running changes if something’s not landing right. And so I think that you have to trust your gut and your intuition, but also be aware of what the customers are saying to you.

Christian
Do have an example for make time or any other of your career experiences for making those pivots?

Helen Christoni
Yeah.

I mean, we had to really change our formula. You know, like we went out with our first formula and you know, it was a brand new type of thing and we needed to make like pivots on our wellness stack to really get it retail ready. And so, you know, I mean, we had to relook at one of our formulas and go back in. So you always need to go in and improve. Like, don’t be scared of improvement.

You know, you can’t just, you have to update. I always say this, you’ll have to update or you’re out of date. And so, you know, it’s very important that you’re nimble. ⁓ And also when you’re starting something, you really have to watch your inventory position and ⁓ make sure that you can adapt. If you change the label, that you can do it, that you’re not burdened by inventory. And this is like, you know, business stuff, but like be very careful.

in the beginning with your inventory positioning. So in the event you need to change them.

Christian
Yeah, that makes total sense. I have a tea brand on Amazon, right? So my formulation is very simple. It’s just one ingredient. But it’s been a journey, know? Yeah, as you say, the pivots and the changes that need to be accommodated along the way aren’t definitely real. people, you know…

Yeah, don’t overorder the first or two or three, you know, take time in adjusting. So yeah, beautiful. with with you being, you know, switching gears a little bit on a personal like routine and you know, any like success practices that you have and do like, what do you recommend or any tips you have for us?

Helen Christoni
Gosh, I mean, I have a lot. So first of all, I’m an avid runner. I have to get out and move. Like you’re saying in my intro, I run ultra marathons. Like staying physically really grounded and getting outside is very important to me. Like you can’t, for me, it’s very important that I make that time to go out, go for a run, do some Pilates, grab a girlfriend, go for a walk.

connect, take a walk with my husband, connect. know, like making time for like physical activity and connection I think is like one of my top things. Another thing is really tending to my grief. Unfortunately, I’m in this position where I lost my daughter, you know, tragic, should never happen to a mother, you know? Yeah. And tending to that grief is very important so I can show up for everything else.

Christian
Sorry to hear that.

Helen Christoni
So I think that, you know, I go to therapy, I do kind of healing modalities, Reiki, meditation. I’ve really leaned in. Like we were talking about earlier, like three years ago, I was a bit more pragmatic and about the bottom line. But now I’ve had to really transition and take care of my soul. So I can show up for…

for everyone in my life and that’s what my daughter would want from me. And I’ve had to really be open to doing this spiritual kind of soul-seeking work.

Christian
Yeah, yeah, I think if the inside is just chaotic, then what are you gonna do on the outside? You know what mean? So you have to work from the inside out, right? So it’s good that you give yourself, make the time to do that for yourself, you know? Yeah, beautiful. And who or what inspires you most in your spiritual entrepreneurial journey currently in your life?

Helen Christoni
Yeah, 100%.

Gosh, I mean, you know, like I have some mentors. I have a mentor, Peter Spiegel. He’s been my mentor for years and years. And I work with him in another capacity and he has really been, you know, into yoga, meditation, and this just spiritual journey for a long time. And so he’s really been very helpful to me in making sure I take care of my heart. My husband.

I think that my husband has really allowed myself the time to do whatever I need and be open to that. think having your surrounding people support you on whatever thing you’re in is super important. So I think that that support is really important. And then I’m really blessed to have a strong, supportive group of women.

Emma being one of them, that really show up for me and not just during the tragedy, but continue to check in and make sure I’m okay and see how I’m going. And that, my heart’s doing all right. So I really think that I’m blessed to have so many people to carry me through.

Christian
Beautiful. So we’re coming towards the end of the episode and I just wanted to, you know, I always like to give the last part over to our guests and just have them vision and just like do a little visioning exercise. Like, what are you looking to call into your life in the coming years for yourself, for your brand, for your company? Yeah. What are you looking to call it?

Helen Christoni
I mean, I really want to have a large community of women getting behind this conversation. Like the world, medical fields, researchers have forgotten about women’s brains and I really need women to join me and then make time to having this very important conversation because we can change course. And so.

this movement, this woman coming together to raise awareness for our brains, I think that is a dream of mine that I want to see come to fruition. know, if people paint things pink for breast cancer, I want to have a one out of five campaign. I want to make one out of five, one out of six, one out of five, one out of seven. I want to create change for women’s health so we remember our children’s names when we’re older, you know? And so we don’t have to

like be full victim to this horrible disease. And so this is really about like the future of our families, the future for ourselves and aging like in a beautiful way, you know? And so it’s nothing sadder seeing someone that you love go through Alzheimer’s, dementia. It’s heartbreaking. And if we start thinking about it now, we can change some of that direction.

Christian
Beautiful. Yeah, that’s a beautiful vision for the new earth, for the world that we’re creating. So thanks for playing your part so elegantly in that. yeah, where can people find you? can they find, make time? Let us know.

Helen Christoni
Yeah.

Sure, so you can find me at Helen Christoni and then on socials we’re at Make Time Wellness.

Christian
Awesome, beautiful, great. And you guys also have a podcast that is called Make Time Podcast. So yeah, guys tune in. Make Time Podcast, yeah. So tune into that. Thanks for being on the show, Helen. It was an honor.

Helen Christoni
We do, we do, have make time pod.

Bye,

thank you so much.