Ima: Plant Medicine, Business Growth, Authentic Success | Ep01

Christian

He’s a trauma informed, somatic oriented facilitator with 10 plus years of experience training and coaching people all around the world, as well as running retreats and ceremonies. He has started and run multiple six figures coaching businesses and taken hundreds of people through his coaching programs and consulting processes. With a master’s in non profit management and a focus on social entrepreneurship and innovation, he is the former co founder and executive director of Renew, a non profit organization that ran transformational workshops for thousands of young people all around the world to learn, to love themselves, and live their dreams.

He also is the founder of Leaders of the New Era. Providing transformational retreats and coaching programs customized for companies. Welcome Ima to the show.

Ima

Thank you brother. Thanks for having me.

Christian

I love it. I’m really excited today because I get to have tea and hang out with the best people on the planet.

So yeah, first of all, let’s get you introduced to our guests. So if you briefly want to just, share your story of how you became the person you are today and what you’re doing and what fires you up, that would be amazing.

Ima

Yeah, absolutely. So like you shared in the bio a lot of the work actually started in working with kids, it’s like my journey and my path led me to really coaching transformational workshops, camps, summits in East Africa, in Tanzania.

Which then led me to pursue my master’s degree and got me into the entrepreneurship space. And this was in Arizona, really like carving into the new entrepreneurial incubators here in Arizona. And I’m from Sedona, which is where I’m at now. And from there is the path continued to wind and turn that led me to speaking on stages in different places around the world and shifting the coaching work to adults.

Christian

I love it. That’s great. Fantastic. And so I had a question about what do you mean by the merging of worlds? Because it seems like we’re a very special time right now in the universe. However far time exists, that’s another conversation.

But what do you mean by the merging of worlds when they mentioned?

Ima

You don’t know. That’s the mystery. How are they going to come in? They leave for a season and then they’re always going to come in. And yeah, I always tell people be patient. But there’s always like a, some influence up there is designing and weaving the web in a way that I think we don’t fully understand.

And so it’s good to just listen and be patient and trust that okay, I did this for a reason. I see that a lot of entrepreneurs, right? It’s Almost like shaming themselves. Why did I go down this like long path, right? Some people will go, why did I go? Why was I in corporate America for 10 years? Why was I building websites for 15 years?

Or why was I coaching people? It can be easy to ask when you don’t understand why you’re in something It’s like being in a long relationship and then ending it. You don’t understand. Why did I go through this? And so There’s a lot of healing when and a lot of purpose gets created when you merge the worlds together and so it’s also something I think that’s like useful coaching work for people supporting people and merging their worlds.

Christian

Yeah. I love that. I see that in my work too, as a designer and, owner here at Love Pixel Agency, that the more you’re able to visually, as a designer, everything’s about visuals visually represent the layers of people, the more depth the brand becomes, the more depth you can communicate visually, and the more depth you can communicate visually, that’s still understandable because Sometimes you can also create crazy artworks that don’t really serve a purpose, but if you can create depth within something that’s understandable for a person on the outside, then that really communicates somebody’s multi dimensionality, and somebody’s just, wow, this is a well rounded, wise old soul, so I can totally relate to that from my field of work and I think as life goes on, it’s just really beautiful that you brought that up because I think, yeah, a lot of people say, Oh, why did I do this?

Why do that? I think at the end of the day, it just adds another layer and it can possibly be a very beautiful one. You’re right. If you choose to make that a part of what you do now, somehow it doesn’t have to be your main focus, but somehow, how does that experience influence you now?

Ima

People like I’m finding clarity is a really big medicine for people right now. People aren’t quite clear It’s hard to move forward with direction and like masculine energy which creates results When you don’t, when you’re not clear on where you’re going. And in this case, it’s so deep that it’s not just the lack of clarity of where you’re going.

It’s the lack of clarity created by a giant ego death that people want to come out of. So that would be one challenge okay, as a brand specialist what do you, what’s your clarity? Can you be clear? It’s so essential for you guys to help create the clarity for people, right?

But that’s like a whole other level of confusion. It’s like a spiritual crisis. It’s an existential crisis, right? I don’t know, I’ve just seen this really, I’ve seen this recently for a lot of people that were just now emerging. But many people are still coming out of it. And so it’ll be interesting to see what happens next.

Christian

Yeah. I think collectively there’s a big, it’s just so much change going on. That’s everybody feels they’re still part of the old game, but there’s a new game on the table and everybody’s trying to readjust and so many levels, not just spiritually, but also technologically, with AI coming through and all these kinds of new technologies.

That just really create a lot of question marks on people’s heads, and I’m really excited because you know I leave I read a lot of spiritual literature, especially people who channel I feel very drawn to that type of material and They always just say listen everything happens for a reason, it’s such an accepting You know, stoic philosophy and yeah, that always gives me reassurance because sometimes, we make things so real in the world Oh my God, I have to be this person.

I have to make this much money and I have to do this and do that. And I want to do this and do that.

You know what I mean? There’s I don’t know, a big book that influenced my spiritual journey was A Course in Miracles. And I’m not sure if you know about that book, but it talks a lot about how. The return to love, changing your perception from fear to love in any given moment.

And really, if we’re able to do that in any given moment with ourselves, with our mind, Life gets so blissful. It’s incredible.

Ima

Yeah, I love this conversation I’m just deciding how like deep to go into it, but I feel you on this piece of Like how good I almost see it as like the playing with the barometer of like resistance so for, I really resonate with what you said around coming forward. And then there’s the AI pieces and there’s these different things. But what I notice even within myself as a barometer is like. That proves what you say is true is anytime you try to do something the way you might try to have done It like two years ago.

It’s not working. This is like true for so many people. Yeah, you’re like, oh, this you know This is the way I used to run the business couple years or I used to run programs like this cup So I’ve and to be completely transparent this is why I stepped away from the coaching industry in general because there were already a lot of things that were not resonating with me I can I could feel the stagnation.

Christian

Yeah. Yeah. We’ve we see a lot of the insides of people’s businesses, in, in our agency and the base mechanics are still the same because humans work still the same, right?

It’s just the tools that people are using to do that stuff, like sending emails, writing this, doing this, creating content. They have changed so much or things, content creation has become so easy that so many more people are doing it now. Which is a great thing, but that brings you back to how can you be different and see, I think it creates on one level, it creates so much like superficial content that you draw on to the deeper stuff.

Ima

Is there something that like does move you more deeply and do you like, where do you, what do you think is like the, if somebody was coming to you as like an entrepreneur of okay, how do I make my Not even how do I make myself unique, because we already are unique, but how do I align with where the truth of where we’re going.

Christian

Do something around that. You love tea, do something around tea. You love, what are the topics that you really resonate with? And this is really a great time to reposition yourself and restart, relaunch something in the direction you actually want to go to if you’re not doing that already.

So I think, yeah that, that’s what it, that’s what it comes back to because at the end of the day, if you’re unique, nobody’s like you. You understand? Nobody’s like Ima, nobody’s like Christian, like I am such a unique person and most people just know me for my web design skills. You understand?

There’s so much more. It’s just that’s just the surface level that what people, know me for, and that’s fine, but we can get to know each other deeper and we can do other stuff together. You know what I mean?

Ima

Yeah, they got to share a tea with you in person to really dig into the deeper layers.

Christian

Yeah. And I think that is what a lot of people are doing on social media right now. Like they’re starting to have real conversations, deeper conversations,

Ima

Not only is it what everybody’s waiting for you to share and invite them into there’s not really many logistics There’s not it’s not so many logistical complications Something can be as easy as you want it to be so I’m excited because I think that’s what I’m noticing is where we’re Headed is like hearing everything down to really simple really impactful really fun like really like enjoyable and finally meeting all these people in person we’ve been seeing on screens for four years. So if that’s even the only thing for me I’m stoked about it. I’m stoked on where things are headed. And maybe that’s the answer to the confusion in the in between, okay. Yeah. You don’t know what to do with your business right now. It’s like a little bit confusing. Jump, jump on a plane and go hang out with the person that you’ve been like working with and go create something together. It’s we’re in the year of the creator, I feel go create something together.

Go like brainstorm, go have a tea with Christian and jump on the whiteboard and see what pops up, and how you’re like, and can weave together. To me, that’s way more, that feels way more fun. That’s like following the excitement, like what you said.

Christian

Yeah, wow that’s such a great, that’s such a great insight, I’m so excited about that because I feel, yeah, you’ve literally just said whatever was on my mind for, just many months and that I was in my am currently in that transformation of okay I mastered the web design systems piece and, doing that still for so many clients and I really just, want to be with people, right?

Let’s hang out together. Let’s create cool stuff together. Because I like that. I like creating websites. But how epic would it be if we do it together?

Ima

As a ninja, right? So that way it’s like not noticing and then organically you’re like turn the process upside down. So now instead of trying too hard to think of what to create together, we’re really just in the play and the fun and the exploration and the co creation and then as a result I probably you probably oh, hey, by the way, Ima, this is the video that got created for you.

How would you like to use this? Like to me, I would really vibe with that because you could create like a little mini documentaries, mini reels almost an exploration of the brand of who is Ima, but in a way that was like so unscripted and so organic just because I showed up with you in person.

Yeah. It’s like a, an immersive brand retreat, deep dive. That’s like very unlogical. How you not really how people do this where it’s picking the left brain, but just like drinking tea and being in the right brain and having fun, come to spiritual conversations like this, real, like real content, just like being in this space. Anyways, bro, there’s a, that’s a great idea for you. I’ll be your, I’ll be your guinea pig, I’ll come do this.

Christian

For us. You know what I mean? I think it’s really, I think it’s really it’s a big symbol for me that you’re the first person on my podcast. It’s always about, you have to look at symbols.

Ima

Totally. I feel honored.

Christian

Yeah. Yeah. I’m really excited. I think here’s what we’re going to create together in the future. So yeah. And if somebody else would want to do that in their business, how would you suggest they go about it? Let’s say another coach, to use the strategy of Hey just do this or that, whether it’s a retreat or something else, like what are other how could they do that?

Ima

You mean building out, like their own offering that, that might be their own expression of that.

Christian

Yeah. And, or just very simple down to like down to the bones. Do you just ask everybody who on boards? Is it, Hey, do you want to do a potential retreat together or you make it part of your coaching program or how does it work with your, in your case?

Ima

I don’t think, I think where we’re at now, it will be very, if you did a branding workshop in Florida. That was low cost and people were in the room with you. I feel like that, I would go to that. That would be a home run. But if like you did an online summit, I don’t think I would go. Because I think maybe people are fatigued. Fatigued and now they don’t, oversaturated, fatigued, exhausted. They want to feel you. People want to feel you. And so I think that’s like the only important thing I would share with entrepreneurs is like. Do whatever you want, doesn’t matter what you do, but get people in a room with you so that you can let people feel your heart and share your gifts.

And don’t overthink where it needs to go after that. Don’t future plan or future trip around it. Just listen, and this is what I’ll do. I’ll finish a thing that I don’t have any plans sometimes. And then I’m listening, okay? What’s authentic? What’s authentically next? Sometimes nothing.

Sometimes it’s okay, bye, everybody. It’s that’s what’s true. And sometimes it’s Hey, I can feel there’s another layer of support here. Here’s what my here’s what feels exciting to me. Here’s where my energy is taking me. And usually if you come from that place, you find a yes.

Christian

Love that. Yeah. Thank you for sharing all that in detail and we’re coming up on the last 10 minutes of our podcast. So I want to shift the conversation a little bit towards the softwares and tools you use to make that happen. So feel free to, share any insights or whatever hacks or little tricks you found yeah, I’d use this or I used to use that, but this works so much better and stuff like that.

Really what this podcast is about is to create a new generation of successful spiritual entrepreneurs and yeah, however, we can help them and fantastic.

Ima

So that’s a really nice hack for somebody starting out low cost is. If you like to be part of the creative process, I love designing and creative. It’s a part of me that I don’t always have time for, but in another world, I would be probably part of Love Pixel, designing and creating and building things out because I’m good at it and I like it.

So yeah, that’s important. I think follow like your zone of genius. Don’t waste time if you don’t like doing that for me. I like being able to express my energy and so flow desk for landing pages as email templates as Opt in with opt in forms even now with checkout pages That’s pretty much it.

I don’t I don’t really use many Systems. I find that most people just find me it’s super simple. Yeah. It’s create on Canva, share as messages, and through email. And to me, stick where people know that you’re at. And don’t spread yourself too thin in too many places.

Christian

I love that.

Ima

And get yourself a website. Obviously, like that goes without saying, get yourself a website.

Christian

Get yourself a Lovepixel website. Yeah. People come to us when they’re ready. It’s all good. And I think, even anybody who is in my field that started out, I think most people built a website themselves when they start out and it’s totally fine, and then once you’re ready for, once your ecosystem has grown, once you have multiple offers, once you need just more system in your, eco, ecoverse, then you build it, but in the beginning you don’t need a lot of systems.

It’s better if it’s simple.

Ima

I agree. And I think the clarity point from before it’s I had to learn that lesson as an entrepreneur of overgrowing, overbuilding the team before. And then you don’t know what to tell people to do. You’re trying to invest into websites and it actually creates more probably, like from your perspective, it’s like more work for people when you’re like not clear with them.

And that can be like the symptom of trying to grow too fast. Good to be clear and experiment. I think that’s inherent to entrepreneurship. Yeah, it’s good to experiment and create a bunch of things and then be like, Oh, This is who I am. And then hand it off to the person who’s helping you grow.

Christian

Sweet. I love that. And yeah. With that I think it’s a wrap. And I would love for people to get in touch with you. If you have any, links, websites, etc. you want to share with us, that’s I think a good time to do.

Ima

Totally. Yeah. I think easiest way to do it right now is just Instagram at Eagle and Condor.

You can just follow me there. Send me a message and yeah, looking forward to connecting with people further.

Christian

Sweet. Amazing. And one last question, because I’m personally intrigued, so I have to ask it. Why Eagle and Condor?

Ima

It could be leveraged as the thing that changes the planet. And that’s what I think that the prophecy is really speaking to is we need to not dismiss the whole thing, but blend the energies together so that we can all symbiotically support each other so that we all thrive. And Yeah, that’s eagle and condor.

It’s representative of the prophecy. It’s also the balance of the masculine and the feminine. And it has revealed itself. I didn’t know when I chose that handle why I was choosing it to be completely honest. And I talked about that in the post. It’s only revealing itself. Now, I have the eagle and the condor tattooed on both of my arms, the eagle on the right side and the condor on the left side, and even when that happened many years ago, I didn’t understand why it was happening.

Yeah, back in the beginning of the conversation, right? It’s sometimes things, merging of worlds, things take time to integrate and make sense. Sometimes we just follow our guidance and it takes a few years to pick up the pieces.

Christian

Yeah, and yeah, as you said, it, perfectly ties into the beginning where we’re talking about merging all these layers.

And I think at the end of the day one thing we haven’t really talked about is like, what’s success, right? It’s successful spiritual preneur podcast. What is success? Everybody has to define it for themselves. But for me, ultimately always comes back to if it’s too much money and too much work and too much this, too much that, you don’t get to enjoy.

You don’t get to be with your family. You don’t get to be in the moment. You don’t get to What’s the point? You know what I mean? Just might as well just not do it then. You know what I mean? So yeah, with that being said I think that’s a beautiful conversation for another podcast on what is success, but ultimately, like for me, oftentimes it’s come back just balance and harmony.

And I think your name, your Instagram handle. Represents that perfectly. So thank you for that incredible, beautiful conversation. And I’m excited to see and hear more of you. And yeah, thank you.

Ima

Thanks for having me brother. It’s good chatting with you.

Christian

Likewise. Bye.

Ima

Ciao.