Meet Sally Mansour of Booty & Brains

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sally Mansour.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Sally. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I don’t know many people who are fortunate enough to live out their childhood dreams. As children, our imaginations run wild and we believe we can be anything. And out of anything I could have been, all I ever wanted to be was a person who helped others. To say I chose social work would be misleading. I believe this profession chose me in a way. I vividly remember sitting on the edge of my bed as a little girl, praying to God to give me the strength to serve His people. My prayers have certainly been answered because it takes immense strength to be a social worker, and I have the utmost respect for people who join the helping profession.

I know I got a little ahead of myself, so allow me to backtrack a little bit. There was never an ah-ha moment where I felt my life purpose fell into place. All I had were a bunch of little experiences that showed me I had to keep going. I spent my teenage years volunteering across many different settings. I was hoping that the different exposures would help me narrow my focus as to which population I wanted to work with; but, the more I volunteered, the more confused I became. It didn’t really matter who I was helping, as long as I was helping. Social workers rarely get recognition for what they do right but are the first to be blamed when something goes wrong. I have heard the craziest responses as to what people think a social worker does. And while I cannot speak for every social worker out there, I will say this: A social worker to me is the one person who will happily walk into a dark place so that others do not have to sit there alone.

While social work is a big part of who I am, I would be lying if I said my story stopped there. In about one month, I will be graduating from the University of Southern California’s Master of Social Work program, and I still have no idea what is next for me. I think that is kind of exciting, though. When I don’t close myself off, I have the opportunity to help so many more people. I am honored to be featured during both Social Work Month and Women’s History Month. I hope every woman who has read this far really hears what I am about to say next: You do not have to constrain yourself to what others think you should be. I have a million conflicting things about my personality, but no one trait invalidates the other. I am a huge people-person, but I rarely leave my house. I am peaceful, but I will be the first of my friends to sign up for a martial arts class. I am an old soul, but I will rap Eminem lyrics until the rest of my days. I am the first to say yes, but I refuse to take no for an answer. And it is in my stubbornness, that I refuse to accept a system that oppresses women. I have been fortunate enough to have been raised by strong men and women who taught me I could do anything. I am happy to share that I have spent my time in graduate school also creating an online business, alongside my business partner, that addresses some of the needs we have been seeing.

You asked me how I got started. I purposely left that part of my story for last because it has been the most significant. The first chapter of my story was written long before I was born. My parents selflessly made the decision to leave Lebanon and move to America in order to give my siblings and I the best start in life. I cannot image what it must have been like to leave everything they had ever known, to go to a place where they knew no one, did not speak the language and had to start over. To top it off, they did it out of the love they had for a family they had not started yet. They are my backbone, and their support, without a doubt, is the reason I am where I am today.

Has it been a smooth road?
Half the battle is showing up. Seriously, Lebanese people are known for being late to everything. The amount of times I hesitated to show up because I did not feel good enough are more than I care to count. But the more I showed up and put myself out there, the more opportunities I saw in front of me.

You will seldom start something being the master of your craft, and that’s okay. Struggling is not a bad thing, despite the negative connotation attached to it. I think a lot of people view mistakes as setbacks, but they’re the most important stepping-stone to success. Growth only takes place where mistakes happen, and discomfort is welcomed. So yes, I certainly struggled because creating a business was new to me. I had a lot of lessons to learn, which meant I had a lot of mistakes to make. The key was failing often, failing forward and failing better. I think a lot of entrepreneurs can relate that the hardest part is believing in your ability to create a successful product/service. Once you can conquer that, nothing will stop you. You just have to believe that you have earned your place on the road you’re walking (sometimes crawling) on. You also have to accept that success will come with a lot of struggle and resistance. I live in a male-dominated world, where all the roads have been created with their comfort in mind. It took a few extra detours to find my way, but I have proven to myself that I deserve to be here. The road has not been smooth, but it was never supposed to be.

Please tell us about Booty & Brains.
Booty & Brains is a platform for all the women that want to live a healthy and happy lifestyle but need a little support in order to do so. Where do you find the strength to change? We believe that empowerment comes from being educated, and education is at the core of everything we do. Booty & Brains is the first of its kind. Other platforms provide you with workout/diet plans to follow, but that is not enough for us. We strive to educate women on health and wellness so that they can make informed decisions. We understand that if they are given a space where their voice matters, they are accepted, and failure is seen as growth, they will flourish.

The way the website works is quite simple. We have a free educational blog that teaches women about their mental health, physical health, and nutritional needs. As a company, we believe that education is a basic right and should be accessible to everyone. We also provide individualized workout & nutrition plans and one-on-one coaching.

Typically, people have to go to separate places to receive mental health, physical health and nutritional services. This is tedious, time-consuming and expensive. What sets us apart is our innovative, integrated platform. Our company is transdisciplinary, which essentially means that our team does everything together. Your mental health, physical health and nutritional health are all connected, so it makes sense to have a care team that is connected as well! Meetings happen with all team members at the table (so to speak) so that clients do not have to repeat their stories. Women will now have a one-stop shop to meet all of their needs, and it all happens from the comfort of their home.

We know women have a lot to teach each other, so there will be a forum where they can share their ideas and find support. One of the hardest parts of social work is the limited amount of time I spend with clients. It’s not like they can have their difficult days fall on the days they are going to meet with me. I hate the idea of them being alone on those days. The forum will allow women to reach out for support 24/7!

What makes me the proudest about this program is its accessibility and affordability. So many people want support but do not have the means to access it or the money to pay for it. That won’t be a problem with us. We remove as many barriers as we can so our wonderful clients can focus on themselves! Health is a serious topic, but it does not need to be discussed so seriously. We work hard to keep our services light and fun because everyone needs help at some point, and growth is certainly better when coupled with humor.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think LA is one of the best places to start a wellness business. I know the fees and regulations are greater than most states, but the opportunities to make money outweigh the initial costs. Since my business is online, I do not have to worry about location as much. However, I will say that your surroundings will determine your success. I wanted to be based in a place like LA because with the nice weather, people tend to be more active; and, due to accessibility, there are healthy, natural food options year-round. What really drew me in were the advances in mental health advocacy and the normalization of talking about mental health. The city has my target demographic, and I get to be surrounded by like-minded people who will teach me how to advance in my career. I moved from Massachusetts to LA in order to give my business the best start, and I am so happy with my decision!

Pricing:

• $4.99/month- Join our forum for the price of a Starbucks coffee! You will have 24/7 access to support from our beautifully unique women.
• $69.99/month •Includes access to the forum •Monthly customized workout and nutrition plan •Unlimited texting with our experts
• $79.99/month •Includes access to the forum •Extensive monthly customized workout and nutrition plan •Unlimited texting with our experts
• $19.99- 30-minute, one-on-one wellness coaching session
• $29.99- 1-hour, one-on-one wellness coaching session

Contact Info:

• Email: bootyxbrains@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bootyxbrains/

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Check out the VoyageLA Podcast:
Episode 1 with Content Partner Lisa Taitelman, Founder of Hiking & Wellness company Find Your Trail.