Check Out Andi Eaton’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andi Eaton.

Hi Andi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
As a kid, I loved fashion and travel, my grandparents were all world travelers – speaking a variety of languages and keeping colorful travel maps loaded with pins of all the destinations they’d visit hanging on the walls. Once I was old enough to travel, I went for it – it was fully in my blood. I spent over a decade as a solo traveler. In my personal exploration — spanning all 50 states, through Europe, Asia, Central and South America — I’ve had the good fortune to connect with all sorts of people and ancient wisdoms from around the world. I’m a wellness enthusiast and believe wellness should be available to everyone, no matter who you are, how much money is in your pocket, or where you are in the world. My approach to wellness has been fully enriched by the things I’ve learned and integrated into my life from what I’ve seen and experienced while exploring.

Seven years ago, I was an executive for an Ayurvedic beauty brand. I was living the office life during the week and taking every weekend I could to visit faraway places. Finally, after a decade of that lifestyle, I decided it was time to explore my next calling. I left my career and let the universe guide my next moves. I packed only the essentials — my trusty Birkenstocks, a journal, a moonstone and an astrology book, and booked a one-way trip to the Mediterranean. It was the most spontaneous thing I’d ever done.

When my flight landed, I quieted my inner freak out and decided to dive in. I committed to lessening my footprint while cultivating an appreciation of the synergy between us (the people here on earth) and the natural world. I began studying at the Enlightenment Stupa – a Buddhist temple overlooking Costa del Sol. My mornings were dedicated to meditating on the seaside and I dove into celestial studies by night.

While exploring, I created lessons and learned many about myself, with the intention of supporting my own well-being. In this practice, I found fresh ways of caring for myself, new ways of making big life decisions and gained a renewed adoration for the world in the meantime.

After leaving the corporate world and taking my six months sabbatical, I returned home to launch a fashion incubator in post-Katrina New Orleans. The mission: to support local designers in restarting their businesses after the natural disaster cut the population of the city in half. My team at the incubator and I produced upwards of 50 fashion and design events per year, as well as educational workshops.

As the city of New Orleans and the artists in it regained footing, my focus expanded. I considered new ways to leverage my business mind. With my home base being the Voodoo capital of the U.S., it was hard not to sprinkle a bit of juju into my work. Coupling business with the spirituality and healing modalities I was experiencing while traveling and exploring, I was determined to find new ways to create good in the world.

In 2016, as I spent more time wandering, my small personal blog grew a significant audience interested in my travels and wellness tips. I decided then to restructure and relaunch it.

“Oui, We” (ouiwegirl.com) became the new home for mystical thinking in the modern world. As I focused on my spirit-centric online presence my work and reach grew considerably. I embraced a new personal mission to grow an international brand and digital platform based in Los Angeles dedicated to inspiring people to find their most authentic self and true confidence through holistic practices, mystical thinking, creative entrepreneurship and experiential travel.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
When I look back at my story, it may seem romantic, but I think any spiritual person will tell you they found their connection to spirituality after having enough darkness to drive them to seek something better. That was certainly my experience. I spent ten years working in my corporate role, I was promoted quickly and worked my way up in the company – however, I was working around the clock, in complete burn out mode, and at 27 I realized while I was living a life many fashion and beauty-loving, career-climbing women in their 20s aspire to, my life was really dark.

I was in an abusive relationship, had incredibly low self-worth, was partying and drinking so much champagne that there was many a blackout night. After years of that lifestyle, I realized I was missing a connection to myself and a higher purpose.

The Spiritual Entrepreneur does what’s in alignment with their intuition’s guidance, which isn’t always what’s easy. When I left my corporate job and made that big life shift, I left old relationships, friendships and made a conscious decision to do things in a way that much of society wouldn’t deem as the right move. In doing so however, I made a commitment to take care of myself, and in turn to create positive transformation and support the collective consciousness of the people interested in my work, and that’s how my business was built. It’s been the most rewarding experience thus far.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Today I continue to serve as the CEO of Oui, We – we create programming and share resources for moon chasing, manifesting, holistic living, aesthetically emotional, wander lovers and feel good aficionados. I serve as a Soul Strategist – speaking, coaching and leading workshops for companies like Pinterest and Aveda on meditation, cosmic living, spiritual hacks for personal and business development, and creativity. I’m the host of the charted podcast “Your Woo Woo Best Friend” – a show in which we take a no b.s. approach to spirituality. I’m working on my third book focused on finding a connection to wellness through the natural elements. I’ve trained with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, am a Kundalini Yoga certified instructor, lead retreat immersion programs, and host a membership community for soul-led entrepreneurs as well.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My mentors have been an incredible support in my development.

My kundalini teacher trainer is Guru Singh – a third-generation yogi, master spiritual teacher, and musician who fuses Eastern mysticism into Western pragmatism in an accessible and transformative way. I spent most of 2020 in Desiree Pais’ Benshen Course – a cosmic kundalini style program for deepening our radiance and prosperity.

Back when I’d been newly promoted into a senior level position in the beauty biz I was asked to lunch with the CEO, Debra Neill-Baker, she’s someone who became a mentor to me. At the close of that lunch she commented that she was surprised at my ‘depth’. In the moment I was offended, however, I realized that as this young executive I had all this shadow about not knowing enough, not being smart enough, not being good enough — that sort of thing. Rather than being soulful with people, I focused on sales figures and business-only relationships. From that moment forward I was like: ‘Be Yourself. Go deeper.’

I learned about course creation from Jeanine Blackwell of Create 6-Figure Courses, we’d worked together in my beauty industry days, and she was instrumental in helping me to shift out of the corporate experience into becoming the CEO of my own company.

My team at Oui, We inspires me on the daily – we have writers and wellness educators that share all the knowledge I wished I had as I started on the spiritual path. My operations team helps me to stay in creation mode by being so incredibly gifted and truly genius at what they each do.

Contact Info:

• Email: team@ouiwegirl.com
• Website: www.ouiwegirl.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/ouiwegirl
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-woo-woo-best-friend/id1555589799

Image Credits:
Mary Katherine Leslie Molly Choma