Stay ConnectedThe Ikonns Podcast is hosted by Alex and Mimi Ikonn. We are here to help you create and live your dream life. Join us as we discuss life and business insights with each other and our special guests. Covering topics such as life purpose, building a life that you love, relationships, entrepreneurship, spirituality, health, parenting and much more.
New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.
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Copyright: © Copyright The Ikonns 2019
In today’s episode we chat with a long time friend and founder of the remarkable skincare brand of her same name - May Lindstrom, about her real life rags to riches Journey.
Hope you enjoyed this week’s episode with May Lindstrom, you can find out more about her here:
It’s truly rare to find someone who has a perfect relationship with their own body. It seems it’s something we all have to work hard on. In today’s episode Alex and Mimi explore some ideas about how we can start connecting with and treating our bodies much better.
Just like in our episode on Relationship With Money where we explore what money really means to us, we are looking at what our bodies mean to us… And it should be a LOT. Our bodies are EVERYTHING, they come with us everyday on our journey through life. Whether it’s over working or suffering a hangover, our bodies are sure to ask us “PLEASE don’t do that again”.
We suffer from back pain from sitting at a computer all day, sleep terrible from when we’ve been looking at our phone screens too long, pass out when we don’t eat or get obese when we eat too much. We’ve all heard it before - our body is our temple. After this episode we hope you’re inspired to start treating it as such, because the rewards are incredible when you and your body are in sync.
Often, it’s times when we feel we’ve lost touch with both our emotional and physical health, that we spiral into abusing our bodies. Which can seem counter intuitive. Sury we’d like to do good things to make our bodies feel better. But no that’s when we reach for a pizza or stay up way too late leaving us tired the next day. And all of this follows a few small habits that starts to stack on top of each other. Bad habits become you. This is why Alex and Mimi have their morning and night time routines available for everyone on YouTube
The good news is that things can get better and habits like these are easily changed one step at a time. Let’s start with the pillows of a healthy body.
Food:It’s the biggest illusion that it’s expensive to eat healthy, most people that say that are often spending twice as much on junk food or alcohol. eating healthy can be cheap.Use Mimi’s method for not overeating… be much more conscious when you’re full. Don’t eat until the plate is empty, listen to what your body is telling you.The food we eat affects our gut bacteria - also known as our microbiome. Ever heard the saying think with your gut. Well, science shows us we have neurons in our gut too and they heavily affect how our brain works. So be careful if you’re fuelling the good bacteria or the bad bacteria.Movement: Sitting all day is the worst. It’s recommended that every 1 or 2 hours we should be on our feet and walking around for a few moments to get the blood flowing around our bodies.It’s amazing what a small walk can do to improve you thoughts and keep you trim, many of history's greats like Einstein were known for solving some of the greatest problems in the world, by walking.Try a standing desk or even get more fancier by using a treadmill desk.
Exercise:
Mimi recommends aiming for 30 mins 3 times a week, something that will get you sweating and get your heart going.
Alex likes the 7 minute workout for convenience, lets face it everyone has 7 minutes available, since consistency is key, this should be a habit you start today.
Another app you might try is Sweat
Rest:
Seems counter intuitive that rest could make you look and feel better, our fast paced world has made it seem shameful to want a lay in, but sleep is essential.
Ask anyone who trains at the gym regularly and they will say their days when they’re not working out are just as important for muscle growth and body developments.
Try black out blinds and using blue light blocking devices or apps to help restore your circadian rhythm and introduce the sleep hormone melatonin.
It’s incredible to notice but it can’t just be coincidence that whenever we do something good for our bodies, it just so happens it’s (for the most part) better for the environment too. From riding a bike to work instead of driving or eating less meat and packaged foods, when we adopt these powerful habits into our lifestyle we can change the world, not just ourselves.
We advise that after listening you take stock of all of these things.. jot them down in your 5-Minute Journal Ask yourself; what is my relationship with my own body and what am I doing to make this relationship better. Trust us, your body will thank you later
Books mentioned:
Today we have a very special episode – the tables have turned and now it’s time for us, Alex and Mimi, to go deep and unpack our life journey. Interviewed by Aaron Alexander from Align podcast, we talk about entrepreneurial lifestyle, meaningful work, healthy relationships and life fulfilment. Tune in now and discover how we have been able to design our dream life.
In today’s episode we chat with our long-time friend Naila Abbasova, a beautiful human being who goes after her dream life and wanders the world looking for meaningful life-transformative adventures. In this episode, we unpack Naila’s life journey and discover the reality of moving countries and secrets of staying joyful, optimistic and excited about life.
Naila Abbasova is a great example of being a “regular” person, working on a “regular” job, and then risking it all to move to London, find the dream job at Google, open a business and enjoy life to the maximum. Tune in now and join us in this very open, honest and vulnerable conversation.
Similar to Mimi, Naila was born and raised in Baku, Azerbaijan. At the age of 16, Naila and her family moved to Canada leaving everything behind. This huge step into the unknown future had a fundamental impact on her. As Naila arrived to Canada being a 16-year-old young girl brimming with confidence and inner power, she knew that this was her golden ticket to life.
“I have this obsession for standing out and being remembered. Nowadays, I want to be remembered for being happy, being the kindest person to anyone I have worked with, to be empathetic and make other people feel comfortable” – Naila
Being proactive and applying for multiple scholarships, Naila got the best university experience. Pursuing her obsession to be remembered for something big, she participated in different student organisations and travelled a lot around Europe. By that time, she became a real experiences catcher with innate desire to explore, to go out of the comfort zone and to bring joy to everything she does.
At the age of 25, Naila made a drastic decision to move to London. Stepping into what looked like a dream path after graduating from the university, Naila soon found everything that used to excite her becoming dull. After spending one week in Portugal surfing and doing yoga, Naila managed to find the peace of her body and mind. Looking at the calm waves of the ocean, she felt that she needed to move to Europe and escape the robotic lifestyle of Toronto. The next day she applied for her UK visa.
“When you move to a whole new different life, give yourself time to get adjusted to your new reality and let go the preconceptions of what you thought your life would be, and then start building something new without judging” – Naila
With survival mode kicked in to the highest, Naila moved to London, got the job at Selfridges and found a charming tiny flat few steps away from Regent’s Park. However, the reality of moving to a new country was tough, especially when it was her first experience of living alone. Dealing with loneliness, adjusting to the new realities and accepting the things she didn’t know, Naila realised that it was only her responsibility to program her life for the better.
Naila came to London with a genuine belief that everything would work out. And it did. Now, working at Google, designing her own clothing line and having endless meaningful experiences of observing the beauty of life and nature, Naila and her husband have finally found their comfort place in the city that never stops. Answering the question of how to stay excited and joyful about life, Naila advises to ask yourself whether you want to waste your precious time by being upset.
“On bad days I just have an “adult” conversation with myself and answer 2 very simple questions: Is it worth my attention? What is the worst that could happen at that point? And by going through the worst case scenarios I just move on from that. You need to understand that you have a choice whether to be happy or not, and eventually everything that happens is your choice and your responsibility only” – Naila
Here is what else we have talked about:
In today’s episode, Alex and Mimi talk about a very controversial, yet so essential and important topic – Can money buy you happiness? Coming from experience of having nothing and now being able to live in abundance, Mimi and Alex reflect on their life journey, questioning how money has played a part in their happiness.
As one study has showed, money can buy you happiness up to a certain degree of an income – let’s say, 75.000 USD/year –, but what happens after that? Does money really affect your happiness? Does it make a difference to your wellbeing, life, mindset, personality? Tune in now and you’ll find out that and so much more life wisdom in this very deep episode.
Both Mimi and Alex have come from very humble beginnings, growing up with a concept that money will solve all the problems and buy them happiness. Years later, after starting Luxy Hair business that brought them 1 million US dollar revenue in the first year and made them financially free, Mimi and Alex understood – paradoxically, money couldn’t buy them happiness.
“Being more comfortable with spending and realising how to properly spend money and not just blow it, mindlessly spending it on material goods, I realize that money can in a way amplify your happiness. I don’t know if it can buy you happiness, but it can definitely add to your experiences and bring you joy”. – Mimi
After years of reflection about themselves and observation of what really brings them joy, Alex and Mimi discovered that happiness comes from buying experiences – not material things, and not only for yourself, but most importantly, for people you love and care about. And here’s the lesson the Ikonns family want you to take away: ultimately, the whole meaning of life is about creating, giving and sharing unique and beautiful experiences with your community.
Have you ever wondered why people pay premium to go and watch live events, music festivals, sports games? Why? Because of the desire to share the experience, “Because there is something very tribal in our DNA about doing that and having that tribe experience” Alex explains. So, going back to the question does money buy you happiness – it doesn’t, but if you spend it on establishing new relationships, building your community, creating, giving and amplifying experiences, then it makes you feel happier.
The mindset Mimi and Alex have is always asking themselves what really makes them happy, so that they spend money accordingly. They spend a lot of money on experiences for themselves, their family, friends, people they love, travelling, good food, rent. For them, the material possessions are the last on the list.
Obviously, there is nothing wrong with possessing lovely material things. It’s important to understand that the whole concept of how money can bring you happiness is highly specialised for each person. The decisions Alex and Mimi make come from a personal understanding of what makes them happy and how they want to live their life day to day.
“The most important thing to ask yourself is: What brings me the most happiness? And I’m really grateful for being able to design my life in a way where I choose to live, work and commute” – Alex
Here is some practical advice that can help you feel happier:
And just a kind reminder: Mimi and Alex are not here to judge, they are here to help you create awareness of what can help you bring closer to happiness and your dream life. Going through these conversations, thoughts, exercises and being honest with yourself, you are able to know yourself better and understand what is really important to you.
Here is what else we talk about in this episode:
Today’s episode is a deep dive into inspiring journey of a British entrepreneur and manager leader, Richard Turnbull. Driven by the passion of solving problems and making a real difference in other people’s lives, Richard founded The Restored, the most effective solution that builds a solid foundation of good health, based on sleep, nutrition, movement and mindset.
Inspired by Tim Ferris, Richard Branson and Tony Robbins, Richard’s story is like a manual for young entrepreneurs and artists brimming with business ideas, those striving for purpose, and wanting to deliver unique value. So, make sure to listen attentively and take notes.
Since childhood, Richard was inspired to create something incredible, something that is bigger than himself. After graduating from the University of Reading with a business degree, he got a “safe” corporate job in a prestigious firm, and soon found himself taking the path that was getting him further and further from what originally inspired him. In his mid-twenties, Richard and his wife Naomi took a career break and did a-round-the-world trip to have enough space and time to think what they actually wanted to do in their lives. And he found the answer – to be an entrepreneur.
“There is no idea that’s going to work effectively and long term that isn’t something that you’re personally struggling with. People who want to create business just need constantly listen to themselves and detect what they aren’t happy with, what they wish to see different. That is your chance, that is your opportunity.” - Mimi
He went back to London, found a job in a start-up team and gained exciting practical experience. But his two children changed everything. Around this time, Richard began struggling with sleep and realised that he wasn’t delivering enough value in his work. He got a “stable” (in theory) job, but found himself feeling so tired and broken. So, he took action.
Richard started doing some entrepreneurial things in the evenings, which was a real sanity blessing. Being a big fan of modelling what other people had already done, he realised that his purpose is to solve problems. While struggling with back pain, Richard came up with the idea of creating a seat cushion. Thinking of how to turn this idea into an actual business, he found his mentor while surfing on Tim Ferriss blog. After coaching and starting to sell his products on Amazon for the European market, in just over a year, Richard’s business took off.
“A secure job is an illusion. You can fail doing something you are not passionate about and loose all the securities. So, why not go after the things that you are passionate about and make it succeed?” - Richard
Despite the huge success in his business, Richard didn’t quit his job. He had a deep and unconscious fear that he couldn’t sustain his family if he would leave the “safe” job, because there is always a risk that all this success can stop tomorrow. After doing Tony Robbins exercises and facing his real limiting beliefs, Richard realized that safe job is an illusion and it’s impossible to avoid risks completely. Instead, there is always a way how to mitigate risks. So, he created a 6-months-living-expenses rainy day fund and decided to go after the thing that he was – and still is – passionate about: creating incredible things that can really bring the difference in people’s lives, working with an amazing dream team and delivering a unique value.
Here is what else we talk about:
Why 20% of effort will govern 80% of your resultsShow Notes: https://www.ikonns.com/podcast/episode46
In today’s episode we chat with Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram – AKA, Fully Raw Kristina – as she takes us on her emotional and spiritually transformational life journey of being a fully raw vegan for the past 14 years. Kristina is an extremely vibrant, service-oriented and passionate human being, whose glowing energy and health speak for themselves.
Named as one of the most influential people in Health and Fitness, Kristina’s story is compelling, powerful and so inspirational – from weight loss to preventing diabetes, founding the largest co-op for fresh produce in the USA and starting a massive movement of raw vegan lifestyle. It is not just about commitment to eat raw fruits and vegetables, it is about conscious choice to rebuild yourself completely, live the best of your life and go deep with yourself. In this episode, Kristina is not afraid to share her vulnerabilities and past traumas. For her, there is a lot of bravery in being vulnerable and sharing her own story. In fact, this completely raw conversation is a true healing and therapy for every soul.
Born and raised in a multicultural household with a Lebanese mother and an Ecuadorian father, Kristina’s childhood protagonist was Birdie (Berta), an angelic, passionate and most caring woman who took care of Kristina since the day she was born until she left for college. By serendipity and choice, Birdie raised her as if she were her own daughter, that provoked a deep misunderstanding and disconnection from Kristina’s mother. It took years (and a special course of Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg) to reveal her pain and overcome struggles with relationships with her mother, which now are prospering.
At the age of 18, Kristina was struggling of Type 2 Diabetes (Hyperglycemic) because of having an unhealthy diet based on Lebanese traditional cuisine (basically, olive oil everywhere and zero fresh fruits or vegetables). Now imagine that you are 18, you are always (and most probably forever) sick, your weight loses extremely and you are just out of the hospital. When a stranger approaches you in Whole Foods and offers you to go completely raw vegan and eat peaches for 2 weeks in a row, what would you do? Well, Kristina opened to this dramatic change in her diet and completely healed her body from Diabetes in one year and a half by eating a fully raw diet. Since then, July 15th of 2005, she never looked back.
"After 6 months of doing this, I felt better every single day, and I NEVER, never came back. Eventually I felt liberated. "
However, Texas and Kristina’s family were not prepared for something completely different like raw veganism. Struggling with society’s criticism and misconceptions, Kristina felt so inspired by the healing power of raw food that in 2007 she ended up opening her own grocery cooperative, Rawfully Organic, at different locations in the Houston area. For stable 11 years, Rawfully Organic served 50,000 people and became the largest co-op for fresh produce in the USA. By the time she had to close Rawfully Organic doors in 2017, Kristina has already started her YouTube Channel – that now is a massive platform for inspiration and learning – where she shared her knowledge and basic raw recipes.
After being completely lost and traumatised by Rawfully Organic closure, Kristina started her own journey, the journey of finding herself, trying new things, sharing and being of service. Now she is coaching people on how to start, heal and maintain a raw vegan diet and hosts retreats in beautiful destinations like Bali or Costa Rica to help people learn about raw food lifestyle, how to do yoga, meditation and go on adventures. What FullyRawKristina does is basically emerges people into this new world and provides Tony Robbins-style raw food coaching for re-educating yourself and taking responsibility of your health.
"I have never had an overnight success in my life. It’s always been a slow, steady growth and work. The most important thing you can do is to be consistent with your message and continue creating. I am still preaching the same thing I was preaching 11 years ago."
An artist, expert in health science and one of the largest raw vegan digital influencers, Kristina points out that the majority of people who decide to go for raw vegan lifestyle seek physical benefits: loose weight or get younger. But, what she has learned through the years is that if you come to this important life transformation with wrong reason, you are not going to last. “You have to be truly dedicated and consistent”, she insists. For Kristina, vegan lifestyle is more than an ethical choice to make a conscious commitment not to consume animals, this is a lifestyle that brings a lot of beauty to your life.
Here are 5 sustainable tips on how to adopt this lifestyle:
Here is what we talk about:
– How having an honest conversation can help you change your relationships with parents
– How to set a healthy example for your kids
– Why pills will not heal your disease
– Struggling with society’s misunderstanding and criticism
– Why so many people stay away from eating fruits and vegetables
– How fears and mindset of money prevent people from creating abundance in their lives
– Why it is essential to find balance in life and create a space for yourself in business
– Why it is so important to support local organic farmers
– Organic produce difference between farmer’s market and grocery shops
– Big corporations VS. small businesses
– Top mistakes in becoming raw vegan
– How re-educating yourself brings unique life experience
In today’s episode we chat with one of the UK’s most inspiring people, former gang leader and u-turned public speaker, poet, musician and rehabilitation leader - Karl Lokko. Whether it’s visiting Necker Island with Richard Branson or attending the Royal wedding, Karl’s remarkable journey is a far cry from his Brixton Badlands past.
Karl is one of the UK’s most connected under 30 year olds, he now holds a platform for true change, helping thousands of youth to escape the gang culture on the very dangerous streets of South London. As a former gang leader himself, life hasn’t always been so easy. Infact his u-turn is nothing less than truly breathtaking. And his journey to get to where he is now, even more jaw dropping!From the age 12, Karl found himself on the wrong side of the tracks when his bicycle was stolen a few too many times. In his defense he formed his own gang of misfits, something Brixton wasn’t short of. A product of the Windrush generation decades before him, he was used to seeing displacement all around him. Which gave everyone and anyone a reason to fight.
“There’s a reason for rage, they so won’t that scare you straight? Well, If what you’re doing is because you are already scared, that is going to fuel your rage” - Karl [17:35]
Unfortunately the violence didn’t stay on a scrappy playground level for long. By the age of 14 he had already witnessed his friends being shot, been shot at himself and carried his own knife wounds as battle scars. Scars that he held as a trophy to go with the ‘strike them before they strike you’ mindset that permeated both his gang and the culture that followed - with or against him.
“There’s a lack of remorse, everyone can feel our pain ‘cause I’m feeling it, everyone else becomes fair game” - Karl [16:00]
But his story isn’t only one of a bleak distraught childhood, in today’s episode you’ll hear the remarkable story of how Karl turned his back on the violence and literally earned himself a seat at the table with some of the world’s most powerful and influential people. Karl now heads up a charitable organisation that transforms gang members into respectable citizens, helping them see life outside of gangs. Or as Alex calls it, his “love gang” - “goosebumps” as Mimi puts it.
“I was inspired by bible stories of sheppard boys throwing rocks at political, economical and cultural giants called Goliath. Those emails were my stones and i had to throw them out there” - Karl [47.30]
We are truly honoured to talk with Karl. His giant heart, kind nature and switched on intelligence shines light on what you can do if you really put your mind to making a positive change, both in your life and others.
We talk about:
Hope you enjoyed this week’s episode with Karl, you can find out more about him here:
Butterfly Effect - Youtube video by Karl Lokko
Today we are connecting with you again through another exciting ‘Ask Me Anything’ episode. We take your recorded questions that you’ve submitted on our website and we go deep and get totally honest with our answers.
We felt truly energized by your questions, not to mention that we recorded them through our new, super professional microphones for even better sound quality. This week we are answering 4 extremely important, interesting and diverse questions.
Here’s what you guys asked:
How to win the battle with passion?
It might sound surprising, but if you want to grow your business – you need to forget about your passion. You need to understand the main differences between passion and purpose. The first step is to always find the purpose, why are you doing this? Knowing the purpose of your business is what makes the difference and gets you results.
Next to purpose there is a need for consistency. In this episode you’ll hear more about the formula we use called QVCA – Quality. Value. Consistency. Authenticity.
“When you are creating content, you have to break it down, it needs to mirror, not your passion but what people care about, and that is the value you’re giving.” – Alex
Where would you recommend to live and why – Portugal, France or Italy?
Moving abroad is always a big step in life. To make sure you are choosing the right country, you need to make sure about your requirements and the possibilities of being there are aligned. Mimi shares her experience with all three countries – the affordable and great vibe of Lisbon, the romantic but more expensive beauty of Paris and the always refreshing adventure of Italy.
Living abroad is a great thing, however, get ready for the challenges you might face.
“Putting yourself out there, being challenged will make you grow.” - Alex
How to deal with environmental anxiety?
The environment is something we care a lot about. We do understand the limit of our planet and want to secure that our daughter Alexa will grow up with less environmental challenges than us. Even though the topic can be very upsetting, we do see that things are improving. What we all need to understand is; that every single person can make a difference. Start to shop at farmers markets, reduce the use of single use plastic as much as you can, buy only when you really need something, or maybe eat less meat – every small step counts.
What it is important to remember, is that it is OK to be imperfect. Getting more sustainable will be hard in the beginning, but it is totally fine to make little mistakes from time to time. The most significant thing is that you are trying and doing the best within your circumstances.
“There are so many ways to become mindful about changes we can create. Most importantly becoming aware and taking responsibility. Getting people into your community and create change. Nobody else can do this.” - Mimi
How can women obtain self value, other than in superficial things?
The way we look is the outside shell of a beautiful and diverse person inside. Sexy does not mean the look – being sexy means to be confident by yourself. When you find your confidence, you are becoming more attractive for people around you.
Mimi’s book: The Bingo theory can help you to find the right balance between your feminine and masculine side. If we balance it well, we will grow and become the best version of ourselves.
What is your vision of powerful person? By answering this question to ourselves we remove ourselves of the stereotype of women or men – we are all equal, with the same purpose, to love and be loved, and live better lives while helping others do the same.
“Being comfortable in your skin that is to me a vision of every woman. A strong woman, who can carry herself in confidence.” Mimi
Books and resources from this episode:
Abundance - The Future Is Better Than You Think (Exponential Technology Series) By Steven Kotler
Bingo Theory - A revolutionary guide to love, life, and relationships. By Mimi Ikonn
Today on The Ikonns, we have one the most fun couples we know, Dana and John Shultz from the infamous blog - The Minimalist Baker. Dana and John have been running this hugely successful blog since 2012, putting out quick simple recipes 3 times a week, non stop for 7 years.
Just like looking in the mirror of Alex and Mimi’s life, Dana and John have followed a very similar but also as unique of a journey, to get to where they are now. Which is running a hugely successful and highly creative platform that allows freedom and flexibility in their lives whilst helping others.
They both come from very humble beginnings, a few miles apart from each other, in tiny villages of around 3000 inhabitants or less, in Texas U.S. Eventually meeting each other while studying in the only slightly bigger city of Wichita. Alex and Mimi dive into the Shultz’s romance story, one that nearly didn’t exist as John was, at first, stuck in the dreaded friend-zone.
As their studies drew close to an end and they realised they wanted more to life, ripping off the bandaid and piercing their comfort bubble they decided to get married and the very next day they moved to Portland.
When they arrived they stumbled upon Portland’s creative scene, finding a community that would show them just how different life could be. This is where the couple would catch the buzz of the exciting and rewarding world that is entrepreneurship and would pave the way for their new careers.
“I used to think it would be cool to meet all these cool and interesting people, until I realised it’s much better to GO DO cool and interesting things, as you get good at what you’re interested in you start to become surrounded by cool and interesting people” - John [14:40]
Unfortunately their move was badly timed and coincided with the recession, making it very difficult for either of them to find work. This came as a blessing in disguise as it forced Dana to get creative, allowing her to find the world of blogging. She set up a lifestyle blog and John found yet another job that he hated. After not too long they returned back to Texas and John went back to studying Law even though he didn’t want to become a lawyer; as he says
“Law school is the most expensive way to find out you don’t want to become a lawyer”.
“Starting a business together was one of our best decisions for our relationship, it forces you to have difficult conversations. This gave us a better way to communicate with each other outside of work hours and strengthened our relationship” - John [41.22]
So after years of not channeling what they really wanted and falling short of their pipe dreams, they decided to visualise what they wanted and picture themselves 20 years on. They made solid plans on how to achieve their goals and set about making them happen. This started with taking stock of what was working and what wasn’t. This would mean a rebrand for Dana’s blog, now focusing on quick simple recipes - 10 ingredients or less and all prepared in one bowl.
John set about using all his geekiness to develop the perfect site, with consistency and true effort, The Minimalist Baker would prove to be a recipe for success.
Here’s what we chatted about in this episode:
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