Inspirational Woman December 2015: Jill Wheaton

Jill Wheaton Jill Wheaton grew up in a remote village in Northern Maine at her parents’ fishing lodge.  The school system there only went to 6th grade so she was sent off to boarding school at a young age–this is probably responsible for broadening her horizons and getting her into Stanford (most of the kids where I grew up stopped at a high school education).
Jill earned her Bachelor’s Degree and Masteral Degree from Stanford where she studied English & Economics respectively. She moved to LA with my rock band to play for a year and taught high school for that year and realized) that she loved teaching, and b) she couldn’t live on a teacher’s salary OR count on my band “making it.”  Kind of her wake-up year that life was waiting…..Jill got a job at a mortgage company and worked her way up to management.  The subprime crash was on the horizon so she left, got her Series 7, and became a stock broker.

After 10 years in California, she moved back to Maine. She was still working for Merrill Lynch and really unhappy with the corporate world.  REALLY miserable.  In 2008, she attended her first Tony Robbins conference (truthfully, she was dragged by a friend) and it was life-changing. She left her high-paying job to be an entrepreneur and never looked back.

She started her “re-education”: got certified in live blood analysis, master-certified in neurolinguistic programming (NLP), and opened a holistic health practice. She still speak frequently at health seminars in the northeast.

She focused on growing and scaling that business for a few years; she also volunteered several times a year at Tony’s live events as a way to give back for the transformational experience she’d had.

In 2013, she was asked to join Tony’s team as a Senior Business Strategist. She still own her business and now work as part of an elite 5-person team with Tony Robbins and his high-potential business clients. It is a dream life!

1) You attended Stanford after attending a school that only goes till 6th grade and then a boarding school. Tell us what you have learned about academics and girls through your experiences at the three very different institutions of learning.

I’m humbled to have spent time around amazingly bright girls throughout my education.  Ironically, attending that tiny 2-room schoolhouse (in a class of 4) until 6th grade really set the stage for the rest of my academic experience.  As the top performer in my tiny class, it instilled the belief in me early on that I was smart.  That belief carried me through some rigorous academic challenges later on where I may have otherwise felt out of my league.  When I spend time with my young niece I always try to reinforce that sense in her–it’s amazingly powerful.

2) You went for the gold in Academics ( Ivy League) so to speak. Who instilled this motivation in you?

My parents hold a PhD and a Masters degree between them–they value academics and learning and passed that on to my sister and me.  I feel very blessed that they engaged in our education, from staying up late to help us complete projects in elementary school to encouraging us to go to whatever college we wanted.  They started saving for our educations from the time we were born which is an incredible gift.

3) You chose to study English and Economics – why did you choose these two fields?

I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do professionally when I was in college.  All of my classmates were going for computer science (it was Silicon Valley in the late 90’s) but the romantic in me was more drawn to literature and writing.  Economics provided some balance, but I wish I’d had a bit more guidance to choose my path more deliberately.

4) You have been a “smart girl” all your life. Do you feel the media and society encourages being smart in young girls today? What can we do better?

I recall times where it was tough being perceived as the “smart girl.”  I definitely wasn’t the most popular kid in my class.  The internet got big when I was almost through high school, so I was more insulated from media than kids are today.  I think social media alone puts enormous pressure on kids to conform; my advice would be the opposite.  Be an outlier.  Spend time when you’re young plugging into whatever source of energy makes you uniquely you.  That will take you so much farther toward fulfillment in life.

5) You went after your passions and played in a rock band after Stanford. You are a nonconformist for sure. What helped you make the decision to join a rock band?

I took classical piano lessons for 11 years, and in my final semester of high school I said, “Enough of this, I want to play some FUN stuff.”  I switched to guitar lessons and was hooked.  I started a band my first year of college and played for 5 years before moving to LA.  Music lit me up more than anything and I knew I’d forever regret not seeing how far we could take it.  When we finally called it a day, I was DONE.  It was out of my system and I moved on 100%.  I tend to be an all-or-nothing person.

6)  Successful people are able to adapt. You started teaching and then woke up to a reality – what helped you make some real changes in your life course?

I’ve always been an introspective person and I frequently pause to make sure my outer world is a reflection of my inner world.  While I loved teaching, I was very limited by how much money I could make and even what I was allowed to contribute to the school.  I think many entrepreneurs feel this itch at some point–the desire to feel limitless as to how big you can build something.  I’ve never been in a salaried position since and have had multiple businesses.

7) How did you manage to see the change in your life course as empowering vs  what other people would quickly categorize as failures?

I saw myself as a failure many times early on and was VERY hard on myself.  Finally I had to learn to quiet that inner voice if I was going to be happy.  I have made frequent course-corrections in my growth.  My favorite Tony Robbins quote is, “The quality of your life is directly proportional to the amount of uncertainty you can comfortably live with.”  I constantly expand my comfort zone–which means failing a lot–and I have a magnificent quality of life as a result.

8) You started a re- education in your adult young life. Why was it necessary for you?

I got hooked on personal development in my late 20s.  I realized I was successful but not fulfilled–and that’s the ultimate failure.  I also realized that academia had taught me nothing about how to be happy, cultivate friendships, manage my emotional state, contribute, lead.  I credit my re-education (books, seminars, coaches) with the joy in my life today.

9) Live blood analysis and NLP? Why and explain what drew you to these two things?

I’m pretty fierce (some would say extreme) when it comes to health.  I value it immensely.  I realized early on that my doctors didn’t have my best interests at heart after weaning myself of antibiotics, antidepressants, and a whole cocktail of stuff I’d been prescribed in college.  Learning how to look at blood under a microscope and how to rewire my nervous system through my language and focus were just a couple things I studied to the point of certification.  I’m a huge believer in taking responsibility for your own future (not just in health, but with finances, raising children, etc).

10)  You are a smart person by every definition of the word. What struck you the most about Tony Robbins, how did he stand out for you vs all the other “life coaches”?

I don’t even group Tony Robbins among “life coaches” or motivators.  I truly classify him as a peak performance scientist.  He was the first person to present me with the science and formula to elicit the best version of myself everyday.  Why don’t they teach this in school??  Managing one’s own psychology and leading others to peak performance are what the world desperately need more of today.

11) You wanted to give back after your life transformed – describe your transformation.

10 years ago I was successful by every definition of the word but silently miserable.  I was rising through the ranks of corporate America, making great money, and crying in the shower every morning before putting on my business suit.  I realized if this was “success” I didn’t want to succeed.  Now I spend my time doing what I love (and making more money).  I meditate.  I exercise everyday.  I travel all the time, have incredible friends, a wonderful relationship, vibrant health.  It’s only when I truly found my center that I was able to contribute to others in any meaningful way.  Getting to this point was ugly and disruptive for a while–you have to know your outcome.

12) Women today are at a cross roads. The internet being a valuable resource for entrepreneurship and them being the most powerful online consumer, – women can elevate their status in every society. With negative messages from the media and consumer driven industries and  backward policies of unequal pay in America, why is this the time for women to finally wake up and transform?

Women have more opportunity today than ever before in history to step into their full potential.  They can stay at home AND build a dream business.  They can connect with other women in ways that were unimaginable 20 years ago.  They can magnify their energy and influence to any degree.  I lived my life unconsciously for many years just going through the motions.  I encourage women to reflect, decide what they really want, and go for it.

13) You are now part of Tony Robbins team as a Senior Business Strategist – why did you accept the position and what have you witnessed that has inspired you the most?

I’m honored to partner with Tony Robbins in spreading his message.  It’s so gratifying for me to connect with entrepreneurs at any stage of business and help them take their ventures to the next level.  We’ve helped so many men and women take concepts and build million+ dollar businesses, it’s truly like witnessing people expand their identities and step into their true potentials.  There’s no excuse today to play small with incredible resources like this out there.

14) We are all about lifting women up. The Skinless Project is about to experience Tony Robbins – tell us, what can the Skinless Project show to the world of inspiring women about Tony Robbins?

The mission of The Skinless Project is so in line with what we’re all about.  Spending time with Tony and his business team will be like pouring rocket fuel on the fire!  Look out world–women will soon have a resource like they never imagined possible.

15) Lastly, what advice would you give to a woman who is afraid to take steps to alter her life course?

Courage is feeling the fear but doing it anyway.  There are oceans of support for you out here if you need it.  At the end of your life, regret nothing.  Go for it!
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