We had the good fortune of connecting with SOPHIA DESANTIS and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi SOPHIA, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I don’t believe the notion of work life balance is real. At least not if you are giving each your 100% effort and focus. I subscribe to more of a pendulum approach. Sometimes the focus is on work, and 100% effort goes there. Other times the focus is on life, and 100% effort goes there. You just need to figure out when you focus on each thing and stick to it. When we try and focus on more than one thing at a time (which as women especially we are conditioned to believe we need to or we are failures) we spread ourselves thin and can’t do a great job at anything, and eventually we burn out. If we learn to prioritize each thing, and give ourselves permission to focus on that one thing in it’s right time, then we come out stronger, more successful and happier. I am still a work in progress but I make baby steps every day.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m Sophia, a fun loving mom behind the brand Veggies Don’t Bite! As a client-centered health coach, meal systems expert and plant-based recipe creator, I focus on helping people feel empowered instead of overwhelmed when it comes to overall health and wellness. I teach that small habits can lead to big changes.

I helped my husband better his heart health by completely changing our family’s diet. I did this with a newborn and a 1-year-old, so I know what it’s like to make a health change in the midst of chaos.

Being a teacher for 14 years, and getting my master’s degree in education, helped me understand that each person is unique in how they learn, and there is no one size fits all approach. I now have “retired” from my teaching job and run my business full time while navigating life with 3 young boys.

Through Veggies Don’t Bite and my popular podcast, Real Food Real Conversations, I strive to help people find what works for their personal health and wellness!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely take them on what my husband and I call, a “bar crawl” of our favorite restaurants. It’s more of a food and drink crawl, but we like to visit all the places in a specific area and sample the food and drinks along the way. We did this recently in Little Italy and I think that’s where I would go again. I love the way it has transformed into a very outdoor eating European feel! My favorites we went to were: Nolita Hall, Craft & Commerce, Barbusa, Kettner Exchange, Cloak & Petal, Boarn and Raised

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband first and foremost. If it wasn’t for him having the strength for making a change in his health my business would never exist. Also, my business coach Jenny Melrose, she has helped me take it from a hobby to a full fledged business.

Website: https://veggiesdontbite.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/veggiesdontbite

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiadesantis/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/veggiesdontbite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veggiesdontbite

Image Credits
Chris Nelson Photography (for the photos of me only)

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