Lisa Taylor is a marketing professional and a mentor for those seeking balance and clarity in their lives. Amid a world-impacting pandemic, Lisa, a trailblazer in an industry that prides itself on constant adaptation, is making a name for herself and her business, The Hive Holistic. She is originally from the Santa Cruz mountains and came to the University of The Pacific to study Arts and Entertainment. Lisa found the program to be unique and full of positive experiences. While on campus, she became very involved in student government and eventually became the Arts and Entertainment Commissioner. The opportunities received at Pacific, particularly ASUOP, will never be forgotten. They helped her to understand the path she wanted to take post-graduation. Looking back, Lisa is eternally grateful for the Commissioner opportunity that she received through ASUOP which was focused on event production and on-campus and community events. This allowed her to attend industry events like South by Southwest Music Festival (SXSW). It was a superior learning experience for Lisa and allowed her to take a step back and realize that the Arts & Entertainment Industry was not for her. She then transitioned into Marketing.

Upon graduating from college, she worked for a large corporate firm in San Francisco for many years but wanted something more. Lisa eventually ended up working for start-ups which tapped into her entrepreneurial spirit and ultimately led her to start her unique marketing firm. At The Hive Holistic, Lisa helps clients in marketing and branding; but her value exceeds that. She is also a life and personal coach, providing endless support to clients. Lisa says she found that many of her female clients would come to her for advice on everything from balancing work and life, to dealing with their pets and kids. As a Mom herself, Lisa related to the many directions women are often pulled in and wanted to develop a program that works with groups on meditations and wellness. As Lisa put it: The Hive Holistic is less about marketing and more about supporting the whole human being and their self-extension, business. She prides herself on being a part of the wellness movement. During our interview, I asked Lisa about her journey as a woman of color. What was it like to be a woman of color in the wellness space, and how did it compare to her experiences being a woman of color as a student at Pacific. Pulling reflections, Lisa said back when she was at Pacific, she did not find many people that looked like her. However, the faculty, staff, and students made an effort to be inclusive and had good intentions. It was clear to her that the school was not reflective of the wider community it was a part of. She felt if she wanted to be part of a diverse community, she would have to seek it out herself. When she sees the Business School today, she thinks we have made significant progress. There were no faculty of color back then; the student and teacher population looked very different.

As it pertains to her Business, Taylor also feels the Wellness Space must be more reflective of the wider society. Lisa believes that too many of the narratives and images associated with wellness stem from white male patriarchy. They depict a stereotype of meditation involving a ‘zen’ woman looking up to the sky as not her reality. It is not the reality of most of her clients. For her, wellness has to be representative; there must be a reflection of the diverse set of people who practice yoga, or meditation and engage in hiking or other wellness activities. It must reflect the diverse spectrum of people who are taking back their peace of mind. She even mentions how much progress there has been on stock photography images that are more diverse now. Lisa is committed to creating a space where people of all backgrounds can practice yoga and meditation and achieve work-life balance. When I asked her if she had any advice for ‘Pacific Lisa’ when she was back in college, she said to me: Be Nice to everyone: you never know who may show up in your life 10 years later. Take care of yourself, self-care is critical, don’t be afraid to try new things, and most importantly release fear, as there is nothing to be afraid of! We are proud to feature Lisa as a Black ESB Entrepreneur as she kicks off our ESB Courageous in which we have courageous conversations with students, faculty, staff, and alumni about DEI at ESB.