ABOUT ME
My name is Ivana and I am the founder of Nomad. From a 'work' perspective, there are two sides of me: the wellness entrepreneur and the advertising executive.
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I am also a former NCAA tennis player, an NLP master practitioner, an experienced design thinker, and a meditation facilitator.
ABOUT NOMAD
At Nomad, I design products and experiences that expand the mind and inspire self-discovery. I invite individuals to step outside their current experience to gain new awareness, so they can rewrite their story in a way that opens up new choices and possibilities. Using the principles of Design Thinking, Mindfulness Meditation and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), I strive to help people become more emotionally intelligent and self-aware.
Wellness retreats are a big part of my business. I wanted to redefine how we travel and spend our vacations. A few years ago I swore I would never go back to an all-inclusive resort, as the vibe no longer appealed to me. Done are the days of over-eating, over-drinking and being stuck on a resort. You know the saying "I need a vacation from my vacation"? I would always come back feeling sluggish, tired, and not satisfied with how I spent my time.
I decided to design experiences that are more meaningful and carefully curated to give the participants what they need most: time to reflect, relax, adventure, meet new people and create meaningful connections, learn about the local culture, energize through yoga and connect to their higher selves. I wanted them to gain a new perspective and come back more resilient, more clear and ready to take on their day-to-day lives with a new mindset.
Each retreat is unique and focuses on a specific theme. My goal is to create a variety of retreats for people who wish to explore the following aspects: spirituality and self-discovery, personal development and new career path, finding your passion, entrepreneurship and starting a business, cannabis, learning a new skill (such as photography), and corporate wellness.
We spend our lives in search of ourselves. As if 'it' was something outside of us, we search for it everywhere except within ourselves - in our careers, our relationships, our status. The real journey is inward - and this is what I want to facilitate, whether its through retreats, workshops or online courses.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
My past clients include global brands such as McDonald's, Adidas, USA Today, Nestle, Invisalign, Westjet, Metro, OLG, Juicy Fruit, Moneris, Purolator, General Mills, Mars Petcare, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Mattamy Homes, Polar Bears Intl, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and more.
From public sector to advertising
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I started my career in the public sector and moved my way up the ladder until I realized that it was simply not fast-paced, agile or innovative enough. I wanted to make an impact, and things take too long to come to fruition in government. I decided to leave my cushy job for a digital agency that mostly did innovation and digital strategy work for public sector clients, so it was a great fit. During my time working at some of the top global advertising agencies in Toronto, I got the opportunity to immerse myself into brand and business strategy.
From top global advertising agencies to self-employment
When climbing the advertising ladder no longer appealed to me, I realized I had no idea WHAT type of work I would enjoy doing the most, and also HOW I wanted to work. Most of my career decisions were made from a place of 'playing it safe' and doing what we've always been told to do. Rarely did I have moments where I felt fulfilled and energized at work.
My journey of self-discovery led me to NLP, meditation and ultimately founding Nomad. I started to look for ways to uncover my authentic self. I tested different ways to get to the unconscious mind - the mind that has all the answers - to step outside of my current experience and limitations in order to identify new insights and possibilities for myself. This is how the Career e-Workbook and workshop came to be. I was able to identify the type of work that brings out my best - my skills, my strengths, my passion, and also, HOW I like to work - when I'm most productive, in what type of setting, etc.
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As we grow, we change, and so do our priorities. I am a firm believer that personal discovery and learning are a never-ending process. I hope to inspire others to unlock energies inside them, get in touch with their higher self to identify their passion and purpose and come out of hiding.
Working on my own terms
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Lately, I have been passionate about design thinking, uncovering deep customer needs and helping brands who make our world, and life, better.
My work is grounded in practicality, viability, market appeal and driven by human needs. I have over 10 years of experience in marketing/advertising, digital strategy, branding, customer journey mapping, eCommerce, business development and project leadership. Through my passion for emerging technology and design thinking, I have helped organizations ranging from startups, global and Canadian brands and government agencies grow their business via digital channels.
~2K Followers
As high as 14% engagement rate
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7 Sold out retreats in Bali, Peru, Canada, Saint Lucia, Mexico and France
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20+ professional self-discovery workshops facilitated
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TALK TO ME ABOUT:
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Getting out of the rat race, facing your fears and leaving your comfort zone
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Finding your passion and designing your career and life
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Personal and professional development, career change and personal branding
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Entrepreneurship, Branding and defining your ideal customer
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Self-discovery and spirituality, emotional intelligence and self-awareness
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Designing, marketing and running a successful wellness retreat