"Mindfulness deepens our understanding of ourselves, others, and the interconnectedness of our human spirit."
In the realm of entrepreneurship and wellness, Janet Qi stands as a beacon of resilience, compassion, and innovation.
The founder and CEO of PurMinds, Janet embarked on a transformative journey driven by personal tragedies that ignited a passion for revolutionizing neurological care. In this exclusive interview, she shares her profound experiences, from the loss of a dear friend to the relentless pursuit of breakthrough solutions for neurodegenerative disorders.
Beyond her role as a business leader, Janet opens up about her incorporation of mindfulness, the profound impact of her cultural background on leadership, and the strategies she employs to maintain a harmonious balance between a demanding professional life and holistic well-being.
Join us as we delve into Janet Qi’s inspiring narrative – a tale of loss turned into purpose, simplicity in leadership, and a commitment to fostering wellness in every aspect of life.
Name: Janet Qi
Company: PurMinds
Check out more interviews with entrepreneurs here.
Table of Contents
Thank you so much for joining us. Please introduce yourself to our readers.
Janet Qi: My journey to found PurMinds began in early 2018 when a very dear friend of mine, the world-renowned conductor, musical historian, famous radio host of 96.3FM, founder and artistic director of Toronto Concert Orchestra, Maestro Kerry Stratton was diagnosed with ALS. Maestro Stratton passed away 15 months after the diagnosis.
I experienced first-hand how devastating a neurodegenerative disease such as ALS can be to the patients and their families. Shortly after, my uncle had a stroke and went into a coma for over three years before he eventually passed away in October 2023.
We also have close family and friends of PurMinds team members that are suffering from neurological disorders. After Maestro Stratton’s death, I have assumed the position of the board chair for the Toronto Concert Orchestra (a charitable organization), and PurMinds has taken on the mission of pursuing breakthrough solutions for neurological disorders since early 2021.
My mission also includes propagating a de-risked approach to drug development, I have accrued experience in areas from drug discovery in neuroscience to product development and commercialization, and understand the risks involved in various aspects and stages of a biotech venture.
As CEO, I was able to continuously fine-tune our approaches and take a long term view in order to build a commercially viable and de-risked approach to drug development. I have spent years building the necessary building blocks of the company while finding our differentiated strategic positioning.
As an entrepreneur, how do you incorporate mindfulness or spiritual practices into your leadership style? Can you share an instance where this approach significantly impacted your business decisions or team dynamics?
Janet Qi: I came from a cultural background immersed with Buddhist and Taoist teachings and ideology. Buddhists believe that the human life can reach enlightenment by meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior.
Practicing mindfulness can lead to our understanding of our body, things and people around us, and our spirit as a human being. I have personally experienced how meditation and mindfulness led to compassion and genuine care towards other people.
Such compassion and genuine care is truly reflected by PurMinds’ corporate culture of Truth, Respect and Empowerment. These values are included in PurMinds Employee Handbook, which are:
- Have faith in TRUTH, including being true to others and to myself.
- Always treat my colleagues and people around me with RESPECT.
- Together we can achieve greater things by EMPOWERING each other!
Balancing a busy professional life with healthy eating can be challenging. What strategies or habits have you adopted to ensure your diet supports both your body and spirit, especially under the pressures of entrepreneurship?
Janet Qi: Let’s be honest, as an entrepreneur it is very challenging to balance healthy living with a demanding workload. My secret to maintain healthy living and especially healthy eating is to:
- lead a simple life. Cut unnecessary distractions.
- stay away from over cooked or over processed food.
- Always remember that in modern days many people are over-nutritioned, We don’t need extra food to make ourselves feel better. We simply need less food, but good food.
How have you transformed your workspace to enhance focus, creativity, and inner peace? Do you have any specific routines or environmental changes that have made a significant difference in your workday wellness?
Janet Qi: I lead a very simple life and try to cut distractions. That said, I am always a happy person that can easily find happiness and satisfaction from little things. This level of good spirit is important to lead a simple yet meaningful life.
I have also created a support system of genuine friends who help me make my life simpler and better. For example, I visit my chiropractor, massage therapists and acupuncturist regularly so that I can keep my body and mind at an optimal state.
Quality rest is crucial for peak performance. What sleep hygiene rituals do you follow to maintain high energy and clear thinking? How have these practices contributed to your success and well-being as a business owner?
Janet Qi: Meditating before going to bed is the best way of maintaining good sleep. As a busy entrepreneur I always have a lot of thoughts on my mind at any given time, which may lead to insomnia. Meditation helps me simplify my mind and maintain compassionate thoughts.
In fact, the key to reaching a good meditative state is to train yourself to have a clean and simple mind. We live in a complicated and hectic world. Finding peace in this hectic world can only be achieved through simplifying one’s mind.
Over the years I have trained myself to simplify my mind, my intentions towards other people, and my lifestyle. Over the years I have trained myself to simplify my mind, my intentions towards other people, and my lifestyle.
Jerome Knyszewski, VIP Contributor to WellnessVoice and the host of this interview would like to thank Janet Qi for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Janet Qi or her company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
Did you enjoy this article? Check out similar stories:
Iona Holloway of Soul Breathwork Shares Strategies for Workplace Well-being
Insights from Jodi Brandstetter of Influence Network Media
Ariadne Wolf of Mermaid Consulting Shares Strategies for Empowering Employees
A Conversation with Foram Sheth of Ama La Vida
Alla Weinberg of Spoke & Wheel Dives into Workplace Mental Health Support
Disclaimer: The WellnessVoice Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
