We had the good fortune of connecting with Liana Werner-Gray and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Liana, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My business started as an accident that organically evolved. In 2009 I started a blog that ended up going viral, which in turn had me discover my passion and purpose and then had me think “How can I do this forever? How can I turn this into a business and make a career out of it?” I believe we have all been given particular gifts and talents to share with the world, and when we are sharing these gifts and it’s helping the world we have an opportunity to start a business that will continue to be successful. My blog started from pure passion, I called it The Earth Diet, and gave myself a challenge to eat only foods straight from nature for 365 days in an attempt to end a five year addiction to fast foods and refined sugars. I had a hit a rock bottom with my health and I had tried everything to be healthy but nothing worked. I was suffering immensely mentally and emotionally and then ended up with a 3.7 tumor in my throat, in my lymphatic system. When I had an idea to blog about my experience I thought that if I published it to the world that people and readers would help hold me accountable and that perhaps I would actually stick to being healthy. And it worked. I transformed my health and healed my body and in the meantime, the blog went viral by word of mouth. Other people also silently struggling with being controlled by impulsive eating were finding comfort in it, and changing their diets too. When we eat natural whole foods from earth we get adequate nutrition and find ourselves properly nourished so we don’t have any cellular memory or desire to binge eat. People were also healing their lives through my blog. Before blogging I was at University for film and television production. I thought media was were my passion was, but nothing was more uplifting and fulfilling then having a blog that was changing my life and the lives of others. As the year of blogging was coming to an end my readers asked me to put it all into a book, including the health tips, the recipes and information on some of the toxic foods that cause addiction. It was because of them, my readers, and the “demand” that I thought wow I could turn this into a business, make a career out of it and do this forever! I realized it’s a good idea to start a business if a lot of people are asking you for a particular product or service, if there is a demand it makes sense to fulfill it and that is essentially what makes it a business. So I went about self-publishing my first book The Earth Diet. It sold over 8,000 copies and then I was able to take that to a major publisher who then want on to publish four of my books, which are all best sellers. Other than books I also thought what will continue to generate money for my business? I got certified as a nutritionist and do one-on-one as well as group coaching, I am an affiliate to my favorite brands and ingredients that I use in my recipes and promote to my readers, and I also have sponsorships. I thought is this an opportunity for a mini empire? And I thought about all the ways I could make money in the health and food industry while at the same time helping people to achieve healing and live their healthiest life!

What should our readers know about your business?
Liana’s Organics came about when I saw the opportunity to create a supplement that could help treat anxiety, with organic ingredients and no fillers, additives, or preservatives. My flagship product is an Anxiety-Free Supplement, which is a highly unique product that combines time-tested organic ingredients into a powerful and easy-to-consume daily whole foods dietary supplement and includes ashwagandha, turmeric, spirulina, echinacea, schisandra and more. Next I would like to develop a supplement for hair growth, hormones, and menstrual cycle pain. My promise is to always make a supplement without fillers, preservatives, additives, GMO’s, gluten, gelatin, soy and dairy. People can trust they are putting pure herbs into their bodies and nothing extra.

The Earth Diet is a website hub where people can come and participate in multiple ways to achieve their health goals whether it is weight loss or assistance in healing cancer. They can select a variety of options including group coaching, an online course, one-on-one work with me, purchasing my books, purchasing my recommended products through my affiliate links, for health coaches and health influencers taking part in my Online Health Business School that launches four times a year.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Miami is the most electric place to experience healthy activities and food! If I was showing a friend around Miami for three days I would take them on a foodie tour of all the most amazing health food cafes and clean eating restaurants. We would start the day at Raw Juce in Brickell for an organic green juice and Black Magic Bowl (a delicious smoothie bowl with activated charcoal), lunch at Juice and Java and then dinner at Carbone for the Beet Salad. On the second day we would start at Pura Vida for a refreshing plant-based breakfast, an outdoor lunch at Seaspice for their incredibly fresh seafood, and then a waterfront dinner and beach club we would go to Joia Beach, their while branzino dish is divine.

Healthy activities while in Miami would be Barry’s Bootcamp in Miami Beach, especially with instructor Kellie, walking on the beach, boating, a yoga or pilates class.

On the third day we would go to the W Hotel spa “AWAY” and enjoy a rejuvenating and detoxifying spa experience. There is nothing else like it! The spa menu is comprised of advanced treatments from wellness experts that specialize in relaxation massages, body healing, and skincare, all designed to counter the everyday stressors of life. I recommend the Detox massages to eliminate toxins and the renowned HydraFacial that encourages complete exfoliation for maximum anti-aging benefits. Unique add-on enhancements such as the Muscle Rescue, which eases discomfort and muscle pain through CBD body balm, and Himalayan Hot Stones which stimulate metabolism, are available on select treatments. AWAY also offers mini treatments and a state-of-the-art massage chair to cater to the on-the-go traveler looking to recharge in under an hour. The beauty bar is primed with an array of specialty teas, Detox/Retox elixir, coconut and chlorophyll-infused waters, botanical seltzers and signature cocktails. We would stay here for the entire day, there is no need for us to go anywhere else as steps away from the lounge is the sun-drenched terrace where spa guests can further unwind in between sessions and enjoy bites from its dedicated farm-to-table spa menu. After we are rejuvenated we would go out for the last dinner at Sexy Fish, for some incredible Asian food and sea-to-table menu and enjoy the restaurant with surrealist décorby turned nightclub by the end of the evening to dance the night away.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I had the support and encouragement from some very healthy friends Craig Green, and a naturopath Mae Rose who helped me to heal my body using natural alternatives in the beginning. My publisher Hay House has been incredibly supportive of my work, Reid Tracy and Patty Gift especially. My first full-time employee Caroline Tarnofsky is an angel and the business would not operate without her gifts and efforts. My incredible partner David Fulcher for helping me get Liana’s Organics off the ground and my first product, a supplement for treating anxiety naturally. And Carol Lucas my first angel investor for helping me get my first self-published book out there to the world. Dr Fenster the clinical director at Complete Wellness NYC has also been one of my biggest supporters and has helped me grow immensely. And my family for always been my rock, Aunty Tammy and Nadine Gray especially.

Website: www.TheEarthDiet.com and www.LianasOrganics.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/LianaWernerGray www.instagram.com/TheEarthDiet

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

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/theearthdieter

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lianawernergray www.facebook.com/theearthdiet

Yelp: Liana W.

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