Want help building a brand strategy that keeps clients coming back? Work with Deirdre to craft your uncopyable brand, offers, messaging, and experiences that make your growth inevitable.

—

Meredith DeSantos on Human Design for Business

Feeling burnt out, stuck, or secretly wondering why success feels harder than it should? Here’s the thing… it’s probably not your strategy; it’s your wiring. In this episode, Deirdre Martin sits down with Meredith DeSantos, former Hollywood head of development turned Human Design and NLP expert, to unpack why so many high-achieving coaches and consultants burn out building businesses that conflict with their nervous system. You’ll hear how Human Design shapes your marketing, decision-making, and momentum, why imposter syndrome isn’t a mindset flaw, and how tiny aligned actions beat hustle every single time. If you’re ready to build a business that actually fits you and still scales, press play.

For the full list of timestamps, key takeaways, and all resources mentioned, visit the full episode page here: https://deirdremartin.ie/blog/human-design-for-business

If you've ever hit a level of success that looks shiny on the outside,

but felt like absolute chaos on the inside, this episode is going to hit

a nerve because here's the thing, so many entrepreneurs think that burnout

happens because they're doing too much.

No burnout happens when you're building a business that isn't built for you.

And today's guest learning that the hard way inside, one of the most

glamorized, ego-driven, smoke and mirror industries on the planet.

I'm your host, Deirdre Martin, business mentor, bestselling author, and the

woman who will lovingly call you out when you're building a brand that's

fighting your own nervous system.

And today we are going behind the curtain with Meredith.

Des Santos, former Hollywood Head of Development, who climbed fast, burned

bright, and then burned out her story.

Wild, her Insight even better.

Meredith now helps entrepreneurs and creative leaders build brands from

the inside out using human design, NLP and deep subconscious rewiring.

So your business stops training the life out of you and actually

fits how you are built to lead.

In this conversation, we get into this stuff.

People never talk about the hidden trauma patterns that

show up as imposter syndrome.

Why working harder keeps you stuck, how your energy type influences your

marketing momentum and your burnout, and why tiny, little aligned steps outperform

perfection every single damn time.

By the end of this episode, you'll see exactly why you feel the way you do.

What's been secretly running the show and what it looks like to build a business

that doesn't fry your nervous system?

All right, let's get into it.

Meredith, welcome to the Master Your Business Podcast.

Thank you so much for having me.

I'm excited.

Well, it's gonna be fun.

It's actually even more fun 'cause we're actually in the same time

zone right now, which is rare when I'm talking to somebody from la.

So let's start first with your bio, because.

Because I wanna talk about where your bio that you sent us and that I've just

introduced you with where it doesn't go.

And what I mean by that is what actually happened behind the scenes

when you decided to leave Hollywood?

And I'm like, don't give us the polished version.

Tell us like what was going on, what did it feel like?

All the things.

Sure.

Well I'm from Boston, so I'm not gonna give you the polished version.

It's not within me.

So what happened behind the scenes?

Oh, you know, there are great things about the entertainment industry and it built

part of who I am and how I'm able to do marketing and how people build businesses.

It also, I think is smoke and mirrors.

Behind the scenes.

I'm someone, and I've been open about this on other podcasts, and even when

people ask me, and if you look through my content, you'll see it at times, but

I'm someone who has been through trauma, and I think that in the entertainment

industry in particular it attracts people who have had a particular

level and there's a hazing process.

That goes through it, and a lot of people are too afraid to talk about

it because they are still in it.

But, you know, I'm not afraid to, and I, it wasn't uncommon for me to be

at a business meeting and men saying, they were gonna marry me and kind of

fight over who was going to, yes, it was very weird and me feeling like I

was in an alternate universe because none of them would ever marry me.

Like I was not interested at all.

They were all 20 years older than me.

And and also knowing I was there to play the part of the woman at the table

of men, and it was a very weird place to be because it was also preying on.

Some things that had happened in my life earlier, and so it was

kind of seeing the progression.

Of that while also I loved building projects.

Like I became the head of development really early, was helping running

a company before the age of 30.

And I was working with a-list writers, a-list directors, and I would take a

concept and then push it to production and then the production side of

the company would take it on and it was like building little mini.

Companies at the same time.

And I just love that process of seeing the pieces or creating the puzzle.

And when I gave birth, that was when I really gave birth to myself, I would say,

where I no longer had time for all the bs.

And so I, you know, quit the entertainment industry because

I was simply done with it.

I have a few passion projects, one that is about counter trafficking that

I've been doing for 10 years, that I'm still, that's still moving, and

things like that where I will still have my toe in, but I'm not afraid

to say like, it's not what it seems.

Hmm, interesting because like from the outside you just see the shiny glitzy

glam and the red carpet stuff and you know the movies hitting in the box office,

but you don't hear about all that stuff really behind the scenes, of course

there was the Me Too campaign, but yeah.

Other than that, it's like the day to day.

What's it really like?

And I think people have this glamorized version of what it looks like, right?

Oh yeah.

And most people aren't making a lot of money.

And I think that people think that.

Everyone in the entertainment industry is making a ton of money.

If you're not at a studio level and a higher level within a studio framework,

you're not, assistants are making, at least when I worked at a talent agency,

we were making under $25,000 a year, which is you can't live on in LA unless

you're having five roommates in one room.

And, that's the norm.

And then even when people become managers and agents, there's a

constant hustle that I think also was breaking me, was I constantly

thought I'm replaceable, so I need to continue to work harder than people

who are even above me in the company.

And that's also how I rose to the top fast.

But then it ended up burning me out completely.

But there's that sense that I'm replaceable, I'm replaceable,

I have to keep hustling.

And some people are really made for it and just transform

themselves and go and others aren't.

And I, yeah, I think it's a side we don't talk about.

And I think that if more people talked about it, we would uncover

a lot more, for a lack of a better word, insidious stuff going on.

And you mentioned you made it to the head of development

before 30, which is incredible.

Mm-hmm.

And you mentioned burnout, but I'm curious, how did that, I wanna

say rise in your career, how did that shape your relationship with

success or speed with that Sure.

Grind faster thing?

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think that one part that you touched upon was it's all

glitz and things like that.

I think it's a front, and I actually wrote about this last night for my newsletter.

So it's funny we're talking about it, is that.

There is a front, there's an ego front, right?

So we see all the things on the red carpet, and then when you're

behind the scenes, you feel like you have to keep up with that.

And so you're going out to drinks, you're chasing the next it thing.

You're wearing certain clothes, or at least I did.

You're buying a certain car all.

Things that most of the time you're living outside of your means and you

think that's what success is, and it kind of messes with you because when

I was rising in the company, I was going to the Cannes Film festival.

I was going to China, I was going to all these places and staying in for.

Star, if not better hotels, and I was next to some really powerful

people in Hollywood at these events.

And it gets to you where you think the outside matters more.

And what no one ever realizes, and I feel like this applies to any person,

is that we don't know what that person is experiencing in the inside.

Because for me, I was my most miserable.

When I was at these things, but you would think I was having a ton of fun.

And I think that sometimes we compare our outsides to someone else and we don't

know again what's happening in the inside.

And so while I was rising and while I was.

Still loving what I was doing, helping, I love helping writers

and helping people build their projects and build their companies

and seeing them become a reality.

It's one of my greatest passions to help other people's dreams come true.

But not at the cost of my own inner self, my own soul.

Not to sound dramatic, but that's what it felt like for me.

Yeah, and I think that sounds like it was a great lesson, to arrive at that

and really know and understand that that's what you wanted and that's what

was gonna help you move forward to where you are today, which is working

with creative teams to like, I suppose you've moved from managing creative

teams to building brands now, and you said in your bio as well, you're doing

that from the inside out, so mm-hmm.

What does that mean in practice?

I noticed a lot when I was an executive that I knew how much all these writers

and directors were making 'cause I negotiated their deals right?

And they were making quarter of a million dollars plus all the way up

and had insane imposter syndrome.

And I think that's prevalent in a lot of people who are on the

outside, very successful and a lot of actors have openly talked about it.

But it was really crazy for me.

And so I started, at the time, I was very into neuro-linguistic programming

with if anyone doesn't know what that is, Tony Robbins is like the king of it.

And I was applying it to my own life.

At times it wasn't working.

I would say I laugh because during this time I was doing a lot of affirmation

work and I had post-its all over my mirror, like, I am beautiful,

I am successful, all these things.

And I would be like screaming at myself in the mirror and

like it doesn't work that way.

I don't believe affirmations work that way.

I believe we have to say an affirmation that is a goal.

That is tangible backed by how we're gonna get to that goal.

Because if we say I'm a millionaire and we're not a millionaire, we're,

we know we're lying our to ourselves, but I wanna be, you know, I'm going

to become a millionaire and this is how I'm gonna do it is different.

And then you can hold yourself accountable.

I. But that's where I started to really get into the mindset work.

And I got certified in NLP 'cause I was so interested in it.

And through my own experience I had mentioned that I had been through

trauma therapy didn't work for me.

I'd been in therapy since I was a kid.

I know why I am the way I am, I know the events that occurred.

I wanna know how I can get over it.

And in my own ex. Experience therapy just never helped me get over it.

It was just having me come back and I've tried all different forms of

it, and NLP is the one that helped me actually not have the triggers anymore.

And so, I started using that a little bit on certain rider when I saw him pause.

Imposter syndrome was coming up.

And then I saw that the drafts got in faster, that they were better.

And I was like, okay, this is cool.

This is like a holistic process to my development.

So then transition, when I started my own company and I had successful people

in my life who I knew I could help, they had so much in imposter syndrome, or

they had gotten to a certain level and on the outside they looked great, but

they were breaking down in the inside.

And so for them, I fixed their inside.

Before we scaled for the newer entrepreneur, there's still

a sense of imposter syndrome.

Just at another level.

They don't think they can do it because they haven't seen themselves do it.

So how do we use NLP and other energetics to really reprogram

our subconscious to get on board while we're taking the action?

So that's where I really wanted to create it.

That makes so much sense and sounds really powerful and I think you're so right.

Everybody at some point experiences imposter syndrome.

And I think what for me, some of the realizations I've had

is that imposter syndrome is.

It's just simply doubt.

It's doubt.

Yeah.

And we all have doubt and it's technically, it's our

brain trying to keep us safe.

It's our amygdala going, Hmm.

That might be a little bit risky if somebody finds out that you're,

you know, you're just wing.

Yeah.

But actually everybody else is.

And I'd love to del.

Into your film background and how that shows up in your client work.

For the people who are listening and you've like.

Now peak their curiosity about what NLP is.

Will you tell them a little bit more about what it is, Meredith?

Because I think people will be like, oh, that sounds interesting,

but actually have no clue what it is or how to go about finding

somebody who can help them with it.

Definitely.

So, online, if you go to the board, you can find other NLP practitioners.

I suggest really do not go with the first person you see, really get to

know a person and do several consults and really trust your intuition

because there's a ton of people who are certified in it and you wanna make

sure you vibe with the right person.

There are people who do it for athletes.

For entrepreneurs, for people in corporate America.

So really finding someone who is within your niche and what you're trying

to achieve, I think is important.

So take your time with researching and then what it is.

So it was formed by several psychologists.

They took all the most powerful psychology modalities and created

neurolinguistic programming.

So it really has to do with our mind, the language that we speak and our processing.

And the reason why short version, of course, that it wasn't accepted

underneath being a therapy and why people aren't licensed is because

the results were so fast so it wouldn't keep clients coming back and.

Of course, you know, some NLP practitioners do have people coming back,

but I, how I do it is that I wanna empower people to be doing, to do it on their own.

And because we all have the ability inside of ourselves to heal ourselves,

we may need someone to activate the tools within us, but we don't need to

access it through someone each time.

And I think that's what NLP if done correctly.

Does for people.

And so there are certain modalities within it.

One that's really successful is reprogramming your childhood events.

So let's say I have the fear of being visible online.

I just it makes me really nervous.

And so if I trace that back and I think what's a memory of where

I've been afraid to be seen?

For me, my first memory that comes up is when I was about to walk

down the aisle, my dad said to me, how are you feeling right now?

And I said, oh, I really hate it when all eyes are on me.

And he was like, bad moment for that.

And it was true, like, and then I walked down the aisle and I had to really

find my husband to connect and not.

You know, almost disassociate.

And then it's like, well, that's not the original memory.

I know the original memories in childhood.

And then I go to 12, and this is a process that a practitioner will take you through.

I go to 12.

I know that I did piano recitals and I was so nervous I would perform them.

Really stiffly, but a hundred percent correctly.

Couldn't wait to get off the stage, but I know an event had to trigger that before.

And what it brings me back to, in your mind, in the process, will be

brought back to an event usually between two and nine years old.

Sometimes it can be 12 or 14, but usually between then and my

first memory of not wanting to be.

Seen is in kindergarten.

We had to test, what's your left hand?

What's your right hand?

I said that my right hand was my left hand and my left hand was my right hand.

The teacher told me I was wrong.

I felt a lot of shame.

It was in front of everyone.

Heard a few laughs.

Is that true?

Who knows, but that's what my kindergarten.

Self felt and I thought to myself, okay, I get to redo this next week and

now I know which hands are correct.

So I stood up the next week, I said my left hand was my left hand and

my right hand was my right hand.

And the teacher told me I was wrong.

And I was, yeah, I was so confused.

'cause I knew I was right.

And as an adult, who knows if she was listening.

Who knows if she was having a bad day.

But as a kid, I'm not processing that obviously.

And so from that moment forward, I never wanted to stand up

and say what was on my mind.

And that's the trigger point.

So what NLP helps is how do we reprogram that event because my

fear comes from that singular event.

And so there are several methods that we bring people through to

reprogram, to redo that event.

You still wanna hold onto the tools that you learned that are helpful, but how do

we reprogram the that event, creating a new event that your younger self needed.

And through this whole process, it changes your neural pathways so that that

trigger point isn't as strong anymore.

And there's other ways and tools to assist you with that.

But that's kind of a little overview of it is really reprogramming childhood

memories that are impacting us as adults.

That makes so much sense.

And like, oh my gosh, I can hear my daughter coming home from school going,

mom, I had to stand up and read in front of the class and I kept getting all my

words wrong and all of these things.

Now it turns out she's totally dyslexic.

Mm-hmm.

But she could hear the snickering and all of the things going on behind her.

And for her, getting her dyslexia diagnosis has helped

remove all of that stuff from.

Which is interesting, but I think you're so right, isn't it?

Isn't it nuts as well?

Like how much impact those early stage people in our lives, teachers,

family, carers have on how we grow up and how we shape and form and as

we become adults and entrepreneurs.

Oh, a thousand percent.

And especially being a parent, you see the moments where maybe your

parents didn't have the tools.

I mean, my son is two, so I'm going through like, he's, I call him an

emotional terrorist, not to his face, but my husband and I are like, whoa.

And it's a lot.

And thank God we have the tools to be patient, but it's really

hard and I see the moments.

Where my parents didn't have the tools and instead of getting resentful, I

have so much empathy for my parents because I'm like, this is hard.

And one thing that is a big memory that I think really impacted me

and I try not to do with Jackson is telling him to do certain things.

For example my dad would have us hug him every morning when we came downstairs.

That on the surface feels very normal, but.

There were definitely times I didn't wanna hug someone.

I personally don't like hug.

I don't hug strangers.

I'm not a hugger person.

And what that taught me, and he didn't mean to teach me this,

was that I had to hug men.

And so that became a dangerous pattern later in life where I

thought I had to do certain things.

Like I'll never forget someone in high school, a guy told me to

twirl in front of a table of guys.

And like I, I did it 'cause I, I was like, I remember I can be in that

moment right now not knowing what to do.

And that moment of my dad always having me hug him which was just a manners thing I

know in his mind impacted me in that way.

And so I really try to think like, what is, what am I doing is gonna

impact him later, if that makes sense.

Totally.

I'm constantly apologizing to my kids for the therapy that

they're going to require when

I'm like, I'm sorry, I'm just here doing my best.

And I think that's all we can do.

And yeah.

I'm curious for you, so let's bring it back a little bit to business now

and with this film background that you have, which is so super cool.

How does that show up in your work now?

Like what elements do you bring from that and are there moments where you

catch yourself directing people's brand like a kind of a story or a movie?

Yeah, I think what relates is storytelling.

There's good storytelling and there's bad storytelling.

And so, just like any, we can see with brands right now, it's

really about building community and having a storytelling element.

We see it through Haley Bieber's community around Herand Road.

We see it.

In Glossier, we see it in a lot of brands that are big, they're building

events and they even have some free events, and it's all about a community

around them and you wanna be with them.

And that is part of storytelling.

And so that I always apply to a brand it, and it's important to know our story.

While still knowing our audience, and I feel like people really focus on

pain points and there's a ton of bro marketing out there, and it just does

not work on a psychological level.

Yes.

And it's gross.

So it doesn't work on a psychological level because when

you're saying like, you're burned out, you're this, you're that.

And speaking to pain points, you're not actually changing

anything within the buyer's mind.

They're like, yeah, I am a, you know, POS yeah, I really have burnout.

Like it doesn't motivate them, it keeps them in their negative state.

But if you use storytelling to tell your story, to tell a client success

story, to try to bring value to the person who's reading the story and

bring them in, when you bring someone into a story of where they want to be.

That actually starts activating a part of their brain where growth mindset lives.

And now they're envisioning using your product or your offer to

actually have that transformation.

But it's through storytelling.

You're not telling them that their brain is telling them that through the story.

And so people are gonna purchase faster that way, or you'll build

a stronger community that way.

So that's really where I think I bring it in.

'cause I built stories for a living.

And so I build storytelling into branding.

And then I do have a partner, Mary Simmons, who handles all of the

brand aesthetic, so fonts, colors.

She's been doing this since Instagram was just a grid with

pictures and she's built a vision.

So I love having her a part of the team to bring that in.

And there's just a cohesion there.

To your point of directing, I think more of my Boston mentality comes

in 'cause I'm a very much doer.

Like, I do not believe in excuses.

I just do it and I realize that I have to adapt to the client in front of me

because they may not like the no bs.

They may need a little softness with my delivery.

And so that's where I really find out in the beginning with, of a client.

But I do break down all the steps they're gonna take each week.

So yes, the direct, the directing comes in that way.

But that's because I want them to reach their goals.

And I don't want them to have analysis paralysis.

And that's what we're working on together.

'cause action is the best way to beat perfectionism.

There's no such thing as perfect action.

So, that's a long way of answering your question.

I love that though.

And I told.

Agree with everything you've said, and you're so right in with the stories.

It's the mirror neurons in the in our brains, right?

So when you tell a story and I'm like, oh my gosh, that

story really resonates with me.

What happens then is that builds familiarity.

And familiarity is what builds trust.

So yeah, I'm gagging on the bro marketing here for people who are

listening, for people watching.

You can literally see me throwing my fingers down my neck.

Go to the bro marketing.

I totally agree right now, this year it really feels like community is the key.

It's the secret to unlocking success for businesses and

entrepreneurs who want to grow.

And I think that sense of belonging and just connectedness is more than

ever needed with the crazy shit that's going on in the world right now.

Oh yeah.

Right.

And Meredith, tell us, because you work with people who are

in wildly different industries.

I mean, you mentioned musicians to realtors.

Is there a through line that you always find underneath their brands

that surprises them more than you?

Surprises them.

I think what's holding them back.

They think that something, what's holding them back and it's not

actually what's holding them back.

And I think that's what surprises them a lot.

I think also I take a more holistic approach to branding and marketing where

I look at their human design and if anyone listening is like, what the hell is that?

That's basically astrology on steroids, but it combines science.

Based on the time, date, and location that you're born.

It has quantum physics, Kabbalah, I ching, the chakra system and more to

create an energetic blueprint of you.

And when we move within that energetic blueprint, we deprogram from society.

And that was a huge step when I left the entertainment industry to align with that.

And so when it comes to marketing, there are specific aspects of

someone's human design chart.

That really will show what's authentic storytelling to you?

What does your audience need to hear and how can we bring that

all together with your branding?

So when I present that to people, they get shocked.

'cause it might be sometimes the thing they're trying to hide the most because

it's protecting them or they're shocked.

Most of the time when I do this for men, they're shocked because they

finally feel like someone sees 'em.

But I think it's also because they haven't seen themselves in that way 'cause they've

been shutting down in a different way.

So, I think that's what surprises 'em the most.

And can you tell people a little bit more about human design?

So like, what if you were to do human design with me I don't even

know how, what's the verb around it?

Do you do human design?

Yeah.

It would be a reading.

Yes.

We would do a human design reading.

And we should do this on my podcast.

I would love to do it for you.

And so there are five energy types, like the main thing to learn from human design.

So I would get your birth information, it would generate a chart.

I would be able to read it to you immediately.

The biggest thing to align with is your energy type.

So there are five energy types, generators manifesting generators.

Projectors, manifestors and reflectors.

So generators make up most of the world.

They are the builders, so they don't burn out as long as they are

aligned with what they're doing, and it feels like a hell yes for them.

Generators and manifesting generators are usually people pleasers because they

were valued as children by what they did.

So they actually don't know what they wanna do because they always

just took things on as a kid.

And so now as an adult, they might say, you think that's you?

Now they might say, simple things like someone saying,

do you wanna go see a movie?

And they'll say yes without even thinking.

And then the movie date will come and they're like, I don't wanna do this.

So they might flake or they go and they're resentful about it.

Same thing can apply for the job that they take.

And generators are built to be doctors and, lawyers.

But what if you're a lawyer and actually your passion is painting?

You're gonna burn out as a lawyer, you're gonna hate it.

You need to be a painter.

So that's in short what really defines a generator.

Manifesting generators are hybrids of a manifester and generator.

So they have that generator side, but they also are fast moving and insanely

creative because of the manifester side.

And so they feel like they have a DD 'cause they have so many ideas,

but they don't know where to move.

And their greatest task is gonna be feeling their way through things, not

thinking their way through things.

So if they ever hear, and this goes for a generator too.

I should do this, I should do that.

They're should-ing all over themselves.

That's your brain telling you what to do, not your intuition.

So it's gonna lead you the wrong way.

So you have to really tap in to your intuition.

And a manifesting generator's superpower is actually multitasking.

So if they're looking at the task.

They have to do for the week.

Their gut might be telling them, skip Monday and Tuesday and go to Wednesday.

Logically that wouldn't make sense 'cause we have to complete what's on

Monday and Tuesday to get to Wednesday.

But actually the manifesting generator when they skip over steps,

didn't have to do those steps.

So their gut is saving them time.

Projectors I'm a projector are the guides and seers.

They're able to see things that others can't.

They're able to put a lot of complex things together and

distill them into easy information.

They really want to be seen.

So, it's hard for them when they feel like they're not being seen and they

have so much information and point of view to give, but they have to

wait for someone else to hear it.

So, if I give an opinion to one of my siblings and they haven't said

to me, mayor, what's your opinion?

They're gonna think I'm bossy and completely disregard it, even if what

I'm saying is what they need to hear.

But if I say, you know, I've been through something similar, would

you like to hear what I have to say?

And they say, yes, it will land.

Same thing goes with.

Clients, you can't chase like a manifesting generator and

generator and manifestor can go after clients in their own ways.

Projectors can't because people are gonna be like, ick.

So there's certain ways to really generate leads based on your energy.

Type two.

And then manifesters can manifest without the universe.

They move really fast and their biggest thing is they have to

tell everyone else around them.

'cause people can't catch up and can't read their mind.

They also feel.

That they're the black sheep of the family.

'cause they literally repel people.

But my reframe for that is how amazing you don't waste time with people who

aren't meant to be in your world.

While all of us waste time with people who may be using us, no one's gonna use you.

They also, as children were told they were too loud, too

much, and they're meant to be.

They're really the trendsetters.

So to really unleash their voice.

And lastly, reflectors are really rare.

Like 1% of the world is made up of reflectors.

I've only had two clients that were reflectors and they

are mirrors of the world.

They mirror back what we need to see, what the collective needs.

But they need a longer process with it.

So they need to take a full lunar cycle to make a really big decision,

and they need to work with their environments and the people around

them because their biggest pitfall is that they see the potential in other

people, but people may not be there yet.

So then they're kind of being used.

And then an environment is super important.

But as a child, they were a chameleon.

They adapted to whatever environment they were in or the people around

them, boyfriends, girlfriends, and so later in life, they don't

really know their identity.

So it's really important to get aligned with what that is.

And then there's so much more to human design, but that's the mo, the

biggest aspect in a very fast way.

Wow.

It's very fascinating.

It's very interesting and I'm curious, like do people tend to

have some of the characteristics of some of the other profiles too?

Yeah.

So how that will work out is within other areas like the energy centers and how our

energy flows, mirrors the chakra system.

And there are a couple extras, but that's where things will

pop up or in our fear gates.

'cause the spleen center holds fear gates.

So, for example, I'm a projector, I can burn out, but like in my corporate

job I worked really, really hard.

I had no problem working until or.

Until two or 3:00 AM and that's because I have certain energy centers within myself

that are filled, that are for drive, that are for being able to move through stress.

But at the same time, because I can move through stress, I can burn out and leave

myself last, which is what was happening.

With my fear gates, if I have fear of inadequacy.

So I'm trying to constantly prove myself there.

That's where it's really coming from and how it can come in

to the other energy types.

So I think there's parts of the chart that could be adding to that and by

really leaning in and looking at, okay, what am I trying to prove here?

Then you kind of see how to flow with your energy type.

That's so interesting because it sounds like there's a little

bit of unlearning mm-hmm.

That needs to happen too, to be able to flow energetically in the

right way and really feel aligned.

And I think it's nuts how and from a neuroscience perspective, it's about

your head, heart, and gut, which mm-hmm.

Allows chakras and a lot of the things that you're talking about here.

And with that, it's interesting, like when I see clients who are so aligned

with what they're doing, they work hard because they're so passionate about

what they're doing, but they don't burn out because, you know, they're

loving it and it feels they're in flow.

So it's important to see that.

So what I'm curious about is your clients, I'm sure they're high achievers.

Mm-hmm.

And they're coming to you because they want to unlock something.

They wanna unlock that next level or achieve that next level of success.

But I'm guessing that sometimes you also help them slow down a little bit so that.

They don't burn out and experience some of the things like you did

when you worked in corporate.

Mm-hmm.

So how do you help someone with the tools that you have in your toolkit to

build that sustainable brand without them feeling like they're falling behind?

Sure.

The first thing we do is we go into their human design and I

also combine neuroscience with it.

So when we're looking at fear gates, that's really where I

started to bring in the NLP.

I'm like, we're reprogramming these memories while we're

taking small, tiny action.

'cause I am a firm believer that you can't just change the mindset.

You have to be taking action at the same time.

So that's when I really map out the plan whether that's we're just focusing

on branding or we're uncovering a new, we have to revamp your offer idea.

We're always starting with human design and I have a ton of tools that I give

my clients how to align with their design, daily checklists of what to

do building them rituals even building out a work schedule for them so that

they are really aligned with it and then they have fun exploring certain

other things, you know, when we really get aligned with how they're meant to.

B, and we deprogram them from the memories that are holding them in

hustle culture or holding them back even from pursuing their passion.

Or are they afraid of success?

Things like that.

We reprogram that and then it's okay, what's the next aligned step?

Because I'm a firm believer that tiny aligned steps compound over time.

If I just shove a ton of things for someone to do, they're gonna

burn out even if I've deprogrammed 'em, and we've done that together.

So it's tiny aligned steps to get to where they want to be.

And by uncovering these things and using these tools that I've created,

they're able to stay aligned.

Now, there are times where naturally, everyone.

Steps back, right?

We have a little roadblock.

We get back into old habits, but it's then propelling forward.

And so I have, private Slack channels for all of my clients where they're

able to access me during the week.

So if they're having a little issue, they pop in a message, I'm able

to give them a reframe right away.

I'm really generous where I hop on a zoom if someone's really having an issue.

And I'll do it if I can right away.

But it's really just meeting where the client is at and giving them all the

physical tools I can so they can align.

I'm also a believer, you had mentioned stuckness at one point.

I don't think anyone's actually stuck because energy's always moving.

And so it's take that messy action like you sometimes.

I can't, you know, I compare it to the gym.

If I get a gym membership and I am not going to the gym yet, I'm complaining

'cause I'm not putting on muscle.

Whose fault is that?

That's mine because I'm not bringing myself to the gym.

Same with a coach.

If you are given the roadmap to get there, but you're not

taking the tiny aligned actions.

Then you're not going to get there.

You're wasting your time.

You need to take the action and not be afraid of failing because

perfect action doesn't exist because nothing's ever perfect.

You're not planning for an obstacle to come up.

But if you're taking messy aligned action, an obstacle can come up and you can pivot

because you're not stuck on a perfect outcome because you've planned for A, B,

and C. So, did that answer your question?

Absolutely.

I mean, and really speaks to me and I hope it does to people listening too.

For me, from a Gallup strengths perspective, my main number

one strength is activator.

So it's getting shit done.

It's moving forward with half baked ideas and just figuring it out as you go.

Mm-hmm.

It's.

Messing up when you're asking questions to your fabulous guest on your

podcast and just keeping going anyway.

Right?

So it's like, you know, it's fine.

It's just being human.

And I think for a lot of people it's that compassion.

That self-compassion with not having to be perfect.

And it's that people pleaser thing as well, I think is so.

Negatively impactful because when you're trying to people please,

all of the time, the person who ends up suffering the most is you.

Right?

And it's so hard.

Okay, so let's start to wrap it up because I could keep asking you questions all day,

yeah, I'm having fun.

Oh, thank you.

Okay.

So one of the things that I'm curious about is, let's say with the human design,

have any of your clients gotten a reading and thought, no, that's not me, and not

felt aligned with what's come through?

I have had one client.

Who had to face trauma through the reading that was resistant.

'cause they had already thought they healed it with a family member, but it

revealed that it had not been healed.

So that, I would say that was something that we worked through.

I have had a reading where someone and I relate to it, they

found out they were a projector.

It's a new client that I have.

And they were like, no, no, no.

Can't be true.

I'm not a projector, I'm a generator.

And I was like, no, you are definitely a projector.

And I felt this same way you did.

And so did almost every other projector when they found out.

Let's lean into, give me evidence where you think you're a generator

and let's actually talk through this.

And what happens is when they gimme the evidence, we also see they were

burning out, they were getting really sick, their life was suffering,

and then the lights turn on.

Yeah, that makes sense.

And fantastic.

Okay, so let me see.

When someone comes to you at a crossroads, because previously up

until that point, they were known for one thing, but they want to pivot.

How do you help them?

Get started with that?

What question do you ask that cracks it open for them?

Sure.

What's your why?

Like, I believe in the why.

I believe in messy journaling.

'cause most of the time people haven't been silent.

Especially they know they wanna pivot, but they don't know where to go.

Again, this is how I believe I want to unlock things in other people.

And so it's What's your why for your pivot?

What's your passion?

What's your overall goal?

'cause sometimes the goal is what reveals what the pivot is

or what's holding them back.

And then how important is it to you to reach that goal?

And I do that no matter, even if someone's coming to us for social

media, I make them do this too.

Because we always have to anchor back in.

And so, that's one of the ways we start, obviously with their human

design, because that can reveal a lot.

I had a client come to me.

She had been in a VP at Paramount.

She had been let go.

She kept applying for jobs, having interviews, wasn't getting the jobs.

So I did her human design and showed that storytelling was deeply

ingrained, like she was meant to be a writer and do storytelling.

And then a year later she came to me and she said, I'm finally ready.

Please help me start.

So she has a bunch of book ideas.

I said we need to, you know, she was working with someone to put her book

into a proposal and all those things.

And then Substack was where we wanted to start her to start building that community

and also posting on social media.

So we went to her house, she happens to live in la.

We filmed a ton of content with her and planned out that content.

And then we created months of content for her based on our goals.

And we were pivoting based on what we were.

Seeing.

And within the first day that she posted her first post and announced that she

was on Substack, her substack was number six in business in 24 hours, and then

she made a thousand dollars in a day.

So that was a really exciting thing to see where the pivot.

We can have, this is one of my big things with manifestation too.

We can want something, she had wanted to write a book for a very long time.

We can want something, we can put it out to the universe, but if we're

not taking action towards it, the universe isn't gonna bring it to us.

It doesn't just come and sit on our lap.

Like people who wanna be an actor and thinking like a coffee shop, they're

gonna get stopped by a famous director.

And that's how they're gonna get their break.

Like, doesn't work that way.

Sorry.

Maybe worked for one person and they must have been incredibly good looking.

But like at the end of the day, that's not how it works.

And they were probably working behind the scenes and the

universe brought that to them.

It wasn't, you know, so.

What that brought for her when she finally took that step.

I'm gonna put myself out there, let's start putting this together.

The universe was bringing things to her and then as soon as she had a digital

footprint on social media, and right now I think she's just under 3000, she

gained over a thousand in her first month.

But yeah, she's over 3000 now, but agents already wanna represent her.

So the top agencies here are literally giving her offers

to represent her as an author.

So it's proof that you don't need a million followers to get represented.

If you wanna be an artist in any way you need to take the action and to put

a brand together and have a thought out plan, and you need to also be bringing it

out so the universe can bring it to you.

I love that.

I totally agree with you.

And for anybody listening, we have and is thinking Substack, wait, what's that?

That's another thing I've not heard about today.

Meredith is really skilling us in all sorts of things today in terms

of NLP, human Design and substack.

So, Landon Pobarun has just been on the show, so go and check

out episode 156.. He has done an entire episode with us on Substack.

So if you're curious about what Substack is and how can you show

up there really effectively, go and check out Landon's episode.

Meredith, it's been such an incredible conversation.

Thank you so much for joining us on the show.

Tell us where can people find you?

How can they work with you?

Tell us all the things.

Sure.

And it's been so much fun.

Thank you.

You can find me on Instagram at Meredith DeSantos.

My website is my full name, meredith desantos.com.

My email's Meredith at Meredith DeSantos and the best way to kind of

enter is we have a content membership.

Where we align your human design and help you really break down your own content.

And a social media manager, Mary, who I mentioned earlier, is in there.

So it's a very holistic and first of its kind where you can create

content that converts based on yourself and really sell.

So that's something to start.

And if you want help branding, you can always reach out and

we can take it from there.

Fantastic.

Meredith, thank you again.

It's been a pleasure.

Yeah, thank you for having me.

Okay, take a breath, because if your brain is doing backflips right now, I'm not

surprised Meredith has a way of saying the thing that you knew deep down, but maybe

didn't have the words or the language for.

And here's what I want you to walk away with today.

One, you are not bad at business.

You're probably just building it in a way that fights your natural wiring.

Two, your old programming, the childhood shit, the

perfectionism, the people pleasing.

It will run your brand if you don't be the pattern interrupt.

And interrupt it.

Three tiny aligned action is going to get rid of that hustle every single time.

Slow as smooth and smooth as fast.

I think that was from like.

I wanna say one of the fast and furious movies or something.

I dunno where that line came from, but yeah, slow is smooth and smooth fast.

Maybe it was Mr. Miyagi, who knows.

But anyway, if Meredith cracked something open for you today, go check out her

content membership where she blends human design with content strategy.

So your message actually converts because it finally sounds like you.

That's over at Meredith.

desantos.com.

And if you love this conversation, you'll also wanna go back to

episode 156 with Landon Pobarun, especially if you're thinking about

building a Substack community.

Those two episodes connect beautifully.

All right, my dear.

Thank you so much for listening.

If this episode hit home, share it with one entrepreneur who's stuck

in the burnout Success loop, and of course, follow rate and review the

show so we can keep bringing you the conversations that change the way.

I'm Deirdre Martin.

Until next time, keep mastering your business.