We recently connected with Jaime Verazin and have shared our conversation below.
Jaime, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Ikigai. Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being” or “a reason to wake up in the morning”. It’s the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. Essentially, it’s about finding your purpose and passion, and aligning them with your vocation and profession to lead a fulfilling life. And that purpose can and does change! To stay in touch with it is a constant check-in and practice.
At 5 years old I knew dancing was my life! My mom reminds me often that I decided this young and never looked back. From that incredible 25 year career, I truly truly lived out my dream. All that I hoped and more eventually happened because I was in true alignment with what I loved, and what the world needed from me. I am grateful to have had a career in the Arts ( which included touring the world with a dance company, AGT semifinals, commercials, some film, Met Opera aerialist and dancer, and Broadway, even a Tony Award win for Choreography for our show Bandstand in 2017). From this beautiful community, was also born the work that I do now. This was Act One of my life 😉
Never ever did I imagine that I would be running two businesses in New York City for Act Two! While working in the theater, and dealing with some health issues ( asthma, allergies ) I began to create clean, healing spaces backstage. I brought in air filtering plants, sustainable cleaning tools, organizers, and touches of home to make the workplace feel more supportive of the hard work our bodies were doing daily. Being mindful of the spaces surrounding us had always been a passion especially when on tour and living in small spaces! And as my community and workplace began to feel the benefits of mindful, clean, organized spaces no matter how small the room was, the word spread and wanted to be shared! I found my new purpose! My flow and my joy was transforming spaces to help people free themselves from accepting things as they are and diving into the reflection of themselves NOW.
Shortly after this seed was planted, my Broadway company dubbed me the Broadway Botanist -plant designer and plant whisperer….which is the business I have been running for the last 7 years 😉 I am also a Home Organizer. Today I travel wherever the work is being asked and aligned. With the encouragement and desire of my colleagues, a new path opened up without forcing anything. I shared, I listened, they became curious, and they nurtured! That is the great power of community!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
In Act One of my life, I was a professional dancer and performer ! In the ‘purpose’ question I revealed how I came around to my current passion.
Now in Act Two, I run two small businesses beautifying spaces in various ways. I found that I was holding space for my colleagues and helping to uplift by spreading joy more often than I was interested in auditioning anymore! And so today, I am best known as the B r oa d w a y B o t an i s t, plant designer and plant whisperer. From rooftops, terraces, office buildings and personal homes, we create plant designs to uplift and surround our clients with green. We also guide and educate others in plant care and our team does so with lots of love and smiles! The team is made up of performers and artists! https://www.broadwaybotanist.com/contact
The second business, is Home Organization. This falls under the Broadway Botanist umbrella in our contact form, but we have been working on giving this meaningful work its own identity now.
We call it, R e f l e c t i n g S p a c e s. We are like trainers of the space – the same way guidance can be helpful in a gym. We focus on joy and firing up our decision making skills to shed the layers that no longer serve us. We help families with the removal of the items that are weighing them down and find sustainable ways of releasing them into the world again. This also brings joy to other people who are in need or who can use the items instead of them wasting away! We design new closets and bring in tools for more functional spaces also. The circle of freedom, fun, joy, and lightness gives incredible energetic movement to the clients lives! Every one we work with has a major life change and opening occur! We love witnessing this personal growth and seeing them surrounded by beautiful functional spaces that reflect where they are at NOW 😉
https://www.reflectingspaces.com
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Intuition
I have always been guided by connecting with what feels good in my body. I feel blessed to have the ability to understand immediately when pieces of the puzzle are aligning. Ultimately this is when flow is achieved and solutions are revealed to me for my clients.
2. Trust in trying anything once
“Leap and the net will appear” mentality. This embodies the idea of taking a leap of faith, trusting that support or a positive outcome will materialize as a result of the action. When we manifest good energy and trust that what is right will show up for us, we achieve more! We don’t know until we try! My motto is ” How can we NOT do what we have done before?” We can always go back to what we know- so time to explore and create !
3. Ability to Listen
By quieting the noise that surrounds us daily, and asking good questions, we can create major life change in this slowing down. I honor my practice in daily listening as one of the most valuable tools in the work I do. A true shedding of things internally and externally can occur in order to rise and meet ourselves where we want to be.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was support my joy – dance! For the first 10 years, my father was in med school, residency, and the air force training to be a cancer surgeon. I did not get to see him too much because he was so so dedicated to his passion and craft in order to provide for his growing family. What he did instill in me though were some pretty powerful words on an awesome Saturday morning when he was actually able to drive me to dance class!
“No matter what… do what you love, Jaime. If you love doing it, it will not feel like work.” Both of his daughters ended up being involved in the Arts at one point ! haha! BUT, he was right. I made an entire professional paid career out of DANCE -The thing I loved! Though it was a lot of hard work, the path opened when it was right every time because it was chosen with love and joy. And my mother was so dedicated to driving me everywhere and sacrificing her needs to support my passion too. Their belief in me also encouraged never giving up and that achieving my dreams was possible. There was never a doubt and that positive feedback always shaped my success AND how I help others today. From my father’s work ethic, to my mother’s ability to tirelessly show up, I continue to believe that I can do anything that I love. And I am even more thrilled when I know it is directly bettering someone else’s life!
The power of positivity, love, and belief in people can help them achieve some powerful milestones!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.broadwaybotanist.com/contact
- Instagram: @broadwaybotanist
- Other: https://www.reflectingspaces.com
this is the other website
Image Credits
Justin Patterson – headshots on white background with hat / dance image black background
Jeff Dietz – dance image with scaffolding ( listed on image)
Jaime Verazin (me)- for the spaces we have created
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
