Story & Lesson Highlights with CAROLINA PANOFF of Old Northwood

We recently had the chance to connect with CAROLINA PANOFF and have shared our conversation below.

Hi CAROLINA, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
Unshakable self-love, and the ability to speak kindly to myself. I used to have a horrible inner critic and the flavor of of my self-awareness was rooted in shame. I now meet myself with compassionate understanding. People think we can shame ourselves into change and healing… I used to… but in fact it just keeps us stuck. People cannot “see” this but they can “feel” it. This shift within myself is part of the reason i got into life coaching in the first place.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Carolina Panoff—authenticity coach, speaker, and founder of Be You Disco. I create spaces where people can drop the masks, move their bodies, and reconnect with themselves and each other.

Be You Disco is not your average team-building activity. It’s a wellness-based silent disco experience that fuses music, movement, and mindfulness. Think: part dance party, part meditation, part connection lab. No substances. No cringe icebreakers. No pressure to perform. Just authentic connection, collaboration, and engagement that lasts long after the music stops.

This work is personal for me. I know what it feels like to shrink or hide parts of yourself just to belong. Now, whether I’m coaching, speaking on stage, or leading an immersive team-building event, my mission is to help people step into their wholeness—and create cultures that thrive on trust, creativity, and emotional wellbeing.

Right now, Be You Disco is growing beyond local events into conferences, universities, corporate retreats, weddings, and even country clubs—because everywhere I go, I see the same thing: people are craving real connection and high-impact experiences.

✨ If you want to bring this magic to your team or community, come dance with us and follow along at @beyoudisco.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What breaks bonds between people is when we hide our true selves. When we pretend, overextend, or let our boundaries slip, the connection becomes rooted in inauthenticity—and it can’t hold.

What restores bonds is vulnerability. Being willing to be seen, to share how we really feel, opens the doorway to deeper connection. I know this firsthand—I used to stay stuck in surface-level friendships because I was afraid of being judged if I revealed too much. Once I started letting people in, the relationships I built became so much richer and more alive.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that’s held me back the most has been the fear of not being accepted if I showed up as my full self. For a long time, I worried that if people saw the real me—my messy feelings, my quirks, my dreams, my wacky interests—they might judge me or pull away. I especially feared sharing when I felt hurt by a friend, parent etc.

So I played it safe. I stayed surface-level, kept quiet when I wanted to speak up, and tried to fit into spaces that didn’t feel like home. It kept me small.

What I’ve learned is that the very thing I was afraid of—being seen / conflict —is actually the thing that brings me closer to the right people. When I finally let myself be real, I discovered connection that feels deeper, friendships that feel safe, and a relationship with my parents that is so much richer.

Authenticity and vulnerability are the doorway to the deepest connections! I

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would probably say that what really matters to me is connection—genuine, meaningful connection. Whether it’s in friendships, work, or family, I deeply value creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and able to bring their whole selves forward. I’m the girl that brings conversation cards to dinner to go “deeper” then the surface level talk.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If immortality were real, what would you build?
If immortality were real? Honestly, I wouldn’t waste it chasing perfection or hoarding stuff—I’d build movements. I’d build teams, communities, and experiences that make people feel alive, seen, and inspired to step into their own power.

Because what’s the point of living forever if you’re not using that time to expand what’s possible? I’d spend eternity building bridges between people and ideas, creating things that outlast trends, and showing that authenticity and collaboration will always be the real flex.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
erin cepeda

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