
Our Top 5 Favorite SXSW Moments
When you think of SXSW, all the music and film festival hype might come to mind. But, we found out it’s so much more. From educational panels to the wellness expo and super cool brand experiences, SXSW is not just about the celebs and barbecue; it’s about embracing Austin and getting your knowledge on in fresh (and innovative) ways.
Whether it was dancing to a DJ and taking headshots at the LinkedIn Lounge or getting our mass mediation on with Miguel, here are our top five *favorite* things we experienced at SXSW this past weekend.
“You need to transform your shit.”
Getting our #girlpower on with Suzy Batiz.
When someone asks you if you want to attend a panel called “Alive as Sh*t” featuring the female founder of Poo-Pourri, Suzy Batiz, on International Women’s Day, you say “hell ya!”. The insight and inspiration that Suzy brought to the stage during her conversation with emotional healing coach, JP Spears, rocked our world. From losing everything at 38 to running a $300M+ business, Suzy talked about inertly trusting (and honoring) your intuition with every choice in your life and that as women we are natural creators and we need to own that. Her bravery, conviction, vulnerability, and honesty was awe-inspiring. Suzy said that she would “...rather honor myself and the energy inside” as a woman then live in questionable doubt. Talk about some serious motivation!
A mass meditation movement.
Meeting The Big Quiet founder, Jesse Israel.
We told you how epic The Big Quiet’s historic SXSW mass mediation was with artists Cautious Clay, Bishop Briggs, and Miguel. Meeting the motivating man behind the scenes was even cooler! Jesse Israel, founder of The Big Quiet, is a rockstar in his own right—and has some serious stage presence. Not only does he lead some of the world’s largest mediations at legendary spots, but he’s also totally in tune with music. Jesse’s specialty? Connecting humanity with popular culture. He is making meditation mainstream in the best way possible.
Turning up that bass.
Making all of downtown Austin dance, including a police officer!
On Sunday morning, MINDBODY hosted Sunday Moves—a one-of-a-kind outdoor yoga + dance workout party in Republic Square. We joined forces with Wanderlust and Dance House Fitness for this free event, but little did we know that somewhere between the super fun flow and booty bumping dance moves, we’d wake up the whole city! From local residents to kids, dogs, well-dressed SXSW attendees—and even an Austin Police Officer—we got everyone grooving on their Sunday morning with a smile on their face. Seeing the police officer live her best life was our favorite part! We were all about the community as people of all walks of life stopped by and got into the groove with us.
Embracing Good Omens.
Tapping into a little *extra* self-care with Amazon.
Stumbling upon Amazon Prime’s new original series Good Omens brand experience takeover was one of the best decisions we made at SXSW. As we entered their “Garden of Earthly Delights” we were welcomed with everything good (and evil), from puppies to dueling pianos. But it’s the self-care offerings that really wowed us! With manicure stations and a hair styling team to get your locks looking lovely, Amazon stepped up the self-love by letting us indulge in a little something special. And who doesn’t love petting puppies after a busy day? It’s like an instant SXSW stress reliever. If it is the end of the world as we know it, we’re okay with this fun, interactive place.
Wowed by wellness.
Watching our panel with awesome partners.
We were ready to “Tech In On Your Wellness Routine”—and so was everyone else that wandered into the SXSW Wellness Expo during the MINDBODY panel. Moderating a compelling conversation with thought leaders from Strava, Garmin, and Google, our very own Mariah McFarland discussed how the future of technology will influence our wellbeing. Not only did we get some insider info on what these brands (and their products) have to offer, it was like looking into a crystal ball when it comes to personalizing—and prioritizing—our wellness.