Meet Aden Eyob | Author and Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aden Eyob and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aden, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?

I am a child of the world—at least, that’s how I sum up my journey in life. I was born in Ethiopia, raised in the UK and the USA, and a traveler of many lands.
Growing up across three continents allowed me to meet people from all walks of life, experience the diversity of this beautiful world and push my boundaries further in my thinking, interactions, and lifestyle. It also opened the doors to a passion for traveling to connect the dots of cultures, perspectives, and experiences and live nomadically. I am grateful for my mixed upbringing, which allowed me to become open-minded to see life beyond my views of the world, adventurous and fearless.

Ultimately, the world is my oyster, so why live in black and white?

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am the clinical neuroscientist and author of The Book on Mind Training: The Secret for Positive Living. In addition, I am the founder and owner of Mind Medication, a mindset consultancy that can supercharge your executive team. I enable teams, groups, and individuals with the strategic alignment of mindset, communication, and goals to accelerate business growth.

I bring over ten years of business experience in healthcare with Fortune 500 companies, including Gilead Sciences, Kite Pharma, Medpace, Kantar Health, Ogilvy Healthworld, and academic institutions such as UCLA and Charles R. Drew University, to provide bespoke healthcare consulting services.

The journey to my business endeavors started from my 6-year-old vision of not having to answer to anyone (mainly my family) and a more profound desire to be independent. That vision was dormant for many years while I pursued schooling and the corporate world until five years ago when that inner voice or epiphany reminded me of the dreams I had abandoned. Starting the business on a shoestring budget was challenging. However, I found that having solid habits, joining mastermind groups, seeking advice from mentors, and allowing myself to ‘fail forward’ made the challenges less of a challenge and puzzle or problem to solve in unconventional ways (something my upbringing had taught me).

The key lessons I have learned along the way are:
Flexibility – there is more than one way to achieve success. Keep the destination in mind and the route flexible. You never know the unexpected opportunities that may arise when you take a different path.
Not all open doors are a good investment in time, so choose wisely.
Take calculated risks – Learning to dance with fear is part of life. The more you step outside your comfort zone, the more fear can be your friend, helping you understand yourself and your business at a deeper level and move past it to the next level.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Start with brunch because who does it better than LA? Being a westside girl and a vegetarian, the first stop on the brunch lineup is Butcheer’s Daughter in Abbot Kinney. Then coffee from Blue Bottle or Intelligentsia and walk down to the Venice canals. After a little quiet exploration of the canals, it’s off to the loud and bustling Venice beach Broadwalk to soak up the eclectic vibes, muscle beach, skater park, and bike rental towards the Santa Monica pier—finally, a sunset drive to malibu on PCH and dinner at the Malibu Farm Restaurant.

The next day is off to buzzing Hollywood to see all its famous attractions. Fuel up for the walking adventures with an IN-N-Out burger is a must (for the meat eaters), and animal-style fries (for the veggies). Late Lunch at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele for some serious Neapolitan pizza that would make your Italian friends proud.

Next is a walking tour of Downtown LA and the arts and culture at museum row. Then, head to Grand Central Market to sample the world’s flavors, but only a little, so there’s room for dinner. Finally, a french affair at Le Petit Paris and nighttime rooftop hang at Perch LA, with majestic views of the LA skyline, cozy firepits, and customized drinks to your heart’s delight.

On other days explore exploring Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive. Then, grab lunch at the Waldorf rooftop with sweeping LA views. But, of course, you must explore the Getty Centre and, if time permits, the Villa.

A trip is complete with a day trip to Catalina Island to escape it all, but still in LA. So, in Catalina Island, start nice and early for a day of activities, such as snuba, bison exploration, and submarine ventures, and relax for the remainder of the afternoon at the Descanso Beach Club, eating, drinking, and watching the sunset until its time to go home.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, a shoutout to my creator, the Divine, who has guided me throughout the highs and lows of life.

Kebokile Dengu-Zvobgo, Associate Dean of International Programs at Pitzer College – for the advice and encouragement to study a semester abroad in South Africa (despite my double major and full-time work commitments). The heart-to-heart conversation has stayed with me all these years and changed the trajectory of my world, literally. Thank you for opening my eyes to see life beyond the conventional.

My tribe of friends – Mike Bright, Daniel Wigfall, and Alessandra Pennetta for endless hours of deep conversations, vision planning, adventures near and far, and a belly full of laughter. Thank you for shining your light in the dark times of my entrepreneurial journey and for keeping me accountable.

Website: https://www.mind-medication.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindmedication/

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

Other: Email: aden@mind-medication.com

Image Credits
I have permission for the personal images.