Meet Lisa Haisha: Life Coach, Author, Speaker

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

Hi Lisa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My thought process was to help people, especially inmates and orphans learn to love themselves and create positive change in their lives. I wanted to help people who wanted to serve others.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I was born to a Christian, Iraqi father and an American mother.

Age Ten: My maternal grandmother came over and shared with me and my four sisters that she had gone to a psychic a decades earlier and the psychic told her that her daughter (my mother) would marry a foreigner (check!) and have five children (check!) and one of them would be famous. My hand when up immediately: “I want to be the famous one!” In that moment my life changed. I didn’t quite know what it meant but I knew it was more than I could process at the time. It took me down a road of reading biographies of famous people; One after another. I devoured these books at a rate of two per month.

Age Sixteen: I was not allowed out after it got dark. One day, after school ended, I was baking a cake for one of my besties home. I walked through my door at around 6pm, just after the street lights had come on. My father happened to be home, which was rare since he worked in his grocery store from 8am – 11pm, seven days a week. He got very angry that I was out. He screamed to my mom, “Send her to an orphanage. We can’t have a daughter who disobeys like that and walking the streets at this hour.” I burst into tears and ran to my room. After I calmed down, I thought, “What is an orphanage?” That phrase stayed with me for years.

Age Eighteen: The decision was made. I was going to become an actress like Audrey Hepburn or Elizabeth Taylor and nothing was going to stop me. But before I do that I decided to obey and go to college in San Diego (our home town) and save money.

Age Twenty-Two: By the time of graduation, my plan was in full force. I had met a keyboardist for Madonna at her very first concert at SDSU. We kept in touch. He invited me to her show in NYC. I said yes. I thought the Universe was conspiring with me. Everything was perfect. Madonna was my idol. She was originally form Michigan, like me, we both came from big families and had strong immigrant fathers. The day I headed off to NY, I left a note for my father (because he would not allow me travel); “Sorry, had to go. If you have questions. Ask mom. I love you.”

I had a blast in NYC, I got to see all five of Madonna shows that week. It was the grand finale of her Virgin Tour. I also got a chance to talk with her. My first question was, “How did you become “Madonna,” a force of nature, with a such a strict Italian father. She said by finding her voice and that was by traveling. Her advice to me was to travel and to travel alone. The idea sounded strange to me but what she wanted me to do was experience new things and make my own decisions without having to compromise. When you’re a female and from a big family, decisions are usually made for you and then you’ll never be able to find your voice and perhaps not your purpose in life.

I took her advice to heart. Over the next few decades, I traveled to over 60 countries on six continents. I was curious and absorbed everything.

Age Twenty-Three: I ended up moving to Los Angeles and working as an actress for a few years but decided to quit because of the business side, which I couldn’t handle. I was consistently asked to compromise myself for roles. It got old, fast. But I didn’t know what to do with the rest of my life since that is what I thought I’d be doing my whole life. Mid-life crisis settled in. I felt depressed and lost. After months of thinking, I decided to go to Iraq to discover my roots.

Age Twenty-Six: While in Iraq, I went to my father’s hometown, which is the very small town of Tikrit. It had the basics: a grocery store, Church, School, and … an orphanage! This is the orphanage my father grew up seeing. I walked in the front door and started talking with the children asking them lots of questions. I was mesmerized. I decided I’d memorial their words but didn’t know how.

Five years and 15 countries later, I wrote a book called, “Whispers from Children’s Hearts”. I put the quotes from my questions into that book from orphaned children all over the world. It became my passion. I sent that book to libraries and schools and I was invited to speak. Without me realizing it, I had become an author and a speaker which included, putting on annual fundraisers for children called The Legacy Gala.

By following what was put in front of me and doing the inner work, I found what I supposed to be doing since it was so easy and effortless. My life now had truth, love, meaning and purpose. I learned that sometimes what you think you want may be just a part of your journey to get you where you’re supposed to be.

OBSTACLES AND CHALLENGES:

Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?

There were many obstacle on the road, at every corner. I didn’t look at them as obstacles, instead, tests to keep me on the path. Some of the struggles were:
1. Moving to Los Angeles to become an actress against my parent’s will was very hard. I felt guilty and wrong for choosing my own life path.
2. Deciding I didn’t have the stomach for the business side of acting was devastating. I then needed to reinvent myself but had no vision for anything else.
3. Deciding to go to Iraq at a very dangerous time by myself and each day there was a struggle in one form or another but I wanted to understand my father and lineage better so I could make peace with it. Then when I stepped into the orphanage, it all came together. Being there for others and not focusing on myself was a big aha. It helped me flow with the way the river was going, instead of fighting each day to make things be the way I thought I wanted them to be.
4. Traveling alone to Iraq and over 60 countries had its obstacles from language, food, and cultural differences. I also mostly met great people, but also a few bad eggs. I had to think fast to escape danger, twice.
5. Creating my business was challenging. I was working but not making a profit. All the money was going back into my business for years until I hired a coach and it all changed. I realized that you can shave years off of struggling by teaming up with the right people.
About your Business
Tell us about your business/company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc.

I’m a life coach. I specialize in being authentically you and mindset. I’m known for a type of therapy I created called: SoulBlazing, a type of interactive coaching that helps people to open up who usually have a difficult time getting in touch with their emotions. I mixed tradition therapy with improv and role playing.

I work one-on-one with clients, I offer group coaching on zoom, and I’m developing a webinar for people to take on their own. I also creating SoulBlazing, a type of interactive coaching that helps people to open up who usually have a difficult time getting in touch with their emotions.

I became obsessed with what made people tick, and that compelled me to travel for three decades to over 60 countries on seven continents, compiling social and cultural research by studying with Sufis in Cappadocia, Shamans in Peru, Bedouins in Petra, the Massai Tribes of Tanzania and also with children and adults from all walks of life.

That led to being a speaker at many events throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East, teaching students about: How to be Authentically to Themselves, Communication Tools, Soul Currency, and How to Create a Winning Mindset.

I became the Chairman Of Silicon Valley’s Pitch Global LA Chapter and train Entrepreneurs how to Pitch to Investors to raise millions for their projects and ideas. Each year we had annual trainings in in London, Madrid, and Berlin.

What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?

I’m most proud of as a company is that we were able to matriculate into many areas of self-growth arena, which allowed us to make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of people worldwide. We also were able to create several inspiring docu-series:
1. Soul Blaze Your Life: Encounters with Metaphysical Healers” where she explores the healing culture in Los Angeles
2. Soul Blazing Your Life: Conversations with Master thought Leaders
3. SoulBlazing with Lisa Haisha: Interviews with luminaries for Amazon Prime.
4. The Legacy Series: Interviews with celebrities

What sets us apart is that we have had access to broader reaches of people globally and were able to connect with people through many ways, including Media.

In January, 2022, SoulBlazing: How to harness your Imposters, Release Negative Self-Talk and lead a more Purposeful Life, will be released.

Growing up
What were you like growing up? Personality wise, interest wise, etc.
Growing up I was shy and was the child (fourth of five and a twin) that hid behind my mother skirt if someone said hi to me. I had an interest in reading biographies of people that I admired. I knew I wanted to be an actress so I mainly focused on biographies of inspiring women such as: Liz Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardener, Lauren Bacall, Simone DeBeauvoir, and Anais Nin.

I also loved bike riding and roller skating at the beach and making deep friendships.

Pricing (Optional)
Is there any pricing information that is relevant to our readers? If so, and if you would like us to share it, please include details (in bullet form) below.
I offer a webinar, private coaching and group coaching sessions. I also do live presentations where I bring people on to the stage to get their soul blazed.

SoulBlazing.com
Lisahaisha.com
WhispersFromChildrensHearts.org
@lisahaisha IG/FB/Twitter

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d take them to: – Malibu and bike ride and dine at any number of eateries looking out at the ocean.
– Venice Beach for shopping, people watching and great dining
– West Hollywood for shopping, people watching and great dining
– Beverly Hills for shopping, people watching and great dining

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Tige Charity the founder of Kids in the Spotlight https://www.kitsinc.org.

Website: soulblazing.com

Instagram: @lisahaisha

Linkedin: @lisahaisha

Twitter: @lisahaisha

Facebook: @lisahaisha

Youtube: Lisahaisha

Other: LinkendIn – @lisahaisha

Image Credits
David Marsh