Nancy Twine’s transition from a position at Goldman Sachs to solo Founder of clean beauty company Briogeo took innumerable long nights and an unbending dedication to see her vision through. Having conquered the challenges involved in pivoting from her familiarity with finance to take on the many daunting unknowns that underscored a well-planned gambit of entering the beauty industry, she credits looking after her wellness with the ability to advance professionally.
“It’s a big part of who I am. Wellness is a priority for me and parallels my career goals. It has certainly put me ahead because, the truth is, you do your best work when you’re feeling good,” Twine says, explaining the vital role that wellness has had in allowing her to thrive while reaching her entrepreneurial aims, helping her to maintain a positive balance in her life.
Necessary Knowledge
Though the idea of practicing daily habits that can better our physical and mental health isn’t new, mindfulness, exercise, connecting with others, and carving out time for other important activities have been receiving renewed consideration everywhere from the corporate world to the classroom.
Twine finds that those practices have proven indispensable. Her convictions on the subject are responsible for the philosophy of holistic health behind her brand, Briogeo; it’s also been responsible for her decision to invest in the Commerce School’s Next Century Building Fund by securing a naming opportunity for the future Student Wellness Suite inside of Shumway Hall.
It’s a commitment that illustrates her faith in the power of education to foster a richer life on multiple levels.
“For me, whether it was high school, the University of Virginia, and ultimately, the McIntire School of Commerce, education paved the way for so many opportunities that I just couldn’t have imagined. Beyond the training and the skills that you build, the access to a network of people who can help open doors is invaluable. When I heard that McIntire was allocating some of the space to wellness, it really excited me. It’s amazing that—prior to starting their careers—students will be able to learn about the concept of wellness and how they can incorporate it into their daily lives to create success beyond their achievements, as well as in how they feel and perform,” Twine says.
From pitching ideas to working with diverse teams, Twine says her own achievements can be traced to McIntire’s unique curriculum, which gave her the confidence and skill set that have supported her throughout her professional journey.
“At McIntire, some of those skills included collaborating on projects with people that perhaps I didn’t know very well in the beginning, but we came together with one solidifying objective to accomplish a goal. Whether it was at Wall Street or running my own company, being able to succeed—not just on an individual basis—but with a team is crucial,” she says.
An Integrated Way to Wellness
Her Comm School experience also taught Twine how to cultivate a proactive approach for increasing the likelihood of desirable outcomes through preparation, punctuality, inquisitiveness, and a strategic mindset when considering new ventures. She recalls that as a student, she was not unlike many high-achieving McIntire students: completely focused on the objectives at hand and not giving much thought to self-care.
“As I got towards my later years in school, I did start to explore more wellness modalities like meditation, yoga, and simply just going for walks to clear my mind. And a lot of the discovery around some of those modalities certainly started to pay off in a bigger way as I entered my career, because I had started to build the foundation for it at that time,” she says, considering the additional benefits she may have enjoyed had she adopted wellness practices even earlier.
In the interest of getting students to take steps toward self-care, the projected multipurpose suite that will bear Twine’s name will provide a welcoming space for quiet contemplation of all kinds and a mental health and wellness resource library, and in keeping with the pressing needs of McIntire’s students, the center is slated to feature changing rooms, offering a convenient area to prepare for interviews and pivotal class presentations.
While the initial presence of the wellness-devoted space should generate curiosity among students, Twine says establishing it near to classrooms will send a significant message. “It’s going to let them know that it’s okay to take some time for themselves. The fact that it exists and that the investment is being made really says a lot. It sets the tone. It’s not just about the work and getting the project done by the deadline, but how you fit in your wellness routine so that you can come to your work being your best self.”
As the McIntire community looks forward to breaking ground on Shumway Hall, Twine views the plans for the new Commerce complex as a symbol of the School’s “profound and impressive” dedication to developing the best curriculum and providing students with the best experience possible.
“I think that it is going to attract many more people to the Commerce program,” Twine says. “People are going to see the School’s growth and be even more interested in McIntire as a top choice as they explore undergraduate business program opportunities. This investment [in the new building] is going to enhance the storytelling and really support and substantiate the priority of helping McIntire evolve for the better.”
