S3 E6: "Peace in the Midst of Chaos" with Youmie Jean Francois

On this episode of 85 Percent, we talk with Youmie Jean-Francois, founder and CEO of Flex-n-Fly, a travel wellness company bringing yoga, stretching, meditation, and relaxation classes into airports to help travelers (and the pilots, flight attendants, and TSA agents who work there) regulate their nervous systems. She is also a private pilot, author, and transformational speaker who has brought her work to brands like Airbnb, Spotify, and WeWork, and the founder of the Flex-n-Fly Foundation, a nonprofit. This year, she won the Wanderful Award at the Bessies, given for incredible work supporting women in travel. In this conversation, Youmie takes us through how she went from waitressing in New York City to launching Flex-n-Fly, how the idea was born in a Moroccan airport, how she pivoted through 2020 to keep her company alive, what it takes to raise investor money, and what keeps her going when the standard for being taken seriously keeps moving. She also shares the news that Flex-n-Fly's first airport lounges are coming to LaGuardia and Newark in March 2027. We talk about: The Morocco airport moment that sparked Flex-n-Fly Leaving her server job in 2018 and why building a business is like birthing something Pivoting through the pandemic into the Flex-n-Fly bags Why she chose the most stressful part of travel: airports What it takes to raise investor money, and why she keeps going Faith, hunger, patience, and why she doesn't negotiate with doubt Why her success is personal, and why she started the Flex-n-Fly Foundation Her advice for entrepreneurs: don't look at anyone as a hero Connect with Youmie / Flex-n-Fly Website: https://flexnfly.com (sign up for the email list to find out when they land at an airport near you) Flex-n-Fly Foundation: https://www.flexnflyfoundation.org Chapters 00:05 Intro: Beth introduces Youmie and Flex-n-Fly 01:06 Interview begins: Youmie's bio and the Wanderful Award 01:53 How Flex-n-Fly began 02:41 2018: leaving her server job to build the dream 03:48 Birthing a business takes discipline, patience, and grace 04:28 The wellness zone at WITS, the bags, and the retreat 05:43 "Life will give you an opportunity to pivot" 06:43 Pivoting through 2020 08:55 Why airports? The most stressful part of travel 10:05 Peace in the midst of chaos 10:54 The Morocco airport prayer room that sparked the idea 11:53 What airports do to our nervous systems 12:32 Launching at LaGuardia and Newark in March 2027 14:01 What raising investor money really takes 15:42 Where does the fire come from? 16:49 Faith, and refusing to negotiate with doubt 18:01 Hunger and why she hates lack 21:22 When the standard for success keeps moving 22:20 Why her success is personal, and the Flex-n-Fly Foundation 23:45 Advice for entrepreneurs in travel 24:19 "Don't look at me as a hero" 25:34 Ask yourself who you want to serve 26:09 Last notes: how to follow Flex-n-Fly 26:49 Outro 27:42 Up next: Dr. Sian Proctor