Podcast Summary:
Podcast: Driving Impact: The Top 5% Method®
Host: Katheline Jean-Pierre
Episode Title: "I DREAM of a world where everybody has a Personal WELLNESS Assistant" – Workind's BILLION-dollar employee WELLNESS vision
Date: September 18, 2025
Guest: Farnell Florent, Founder & CEO of Workind
Episode Overview
This episode features a dynamic conversation between host Katheline Jean-Pierre and entrepreneur Farnell Florent, founder of Workind—a company on a mission to redefine employee wellness by providing every worker with access to a “personal wellness assistant.” Covering Farnell’s personal journey from corporate marketing to tech entrepreneurship, the founding story of Workind, and her deep integration of purpose and spirituality into business, this discussion unveils strategies, personal hacks, and growth philosophies for high-performing founders and leaders.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Origin of Workind: Turning Personal Pain Into Purpose
[03:29]–[07:40]
- Farnell shares her transition from 15 years in corporate marketing to becoming an entrepreneur.
- Inspired by her own struggle to access practical, supportive employee benefits during a challenging life period, Farnell conceived Workind as a platform to empower employees with on-demand, non-traditional wellness services.
- “I dream of a world where everybody could have a personal assistant, have a concierge and make sure that they have lifestyle benefit.” – Farnell [04:00]
- She highlights the inertia in benefits offerings: financial/insurance were available, but not hands-on services employees need “right now.”
2. Building the Solution: What Workind Offers and Why It Matters
[04:46]–[07:40]
- Workind is a B2B SaaS platform offering “lifestyle benefits” (e.g., meal kits, tutoring, elder care, sports, help at home)—spending is easy and flexible for employees, removing friction and paperwork.
- “If everything that makes you happy, healthy, productive, any type of services that you need, you can use the money from the wallet… If by any chance what you’re looking for is not available, you can just submit a claim.” – Farnell [05:06]
- The goal: Seamlessly enable employers to take care of their people and enable employees to actively shape their own work-life balance.
3. The Founder’s Path: From Idea to Seed Funding and Beyond
[08:21]–[11:29]
- Farnell chronicles the 5-year incubation period for the idea, while seeking inspiration and validation in global innovation hubs (Tel Aviv, Silicon Valley).
- Workind launched just before the worldwide onset of COVID-19, adding a layer of challenge and urgency.
- Funding Milestones:
- Seed round: $2 million CAD (~$1.5 million USD), raised in several tranches from Canadian investors.
- Series A planned for Q4 2026; actively pursuing US-based strategic partners.
- Product-market fit is a focus, as is keeping pace with rapidly changing employee needs and AI/tech trends.
4. Purpose, Faith, and the Higher Self in Leadership
[12:36]–[19:32]
- Farnell grounds her vision in spiritual clarity and a sense of service, drawing from her Christian faith.
- “Every day I say that I'm building the company, but the company is building me. I do it closely with God, changing me and making sure that I'm a better person.” – Farnell [14:33]
- She views building Workind as an act of love for her “neighbors” and a conduit for living a purposeful and impactful life.
- On impact: “I'm building a purpose-driven business because I have a purpose-driven life.” [14:40]
- Farnell leverages moments of spiritual reflection and daily connection to her higher self for resilience and authentic leadership.
5. Founder Mental Health & High-Performance Habits
[22:12]–[28:48]
- Farnell admits to past neglect of self-care, overwhelmed by the solo founder’s burdens; now prioritizes wellness with a personal trainer, improved sleep, healthier routines, and spiritual practices.
- “The business needs to get to the next milestone, needs to have a founder that has clarity, a vision, but also take care of themselves.” – Farnell [22:30]
- Peer support is crucial—she participates in several support groups, including women in tech, Black entrepreneur groups, and Christian founder circles.
- Katheline and Farnell discuss practical growth hacks:
- Scheduling accountability (with trainers, peer groups)
- Walking outdoors daily
- Sleep hygiene; using teas, supplements, meditation (e.g., Dr. Joe Dispenza), affirmations
- Building in joy and fun, not just work, to avoid burnout.
- Prioritizing daily spiritual grounding, journaling, and finding “moments of joy.”
6. Navigating Challenges & Staying True to Purpose
[30:13]–[32:44]
- Farnell emphasizes the importance of remaining centered on personal truth amid distractions, trends, and the “fog” of noise in the world—anchoring to spiritual practices and value-driven decision-making.
- “One thing that keeps people from the truth is distraction. ... There’s the truth and there’s an appearance of truth.” – Farnell [30:13]
- Both speakers reflect on how a strong anchor—spirituality, purpose, community—helps leaders weather ups and downs.
7. Top Tips for Getting Into “Higher Self” Mode
[33:06]–[35:17]
-
Farnell’s 3 Keys to Accessing Her Highest Self:
- Don’t overthink—just do it!
Don’t let rationalization sabotage action; momentum is key. - Accountability:
Have someone (in business or personal life) to check in with—you don’t have to do it together, but be answerable. - Daily Joy:
Create a moment of joy every day (not just on weekends or holidays).
- “When you always [live] in disorganized hard mode, this is where it’s dangerous… Every day you need to have that [joy].” – Farnell [34:16]
- Don’t overthink—just do it!
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On building the company:
“Every day I say that I'm building the company, but the company is building me.”
— Farnell Florent [14:33] -
On founder health:
“The business needs… a founder that has clarity, a vision, but also takes care of themselves. I did all the sacrifices, crazy hours... but this is not sustainable.”
— Farnell Florent [22:30] -
On spiritual clarity and action:
“There’s the truth and there’s appearance of truth and... one thing that keeps people from the truth is distraction.”
— Farnell Florent [30:13] -
On higher self hacks:
“Don’t overthink it, just do it. ... Accountability, and daily joy. That’s my recipe.”
— Farnell Florent [35:17]
Key Timestamps for Reference
- [00:48] Introduction to Farnell Florent & Workind
- [03:29] Inspiration: Personal struggles turned into the Workind vision
- [04:46] Detailed description of Workind’s platform and services
- [08:21] Timeline: From idea to launch, validation, and rebranding
- [10:57] Fundraising journey and setting sights on the US market
- [12:36] Integrating purpose, faith, and spirituality into business
- [19:32] Reflection on impact, legacy, and “perfect alignment”
- [22:12] Health, wellness, and founder self-care challenges
- [23:15] The value of peer support and community
- [33:06] Farnell’s top 3 tips for shifting into higher self/high performance mode
Tone & Language Notes
The dialogue is energetic, candid, and highly personal—blending tactical business advice, authentic reflections on the founder journey, and spiritual/philosophical perspectives. Both women are supportive, practical, and open about the real challenges of entrepreneurship.
Summary Takeaways
This episode is a masterclass in building a purpose-driven, high-growth company while staying deeply aligned to personal values and well-being. Farnell Florent’s vision for Workind springs from genuine pain points and is executed with spiritual clarity and relentless action. Listeners will appreciate her vulnerable honesty about founder challenges, her practical hacks for wellness and productivity, and her conviction that changing the world begins with caring for yourself and those you lead.
For leaders, founders, and anyone striving for “top 5%” impact, this episode provides inspiration, actionable routines, and a powerful reminder: success and fulfillment come from alignment between purpose, well-being, and daily action.