A few of the ‘Heart-Centered Actions’ I’ve taken on my journey…
To see the latest hits, scroll or jump down to the current year.
- 1996: Moved to San Francisco
- 1997: Created my first website; mostly scans of my illustrations, photos & updates about my life (blogging before anyone called it blogging)
- 1996-1999: Worked directly with Spirituality + Creativity Leaders/Authors, such as SARK, Marianne Williamson, Shakti Gawain, Dan Millman, Gabrielle Roth, Deepak Chopra, Hal and Sidra Stone, Geneen Roth, and more
- 1999: Worked at my first startup, Care2.com, as an E-Card Production Artist
- 2000: Flash Animation & Design at Spunky Productions (another startup), animating online cartoons for kids
- 2001-2003: Lead Web/Graphic Designer at Fine Brand Media
- 2000-2007: Web/Graphic Design, Flash Design/Animation, and Custom Illustration; serving companies like First Republic Bank, SGI, BrassRing, Fujitsu/Softek, Omneon, Polycom, Daniel Pearl Foundation, DCResource, Mercury Interactive (HP), and many creative small business owners
- 2003: Officially self-employed (after fatefully getting laid off), though I had been doing freelance design, illustration & animation for a few years prior.
2007
- 2007: Launched WilloToons ~ where geek meets rock ‘n roll! My product line of designer tees, organic baby clothing, jewelry, cards, totes and more
- 2007-2010: Touring the country with my WilloToons product line, speaking at major conferences, coaching & consulting creative entrepreneurs & small business owners
2010
- 2010: Co-created the Ladies Independent Design League (LIDL) a collective of artists, illustrators, writers & photographers meeting weekly in SF
- Officially let go of my WilloToons line after 3 wonderful (& challenging) years
- 2010: Joined on as Co-Founder/Chief Creative Officer at Storenvy (for 6 months)
2011
- Continued consulting, speaking, and supporting Creative Entrepreneurs
- Launched a new website and premiered WilloToons Connect Creative Sustainability video series
- Delivered two talks, spoke on two panels, and moderating a third at the Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs in SF
- 2001-2011: Completed 10 years(!) of facilitating Bamboozled; a weekly after-school program working with rising high-school teen writers, helping them publish their work online. This group won a Webby Award and was featured in the book, Totally Wired.
- 2011: Joined as Co-Founder/VP Marketing at Stitch Labs, where we Raised a $1m seed round & Won Best in Show at SXSW!
2012
- March 2012: Co-Produced SFEmbassy – 100+ friends under one roof for 10 days during SXSW in Austin, Texas
- March 2012: Created/Produced CraftMakerCamp SXSW
- August 2012: Decided to leave Stitch
- Launched RE:CONNECT course with my dear friend Mati! (3 courses held Sept + Nov 2012 & Jan 2013)
- September 2012: Nominated & served as an Advisor for ICON8 – The Illustration Conference (2012-2013)
- Dec 2012: Launched Feel ALIVE: Reconnect and Live Life Lightly (2 courses held in Feb + May 2013)
2013
- Feb 2013: Participated in an 8-Day Hendricks Coaching Training Intensive
- March 2013: After 13 years as WilloToons, my online moniker evolved to WilloLovesYou
- May 2013: Launched SKYDIVING: One-Day Power Sessions
- June 2013: Launched Marketing & Social Strategy Packages
- July 2013: Co-created YxYY; launched in March, sold out in 48 hours
- September 2013: Launched Community Coaching Calls + began hosting Feeding Founders: potluck dinner parties to feed the mind, heart, and bellies of hungry founders, artists & entrepreneurs
- September 2013: One of my illustrations was published in Outside the Lines: An Artists’ Coloring Book for Giant Imaginations – alongside some of my favorite famous artists: Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey, Kozyndan, and more!
- October 2013: Launched Harvest & Thrive
2014
- Spring 2014: Delivering keynotes & workshops around the world:
- Data2014: Design, Art and Tech Awards – Opening Keynote
- Pioneer Nation – Keynote (watch video)
- Microsoft’s ‘Make it Happen’ Career Conference – Embodied Leadership Workshop
- Women Entrepreneurship Retreat – Keynote
- GitHub’s First Public Speaking Workshop For Women – Mentor
- April 2014: Said YES to Love & Adventure!
- July 2014: Yes And Yes Yes (#YxYY), the 400+ person event I co-founded with four girlfriends, holds a second epic ‘YEStival’ in Palm Springs
- July 2014: Participated in another 8-Day Hendricks Coaching Training Intensive, and completed my Hendricks Conscious Living & Loving Certification
- August 2014: Left San Francisco (after 18 years) and moved to Hong Kong! Continued to work with clients internationally, traveling around the world; speaking, writing & developing retreats/courses in between.
- October 2014: Attended DCBKK and held a Gathering of Badass Activators & Conscious Creators in Bangkok, Thailand
- October 2014: Attended Evolutionary Playground with Kathlyn Hendricks in Ottawa, Canada
- November 2014: Held a Gathering of Badass Activators & Conscious Creators in Hong Kong
2015
- February 2015: One of 20 chosen (out of 160 nominations) to speak at TEDxWanChai Women’s Preview Night.
- February 2015: Launched Momentum + Abundant Expansion Group Coaching Program
- April/May 2015: Coaching, Co-Creating & MCing #TEDxWanChaiWomen 2015 in Hong Kong
- July 2015: Produced our 3rd annual Yes And Yes Yes (#YxYY), the 400+ person event I co-founded with four girlfriends
- August 2015: Led two workshops as a guest speaker at Garage Society in Hong Kong
- October 2015: Contributed two workshops at Pioneer Nation 2015 in Portland, OR
- October 2015: Attended DCBKK again, and held my 2nd annual Gathering of Badass Activators & Conscious Creators in Bangkok, Thailand
- December 2015: Created Wake Up With Willo podcast
- January 2016: Happy New Year! Launched redesigned website, which you’re on right now. Welcome!
2016
- February 2016:
- Kicked off Momentum + Abundant Expansion Small Group Coaching Program 2016
- Incorporated as Willo&Co Ltd. in HK!
- July 2016: Produced our 4th annual Yes And Yes Yes (#YxYY) – you must join us next year! Afterwards, I traveled around the U.S. after, visiting 11 cities in 6 states over 2 months!
- October 2016: MC’d TEDxWanChai (2nd year in a row) in Hong Kong
- October 2016: Attended DCBKK again, and held my 3rd annual Gathering of Badass Activators & Conscious Creators (the biggest & best yet!) in Bangkok, Thailand. Followed by a week in Phuket co-creating the Abundant Circle retreat with 15 other badass online entrepreneurs!
- December 2016: Launched Wake Up With Willo daily email inspiration!
- Happy New Year 2016/2017! Traveled to Taipei, Taiwan for the first time
2017
- January 9, 2017: Was called to be a clear channel and stopped drinking alcohol, coffee, and all recreational mind-altering substances
- February 2017: Traveled to the US (4 cities in 3 weeks) – Florida to help my Mom move, then LA for Kyle Cease’s Evolving Outloud event, Dallas for Clickfunnels, then to Austin for co-working/co-living week with my Abundance Circle crew!
- March 2017: Contributed to the Garden Gathering, a life-changing weekend of spiritual sisterhood, in HK
- April 2017: Traveled to Japan for the first time! Osaka & Kyoto
- May 2017:
- Traveled to Singapore for the first time, for the Asia Professional Speakers Convention.
- Speaking event: Contributed an interactive workshop at IRIS Health & Wellness Festival in Hong Kong
- June 2017: Speaking at Asia Professional Speakers (APSHK) in Hong Kong
- July 2017:
- Participated in a Cacao Ceremony (my first of 3 in 2017!)
- Produced our 5th annual Yes And Yes Yes (#YxYY)! Afterward, I spent time in SF, LA, Florida & NY.
- August 2017:
- Launched Rewrite Your Scripts
- Started recording Facebook Live videos every week!
- September 2017
- Interviewed on Wellpreneur Podcast: Email Overwhelm with Willo O’Brien
- October 2017:
- Contributed to yet another life-changing Garden Gathering weekend in HK. [Post-event Instagram post]
- Traveled to Bangkok, Thailand for DCBKK and held my 3rd annual Gathering of Badass Activators & Conscious Creators. Afterward, I spent some QT time with one of my best friends in Koh Phangan.
- November 2017:
- Traveled to Bali for the Abundance Circle retreat (year 2) and stayed in Caangu for another week after.
- On November 28, I decided on my new last name, and announced it on December 3rd!
- Completed my loving four-year relationship… which was sad and liberating all at the same time. I know, not part of my business, but it is most definitely part of my personal/spiritual growth path. This closure, the transformation leading up to it, and what’s transpired in the healing since has been major… so I’m including it here.
- December 2017:
- Launched Spotlight Interview Series, featuring eight incredible women entrepreneurs who are facing their fears, following their hearts, and impacting thousands of lives around the world with their gifts!
- Contributed two signature talks/workshops in the WonderGarden at the Wonderfruit Festival!
- Spent Christmas & New Years in Chiang Mai, Thailand with friends
2018
- January 2018: Happy New Year!
- Kicked off the new year in Thailand, and started (more seriously) writing my upcoming book, Double Down on Your Genius!
- Interviewed on the Girlskill Podcast: Feel the Fear, Revamp Yourself & Thrive in the New Year
- Feb 1, 2018: Completed my move out of the Hong Kong apartment
- Moved my stuff up to Chiang Mai & spent a few weeks there before deciding to put my stuff in storage and slow travel (digital-nomad-style) for 6 months!
- First stop: back to the lovely island of Koh Phangan, Thailand for some much-needed beach time
- Feb 2018: Re-vamped & re-released one of the most popular courses from my Harvest & Thrive series (2013): Clarifying Your Vision
- March 2018: Traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (for the first time!) where I attended Vietnam Blockchain Week and DCxSaigon with many of my fellow location independent friends!
- March 2018: Arrived in beautiful Bali where I’ve been soaking up the good vibes in Ubud – writing, meditating, participating in sacred ceremonies, sound healing and more. But mostly writing and enjoying sweet solitude in paradise. All my dreams are coming true!
- April 20, 2018: Posted my declaration, Coming out of the Magic Closet, publicly sharing about my spiritual journey
- August 2018: Started taking on clients again (read about my taking a break)
- September, 2018: Moved back to my other spirit-home: Chiang Mai, Thailand
- October, 2018: Traveled to Bangkok, Thailand for my 5th DCBKK
- November, 2018: Launched my Close the Gap Masterclass & The LightMap® Guidance System
- December, 2018: Contributed to yet another life-changing Garden Gathering weekend in Hong Kong (and my first time back to my former home in almost a year!).
2019
- January, 2019: I flew my Mom out to Thailand (her first time in SE Asia!); we spent time in Chiang Mai & did a beach trip to Koh Phangan. See photos & reflection from her visit.
- Jan-Feb, 2019: Continuing to write/finish my book + Growing my LightMap® Guidance Group & Double Down on Your Genius Transformation Group!
- March, 2019: After 6 incredibly prolific & wonderful months in Chiang Mai, I’m off to spend three weeks in my other beloved spirit-home, Ubud, Bali, where I’ll see friends, clients, and speak at an event called DCxBali. Then I fly to Florida for two weeks, seeing my Mom and finalizing my name change (so excited)!
- April, 2019: I fly to Mexico to live there for the summer! I’ll first be in Mexico City for a few months, and we’ll see where the wind takes me from there. Excited to practice/learn more Spanish & explore some of the other wonderful little mountain/beach towns. And eat ALL THE TACOS! 🙂
- May 2019: Moved to Playa del Carmen, Mexico; went diving (I did my open water certification in Cozumel back in 2006!)
- June 2019:
- Traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina for my birthday – and my first time in South America!
- Launched the LightMap Quiz! Launched summer enrollment for LightMap Academy
- July 2019: Back to living in Playa del Carmen, Mexico
- August 2019: USA Tour: San Francisco, CA, Austin, TX, Portland, OR – facilitator/speaker at CampYes 2019
- September 2019: Back to Chiang Mai, Thailand
- October 2019: Contributed to GSDLive in Chiang Mai, and traveled to Halong Bay & Hanoi, Vietnam
- November 2019: Moved to Portland, Oregon
- December 2019: Held Big Leaps & Bold Moves workshop
2020
- Jan 2020: Went to Cabo for a family VK
- Jan 8, 2020: Celebrated 3 years of being blissfully sober!
- Feb 2020: Traveled to Vancouver, BC for the first time
- March 13, 2020:
- Shelter in Place began (COVID)
- Created Insourcing vs Outsourcing Workshop + Workbook
- April 2020:
- Kicking off my Podcast Tour!
- Continued growing LightMap Academy
- Summer 2020: Survived the stupid Pandemic. Enjoyed hiking, gardening, and camping in the Pacific Northwest!
- Winter 2020: Rented myself a condo in Florida for a month to escape the PNW rain & cold and spend Christmas with my Momma.
2021
- Jan 8, 2021: Celebrated 4 years of saying YES to life!
- Moved into a new place in Portland, and bought all new beautiful furniture for it… but then it was cold so I promptly flew to Mexico.
- Hired on two assistant coaches to support my growing Double Down on Your Genius program
- June 2021: Launched the On The Precipice Masterclass
- Aug-October 2021: Created & Launched The Alignment Trifecta and the Alignment Quiz!
- October 2021:
- Held the Aligned & Guided 5-Day Challenge
- Launched the Aligned & Guided Business Growth Program
- Nov-Dec:
- Deep, deep grief. Several loved ones died. Parts of me died.
- Spent Christmas in Austin with my fam, but it was really hard.
- Flew to Playa after to heal.
2022
- January 2022: Deep healing, recovery, and realignment time in Playa
- Jan 8, 2022: Celebrated 5 years of saying YES to life!
- February 2022:
- Launched 30-Day Pop Up Group for Prolific Creators
- Interview: Identity Death & Awakening on the Spiritual Path of Entrepreneurship: Willo Sana on the Misfits & Rejects Podcast
- Interview: Cancel Culture & Why You Must Heal your Witch Wound: Willo Sana on the Field Guide to Awesome Podcast
- Went to Miami & popped back to Portland for a quick visit, before going back to Playa. On that trip, it was clear that my time in Portland was officially over. I wanted to go to Europe that summer, and certainly wasn’t going to be in the PNW over the winter, so it didn’t make sense for me to keep my place.
- April-June: Sorting, selling, packing, moving – completely leaving the US again to be a FT expat
- June:
- Celebrated my little sister’s wedding in SoCal
- Went to Austin to set up my storage space & move my driver’s license/voting there, etc.
- Low-key closed all my group programs after 8 years running them and 10 years total coaching.
- Flew to Europe for the summer for a creative recovery… to follow my JOY!
- July-Aug: London (spoke at DCxLondon), Amsterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona, and topped it off in Paris with my bestie!
- September 2022:
- Landed back in my beloved Chiang Mai & was reunited with my storage after 3 years!
- Wrote my book, Double Down on Your Genius: Own Your Gifts, Align Your Actions, and Flourish in Your Calling in only 6 weeks!
- Yes, the same one I got the idea for in 2016, and started seriously writing in 2018, but then it got shelved in a big messy pile in 2019.
- I started fresh, had the support of a coach, and it came through like WHOOSH!
- October: Traveled to Bangkok & DaNang/Hoi An, Vietnam
- November: Moved to Ao Nang (Krabi), Thailand, where I continued editing (second final draft)
- December: Officiated my friend’s wedding in Phuket!
2023
- Jan 8, 2023: Celebrated 6 years saying YES to life
- Feb 2023: Researched & interviewed editors
- March 2023:
- Hired an Editor for my book!
- Realized we needed to do a structural edit first (I cried)
- Started in on designing the book cover
- May 2023: Launched “UNHOOKED” 4-Week Program
- Overall, 2023 was a MASSIVE TRAVEL YEAR… all while writing/editing my book!
In total, I took 32 Trips, lived in 26 different cities, in 12 different countries, on 3 different continents: Ao Nang, Koh Lanta, Singapore, Chiang Mai, Koh Phangan, Ubud, Playa, Austin, SF/Berkeley, Santa Cruz, Puerto Vallarta, San Miguel de Allende, Portland, Steamboat, NYC, Kent, CT (spoke at Camp Indie), London Countryside, London (city), Amsterdam, Rome, Lisbon, Chania, Istanbul, Dubai, Koh Samui, Bangkok.- Fun fact: I spent more money on flights than I did rent, because most of the year I was house- and pet-sitting, thanks to TrustedHousesitters – use my link for 25% off!
- Launched Genius-In-Alignment Summer Sessions and got to traveled around and see/support a ton of friends & clients all over the world!
- See related post (published while living in Dubai, in Sept): Travel Like a Pro: 35+ Quirky Travel Essentials From a Seasoned Location-Independent Entrepreneur
- June 2023:
- Went to my 30 year High School Reunion, and my Mom, sis & brother and law joined for a family weekend in Steamboat
- Spoke at Camp Indie
- Landed in London on my birthday – June 20
- My editor delivered the (first) full line edit that week…
- Starting in on it, I realized it needed way more work.
- So I spent the next 8-weeks adding, editing, and rewriting (basically all of July & August).
- This whole process was SUCH a lesson in surrender & trust!
- Sept:
- (Technically Aug 27th) I passed the manuscript back over to my editor for yet another full line edit. Bless her! She’s amazing!
- Went to a sound healing and got a major download for the trifecta imagery
- October:
- Designed/Finalized all the graphics
- Feverish final edits w/ my editor (while living in Koh Samui), and on November 2nd (while visiting and working from Koh Phangan), I accepted the final change and it was officially DONE!
- November-December 2023:
- Launched some Black Friday coaching special offers (gotta be on my list for these!)
- Finalized the book cover
- Worked on formatting the book and thinking it was totall done on Dec 23… but then having to completely redo everything (which turned out to be a blessing).
- Worked straight through Christmas – like 12-16 hour days (I actually did this in 2022, too! Benefits of traveling solo, I guess. haha) and completed it by the end of the year.
- OMG the last mile is a marathon!!
2024
- January 2024: Countdown to my book launch!
- Sent out Advanced Review Copies to my list on Jan 2nd… major milestone moment!
- Launch date is SET… it’s really happening now!
- Jan 8, 2024: Celebrated 7 years of saying YES to life
- Jan 11, 2024: Mini book launch party in Bangkok
- Jan 13-27: Mini book launch party while in Chiang Mai
- Jan 27-Feb 11, 2024: Singapore
- Jan 29, 2024: My book, Double Down on Your Genius: Own Your Gifts, Align Your Actions, and Flourish in Your Calling is officially PUBLISHED! Wohooo!!!
- Feb 11-23, 2024: Ubud, Bali
- Feb 23-May 23, 2024: Traveled through Australia for 3 months and loved it so much! I visited Gold Coast, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Melbourne, and Sydney. This was my first time there which also added a whole new continent to my list!
- April, 2024: Re-opened the doors to my Business Growth Mastermind!
- June-August 2024:
- Lived on Koh Lanta, Thailand – very sleepy in low season (summer time) and loving it!
- Sept 7-October 20, 2024: Back to Australia! This time Cairns & Brisbane
- Oct 20-Nov 20: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Chang
I’ve contributed to the following books:
Mentioned or quoted in:
- 140 Characters, by Dom Sagolla
- Daring Adventure in Paint, by Mati Rose McDonough
- The Decoded Company, by Leerom Segal, Aaron Goldstein, Rahaf Harfoush, and Jay Goldman
What a grand life it’s been so far.
I wonder where it will take me next?!
