Stoicism says ‘’If you want to be good, be good’’. I believe that everybody knows deep down what they need to do to live a good life. The hard part is committing to it. It can be easy in many aspects of your life to avoid doing the things you believe in just because it’s simpler.
Simon Alex Bérubé is the CEO and Co-founder of Ipnos. Their suite of mobile apps, including Relax Melodies, is dedicated to offering the best companions for your sleep, relaxation and meditation needs. Before Ipnos, Simon worked in Software Development for many years.
Can you please share your “backstory” with us?
I’m a 39 years old software engineer that felt into the wellness app business mostly by chance. I was working in industrial automation for several years before I started an app project with a friend. At first, the goal was just to learn about new technologies, but it eventually turned into a company named Ipnos. The business now counts over 25 employees and our wellness apps have close to 50 million downloads. I’m very grateful to have the chance to work on products that touch and help so many people, especially because it was so unexpected. I’m a very logical and analytical person but working in that space really opened my mind on the importance of wellbeing and personal development. I believe it made me a better person.
What role did mindfulness or spiritual practice play in your life growing up? Do you have a funny or touching story about that?
I had no spiritual practice growing up. My parents were atheist and from another generation, so I’ve never really been introduced to mindfulness or any spiritual practices except briefly in Catholic classes at school. I later got interested in philosophy, more precisely in the Stoicism school of philosophy. I found it really helped managing the high levels of stress that come with owning your own business. There is a Stoicism phrase that says “Amor Fati”, which means ‘’love your faith’’. This saying is now part of me and my wife’s life. It helps us appreciate what happens in our life more easily. Later, I discovered mindfulness because I wanted to integrate wellness content in our apps.It was a revelation. As the company owner, I’m always the first to try what we want to do to make sure I can understand it, so I had to start learning the basics of meditation for our business. This is kind of strange since, like I said, I’m a very logical and analytical person. It seems that life lead me to the tools that I needed to be able to manage stress and pressure.
How do your mindfulness or spiritual practices affect your business and personal life today?
I discovered mindfulness while working on our apps. Now, I practice it regularly, and it really makes a difference in my life. However, with a busy schedule, it is easy to slowly stop doing it, but you have to be disciplined and make time for it. As an entrepreneur it’s especially important to make time for things that help you keep your balance.
Do you find that you are more successful or less successful because of your integration of spiritual and mindful practices? Can you share an example or story about that with us?
Since I started to practice meditation regularly, I’m more relaxed, I can achieve more things and I can stay concentrated longer. My wife can vouch for it! Growing a business is hard and the path to success is never clear. With meditation you learn to accept that fact and enjoy more of what every day brings you. When I stop meditating during a particularly busy period, I quickly see that I’m losing my balance.
What would you say is the foundational principle for one to “lead a good life”? Can you share a story that illustrates that?
Stoicism says ‘’If you want to be good, be good’’. I believe that everybody knows deep down what they need to do to live a good life. The hard part is committing to it. It can be easy in many aspects of your life to avoid doing the things you believe in just because it’s simpler.
Can you share a story about one of the most impactful moments in your spiritual/mindful life?
I went to a yoga festival for 4 days and it triggered a really big change in my life. I tried and learned a lot of different mindful techniques. I realized that they were a good fit for me. Taking a couple of days to explore a world that was so foreign to me was really impactful. I met people that had a very different mindset than mine, which was very refreshing. It really helped me see the benefits of putting your focus on wellness for more that a couple of hours in a row.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
I would say not a particular person but books. Books always have been great companions for me. Reading on all sorts of subjects gives you a unique window into how great minds think. You can learn anything and find what’s best for you. With new technologies, books are more available than ever which is great because I find them way more valuable than just reading articles on the web. Books are a space where you can dig deeper into a subject. They help you learn new things, build on your knowledge or structure your thinking.
Can you share 3 or 4 pieces of advice about how leaders can create a very “healthy and uplifting” work culture?
Put people in a role that best fits their strengths so they can achieve the highest level of success.
Have clear roles, objectives and KPIs.
But above everything, encourage and reward the process. Not just the success.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I think we should teach meditation to kids and teens. It should be a bigger part of our culture in general. People should realize they can train and improve their mind as much as their body and it should start with kids. The recent rise in mental illness could probably be reduced with a an early introduction to mindfulness. It could help many people enjoy a better life. The trend for physical fitness and a more balanced life has been there for awhile, let’s add meditation in the mix!
How can people follow you and find out more about you?
Follow Ipnos and Relax Melodies on Facebook and Instagram.
About the author: Jacob Rupp is a coach, author, speaker, podcaster, and rabbi. He is the founder of Lift Your Legacy, a community that helps people live a more authentic life. He has a regular, syndicated column that appears in ThriveGlobal and Authority magazine. To learn more about him or to listen to the Lift Your Legacy podcast, search iTunes or visit his site: liftyourlegacy.live
Mindfulness for a new age with Ipnos CEO Simon Alex Bérubé was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
