🫠 Psychonaut POV

Welcome to Tricycle Day. To paraphrase the great shaman, Jay-Z: I’m not a medicine man. I’m a medicine, man.

Beth Weinstein has helped hundreds of people escape their soul-crushing jobs and build thriving businesses in and around psychedelics. Every journey is unique, but her success stories all have one thing in common: alignment.

We asked Beth about the traps every psychedelic entrepreneur must avoid, the mindsets that lead to maximum impact, and the role of sacred reciprocity and in building a soul-aligned business.

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You talk a lot about the importance of aligning one's purpose with their business. As a serial entrepreneur yourself, can you share how finding that alignment has shaped your journey?

When I was a kid and the other girls were all playing “House,” my friend and I used to play a game called "City" where we ran pretend businesses. Society pushed me toward the safe corporate path, but I always felt a calling to entrepreneurship and making a greater impact.

My time in NYC working a high-stress corporate job really confirmed that misalignment. Many of us coped with the misery of our jobs by drinking excessively and partying. That period led me to question the purpose of life early on, so I started exploring spirituality, self-help, and psychology to make sense of it all.

What I’ve come to realize is that purpose isn't static; it evolves with us. I used to think it was tied to hitting milestones, like running a big business or climbing the corporate ladder. But I've learned that it's really about feeling inspired every day and finding ways to align with what makes each of us happy.

As for me, discovering my knack for coaching was accidental. People started coming to me for advice on launching businesses, and I found joy in helping them. It organically evolved into a coaching practice, shaping itself day by day.

In the same way, I believe our purpose evolves with us. For many, the struggle to find purpose comes from a lack of fulfillment in their careers or a societal pressure to chase material success. Psychedelics can play an interesting role in this process because they often uncover deeper issues at the root of career misalignment. Deep down, people are looking for meaning and significance that no amount of wealth or success can guarantee. It's about finding satisfaction beyond the surface.

What are the most common challenges or self-limiting patterns you've noticed across your clients, and how do you address them with coaching?

In my workshops, the topic of impostor syndrome—feeling inadequate and unworthy—keeps cropping up. It has definitely spiked lately, especially with cancel culture on social media. There’s so much criticism out there that people feel pressured to be perfect. Everyone's judging everyone else, calling them out, and saying "You can't do this unless..."

I'm seeing it freeze people up. They're either completely paralyzed or finding clever ways to disguise their procrastination—buying more stuff, thinking it'll make them worthy. I've been calling this out. It's a societal issue, ingrained in our capitalist structure, that we never feel good enough.

Marianne Williamson's quote resonates for me: "Who are you not to share your light?" We're all unique, but we don’t let ourselves shine. People get trapped in this "not good enough" loop, where they buy into external judgments and compare themselves to strangers on social media. Sadly, this pattern affects their careers and dreams. They're so afraid of judgment that they can’t bring themselves to step into their true paths.

In the psychedelic realm, it's even more complex. People feel judged about their experiences, like they're not “psychedelic enough” to help others. But who sets these rules? It's not about completing a checklist; it's about understanding yourself.

As a coach, I guide my clients inward, away from external validation. My programs are about finding authenticity, not conforming to external standards. We need to stop letting social media dictate our lives. We're meant to live for ourselves, not to fulfill others' expectations.

This societal noise, these limiting beliefs, they're like a pandemic, infecting our minds. We need to show ourselves compassion. I encourage people to turn inward, practice mindfulness, and quiet the noise. It's all interconnected. The limiting beliefs that live in our minds really do affect our external lives.

In your view, what are the key qualities or mindsets that aspiring coaches, healers, and psychedelic or transformational leaders should cultivate as they build their businesses?

Having support is important, especially for newcomers in the entrepreneurial world. Personally, I've leaned on mentors, therapists, and coaches throughout my business journey. I tried going solo, and let’s just say there were a lot of tears.

But the first step always has to be to turn inward. It's no surprise that so many successful entrepreneurs swear by meditation. Frankly, I believe everyone could benefit from it. Mastering your mind, even with a simple daily meditation practice, changes the game. Your mind can either make or break your business. 99% of the issues I've witnessed in myself or with clients originate from the mind.

Think about how you handle “failure.” Do you dwell on setbacks for ages or move forward swiftly? The real challenge lies in separating your ego-driven fears from your higher self that pushes you forward. Fear seems to be the root cause behind everything that holds us back. The magic, I've found, happens when you can observe the fear objectively. Stepping outside the fear, while still acknowledging it, allows you to tap into your higher self for better, wiser decisions.

People want to believe there’s some secret hack that will unlock their business growth, but the marketing piece is often the least of your worries. The truth is this inner work is far more critical than any marketing strategy. If your mind is clouded by fear or shackled by limiting beliefs, no marketing plan will yield the desired results.

But here’s the good news: once you engage in this inner work, everything tends to ease up. You start to believe in yourself and dismiss the old stories and excuses that used to hold you back. At the same time, you’re addressing your fears and staying in connection with your heart, body, and soul. This internal alignment is everything—it's the most significant and continual step an entrepreneur must take.

What is “sacred reciprocity,” how does it fit into your business, and why should other entrepreneurs consider making a similar commitment?

Reciprocity in the psychedelic space comes in many forms. For some, it's about giving back to indigenous communities linked to plant medicines, while for others, like myself, it means aligning my business with my values. I encourage my clients to start by asking what's important to them, where their passions lie, and what changes they wish to see in the world.

It's not just about monetary contributions. The idea of policing someone into contributing to a specific cause doesn't sit right with me. Instead, I encourage entrepreneurs to connect their mission to service, even if they're just starting out and don't have excess resources. You can always donate your time or use your platform to amplify marginalized voices or causes. This responsibility shouldn’t land solely on the psychedelic space, either. I believe if everyone integrated reciprocity into their lives and businesses, the impact would be profound.

In fact, sometimes financial reciprocity can be disingenuous. Especially when it comes to the significant capital entering the psychedelic medicine space, we need to hold these companies to an even higher level of accountability. It can’t just be about donating money; we have to ensure that their practices are not exploitative or extractive. Sustainability needs to go above and beyond financial contributions.

For me, it all circles back to understanding oneself and the changes one desires for the world. Clients I've worked with often focus their mission on causes close to their hearts, whether it's aiding abuse survivors, promoting body positivity, or guiding men to find their masculinity. Reciprocity isn't a one-size-fits-all concept; it's about aligning your business and life with your values and finding ways to give back that resonate with you.

You've invested significantly in your own growth over the years, too. How have your experiences with coaching programs, medicine work, and self-development informed your approach to guiding others on their paths?

I've always been deeply curious about existence, the mind, and the deeper meaning behind our experiences. This curiosity has led me on a path of continual growth and exploration for over three decades. Much of what I've learned has been unexpected. For example, I got into vocal work because I wanted to learn to sing, but it unexpectedly brought about major shifts in my life, physically and emotionally. I realized its potential in unblocking creative energies, so I began incorporating it into my coaching programs.

In my coaching practice, I integrate all kinds of modalities, including somatic therapy and psychedelic integration. Over 90% of my clients have either worked with psychedelics or are part of the psychedelic business landscape. I firmly believe that our personal experiences impact all aspects of life, including work and relationships, and integrating those experiences almost always requires guidance and support.

To me, a business is an extension of oneself, especially in spaces like therapy, coaching, or psychedelic facilitation. You’re not selling a product; it's your energy, your soul, interacting with the energies and souls of those you serve. There's an inherent energetic conversation happening, which demands integrity. A practitioner needs to be a clear channel to ensure the safety and well-being of those they guide.

Ultimately, expansion in business is linked to personal expansion. Every facilitator, every coach, every healer, every therapist needs to have their own support, too. We're all interconnected, and we need one another to grow and serve. We cannot do this work alone.

Want more from Beth?

Join her next no-cost live masterclass, and learn how you can launch or grow your own psychedelic coaching, healing, or transformational business.

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DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. The use, possession, and distribution of psychedelic drugs are illegal in most countries and may result in criminal prosecution.