Healthy ecosystems need care at every level.

At the end of 2020, I left San Francisco with two soul-deep desires: to spend more time with my family (which I’ve done), and to live closer to nature.

The latter first came to life when I volunteered at a meditation and ecological center on the Big Island of Hawaii in 2021. Picture this: 10 lush acres, orchards full of fruit trees, daily yoga and meditation, 30 volunteers and residents, and three nourishing plant-based meals a day. Heaven.

I was surrounded by people who were deeply focused on healing their bodies and the earth. I learned about regenerative farming practices that prioritize the health of the soil—because when the soil is alive, the plants can truly thrive, which in turn gives our bodies more nutrients. No life in the soil = no real vitality in the system.

It seemed so simple:
Healthy soil → healthy plants → healthy ecosystems.

And I couldn’t help but apply the same logic to leadership.

What if we treated people as the living soil of our organizations?
Healthy people → healthy teams → healthy companies.

But most business structures don’t work this way. They’re built to prioritize outcomes, not root systems. Just like conventional farming focuses on the harvest rather than the health of the land, many organizations focus on performance over people. It doesn’t work in the long run.

I’ve seen this play out in my own life.

At one point, I had everything I thought I wanted: a well-paid executive role, a dream apartment, and an incredible community in San Francisco. But beneath the surface, my inner soil was depleted. I had been pouring energy outward without enough space to replenish—and even with all those external “wins,” I didn’t have the internal resources to truly thrive.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault. It was simply a reflection of a broader model that often forgets to prioritize restoration. I had to step away in order to nourish my foundation and reconnect with what truly sustains me.

If we want sustainable success, we have to start healing from the ground up.

That’s why I’ve designed a regenerative leadership model that keeps the scaffolding of the CEO structure—but introduces a new expert in-house leadership role designed to nurture the team’s life-force.

Spoiler: I’m the expert. And I’m currently looking to partner with a bold, forward-thinking CEO who’s ready to build something different—something alive. 

If that sounds like you (or someone you know), let’s talk. 💫

Warmly,

Heather Kuhnheim, Founder of A Project Called Life