JAMES & CLAIRE DAVIS: THE INFLUENTIAL POWER COUPLE HELPING PEOPLE EMBRACE THEIR ‘SECOND ACT’

Have you ever started on a new healthy lifestyle change but given up saying to yourself that it’s too late to adapt to new habits? That’s not surprising, considering we are all human beings and, by mid-life, our beliefs and habits are ingrained and hard to change. However, it’s never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle and reclaim control of your body, mind, and quality of life. But the process has to be backed by science and research and needs experienced guidance. This is where the Midlife Mentors come in. For people willing to take charge of their body, mind, and emotional well-being, it offers tailored tool kits promising sustainable results.  

The brand is the brainchild of Claire and James Davis, who have been running luxurious transformational retreats in Ibiza and Marbella for over a decade under the banner of 38°N. With The Midlife Mentors, they offer executive coaching and wellness programmes to blue-chip corporations and counsel hundreds of midlife individuals.

The brand’s goal piqued our interest, so we spoke with James in an interview to learn more about how it motivates middle-aged men and women to boost their physical and emotional health. The following is a detailed synopsis of the discourse.

ELEVATING LIVES WITH A LASTING IMPACT

The Midlife Mentors was primarily introduced as a podcast in late 2019. The idea was to make resources available to middle-aged people so they could see their options. “Now that I’m in my fifties, I understand the changes this age brings about in people. Instead of seizing the opportunities that are available, many of our friends saw their lives as finalised. With the right tools, we hope to improve their lives, says James. Also, that pandemic restricted travel, so pivoting into online coaching and programmes just exploded, and the rest is history.

The brand operates using a two-part concept. First, it provides The Midlife Method, an 8-week programme for individual customers. It is distributed using its in-house app, followed by private coaching. The Midlife Method is a widely accepted, scientifically supported strategy for maintaining youth and health without having to make significant sacrifices. The lives that the programme has touched have been profoundly impacted. It enhances quality of life by instilling strength and adaptability in the body, mind, and wellbeing. Corporate wellness comes in second. They offer executive coaching, programmes, and workshops to businesses. This has helped in collaborating with numerous global business titans like KPMG, CitiGroup, Sedexo, AkzoNobel, and SMEs, such as themselves.

Claire and James have worked hard to establish a strong buzz for their brand. The Midlife Mentors podcast is wildly popular and has a 5-star rating. Their efforts are rewarded with thousands of testimonies, which inspire them to do better and impact more and more lives.

AN ENTIRELY CLIENT-CENTRED APPROACH  

The Midlife Mentors places its clients at the centre of all it does. According to James, the first question to ask is, “What is the ultimate result for the client?” From there, everything follows suit and conforms to the principal goal. The brand brings a unique blend of qualifications and experience to the table. James is a psychologist by trade, and Claire is a certified stress management consultant. Having a closely related background gives them a truly holistic perspective in any situation. For instance, many people focus on quick physical wins, but for lasting emotional content, the body and mind need to be in harmony. “We always stress to our clients that it’s 80% psychology, 20% mechanics,” says James. Aligning the body with the mind allows one to shift limiting beliefs to create an elevated lifestyle and bring out their true self. Ultimately, this gives clients a mesmerizing experience that helps them reimagine their midlife.

The Midlife Mentors also interact with their clients on a daily basis, often deeply, to get to know them well, including their fears, concerns, and desires, and can respond to these. While being meticulous about the data, they also seek innovations that can improve the overall value proposition. Going under the skin of its clients to find their latent needs, the brand has carved a niche.

ADAPTIVE TO CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS

COVID-19 brought the mission of innovating and creating offerings wherever there is a need to a pause. The dynamic duo hoped to make 2020 one of their best years on record for their retreat business, having 85% sold out, but unfortunately, the world shut down. Nevertheless, they took this as an opportunity to reinvent, pivot, and simultaneously support people during the lockdown. “We ran many free virtual retreats, bringing together experts to run workshops and workouts,” says James. Not only this helped in connecting with people but support the needy through donations as well.

James cites this time as a stepping stone that helped accelerate their business grow by at least 5 years. They now operate a successful virtual business, and by progressively putting what they have learned into practice, they are reintroducing the experience element. Given the progress, it is safe to assume that the pandemic has rekindled The Midlife Mentors’ desire to innovate and do better.

THE FRUITS OF LABOUR

The Midlife Mentors have many colorful feathers in their cap thanks to their commitment to helping people embrace their second innings. “Where many people see this age as the beginning of the end, we strive to help them look on the bright side and be a beacon of inspiration,” explains James. Needless to say, this shows the resilience and creativity of James and Claire in finding solutions. The leading lady focuses on reality checks and is prudent on implementation and details. James, on the other hand, is the one thinking outside the box. 

Their distinct qualities have created magic together, as they have had amazing growth over the past two years. “We are quite pleased with the fact that we went from practically losing all of our revenues and having to refund all of our customers for getaways in 2020 to creating a successful business,” asserts James proudly. The efforts have been well-recognized by global media icons, such as ELLE, The Sunday Times, Grazia, National Geographic Traveler, and much more. Their popularity has allowed them to address audiences at events about issues like menopause, stress, andropause, emotional toughness, and the list goes on. 

STILL, MILES TO GO…

The Midlife Mentors have a promising track record of changing people’s lives, yet they are still far from their ideal result. Uncertainties are always lurking around the corner as the industry evolves and becomes more dynamic than ever. In such an era, it will be intriguing to see how The Midlife Mentors help people rejuvenate their lives and bring out their best selves.

A QUOTE FROM THE MENTOR

“Nothing is certain, so focus, but stay open to possibilities and be consistent in what you do.”

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