Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Olson.
Liz, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Almost exactly one year ago, I got an email from a friend of a friend. It said, “I have an idea, can we meet?” Laura (Sage) and I met a couple days later. Instant love. She told me her idea — a modern meditation and wellness studio. Claire (Mark) was already on board. The three of us met for dinner a week later. The way we connected was incredible, and, like magic, our visions aligned.
Each of us, in our own ways, felt life was getting pretty loud. We wanted to create a space for quiet. A space for space. We wanted to create a space where we would actually want to spend time. We wanted to create a space to share.
We joined forces and each of us with our distinct skill sets got to work. We built the brand. We secured a space. We found the most remarkable, talented, smart people we could find and we hired them.
Has it been a smooth road?
Are any desirable roads smooth?
There were struggles along the way. Because that’s the truth of any meaningful journey.
We had hiring struggles. Time struggles. Energy struggles. Stress struggles.
We had struggles with the way the doors were hung in the bathroom. Struggles with the way the cash register worked. Stuff struggles.
And also, there were the struggles of just being human, you know? Laura, Claire, and I — three humans with full time day jobs, working together to try to make something we believed in, something real. Some days we were tired. Some days we were ornery. Some days we just needed to freak out, eat a sandwich, and try again in the morning.
It was far from perfect. But I can tell you this: the imperfection was truly beautiful. And the learning was enormous.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Chill – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Chill is a modern meditation and wellness studio. Think: Soulcycle for your brain, minus the sweat. We offer guided meditation, no-need-to-get-naked massage, and thoughtful things you can feel good about buying.
Our mission is simple: to help Chicagoan’s live less stressed, more mindful lives.
That’s it. No over promising or great big goal of enlightenment. Just less stress, more good.
Before we opened, we visited dozens of other meditation spaces. And the thing that struck us was how uneasy they made us feel. Religious overtones, incense that gave us instant headaches. So, we built Chill to be very intentionally different. We stripped out the dogma and the chakras and the gurus (and the incense too!). We made it modern. We made it accessible. We made it something you could do in between meetings or on a lunch break.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I’ve lived in Chicago for 12 years now. And while I’ve always liked it, only recently have I come to fully appreciate the city — to love it for exactly what it is.
Chicago is proud. Sturdy, strong, unafraid, real. The architecture is unmatched (I’m endlessly inspired by the buildings here. Marshall, van der Rohe, Goldberg, Burnham — these guys set the tone for what it could look like to live and work in this city. They lined our streets with functional, thoughtful art). The sidewalks are clean. The food is excellent. The lakefront is gold. And Chicagoan’s are themselves. They work and make and do. People from Chicago have such a specific sense of place — it’s refreshing, it’s grounding. Superficiality doesn’t fly here. I love that.
The tradeoff is that trends make their way here more slowly. This used to frustrate me. I’d go to New York or LA and see all the bright, shiny, new and I’d think “Chicago is so behind.” I don’t feel that way anymore. Not at all. This city is packed full of intellect and ideas and beauty. The difference is that Chicago doesn’t show it off as readily as the coasts — you have to know where to look, you have to be willing to be surprised.
Pricing:
- Massage: Starting at $35
- Meditation: $22 per single session
- Monthly Membership: $125 (special pricing through end of April)
Contact Info:
- Address: 222 W Kinzie St
Chicago, IL 60654 - Website: chillchicago.com
- Phone: 312.222.1442
- Email: info@chillchicago.com
- Instagram: chill_out_chi
Image Credit:
Morgan Terlouw | Verdigris Photography & Design
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
