What a national trade publication (AURA magazine) printed about The Left Side (PDF)

The mainstream metaphysical name
I'm a Brand Manager by mainstream training. This basically means my job was/is to help consumers connect with the name and purpose of the products and people I create or partner with. Interestingly enough my American Indian ancestors did this as a general practice, they branded themselves so others would connect and remember their history, practices and position in the tribe through their names... "Dawn" meaning sight of day, "mother spirit", or "butterfly" for examples. In the professional world, we think it's because we're clever marketers, but we're simply applying old practices to current situations and call it branding.

When I named my wholesale company my mission was to create "heart-felt" products. I kept "hearing" the phrase "The Left Side." "Come on" I said to my subconscious, "that's not a brand name!". But, no matter what I came up with (even tried "The Right Side" on for size because it's the creative side of the brain) that nagging phrase continued to haunt me so The Left Side it became.

Then a bigger picture developed. The reason I started my own company is to find more peace, happiness, and overall balance for me and my family. Because of the creativity that The Left Side supported, people said (without knowing if it was true or not), "Oh, the creative side of the brain!" Early on in my business, I wasn't ready to come out of the metaphysical closet so I didn't explain my "esoteric branding" story.

But as time passed, my conscious living practices and studies expanded, and I made some discoveries. While The Left Side was yang/masculine, linear, number-crunching, logical, and the measurable side of the brain, I could also express to "mainstreamers" that it's the physical heart-side (for "heartfelt" products). It was still awkward at first (coming from a conservative, male-dominated, professional background), but my feminine side was becoming exposed (like it or not).

But then more information was revealed to me. Within a year of its creation, my company was completely dedicated to distributing New Age, conscious living products. No more hiding! And as I walked further down my path I found the "other half." The last piece of the puzzle of why "The Left Side" created balance of masculine and feminine energies that I so needed in my life. Esoterically/spiritually, the left side is the ying/feminine--the creative, soft, gentle, kind, emotional side.

The name The Left Side emcompasses mainstream metaphysical balance, masculine and feminine, ying and yang. A few years later, with a clearer understanding of what balance truly meant to me, I wrote my first book, "Adventures of a Mainstream Metaphysical Mom."

About me (owner/founder) -- Michelle A. Payton, Ph.D., D.C.H., Author
For the first 30+ years of my life, I wasn't aware that I was absorbing a great deal of negativity in the environments that I lived and worked. I could "feel" when things weren't going my way, weren't safe, were off, but I didn't always maneuver effectively through the "knowing."

It got a lot more intense when moving into the corporate world. I worked over 13 years in corporate America (in Brand Marketing Management in international packaged goods companies). And while I appreciate the income, the corporate training on all levels (emotional and technical), and the life lessons, to fully experience the joys of life I consciously removed myself from environments that clouded my ability to frame reality more positively and to achieve my ultimate goal of being with those who love and support me (as I do them), doing what I love, and being in the places I love to be.

Today the The Left Side products and services cooperatively partner with talented inspirational artists/authors/designers/consultants. I've created additional companies that can be found at www.MichellePayton.com, and www.HelpingUExpand.com. We fill the needs of forward-thinking mind, body, spirit inclined consumers, and businesses.

The Left Side products are internationally distributed, and has an incredibly efficient warehouse that manages the company inventory, co-packing, shipping and other day-to-day operations. After more than a decade, my sales and marketing office continues to be out of my home and this flexibility continues to create an awesome, amazing and joyful life for me and my family.

I've also written seven books—"Adventures of a Mainstream Metaphysical Mom" and "More Adventures of a Mainstream Metaphysical Mom," "'Soul'utions," "Birth Mix Patterns(tm)" series, and "Healing What's Real," and pursued additional studies -- a Ph.D. and Doctorate in (Clinical) Hypnotherapy, a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (tm) and Communication Skills Specialist (from The Performance Institute of NLP), a certified Emotional Freedom Technique(tm) Practitioner, Anodyne Imagery Certified, Acupressure-Hypnosis certified, Past Life Regression trained, the Creator and Master of Birth Mix Patterns(tm) (combining Astrology, Numerology, and Birth Order), and other various mind over matter/wholistic practices. I touch people world-wide as a radio guest, as a writer for numerous regional and national publications, with empowering one-on-one sessions, workshops, and tele-education.

Many thanks to all purchasing and promoting our products and services. You are why we are able to continue to do what we love. With most personal regards and sincerest appreciation for your interest in The Left Side, Michelle A. Payton, Ph.D., D.C.H., Author, Owner & Founder of The Left Side