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Dr. Elisa Magill

ENVISION THIS!

By Sharon Hightower

Photo by Dawn Nicoli/Nicoli Productions

T WAS LATE AT NIGHT, AND AN wanted to do when I decided to go back was getting called almost daily. I ended
Ientrepreneur was busy preparing to college as a single parent. I started up pulling him out of school half way
things for her adventures the next day. out as a Broadcast Journalism major, through 7th grade and home school-
However, on this evening, she decided but when I realized I had to move a lot ing him in a charter school. He did so
to check her emails one last time. When to follow the opportunities in that field, much better there! He flourished. With
she did, a notice for a contest caught I changed majors. My son was still very this situation in my face daily, I started
her eye. She wondered… “what if?” young at the time, and I did not want conducting a lot of research on ADHD/
Although she figured it was a long shot, to leave my family. As a single mom, it ADD. This also opened my eyes to how
she opened the email. The challenge was was important to have my parents near many just have different learning styles
to name who the “mystery figure” was to watch him while I was in school or and ‘ways of being’ so to speak, includ-
in the picture. To her surprise, the name at work. I decided to switch to Jour- ing how to keep one focused. It became
came right to her! “I know who this nalism as a major and Psychology as a my passion to help others both live the
is!!!” Excitedly, she entered the name minor, but ended up falling in love with life that they were meant to live and live
and was completely surprised when she Psychology! That became my major as it the way they were designed to live it.
found out she was the winner!!! The en- an undergrad, but for graduate school, I Forget trying to shove a square peg into
trepreneur? Dr. Elisa Magill of Murrieta, took another twist into Industrial/Orga- a round hole. Enjoy the differences and
CA! Let’s start with a bio… nizational Psychology which is the study appreciate them!”
Dr. Elisa Magill is the founder of of how people work both on their own And now? “Fast-forward, several
Envision This! a company specializing and with others in the workplace. It also years later after graduating with my
in improving performance, managing includes the design/structure aspect of doctorate, I fell into coaching, consult-
change, and avoiding burnout. At the the workplace, so a nice mix of people ing, and training. I loved and found it
foundation of her coaching and training and processes. I loved the fact that as an very rewarding. However, any ‘me time’
is understanding the individual and I/O Psychologist, I could truly put the slowly disappeared as somehow I found
engaging the brain for optimized per- pieces of the puzzle together, looking to myself working day and night. Then,
formance. Dr. Magill has over 25 years create a beautiful picture!” while working as a leader in academia,
of professional experience in both the “Before I ever decided to go back I found myself working 80-100 hour
corporate and academic environments. to school though, I did a few other weeks (days and nights and weekends),
During her career, she observed her cli- things. I worked in a clothing store and driving 3-4 hours on the freeway almost
ents and found the effects of being over- waitress to start. Then, when I became every day. I can still remember nights
whelmed combined with a lack of focus pregnant with my son, I figured I had where my husband, son, and step-son
limited their personal and professional to get a job where I could work from (and dogs) were all in the living room,
growth. These realizations fueled Elisa’s home or at least have some flexibility watching TV and having fun, but I had
passion for helping busy people realize as I was a single mother. I ended up to be in my home office working on
their dreams while staying energetic and working as a medical transcriptionist a project or deadline. It was so hard
motivated enough to enjoy them! and a marketing rep for a sales com- missing out on all of the fun, family
I met with Elisa in a quaint, Old pany, but neither were my dream jobs. time. And then… my health started to
Towne Temecula restaurant that served However, during this time, my son suffer: I gained 25 pounds, always ate
organic and unique foods, coffee and was diagnosed with ADHD at a very lunch over my computer while working,
biscuits. I wanted to find out how she young age. Although we never had any no longer had time to exercise, and just
got started in her chosen niche. In her real problems at home, he could not didn’t feel ‘myself’ anymore. I’d have to
own words… “I wasn’t 100% sure what I sit still long enough to focus in class. I say that one of my turning points hap-

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