2 Oct 2026
Wellness Isn't the Goal | Mar Soraparu
Mar Soraparu has spent nearly a decade thinking about a deceptively difficult problem: how do you make wellness actually work in real life?
In this episode of Next Door Neuro, I sit down with Mar, co-founder and Chief Wellness Officer of BIÂN, Chicago’s private wellness and social club.
Mar’s path to wellness entrepreneurship was anything but linear. She began her career in finance before realizing that, despite succeeding professionally, the life she was building didn’t quite fit. That realization led her into yoga, coaching, and ultimately the creation of BIÂN - a 35,000-square-foot ecosystem bringing fitness, medicine, nutrition, mental health, recovery, community, and social connection all under one roof.
But this conversation goes well beyond BIÂN.
Mar and I talk about why retreats and perfect routines rarely prepare us for the messiness of everyday life, why the basics of health still matter more than the latest wellness trend, and how our definition of “wellness” needs to evolve as our lives become fuller.
We also dig into parenthood, ambition, entrepreneurship, and Mar’s rejection of the idea of “work-life balance.” Her alternative: relentless presence - learning to fully drop into whatever part of your life you’ve chosen to be in at that moment.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Mar’s unlikely transition from finance to wellness entrepreneurship
- Why succeeding at something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for you
- The problem with treating wellness as an escape from everyday life
- How BIÂN was designed to bring traditionally siloed parts of health together
- Why community and environment can make healthy behavior easier
- The value of doing the basic things exceptionally well
- Why wellness shouldn’t become another rigid standard you have to meet
- Fitting meditation, movement, and self-care into the life you actually have
- Wellness as a tool for living a meaningful life,rather than the goal itself
- Why Mar doesn’t believe in “balance”
- Parenting, entrepreneurship, and the practice of relentless presence
- Simple environmental cues that can help you transition from work to home
ABOUT MAR
Mar Soraparu is the co-founder and Chief Wellness Officer of BIÂN in Chicago. A board-certified coach and entrepreneur, she has built her career around helping people integrate health and wellness into demanding, ambitious lives. She is also a mother of three and brings that same practical, flexible approach to her own pursuit of health, work, and family.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marsoraparu/
https://livebian.com/
ABOUT NEXT DOOR NEURO
Next Door Neuro explores ideas for living better in the modern world, the brain science behind them, and how to actually use them in your life. Hosted by neuroscientist and Clario founder Dr. Jamey Maniscalco.
Next Door Neuro explores approaches to living better in the modern world - the brain science behind them, and how to put them into practice in your everyday life. Hosted by neuroscientist and founder of Clario, Dr. Jamey Maniscalco.
