ANIQUE COFFEE grew up in the US where she studied Marketing + Entrepreneurial Ventures. After a four-year stint working with Creative Services at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Anique started her own agency, providing a range of services to companies, with a focus on corporate identity and branding. After selling the agency, Anique moved to California and joined the Silicon Valley life in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she helped launch and grow various startups. Anique is driven by relationships and results, and loves connecting with others through shared ideas and celebration of unique differences. Stemming from a love for travel and new cultures, Anique recently relocated to Barcelona, Spain and runs The Collective remotely, embracing the digital nomad lifestyle, enabling her to connect with people and brands all over the globe.
3 words to describe Nature?
Vast. Organic. Expansive.
3 things Nature taught you?
To breathe. To wander. To be open to the things nature shows you when you wander.
3 most treasured Nature spots?
The Chuckawalla trail inside Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, near St George Utah
Dipsea Steep Ravine Loop Trail near Stinson Beach, just over the Golden Gate Bridge, north of San Francisco
Monterosso al Mare along the Cinque Terre trail in Italy
When you look at the ocean, it makes you feel…?
Calm. I had my energy read a few times and every single reader immediately said that water was my element – the natural element that I use when I’m seeking calming. It’s true.
When you see a forest, it makes you feel…?
Grateful. Trees are so amazing. They are living, breathing network of organisms that provide oxygen for us to breathe and work WITH each other to survive. I highly recommend this radio lab podcast to understand how amazing forests and trees really are: http://www.radiolab.org/story/from-tree-to-shining-tree/
When you see a volcano, it makes you feel…?
Cautiously optimistic.
When you see a sunrise or sunset, it makes you feel…?
Renewed.
When you hear thunder, it makes you feel…?
Homesick. I grew up in Central Florida where thunder and lightning storms are almost a daily occurrence. I used to love sitting on the front porch watching the storms, and when a hurricane was on the way, it would be fun to watch some of the natural debris like Spanish moss whipping around in the huge oak trees in our yard.
When you hear the wind howling, it makes you Feel?
Nostalgic for Florida. I have many memories of stormy days and hurricanes there.
Are you an Ocean, Mountain, Forest, or Desert person?
Can I be all of them? I love the ocean, but frequently crave the quiet mountain life. I love the lush bright green varieties you can find in the forest. I also lived in the desert in St George Utah for a bit and while I won’t live there again, I really miss the red rocks and gorgeous succulents.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is Nature to your well-being?
11. Given our current tech-obsessed culture (which I am often guilty of as a business owner), I find myself craving a hike or a quiet sit on beach weekly. I try to give in to these cravings as much as possible to hit the reset button on myself.
Share with us a childhood nature memory?
Camping as a family was a big part of my childhood. We’d often pack up the car and caravan with some other friends to a campsite. I specifically remember one evening at dusk – my favorite time of the day – where I found myself in a field, surrounded by fireflies. I had seen and caught them before, but this time was different. Its one of those moments in my life that’s frozen in my memory and was also some kind of out-of-body experience. I can almost see myself swirling around the field, delicately touching the fireflies one by one. Magical bugs. I love them!