Excellence and Balance breed Sustained Success
March 7, 2022This year, IPSF celebrates our 25th anniversary of supporting the educational experience of each child in every school in the Irvine Unified School District. We are so proud to support such an amazing educational community and are seeking to commemorate exciting achievements from IUSD students and alumni through our Profiles in Excellence Showcase.
Profiles in Excellence: Sebastian Baeza
Irvine students are some of the most ambitious and hardworking in the country, which has led many graduates to great accomplishments in the professional arena. But in the pursuit of success, it is common for many to neglect a fundamental pillar of mental and physical wellbeing, rest. IUSD alumni Sebastian Baeza has set out to change the way that people think about success, living by the mantra “Excellence and Balance breed Sustained Success.”
Sebastian was raised in Irvine from the age of two, attending Santiago Hills Elementary, then went on to Lakeside Middle School, followed by Woodbridge High School.
“Grade school is all about developing a love for learning and practicing discipline,” Sebastian explains, “I don’t think I realized the importance of those qualities until I entered the workforce and was thankful that my grade school years equipped me effectively.”
After graduating from Woodbridge High School in 2008 and later from San Diego State University with a Business degree in 2012, Sebastian pursued a career in CRE Private Equity. After seven years of institutional experience, he finally landed his dream job in Acquisitions at Invesco where he covered the West US region.
Sebastian was proud of what he had accomplished, but he was experiencing burnout and was dissatisfied about where he was headed.
“In today’s hustle culture, we are told that rest is a luxury, not a necessity. However, most people who ignore their body’s ‘check engine light’ don’t realize they risk burning out their mind and body. I was one of those people”, said Sebastian. “Recent studies show that 60+ hour work weeks increase the chances of heart disease by 50% and burnout by 40%. Studies also show that stress disrupts collagen production which contributes to aging skin. Slowing down not only helps us avoid the scary stuff but it also makes us better. It gives us space to regain personal balance, to invest in ourselves, to think creatively and even helps us be more attractive!”
This realization led Sebastian and his wife, Jazeena, to sell all their belongings and move to Bali to restart and reenergize themselves for the next chapter of their lives. This is where they discovered the warm oil treatments that would set them on a new path.
“We were amazed at how relaxing and rejuvenating these treatments were and wanted to share our experience with anyone who would listen,” explains Sebastian. “But we noticed that most people don’t get spa-level treatment unless it’s a special occasion or they’re on vacation. We felt that this was a problem and set out to change the culture of rest and rejuvenation by designing self-care products that make a luxurious retreat accessible from the comfort of your home. From this inspiration our company Jazeena created the world’s first Body Serum Candle.”
Jazeena’s body care products are designed to relax the mind and rejuvenate the skin. Their formulas are handmade in Irvine with high quality organic ingredients designed to nourish the skin and combat the aging process.
IPSF is excited to welcome Jazeena as a sponsor of this year’s Spirit of Excellence Gala.
Do you know an amazing IUSD student? Share your proudest stories of educational excellence for a chance to be featured. Click to view all our amazing IPSF 25th Anniversary Profiles in Excellence!
Submit Student Story