Shen Generation Co-Founder Discusses Empowering Self-Healing and Challenging Norms at NYC Pop-Up Event

NEW YORK, Oct 1, 2023— Merging science with what some may deem as “West Coast woo-woo,” Brian Donahoe co-founder of Los Angeles based emerging wellness startup, Shen Generation, is defying conventional norms on a mission to reshape our collective understanding of health and healing.

 As Shen Generation steps into the bustling vibes of New York City with an East Village pop-up initiative, The Click delves into Donahoe’s insights on entrepreneurship, the essence of healing, and transformative power of holistic care.

The Click: Your practice is focused on holistic wellbeing, so let’s start with the obvious first question — what is holistic well-being?

 Donahoe: Holistic well-being is about bringing in all aspects of where somebody could have an imbalance in their life and making connections that aren’t so linear. Emotional connections to physical pain. For example, being able to take care of somebody’s wellness without just addressing their symptoms, and looking for root causes.

 The Click: What inspired you to start Shen Generation?

 Donahoe: I’ve always questioned the status quo. So being in a place with my personal health journey, where I was being treated from the conventional medicine standpoint and didn’t get the care that I wish I had, inspired me to research alternatives to the mainstream. I found success in my own experience with these modalities where we had breakthroughs — and it inspired me to continue to develop and create.

The Click: Would you say that your personal experiences shaped how you approach your practice now?

Donahoe: 100%. People are coming to you because they haven’t found the answers. People who really want to get to the root cause. You can have empathy, but to really have that shared experience brings a higher level of understanding — and helps people trust in me as the person who’s helping them, and guiding them towards healing. 

The Click: You and your partner are running this company together. What’s it like to have a professional collaboration with your significant other?

 Donahoe: It’s a beautiful thing. Some people say, ‘I can’t work with my partner like that.’ Just share in a mission, I get to spend it with the one who I choose to share my life with. The challenge is maintaining professional lines. There’s not a straightforward playbook for that. You have to build communication because inevitably you’re going to have disagreements and are they disagreements as a partner or as a business owner and colleague? So we’re getting a PhD in communication and relationship dynamics that helps sharpen our message in terms of helping people holistically.

 The Click: You’ve been wildly successful in L.A and are in town doing this pop-up. What was the driver behind doing this in NYC and what’s the reception been like?

 Donahoe: Being from New York, I want to return and work in a city known for performance success. New York offers an environment for those needing nervous system decompression. Conventional methods often can’t treat chronic issues, making what some deem ‘West Coast woo-woo’ credible when supported by science and spirituality. Our pop-up here gained attention through social media influencers, bringing many interested parties. It’s unique in New York, providing an opportunity to test our product and understand the best services for this clientele. We aim to understand and scale our offerings here.

 The Click: How do you measure the impact that you have on your clients?

 Donahoe: Our impact is [by] the type of referrals we get. We became a family practice because we’ll treat someone and the next thing you know we’re treating their significant other or family member, those are the first referrals we get. You can tell that you’ve built their trust because they’re putting the care of the people they love in your hands

Donahoe working on a client Credit: Shen Generation

Donahoe poses outside of Shen Gen’s NYC Pop-Up Credit: Alex Cheng, Shen Generation