BHRC CEO Sarah Gabriel Shares Leadership Insights in National Interview
Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center CEO Sarah Gabriel recently sat down with Adam Mendler, host of Thirty Minute Mentors and nationally recognized leadership expert, for an in-depth conversation about her career journey, leadership philosophy, and the mission driving BHRC’s approach to regenerative wellness. The full interview offers a rare glimpse into the experiences and principles that shape how Gabriel leads one of the nation’s most innovative longevity and wellness brands.
From her roots as the child of a serial entrepreneur in a rural community to becoming a partner at one of the world’s most elite law firms, and now leading BHRC through a new era of growth, Gabriel’s path illustrates how diverse experiences can converge to create a unique leadership perspective. For anyone interested in the people behind Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center and the values that guide the brand, this interview provides meaningful insight.
Interview Highlights
Key themes from Sarah Gabriel’s conversation with Adam Mendler:
- Growing up as the child of a serial entrepreneur and learning early lessons about hard work and resilience
- Building a successful career at Kirkland & Ellis, one of the world’s most elite law firms
- The decision to pivot from law to entrepreneurship after starting a family
- Eliminating fear-based decision-making as the key to successful career transitions
- Why BHRC’s mission of empowering people to look and feel their best is deeply personal
- The importance of empathy, accountability, and vision casting in leadership
- Daily practices that support well-being and effective leadership
From Rural Roots to Elite Law
Gabriel’s journey began in a household where work was woven into daily life. As the oldest of five children born to a serial entrepreneur, she grew up working in family restaurants and hotels, developing an early connection between identity and work. That upbringing taught her both the possibilities and uncertainties of entrepreneurship.
Seeking stability, Gabriel pursued law, viewing it as a path to a certain level of success. She joined Kirkland & Ellis, where she spent a decade representing private equity portfolio companies and witnessing firsthand how businesses are acquired, grown, scaled, and sold by people who do it better than anyone.
When asked about the keys to success in law, Gabriel emphasized that doing excellent work alone is not enough. Strategic relationship-building, creative problem-solving, and positioning yourself intentionally within the ecosystem are essential. She credits Kirkland for being a meritocracy where hard work and discipline could lead to success regardless of background.
On Succeeding in Any Field
“Just showing up and chopping wood every day, even if your wood pile is A-plus at the end, that’s not the path to success. You have to have a strategic rationale, whether it’s creating subject matter expertise, creating the client relationship, making yourself invaluable to a partner. Positioning yourself in the ecosystem in a way that’s going to give you runway for success.”
The Pivot from Law to Entrepreneurship
After making partner and having three children in quick succession, Gabriel faced a decision that many professionals encounter: the demands of her career were out of step with how she wanted to be present for her family. But beyond logistics, there was a deeper pull toward being in the room where decisions happen rather than advising from the sidelines.
Gabriel and her former spouse, who had practiced at Kirkland together, pivoted into a family office structure focused on commercializing military technology, eventually building a water business. The transition required confronting the fears that had driven earlier decisions.
The biggest key, Gabriel shared, was eliminating fear-based decision-making. She vividly remembers telling Kirkland she was leaving, driving in her car, seeing someone waiting for the bus in a waitressing uniform, and sobbing because she thought she would end up right back where she started. That fear, she realized, was not reality. Years of building skills, networks, and experience meant financial instability was not the actual risk.
Once she removed fear from the equation, she could ask the real question: How do I define happy and successful? For Gabriel, that meant control over her time, direction, and destiny.
Leading BHRC with Mission and Empathy
Gabriel now leads Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center as part of a family office that intentionally entered the longevity space. Her role is public-facing in a way that previous chapters were not, and she is leaning into that visibility while also working to release the perfectionism that served her well in law but can hinder entrepreneurial iteration.
When it comes to hiring and building teams, Gabriel looks for people she can learn from, regardless of their age or tenure. She recently hired a growth officer earlier in his career who teaches her about marketing, data collection, and search engine optimization every day. The ability to trust team members to take ownership while also feeling inspired by the mission is essential.
BHRC’s mission, Gabriel explained, is deeply personal. The brand is entrusted with empowering people in how they interface with the world through their appearance and how they feel on the inside. That responsibility requires making sure every provider and staff member has the training, tools, and inspiration to serve patients well.
On BHRC’s Mission
“At BHRC, we are entrusted with the gift of empowering people in both of those categories. How they interface with the world by how they choose to look, and how they feel on the inside, which we know ultimately exudes out in the way we look and act with those around us. That’s a huge responsibility.”
Leadership Principles That Guide the Work
Throughout the interview, Gabriel articulated a leadership philosophy built on authenticity, accountability, and empathy. Leaders, she believes, must live their truth, be genuine in expectations, and consistently do what they say they will do. The little things, whether deadlines, returned phone calls, or email responses, create the bigger picture of how people perceive you.
Subject matter expertise matters because you are asking people to trust your vision. Be worthy of their trust, Gabriel urged. That requires investing time, energy, and expertise into being the leader your team deserves.
Vision casting is equally important. Everyone balances the day-to-day demands with the need to stay inspired about where the business is going. Leaders must help their teams see both the immediate work and the larger purpose it serves.
On empathy, Gabriel pushed back against the notion that it signals weakness. The greatest kindness, she argued, is honesty and accountability. Giving someone a clear deadline empowers them to achieve measurable success. Giving honest feedback respects them enough to tell the truth. Empathy creates the connection and trust that allows people to receive both.
Daily Practices for Well-Being and Leadership
Gabriel shared the daily practices that support her ability to lead effectively. Early morning quiet time is essential, whether reading, listening to a podcast, or simply processing the previous day. That stillness allows her to see the whole field rather than just the battle of the moment.
She also prioritizes reading material unrelated to work, finding that engaging different mental pathways helps her approach her own challenges with more creativity. And she has shifted from high-intensity workouts to walking and hiking in nature, valuing the grounding effect of being outside.
The underlying principle is that leaders are energy carriers. They set tone, temperament, and behavioral expectations. To show up self-regulated and encouraging, Gabriel explained, you have to take time to replenish your own energy first.
On Showing Up as a Leader
“We’re brand ambassadors, we’re vision casters, we’re also energy carriers. We set tone, we set temperament, we set behavioral expectations, and I have to show up self-regulated and encouraging. To do that, to have that energy for my team, I have to take that time and make sure I’m replenishing it for myself.”
What This Means for BHRC Patients
For patients considering Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center, Gabriel’s leadership philosophy translates directly into the experience they can expect. A team that feels inspired and supported shows up differently for the people they serve. Providers who are trusted to take ownership deliver more personalized care. A mission centered on empowerment rather than transaction creates space for patients to define their own goals.
Gabriel referenced the book she is currently reading, David Brooks’ How to Know a Person, noting that everyone wants to be seen. BHRC’s job, she explained, is to see people, hear what they need to accomplish to feel good inside and out, and help them actualize that.
That philosophy, combined with clinical expertise and advanced treatment technologies, is what distinguishes Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center in the longevity and regenerative wellness space.
Experience the BHRC Difference
Schedule a consultation to explore how our team can support your wellness and aesthetic goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sarah Gabriel is the CEO of Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center. Before joining BHRC, she was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, one of the world’s most elite law firms, where she spent a decade representing private equity portfolio companies. She later pivoted to entrepreneurship, building businesses in technology and water before entering the longevity and regenerative wellness space.
Thirty Minute Mentors is a platform created by Adam Mendler that features conversations with America’s top CEOs, founders, athletes, celebrities, and political and military leaders. The interviews explore leadership principles and insights that listeners can apply to their own careers and lives.
According to Gabriel, BHRC is entrusted with empowering people in how they interface with the world through their appearance and how they feel on the inside. The brand’s responsibility is to see patients, understand their goals, and help them actualize what it means to feel good inside and out.
Gabriel looks for people she can learn from, regardless of their age or experience level. She values team members who take ownership of their work and feel personal investment in showing up well. She also emphasizes the importance of creating an inspiring environment where people feel supported and equipped to serve patients.
Gabriel emphasizes authenticity, accountability, empathy, and vision casting. She believes leaders must live their truth, be subject matter experts worthy of their team’s trust, balance day-to-day demands with inspiring vision, and show up as energy carriers who set the tone and temperament for their organizations.
After making partner at Kirkland & Ellis and having three children, Gabriel found that the demands of big law were out of step with how she wanted to be present for her family. She and her former spouse pivoted into a family office structure focused on commercializing military technology. The key to the transition, she shared, was eliminating fear-based decision-making and asking what would make her truly happy and successful.
Gabriel prioritizes early morning quiet time for reading, listening to podcasts, or processing. She reads material unrelated to work to engage different mental pathways and approach challenges with more creativity. She also values walking and hiking in nature for grounding and well-being. The underlying principle is that leaders must replenish their own energy to show up effectively for their teams.
The full interview is available on Adam Mendler’s website at adammendler.com/blog/sarah-gabriel/. The conversation covers Gabriel’s career journey, leadership philosophy, and insights on building successful teams and businesses.