Anya’s story
Anya Pearse is a positive psychology practitioner, facilitator, and content writer who helps purpose-led individuals and organisations transform their presence into positive impact.
Anya joined Vision 20/20 because she had faced major life changes and needed support and clarity as she navigated the transition into being an entrepreneur for the first time. This is her story.
I wanted to take myself seriously
I used to joke that I’ve been in pre-launch for about a decade, reading about how to start a business and hanging out with “real” founders and entrepreneurs in the Happy Startup School community since 2019.
I was on long-term disability benefits, completing an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology, and felt too scared to make the jump into working for myself.
But then I lost my mum in March, turned 50 a month later, and came off income-based benefits due to the small inheritance I received.
“I was scared and lacking confidence, but I also knew that I was facing an incredible opportunity to change my life for the better.”
The cost felt daunting, but investing in the program felt like I was finally “turning pro” and backing myself to fulfil the potential other people saw in me.
It was designed to encourage the balance I need
I have often felt intimidated about becoming an entrepreneur because so much in this space has a hustle-culture energy.
But I need to prioritise my health and happiness just as much as I do developing my business, as burn-out can really set my health back further.
As I work in the wellbeing space, I also wanted to practise what I preach about the value of self-care!
The program helped me to know that my version of success can look different, and that doing it in a personally sustainable way is not just encouraged but foundational.
I came for the content, but stayed for the people
I’ll admit it: I was there for the content, the “lessons”. And yes, I completed as many exercises as possible, as they helped me to explore my ideas and discover how to turn them into reality.
But what I didn’t account for was how good it was to have a check-in with my Buddy Group every week for 20 weeks. We’re still meeting now once a fortnight, a year after we started our cohort!
“There’s nothing quite like a tight crew of diverse yet like-minded people on a similar journey to inspire or encourage you.”
They gave me a safe space to experiment with ideas and unpick problems, and the feedback I received when I bounced things around was invaluable.
The program attracts generous and experienced professionals who also want to make a difference with their work. Being able to tap into that wider pool of knowledge and wisdom was an amazing bonus I never anticipated.
I’m building on stronger foundations now
I launched an offering and a podcast during the program, more by accident than design, although we were all encouraged to “start before we were ready”.
“Life has intervened since then, but that’s the beauty of the programme; it changes you and stays with you.”
I’m planning to go through the content again on my own a year later to see what they reveal this time around, as I’m finally able to commit to progress again.
I’ve also been collaborating with a fellow member of the Happy Startup School community on a totally new project. I’ve been able to test out ideas and receive feedback in the alumni group, which has been so helpful once again.
Because this program isn’t just for 20 weeks. This is a whole new community I’ve joined, within the Happy Startup School community. And it feels like I’ve finally turned pro.
