Alycia Anderson, a motivational TEDx speaker, disability advocate, and CEO of the Alycia Anderson Company joins us to discuss her journey as a business owner and entrepreneur. With her strong background in diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting, Alycia is a trailblazer who uses her personal experiences and professional insights to empower communities across the globe. Her work continues to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and inspire change.
Don’t miss the chance to listen to this enlightening discussion and gain valuable tips for starting on your own entrepreneurial journey. Short on time? Check out the brief summary below!
Can you tell us about your journey into entrepreneurship? What inspired you to start your own business?
Alycia’s journey into entrepreneurship was shaped by lived experiences as a wheelchair user, a passion for change, and the desire for a self-determined career path. After a 20-year successful corporate career, culminating in a VP of Sales role, she often felt isolated as one of the few visibly disabled leaders at the decision-making table. She experienced gaps in representation, masked her disability to fit in, and found this exhausting. This led to their entrepreneurial path to address societal barriers, create meaningful change, and empower others to do the same
What challenges did you face early in your career, and how did you overcome them?
Alycia faced blatant discrimination and a lack of inclusion throughout her career, often feeling like a liability rather than valued. Her advocacy voice grew organically as she shared her experiences and recognized the need for conversations around disability inclusion in the workplace. She ultimately launched her platform, "The Heart of Inclusion" to promote meaningful workplace conversations on disability inclusion.
Finding confidence in self-advocacy took time, but building community and sharing stories helped Alycia embrace her voice and power.
Who were your biggest influences or mentors in your entrepreneurial journey?
Alycia’s sister was her earliest ally, creating a safe space that helped her build her voice. Also, her former boss hired her for her planning abilities, recognizing her disability as an asset rather than a limitation. Pivotal life moments, including health challenges and incidents of discrimination, inspired Alycia to use her voice to advocate for inclusivity and visibility. The key takeaway is that shifting one’s mindset to see disability as a strength can lead to empowerment, advocacy, and meaningful change.
How do you measure success, both personally and professionally, in your business?
Alycia measures success both personally and professionally by reflecting on the impact she has on others, particularly through her advocacy work. She recognizes the importance of making measurable progress in her business model, including reaching revenue and partnership goals, but she also values the emotional impact of her work, such as inspiring and mentoring others. Despite her high-achievements, Alycia admits she often moves on too quickly without celebrating her successes, but she finds fulfillment in helping organizations and individuals, noting that the moments where she connects with people are her true markers of success.
How do you balance work and personal life while running a business?
Alycia balances work and personal life by being intentional about setting boundaries and making time for activities that support her mental health, such as exercising and spending time with her dog. She acknowledges that entrepreneurship has become a lifestyle, often leading her to overcommit, but she’s learning to say "no" when necessary to preserve her well-being and relationships. While she initially said "yes" to everything to grow her business, she now focuses on ensuring that commitments serve both her and others, and she emphasizes the importance of asking for value in return to maintain balance and sustainability.
How do you see your business evolving in the next five years, and what excites you most about the future?
Alycia envisions her business growing into a powerful platform where she can reach larger audiences, with goals like booking stadium events and becoming a highly recognized motivational speaker, similar to Brené Brown. She is also working on a book deal and expanding her podcast into a national brand. What excites her about the future is creating a platform to teach other women, particularly disabled women, how to thrive in leadership roles and empowering others through her personal journey of embracing and leveraging her disability.
Get Connected:
Website: https://alyciaanderson.com/
Podcast: Pushing Forward With Alycia
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyciaspeaking/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alyciaspeaking/
Alycia loves connecting with others in her community and welcomes direct messages. Also, reach out to her if you or someone you know should be featured on her podcast.
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