We’re looking forward to introducing you to Anne Gillaspie . Check out our conversation below.
Anne, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
I believe others struggle with identifying who they truly are, at their core, without shame and judgment (mostly imposed by themselves). The things we want, need, crave, desire, wish for that would serve our most true authentic selves are often things we suppress and hide, keep small as we believe they aren’t important or won’t be accepted things if others knew this about us. But I call it “Share Your Freak”. When we first share these things with ourselves, that we think might “freak” others out if we told them, are the exact things we should be bringing to the surface and sitting with, accepting, owning, and appreciating, to then bring these characteristics and identifying parts out to others, so that we can find our tribe. Feel supported in a life of freedom and pure joy, which will allow profound growth in both personal and business lives. It is in Sharing our freak that we find joy, freedom, growth, and our tribe.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m insatiably curious about people, experiences, and opinions that differ from my own. I thrive in deeper connections with others in both work and my personal life. I work and live in gratitude and enjoy lecturing about this, and its importance to our mental health and work/life balance, in high school and college classes.
I recently co-founded my second company, does this make me a serial entrepreneur? 😂 I’m thrilled to see 10toLaunch come to life after the vision began two years ago. I’m grateful for the partners and team members I choose to work with every day!
I founded my strategic branding agency, Fix & Form, in 2014 as a part of the vision we had in working while starting and growing a family. In those years, we have welcomed 3 kids, grown many client relationships into friendships, and refreshed our own brand to bring the best strategic services to businesses who are ready to soar.
My new podcast, OnlyFounders, just launched two months ago, and we’re releasing 8 episodes per month. It’s the unscripted, explicit look behind the curtain of topics founders should be talking about in public, openly, but just don’t.
I’m a big fan of strong hugs, dark coffee, smoky scotch, dancing like crazy, snowboarding, heavy weight lifting, hiking, and meaningful relationships.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I believed that I had to keep myself small, follow instruction, and please those around me for acceptance and love. Being raise in a conditional loving home where performance mattered, and achievements were greater than hard emotions, like anger, sadness, and disappointment, I was a highly functioning people pleaser. Today, I’ve spent a lot of years in books, therapy, groups, coaching to fully break free from the conditional love experience, and show up exactly who I need and want to be to love myself, and thus have found my tribe who sees me and supports me unconditionally.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
In the midst of COVID, 2020, I had a 10 month old, a two year old, and a four year old at home. I lost many parts of myself in motherhood, but also feel now that I never really knew who Anne truly was before motherhood, so I didn’t have much to lose. I was “born” at age 40 after years of healing, from the 2020 thought of “I don’t need to exist anymore” and my husband was a life-saving partner to see me, hear me, and collaborate on my healing journey that started with therapy. Now, I use the pain of that depression, climbing out of it, discovering who Anne really is for the first time, and advocating for all the parts of me, some which I used to hide, now I shout from rooftops. Because when I share all parts of Anne, I impact so many in both personal and business. The energy transaction that takes place when I share all of me, I call it “Share My Freak”, we get to depths of conversation that plant the seeds in others to start taking action to show up in their own lives, truly as themselves, and live the life of their dreams just like me.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Now, yes it is! But five years ago, no it was not. I was a great and high functioning performer in my own life. I had an amazing life, success as an entrepreneur, mom of three, successful marriage, all on the outside for what I wanted others to know and manipulated all of it to frame the “perfect” life that would gain acceptance in mass quantities. However, I was unhappy and vacant. I wasn’t there but phoning it it. Since discovering all of the things Anne wants, needs, craves, and then owning them and asking for them, I am showing up publicly just as much as I do in private. It feels easy, makes my happy in every part of my life, and allows me to hit the stages to talk to thousands about my journey and how they can also break free and be present in the amazing lives they have created.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
The energy I bring to our engagements. The passion and curiosity I have for them, their experiences in life, and connecting it all to grow impactful brands and service/product offerings to their own clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fixandform.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annegillaspie/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annegillaspie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FixandForm/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Amaurer177
Image Credits
Sage Social Branding
