#FollowTheAnxietyApp
Dr. Anne Monaghan is the founder of The Anxiety App Ltd, a business born from her personal experiences with anxiety and her passion for helping others. With a background that spans from gold mining to community relations and communications, Anne now focuses on empowering individuals to manage their anxiety through personalised self-care programmes. The Anxiety App offers tools such as yoga, reflexology, acupressure, and mindfulness, allowing users to create tailored approaches to their well-being. Anne’s entrepreneurial journey is a testament to resilience, ambition, and a commitment to ethical business practices.
The Anxiety App Story
Anxiety affects everyone differently, which is why there’s a need for a personalised solution. By using The Anxiety App, people can try different practices—such as yoga, reflexology, and mindfulness—to create a unique programme that suits their needs, empowering them to manage their condition effectively. Currently, there is no comprehensive solution on the market that helps individuals with anxiety understand their condition while building personalised self-management programmes. The Anxiety App fills this gap by offering tools such as yoga, reflexology, acupressure, tapping, breathing practices, and mindfulness, allowing users to craft their own self-care programmes.
Where are you from and where do you live?
Ederney, County Fermanagh
Describe Yourself in 6 Words
Entrepreneurial, ambitious, loves life and yoga!
Tell us about your business and what inspired you to start it:
The Anxiety App Ltd was born out of my personal experiences with anxiety, driven by my desire to help others. During the pandemic, I offered online sessions in yoga and therapies like Reiki, facial reflexology, acupressure, and tapping. Since then, the business has evolved, and I am now exploring ways to diagnose, measure, and track anxiety.
Tell us a little more about you:
I have had an unconventional career path, starting as a gold miner, then moving into community relations and communications. I’ve held roles such as Head of Communications, Policy Adviser, and consultant. Now, I focus on teaching yoga and offering therapies, while also developing my business.
Your Female Founder Journey:
Being a founder has multiple stages, and having an initial idea is the easiest part. Refining it has been a continuous process. I’ve had financial offers and support, but finding the right partners and experts is often the hardest challenge. There are still barriers for women in business, especially in certain companies and cultures. At a recent pitch day, only 2 out of 19 companies were female-led. However, I believe in looking beyond Northern Ireland and Ireland for opportunities.
How has AwakenHub helped your business?
AwakenHub has helped me refine my ideas and pitches. The sessions offer great opportunities, and every "no" becomes a valuable learning experience. I truly appreciate the generosity of Mary, Clare, and Denise in giving their time.
Specific Request for the Community:
Has anyone partnered with universities? If so, how did you go about it, and what did they require?
As a Founder, what are your non-negotiables? What values or principles do you live by?
I aim to maintain ownership of my idea and company for as long as possible. Partnerships must align with my ethical values. It’s not just about money—finding the right people to work with is paramount.
Where do you see yourself in 12 months and 5 years?
In 12 months, I hope to have identified tech and other support, and in 5 years, to have completed the R&D stage with a prototype in place.
Top Three Tips for Other Women Founders:
Every "no" is a detour in the right direction.
Encourage honest feedback on your business and its potential for success.
Be open to change—the idea and business will evolve. See criticism as an opportunity to refine.
Six Words to Live By:
Find the right product and people.
Social Media Links
www.theanxietyapp.co.uk
