Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Bannister.
Hi Anna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a Creative person with an Entrepreneurial spirit. And if there was anything I ever wanted to do, I’d learn everything I could and would dive right in, even if I didn’t know the outcome.
After college I worked the proverbial Corporate Sales job in the Publishing industry. Fast forward to being married and having kids I eventually started a handmade business, ReNue Home Studio.
I built a business from the ground up doing all the infrastructure, website, online stores, Social Media, marketing, video and more. I sold Home Decor, Signs and Wood/Clay Earrings products at Shows, Online, in Vendor stores locally and nationally.
I officially shut down ReNue Home Studio this past Fall. Retail had changed drastically and I was ready for something new.
I strongly believe everything leads you to where you’re supposed to be. Nothing is lost. It’s all tools you take with you to the next thing.
Now I’m focusing on helping GenX Women find Joy and Energy through Travel, Walking/Hiking and Wellness.
Sometimes as we got older, Women tend to lose themselves. They’ve been serving and helping their families and others for so long, they forget who they are and what makes them happy. I love encouraging and inspiring those GenXers to get out, be active, see the world and take care of their bodies.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Challenges are sometimes re-directions or times to re-evaulate. I’m sure most Entrepreneurs would agree that nothing is completely easy. And to be honest, if you get too comfortable, you’re not going to grow.
Coming out of the Pandemic was a big challenge for a lot of us that had physical products in stores and did vendor shows. We had to shift quickly to primarily an only online marketplace. And there were still challenges in adapting to competing with large online stores.
But I would have to say the biggest obstacle is a Mental one.
A trait that you see with highly successful people is that they don’t give up and they stay hyper-focused on the Goal. It’s easy to have Imposter Syndrome or be discouraged if you’re not seeing results with the effort you’re putting in. I constantly have to find ways to re-energize myself AND my brain to stay on track. It’s one of the many reasons why I love Walking so much. Not only does the exercise help my body, but it helps my mind.
We’ve been impressed with Anna Bannister LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m shifting to help GenX women find Energy and Joy through Travel, Walking/Hiking and Wellness. I mentioned before the challenges that many women experience after 40: Depression, Health, Purpose, Energy, etc…
One of the things I’m most proud of is how I encourage and inspire women. I love hearing their stories and giving them ideas and tools for being more active, questions to ask their providers to address health challenges and finding purpose and excitement for things like Travel and Adventure.
Many times women can make themselves small or think they’re alone in how their circumstance. I’m normalizing hard conversations. Ones that many might shy away from. I so badly want women to feel seen and know they’re not alone.
I know this personally. I don’t profess to be an expert about any ONE thing. But I will say there’s nothing more dangerous than a Mom who does a deep dive. (Thank you, crime and mystery shows.)
I had to dig and dig to find answers to my own situation. I was battling depression and health issues that weren’t being addressed. Things drastically changed for me when I started implementing some simple tools that I had learned. I’ve never looked back. I now have more energy than I did in my 30’s.
In fact, in September we did a 100 Mile Walking Challenge with my followers. A couple of years ago I would never have imagined I could walk 100 miles! And now I have women in my group that are doing it with me.
I’ve grown all my social media platforms to serve over 145,000 followers. When you serve people, share your authentic experiences and what you’ve learned along the way, people will come.
Right now I’m passionate about traveling, hiking, finding things that inspire me and sharing that with other GenX women.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
It’s important to surround yourself with others who will encourage and inspire you. There are so many coaching, mentoring and personal development groups. Women need Women. We need to see others succeed. We need to see others who are just a step ahead of us, so it inspires and pushes us for more.
That was the one thing that initially inspired me to start my business. I saw a business coach in my niche and knew I wasn’t alone.
You have to invest in yourself and your business. That doesn’t mean you’re copying anyone else. It means you’re getting tools that will save you time. It will 10x your business if you have Mentors.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.annabannister.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annabannisterlifeandhome
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anna.musgravebannister/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-bannister-204548358
- Twitter: https://x.com/AnnaReNueHome
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@annabannisterlifeandhome
