Starting my own business was never a life goal for me. I was content in the corporate and consulting worlds I was in. But I became troubled … and then inspired … and then compelled to address what was hurting my heart.

More than anything, I believe that everyone belongs and deserves empathy. Loneliness had already been on the rise, and empathy was on the decline before the divisiveness in the United States and around the world that accelerated both. How did we become so separate from each other? Living in an, “Us VS. Them” world instead of, “We’re all in this together” felt heartbreaking. 

Then I had a transformative experience that became the inspiration behind my startup, the Daily Haloha app. 

While doing my daily subway commute in NYC, I saw a sticky note project, called “Subway Therapy”, blossoming on the station walls. Soon it became a rich mosaic of 50,000 heartfelt notes. I watched as passersby felt drawn to participate. I saw them thoughtfully create their contribution, and place it amidst the others. And I saw how they were uplifted when they stepped back and felt a part of something bigger than themselves.  

Intrigued and moved, I starting researching other collaborative art and storytelling projects and the unique way they uplift and connect us. Whether it’s a sticky note wall with notes of inspiration, a chalk board that invites passersby to share their dreams, or a gratitude tree filled with ribbons of thanks, these projects are anonymous, free of judgment, and free of status. They create an environment where people have the freedom to contribute with their hearts, and also the freedom to reflect on others’ contributions thoughtfully.  

I had to bottle up that magic, and make it available everywhere.

That magic became the Daily Haloha app. Our app brings people together everywhere to reflect and share on one question a day, together. Our hope is that a daily experience that invites reflection instead of reaction and perspective-taking instead of judgment will gently put empathy back into muscle memory.

I love coming up with our daily questions! It is the most fun and creative part of my job. Our daily questions are designed to uplift us individually and also highlight our shared humanity. They invite meaningful self-reflection, crowd-source wisdom and perspective, and spark joy and creativity.

We seem to be onto something because our participants from around the world tell us they feel more positive and less alone. Less separate.

Now, we are making our platform available to communities, so that they can build belonging through group participation in a custom daily ritual. Schools, workplaces, and community organizations can all join us.

Starting this business has been the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I embarked on this journey with no tech or mobile app experience, no founder experience, and few tools that translated from my corporate career to the startup world. I have learned so much. One of my main learnings is to have empathy for myself! 

You can download our free app here: https://dailyhaloha.com/

Chat with us here: amy@dailyhaloha.com

And follow us on all the socials: @dailyhaloha

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Amy is a seasoned leader that provides businesses with the clarity and alignment they need to grow, serve customers, engage partners and fulfill employees. As both consultant and executive, she has developed and implemented innovative brand and business strategies for organizations large and small. Currently, she is focusing on her startup Daily Haloha. Daily Haloha is a global collective experience platform to connect us more deeply to ourselves and others, every day. Her mission is to rekindle empathy. Her work in business strategy, women’s leadership, and now her empathy app is all connected by the belief that we need to see and hear each other to create a world of true belonging. Amy graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Duke University with a BS degree in Computer Science and Economics.