I’m kicking off the season in perhaps an unexpected place, starting in conversation with someone whose resilience, determination and skill, enabled her to overcome extraordinary odds to lead a flourishing life in which she now dedicates her time to empowering others.
Meet Amy Hopper – an executive coach, digital marketer and founder of TOA, who is also fondly known as The Digital Wolverine – a particularly curious name which we’ll be hearing about later.
Having graduated at the top of her class in her Sociology BA, specialising in mental health, alienation in the workplace, and the sociology of work, Amy founded her first business at 25, the digital marketing agency AM Marketing. At 26, she was hit by a dangerous driver and suffered permanent spine damage, PTSD, anxiety, and chronic pain for the next 5 years.
By age 28 her company was named one of the Google Top 30 UK Agencies, and at 29 she received the Amazon Triumph over Adversity Award. At 30, she won the UK Digital Role Model of the Year, and at 31, she underwent a spinal fusion surgery and was wheelchair bound, shortly after which she became widowed during lockdown.
At 33, she decided to sell her business, and after a grueling, touching journey back to health, she was able to travel the world solo at 33, hiking over 600km in over 8 countries and 26 cities. Upon her return, she founded her agency,TOA, and she is now working with some of the world's largest companies to remove wellbeing barriers producing high-performing teams.
I first met Amy through our mutual friend, Richard Savage, who told me that I simply had to meet this extraordinary woman, and he wasn’t wrong. You’ll tell from our laughter and energy that we were excited to be in conversation together, and while the video didn’t work out due to technical issues at my end, I hope you’ll enjoy this moving conversation in which we explore tenderness, loss, and resilience, how the simple steps can be the ones that help us to transform adversity into growth.
Recorded on 1st June 2023.
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