Anna Sinclair | Feminine. Fierce: The Truth Behind the Success

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:00:03

Great day. Amazing human. Yes. Welcome to Empowered at My Skin podcast where our mission is to help 1 billion people in this world think in more empowering ways.

Empowered humans, empower humans. So you are in the right place to become a lead domino for empowerment today. My name is Nkechi Mwaho Robinson.

I'm not only your host, but I am a vibrant optimist obsessed to bring you empowering content with every single episode.

We will bring you weekly content alternating between longer episodes with featured guests and a shorter episode called Empowering Bites where I will be joined by my co host Gabby Memone. So if you're ready, let the show begin. Great day. I don't know why I always clap a great day. Amazing humans. Yes, I am energy unmatched today.

My next guest, for those of you on YouTubers you can see this amazing human.

But for those of you that are listening in, this guest is a powerhouse entrepreneur, angel investor, content creator who's built a nationally recognized platform supporting women in business. From music stages to boardrooms.

She's turned creativity into impact, raising millions in sponsorship, founding award winning events and empowering founders across the country. Get ready for an inspiring conversation with someone who truly knows what it takes to build something meaningful from the ground up.

So everybody, you know how we do it on Empower My Skin podcast. Get put your ears, your hands, everything together for an amazing welcome to the incomparable Anna Sinclair.

Anna Sinclair: 00:01:47

What an intro. Holy cow. Can you do my intro anywhere I go, please? You know, just walk into the grocery store and you're like.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:01:56

You know how they say like this person doesn't deserve an inch. Everyone deserves an intro, right?

And yes, and I truly also do believe that those getting the intro deserve to sit back and say like, who's that person? Like just be in awe of how awesome you are. So thank you so much.

Anna Sinclair: 00:02:11

If I could be in the business.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:02:12

Of introduction, introducing people that would be like, that would be amazing. Like just to go around everywhere that people need an intro.

Anna Sinclair: 00:02:19

You're on to something side business, more things happening.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:02:25

Intro. Amazing humans to amazing humans. So I love it. Thank you so much for finally say like how long have we. We've known each for years.

Yeah, it's been, it's been a while. And how long has it taken me to like, like get you on here? Like I don't even. It's not even that we were trying or this any other.

I just realized it just, it was the time. So now's the time because you've done some impeccable stuff over the last couple of years, and I have also been a benefactor of it.

So thank you very much for in inviting me to your amazing stages. I've, of course, had the pleasure of hosting CWE gala a couple of times.

Anna Sinclair: 00:03:00

And, yeah, the pleasure's all mine. It's all ours. Our team loves you so, so much. You're honestly the best host MC human being. I take that we would be done not to hire you.

Are you kidding me? Anybody listening? Like, this is what you're gonna get all the time, every time.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:03:17

Thank you. I'm learning not to shirk. I'm learning not to shirk. So thank you. I received that. But this is all about you and even less about you. I think what I.

What I desire as an outcome from this is like, you have an amazing origin story, and I do, and I want to get into that because I do believe that. That the benefits that we as you know, who come into your vortex and. And even those that are. Those that are impacted by your impact, you know.

Anna Sinclair: 00:03:46

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:03:48

I think. I think we get. I think we deserve to know why. Right?

So as a starting question, I just want to know what's been your most empowering thought of the day so far?

Anna Sinclair: 00:03:59

I really, genuinely am a strong believer, have always been a strong believer that your mind and your thoughts are the biggest tool that you have in your toolkit.

There's, like, obviously your consciousness and your soul and your being and what drives you and what you feel and who you are and what connects you to the world. But our mind is so tricky because it plays games on us. And as humans, we've got, like, the ego, the id, all this stuff.

And it really is, like, all the possibilities are always from that mindset.

And so this morning, I wake up and I'm like, okay, I've got the podcast and my air conditioning breaks, and the first thing, I just laughed because I'm sitting there getting ready, and I'm like, maybe I'll just pretend that, like, I'm in the hot waves of Miami. And it works like, it. It's. I could sit there and go, oh, my day is ruined. The whole day is ruined. How am I going to do this?

But it made me realize, like, gosh, I've gotten really good at the power of mindset, and it really has gotten me through every single challenge in my life. And, you know, you. You know all about how welcoming you can be to challenges when you have the right mindset.

So the most powerful thought I've had today is that, like, damn, thank God for this mindset, I can conquer all the.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:05:21

And it's interesting. Like, everything starts and starts and ends in the mind. Right? Like, I truly do believe it is our most powerful tool. And the best of us have the.

Have the. The CEO. CEO position of it. You know what I mean? So.

Anna Sinclair: 00:05:35

Oh, yeah.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:05:36

So I'm gonna. I'm actually gonna start because there was something that you said in the B roll that's inspiring. Like this, like, the first. The real.

Like, the introduction to the main interview. And I'm gonna say something. And this is shoutouts to, like, I want to give Brandon some flowers.

Anna Sinclair: 00:05:51

Yes.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:05:52

Yeah, please.

Anna Sinclair: 00:05:52

He deserves all the flowers in the world.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:05:54

And I know we often look at couples and it's like, oh, couple goals hashtag, you know, and.

Yeah, but there's actually something really, really genuine about how Brandon shows up for you, and I just want to give you a few moments because I don't know if you've done it today publicly, but just to shout out your. Your. Your. Your significant other.

Anna Sinclair: 00:06:14

Yeah. Oh, my gosh.

So for those who don't know Brandon or haven't met him yet, I don't know how you wouldn't have, because everywhere I go, he is right there by my side. We are like ball and chain. We've been working together for 15 years.

And when I say working together, I don't even mean just like, at companies and jobs, but as partners in life. Like, when I met Brandon, we were both at a crossroad, and we were both just, like, in this, like, end of one phase and potential beginning of anew.

And when we collided, it was just the most natural thing of, like, let's figure out life together. And although he's my husband, he's also my best friend. And having a best friend, oh, my gosh, having a best friend is.

Is hard because, you know, you have your differences, you have your seasons, you have your opinions, ideas, but never once out of all my ugliness or moments of challenges and self development and growth, has he ever let me down or left my side. And yeah. Yeah, it's. He's a beautiful person. He's such a great father, an incredible husband, and an incredible champion of women.

And with the work that I do helping women, I couldn't. I couldn't be more grateful to have somebody like him by my side because he truly gets it. Like, he just.

He never steps into something with ego or, like, jealousy. When he steps into a room, he's like, how can I help? How can I serve? And. And still I. Every day I'm like, how did I find this person?

Like, how did I find this person that devotes his entire being and life to the bigger picture, to not just himself and his goals and his career or his needs. He finds a way to merge all of them and show up. And, like, showing up is the most powerful thing. Like, all you can do is show up sometimes.

But he shows up. He shows up.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:08:22

Oh, he does. I love that he's the guy I interact with to get to you. Right? So I think that's so awesome.

Anna Sinclair: 00:08:30

Sometimes he's like that first. Yeah. He. Sometimes I email people as Brandon, too. So thank God Brandon likes me because.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:08:39

I don't know that I'd get to you without him. But. But I also do want to say this because I'm pretty sure, you know, right. Like, I think we attract what we're ready to receive, truthfully.

And I. I mean, and that could be in any ways. It could be in the magical ways it could be. I think all relationships and connects that we have are.

Are truly do teach us something and are aligned to where we are in life at a given time. And. And I love that you said that, like, you and Brandon seem to have made the commitment to grow irrespective of what's ever happening together. And.

Yeah, I think that that's really beautiful. So.

Anna Sinclair: 00:09:13

It's so beautiful. It's. I love that you shouted out Brandon. He's such a secret weapon of mine. Anytime anyone asks me, like, oh, how did you do this?

Or how did you do that? Like, Brandon is behind so many of those moments, because without him, there's no way I would have the career that I have today.

Like, to be honest with you, one of the biggest things that I realized when I started my first company, Total mom, was that there were millions of women out there, whether they were single moms or in marriages or partnerships where their partners were not available or they didn't have a partner or they did have a partner, but everything seemed almost impossible because life is life and babies need attention and they need to be raised.

And although that we both co parent and raise our children, when I need to do something like this, like, here he is right now taking the three kids out to a car wash so that I could be present and that I could hear you and you could hear me, and we can really be in the conversation.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:10:16

I love that.

Anna Sinclair: 00:10:17

Yeah, I love it too.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:10:18

I love that. Thank you, Brandon.

Anna Sinclair: 00:10:21

Nobody steal my man.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:10:23

Nope. Nope.

Anna Sinclair: 00:10:24

So don't even think about it.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:10:25

So I love that you. So. Because you Brought up Total Mom. I was. I was actually going to dive right into Sinclair Creative.

And so maybe you can help us understand that ecosystem, like, you know.

Anna Sinclair: 00:10:36

Yeah. So how does yes, yes, yes.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:10:37

Total mom come about? Where did Sinclair Creative sort of evolve from? Yeah.

Anna Sinclair: 00:10:43

How much time do you have?

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:10:44

We have time.

Anna Sinclair: 00:10:45

We have time. Okay. Well, I mean, it all really began when I was really, really young and my dad gave me this karaoke machine at the age of three.

My dad's a pro drummer and he. Music is in our blood. And he gave me a karaoke machine and it played this, like, Achy Breaky Heart song on repeat.

It was just a cassette and it was like the same song. So I mastered it and I just. I was singing around my house all the time. And I think when I was a really little girl, like, my.

My whole family said, anna's always, like, creating plays, bringing the kids together, singing, dancing, act so silly and, like, over the top. And, like, when that Macarena song came out, I sort of got. I taught my whole school of Macarena.

It was like I just was always a theatrical, creative mind. And I loved music so, so much.

I felt like no matter what I've ever gone through in my life, music has always been there and has been an outlet that I could tap into and feel my feelings and emotions. And, you know, I won't go into, like, my whole, like, upbringing now because I think you might ask about it later.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:11:53

You.

Anna Sinclair: 00:11:53

You hinted on.

I went to high school, university, college, all that stuff, and I had this dream of being in the medical field or in psychology, and I really, really am interested in all of that. But then this thing happened in my life where I thought I was going in one direction and then everything just collapsed.

And I felt like at that time it was a major reset of who I am. And am I really doing what I love to do? Am I really in school for what I really want to be in school for?

Like, why am I doing this career path or why am I chasing this? And everything kind of went out the window. And I said, I have always wanted to be a pop singer.

Like, my dream has always been to be like, the Britney Spears, the Christine Aguilera. Like, I just looked at these women and I saw them perform, put on outfits, inspire people, sing, dance, self express.

And, like, my upbringing was very much like, hide, hide, hide. Like, you know, protect, protect, safety, safety.

So I yearned for this, like, opportunity to be on that big stage and, like, actually get to step out of where I was, which were two war Torn countries. And anyway, long story short, as I. I went for it, I. I said, you know what? I'm gonna try to be a pop star.

And I started Facebooking people, emailing people, and some radio programmer had reached back out to me, and it all started from there. It was like, I believe in you. And I'm like, okay, I've got this opportunity. Let's hit this.

And one thing led to another and I got signed and I got signed to Universal Music and I started running my own independent record label. And I was Juno nominated. And I was like on 30,000 people stages. I did the we day performance.

I was co writing with my biggest dream artists and flying to Miami with the weekend in Kygo. Like, the whole thing was just a dream come true. And it genuinely was the hardest four or five years of hustle in my entire life.

Because I was becoming a woman, I was discovering who I was, my values were constantly being tested and put in front of me, and I got through that industry so much stronger.

Like, I grew up so fast because I constantly was questioned whether I was good enough, whether the next single would take off or whether like a programmer or like a producer or a magazine would like me. Right? Because when you're a pop artist, the whole package is you.

And so when you start seeing negative comments on the Internet and stuff like that, you. You don't take it as like, oh, the brand, the brand, the music artist. You take it in as you. So I learned a lot about tough skin.

I learned a lot about, like, self worth and self confidence. And I walk. I came out of that so strong. Like, I usually people sometimes go in the music industry and they come out on the dark side.

But what had happened to me was I was supposed to be signed to a major record label in the US And I lost it because Brandon and I were pregnant with our first son, Oliver. And I look back at this whole story and I tell this story all the time because people are like, why did you start total mom? Like, why total mom?

And it was because I became a new mother and went to a baby show. And I sat there and looked at all the stuff that I had taken home from the baby show, and it was all for the baby. And I said, what about the mom?

And I had already been in the situation where, like, I already kind of knew entrepreneurship in a way, because running your own record label, reaching out to pr, media marketing, planning, organizing, like, fabricating, like, doing everything. I had been on that trial of, like, figure it out. And Brandon was like, you know, Maybe this, this is a moment for you to focus on your motherhood.

And somehow it was like this thought of what about the mom? Never left my brain. And I was like, we were in his parents basement because we were at our first child and they were helping us.

And I said, I'm going to do this.

I'm going to create something that is going to focus on personally and professionally supporting women that are juggling motherhood and their business. And it was the most incredibly inspiring idea because it was the only thing I could think about every single day and night.

And the first thing I did with it was I started a festival, a holistic festival. And it was my first time actually planning a large scale event. And I was absolutely bananas to try and do it, but I went for it.

And we had over a thousand people come, like CBC News did a feature on it, there were influencers there. I had my first 50k sponsor and brand come on board and next thing you know, like, I'm running this company.

And so eight and a half years later I look back and I'm like, okay, wow, I survived. And it was such a crazy journey because it started out as a festival. I had a business partner, it was too hard for them. They backed out.

I had to buy them out. That whole thing was hard because for three years I didn't pay myself because I had to pay this partner out.

But I so strongly believed in where the organization was going and what was around the corner. And then we started doing business summits and like programming and events for entrepreneurs.

And then as soon as I signed, almost signed, once again, this is like the theme, I almost signed another multimillion dollar deal to do these festivals all across the country.

And then you know, our world shut down and we had the global pandemic and everything that was set to be signed and dealed and all the big festivals that we're going to take Total mom national were on pause. And once again Brandon and I sat there in the war room and we were like mapping everything out on a, on the like board.

And I said, you know, let's forget about the business plan for a second. Let's just take note of like, why are we doing Total Mom? What are we doing this for and what is happening in the world?

And we kind of like brain mapped it all and we realized that no matter what, that small businesses and families and women were hurting and they were losing their businesses. Their businesses were being shut down, closed down. They didn't know where they were going to get money to survive during this, like, time.

And we flipped the script and we did a national.

A national virtual, not for profit style grant program where we could give money into the hands of women entrepreneurs that are growing their business, helping their family out. And it was the most incredible thing in the world.

Like, when I tell you that, like, I did, I ran that program for years, getting paid absolutely zero, but gaining every single ounce of joy and fulfillment. And seeing these women and their businesses thrive just meant so much more to me than, where was Total mom going and why did we lose that deal?

And I was just so passionate about it that I started, like, knocking on the doors of massive corporations, something that I'm not shy to do. And I went for it.

And I started asking for the dollars to help fund the program because we had to bring on interns and assistants, and, you know, there's marketing and print and the events itself cost so much money. And yeah, it was like one big corporation came on board another one. And, you know, it all started.

It all started with Scotiabank and then Visa and then this and that and TD and everybody. And then it just like literally every dream brand of mine was like, how can we be a part of this? How can we help? Anyways, this is such a long story.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:19:54

Don't you see me leaning in?

Anna Sinclair: 00:19:56

Yes, I do. Thank you. So we did that, and from that, we started gaining national recognitions for the quality and level of programming that we do.

And Total mom was on the brink of launching a membership platform and an entrepreneurship school. And there was just way too much that I wanted to do, but there was only so much we could do with our small team.

And all the money and the dollars was going to the people that we were serving. So my company was acting as a not for profit, but was set up as a corporate enterprise, but everything was all about giving, giving, giving.

And so that was fine for me.

But, like, as you meet mentors and you become an angel investor, the little birdie in your ears and all the different people are like, this is not the business model that's gonna make you a unicorn brand. And I'm like, maybe I don't want to be a unicorn brand.

Like, maybe like the whole grind of selling, like, of selling a company, the whole grind of, like, exiting, having an exit plan, buying out a business partner, that dream of, like, oh, I might retire. Like, I worked so hard. The sweat, blood, and tears.

One day I just sat there and I realized that it's my quality of living right now and not what, where I'm going, like, necessarily where I'm going with Total mom stopped being as meaningful as it was when I was coming from a place of desperation to exit the company while still driving impact.

And it slowly kind of turned into this, like run a business, but I was running a community movement operation and I just couldn't have the two click like that way.

And I don't know if it's just because I suck at like wanting it to be a business, but anyway, I throughout that like the success of Total Mom, I kept authentic and true to the vision. And so I didn't sell out, so to speak.

And what ended up happening was all of these corporations and organizations and brands, they saw the success, they saw the collaborations, they saw the output, they saw the awards and they started reaching out to me and saying, hey, do you mind like doing something for us and do you mind doing this like video and do you mind doing this thing? And I sat there and I told Brandon, I'm like, Brandon, like do I charge this to Total Mom? Do I take it as personal income?

Like, like I'm just doing all these creative things. And he's like, yeah, the creative agents. And I'm like, yeah, we are a creative agency.

And I, I was talking to my accountant and she was like, yeah, this isn't going to work. Like you need to incorporate something and call it like an agency. And I did. And the second that that happened, everything made sense.

And then eventually I started realizing that my creative agency was creating these programs and events for multiple brands, multiple companies. And Total mom didn't become like just the, the, like the train. It was one of the many brands.

And then I woke up one day and I was like, oh shit, I have six, seven brands and I'm running an agency. So now where we are now is a couple of years ago I started feeling like, okay, I need to do more than just the Total mom project.

And I've, I felt like I had at that eight and a half year mark outgrew like what I was doing and how I needed to do it. Like I got it to a place where I was like cool somebody now run with it. It is, is like touch moving and inspiring people.

It has reoccurring sponsorships. The programs and events are going nowhere. They're needed, they're wanted. And I put everything into sca.

And now SCA is an award winning marketing agency.

You know, we produce tours, brand activations, conferences, festivals, galas for not for profits brands, corporations, business owners even and it specializes in impact programming.

So what that means is we work and we choose to work more so with companies, brands and founders or agencies that are making a difference with their platform.

And that's always been what drives my career is like seeing people doing something meaningful while getting paid, while getting to do the marketing fun part of it because marketing just fuels my fire. Like I love to figure out how to put something out, how to get people to experience it, how they're feeling about a brand and all that.

And so we blend communications, we blend marketing, we blend experiential technology. And we pride ourselves in producing world class experiences and viral content that move people.

That movement, that community is always at the heart of anything we do in the project. And yeah, I've perfected the game of closing millions of dollars to fund these projects and I think that it's the best decision that I ever made.

Is like we're so proud. Like we're such a small team. There's such a small team. We're an independent agency, but our clients are like American Express, cibc.

Like we have, we have something here and I can't wait to nurture it and see where it goes.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:25:24

Wow. Well, it's going, Ben. It's going. And I'm, I'm just so riveted. That was an incredible, incredible journey that you just shared with us.

And I, and I honestly, I wish you, I wish you continued success. Right. I think you're on that train.

Anna Sinclair: 00:25:38

And thank you so much.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:25:40

Wow. Yeah. So it's interesting because one can sit here and say, you know, she's had it easy.

But I did pick up some nuggets through your story where you talked about, you know, this desire that you had. It's, you know, being so closed in, in your younger life and then maybe this opportunity to see what life and expression could look like.

So maybe I should have started there. But I do want you to share your origin story because I think my mouth dropped because I would never have known and I think I. Yeah, never have known.

So I do, I don't share your.

Anna Sinclair: 00:26:13

I don't even know where to start. Like I.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:26:16

Maybe just where you grew up. Because I think you talked about two war torn countries.

Anna Sinclair: 00:26:21

Yes. Yeah, yeah. So my entire family and my entire like family tree.

And by the way, I say family tree because I've just recently like discovered the, that family tree site. I forget what it's called. Ancestry something. And I've been building that out. It's so fascinating.

But my whole family was built like, comes from the outskirts of Ukraine. Like it was kind of like ussr, it was like Russia Ukraine, all these like very complex things in history that is there.

So my identity has always been questioned in terms of like where I come from and what it was. So I was born on the outskirts of Ukraine. My father moved us to Israel for a stadium tour and we lived there.

I was actually raised there because I moved out of there to Canada at six years old. So I was there through the Gulf War. And so my childhood was very much like your typical immigration story times 20.

Because while we were immigrating and moving countries and learning new languages and, you know, packing up a couple suitcases and starting over over and over again, I experienced a lot of war torn experiences that no child should ever experience. And like, a lot of the memories are gone. Like, I feel like I blacked out a lot of them.

But just having to wear a gas mask and hide under a table and tape your windows and hope that you're gonna get out, it's a scary thing for a child to experience. And like, there were moments where I was just constantly on my own.

Like, kids would be on the streets till three in the morning, sirens would turn on, like, rockets would like hit. Like, you just would never know. There was just no order or structure. It was so chaotic and so scary.

And like when I moved to Canada, it was like the first time I saw snow. I remember because in Russia I was so little. And then in Israel was like just like palm trees and all this madness.

And then we get to Canada and I, I see a billboard like for the first time and it's the Home Alone Guy and it's like Pepsi, like Coca Cola or. And snow. And I was so culture shocked when I moved here because it wasn't the fact that I had to learn English and whatever.

It was people here and children here, they were just so. I don't know how to say this, like they were so taken care of and they had it so good.

I struggled, I struggled to get rid of a lot of the resentment that I held as a child. And that anger of like, you're complaining about this, like, you know. And anyways, I, yeah, I started over.

We moved to Canada and my parents did everything. Whether it's like work at the gas station selling donuts or windows and doors, massage, like everything.

My mom and my dad just hustled and I, I saw it, but we weren't really like, there was no structured family unit. And I had always believed and made myself believe that you just gotta figure it out all on your own. World is not safe.

And that you need to just like, do whatever you gotta do to get out of that and succeed. And so I think being the youngest out of my two brothers, I was the only one that went to college, university, like, graduated high school. My.

My brothers went a different direction. And I was like, I'm gonna be somebody. Like, I am gonna do something.

And I've seen enough and experienced enough that, like, I don't see things the same way that I feel that others see. I still feel like that today, like, my lens to what I have experienced and what truly matters in the world.

And, like, how my life and my health and my ability gives me the opportunity to help others. And I was very inspired by that. So I didn't make a victim mentality, like, oh, my upbringing was so hard and scary and whatever.

I somehow found the strength to, like, see it in a way that fueled me and that inspired me and pushed me and propelled me to go hard. And then when I reached success, I was like, holy shit, like, now what? And that. Now what?

Was everything that I've ever dreamed about, which was to do good in the world. Because I've seen so much bad. I've seen so many horrible things.

And even today, when we watch what's happening in the world, it is so incredibly hard and confusing to me because here I am living in Blue Mountain in the four seasons, like, successful, watching and seeing so much pain and hurt and war. And it's a mind trip because I was there, I'm not there. I want to help.

It's a consistent trigger that I have to constantly remind myself that I'm safe, I've made it, I'm helping others. And so that personal growth is an everyday thing because your childhood is always with you. It's, you know, you got to work with it.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:31:56

So I'm. First of all, I have to just commend you for a minute. You are the best kind of person to interview.

Because it's like, I asked two questions and I get so much, so much value back. The one thing that I think strikes as maybe like, sort of the last question before I go into rapid thrivers is you've covered so much ground.

And I know we. The way we started this, this. This episode was about you talking about mindset and how important it is. Yeah, but you have to develop that.

And with now with you sort of sharing how your mind went through this whole life journey to where you are on today, to actually now, your origin story, I want to connect it because you often talk about mental health.

I also believe there's wellness and there's well being and so maybe you can as a parting really like what can you share with, with the listeners around, you know, Anna's tips for navigating life because it is, there is going to be challenges.

No one is privileged enough to walk through this life without no, you know, and so what you have the microphone, what would you, what is it that you need to say?

Anna Sinclair: 00:33:08

It's going to be different for everybody. But I invested a significant amount of time and energy and money into like courses, self development, I went through landmark education.

I faced so many realities of all sides of why I am the way I am going to therapy and like owning your like mindset and like your choices. I think it's just being, it's like it's really just stripping down and being real with like what it is that you're making something mean.

Like if you don't have the resources to like do therapies, this courses or whatever, the one thing I can leave you all with is like get real with yourself for a minute and ask yourself what am I making this mean?

So whatever it is that's happening to you and I say that with the little quotations because we do, as humans tend to say this is happening to me and not happening for me. And if you can actually ask yourself like what am I making this mean?

You'll often see that like a lot of the challenges in life aren't so such a big deal after all. They mean something obviously. Like they it sucks and life has its ups and downs and we have those things.

But you, if you look at like what you're making it mean, then you can step up and elevate yourself to the next thought of like, okay, well now I get a choice to change how I'm making it mean. And once you change how you're making it mean then you are empowered.

And empowerment is the key to action, it's the key to results, it's the key to love, it's the key to joy, it's the key to connection. Empowering yourself is the only thing you can do. You can't control the world around you.

You can't control what happens, can't control how someone react, how someone speaks, the money that's in your bank account, the way that the world is going down. But you can step into yourself and your mind and say I'm going to take a step back and say what am I making this mean? And start from there.

That is the most like you don't need to know the rest of it, just start from there, because your brain will. Once you know why what you're saying, you got to say something better. You guys see something way better.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:35:36

I don't know if it is way better than that. I don't know if it is yet, but I think that's a book title.

Anna Sinclair: 00:35:41

What? Which one?

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:35:43

What are you making this meme? Oh.

Anna Sinclair: 00:35:48

I kind of like that a lot.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:35:51

It could even be a podcast. What are you making this? Me?

Anna Sinclair: 00:35:55

Well, there we go. I love that. I actually. Oh, okay. All right. This is cool. Should we co host it?

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:36:04

Well, it's funny because a little bit of a plug. We are every September and November we run two series in September. It's a real focus on, you know, mental health.

But this year we're going to do mental wellness and, well, being nice. And because I do believe they are very different. And a lot of times we kind of lump them all together. And then in November we do men's health. Right.

But I do like the whole. What are you making. Making this mean? Because I like it too. At the forefront of well being.

Anna Sinclair: 00:36:32

It is. Yeah. And like somebody who studied six years of psychology, my two favorite courses were perception. And they.

The two, they were like in the fifth year, like when I was doing my dissertation and thesis and they blew my mind. Because there is one.

There's one concept which is like understanding that like you make things mean something and that, you know, it's all in your mind and you get a choice and.

But then there's another concept of like your human body and the anatomy and these structures of your brain and the fact that your brain fills the gaps for you without your knowledge or acceptance. It. There's physical things that happen in your brain that you are just not in charge of in a conscious way.

And then there's like the stuff that you are conscious. So half of the time your brain's just filling in the gaps and making things mean stuff. And that is why that topic is so interesting.

Because if we sit down and we look at what people have made things mean, those stories are so powerful. Yeah, it's kind of like that. That thing where they fucked up. Like that. You know that thing where people go up and how they fucked up.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:37:43

Yeah, yeah.

Anna Sinclair: 00:37:45

So it's like that.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:37:45

Yeah, yeah.

Anna Sinclair: 00:37:46

I think share how. How you made yourself believe something and how you got out of it.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:37:51

Yeah.

I really been anchoring on in: 2026

Anna Sinclair: 00:38:09

This book, the Untethered Soul.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:38:11

t was the only book I read in: 2025

ut it set me up, I think, for: 2025

And to your point, like, I am the seed of consciousness. But a lot of times we are the way we talk about. I am. I am in the experience, but I'm not the one observing the experience.

I'm not the one observing myself going through this experience. I am the experience, you know, and so that was a big one to pull myself back and really start to think about what I make things mean. Like, what am I.

What meaning am I giving to this? And. And when you put. And I think the only way you could do it is when you can actually sit back in the seat of. Of the observer.

Anna Sinclair: 00:39:09

And the other mind blowing.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:39:11

And the other one was not every thought is real. Like, that's.

Anna Sinclair: 00:39:16

Oh, it's not.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:39:17

Yeah.

Anna Sinclair: 00:39:17

Actually, I think there's a stat. Don't quote me on this, but I think like only 5% of it is real.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:39:23

Right.

Anna Sinclair: 00:39:23

That's so small.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:39:25

It's like, which are the real thoughts? Which are the thoughts that you're really choosing to make real. But man, I think I might have to bring you back for the September series.

The Real focus on it. I would love that on an episode around. Okay, done. Okay. You're one of our episodes. And. Okay, so I'm gonna take you through rapid thrivers.

When you think of someone who inspires you, who comes first to mind.

Anna Sinclair: 00:39:49

What's her name? Martha Stewart.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:39:52

Oh, wow. That's.

Anna Sinclair: 00:39:53

I know. Random, right?

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:39:56

Go on, please tell me why.

Anna Sinclair: 00:39:58

No, I just think that, like all personal stuff and her, like, story, aside from the business perspective, she has.

She has successfully developed a brand and multiple brands that she could do what she loves, putt around the house, do all the things that she loves to do, and make a shit ton of money out of it.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:40:15

She's a house brand. That's the dream. And she has longevity, yo.

Anna Sinclair: 00:40:20

I know. She's like, she'll. Her. The name will never die.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:40:23

Yeah, we'll never die.

Anna Sinclair: 00:40:24

She's a brand. She's a multifaceted brand, and that inspires me.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:40:28

Yeah. I also love her collabs. Her collabs. Like. Like, the collab that she had with.

Anna Sinclair: 00:40:32

Snoop Dogg was just like, oh, I love Snoop Dogg. He's hilarious. She's the best. Who doesn't love Snoop Dogg? You're a horrible person if you don't love Snoop Dogg.

I can just hear the, like, songs in my mind, and I just want to like.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:40:50

Yeah, I love Snoop. I love Snoop. He's so cool. So what is an. What is a daily activity that really helps you with your thrive?

Anna Sinclair: 00:40:59

A daily activity? Well, I do listen to the Headspace app, and I find that that helps me a lot. And then the other thing is, I love, like, getting ready.

Like, I do a skincare routine. I do, like, I like to get myself ready because it pampers me and it makes me feel ready for the day.

And then I kind of level up to that boss that I know I'm supposed to feel like, you know, so that, like, routine, morning routine is sacred.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:41:26

That's another girl you're coming up with. That's a blog. Get yourself ready. Like, love getting yourself ready. I think that's a. You got to share that. That's.

That's actually really powerful because what's the one thing that typically most of us do every single day is we have to get ready for our day.

Anna Sinclair: 00:41:40

And I think.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:41:41

I think there is something really blessed about.

Anna Sinclair: 00:41:43

About there is you're alive, You're. It's peaceful, you're alive. You're taking care of your body. Like, it's amazing.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:41:49

But how many of us just kind of go through it? I know most times I do, like, I. I know what happens when I wake up, but if I start to think about when I'm getting ready, do I.

When I'm in the shower, do I, you know, do I feel the. Like. Like this morning? I don't know that I. No. I remember feeling the water.

Anna Sinclair: 00:42:04

Like, are you present or not? I remember feeling the water on my.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:42:06

Shoulders because I was having a moment and. But do I remember creaming my body?

Anna Sinclair: 00:42:12

Oh, my God. That needs to be the sound bite of the intro of this podcast. It's true.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:42:19

Like, every morning you get to caress. You get to caress yourself. I think there's something.

Anna Sinclair: 00:42:25

I got inspired by a Korean beauty brand that Koreans do, like, up to 16 step skincare routines. So here in North America, we, like, half of us don't even know what a toner is or this and that and that.

You have to put primer on before you put makeup on or whatever. Like, we just know what's at shoppers, we do it, whatever, YouTube videos.

But in Korea, like, they take their routines very seriously, and they look at cleansing their skin, toning their skin, moisturizing serum eyes, this, that face, yoga, all that stuff. And. And what I got inspired by that was the fact that they were so present. It wasn't the product. It was more so about the time and space.

How long it takes to put on 16 products just blew my mind. I'm like, who has time for that? But they make time for that. And to them, it's a sacred practice and a routine.

And I just took that concept and put it into my morning routine, where it's like, it doesn't matter what I'm doing. It. It's the fact that I'm here right now doing it, and it's. It's. I'm taking care of myself.

It's very, very inspiring to, like, then get in front of your laptop and be like, okay, I'm ready, you know?

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:43:37

You know? And what comes to me is so she.

I need to actually text her today and just tell her that she needs to, like, charge me royalties because I say it so much. So.

Victoria Pelletier is somebody I interviewed, and on this podcast, she said something that I use all the time, where there's conviction, there's capacity. Capacity. So a lot of times we'll say, I don't have time to do what you just said for myself.

Anna Sinclair: 00:44:00

Yeah.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:44:00

But the truth is, if you do more for yourself, you create more time. Like, I don't know, like, people don't recognize.

Anna Sinclair: 00:44:08

So hard.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:44:09

Yeah, because the more you take care of yourself and the more you value yourself, the more you. The more when you say yes to something, it is yes to something that serves you and aligns with you. You.

And you say no to the things that don't and drain your energy and. And take away meaning. Like, create meaningless time. Right. So, yeah, it's funny. Like, it actually starts with that you have to make time for yourself.

So I don't have.

Anna Sinclair: 00:44:33

You always have time, but you choose what you do with your time. I think, like, as humans, we are once again, this is like a such a cognitive, like, neuroscience, like, episode.

Because, like, I think our brain likes to trick us and tell us that we need to stay in these negative. And not, like, because the brain actually, it's. It looks to validate the things that don't serve us.

Because when we put the thought out that this is not serving us. The brain wants to validate that. Can you imagine having a person beside you that constantly validates your negativity? That's your brain.

And so your brain is in your head. That's your other person. So if you don't take care of this, then you, your negativity isn't just yours, it's your brain.

And you gotta, you just gotta, you gotta work on that little big organ.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:45:28

You gotta figure that thing out. If there's anything you take from this podcast, figure out that mind. What is a book that has helped you with your thrive?

Anna Sinclair: 00:45:37

The Vortex. The Vortex by. Oh my gosh, why can't I. Why am I on the spot? The Vortex. Where is it?

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:45:47

If you can't figure it out? But before we end, I will. I, I will.

Anna Sinclair: 00:45:50

The Vortex. If you look up the vortex, you YouTube the vortex. The. This book, the entire concept of it is taking accountability of your.

The way that you perceive the world, how you look at experiences and what they mean. And it's like I said, this is a book that's shaped Esther Hicks a lot of my mindset.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:46:14

Esther Hicks. It's Abraham Hicks, I guess.

Anna Sinclair: 00:46:17

Abraham Hicks.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:46:18

Yeah, but it's Esther.

Anna Sinclair: 00:46:19

Aside from the fact that this woman claims that she's downloading from this source energy, if you're listening and you're like, oh, that's too woo woo for me, just forget that part and read it. Because whatever this woman is saying, whether she's downloading it or not, the content is life changing.

And the reason why is because when you read it doesn't matter what friend you had, advice or therapist or whatever, like, it gets real and you read it and you face it and you understand concepts and you stop making things mean so much and you let shit go and you focus on your accountability to your mind. Absolutely. The best book ever, the most powerful book. Everybody should have that book.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:47:10

So as your daily Thrive, you did mention an app, so I. But I do have another question. What is an app that helps you with your thrive? Do you have another one or is it headspace?

Anna Sinclair: 00:47:21

I mean, like, it's just headspace. I think the other, the other app is Asana. And Asana is it helps me with my thrive.

Not just for my business, but like collecting and organizing my home, my life, my business, my thoughts, my ideas. Asana is a platform where like you can literally make a card for anything on a board view, and then you can assign it to yourself or others.

You could do a deadline, you could do screenshots, you can add it in it is like the number one thing that organizes somebody who's a creative and runs two companies and has three kids and a nanny and my husband and all these other creative projects. It's the only way that I can survive and thrive. So, yeah, it's not a mindset tool, but it's an organization tool. I couldn't live.

I couldn't live without it.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:48:08

Is it like Trello? Do you know Trello?

Anna Sinclair: 00:48:11

It's like Trello, but next level, it's like Monday.com, monday.com, Monday.com and Asana are two very similar platforms where you can, like, organize things. It's very much like Trello. Because you're talking about the Ganban view, right? I think Kanban. Ganban. I don't even know. I actually did. I don't know.

As long as I didn't say the other thing. Yeah, we're good. I think it's similar in that space, but. But with Asana, you can actually see board view.

You could do list view, you can do timeline view.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:48:43

I'm gonna check it out. Okay. And so I love this last question for you because I think it's gonna be very profound. But what is. What is one misconception, essentially?

What do people get wrong about you?

Anna Sinclair: 00:48:54

Oh, my God. Yeah, you took it there. Nobody ever asked that.

And I think that, like, if I take a second to really think about this one, because, you know when you're, like, alone and you're thinking on your own and you're not around people, sometimes your, like, thoughts creep in and you're like, this is what I think people think about me. Or this is what a big misconception is.

I think a big misconception about me is that, like, I, like, I'm this, like, big, successful, like, kind of diva. Do this, do that, like, everything, whatever.

But in reality, my high standards and the way that I act and the way the things that I choose to say and the way that I do things, it comes from a level of quality and execution that I want for my projects so that they do touch, move, and inspire people. When I was in.

In Landmark Education, which was a global program to help people with self development and, like, transform their lives, I was a SELP production supervisor, which meant I was in charge of 130 people's transformations while the leader was at the front teaching them the work.

But behind the scenes, I was responsible to make sure that there was water, there was no interruption, that when they came in to get their name tags, that it wasn't A disruption that no one, if someone was late, I would come down.

Like, every single thing that you could think of that would have to be done so that somebody had no reason to not work on themselves and have that moment where they had that pop that transformed their mindset and changed their life. Like, we would see marriages that were in divorce coming back together. We would see people that were experiencing abuse forgive their abusers.

We would see all kinds of stuff. So that experience made me operate in a certain level of, like you said, impeccable.

Like there's this level of excellence that you need to take on so that the things around you are benefiting.

And so the biggest misconception I think that people might have about me is like, oh, I'm a perfectionist or I want this, or I'm too much or I'm thinking too into it or I'm working too much or like all those things and it's like, no, like behind, behind. That is a real reason and I'm proud of that reason. And no one will ever know what's, what's that driving factor of those things.

But as long as I know deep down inside and then I see the end result, that's all that matters. But yeah, that's a big misconception, I think.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:51:40

I love that. And I think there's a level of intentionality that comes with that which just makes the work that you do even just more meaningful. So thank you. You.

Anna Sinclair: 00:51:48

Thank you. Thank you.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:51:48

You were something special. But wow, I didn't know this special.

Anna Sinclair: 00:51:53

You were very, very sweet. Thank you for all those compliments. I will take them into today.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:51:58

Yes, those are flowers. Take, take, take.

Anna Sinclair: 00:52:02

I love that.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:52:03

Flowers. Take those flowers.

Anna Sinclair: 00:52:04

Thank you.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:52:05

So where do we find more of you online?

Anna Sinclair: 00:52:07

Yeah, so I mean, you can follow me on Instagram at Anna Sinclair Ca. My website is also Anna Sinclair Ca. And then from there you can click all the different brands that I run.

Sinclair Creative agency, which is SCA, is just think the Creative Agency Inc. I'm on LinkedIn, I'm on all the platforms and you just Google me and find the best platform that works for you. And yeah, I love it.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:52:34

Anything on the horizon that you're excited about?

Anna Sinclair: 00:52:37

Yes. Oh my gosh. So right now we are producing a national tour. It's called the Self Made Breakfast Tour and it's presented in partnership with Pero Canada.

We've got amazing partners like CIBC and Intuit, QuickBooks and Amex and 99designs and just a bunch of incredible organizations that are all coming together to Remove barriers to access and funds to go to spectacular events like these.

This national, I guess national tour is all about stopping in major cities across Canada to allow women to share their voices of where they're struggling in their business, capture that data and then make a communique so that the governments and other organizations can really see that sample as a whole to make change. The other thing is it's about super connecting these women entrepreneurs to the right organizations.

I feel like I've always been that person that's like there's so much room for everyone to shine. And I don't believe that helping women only by one introduction or holding them back from other introductions is the way to go.

So the tour is very much open to partnerships and different people joining and being there. And it's exciting. We got like fireside chats, panel discussions, we do the CIT roundtables and then we do a learning lounge.

And so the learning lounge is where like women entrepreneurs can actually meet the advisors from these organizations. So they'll learn exactly right then and there, like what they do, how they serve them, take their card, meet them afterwards.

And then of course we have this AMEX Founders Lounge Small Business Connections activation where we bring in vendors that are local to that city and women can buy, discover them, shop local. It's very, very amazing. And so that's coming up. We just did Toronto.

We're going to St. John's Calgary, Ottawa, Vancouver, and then of course, always working on, you know, when it's a one day event, it's a one day brunch and summit. So there, there's like, yeah, it's like a big brunch.

There's, there's breakfast in the morning and coffee, but then there's a big brunch and then there's all the different breaks for networking and shopping and all that stuff.

But then the programming on the stage is power packed with top C suite executives, major brands, people can, that can drive business insights through the microphone and like people can actually take away something other than like inspiration. It's, it's like, okay, like we're, we're taking a day off of our business.

We need to go home with some real like either connections or real next steps, which I value. Right. So the program, it needs to reflect that. And then, yeah, working on picking a date for the CWE gala, which is a monster of an undertaking.

And I just like, wow. It's just, I'm scared to even pick the date because I know that that means like we're starting.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:55:31

You're starting.

Anna Sinclair: 00:55:33

because when I started it in: 2020

And since then we've worked with so many huge companies and we. Our case studies and projects are like actually in. In our computers.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:55:54

So get them out of there.

Anna Sinclair: 00:55:56

We're getting them out. We're doing a new website, we're doing a new brand. We'll have a, A holiday party, which I would love you all to come and celebrate with us.

And yeah, just follow along, stay very.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:56:07

Excited, stay connected, inspiring, very motivating. You go, girl. Just keep lighting up the world, man. I love it. Takes but a single match. Yeah. So to everyone listening, I'm on to my last question.

I know, but if you could finish this sentence. I feel most empowered in my skin when.

Anna Sinclair: 00:56:26

When I am in nature. Yeah, because like, when you're in nature, everything in the Matrix kind of goes away. Like makeup, hair, jewelry.

Like, you don't even want to wear jewelry when you're in the nature. Right. Like, he. You're just there. And there's something that.

There's something that makes me feel so beautiful in my skin when, like, I feel the sun, I could smell the sunscreen, the birds are chirping. I feel kind of like stripped down, raw. And there's nothing to like, do up or be or whatever. You just kind of there.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:57:07

Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This was amazing and got so much from it for myself and I'm sure the listeners as well.

And so to everyone that's listening, this is Sally, where I have to say, we're out. Bye.

Anna Sinclair: 00:57:21

Bye.

Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson: 00:57:25

There you have it. I trust that you are feeling more empowered in your skin. As the late Dr. Maya Angelou said, when you get, you give, when you learn, you teach.

So it would mean so much for us at Empower to My Skin, Inc. If you share this episode and tag us or teach an Instagram insight that you took from today's episode on your social and tag us.

Feel free to leave us a review over at itunes and follow us on social media at Empowered in My Skin. Finally, remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.