Female Founders Summit 2024: Meet the speaker helping women live happy, healthy and sustainable lifestyles

Rae-Anna Wright, the director of WHOLE Health & Fitness, has undergone a huge transformation over the past six years – and she would not be where she is today without the learnings.

The business owner, from Bedfordshire, has learnt to cope and manage her anxiety disorder, depression and lost four-and-a-half stone in the process.

She launched WHOLE Health & Fitness to communicate her “life-changing finds” and create a movement of healthy and happy humans, which she will also share at the Female Founders Summit on July 12 and 13 in Northampton.

April 2019 was the right time in Rae-Anna’s journey to create an accessible programme for others to learn about her experience with mental health problems, including agoraphobia, and clinical obesity.

“If I hadn't been on that journey of pain, suffering and adversity, I never would have been inspired to create this programme,” she told the Chronicle & Echo.

Rae-Anna describes her work as a wellbeing mentor for women as helping them “reset their lifestyle with an accessible, implementable and sustainable programme”.

“We have to take healthcare seriously and it starts with ourselves,” Rae-Anna continued. “I’m nurturing, fun-loving and young at heart. I’m intuitive and focus on the positives and adding to that.”

The business founder’s proudest achievement was her first time public speaking at Delapre Abbey’s Mind, Body and Soul Festival after learning to manage her agoraphobia.

Rae-Anna says it is “incredible” that organiser Lucienne Shakir asked her to host a talk at this year’s Female Founders Summit, having attended for the past two years already.

With a focus on how to live a happy and healthy life, attendees will be informed about integrating lifestyle hacks into their everyday schedule so they become sustainable habits.

She said: “It gives you a boost of confidence knowing someone else, who knows what female founders need, really believes in you and your business and gives you a platform.

“It is a wonderful experience and feels very intimate. Everyone is on the same playing field and there’s no hierarchy. There is relevancy in everything, whatever stage you’re at.

“It’s not a competitive place to be, it’s collaborative. Everyone is cheering each other on and wants good things for others.”

Rae-Anna looks forward to visiting the different venues across Northampton, as she believes walking between them will provide an opportunity to form deeper connections with fellow attendees.

“If you are in a position where you can afford to go, do it,” Rae-Anna continued. “Being a business owner can be lonely when everything is digital. To be in-person with others who understand your journey, and to feel part of something, is super important.

“There’s so much to learn and you get the answers you were looking for with actionable takeaways to implement.”

The Chronicle & Echo is proud to be the media partner of this year’s Female Founders Summit. Keep an eye out for our coverage over the coming weeks in the lead up, and during, the event.