#awinewith Amanda Hirvi
MEET Amanda, Founder of The Manasa Foundation
You can find them here:
Transcript
Danielle Lewis (00:05):
Mandy, welcome to Spark tv. Thank you. Thank you. I'm so excited to have you here, cold and all. Thank you for showing up and hanging out. The things we do as business owners, keep pushing through. Just
Amanda Hirvi (00:19):
Keep going.
Danielle Lewis (00:21):
My God, it's crazy, isn't it? Let's start out by telling everyone who you are and what you do.
Amanda Hirvi (00:28):
So my name's Mandy or Amanda officially. I'm the founder and CEO of the Manassa Foundation. We are a Brisbane based social enterprise and registered charity now working on making some big changes in the mental health trauma and addiction space. So access to care from a grassroots level, looking to get into more policy and that sort of thing. And also really looking at it from the worker perspective as well, and give you more opportunities to workers that are not out there as well.
Danielle Lewis (01:07):
Amazing. This is huge. How did you get into this to start with?
Amanda Hirvi (01:12):
It's been coming a long time. I started almost a decade ago, probably about eight years ago. I started working in the frontline and I just was a career change, complete career change, and I did my study and my student hours and stuff. And through that I just found this niche and I kept seeing the same issues and the same problems. And this was from my colleagues, this was from the people I was working with across the board, regardless of whether it was in government funded programs or NDIS or privately, everyone was having the same kind of feedback about the system and I've just started to build a picture of what was needed to answer those issues. And then it sort of evolved and evolved and it's just kept growing for the last eight years. And finally about a year and a half, two years ago, I got to the point where I'm like, okay, this is now a solid plan. I know that this is a feasible, doable thing, and I made the commitment to jump into it and take that leap and go, you know what, if I don't do it now, I've got the vision for it, I'll be sitting on it for another five years.
Danielle Lewis (02:39):
It becomes like that, isn't it? We spend so much time ideating and planning and strategizing and visioning and journaling, and then we're like, at some point we just have to do it.
Amanda Hirvi (02:52):
And it's a big thing that's so needed across the whole space of mental health trauma and addiction. So it's also a big thing to take on. So I needed to be sure that I was a hundred percent in and prepared to roll with it to get it done. So yeah, it's been a journey, but yeah, well on the way now.
Danielle Lewis (03:19):
That's so cool. And what's it like setting up a social enterprise and a charity? So a lot of people, we talk a lot about side hustles and then turning them into a business. Is it much different on the social enterprise charity end of the spectrum?
Amanda Hirvi (03:36):
Yes and no. You still need to set up the entities and the appropriate entities and so forth and go through that process. But being a social enterprise and not-for-profit is part of the business plan of how we'll be delivering what we deliver. So there's governance that comes with that, that's ruled by A CNC, so we need to go through a whole registration process with them. So you set up the company entity, then you go through the A CNC process, which lucky for me was typically eight weeks they give you, and it's been about eight months now, then we'll just get, I know. Oh my god. It's been a journey. But yeah, so we've now got that and we are now registered, we're going through the final stages of the A TO process to get the DGR, which is a deductible gift recipient, which allows us to accept and fundraise through tax deductible donations.
Danielle Lewis (04:41):
Oh, cool.
Amanda Hirvi (04:42):
Yeah, it's been a process I've learned a lot, but I'm really stoked to see it coming to a head now and being able to actually get going and start implementing everything.
Danielle Lewis (04:55):
Would you have any advice for somebody who has been thinking of starting a not-for-profit in terms of that process?
Amanda Hirvi (05:05):
Definitely just expect things to take a lot longer than what's you think. They will even in the very beginning to do a not-for-profit, you've got to have a board.
Danielle Lewis (05:16):
Oh, wow.
Amanda Hirvi (05:17):
Just little things that I learned of talking to people about being on the board when they're already in corporate roles and executive roles, they need to run that past their employer and sometimes their employers won't allow it due to risk. So you miss out on people that you hope and little things you learn that you just don't think are going to be a thing are a thing. So it's nothing that you can't work around. But yeah, just be prepared for those little things.
Danielle Lewis (05:45):
Yeah. Oh, I feel like that's business 1 0 1, be prepared for something to happening Happening. Oh, full on. That's crazy. What's been one of, sorry, what you going to say?
Amanda Hirvi (05:57):
Yeah, just being able to roll with it, that business really.
Danielle Lewis (06:01):
You seem very zen about all of this. I'm very impressed.
Amanda Hirvi (06:06):
Oh look, it's not always like this. And I think definitely my board definitely hear from me when I'm like, but yeah, it's a process and I don't see any point in getting all uptight about it. Generally I tend to get around like this and it's much more fun and easy to do that.
Danielle Lewis (06:26):
Totally. Oh my God, I totally agree. It's like it's all perspective, right? Absolutely. Shit happens mostly every day and we do really have to control how we respond to those things happening that we didn't expect to happen.
Amanda Hirvi (06:44):
And keep the big picture in mind, is this really the big picture? It's not really, okay, let's just work through it and move on. There's no point. Learn what you've got to learn, figure it out and move on.
Danielle Lewis (06:58):
Totally. That's such a good point. There's that quote that's kind of like, if this isn't going to matter in five years, it shouldn't matter to you today.
Amanda Hirvi (07:08):
And
Danielle Lewis (07:08):
I think about all of the nurses so triggering, I'm thinking about all the things that I'm cranky about today and I'm going, wow, get over yourself lady.
Amanda Hirvi (07:19):
Yeah, it's, you've got to keep that perspective, I think to be able to execute. If you've got a big picture for something, you just keep pushing forward and you get there in the end.
Danielle Lewis (07:31):
Yeah, absolutely. I love it. So how will you bring revenue into the business? Will that be all through donations or how will that work?
Amanda Hirvi (07:42):
So we've got a few pathways, which I'm really grateful to be working through is so donations and accepting tax deductible donations, working with a lot of individuals and corporate companies as well for corporate partnerships and corporate funding. I fund. People are amazing. Everyone says that there's tight financially, but people want to help. And I've been so grateful to be able to talk to so many people who are so open to be like, yeah, as soon as you're ready, come talk to us. We'll do what we can to help you. And yeah, it's just working through that way. There's obviously other pathways of funding and social enterprise funding and so forth, but being a not-for-profit charity, it puts a little bit of a different spin on raising capital and stuff. But it's, again, it works out. There's no shortage of options and pathways out there. You've just got to find what works and be able to, I guess just keep going until you find your happy space where that works for you. And it's really, I think, important for me as well is working with people who believe in the vision of what we're building. I think we're not just a business
(09:19):
Making changes that will support people to better their lives. So it's a really important mission, I guess. And working with partners, be it private or corporate, who believe in that vision and share that vision is really important to us.
Danielle Lewis (09:39):
Totally. And how have you gone about finding those people?
Amanda Hirvi (09:44):
There's obviously websites, there's buttons out there and so forth on websites and word of mouth, just relationships, like relationships and networks. It's truly once you say something to someone and someone's like, Hey, I know someone who's interested in this, and it just goes like that.
Danielle Lewis (10:08):
Yeah, sometimes it is really a matter of just keep having conversations
(10:14):
And you get surprised at who knows who and who's willing to help. And I love your comment about a lot of people are at the moment talking about that it is financially things are tight for a lot of people, but it does always well, and maybe it doesn't surprise me that if people believe in your mission, whether it be for purpose or for getting them to wherever they're trying to go in life through a commercial product or service, people still care. People still want change. People still want to make an impact. People are still willing to spend money on stuff that they believe in.
Amanda Hirvi (10:49):
And with what I'm setting up, it's a different way of looking at funding healthcare, like mental health care and so forth, and offering a completely new model to the market, which is not out there at all. So it isn't an education process as well and helping people, not just partners and people who are supporting financially, but also then comes to educating the community on what we will be offering. It's really an education process from all aspects. It's not like, Hey, here I'm selling another tomato sauce, like some tomato sauce, which everybody knows what it is. It's a process.
Danielle Lewis (11:34):
And that's so interesting. When you are a first mover in any industry, people I think underestimate the education process and having, to your point, it's on both sides. It's the people supporting you through partnerships, financially, commercially, all of those things and the community that you support as well. How have you got from the community side, how have you gone about educating them and reaching communities
Amanda Hirvi (12:02):
At the moment, because we're only still working through the setup stages, it's been word of mouth really. And talking to anyone who will pretty much listen, love it,
Danielle Lewis (12:13):
I'm still doing that 10 years later. I'm like, who will listen to me today? But
Amanda Hirvi (12:21):
We will set up a formal plan of how that education process will go, and that'll be rolled out through community engagement, stakeholder engagement, working with local services, local providers, but also then social media and so forth to start to educate the broader community about what we do. And obviously our website will have a whole overhaul so that people are able to really see what we can offer
Danielle Lewis (12:51):
And
Amanda Hirvi (12:51):
What we are offering as well.
Danielle Lewis (12:54):
So this is a pretty heavy space, and being a business owner at the best of times is hard work. How do you balance it from a mental workload point of view? How do you maintain, I hate the word work-life balance. I don't believe in it, but how do you maintain your energy and looking after yourself whilst running a business, running a charity and being in a space that is so intense?
Amanda Hirvi (13:24):
I think it's just taken years of just knowing what helps me recharge and knowing when I need to recharge. It's not always a perfect science, it's weeks and days where I'm just, I'm done is too much. I'm done.
Danielle Lewis (13:43):
I quit. Yeah,
Amanda Hirvi (13:45):
I'm tapping out for two days. I'm actually taking a weekend and I'm tapping out for two days and not going to do something. But yes, it just takes time and learning, I think. I think working in something that I'm so passionate about, I find just even though I get tired and some days they're like, oh, I'm done. I still don't lose that drive and that motivation to see it to the end because I know that it's going to have so much impact for so many people and help so many people as well.
Danielle Lewis (14:21):
Oh, absolutely. And I think too, sometimes we do that. We are like, that's it. It's all over. I quit, but we just needed to go for a walk. And then when we're on the walk we're like, oh, I could do this, I could do this, I could do this. It's almost like we just need to give ourselves permission to rest sometimes.
Amanda Hirvi (14:38):
And I think the space in between those meltdowns of like, oh my God, I'm done, is really lengthened. When I focus on the basics for myself, I'm a gym person every day by them have my coffee, my little social time, my gym, and that sets me up for the day. And it also makes sure that I sleep well. So it really is just the boring basics. Sleep well, eat well, train well, and it really helps.
Danielle Lewis (15:11):
Yeah. Isn't it funny how it's not rocket science,
Amanda Hirvi (15:15):
It's really not. It's just a discipline to do it, but it's a discipline to do it. And I think having that foundation there at this early stage, and I've always been a gym person, which I really enjoy in the mornings. It's helped with that. So just keeping that going and knowing what fills my,
Danielle Lewis (15:39):
Yeah, no, I love it. It's such good advice. It's literally, again, I'm sitting here going, maybe that's why I'm having a mental breakdown today. I haven't moved. I haven't in a few days
Amanda Hirvi (15:52):
Happens to everyone. You get head into something and you're like, oh, maybe I don't want to. But getting up and going for that walk will make sure what you're doing is actually done better because you've taken that time for yourself.
Danielle Lewis (16:05):
It's so true. And it's wild that we all know this, and when we go for the walk or we go run on the treadmill or we go to the gym, we feel so much better and so much more inspired and so much more energized to do the work we want to do. But in the four times we're like, oh, maybe I should just work harder or maybe I should just send an email. We try and put it off, even though we have the evidence that supports that, it supports us.
Amanda Hirvi (16:32):
Yeah, yeah. It just comes down to that discipline of doing it and it helps everything.
Danielle Lewis (16:38):
Oh my God.
Amanda Hirvi (16:40):
It doesn't have to be gym and food for everyone. Everyone has their own thing. So just knowing what your own thing is,
Danielle Lewis (16:49):
And I think experimentation is good as well. If people are listening going, well, I don't know what my thing is. Absolutely.
Amanda Hirvi (16:57):
Just
Danielle Lewis (16:57):
Trying stuff is good. Try yoga, try, go to the gym, try, go to the movies, try whatever. I think we just, I remember once someone said to me, they're like, it's too late. I can't figure it out. And I'm like, they were like 30 or something and I was like, I okay, settle down. You've got a hundred years left to live. If you're giving up now, that's a huge problem. I just feel like we can always get up again. We can always try something new. We can always solve a problem. Not ever. We have never tested all the options. So if you're feeling a little shit, there's probably something out there that will help.
Amanda Hirvi (17:41):
And if you're feeling a little shit today and you're feeling stuck, then tomorrow's a new day or go for a break. Break it up. Start again. Reset.
Danielle Lewis (17:50):
Yeah, I love that. And it's like also the world probably won't end if you stop working today and pick it up tomorrow. Yeah. What are you doing that's so urgent that it has to get done today?
Amanda Hirvi (18:04):
Honestly, some of my friends know, I'm like, all right, I'm done. I'm done for today. And then they'll get the phone call and they'll be Okay, what's going on? And you have a debrief and a bitch and you move on and it's done. It's out. It's
Danielle Lewis (18:18):
Finished. Exactly. Go to sleep, watch some trashy tv and
Amanda Hirvi (18:23):
Whatever it is.
Danielle Lewis (18:23):
Yeah, wake up tomorrow and keep trying.
Amanda Hirvi (18:26):
Yeah, absolutely.
Danielle Lewis (18:28):
I love it. I love it so much. So what's next for you? What does the next six months of the year hold?
Amanda Hirvi (18:35):
We've got quite a few things that we're looking to get off the ground. We'll keep working with raising of the capital so that we can then start to implement our three to five year plan and get that locked in and then have just some real clear structure around that once we know that we've got the funds for it. And then also getting some more structured groups running here that we can do within the capacity of what we've got at the moment. I know there's a couple of, I just put out a group for women recovering from DV from whilst we are not a DV service, that they're very clear, clear.
(19:23):
We do crossover in the overlap of the trauma. So we do work with trauma and we are focusing on that area as well as one of our three core areas. So working with women who are recovering from that and from the trauma and then rebuilding their lives and getting that program up and running so that that's on a cycle. And then we've got a few other programs that we'll work with local stakeholders to implement. And then just keeping our community space here at Morningside open and available and just continuing to start to promote that so that we can have it open more and more for people in our area who are living with mental health trauma and addiction, who can have a space to come to and it doesn't cost them anything. They can come down here, good day, bad day, and just have a space where they've got a familiar face that they can connect to. And that really is sort of helping one of those pillars, which is isolation and loneliness as well. Because so many people who we work with, and I still work one-on-one with a lot of people, so having the feedback from them is loneliness and isolation is really big.
(20:47):
I'm starting to build up that community-based space where we can start to combat that hopefully.
Danielle Lewis (20:54):
Amazing. I love it. Well, you are incredible, Mandy. And now I always love to wrap these podcasts with one last piece of advice. So reflecting on your time in business, what would be a piece of advice that you would give to another woman on her journey?
Amanda Hirvi (21:14):
Just do it. Just do it. Honestly, there's so many million reasons not to, but it can be really scary to jump into it and doubt ourselves and we question ourselves and we don't always have the support that we would love to have or things. Ducks are not always in a row perfectly, but just give it a go to the best of your capacity and if you don't succeed, you'll learn. And I love that because you can then maybe give it a go in a different way from a different perspective based on what you learn. I love, there's nothing worse. I don't know. For me, it's not doing something that you really passionate about and then living with the regret of not doing it. Being able to just give it a crack, even if it takes 10 years to get it off the ground, taking little steps is going to be so much more satisfying in the long run, knowing you back yourself and went against all the odds to get it done.
Danielle Lewis (22:27):
Oh my God, that is so true. It really doesn't matter how long that it takes, but the time will pass anyway. And if you look back and you didn't take the action, you didn't do the thing that you wanted to do, living with that regret is horrific. It's far better to do it in a slow, small way. I think that is amazing.
Amanda Hirvi (22:47):
And just bite-size chunks. What's next? What's next? Little bits? Otherwise it just gets overwhelming and gets thrown in the scrap heat and nothing's an overnight success. It takes time.
Danielle Lewis (23:01):
Yeah, spot on. Oh, I love it. Mandy, thank you so much for sharing your journey with the smart community today.
Amanda Hirvi (23:09):
No worries.
Danielle Lewis (23:10):
You are the best, and I'll be sure to link up your website and all of the ways that people can support in the show notes as well.
Amanda Hirvi (23:18):
Awesome. Thank you so much.
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