One of the worst parts about a toxic relationship is losing yourself. Dr. Anne E. Burnley, also known as Dr. Ahne The Gritpreneur (TM), struggled to leave a long-term relationship where she lost her motivation and sense of self. “There were days when things were so hard and I was deeply depressed and having panic attacks,” described Dr. Ahne. “I lost not only my grit but my power and even considered taking my own life on my darkest days in that relationship.”
Yet, she made a promise to herself to persevere until her son graduated high school. Every day she would repeat her mantra of “ever gritful, never quit” and sought mental health support. “I am glad to be here not only for my son but for me, to see how I have come,” said Dr. Ahne. Now, a year later, Dr. Ahne is thriving with her new business Dr. Ahne LLC. She is a practicing physician, combat veteran, author of Woman Of G.R. I.T: How To Find Your Voice, Reclaim Your Power And Transform Your Life, women’s empowerment speaker, and mom. Her mission is to E.M.I.T ( Empower, Motivate, Inspire and Teach) women how to get their grit back by finding their voice, reclaiming their power, and transforming their lives.
Part of her struggles as a business owner is juggling all her responsibilities. Being a mom to a teenager and a full-time physician does not exactly provide an abundant amount of extra time for her business. However, Dr. Ahne finds it rewarding to “build something good that came about because of adversity. I have grown immensely as a woman and entrepreneur or as I call myself, The Gritpreneur because I help women get their grit back.”
One woman that guided her along the way was Dr. Lulu, a pediatrician, life coach, and speaker. Dr. Ahne responded to Dr. Lulu’s forum to participate in an anthology about immigrant women to be titled “The Warrior Women Project: A Sisterhood of Immigrant Women.” From that simple act, their friendship was born. “She is the one who convinced me to be vulnerable and share my personal growth journey with other women who may be going through adversity just like I had gone through,” says Dr. Ahne.
For the future of her business, Dr. Ahne wishes to expand her reach to help more women through her university, books, podcast, and speaking engagements. The organization helping her achieve that future is the International Association of Women. She found community and a platform to spread the news about her accomplishments and services. “I am a fierce advocate of women and it makes my heart happy when I see women cooperating and supporting each other,” said Dr. Ahne.
Dr. Ahne also wants to expand her business to the world of podcasts. Thus, she began her bi-weekly podcast, “Women of G.R.I.T,” to provide a safe space for women to share their stories of overcoming adversity and finding success. She invites women ready to be vulnerable with her to speak on her podcast. Find out more here.
Connect with Dr. Ahne:
Twitter
Want to find a community like Dr. Ahne? IAW is open and waiting for women from all around the globe to join our community of professional women who want to expand their horizons just like you. Register for one of our weekly events, or find a local chapter near you to get started.
