From Multifamily to Mission

Sitting down with Michelle and Madison on From My View was one of those full-circle moments that makes you pause. Long before The Alycia Anderson Company existed, before the keynotes, global brands, and adaptive product consulting, I was building my career in multifamily. I was learning how to sell, how to lead, and how to navigate rooms that were not designed for me, both literally and figuratively.

Being on their podcast brought me back to those early trade show days. The booths. The networking events. The confidence I projected even when I was scared. I often say I felt like I belonged, but I did not. And yet, I kept showing up.

That season of my life gave me more than a career. It gave me resilience. It gave me a sales mindset. It gave me relationships that still matter deeply to me today. Multifamily did not just shape my professional foundation. It sharpened my voice.

Leading Because of Difference

On the episode, we talked about what it truly means to lead through inclusion, not in spite of difference, but because of it.

For so long, disability was something I managed privately. I masked. I minimized. I worked twice as hard to make sure no one questioned my competence. Over time, I realized something powerful. The very lived experience I was trying to downplay was my greatest leadership asset.

When I left my executive role and stepped fully into entrepreneurship, it was not because I had everything figured out. It was because I knew I would regret not trying. I had already started speaking. I had already seen the impact when people heard disability framed not as limitation, but as innovation.

We discussed how accessibility is not charity. It is strategy. It is smart business. The products we all use today such as texting, voice-to-text, and captions were born from necessity. When companies design for inclusion, they unlock creativity, revenue, and talent. Disability is not a niche. It is a billion-person market and an untapped leadership advantage.

The Entrepreneurial Leap

Michelle asked me what inspired me to start my business, and the truth is that it was not one big moment. It was a series of small nudges. A TEDx talk. Advocacy opportunities. Realizing that disability was missing from larger social justice conversations. Feeling the fire to step forward instead of waiting to be invited.

And yes, I put my sales hat back on.

Multifamily taught me how to build pipeline, how to pitch, how to follow up, and how to close. Those skills did not disappear when I pivoted into inclusion work. They became my secret weapon. Today, when I work with companies like Microsoft, Ralph Lauren, and Victoria’s Secret, I am not just showing up as a speaker. I am showing up as a strategic partner who understands business.

That foundation matters.

Owning 50 and What’s Next

We also talked about turning 50 and how powerful it feels to truly own who you are. There is something freeing about this season of life. I am less interested in fitting in and more committed to expanding what is possible.

There is a book on the horizon. There are adaptive products in development. There are bigger stages ahead.

But what meant the most about this conversation was the reminder that leadership is layered. My past in multifamily, my education in disability sports science, and my lived experience as a wheelchair user were not detours. Every chapter built the next one.

That podcast was not just an interview. It was a reflection of the journey.

And the journey is still unfolding.