For a long time, I thought I was falling behind everyone else. When I finished high school, I felt like I'd been thrown into adulthood without a clue what I was supposed to do next. School had been about getting through each day, but at least there was a routine. University didn't work for me either, and I quickly realised that the adult working world seemed to reward things I'd never learned how to do: speaking up, building rapport, and making sure people noticed you. I was autistic, but I didn't know it yet.
The confusing thing was that I wasn't incapable. While I was still in high school, I'd started a YouTube channel about makeup and fashion. I taught myself filming, editing, content creation, and how to build a brand. When I left university, I worked on my social media business full-time. Then, after my autism diagnosis in my early twenties, I decided I wanted a "real job". I applied, interviewed, and faced rejection after rejection. I couldn't understand why the skills I'd built weren't enough, or why not having an unrelated university degree seemed to count for so much.
I started questioning the system rather than just myself. Why were we measuring people's potential in such narrow ways? Why did I have to prove I could work in a particular way before anyone would recognise what I could actually do? I began sharing my experiences online and finding ways to make working life more accessible for myself. That journey eventually led me to coaching and working with companies to improve employment for neurodivergent people.
This app grew out of that experience. I wanted the support I couldn't find when I was job hunting, doubting myself, and trying to understand where I fitted. If you've ever felt embarrassed about your employment history, worried you're falling behind, or wondered how you'll make things work, I want you to have somewhere to turn. You don't have to follow a conventional path or sacrifice your wellbeing to prove your worth.
Want to understand more of what led me here? I've included a video I made after a difficult job interview a few years ago (scroll across.)
