I am so excited to welcome a very special Jilly Academy Alumni member to the blog, Anne Mok of Purpose in View! She enrolled in our Courses when we first launched and we’ve had the pleasure of witnessing her monumental growth over the past year. The team asked Anne a few questions so that you too could get a glimpse into her journey!
What do you do/what is your industry?
I am a creator, advocate, blogger, and entrepreneur.
I am also blind.
As a visually impaired Digital Storyteller I seek beauty with purpose and inspiration to make the view accessible.
How did you get started in your industry/job role?
I had felt that something “wasn’t quite right” with my vision. It took some years and lots of self-advocating and persistence to finally get the diagnosis. I was diagnosed in adulthood with an inherited retinal disease called cone rod dystrophy that led to my sight loss.
Then, on January 1, 2019, I woke up with a migraine-like headache that to this day I still have. I was diagnosed with NDPH (New Daily Persistent Headache). I struggled with severe depression and was bedridden for the first 8 months.
While bedridden, I saw how the pandemic had magnified the struggles of the visually impaired community and those isolated by chronic illnesses. I also saw the struggle of many businesses and wanted to find some small way to help.
I wanted to start something to make a difference and focus on seeing and finding beauty in everything while making an emotional connection. My Instagram account @purposeinview was born in November 2020. Instagram is a visual medium and I wanted that beauty to be accessible for all by providing image descriptions, alt text descriptions, audio and video descriptions, and finding a way to make reels more accessible.
No audience member should be left behind.
When I do an Instagram post, I make a conscious effort to support small or local businesses by tagging or mentioning them and including alt text and image descriptions to the products I’ve purchased. This allows for these products to be accessible for all as the visually impaired community is given the opportunity in these posts to see what the product is like. Shopping local and supporting our small businesses are important to me while also ensuring that the visually impaired community is not left behind.
When enrollment for The Jilly Academy came in April 2021 I knew that Jillian would be the perfect mentor for me to create impact and amplify my voice and the voices of others who may not feel seen or heard through vision and storytelling.
I was always good at connecting with others, empathizing, leading, and cheering and I could still continue doing that – just in a different way.
Sharing my struggles, journey and story helps bridge a gap between others and my life. We find comfort and connection with each other. I want to encourage others to live their lives to their fullest however they feel that it is. This is the legacy that I want to leave – one of adaptability and resilience.
What do you love most about what you do?
Connecting with others in the sight loss community to empower and increase self confidence. I love that this community is so close knit and supportive of one another with awareness and education. I learn so much every day from this community and we are continuing to break barriers. I am inspired daily.
I also love that I can connect the sighted community and the vision loss community to bring understanding and awareness. Working together we can build a more inclusive world.
Share a business WIN from the past year!
Being part of the Purdys Holiday Braille Box that was designed for, and in consultation with the blind and partially sighted community! There was so much enthusiasm and positive energy to make this a campaign about possibilities. I was so incredibly moved by how accessibility and inclusion impacted each individual in their own way.
I was able to gift up to 10 of the Braille Holiday Boxes and I connected with others in the blind and visually impaired community to empower them to help spread awareness and uplift others and walk alongside each other. It was amazing to create this ripple effect to watch their self confidence grow!
Share a personal WIN from the past year!
Finding joy again. In this time when I thought I lost myself. I actually found myself. I became who I was meant to be. The opposite of blindness is view. I found my Purpose In View.
How has your experience been with The Jilly Academy?
Enrolling and being part of The Jilly Academy has sharpened my vision and mission for a barrier-free world. I am able to apply all of my learnings to build amazing relationships in my community, partnerships, and ambassadorships that all align with who I am and my personal values. Working through the modules and the courses built this solid foundation for me that I could easily turn to the work that I had done to reply to offers, partnerships, and features. I am often referencing back to the courses and rewatching the videos.
Advice you’d like to offer fellow entrepreneurs, content creators and influencers?
Exactly as Jillian says, “Connect, communicate and then create.”
I am also a listener and a learner. I take a lot of time to thoughtfully understand my community, their conversations and their needs. I believe in staying true to myself and being genuine and to always lead with kindness. What you put out there does make an impact!
Anything else you’d like to share?
One of my biggest takeaways that I’d also like to add about The Jilly Academy is The Jilly Academy Alumni. I connected with the British Columbia Jilly Academy Alumni group and we meet every other week over Zoom. We’ve all watched each other grow through the ups and downs of entrepreneurial/creator life. I have also connected with other amazing Alumni and this is truly the best group of people. I would not have my successes without so many people here who have cheered me on and supported me along the way and helped with other connections. Lean in, learn from each other, encourage and lift each other up!
Life brings so many amazing relationships and people into your life. Thank you Jillian and The Jilly Academy!
Thank you so much to our Alumni member, Anne for inviting us into your journey as you crush your goals! You can find Anne on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest or visit her website HERE! Ready to join Anne and become a part of the incredible community of Alumni members? Get started on building out your dreams TODAY by enrolling in The Jilly Academy!
Xo
Jilly
