Today we’d like to introduce you to Anika Allen.
Hi Anika, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When my second grade teacher asked students what we wanted to be when we grew up, the term Friendship Consultant never entered my mind. However during the pandemic, like many, I had more free time than usual to think about life and the kind of contributions I want to make to society. COVID also shined a light on our loneliness epidemic, and the harrowing effects of isolation. It was after listening to a podcast discussing the longest running study on happiness (conducted by Harvard University for over 80 years) that I became obsessed with teaching people the benefits of social connection. The study proved, along with dozens of others, that the #1 determining factor of long-term health and happiness is not based on your income, marital status, job title, or city of residence… it’s the quality of your relationships/friendships. It was less than 48 hours after that podcast that I founded Five-Star Friendships LLC. I have consumed years of research studying social connection and am committed to showing people why their social health should be prioritized. Funny enough, when I told my sister, I was launching a friendship consulting business, she said it’s like I was born for this. I brought kids together in my neighborhood when I was in elementary school. I started my own clubs in high school and college. I used to conduct community forums in a talk-show-style format after graduate school. and I don’t mean to brag, but I am great at developing and maintaining amazing friendships for decades!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No one‘s journey is perfect, but I don’t view struggles negatively. The challenges I faced were growth opportunities. One of the biggest obstacles I still face today is having some people not take me seriously. When I introduce myself as a Friendship Consultant, some people give a quizzical look because they’ve never heard of this profession before. Others smile like they would to a child who said something cute or whimsical. But I don’t take it personally. Once I start to share the overwhelming research on the power of friendship and how it improves lives physically, emotionally, spiritually, and even financially… they become believers. Afterwards, I’m normally inundated with questions about friendship. How do I make new friends without looking desperate? How do I know when to end a long-term friendship? How do I balance time with my friends vs my partner/family? The questions are endless. And I’m fortunate to do something that brings me a tremendous amount of joy. I’ve lost count of the number of people who have come up to me after hearing me on the radio, a podcast or seeing me do a television interview, to say how much my advice and encouragement for them to stay socially connected has improved their lives significantly!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Friendship Consultant and Social Health Educator. I help people gain and maintain amazing friendships. I do this through motivational speaking, conducting workshops, offering private consultations, and selling a step-by-step guided friendship journal called Friendships To Go. I work with people of all ages, but now that the school year has started, I haven’t even greater focus on teaching young people the value of friendship. My student program is highly rated, and it teaches middle schoolers, high schoolers and college kids how to identify the right friends and step away from unhealthy friends. We have a lot of fun and educators love me because research proves that healthy social connections leads to a lift in attendance and academic performance!
What does success mean to you?
I feel success when I am awakened by a ringing in my soul, not the ringing of my alarm. I am in bed with a smile, thinking about all the ways I can help people improve their lives through social connection. Even if the day ahead is challenging or exhausting, before my feet hit the floor, my mind is spinning with new ideas and that brings me joy. Success comes from within. It’s means external motivation is a bonus not a necessity. If I am pleased with my contributions and efforts to make the world a better place… that’s success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://FiveStarFriendships.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fivestarfriendships
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fivestarfriendships
- LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/friendshipconsultant
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@fivestarfriendships
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@fivestarfriendships
