Meet Liana Pavane, Founder of TTYL
Meet Liana Pavane, she is the founder of TTYL.
What messages have you had to confront (internally or externally) to pursue your personal & professional path?
“I came up with the concept for TTYL -- a tech-free community dedicated to human connection -- right after graduating college, but didn't take full action until earlier this year when I began hosting pop ups. I knew that my dream was to leave the corporate job to pursue this full-time, but it wasn't until a few months ago that I took the leap of faith. At TTYL, we are motivated by social interaction and belonging--two things I never got enough of in the corporate world. As a young entrepreneur, I had to confront doubts from people who thought it wasn't "smart" to leave my job so young and pursue my passions. I also had to confront my own doubts that maybe they were right. But at the end of the day, I knew deep down that building community was what I was meant to do--and everything else was secondary.”
What was the most difficult part of the path that you had to overcome?
“The most difficult part of the path I chose was putting aside what people would think. When I took the leap out of the corporate world and into the world of entrepreneurship, I knew there would be naysayers and doubters. I also knew that I could absolutely not be one of them. So, I focused on keeping my head up and seeing the bigger picture ahead. As the months progressed, there were many friends that began to distance themselves from me. Although painful at the time, I began to expand my network and connect with more like-minded people. I truly believe that people come into our lives for a reason and I needed to let some of the old friends go to make space for new connections.”
How do you stay motivated?
“I stayed motivated by going to as many events as I possibly could. I am invigorated by human connection and most inspired when I am around like-minded people, so I looked to spaces that hosted the types of communities I wanted to grow. In that journey, I also started something I called "solo experiences" which were sort of like solo date nights. Those solo experiences helped me become more in-tune with myself (as well as confident).
Through this journey, I've connected with a lot of other entrepreneurs. Whenever I'm feeling unmotivated or doubting myself, I'll set up a call with one of these friends/mentors. Having a support system to discuss our mutual hardships and lift each other up has been an extremely helpful practice.”
What tips do you have for tuning into yourself & tuning out external criticism?
“As a digital wellness expert, my biggest tip is to disconnect. Exit out of Instagram. Put your phone away. Remove the sources of external criticism and then really tune into what's left. Once you can successfully separate yourself from these social pressures, it's important to incorporate mindful practices into your routine. Journal. Read. Mediate. Discover who you are away from technology. I promise you will be amazed by what you uncover.”
What are you most proud of about your journey and/or where you are now?
“The thing I'm most proud of is that, every day, I get to be someone who goes out into the world and helps foster human connection. Every time I get feedback from one of my events or a note from someone who read an article of mine, I am reminded why I do what I do. I'm proud that I'm using my relationship building skills for good, and I can't wait to impact more people.”
Check out TTYL and follow Liana on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.