Today marks seven whole years since I officially launched A Positive Adventure—and what a ride it’s been! I’m not going to sit here and pretend I wasn’t terrified at the start, because trust me, I absolutely was. I’d just laid myself off during a corporate RIF and left behind a solid tech salary in San Francisco. At that moment, I thought, “OH NO. What have I done?” (Not an exaggeration—I was actually applying for 40 jobs out of sheer panic!)
This image was created with the assistance of DALL·E
But I knew, deep down, that I was meant for something else. As offers from big Silicon Valley names dangled in front of me, something didn’t sit right. I was letting fear guide my decisions, and I had to ask myself, “Is this really what I want?”
It wasn’t.
So, I took a step back, reassessed, and gave myself one year—ONE YEAR—to see what APA could really become. I’m talking late nights, hustle mode, pouring everything into the dream with no guarantees. Ghosted by prospects, told "no" more times than I care to admit, but I stayed the course. One week before my self-imposed financial check-in, we landed two of the biggest deals APA had ever seen.
That was my sign. We were just getting started.
Fast forward seven years, and we’ve partnered with amazing clients—some for over five years—helping to create real, lasting change in their organizations. We’ve grown, added coaching certifications from Harvard and Berkeley to the mix, navigated industry shifts, supported clients through pandemics, and pivoted when needed. And honestly, I couldn’t be prouder of the work we’ve done.
I still remember those early days like they were yesterday. (Cue this blubbering video below where I say, “One day I’ll look back at this video and think 'I made it' and think, remember when I was sad in my car that day?”) It was tough, but deep down, I knew I was heading in the right direction. Now, here we are—crushing it, making waves in the L&D world, continually speaking at conferences & on podcasts, and creating real, positive change for high-growth businesses. It’s been a wild, rewarding adventure!
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this adventure—whether you’ve been here since day one or just joined. To our incredible clients, dedicated contractors, advisors & mentors, and unwavering supporters.... I couldn’t have done this without you. Here’s to more impact, more growth, and more adventures ahead.
Happy 7th Birthday, APA! 🎉
(And please enjoy some glow-up pics, because wow, what a difference!)
Let's keep this thing going,
Kati
Founder, APA
Comments