*AI Assistance for grammar only (Those who know me will understand why)
26th May 2023
This article aims to provide insights into my personal journey and how I believe it led me to where I am today in launching OneAnother. All constructive feedback is welcome, and I am happy to discuss any topic respectfully.
I am grateful for the privileged upbringing my family has provided me. With three older brothers and parents who have stayed together, loved each other, and accepted one another, I am proud to say that I have lived, and will continue to do my best to live, a happy life.
Why does this matter, and how does it impact my OneAnother journey?
To me, it all began back in high school when I was a weekly boarder. From Year 7 to 12, I spent Monday to Friday constantly with my mates, going to school during the day, engaging in sports in the afternoons, and participating in ‘homework’ and shenanigans during the evenings.
To me, this was a perfect balance that brought me happiness and later in life led to my ‘Balance Tattoo’ on my body, acting as a constant reminder and supporting one of my top values.
I believe ‘Balance’ is one of the keys to a happy and fulfilled life.
Part of my upbringing involved having my rural country mates stay over on weekends so they could experience the big smoke. As we grew older, I found happiness in organising dinner parties, setting people up on dates, and inviting friends who I knew would get along.
I love connecting humans.
Now I have begun to realise the importance of Human Connection to happiness.
Moving into my teenage years, we began to notice the unfortunate loss of many of our friends, friends’ siblings, colleagues, and teammates for various reasons.
To this day, my close friend and great mentor, Sam Webb, who lost his close friend and then went on to create the Livin Charity, who’s on a mission to make the world accept that #Itaintweaktospeak.
He is a true inspiration and got me thinking about ways to approach mental wellness, with vulnerability and communication as important aspects.
Growing up, our family was always involved in activities such as Salvo Army door-knocking and regular blood donations. So we understood the concept of another key element to happiness:
Do good, feel good.
As time progressed, my passion for mental wellness grew stronger. So my friend Dann d’Auvergne-Massie and I created The Better Network, which was designed to be a one-stop-shop website for all things related to mental wellness: resources, hotlines, podcasts, books, tips, and, of course, community volunteering events.
After spending more than 5 hours trying to put together a list of relevant volunteering events in Sydney and facing many difficulties, I knew there had to be a better way.
Further research from Volunteering Australia in partnership with PWC highlighted the difficulties with volunteering and the fact that volunteering rates in Australia have been dropping since 2010.
Additionally, the *Australian Institute of Health & Welfare states that 51% of Australians feel lonely at least once a week. While many other studies state anxiety, depression, and suicide rates are rising.
A light bulb went off when I was sitting alone in Texas, and I wanted to combine these two core social impact elements:
- Increase volunteering rates
- Decrease loneliness.
The idea for 3Helps was born in 2019 in Austin, Texas, while I was living overseas and working in sales.
Our mission was simple: “make volunteering easy.”
Fast forward three years, I met our now co-founder of OneAnother, Lisa Hollinshead, on a webinar. We had a serendipitous moment when we discovered a connection via a book called ‘Lost Connections’ and realised that we were both on the same mission to reduce loneliness.
After going through the Hyper Accelerator Program., I learned about the business model, target market, execution, partnerships, and other ways to help build the foundation. Lisa, with her 15-year stellar PR career, had a working MVP App, and Adam Heaney, our Chief Technology Officer, complemented our skills perfectly. So it was a no-brainer that we came together.
As OneAnother, our purpose is to inspire human connection to reduce loneliness.
We are like Airtasker for human kindness. A marketplace connecting humans with other people or charities that need help.
No task is too small or too large to complete. Think companionship, errands, community events, and formal volunteering. The opportunities to connect are endless.
The OneAnother community is here for you, so you can be there for others.
What is my why that keeps me going?
“Happiness is found at the T-intersection of gratitude and growth.” I am extremely grateful for the life I have, and I find happiness in personal growth, supported by the great book ‘The Obstacle is the Way.’
In my opinion, there is no greater challenge and growth opportunity than learning what it takes to start, build, and scale a tech-for-good company to help make a positive impact on the world.
We are grateful to everyone who has supported our journey, and we look forward to welcoming all good humans as we continue to grow the #GoodHumanEconomy together.
Are you a Good Human?
Join our community and make a connection today!
With gratitude,
*Feedback is always welcomed and remember “A negative mind will never lead to a positive life”
Chris Ingate | Co-Founder
Connection | Positivity | Balance | Growth
+61 420 880 391