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How did you come up with the idea for your business?
As a child, I constantly saw many people around me struggle with their mental health. I initially thought that it was only my family who struggled with depression, anxiety, PTSD, etc. However, as I grew older, I started to learn that every single person around me was struggling in different ways, from finances, insecurities, deaths in families, etc. Despite this, mental health was not something that was openly spoken about or addressed, and there was no clear support for children.
One day in high school, a student posted on Facebook that he was struggling with his mental health and that he felt lost and alone. As I read his Facebook post, chills went up my spine, and I immediately began thinking about what could be done to make sure no one felt this way ever again. Due to a lack of support and approval, it took months, but eventually, we were able to hold my high school’s first Mental Health Week. It consisted of therapeutic activity rooms, discussion rooms, and an assembly where students could get on stage and talk about their struggles with mental health and how they were able to overcome it to show others that things can and will get better. After this week, several students came up to me and talked about how the safe space helped them understand their past and also showed them that they had a community of people to whom they could speak to. This made me beyond happy, but I knew that my work wasn’t done there.
In college, I started up this non-profit organization, Project Yellow, which introduces mental health curriculum to children. By teaching children about self-love, confidence, taking care of themselves and others, different mental illnesses, etc through our student-made, research-backed lesson plans, our goal is that if they are ever faced with hard situations, they will be more equipped to take care of themselves and others. We spread our lessons through presenting to schools across Austin providing parents and teachers resources through our client facing website, and volunteering with hospitals and other volunteer opportunities with kids. Alongside this, students are educated on resources that are out there for them, who they can talk to, how they can bring up conversations regarding mental health, etc. Seeing that these kids are being taught these vital lessons, cures my inner child, knowing that if they are facing harder situations, they have the support and knowledge they need. Our hope is that with this, the current terrifying depression, suicide, and anxiety rates can decrease.
What does the average day look like for you now as an entrepreneur (especially compared to past jobs/days)?
I have held internships for large corporate companies, startups, been a college student, and entrepreneur and every single experience has been so different and led to a different day to day life. As the founder of Project Yellow, no day looks the same, which is one of my favorite things as an entrepreneur. I am constantly talking to new individuals, venturing into new projects, tackling obstacles, and looking for new ways to take Project Yellow to the next level. This year, I usually have classes from 9 AM - 5 PM. In between classes, I do smaller tasks for Project Yellow such as responding to messages, emails, planning out events, looking into new opportunities, etc. I then come home and rest/eat. Afterwards, I usually have different meetings, do larger tasks, plan out next steps, go to events, or set up coffee chats with entrepreneurs. After these tasks, I go back to school work to finish the night. On weekends, I prioritize getting as much done as I can, so that the work/school week can run smoother and so that I have time for rest and self care.
What are some of the top things you have learned so far?
Don't compare
Setbacks or pivots can make your business/organization even stronger
Constantly take feedback
Who or what inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
In high school, I struggled with test anxiety. No matter the amount of work I put in, I consistently would do poorly on tests and it was not an accurate representation of my knowledge or the work I put in. Thus, my sophomore year of high school, I applied to become class vice-president. I ended up becoming the class president, and it began my journey of finding my skills in leadership and entrepreneurship. By the end of high school, I was able to create a mental health curriculum that went into high schools across Texas, established a new club in my high school, organized several fundraisers raising over $50,000, and held 8 different leadership positions. I was able to learn that I could make an impact in the world instead of going through traditional routes, through my own skills. Now in college, I am so proud of the work I have done in Project Yellow, and most importantly I love what I do. Although being an entrepreneur is hard at times, it is extremely fulfilling to see the impact that we are able to make. For Project Yellow, I love going into schools and seeing the kids respond so positively to our curriculum.
What have been 1-2 of your proudest moments in creating your business?
One of my proudest moments was the day that Project Yellow was able to go into schools for the first time. I started this organization in January of 2021, amidst the global pandemic; Thus, even after reaching out to hundreds of local elementary schools, all of them denied us of volunteering with their students for health concerns. We had to make several organizational pivots and keep working to perfect the lesson plans we were working on, while continuously reaching out to schools and hoping they would let us volunteer at any capacity. Finally in March of 2022, we heard from a school that we were accepted to volunteer with them, but only had a week to prepare and start volunteering. We had to quickly figure out how our first school visit ever would work, get volunteers ready, order and prepare supplies, make schedules, etc. When the day came to go into our first school, I was so nervous and excited, hoping that the kids would react positively. It ended up going so smoothly, and the kids and teachers enjoyed the lesson plan so much. One kid came up to me at the end and said, “Thank you so much for coming, I learned so much. When are you guys coming again.” This warmed my heart and was one of the proudest moments within Project Yellow, as even though there were so many hurdles, it all worked out in the end and we were able to do what we initially imagined to make an impact with kids on mental health. A second milestone was with the growth of the UT Austin Chapter in just one semester of existence, where we had 150 members sign up to volunteer at schools and were able to work with over 3000 kids. It was so exciting to see so many college students passionate about mental health, and rewarding to see so many kids/schools gaining access to our resources.
What’s the best advice you have received along your journey?
The most valuable advice I've received throughout my journey is to view every setback as an opportunity for growth rather than a failure or loss. In the early stages of my entrepreneurial venture, I often found myself disheartened when I fell short of my initial goals or missed certain milestones. It was during these moments that those around me reminded me not to be discouraged, but instead, to treat each setback as a valuable lesson that could ultimately pave the way for even greater success. This perspective shift has been transformative, as I now embrace challenges with enthusiasm, knowing that they are stepping stones on the path to achieving my aspirations. Embracing the idea that setbacks are not roadblocks, but rather detours that lead to more enriching destinations has been a guiding principle in my journey, enabling me to persist and thrive in the face of adversity.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I have been able to give ~mostly~ accurate hand readings to over 100 people, predicting their love, health, life span, and how they open they are as a person.
About The Author:
Aayushi Mehta'24
Founder of Project Yellow
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