Anneme Coetzee founded and owns a company called True Awakenings that specialises in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), individual coaching, certification training and corporate training. The business is built on the values of empowering people because empowerment, to Anneme, means freedom.

She explains, “I’m passionate about healing people. Healing doesn’t necessary mean that people are broken or ill, but that there are unconscious triggers, behaviours, habits, and programmes that are holding them back. These unconscious patterns prevent them from being empowered and living the life of their dreams.”

Anneme does individualised coaching programmes to work with people where they find themselves currently and to help them build and enhance the resources that they have within themselves. The goal is to reach that empowered state where they can live life on their terms, whatever that might be. She hosts group coaching programmes or bespoke trainings to companies. Anneme also does skills training and facilitates certification training for those who want to be certified in NLP techniques.

“I believe that voids create our values, so the pain points that we experience in our lives, influence how your values are formed and what becomes important to you,” explained Anneme. Much of her motivation to heal originates in her own childhood experiences, which made Anneme fascinated with understanding human behaviour. This fascination forced her to unconsciously and passionately pursue the answers that she was looking for; the deeper understanding of what drives human behaviour.

“I think that when you embark on a journey looking for answers for your own situation and when you know how to solve it for yourself, it makes it easier to solve it for other people as well.”

A lot of the behaviours people display are just programmes, says Anneme. “They are unconscious habits and if we are experiencing challenges based on what we experienced in our past, then that’s what I want to change/heal. I embarked on this journey of self-discovery and self-development.”

This journey to empowerment, and knowing what being disempowered feels like, is the inspiration behind what gets Anneme out of bed each day and to continue to go on. “Everybody has a story and when I recognise that in someone else, all I want to do is help them change it and have the pain go away. So that inspires me.”

Commenting on the challenges she has faced, Anneme said that many people have recently experienced similar challenges including economic stress, looting, floods, lockdown etc.

However, she said that these challenges have forced us, as mankind, to do things differently. “We only grow when things get uncomfortable, as much as I don’t like challenges, I also, paradoxically, love them,” Anneme explained.

A business challenge Anneme has is marketing her services; she has a solution to problems that people don’t know they have. She explains that she needs to describe her services authentically so that potential clients don’t feel they’re being pitched to in a sales conversation. Anneme added that she is genuine about helping people evolve through their challenges. Having authentic conversations around solutions in a way that builds trust, is she explains, how she can assist.

Anneme’s biggest dream when she was a little girl was to study psychology. Life had its ups and downs, so Anneme never ended up going to university. “When I stumbled across NLP, it felt like I won the Lotto. All the bells went off and I thought this is it. I’ve finally found what I want to do,” she explained.

Anneme is proud of the fact that she is a master trainer of NLP with the American Board of NLP, and the highest trained female on the African continent with them.

She added, “From my practical point of view, I am passionate about what I do. Every single achievement for me is when I see the light switch on in one of my clients. That’s what gets me to go and do more.”

A future goal is to create a ripple effect, which is why NLP training has become part of the business. Anneme said she realised, when she faced burnout a few years ago, that if she wanted to heal the world, she could not do it on her own. Empowering other people with the same techniques and skills, in their business or in their personal life, will make more impact globally. Anneme said, “My goals will stay the same and that is to help as many people as I can while I’m here.”

In giving advice to others, Anneme says to stay grounded. “Know yourself. Discover what your true skills are and stay in your lane. Don’t compete with other people because your skills are unique to you and designed to make you successful, so follow that passion. In other words, follow your own true north, your own compass.”

“The more you are grounded and the more you know who you are, the more confident you’ll be. The more your self-worth will express itself in a healthy and authentic way and everything that’s in alignment with your true self cannot help but show up.”

Commenting on what she does for time out Anneme laughs, “I have a toddler – that’s forced time out.” However, she says that her daughter is very grounding for her and that she loves taking her to the beach and just spending time with her.

She also enjoys spending time with friends and family as that’s how she recharges her batteries and stays connected to those who are near and dear to her.

Being part of the KZN Top Business Women initiative means recognition, accountability, and credibility, said Anneme. “I like being humble and behind the scenes. I like the work to speak for itself, but in terms of being able to help other people, I need to be out there, and so I’m grateful for this opportunity to do just that.”