We recently had the chance to connect with Anna Gryglewska and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Anna, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Absolutely. After 16+ years of being the person behind the scenes…producing events, retreats, and conferences around the world, I recently stepped into a new role for myself: event speaker. I had the honor of being on the leadership panel at an entrepreneurial conference in Arizona, and it was such a full-circle moment.
For so long, my role has been creating the stage for others. To step onto the stage myself and share my story, my experiences, and the lessons I’ve learned about leadership, impact, and building intentional communities felt both surreal and deeply affirming.
I’m proud because it represents personal growth and a season of expansion—choosing to use my voice in a bigger way, not just my skills as a planner. The conversations I had and the impact I felt in that room reminded me exactly why I do what I do. It left me with immense gratitude and so much excitement for what’s to come.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Anna Gryglewska, Founder & CEO of SOULARA, a curated marketplace for transformational events, retreats, and speakers, and Elevated Co. Retreat Agency, where we design and produce bespoke retreats and incentive programs for companies, communities, and visionary leaders.
What makes my work unique is that it sits at the intersection of intention, connection, and impact. I’ve spent over 16 years producing experiences around the world from the Grammy Awards and UEFA Champions League to intimate retreats and leadership circles. That journey showed me how powerful gatherings can be when they go beyond logistics and create true transformation.
With SOULARA, I’m building a community-driven platform that connects people with aligned events, speakers, facilitators, and brands so they can grow, heal, and find their people.
Right now, I’m most excited about scaling SOULARA, creating partnerships with conscious brands, and continuing to show the world that events and retreats aren’t just “nice-to-haves”, they’re powerful tools for transformation and leadership.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a little girl, I believed that in order to be worthy I had to carry everything on my own shoulders and do it perfectly. I was the one who wanted to get the gold stars, make everyone proud, and prove I could handle anything without asking for help. That belief followed me into adulthood, especially in my early career, where I thought being a leader meant never showing weakness and always having the answers.
What I’ve learned through both life and business is that perfection and isolation aren’t strengths, they’re protection. True strength is letting yourself be supported, collaborating, and leading from authenticity rather than control. I have been working on no longer chase the impossible idea of “perfect.” I strongly believe in community, in co-creation, and in the kind of leadership that leaves space for humanity.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely. A few years ago, after pouring myself into building experiences for others, I hit a wall of severe burnout. I was producing retreats, managing high-stakes events, traveling constantly, and holding everything together for my clients but behind the scenes, I was exhausted. I started questioning if I could keep doing this work that I loved at the pace I was moving.
There was a moment where I genuinely thought about stepping away from the events industry altogether. But instead of walking away, I paused. I took time to reflect, to recalibrate, and to invest in my own healing and support system. That season became a turning point where Elevated Co. Retreat Agency was reborn with a clearer mission, and SOULARA was born from that same desire, to build a platform that connects people with intentional, soul-aligned events and experiences.
Looking back, the moment I almost gave up became the moment I learned to do business differently: rooted in authenticity and community rather than overextension. It changed everything about how I lead and create today.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
The truth that we are never meant to do this life alone. For so long, I thought independence was the goal but the real magic happens in collaboration, in sisterhood, and in spaces where people feel seen and safe. That truth is the heartbeat of my work and the reason SOULARA exists: to gather people with intention and provide the opportunity to find the spaces and people that truly align with them.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I was a connector who helped them find the people, places, and experiences that changed their lives and businesses. That through the events, communities and platforms I curated, they discovered people & events that opened their hearts, expanded their vision, and reminded them of what really matters.
More than anything, I want to be remembered for creating spaces where people felt safe to show up fully as themselves and for sparking connections that rippled far beyond a single event. If my legacy is that I helped people find their people and the experiences that transformed them, that would be the legacy I’m most proud to leave behind.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mysoulara.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysoulara
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-gryglewska/
Image Credits
Chris Tyre, Erika Stewart
