Letting go of what was expected and embracing my own path was terrifying, but I knew in my heart it was the right decision for me.
Rohanna Doylida · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Rohanna
Rohanna Doylida is a brand strategist, speaker, and mentor based in the Chicago area, and the founder of TrueVoice Mentorship, She works with women in their second careers, helping them translate decades of lived experience into clear authority, confident messaging, and a brand that sounds like them.
Her path to this work was anything but linear. Rohanna spent 10 years performing on Chicago stages, building a career in the theatre that she describes as both her heart and her home. Her path shifted profoundly when her youngest child was diagnosed with Celiac Disease at a time when gluten-free options were extremely limited. In response, she opened a gluten-free bakery despite having no prior experience in baking or business ownership. What began as a personal promise to her son grew into a mission-driven business that helped others regain not only access to safe food, but also a sense of belonging and inclusion at the table. Following the closure of the bakery during the 2008 recession, she navigated a period of reinvention, exploring new directions before discovering a deep passion for early childhood education, which ultimately led her back to school and into a decade-long career in teaching. Today, Rohanna continues to build on her diverse experiences as an educator, entrepreneur, and advocate, drawing from every chapter of her life to support others in transition and transformation. She is the creator of the Wisdom Bridge method, designed to help women integrate their past experiences into their present identity and future direction rather than starting over. In partnership with Lydia Christensen, she also co-developed the Body Brand Blueprint, a 12-week program that blends somatic work with branding to support personal and professional reinvention. Her work is rooted in the belief that lived experience is not something to leave behind, but a powerful foundation for growth, leadership, and purpose.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Rohanna
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to reinvention, persistence, and a consistent willingness to learn new skills and adapt as opportunities evolve. I have also been shaped significantly by strong mentors often women who have guided, challenged, and supported me throughout my journey. Equally important has been the cumulative value of diverse life and career experiences, which have broadened my perspective and strengthened my ability to navigate change with confidence and purpose.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received came from a theater director, and I absolutely cannot repeat it verbatim. What I can tell you is that the message was this: stop thinking about the outcome and put everything you have into what's right in front of you. The result takes care of itself. I've carried that through four careers and every reinvention since. It applies whether you're stepping into a scene, opening a business, or building something new in your second act.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise young women entering my industry to leverage their past and lived experiences rather than feeling they need to start over. Every role, challenge, and chapter contributes to their perspective and capabilities, and that history can become a powerful source of credibility and competitive advantage. I encourage them to recognize the value in what they already know, bring it forward with confidence, and use it to differentiate themselves and strengthen their impact.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Being a solo entrepreneur means your self-motivation has to be bottomless. Every day there are challenges - you're your own tech support, creative director, all those different pieces, and there's lots to learn. In November, my best friend died out of the blue, and somehow I still had to work, still had obligations to meet, still had things I wanted to accomplish. When it's just you, everybody says you gotta give yourself a break, but if you don't do it, it doesn't get done. It can be very frustrating, but it's also very exciting. There's so much to learn, and that's exciting.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Authenticity, hard-won credibility, the courage to reinvent, commitment as a daily practice, and family above all.
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