Ash Moraca: A Story of Understanding the Inner World.

• Ash Moraca is the CEO and founder of Retreat, where she integrates technology and mental health to facilitate personal growth.
• Having faced mental hardships and struggles, she now strives to help others in ways that she discovered in her journey.
• As an entrepreneur, she gives her insights on what traits and mindsets are needed for new entrepreneurs to succeed.

Life Shaping Factors

• Can you tell us about your childhood and the key values that shaped your approach to life and work?

I grew up in an entrepreneurial household. From an early age, I had the habit of thinking outside the box. This shaped how I saw the world and the choices that I made in my life. I learnt that valuing the idea of entrepreneurship and business helps one have agency and sovereignty over one’s own life. That is why all the choices I’ve made in my life were made while prioritising sovereignty over my life. Ultimately, having agency over my life and my choices has been my life goal. Living a life that aligns with my own purpose and soul’s destiny is my call. I’d always choose that rather than fulfilling what other people want my life to be.

Wellness Entrepreneurship

• Your career spans e-commerce, strategy, and wellness entrepreneurship—What inspired you to create Retreat, and how does it bridge mental wellness and spirituality in a unique way?

Retreat was a result of my own struggles with mental health. I was struggling with severe depression and suicidal ideation. I leaned into many different modalities as a way to cope and better understand my inner world, and I tried to find a practitioner who could help me. During this process, I realised that I was spending a lot of resources and money. There wasn’t a tool that could speak to me and help me find my inner world. I wanted something that would give me resources to help my mental health, and this is when Retreat appeared.

Retreat looks to bridge the gap that people find when seeking help. We bring together a wide range of methods that provide assistance. From meditation, breath work, spiritual modalities, and as well as therapy. In addition to this, we provide education to people on topics such as CBT and EMDR. We strive to help people find answers to questions such as “How can we understand ourselves more deeply?”. We look forward to meeting people where they are and providing them with a wide range of modalities. That is not something being provided in the market today.

Past Challenges

• What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in transitioning from corporate strategy to wellness entrepreneurship, and how did you navigate them?

Some of the biggest challenges were facing uncertainty and giving up stability. When you’re in a corporation, you have stable checkpoints such as the date for a paycheck, clear goals, responsibilities, and motivation. You can be intrinsically motivated, but motivation also comes from the goals that are set by the organization. You also have the willingness to want to perform your best for a manager. One of the biggest challenges was making the shift to being on my own and creating my own motivation. This came from a deep place as I wanted to give back and turned my pain into purpose.

My business is still growing, so uncertainty is still something that I am navigating through. What partnerships might take place, or how we get to the next level, is still uncertain. I think I have accepted uncertainty and am fine with it. Entrepreneurship has taught me that facing challenges is the only constant in the journey. It has also taught me how to root into one’s power and stay true to one’s beliefs. 

• If you could go back and change one decision in your career, what would it be and why?

I don’t think there is necessarily a decision I would change because I attribute who I am today to all the challenges I have faced. I am grateful for all the decisions I have made. Even the one that I wished I could have changed when I was in pain in the past. Though I think one thing I would tell my younger self is to start sooner. To take the first step sooner, believe in herself and foster confidence within herself. I’d tell her that the journey is still unfolding and that she should stay open and accepting of the future.

Mentorship and Advice

• What is one essential trait you believe is crucial for success in any entrepreneurial venture?

Being comfortable with uncertainty. I also think that the act of consistently coming back to yourself and the purpose behind what you are doing is integral to external success. But it’s also an important trait to be able to acknowledge when there’s a feeling of misalignment or to recognize the circumstances of how you’re experiencing the moment. Lastly, it is about finding and fostering that deep connection to yourself along the way.

• Mentorship plays a big role in professional growth—did you have a mentor who shaped your journey? What was the most valuable lesson they taught you?

I’ve had several mentors along my journey. The earliest of them was my parents, who were entrepreneurs. I personally think that just being around people who were building businesses helped shape my journey from a young age.

The most valuable lesson I learnt from all the mentors was to pass on what you have. I have had the privilege of having female mentors who vouched for me in places where even I didn’t see it. It’s impactful to have someone believe in you enough for them to put themselves on the line for you. The humbleness of my mentors when they advocated for me and brought me into rooms was a big lesson. Now, I strive to do the same because we need to give women more opportunities and give them spaces.

• Balancing personal well-being while running a business focused on wellness can be challenging—how do you practice what you preach?

It’s always a challenge. I believe that life is a balance of finding inner balance within yourself in terms of what works. I don’t ascribe to the 9-5 mentality and personally have a flexible work schedule. I intuitively work when it feels good to me and take breaks the same way. 

Making sure and checking that I am not overworking myself and that I have enough time to rest is how I ensure ease. Having a structured framework around my days and wellness activities allows life to have a more natural flow.

• With your background in tech and wellness, what advice would you give to entrepreneurs looking to integrate technology into mental health and personal growth spaces?

My biggest advice would be to find your “why”. Entrepreneurs are always told that they need to have a deep connection with the problem they are solving. I believe having this connection with the reason you’re doing what you are keeps you returning repeatedly to your journey.When times get hard in your business, you can always come back to “why” you are doing what you are. This is why I would encourage new entrepreneurs to find their “why,” because it uncovers the potential of your business.

Personal Passions and Books

• What are some wellness tips or tricks that helped you over the years to find your peace?

Two of my favourite modalities are breath work and inner family systems.

Many different types of breathwork exist, such as Pranayama and yoga, but the most effective for me was Somatic Breathwork. It uses the act of breathing to shift the energy in the body, as sometimes we store tension and trauma in our bodies. This tension and trauma are the emotions that are keeping us in the past. So, using my breath to really release what I don’t want to keep in myself is how I create clarity for myself.

The second modality, Internal Family Systems, is the practice of looking at our inner psyche as an inner family. For example, if I had an anxious part, I could speak to it like it were a person and not fully identify as an anxious person. I also keep in mind that this anxious part is trying to protect me; it is a coping mechanism. When we invite all different parts of ourselves to have a voice and feel safe, we create more alignment internally. So this practice of honoring different parts of ourselves can be an amazing unlock.

• Is there a particular quote or book that deeply resonates with you and influences your life?

Eckhart Tolle is someone I look up to. His teachings in ‘The Power of Now’ were incredibly formative for me. Each time I read the book, it is like I unlock a different layer of understanding of his teachings. There is a lot of depth to everything he speaks about and his way of being.

When it comes to entrepreneurship, a quote I come back to is – “Courage is always rewarded.” Whether it is your willingness to try something new, take a new step, or leap in the face of fear. Any sort of courage will be rewarded. This keeps me going.