When Alyssa Anselmo quit her New York design job to build a daycare in Canada with next to no experience, everyone said she was crazy. Since then, she's delivered multiple award-winning projects, amassed a social media empire of 1M+ followers and built a studio that lets her choose work entirely on her own terms. Safe to say she made the right decision.

Alyssa breaks down the decisions, the risks, and what she's learned about taste, money and attention.

Her message is this: You don't need permission. You don't need a decade of experience. You need conviction, a willingness to be uncomfortable, and the courage to back your ideas even when nobody else does.

00:00 Intro

01:20 Why architecture and design made sense

08:46 What Italy, Canada and the US taught her about design

17:17 Walking away from commercial practice to start her own studio

22:02 How the Bambini daycare project began with her mum

28:31 Taking on a 1,000 square metre childcare centre solo

30:24 Rethinking daycare interiors for light, calm and curiosity

35:07 What she wants to design next

37:04 How TikTok and Studio Anva’s online presence started

43:04 Turning a rented flat into a content engine

45:11 Good design on a tight budget with Facebook Marketplace and IKEA

47:47 Money, taste and why some rich homes still feel flat

53:04 Why good design should scare you a little

54:09 Lessons for designers who want to grow on social media

1:00:25 Advice for young architects and designers backing their ideas

1:07:27 Her slow, human response to AI in design

1:13:29 Has her career gone to plan or not at all