Princeton Engineer Luisa Zhou Left Corporate Life to Build a Million-Dollar Business on Her Own Terms
Stories
February 6, 2026
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Luisa Zhou once believed that a Princeton degree and a prestigious engineering title were the ultimate markers of a secure and successful life. However, that sense of safety evaporated the moment her family faced a health crisis and she realized her “perfect” job offered no room for her to actually be there.
She learned the hard way that even a massive salary is a poor substitute for the freedom to prioritize your family during their darkest hours. That realization sparked a fire within her to stop trading her presence for a paycheck and to start building a life where she held the keys.
Image Source: Forbes
Engineering a Great Escape
Luisa did not leave her career on a whim because she understood that true freedom requires a foundation built on more than just hope. She spent two long years working on her consulting business during every stolen lunch break and late night while her colleagues were resting. By applying her logical engineering mind to the world of entrepreneurship, she proved that you can build a bridge to a new life without burning the one you are currently standing on.
This methodical approach allowed her to test her ideas in the real world while the safety of her corporate salary was still intact. She advocates for the slow build because it removes the desperation that often leads new founders to make short-sighted decisions for quick cash. When she finally stepped away from her desk for the last time, she was not taking a leap of faith but rather walking through a door she had already unlocked.
Image Source: Business Insider
Redefining the Million-Dollar Life
By the time Luisa officially left the corporate world, her “side project” was already generating over a million dollars in annual revenue. Now at 36, she has designed a lifestyle where four hours of focused work allows her to sustain a million-dollar business on her own terms. Her daily schedule is no longer a list of demands from a manager but a reflection of the people and passions that she values most in the world.
The most inspiring part of her journey is the fact that her bank account is secondary to the absolute control she now has over her time. Wealth for Luisa is the quiet confidence of knowing she can close her laptop whenever a loved one needs her without seeking anyone’s permission. She has proven to the world that the most valuable thing you can ever own is the right to decide exactly how your day unfolds.
Anise Health is on a mission to improve mental healthcare for Asian Americans.
Recognizing the lack of health equity in the existing mental healthcare system, especially for people of color, Anise Health aims to create a positive change by offering culturally-responsive care.
Anise Health wants to make mental health care accessible and affordable for everyone. They work with different health plans and offer affordable plans for those who pay themselves. They have big plans to reach more people of color and support them in their mental health journey.
Anise Health believes that everyone deserves the care and support they need to live a happier and healthier life. Read through the inspiring insights from Anise Health in an interview with Asian Hustle Network.
Alice and Nisha, founders of Anise Health
ADDRESSING THE UNIQUE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE ASIAN COMMUNITY
Anise Health is building the gold standard of mental healthcare for Asian Americans because there is an urgent need to advance health equity.
People of color are extremely underserved by the existing mental health care system, with 50% dropping out of therapy after just the first session. Specifically, 41% of Asian Americans experience current symptoms of depression and anxiety, yet only 30% report feeling supported today. The sharp increase in anti-Asian hate crimes compounded with the model minority myth means that the Asian community often suffers in silence, leading to devastating consequences such as Asian young adults being the only ethnic group with suicide as the leading cause of death.
Anise is on a mission to change these trends by creating a culturally-responsive digital mental health platform built by and for the Asian community. We’re humbled by the incredible results our clients achieve on our platform, including:
97% completion rate of the first 4 weekly sessions, which far exceeds the industry benchmark of outsized dropouts after the first session
95% of our clients report feeling heard or understood by their provider, demonstrating a strong therapeutic alliance between providers and clients
Net promoter score of 84 (46 points above the industry average), indicating unparalleled satisfaction with our provider curation and training
SPECIFIC CHALLENGES THAT INDIVIDUALS FACE WHEN SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
Asian Americans experience unique stressors such as collectivistic family dynamics, bicultural tension living as a minority in a majority culture, pressure to achieve and perfectionism from reinforced narratives of self-sacrifice, intergenerational trauma from unhealed historical wounds, excessive shame and guilt leading to internalized self-criticism, rigid gender norms and relationship expectations, to name a few.
Our clinical advisory board comprises pioneering experts in the field who are leading evidence-based research to address these stressors and empower the well-being of the Asian community. We infuse their expertise into our care models and translate this information into digestible educational formats which are curated in our digital resource library.
DESTIGMATIZING MENTAL HEALTH
Anise normalizes mental health by delivering psychoeducational webinars and interactive workshops tailored to Asian Americans. Our clinicians lead these group services across a diverse range of topics for a variety of enterprise partners and schools, including Netflix, LinkedIn, Microsoft, and many more. We also host free community engagement programming with a large network of over two dozen nonprofit partners, as well as speaking at multicultural conferences and celebratory events.
For individuals seeking 1-on-1 services, Anise has developed care models that are clinically validated and culturally tailored, which research shows to be ~5x more effective than one-size-fits-all offerings. We are the only platform providing a holistic suite of services that integrate individual teletherapy, behavioral coaching, peer support groups, alternative medicine, and a curated library of self-service digital resources. Furthermore, our approach enables the accurate assessment of cultural stressors and personalization of care using machine learning technology. Anise’s proprietary clinical care model incorporates cultural adaptation along every step of the client’s journey from intake to blended treatment plans.
THE CULTURALLY-RESPONSIVE CARE MODEL
At Anise, culturally-responsive care means seeing a client as more than just a set of symptoms and diagnoses. Clients are seen as unique individuals whose racial and cultural contexts shape how they experience the world and how their needs are not being met.
Our providers are recruited for their deep expertise in culturally-responsive care and extensive experience supporting Asian clients. Once hired, providers are trained in our proprietary curriculum to explore clients’ intersecting identities and empowered in monthly consultation sessions, which offer providers their own space for connection and continued learning. In fact, our providers are diverse and maintain a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, language capabilities, and therapy approaches.
Therapists and coaches work together as a dedicated team for clients, where the therapist helps the client navigate through psychological history and set concrete therapy goals, while the coach works with the client to achieve these goals. This empowers Asian clients to achieve lasting outcomes.
TESTIMONIALS
Anise Client – “Therapy had not worked for me before, but after meeting my Anise clinician I have regained confidence in the process and am excited to continue working with my therapist.”
Anise Clinician – “I found Anise’s clinical model to be such a culturally effective way to provide mental health services for clients and clinicians. Especially the way it incorporated coaching with therapy.”
Enterprise Partner – “I had never thought about burnout through the lens of cultural identity and how that may impact me. This session helped me understand deeper elements of what I was dealing with.”
ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY
Anise is in-network with Managed Health Network and Optum, and is in the process of contracting with several large health plans, in addition to accepting HSA and FSA benefits. For self-pay clients, Anise is affordable with subscription plans averaging $200 per month, nearly 1/4 the cost of average private practice rates in New York and California. For clients who want to supplement their holistic health, Anise offers clinician-led peer support circles along a variety of diverse themes at only $25 per week.
LOOKING IN THE FUTURE
We have ambitious growth plans to support the Asian community and people of color more broadly, which include expanding to more states, partnering with universities to support students, and offering our services as covered employee benefits for businesses. We are open to feedback and love piloting solutions with our community. Contact Anise Health’s Head of Growth, Angel Wang, for ideas at angel@anisehealth.co
Melange is a multi-label South Asian fashion platform that shares fashionable items from South Asia.
Samia Khan, who lives in Singapore but comes from Mumbai, started Melange in 2015. She wanted to bring attention to modern Indian designs for clothes, jewelry, and other accessories. She loves fashion that’s versatile, meaning you can wear it in different situations. She doesn’t think it’s just for Indian people – anyone can enjoy it.
During a virtual chat with The Peak, she talked about a special event she went to in Mumbai, India. It displayed how famous fashion companies like Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Dior have used Indian fabrics for a long time. Samia was really impressed by this exhibition, and is excited about the growing interest in Indian fashion.
Because of the pandemic, Samia had to move Melange’s business online. This turned out to be good because more people from different countries like the US, UK, and Australia can now enjoy Indian fashion through her website.
Samia wants to keep sharing South Asian fashion and hopes to have a permanent showroom someday. “I want South Asian fashion to be accessible to many more people. I hope to be able to contribute to my heritage in this way,” Samia shares with The Peak.
Ghazal Alagh is the co-founder of MamaEarth, a company worth $1.2 billion. She’s not a graduate from fancy colleges like IIT or IIM, but her story is remarkable and full of inspiration.
Ghazal’s journey began in Gurgaon, Haryana, where she grew up in a middle-class family. After finishing her studies in computer application from Punjab University in 2010, she explored her creative side by learning about design and art at the New York Academy of Art. These experiences laid the foundation for her entrepreneurial path.
In 2016, Ghazal and her husband, Varun Alagh, started MamaEarth because they wanted safe and natural products for their soon-to-arrive baby. They cared deeply about the environment, so they made sure their products were organic and packed in materials that could be recycled.
Like many business ventures, their journey wasn’t easy, but eventually, MamaEarth became Asia’s first brand to earn the MadeSafe label, showing that their products were free from harmful stuff. They started selling online but soon expanded to physical stores. They have their own place to create and test products, which helped them achieve big success.
Now, MamaEarth isn’t just about baby stuff; they offer all kinds of personal care items. Over 5 million people use their products in 500 cities. Last year, they made a profit of Rs 14 crores and became a unicorn, now worth $1.2 billion.
Diganta Das’ journey to becoming a successful food entrepreneur in Assam from a humble beginning as a daily wage worker despite facing numerous hardships is a testament to the power of determination and perseverance.
Originally from Gohpur town in Assam, Diganta had different jobs to support his family. He worked as a cook, security guard, and even in a coal mine. But he didn’t give up on his dreams.
One of Diganta’s friends started a paratha business in Andhra Pradesh, and Diganta joined him to handle the marketing. Through hard work and dedication, he not only succeeded in the marketing venture but also helped expand the business.
Eventually, with his love for travel and cooking, he was able to start his own paratha business. He created DFF (Daily Fresh Food), offering tasty parathas that people can enjoy on the go. Today, DFF is well-known for its delicious ready-to-eat parathas.
It was not an easy journey for Diganta. He faced financial struggles and at one point, even got partially paralyzed in an accident. But he didn’t lose hope and he kept going.
Diganta’s journey shows that with enough determination and courage, anyone can overcome challenges and achieve their dreams.
