Michelle Foulia

I am a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, coach, therapist, and bestselling author passionate about empowering young people to embrace entrepreneurship as a path to freedom and independence.

My journey began as a teen feeling trapped and disempowered until I got my first job at 14. Earning my own money gave me self-respect and the drive to shape my future. At 16, I left home and quickly realised traditional jobs were too limiting. By 22, I started my first business and discovered that entrepreneurship wasn’t just a career—it was my calling. It gave me the freedom to pursue my passions and thrive as a nonconformist.

Over the years, I’ve built five successful businesses, including the award-winning Roses Tea Rooms, which earned national televised recognition and multiple prestigious accolades. I also authored Poppy’s Miracle, an Amazon bestseller offering hope to families navigating life with ADHD.

As a home-educating mother of three and foster mother of two, I’ve spent the past 13 years weaving entrepreneurship into our learning journey. Living with disabilities has shaped my life and taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of creating a lifestyle that aligns with my values. Through entrepreneurship, I’ve built a life that prioritises well-being, independence, and freedom—not just for myself but also for my children.

As a parent of neurodivergent children, I know what it’s like to watch your teen struggle in systems that don’t see their brilliance. I’ve seen the overwhelm, the shutdowns, the spark dimming. But I’ve also seen what happens when they’re given the freedom to follow their passions, think creatively, and build something of their own.

I say that not just as a parent—but as someone who’s neurodivergent myself. I always knew I was made for entrepreneurship, but I didn’t have the support or understanding I needed growing up. I wrestled with things like dyscalculia, impulsiveness, and struggling to follow through. I made a lot of mistakes—not because I wasn’t capable, but because I didn’t yet know how to work with my brain instead of against it.

Back then, I missed all the wonderful parts of my neurodivergence—the creativity, the intuition, the drive to do things differently. With the right support, I could have seen those traits as gifts much earlier.

That’s why I started Young Entrepreneur Start-Ups with Richard Hart. To create the kind of space I wish had existed—for me, and for my children. A place where being different isn’t just accepted—it’s valued. A place where teens can explore who they really are, learn life-changing skills, and step into a future that fits them.

You’re not alone on this journey. And neither is your teen.