Aneela K. Idnani grew up hiding a disorder of compulsive hair pulling (trichotillomania) and is now an outspoken mental health advocate raising awareness of this very common, yet little-known, condition. Turning this pain into purpose, Aneela cofounded HabitAware and co-invented HabitAware's Keen2 smart bracelet that uses patented gesture detection to bring awareness to unwanted body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) including hair pulling (trichotillomania), skin picking (dermatillomania), and nail biting (onychophagia). Awareness empowers you to retrain your brain to healthier soothing mechanisms. HabitAware is a TIME Magazine Best Invention, Fast Company "World Changing Idea," and is supported by research grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Science Foundation. Aneela is a TEDx speaker, author, Well+Good "Changemaker," and among The Business Journals' "100 Rising Stars." Aneela was a professor of entrepreneurship at Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), a member of Women Presidents Organization (WPO), and she has served on the advisory boards of LaunchMN, a government-based economic program, and BETA.MN, a startup community nonprofit.

Aneela founded BFRB Changemakers, a nonprofit that centers lived experience and strives to reduce suffering, improve access to care, support the community, and help them enjoy life. Through her journey with trichotillomania, losing her dad to leukemia, and her experience with breast cancer, Aneela has learned that pain has purpose and meeting life's challenges with love is life's greatest accomplishment.