Exploring Life & Business with Mathieu Francois of Ad Anima

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mathieu Francois.

Hi Mathieu, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Eastern France bordering Germany / Luxembourg and lived there until I was 18, and then life took a very unexpected turn — I moved to New York because I fell in love. That move really kickstarted everything for me in the U.S.

In my early professional life, I explored a few different worlds. I started out hosting events in a prominent venue, then I became a film editor, and eventually I found myself in the art world. That path led me to open an art gallery with my business partners in New York.

But alongside all of that, something else was unfolding in my life. Through my travels, I was spending more and more time in medicine spaces, spiritual retreats, and different ceremonies. I met incredible practitioners and felt deeply connected to the holistic world. The only thing was… these two sides of my life didn’t really coexist. Publicly, I was maintaining the image expected of me professionally, but internally I was being pulled toward a much more organic and spiritual path.

When COVID happened, we had to close the gallery — and honestly, it ended up being a gift in disguise. It forced me to slow down and really ask myself what I wanted to build, and how I could reconcile the two worlds I had been living in.

That’s when the idea of creating retreats came in — bringing together holistic practitioners, creating spaces for healing, community, and real transformation. It felt like the first time I was stepping into something that was truly aligned for me.

And that’s how Ad Anima was born. The name comes from the Latin ad animam, meaning ‘towards the soul,’ which perfectly describes the direction my life was taking — and the intention behind everything I’m creating today

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think anyone’s road is completely smooth. Life throws things at us, and then there’s the way we process them — and that alone can be its own journey. I’ve had my share of roadblocks, both professionally and personally: failures, disappointments, difficult relationships, psychological pressure, even physical abuse. But I don’t feel the need to give too much airtime to those chapters.

What I’ve realized is that some of the biggest obstacles weren’t actually external — they were internal. After so many deceptions and setbacks, the hardest thing became my own self-doubt, and the way I was speaking to myself when I looked in the mirror. That inner dialogue can either break you or build you, and learning to shift it has been one of the most important parts of my growth.

We’ve been impressed with Ad Anima, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Ad Anima has gone through a really beautiful evolution. It started very simply: I felt called to host retreats — intimate gatherings where people could reconnect with themselves and with each other. That was the first expression of the brand.

But as I continued working with practitioners and traveling through different healing communities, I realized something important: practitioners are incredible at what they do, but they’re often overwhelmed by everything that comes with running a business. And communities were growing, but lacked tools, spaces, and support systems to truly flourish.

So Ad Anima began to expand. I started building digital solutions designed specifically for practitioners — tools that help them share their gifts without the stress of logistics, marketing, or complicated tech. At the same time, I understood how essential physical gathering spaces are for the conscious community, so we began opening private sanctuaries in Topanga, California. These are places where people can host their ceremonies, workshops, sound healings, and retreats in nature, held with intention and privacy.

Today, Ad Anima has become a bridge:
— a bridge between practitioners and the people who need their work,
— between digital tools and real human connection,
— between community organizers and the spaces they need to bring their visions to life.

We’re also beginning to work with and represent musicians in the medicine-music space, which feels like such a natural extension of what we do — because music is central to healing, ceremony, and community.

What sets us apart is that everything we build comes from lived experience. It’s not a theoretical business idea; it’s born from years inside these communities, listening, participating, and understanding what’s actually needed.

Brand-wise, I’m proud that Ad Anima has kept its soul through every stage. The name means ‘towards the soul,’ and that intention guides every offering — whether it’s a retreat, a digital tool, a sanctuary in nature, or supporting the artists who carry medicine through music.

If there’s one thing I’d want readers to know, it’s that Ad Anima isn’t just a company; it’s a living ecosystem built to support healing, creativity, and connection. Everything we do is designed to help people and communities thrive.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I’m incredibly lucky to have had very special people around me from the very beginning — people who supported me emotionally, believed in me, and in some cases even contributed financially just to show their faith in what I was building.

There’s a saying that it takes a village to raise a child, and I think deep down we’re all still children in some way. We all need a village — whether it’s family, chosen family, friends, or even the meaningful encounters we have along the way.

I’m grateful to every single person who has shaped my path, who has held space for me, who has mirrored life back to me through their own lens. None of this was done alone. Ad Anima exists because of the people who encouraged me, challenged me, and kept reminding me of who I am and what I’m capable of.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://adanima.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ad_anima
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/mathieufrancoiss/