We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Aneela Idnani. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Aneela below.
Aneela, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.
HabitAware serves an incredibly underserved community: people with Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) like compulsive hair pulling (trichotillomania), skin picking (dermatillomania), nail biting (onychophagia), and other related behaviors. Despite affecting an estimated 1 in 20 people, BFRBs remain largely unrecognized, dismissed, or misunderstood by the medical and mental health communities.
For decades, people like me have struggled in silence. I pulled out my eyebrows and eyelashes for over 20 years, hiding behind black eyeliner and the fear of being found out. I believed I was alone in this struggle. Even when I finally learned there was a name for what I was experiencing—trichotillomania—the overwhelming message from the healthcare system was that there was little hope, little research, and no real solutions. That kind of dismissal fuels shame, leaving millions of people suffering without support.
This is why HabitAware exists. We provide awareness and empowerment where traditional healthcare has failed. Our Keen2 smart bracelet is more than a device—it’s a tool for self-discovery and healing. Keen brings the power of awareness to the subconscious behaviors that keep people trapped in their BFRBs. It vibrates when it detects the trained behavior, gently alerting the user and giving them the opportunity to make a different choice. It’s not about forcing change; it’s about creating space for it.
One of my favorite stories that illustrates the impact of serving this community is from a mother who reached out after getting Keen for her daughter. She told us that for the first time, her child felt understood. That Keen wasn’t just a device—it was validation that what she was experiencing was real, that she wasn’t broken, and that she had the power to take control. That’s the kind of transformation we’re here for.
Beyond the bracelet, we’re actively working to increase awareness, push for research funding, and change the narrative around BFRBs. Through our online communities, educational content, and advocacy work, we’re ensuring that no one else has to go through the years of isolation that so many of us endured.
At the end of the day, this isn’t just about BFRBs. It’s about mental health, self-acceptance, and the power of awareness to spark change. Everyone deserves access to the tools and support they need to heal, and that’s exactly what we’re building.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Aneela Idnani, and I am the co-founder of HabitAware, a company I started out of personal necessity and a deep desire to help others who, like me, have felt lost in their struggle with Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs).
My journey began with my own battle with trichotillomania. For more than 20 years, I hid my hair pulling in shame, covering up with black eyeliner and avoiding situations where I might be exposed. It wasn’t until my husband, Sameer, caught me without eyebrows one morning that everything changed. Instead of reacting with judgment, he met me with curiosity and love, and together, we started researching the condition. One night, as we watched TV, he gently grabbed my hand to stop me from pulling. That moment sparked an idea: what if there was a way to bring awareness to the behavior in real time?
That idea became Keen, the first smart bracelet designed to recognize and interrupt BFRBs. We built HabitAware to provide a tangible solution and, more importantly, to foster a supportive community. Today, HabitAware helps thousands of people take control of their BFRBs with our innovative wearable technology, educational resources, and peer support programs.
What sets us apart is our lived experience. I am not just a business owner—I am a member of this community. I understand the struggle firsthand, and our connection to the community we serve drives everything we do. We are not just selling a product; we are creating a movement of self-awareness, self-compassion, and healing.
I am most proud of the impact HabitAware has had on people’s lives. From individuals who have regained confidence to parents who finally see their child feeling understood, the stories we hear every day reaffirm why we do this work. Our mission goes beyond reducing BFRBs—it’s about restoring hope.
For those who are just discovering HabitAware, I want you to know this: You are not alone. Your struggles are real, but so is the possibility of change. Healing begins with awareness, and we’re here to help you on that journey.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Resilience has been a defining theme in my journey—not just with BFRBs, but with life itself. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced was being diagnosed with breast cancer. When I first heard the words, I felt the same fear and helplessness I had felt years ago when I found out my dad had leukemia. It was the same fear as with struggling with my hair pulling too. But just as I had learned to harness awareness and self-compassion for my BFRB recovery, I knew I had to apply the same mindset to this challenge.
Throughout my treatment, I leaned into the principles I had embraced through HabitAware: using awareness to summon the strength to lead with love. Just like with trichotillomania, I couldn’t fight cancer by ignoring it, or “fighting” it. Instead I asked my cancer in for tea and asked “what do you need from me?” I took the sickness as a signal and spent time reevaluating my values so that I could live a purpose-filled life. With knowledge and a proactive mindset, I changed my diet, adjusted other habits (like going to the gym), and made intentional choices to support my healing. The experience tested me in ways I could never have imagined, but it also reinforced my belief in the power of awareness and leading with love of self and community.
Emerging from this journey, I felt even more committed to my mission. I realized that HabitAware is not just about BFRBs—it’s about empowering people to take control of their lives, no matter the challenge. Whether it’s hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, or a life-altering diagnosis, resilience is about recognizing your power to create healthy change, even in the face of adversity.
My breast cancer journey reminded me that healing—whether physical or emotional—requires awareness, self-care, and community. And that’s exactly what we strive to provide at HabitAware.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
HabitAware wouldn’t be what it is today without the right team. Sameer and I had the idea, but we needed the technical expertise to bring it to life. That’s where serendipity stepped in.
In 2014, we attended an IoT Hack Day event in Minneapolis, where we met John Pritchard and Kirk Klobe, two brilliant engineers who were looking for a meaningful project to work on. We pitched our idea for a wearable that could bring awareness to BFRBs, and within hours, they built a rough prototype that worked! It was a powerful moment—one that solidified our partnership and gave us the confidence to keep going.
John and Kirk believed in our mission from the start. They weren’t just excited about the technology; they saw the human impact. They recognized that this wasn’t just another gadget but a tool that could truly change lives. With their technical skills and our lived experience, we built HabitAware together, combining cutting-edge technology with deep empathy for the community we serve.
Looking back, it’s clear that HabitAware was meant to happen. Sameer’s love and curiosity led to the idea, and meeting John and Kirk at the right time brought it to life. We didn’t just find co-founders—we found partners who were just as committed to making a difference as we were. And that’s what makes HabitAware special.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.habitaware.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/habitaware
Image Credits
Image Credits: HabitAware Inc.