Akta ✨

Ex-dentist turned founder improving access to care 🦷 YouTuber (39K) 🎥 Sharing lessons on breaking traditional paths to build an authentic life & career

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

I never thought I’d return to dentistry.

I saw my last patient almost 3 years ago & I thought that was it.

Yet here I am, stepping back into a world I thought I’d left behind

So what happened?

⬇️

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

@JensMannanal Huge congrats, this is so exciting!!

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

@dtmgte @YouTubeCreators @MKBHD Wow thank you so much! Can’t believe you’ve been watching since the early days!

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

Trying is hard.

It means you want more. More than what you have and more than who you are right now.

And when you do that openly, it's vulnerable.

You show people the gap between where you are and where you wish you were. It opens you up to judgment and the risk of failing publicly.

But when you dare to stand in that gap, you don't just show others what's possible. You become the bridge that others might someday cross.

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

@MarieMartens that's why I'm in awe of what you do! You're balancing so much and killing it

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

@dabidoYT That is so sweet!! ❤️ I feel the same way when I see your tweets, I love following your journey and what you're doing it's super impressive :)

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

This really made me smile 💛

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

Unravelling here: https://t.co/hryiZKfACg

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

The good ole Valley of Despair - the moment when the initial high wears off, and what’s left is resistance and self-doubt.

It's the point where I think: Did I get this all wrong? Was I naïve to think I could do this?

But here's what I've learned. The Valley isn’t a sign that you’re on the wrong path, it’s actually a sign that you’re doing something meaningful.

Think about it. When was the last time you hit this kind of resistance doing something easy or comfortable? The Valley shows up precisely because you’re pushing beyond your comfort zone.

For me, this realisation changed everything. Instead of seeing the Valley as a warning sign, I started seeing it as a checkpoint. Like in a video game—if you’re meeting enemies, you’re probably going the right way.

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

Number 5 hits hard

But I also think this is what people are doing when they want to have kids but put it off because they want to be in a certain place in their career (if they're financially stable/in a loving relationship)

why put off something you truly value in life?

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

Everyone should read this...

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

I had managed my expectations massively coming back to YouTube after such a long break

But second video in, this is so nice to see

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

If this resonates with you, you might enjoy my latest video: https://t.co/Z37QbXlc0t

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

The default path keeps you chasing milestones: grades, awards, promotions, and pay raises

You need those milestones to constantly get your dopamine to feel good about where you’re at and what you’re doing

That’s why it took me so long to realise dentistry wasn’t for me - I loved chasing the grades and awards because it felt like I was doing things right.

But milestones don’t mean success. They’re just distractions that make you think you’re on the right track.

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

@p_millerd Completely agree! When I was hosting the Creators on Air podcast, it always surprised me that a lot of smaller creators were actually doing “better” than larger creators because they had built something meaningful or more intentional (rather than just building a large audience)

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

@UltraLinx Damn, I wish this was 4 later when I'm there!

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

I didn’t quit my job to get rich

In fact, I was making more money than most people my age. I also had the status that came from being in a respected profession, the title “doctor” in front of my name, and the comfort of having my whole life figured out

But soon I realised that everything I knew about success was a lie

Leaving dentistry was the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but it changed my life, not just my career.

I used to see work as “just work”, something to be segregated from my personal life. But now I understand that’s how I had to see work because it didn’t match up with the rest of me. Since leaving dentistry & working in a way that feels like “me”, I’ve realised that work can actually give your life more meaning and benefit the other areas of your life too. They’re all connected.

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

I’ve realised that starting a business is a lot like being on a rollercoaster. Some days everything feels like it’s clicking, and other days, the self-doubt and uncertainty creep in and take over.

In some ways, I feel like my journey on YouTube has prepared me for this. I spent years creating content with little traction—putting in the effort, showing up, and hoping it would eventually pay off. And it did, but not without countless moments of wondering if I should keep going.

I started this week questioning everything we’re building. I felt completely overwhelmed, filled with self-doubt, and honestly a bit naïve. Balancing these emotions while trying to be present for my beautiful 1-year-old daughter sometimes feels impossible.

But as the week has gone on, we’ve received thoughtful feedback from users (thank you to everyone who took the time!) and celebrated a few small but meaningful wins as we launched our MVP. Those early signs of validation feel incredible ❤️.

When you’re on a traditional path (like I was in dentistry), it’s like riding a smooth merry-go-round. There are no big lows, but there aren’t many highs either (at least in my experience).

Stepping off that path and into the unknown is absolutely terrifying. The lows are so much lower, but the highs? They’re so much higher. And that makes the ride so worth it.

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

@jayclouse Brilliant stuff! I’ve loved your transparency throughout this journey 🙌🏼

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

I posted this on my Instagram stories, hoping to get some feedback on our MVP

I wasn't expecting a lot, as my content isn’t about the dental start up I’m building

But I got a lot of responses & people gave me SUCH in depth feedback - I’m talking essays here. I couldn’t believe it. When I expressed my immense gratitude, some of them said that my YouTube videos had helped them so much that they were happy to help.

It’s a reminder that the connections we build, even unintentionally, can come back to support us in unexpected ways. That’s why creating online is so special, you really can build a community ❤️

[Akta ✨ @aktavij]

I’m really good at being consistent with things when the momentum is there, but as soon as I take a break, I find it so hard to get back into it

But this is so common

Starting again is harder than starting for the first time