How a personal loss sparked a mission and a movement

Written by Mike Charter, Founding Director, Gotcha4Life and Founder & CEO, AVAALER - Adding Value at All Levels

Back in 2017, my life took a turn I never saw coming.

I was leading a CFO advisory and strategy firm, helping high-growth companies unlock value and scale sustainably. At the same time, I was diving deeper into purpose-led strategy – particularly in the mental health space – something I felt deeply called to contribute to.

Then the unthinkable happened.

A mentor I looked up to – a man I admired for his wisdom, charisma and heart – took his own life.

Just two weeks earlier, we’d shared a rich, meaningful conversation about the work I was doing in mental health. He was curious, engaged and encouraging. His passing shattered me. He was the last person you’d expect to be struggling. And yet, like so many others, his pain was hidden in plain sight.

That moment became a line in the sand.

At the time, I was helping develop a health-focused TV series exploring Australia’s top 10 disease areas – including mental health – with my good mate, Gus Worland. We had both lost mentors to suicide, and we were determined to change the conversation so no one ever felt they had to suffer in silence.

That project led to something bigger. A major organisation approached us to build something that could last.

And that’s how Gotcha4Life was born.

We didn’t just want to raise awareness around suicide – we wanted to help people create stronger connections, prevent isolation and build mental fitness at scale.

What started as an idea around a kitchen table became one of Australia’s most trusted mental health foundations – impacting over half a million lives (and counting).

As a Founding Director and Company Secretary, I was up close to the stories that broke our hearts – and the ones lifted us up – reminding us why this work mattered.

It was around this time that a new clarity emerged in my own life. I realised this wasn’t just about one foundation or one mission. It was about how I wanted to live – and the kind of man, father and leader I wanted to become.

That’s when the seeds of AVAALER were planted.

AVAALER stands for Adding Value At All Levels – in business, in family, in health and in legacy.

It’s about elevating the standards for self-leadership – showing up as the real, Best Version of Yourself (BVOY) – and being the secure role model your people, your family and your community can trust. Knowing when to lead and when to lift others to lead. And living in full alignment with who you are at your core – because that’s where real transformation begins.

Today, I carry both Gotcha4Life and AVAALER in my heart – two expressions of the same calling: to help people live boldly, connect deeply, and know they’re never alone.

Because no one should suffer in silence. And sometimes, one brave conversation – or one aligned decision – can change, or even save, a life.

You can help equip more people to live

Every donation powers Gotcha4Life to keep developing and delivering life-changing programs and initiatives to equip more people with the mental fitness skills to live.