Building a Business on Conscious Foundations

Interviews

Mar 20

“Do it because you love it, not to make money!”

The world is waking up. As a collective, we’re becoming more conscious of the impact our lives have on others and our planet - and now more than ever we’re examining where we’re investing our time and money. And this includes our careers too! We’re often told that in the working world, passion and pay are key - but what about the sustainable element that so many of us are feeling pulled towards in order to make the world a better place? Is it possible to create a business doing something you love, that sustains your lifestyle, and supports wider cultures and communities? Yes, yes, and yes. Enter Holly, Amy & Gail, the beautiful team behind Kanoa Living who have created an incredibly successful business built on conscious foundations. Whilst some of us are just becoming more aware of our role in supporting sustainability, this concept has been at the heart of Kanoa Living since the business was created six years ago…

“WOULDN’T IT BE GREAT, IF…“

In 2014, sisters Holly and Amy along with their mum Gail, founded a business that combined all of their greatest loves - creativity, freedom, travel and culture. Kanoa (meaning ‘The Free One’) Living offers handmade and ethically sourced products inspired by the diversity of cultures, Mother Nature, and ancient healing methods, that range from crystals to candles, and from recycled sari garments to essential oils. So, how did it all begin?

Holly explains, “We’re all a bit travel obsessed, and were sat around a pool in Malta one day talking about how cool it would be to set up our own business - something we could do on our own terms and give us freedom to travel too. We started talking about what it would be great to do, and my sister, Amy, came up with the idea of travelling to meet different people and communities around the world with artisanal crafts in order to share their cultures and support them.”

BECOMING TREASURE HUNTERS

Creating a conscious lifestyle business might have been something that was talked about around a pool, but it was the years leading up to that moment that gave Holly, Amy & Gail the tools and knowledge they needed to make Kanoa Living a reality.

Having been inspired by her father who was in retail all his life, Gail had previously run a quirky art and gift shop in Manchester and had also studied Business at college. “It was between that and Art, and I thought with my head and chose to study Business. It’s proven invaluable and kept me grounded and focussed. I’ve always been my own boss and am too much of a free spirit not to be!”. It was at the art and gift shop that Holly and Amy would help out as they were growing up, and would enjoy being around beautiful things. “I think it developed a treasure hunter side of us!”, Holly remembers, which later led them to following their love of travelling the world and starting to buy and bring back jewellery. This organically then grew into a more structured business…

CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY & TRAVEL

So, whilst Gail always knew she was destined to be her own boss and combine her love of retail and art - was the path as clear for Holly and Amy?

Like many of us, Amy didn't have a clear career route mapped out on leaving education, but she did follow her passion for travel and core values of living consciously to experiment with what felt most aligned. “I’m a bit of a dreamer, so a clear path wasn’t something on my radar! But I have always tried to pave my own way. Curiosity and creativity have led me to delve down a few paths and work my own business ideas,” explains Amy. “Travel has most probably been my biggest inspiration, it has really opened my eyes to all sorts and is most likely what sowed the seed to wanting to leave a positive mark on the world and bridge the gap between humanity through unity and creativity.”

FIGURING OUT WHAT YOU DON’T WANT…

Similarly, Holly was also influenced by travel, cultures and creativity, which helped shape her decisions when it came to education. “I was always fascinated by other cultures and being creative - be it learning about ancient civilisations or painting or reading or writing stories. Maths, Science and Business were not really on my radar.” Whilst we might not always know the details of how we want our career path to shape out, sometimes knowing what doesn’t excite us (in Holly’s case, Maths, Science and Business) can be a great clue by looking at the opposite and what this has to offer. Holly went on to study Spanish and Italian at university which gave her the opportunity to live abroad (“Great for the travel bug!”) and help her become more aware and be inspired by other cultures and ways of life.

THE IMPORTANCE OF AUTHENTICITY AND ALIGNMENT

After talking to Holly, Amy & Gail, it’s clear to see that Kanoa Living is a business built on their unrivalled combination of strengths, passions and values. Every aspect of Kanoa has been created out of love rather than necessity. It’s a beautiful example of the importance of authenticity and alignment in creating a career you love (because this is the recipe for making it work no matter what!), and how important it is to making sure this alignment runs throughout all areas of your career of business. The importance of values such as sustainability and conscious living are a thread that runs throughout Kanoa Living, and it’s so empowering! Think big with your values! Every aspect of Kanoa comes back to the conscious foundations the business was built on. Products? Handmade by Team Kanoa or ethically sourced from local or global small businesses and global enterprises. Clothing? Recycled saris sourced from factories in India the team personally visit who ensure financial independence for all their tailors. Charity? Kanoa donate £5 to Railway Children from every sari item sold, and raised £1,895 in just over a year. Jewellery? Just one of the initiatives Kanoa supports is Lumago, a Filipino social enterprise of inspiring women supporting their local community recover from a typhoon that devastated parts of their community. The list goes on, and so does the inspiration that Holly, Amy & Gail give not only to communities around the world, but to those of us who didn’t even know that creating a career so consciously was possible.

“STAY GROUNDED, PRACTICAL & PASSIONATE. AND DON’T BE AFRAID TO WORK HARD!”

So, for those who are feeling inspired to create a career we love, what advice do the ladies of Kanoa have for pursuing a career and starting a business? “Do it from the heart, not to make money. This way you will maintain the passion and energy to continue, even when it’s hard and you have setbacks.” And as many businesses have setbacks in this season of 2020, Kanoa have certainly found it their biggest challenge to date too. But by leading from the heart, they’ve managed to maintain a sense of humour and pursue solutions and adapt whilst keeping it light. “For example, we can’t trade as often at Altrincham Market right now, so instead we’re focussing on other aspects of Kanoa.” This has led to creating new products, spring cleaning stock, and focussing on their online offering. And finally? “Stay grounded, practical and passional. Don’t be afraid to work hard!”

ETHICAL CYCLES & POSITIVE VIBES

As we reflect on the highlights of their journey so far, it’s once again clear that the team love what they do and love bringing their values to life - citing knowing that Kanoa is making a difference to other people (whether it’s someone who is pleased with a new crystal they buy or the people they support through giving back projects) as one of their biggest accomplishments. Holly adds, “A highlight for me is the process of getting the recycled sari clothing to market, which has included linking up with Railway Children and donating a portion of sales to the charity. And going to the factory in India to meet the makers and make sure they’re ethically produced! To have helped create an ethical cycle where every person involved is positive affected is a really satisfying feeling.”

The ladies behind Kanoa Living have accomplished so much in six years, and there’s no slowing down. As they look to the future, their goals include continuing to bring positivity into people’s lives and maintaining authenticity in all aspects of the business. Additionally, the team also plan to travel to new lands, meet new people and discover and share more treasures. If what they’ve already found is anything to go from, we’re all in for some delights…

Story by Holly, Amy & Gail. The advice;

Start with what you love and brainstorm career ideas that connect those dots
You don’t need a clear career path to go somewhere incredible
Create a team with different skills and strengths
Lead from the heart - it’s more fun and easier to maintain the passion and energy!
It’s not only possible to create a business based on sustainability, it’s also really rewarding
Keep learning! (“We’d love to know more languages… we buy from Philippines, Indonesia, India, Mexico, Morocco and Turkey!”)

Thank you so much to Holly, Amy & Gail for sharing the inspirational insight and story of Kanoa Living. If there was ever any doubt about the possibility of creating a flourishing career and business built on conscious foundations, we now know that with hard work and clear values, it can absolutely be done. Thank you Kanoa Living! To learn more and discover your next treasures (it’s the only place I get my crystals and cleansing sticks!), head over to their website and read all about their sustainability journey over on the blog. You can visit Kanoa Living in person on Tuesdays, Fridays & Saturdays at Altrincham Market. They also have an amazing Crystal Cave showcasing the latest crystals, and the team are so knowledgable too! Definitely check out their Instagram page for the latest updates and to be one of the first to see what amazing wares have been sourced!