INTERVIEW MIT SARAH - GRÜNDERIN VON NAYA

Als Start-Up für hochwertige Nahrungsergänzung auf Basis von natürlichen Kräutern, Vitalpilzen sowie Vitaminen und Mineralstoffen ist es uns stets eine Freude mit anderen Gründern zusammen zu arbeiten. Vor einiger Zeit haben wir Sarah, Gründerin von NAYA kennengelernt und uns in ihre Produkte verliebt. Da unser gemeinsames GEWINNSPIEL noch läuft, möchten wir euch Sarah und ihre wunderbare Marke gerne näher vorstellen. Sarah lebt in London, deshalb ist das Interview auf englischer Sprache. Das Interview von YLUMI-Gründerin Amely findest Du übrigens HIER. Viel Spaß beim Lesen :-)

1. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START NAYA?

As a consumer myself, I became frustrated at companies who lacked transparency. I wanted to build a brand to lift the curtain and focus on building an ethical and sustainable supply chain to show the other side of the coin. Our key objective is to establish a business model with philanthropy built into the DNA and to re-connect our consumers to Mother Nature through the products we develop and bring to market. Our mission is to create awareness about the Amazon and the importance of protecting it, the indigenous people that live there, and their wisdom. By harvesting ingredients endemic to the region so that indigenous communities and small-scale farmers can establish a stable income and take great pride in their culture and land.  

Our first hero ingredient, to embark on our journey, is called Cacay which is endemic to Colombia. We are working with a local partner to source our Cacay from indigenous communities directly from the Amazon.  

Consumers are trying to be responsible citizens of the world, and they expect the same from corporations. So when it comes to purchasing, they are doing their homework, and so they should.

At NAYA, our relationship with our customers is more than just a transaction, it is an alliance, a human connection as we seek to provide an understanding and awareness. We look holistically at how consumers are connected to the world, how their actions can influence another person’s life and nature. And we want to tell the story.

2. WHAT MAKES NAYA UNIQUE?

NAYA is a committed and vegan skincare brand convincing with their beautiful textures and formulating with fewer proven ingredients at higher concentration. Products that we could feel good about for their ‘botanical science’, proven effectiveness and seed to skin life-cycle. Our approach to skincare goes beyond our products. And we are committed to giving back what we take out.

When using NAYA’s Everyday Range, you are giving your skin the gift of beautiful community-sourced, plant-based ingredients. It is a minimalistic range to streamline customers skincare routine as a little goes a long way. NAYA’s community-sourced Cacay oil from the prime rainforest boosts collagen production, regenerates your skin. It is an excellent ingredient to bring your skin back into balance. We work with local families and indigenous communities in symbiosis with nature to source our beautiful ingredient and make a difference in the way we work with nature and not against.

All our products are developed and made safely in Germany by a team of experts in their field.

3. WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION FROM?

When we directly see the impact, it has on our indigenous communities in South America where we source our hero ingredient from and how it positively influences their livelihood. While enjoying NAYA’s products in the comfort of your home, you not only save a tree, but with that hectares of prime forest. But overall, you directly have a positive influence on someone else’s life and support a family to generate income on the other side of the globe.  

4. WHERE DO YOU SEE NAYA FROM NOW IN 5 YEARS TIME?

To see our products in many homes across the globe. And inspiring people to join us to continue to grow it, so that we can touch more people across the globe and allow them to re-connect with nature and learn more about different cultures. Identify other beautiful ingredients via the work with our indigenous communities and share it with our community. We certainly have many ideas what we like to do, overall we want to inspire others that one can run a business while doing good.

5. DURING YOUR JOURNEY, THERE ARE UPS AND DOWNS WORKING IN A START-UP. WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING WHEN YOU HIT A LOW?

It is not an understatement, that launching a start-up is a roller-coaster ride. And it can be a very emotional one where one day you feel like you are on top of the world and the next, you want to crawl into a cave. However, what keeps me going is sheer determination and our commitment to work with small scale farmers to support them and support them along their journey. And of course, our commitment to our customers who are not only supportive and excited about what we do, how we do it and about our products – also the importance to make a positive difference to their skin and ultimately how they feel about themselves and their skin. Every single review we receive from an existing and new customer, it touches me deeply. And I am ever so grateful for it as it encourages us to keep going every single day.

6. WHAT DOES SELF-CARE MEAN TO YOU?

Self-care means to take care of myself on different levels; on a physical, emotional and mental level. It is about making sure to look after myself in all aspects and to meet my values in different ways. So I am a huge fan of simple rituals – 15 minutes here and there and also sustainable rituals, meaning that I nurture my soul day after day.

7. HOW DO YOU DE-STRESS FROM WORK?

Feeling well is most important to me. Thus my wellness regime is a huge part of how I care for myself and allowing me to de-stress. It is about getting my sleep, feeling hydrated and eat nourishing food. And to also regularly exercise, ironically, is relaxing to me because it actually allows me to naturally release endorphins and release me of stress. And if I feel good inside out and provide my body and soul with what it needs, I am able to manage the stress that comes with running a startup.

Thank you, Sarah.