FWM: You had a promising career as a software engineer, how did you switch gears to launch Silk + Sonder?
If you have the entrepreneurial bug inside of you, there comes a point in your life when you have to take the leap in some capacity. For me, that was launching Silk + Sonder while still keeping my full time job – and from there, as Silk + Sonder kept growing and I kept talking to customers, I knew I had to deliver on my promise in building a more expansive offering for guided journaling. I always say – everyone talks about the “financial risk” of starting a business, but they rarely talk about the “emotional risk” of not starting one. In my mind at the time – the emotional risk far outweighed the financial one and I had to put my best foot forward in creating a wellness brand with potential to transform lives.
FWM: How important has journaling been to your life?
Journaling continues to be my go-to self-care tool to process my emotions, dream up my biggest goals, and jot down break throughs. Initially – like many, I found journaling to be intimidating – I was skeptical, I didn’t know where to start, and I didn’t think I had the time. However, in my most difficult moments, every time I resorted to pen to paper, I noticed a magical shift to my emotional health and I knew I wanted to bring that to the masses. Clinical psychologists have confirmed that journaling has been proven to reduce anxiety and stress, boost memory, heal trauma, and improve cognitive function – for all of these reasons, journaling is my respite for when I feel restless and overwhelmed to when I need to write out my dreamy breakthroughs before I forget them.
FWM: Silk + Sonder is about taking a proactive approach to self-care. Tell us about how your company is making daily mental wellness easy and Fun.
What makes Silk + Sonder uniquely different is that we provide guided journaling tools – from our monthly wellness analog journals to our facilitator-led live community events to our founder-led daily audio reflections and affirmations – that help members understand where they are, what areas of their lives they seek to elevate, and cultivate a path towards where they want to go. This daily, monthly, and lifelong practice is rooted in evidence-based methodologies, which we package to be delightful and holistic – allowing users to explore, experiment, and expand through an iterative and holistic approach, while having a group of other Silk + Sonder members cheering them on. What’s easy and fun about Silk + Sonder is that it can all be done by starting with just five minutes a day.
FWM: What is included in the subscription?
A self-care subscription to Silk + Sonder includes:
● Monthly guided journals that include evidence-based exercises and holistic layouts to reflect, plan, and take action towards positive habit formation and behavioral change.
● 21-day Journaling Foundations to master the journaling practice
● Audio Daily Rituals, tailored podcast programming that cultivate self-care habits one day at a time through guided journal prompts and moments of reflection that lead to daily actions. ● Mobile App for exclusive access to our private community for peer driven support, self-care activities and personalized insights.
● Sonder Socials – exclusive access to members-only live events, led by Silk + Sonder trained facilitators to dive deeper into the Silk + Sonder practice.
FWM: Many people have struggled over COVID. How is Silk + Sonder guiding individuals to be the best version of themselves?
Our guided journals and digital wellness programming use narrative, cognitive behavioral, and art therapy techniques to inspire self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-actualization – allowing users to authentically tap into who they are and recognize where they want to go. Allowing members to discover their personal core values and providing the tools, layouts, and frameworks to integrate the right habits into their daily lives allows them to live in alignment with their values, unlocking the best version of themselves.
FWM: The Annual Supplement is a compass to align individuals with the bigger, bolder dreams you have for yourself. Tell us more.
The Annual Supplement is a self-discovery guidebook. It includes a variety of guided layouts to explore all parts of self from past, present, and future to really unlock the bigger dreams, ongoing lists, and personal insights that are foundational to build stronger self-awareness. It is the perfect complement or base to build off of and use Silk + Sonder’s monthly journals to break down into smaller, executable chunks.
FWM: Tell us about the Sonder Kids 3-month gift set.
At Silk + Sonder, we believe that curiosity, compassion, clarity, and connection begins in the earliest years of childhood. Our Sonder Kids gift set includes three journals that dive into gratitude, awareness, and creativity so that kids too can build strong emotional intelligence and grow up to be more empathic, socially aware human beings. It also makes for a great “parent and me” practice as an alternative to watching TV or playing games on the iPad.
FWM: How has the Sonder Club changed lives?
Sonder Club is the “non social media” social network – providing inspiration, support, and connection in monumental ways. By having a values-based community where there’s a shared commitment to curiosity and growth through Silk + Sonder, we’ve successfully built a safe space that encourages vulnerability and authenticity. We celebrate each other through the thick and the thin – regardless of how similar or different we are. Every day, we’re reminded of how powerful we are when we show up for ourselves – we’re able to show up for each other as well. Some of our members who struggle with ADHD, anxiety, and depression have shared how transformative Silk + Sonder has been for them in navigating their conditions; others have risen from dark moments and rock bottom in their careers and relationships; and yet others have found their dream jobs and partners through using Silk + Sonder. It really does stem from the inspiration in Sonder Club and the scientific power of our analog tool – but more importantly, it’s the encouragement that members receive from one another, our team members, and our facilitators as they navigate beyond the comfort zone. It’s incredibly inspiring and infectious to see the magic behind Sonder Club – unlike any other community I have ever been a part of.
