Today we’d like to introduce you to Natasha Casanova.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Natasha. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In 2012, I was invited to Nepal to learn about Tibetan Buddhist Statue and Thankga Art from a Europe-based expert. Under his guidance, I started working with local artists, importing pieces that would be housed in Buddhist centers across North America.
I’ve been a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism for nearly 13 years now and of yoga for even longer. When I was a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in early 2000, I started taking classes at the only yoga studio in town. Yoga philosophy and practice really resonated with me and I was completely inspired. Shortly after graduating, Buddhism and meditation came across my radar while living in Miami Beach.
I’ve been fascinated by travel, culture, art, and expression for as long as I can remember. I’m an idealist who loves to create and share. I’ve held a variety of positions, primarily in marketing and development, within the arts, nonprofit and retail management sectors.
My company, Kathmandu Yogi, started with a cushion. On one of my trips to Nepal, I had the idea to make a meditation cushion out of the beautiful textiles that the local Tibetan refugee women were using to make their clothing. When I came home, all my friends wanted one of their own.
I realized that a “mindful brand,” empowering modern yogis to use their purchasing power for social good was a gap in the market I could help fill. Kathmandu Yogi makes ethically made meditation and yoga goods in partnership with women and disadvantaged populations in the place responsible for preserving the practices that we receive so much benefit from today.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Like anyone else, my journey has been full of ups and downs. I’ve never met an entrepreneur who has had a smooth road 100% of the time. It’s been bumpy for sure, just like the unpaved roads in Kathmandu.
Entrepreneurship is inherently laden with risk. We have a hypothesis but don’t know the results until we try. We are like babies learning to walk. We stumble and fall down, but we get back up and eventually learn to stay on our feet and even run.
I’ve gone through many challenges- with funding, with production, with sales, with technical support, with accountants, with lawyers. You name it, and I am pretty sure I’ve had that obstacle. But in the end, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve learned so much and met so many wonderful people who appeared to help at the right time.
Being a world-changer is no easy job, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Kathmandu Yogi – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We make meditation and yoga accessories for modern yogis who want ethically made options that align their spending with their values. Our products are made by women and disadvantaged populations living in Nepal, who we empower through fair and sustainable employment. I’m very proud of the opportunities we have been able to offer both to our artisans and our customers to be our partners in making the world a better place.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is a state of mind. It’s happiness and fulfillment. That means something different for everyone.
For me, it’s being a source of stability and having enough surplus (both material and mental) to be useful in the world.
And also, having the time and awareness to appreciate the little things.
Pricing:
- Receive 15% off your first online purchase by using the code: YogiLife at checkout
Contact Info:
- Website: kathmanduyogi.com
- Phone: (312) 405-0722
- Email: info@kathmanduyogi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathmanduyogi
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KathmanduYogi
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kathmanduyogi
Image Credit:
@Madison Moss Photography
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