Today we’d like to introduce you to Benn Mendelsohn.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When Sam (my brother) and I started, we knew we wanted to create a lifestyle business that would both inspire and challenge us. We were raised in a meditation and yoga-focused family and felt at home with the practices of meditation and Eastern culture. And that, in combination with a small passion project started by our parents in ’98, Sivana was born.
We launched the first version of our website in 2011 and at first, started selling yoga props and a little assortment of apparel. We soon discovered how saturated the market already was and had to pivot slightly. Back to our roots, we decided we wanted to try and share what we’ve learned about the Eastern spiritual cultures and practices and our method of communication being the products we offer in our store. From Spiritual Symbols to the healing benefits of Gemstones, all of our products have a story.
In 2016 we partnered with an incredible charity, Seva Child, to help tackle Vitamin A Deficiency Disorder (VADD) in suffering children living in the slums of India. And in 2017 we launched version 2.0 of Sivana East (www.SivanaEast.com), which is the community-driven content platform that we created to share anything relating to Yoga, Mindfulness, and Meditation.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course, everyone has their challenges. If it’s easy, that means you’re probably not growing, so we make it a focus to always be challenging our ideas and forcing ourselves to think outside the box.
Please tell us about Sivana.
My background is in Marketing and Advertising. Before working on Sivana, I was living in Manhattan, spending my days as a freelance UX/UI designer and even though I had the privilege of working on projects for some of the biggest brands in the world. I felt unfulfilled. In 2013 I went in full-time to develop Sivana.
My role has definitely evolved over time. Many entrepreneurs can attest that you have to wear many hats and do what’s necessary to move the needle. But lately, I have put a major focus on product development as well as oversee all advertising and marketing initiatives.
I think what sets us apart is our “provide value first” mentality. We are firm believers that if we provide value to present and future customers, employees, and anyone we cross paths with, we will all be rewarded for years to come.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory is more of a collection of memories over time of playing Magic The Gathering with 3 of my best friends every weekend growing up. Haha, I actually just brought out the old cards this past weekend and played a few rounds while one of them came to visit. I’m a huge nerd.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1106 2nd Street #130 Encinitas CA 92024
- Website: www.sivanaspirit.com
- Phone: 7602301273
- Email: info@sivanaspirit.com
- Instagram: @sivanaspirit
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sivanaspirit
- Other: www.sivanaeast.com
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