Kena Paranjape is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker and the Founder of All You Are. We connected with Kena to find out what inspires her, how her uber cozy robe (a HH best seller!) got started and all things pleasure and self-care!
You have an extensive background in retail, what inspired you to launch your own brand and what was it about the Robe that inspired you?
My brand actually started off purely as a product idea. I had just had my daughter and was spending a lot of time in robes, which I love, but I could never find
exactly the right one. So I thought, what details would make up the perfect
robe? And from there I started to design what is now our signature piece.
Once it had been perfected, I knew it had to be launched into the world. It
wasn’t until then that I started building the brand around the product. The
whole process was very organic.
What is your #1 self-care tip?
Since having my daughter I’ve come to realize how important and precious a good night’s sleep is. My #1 tip is to prioritize sleep. If we don’t sleep well, we have lower energy and higher irritability. It is easier to react vs respond, and it feels more natural to make healthy decisions when you're well rested vs when you're exhausted. I like to wake up at 6am, but if for some reason my sleep is interrupted, I will turn off my alarm, and prioritize getting the sleep I need to have a good day.
Favourite way to wind down in the evening or over the weekend?
I love to go for a long walks, do an hour long online fitness class (my absolute favourite is The Class, by Taryn Toomey), or cook a really nice meal from a good old fashioned cookbook.
Have you cultivated any new hobbies or interests during the lockdown?
Most of my time goes towards my business, but I have taken this time to start writing a book, which I’m aiming to publish in just a few months!
Favourite aspect of running your own business?
I feel very passionately about growing into the fullest expression of yourself. And I can’t think of a better way than to create a business that allows you to do that every day, in every way.
Three things you are most grateful for?
My daughter Nova, my home, the life experiences that have brought me to exactly where I am today.
On your website, you mention the power of living well regardless of our circumstances. What does that mean to you and how would you translate that to others?
That learning came from my experience living through my husbands illness. For years, there was so much I could not control. But yet there was still so much that I could. We can choose to live well regardless of what we might be going through - a family member’s illness, the loss of a job, or….a pandemic. I believe in always finding and choosing ways to live well.
What was the last book you read?
A Real Life, by Ferenc Mate.
"This or That"
Oil or Cream cleanser? Oil
Salty or Sweet? Sweet
Cook or Order in? Order in
Coffee or Tea? Coffee
Binge-worthy series or Movie? Bing worthy series!
City or country? City
Paper or computer? Paper
Bath or shower? Shower
Drake or no? Yes!
“What is your current feel-good…”
Binge-worthy show? Dream Home Makeover
Toronto eatery? Terroni
Local Shop? Coal Miner’s Daughter (besides Health Hut of course!)
Evening snack? Popcorn!
Song? I just wannna shine, Fitz and the Tantrums (my daughter and I like to
sing this at the top of our lungs)
Activity to wind down? Dancing with my daughter, deep breathing, cooking
Warm beverage? Americano’s from Cafe 23
Self-care practice? Skipping wine past 8pm