We’re looking forward to introducing you to Sari Megan Kern. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Sari Megan, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Definitely playing tennis. It is my outlet for everything. It brings out a side of me that is completely unfiltered – I love loudly cheering people on, I truly enjoy a well-played point (even if I was not the one playing), I celebrate the shots I win like I am on top of the world, and I curse a ton. I could be playing without stopping and not realizing that my heart rate is 170, my clothes are soaked with sweat, and I am exhausted – I just absolutely love it. I love the competitiveness. I love the feeling of the ball popping off of the racket, I love the sound. If I am mad or upset about something, just let me hit the shit out of a couple of balls, and I will feel instantly better. If things are feeling good in live, it adds an extra airiness to my movement on the court and amplifies elation.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Sari and I have been affectionately dubbed the “Pink-Haired Pancake Queen” by a friend of mine (it has stuck and now I can never change my hair color).
The journey of starting Zen Stax started very much with both an obsession over my pancake recipe being a “better way” for hardworking moms and a deep desire to prove to myself that I could create something and build a business.
Zen Stax is shaped by Hawaiian-inspired values: aloha (leading with love), ‘ohana (family and community), mālama (care for people and planet), and pono (doing what’s right). Those ideas show up in small, everyday ways—simplifying mornings for families, showing up at farmers markets, minimizing waste, and keeping our ingredients and process honest. I knew growing a business would be hard, but I’m incredibly obsessed with the product—and I see so much value in showing my kids that we can do hard things.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was the little girl who loved the spotlight—loud, joyful, and certain I’d be famous for something I loved or believed in. I always tried to shine in every situation—and in a lot of jobs—but over time I learned to prioritize having a steady job and providing for my family. I learned to blend in, to be “practical,” and started to believe I was just another person in the crowd.
Starting Zen Stax has been my reclamation project. Becoming the “Pink-Haired Pancake Queen” did not happen by accident—it’s me choosing color over camouflage, connection over cool distance. Every market where I meet hundreds of people, every time someone says they’ve heard of Zen Stax, reminds me that small businesses (and individual humans) can actually reach people and make their lives a little better.
I don’t always love that a part of me still wants to be famous, but it’s there and I won’t pretend it isn’t. What I want now is bigger than attention: I want the company to be huge because the mission matters. I want to be someone people publicly trust when it comes to health and wellness—someone who entertains, informs, and shows that nourishing food and joyful living can go together. I want to blaze trails that transcend pancakes.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There have been a few. I try to listen to the universe—but wow, sometimes it’s freaking confusing. Most recently, my cash reserves were dropping while the investments needed to grow kept rising. I could see it: I was going to run out of money. Sales wouldn’t lift without spend, and I couldn’t cut enough. I wrote in my manifestation journal that I’d find the capital to keep going and that Zen Stax would survive. Then—right on time—I was approved for a sizable loan to carry us into the next stage of growth. It arrived exactly when we needed it. If that isn’t a sign, I don’t know what is.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I think it is. It didn’t used to be, and there have been so many versions of “me” that I’m not always sure what was evolution and what was me trying to be someone I’m not. When I was consulting, I wore conservative designer clothes and a clean blonde bob—that never felt like the real me. As soon as I had the freedom of starting Zen Stax, my hair went back to pink and my wardrobe to bright colors and Hawaiian patterns. I’m my truest self walking a beach in Hawaiʻi—barefoot, happy, not trying to impress or convince anyone of anything. I try to bring that feeling into everyday life, which is why Hawaiian values are woven into the brand. Every time I hold our packaging, say “aloha” to someone new, tuck a plumeria behind my ear, pick up a piece of trash, or listen to a person’s story, I imagine myself on the island.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I’ve learned that most people are doing their best—even when it doesn’t look that way. What reads as unkind or careless is often someone wrapped up in their own storm. A lot of conflict comes from incomplete info and very human blind spots. I try to lead with curiosity instead of judgment. When someone cut us off in traffic, my son blurted, “what a stupid driver!” I asked him to imagine other possibilities: late for something important, missed an exit, a sick passenger. I’ve cut people off, too. I’m not a bad person—I just mess up sometimes. So we sent that driver a little love and aloha and kept going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zen-stax.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenstax
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smkern/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zenstaxbatter
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/zen-stax-los-angeles
- Other: TikTok: @pinkhairedpancakequeen
