Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra Kusnnir and Kevin Lehtinen.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
We founded U-Nify LA after Sandra (who is a licensed therapist) noticed a theme coming up for a lot of her clients of feeling lonely and disconnected. Being someone who is really passionate about de-stigmatizing mental health, bringing people together, meditation and health/wellness.
I realized very quickly that the way to de-stigmatize mental health is to bring it into our everyday routines and make it “trendy.” After attending a few classes and workshops at Unplug and The Den Meditation, I realized that there was an opportunity to create a space that offers affordable workshops led by therapist, coaches, nutritionist- that operates like a gym/meditation studio.
That led to a lot of creative brainstorming, which eventually is how we came up with U-Nify. Our mission with U-Nify is to create a community of like-minded individuals dedicated to self-improvement and personal growth. We hope to create a space where people can start having deeper conversations about topics that are relevant to them, while also meeting others who are dedicated to up-leveling their lives.
We are currently in the start-up phase of our business and have hosted a few pop-up workshops around LA. Our goal for this year is to get a brick and mortar boutique space that offers workshops on different topics throughout the day. Long term, we hope to franchise to big cities and start a movement to make mental health part of our everyday wellness routine.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
So far we have had a really positive response, but the biggest struggle has been that people KNOW we need to de-stigmatize mental health and start having these conversations…
But when it comes to doing it themselves, they struggle with being vulnerable still. I don’t know if our culture has caught up yet with having these types of conversations and personalizing them.
We know it is an issue and people like Brene Brown are quoted all the time… But when it comes to sharing things that are more vulnerable- most people shut down still and don’t want to open up.
Also, my own fear as an entrepreneur (negative self-talk, anxiety, fear of failure, imposture syndrome) is often a huge roadblocks for me to overcome.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with U-NIFY LA – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Connection is the core of human experience. U-Nify’s mission is to offer affordable workshops led by therapists, life coaches, spiritual leaders, and wellness experts.
We believe mental health should be part of your everyday wellness routine, just like going to the gym, yoga or attending a meditation.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am a dreamer, visionary and creative- when I picture the potential for U-Nify… I picture a cultural movement that changes HOW we DO mental health. Our long term vision is to franchise to big cities and have a few different locations in LA- where people can go to access our workshops and meet other people in their community.
Pricing:
- $30.00 per workshop
- $100 package of 4
- $200.00 unlimited package
Contact Info:
- Address: 2904B Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90404
- Website: www.unifylosangeles.com
- Phone: 310-428-7240
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @unifyla
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unifylosangeles/?ref=br_rs
- Twitter: U_Nifyla
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
