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Kayden Perera
Founder
As the world moves into the post-pandemic years, people are witnessing an urgent need for entrepreneurs who can address certain prevailing social issues. Individuals and businesses are stepping to the front and truly making a conscious effort to bring about positive change in the world, be it a direct result of the pandemic or other social causes. One such example of a young and dynamic entrepreneur who has taken the world by a squall through her pioneering philosophy towards mental health & emotional well-being. Kayden Perera, Founder, Sevenstorys is flipping the narrative on the stereotypes and stigma surrounding mental, emotional, and social well-being through a variety of products that depicts powerful stories and conversations.
What makes Kayden extraordinary and stand out in the crowd is her 20+ years of experience that spreads various industries like education, mental health, charity communities, food & beverage, and oil & energy. Apart from being an entrepreneur, she is a psychotherapist and coach for the last 10 years; in this role, she has been able to develop community outreach, engagement, and fundraising activities, and counsel & coach individuals & groups on mental, social, and various life issues.
Kayden is a visionary and transformational leader who is always seeking out change, responding to it, and taking advantage of it as an opportunity to grow businesses and build charity communities and partnerships.
Let’s hear it from her!
How would you define Sevenstorys as an organization and its current position in the market?
Sevenstorys was born out of this very strong desire to change the stereotypical narrative or stigma surrounding mental health and emotional well-being. We imagine a world where people feel seen, heard, safe, and connected through everyday shared conversations and stories. So, the aim here is to shine a light on the importance of mental health and to have more conversations about it. There is also a message behind our onion logo; we believe human beings are like an onion with many layers. And these layers define who we are in terms of our values and explain our choice of actions.
The fundamental core of being humans is our deepest desire to be seen and heard right through our stories. Hence, I am leveraging my experience in different sectors to create retail merchandise where products carry stories for people to look within themselves and understand the root of their feelings. More importantly, a part of the profits from the sales of our products goes into supporting people and communities who need therapy care services.
We are an organization with a strong purpose and social cause. Though young, Sevenstorys is already creating waves in communities that are proactive about the whole idea of emotional well-being.
I have also been interviewing sportsmen, influencers, and people from different communities who have come forward to share their journey in the mental health space.
We hope our brand helps people in recognizing and understanding the need to prioritize mental fitness and emotional well-being
Tell us about your flagship offerings and what are the value additions that customers can expect.
We carry a wide range of products to help our customers understand that the clothes that we wear have a good effect on our minds and health; clothing isn't about hiding our fears, it is all about self-expression. With Sevenstorys, we want our customers to not feel limited but instead feel liberated through the messages and stories that are depicted in our product designs. In terms of collection, we have a sports collection that carries our onion logo which in itself is a reminder about the layers that people carry within themselves.
When people buy our products, their money goes to help people who cannot afford therapy services. So, the value addition here is that on top of wearing our products that bring about meaning for them individually, they are also doing something meaningful contributing to a social cause.
Tell us about your leadership approach.
I believe the most important quality a leader must possess is the ability to be empathetic while leading a team. It takes a lot of patience, kindness, and empathy to be able to put yourself in others’ shoes; when we take good care of others and their feelings, the universe starts taking care of us too. A leader must always work towards the development of people selflessly - it is about creating a connection, with the people around us, that is based on trust and building a working environment and culture that is not driven by anxiety, stress, or fear.
What is the future destination you are heading towards?
As an organization, we hope our brand helps people in recognizing and understanding the need to prioritize mental fitness and emotional well-being. We aim to take this concept globally and encourage more stories and conversations while providing support to people in need, through our platform.
What would be your advice for budding industry leaders?
As budding leaders, it is important to know your strength and your limitations. As entrepreneurs, we are constantly expected to be on top of everything. It is time that we change this narrative and humanize ourselves and be kind to ourselves in times of difficulty. No matter your position, you must reach out for help, when needed, and not consider it as a sign of weakness. I strongly believe that it is important to focus on your passion, purpose, and vision because that inspires your team to contribute positively to the organization that they work for.
Kayden Perera, Founder, Sevenstorys
A passionate business leader, Kayden is leveraging 20+ years of cross-industry experience to lead an initiative where she is creating products that help people understand themselves better and connect with others through deep meaningful conversations.