Banasa & Joti of Ksoni (5 min Read)
What's your life motto?
Banasa: “Progress is not linear”.
Joti: I’m definitely more of a life mantra kind of person, these mantras ebb and flow depending on what life throws my way. Two that have been quite consistent this past year: - “I can do hard things” a reminder to myself that I have done hard things in the past and I can do them again - “This too shall pass” this very simple reminder has really helped me through the pandemic and through becoming a first time mother through it all!
What have you learnt so far?
Banasa: 1. I love running a small business because I love soldering problems for people who have a positive impact for everyone. 2. Even with the best laid plan, things can go astray and that’s not always a bad thing. 3. Your life and business will take you in unexpected directions!
Joti: Nothing comes without hard work, consistent, unrelenting hard work. This goes for building a business, your physical and mental health, relationships and the life you want to build and live.
Where is your favourite place?
Banasa: My bathroom, it’s the only door that locks in my house! A place where I can have complete privacy and silence. It was especially useful during lockdown!
Joti: The first place to come to mind is a white beach, scorching sun, azure clear water…maybe in Mallorca. But once that initial desire has passed my favorite place right now, where I would love to be as soon as I can, is back in Toronto with my family and friends. If this last year has taught me anything it is how important those connections are in my life.
Name your three favourite words?
Banasa: Resilience, authenticity, rest.
Joti: Freedom, Wonderlust, Bon Vivant.
What do you think makes a good company?
Banasa: 1. The willingness to execute your ideas and to keep trying in the face of challenge or failure. 2. A great team because it can’t all be done by yourself. 3. Willingness to examine yourself as a founder and a leader, think about your strengths and weaknesses and not let ego come in the way of building your business effectively.
Joti: I love meeting and spending time with people who are passionate about something, it can be their job, their business, their hobby or anything in between. I find people who have this sense of enthusiasm love to openly discuss and share their passion. For me, this type of energy can be completely contagious in the best way possible.
Can you describe your workplace?
Banasa: Makerversity, based in Somerset House, is a community of sustainably orientated creators. In the early days of Ksoni, we were accepted into a residency with them which allowed us to finish our MVP, do our launch, and share ideas.
Joti: I would describe the Ksoni workplace as collaborative, adaptive and results oriented. We are a small but mighty team who empower decision making at all levels and encourage and foster new ideas and perspectives.
What is your favourite food?
Banasa: I’ve been eating a lot of gyozas lately.
Joti: I love so many different types of food but if I had to pick one type, it would have to be Indian. It is so full of flavour and variety and has that added comfort for me as it is what I grew up eating at home with my family.
What can you not live without?
Banasa: Hot showers because they set me up for the day.
Joti: Chocolate, definitely chocolate.
What is the last thing you bought?
Banasa: Incense sticks from Sacred Elephant!
Joti: A wetsuit made of 25 recycled plastic bottles which I hope will motivate me to get into cold water swimming!
What advice would you give to the younger generation?
Banasa: Live in the moment, enjoy yourself!
Joti: Find what you are passionate about, what you love doing or working on day in day out. It’s okay to try out different things until you figure out what that is. Then find a way to make it your career.
Proudest moment?
Banasa: Launching Ksoni after working on it for a year, it finally became real!
Joti: Leaving my comfortable corporate career to start my own business and become my own boss.
What’s next?
Banasa: Stepping back into the world following lockdown, expanding Ksoni into national retailers, continuing to tell our stories and re-define sustainability in our new world!
Joti: Building on the early success of Ksoni, taking on board the learnings from the first 18 months and using them to build a bigger, stronger and more impactful brand.
Leave a comment