Stephanie Morimoto of Asutra

What inspired you to start your business?

We as women often multi-task intensely and care for others at the expense of ourselves. As a woman who lived this way, and burned out in crazy jobs, I've seen firsthand the importance of truly caring for yourself – on purpose.

This led me to Asutra. At Asutra, we're passionate about helping people take care of themselves on purpose so they can get the most out of life – what we call active self care.

What advice would you give to other women entrepreneurs?

It’s okay to pivot. And keep pivoting. Make sure you’re being honest with yourself about the unique value you’re providing, but as long as you are – then be okay with changing HOW you reach your goals.

Also – lift up other women. It’s easy to fall into the trap that we’re competing but the reality is there’s plenty to go around. I’ve seen that being generous with others comes back to you in positive ways. Karma is real!

How has being a WBENC-Certified WBE helped your business?

Our big goal was to get Asutra on shelves at Target. After a successful online test on Target.com, Target launched 5 Asutra items in the Pain/Sleep aisle in all 1,900 stores! A year later we are expanding our assortment, adding 2 items. Being WBENC-Certified allowed us to put the Women Owned Logo on our Target.com listings and qualifies us to participate in their women-owned and Asian-owned marketing initiatives.

What do you see as the coolest or most important trend in your industry?

Because of COVID we are seeing more people pay attention to their health and wellness: mind, body and soul. People are seeking ways to manage stress, get better sleep, and move and laugh more. At Asutra we’re honored to offer good ingredients and formulations that work, at accessible prices – and tips – to help people with their wellness. We really want to democratize wellness.

How do you define success?

For us at Asutra it’s about reaching as many people in our tribe as we can and helping our team be their best – maybe better than they thought they could be. We want to help everyone who wants it to take care of themselves well. We are also proud to create good jobs for people who need them, at a living wage with full benefits and a focus on putting your wellness first.

What’s your favorite career moment?

We are very fortunate to have global tennis champion, Venus Williams, as a part-owner of Asutra. My best career moment so far was getting a cold call from Venus’ team asking to learn more about our brand – then learning that Venus was using our pain relief products as part of her training regimen and that she wanted to join our team to help grow our brand!

What’s the best way to start your day?

I’m not a morning person but I love rituals. My ritual:

• Get sunlight right away – open the curtains, look outside

• Drink 2 glasses of water and a liquid vitamin C supplement

• Read the news

• Work out – movement is key to stress relief and great sleep at night!

How do you unwind after a long workday?

First, I reflect on what I accomplished and the 1-2 things that I feel really proud of or excited about from the day – professionally or personally. I set daily tasks to achieve weekly, monthly and quarterly goals, so I center myself on what I need to focus on the next day. If my husband and I are both home and not traveling for work, we’ll cook and eat dinner together and debrief our days. Then we relax with a favorite TV show or movie, read a few pages of our books and go to bed. We believe in 8-9 hours of sleep per night.

Fill in the blank:

When I face a challenge, I… feel energized to tackle it.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself… not to be so hard on myself. Perfection is not attainable.

The one thing I couldn’t live without is… sleep!

By this time next year, I will be… seeing a growing tribe who uses Asutra for self-care.

To get my creative juices flowing, I… look at art and listen to music to get inspired.

Asutra

Asutra believes self-care isn’t selfish, it’s important. Take care of yourself on purpose so you can take on anything. A fave of tennis champion Venus Williams, Asutra offers natural remedies for pain, sleep and rejuvenation. As seen in The Today Show, Good Morning America, O Magazine, People, Town & Country, Real Simple. Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s important. PETA-certified cruelty-free; paraben-free.

Learn more.