Meet Lisa Kingston
Meet Lisa Kingston, founder of Awen Nayri, a passionate small business owner dedicated to helping people reconnect with themselves through embodied wholeness practices, sacred living circles, and aromatherapy. Drawing from her own lived experience, Lisa has created Awen Nayri to support emotional, physical and nervous system wellbeing. What began as a personal journey of self healing has evolved into a growing business, with Lisa now taking meaningful steps to structure and expand Awen Nayri while supporting others in their own journeys.
Read more about Lisa’s business journey so far:
About the business
My business, Awen Nayri, is about supporting people to come back into their body. I do that through embodied practices and aromatherapy. Through Awen Nayri, I run workshops and one on one sessions, and I have also created a small apothecary of aromatherapy products that support the nervous system, as well as the emotional and physical body.
My products within Awen Nayri have really come from my own needs. For example, I created my facial serum during perimenopause when my skin was very dry and I was feeling quite emotional. Using it became a daily ritual that helped me reconnect with myself, feel calmer, and even start liking myself again. I started Awen Nayri with aromatherapy blends, and the first one I created was “Peace” when I was experiencing a lot of anxiety. From there, my business has grown organically.
I have been working on Awen Nayri in what I would call “hobby mode” for a few years, but in the last 6 to 12 months especially the past 6 months I have really started to focus on turning Awen Nayri into a proper, structured business. Before focusing on Awen Nayri, I was mostly a stay at home mum. Motherhood has been one of my biggest life journeys, especially having children with a 10 year gap between them. I have had work in between, but raising my children has been the most significant part of my experience. My eldest is 28 and about to have a child, my middle is 18, and my youngest is 8, so I have been navigating very different stages of life all at once.
Awen Nayri really came from my own lived experience and personal needs. Each product and service I offer through Awen Nayri has supported me first. Through my own challenges with anxiety, stress, and life transitions, I realised how disconnected we can become from our bodies. With Awen Nayri, I wanted to create something that helps people reconnect with themselves, regulate their nervous system, and feel more grounded and supported in their everyday lives.
Working with Many Rivers
I found out about Many Rivers while exploring ways to grow Awen Nayri through the Palawa Business Hub. They held a big expo in October last year, and that is where I met Alex.
Through Many Rivers, I have received one on one mentoring and coaching to help grow my business. We have worked through business planning, goal setting, and mapping out what I want to achieve in 3, 6, and 9 months, as well as over the next 1 to 2 years. At the beginning, I felt like I did not have a clear vision for Awen Nayri, but through the coaching, I have gained a lot of clarity around what I want to build and how to make it sustainable both financially and in a way that fits around my family.
My business coach from Many Rivers, Alex supported me with things like cash flow, sourcing better suppliers for ingredients, packaging, and labels for Awen Nayri, and understanding the role each part plays in the business. It has really helped me start thinking with a business mindset. Just knowing I can reach out to Alex for support, whether by text, email, or in person, has been incredibly valuable. Having someone to talk things through with, set goals, and stay accountable for Awen Nayri has made a huge difference. It has been really helpful to have that human connection and guidance.
Biggest Challenge
The biggest challenge for my business has been capital. That is something I am currently working on looking at loans and grants so I can build up enough stock, get Awen Nayri products into local stores, and invest more in marketing.
Biggest Success
A recent success for my business is being confirmed to run a six week embodied program at Karadi Aboriginal Corporation, starting in June.
Karadi is an Indigenous organisation that runs programs for the community, and it is open to everyone. I am really excited for Awen Nayri to deliver this program and support people in that space.
Biggest Change
The biggest change since starting my business has been my mindset. I feel more positive and have a clearer direction. Having clear goals and a vision for Awen Nayri has helped me function better overall. It has also helped me set stronger boundaries, and I can see that clarity flowing into my home and family life as well.
Future Goals
One of my immediate goals for Awen Nayri is delivering the six week program at Karadi and seeing how it supports people in the community. Beyond that, I want to build up product stock for Awen Nayri so I can increase sales and potentially expand into more retail spaces. A key focus is also securing capital to support that growth. Overall, I want to continue building Awen Nayri into a sustainable business that supports both myself and others, while staying aligned with my purpose.
Thank you Lisa for sharing your business journey with us. We wish you the best of luck with future endeavours and business success.
If you would like to stay updated with Lisa’s small business, follow “Awen Nayri ” through the following links:
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