After a decade and a half of corporate banking experience, Ms. Kishani Gunawardena – Founder and CEO of Kemara Life – had had enough. The stress of the corporate world was not only disheartening but was also an eye-opener. As a wife and mother, Gunawardena continued to seek ways for relaxation and calm to help her navigate through the demands of work and life. This was not an easy quest. It was at this point that Kemara materialized.
Inspired by her aunt in the UK, whose job as a nurse paved the path for Gunawardena to discover aromatherapy, an alternative medicine using essential oils and other fragrant compounds for physical and emotional healing. Her interest was piqued by this wellness field, which encouraged her to pursue a degree in the use of essential oils and aromatherapy.
Meanwhile, Gunawardena indulged in aromatherapy on a personal level, introducing her family and friends to its benefits. A serene state of mind, higher productivity levels and an overall better sense of well-being were witnessed. Impressed by its tremendous results, Gunawardena decided to share this gift with others and hence began her entrepreneurial journey with Kemara.
Kemara is built around the concept that prevention is better than cure and it focuses primarily on holistic well-being. The brand stands for natural and organic products, which are offered through several classifications and services. It comprises spa and wellness, cuisine, as well as a boutique where a range of aromatherapeutic products for the hair, face, body, home, kids, pets, and gift sets are sold. Moreover, custom blends that take into account the diverse needs of consumers are a crowd favorite.
Meanwhile, Kemara Cuisine encompasses a broad range of gluten, grain, dairy, and sugar-free edibles in order to promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, paying heed to the rule that food is medicine when used wisely. The simple idea behind this sub-brand is to offer consumers their favorite meals (such as lasagna, waffles, crepes, etc., which are normally considered unhealthy) with a health-conscious twist. These alternatives promote clean and healthy eating that also supports fitness goals.
On the other hand, she demonstrated some of the noteworthy lessons she acquired through her journey as a woman entrepreneur. “As women, we need to prioritize quite a lot of things in our life. One of the things I learned was time management,” she said. Similarly, she realized how crucial it was to continually learn and remain up to date in her area of specialization. To stay in line with this, she traveled every year to upgrade her knowledge and committed time to educational purposes.
“This required me to get out of my comfort zone,” she explained, adding that “I had to leave my kids behind and devote time to study.” This is where she mastered the art of multitasking, especially as a young mother when she began Kemara. And she highlighted the importance of focus and concentration, signifying how these traits became handy for her as a budding entrepreneur, committed to building her business empire.
Given that, Gunawardena stated, “I receive a lot of encouragement from my family. My husband stood by me through thick and thin while I also had great support from my parents and kids.” She added that it propelled her forward.
Looking at the nature of her business, she also noted that “I felt I was contributing to the wellness field.” Emphasizing stress as the leading cause of illness around the world, she acknowledged the value of bringing peace and harmony to people through her brand. This knowledge continues to motivate her.
Meanwhile, she cited that her role as an entrepreneur in this arena was only amplified by being a woman. She said, “I believe as women we are empathetic in understanding not only other women but also men who may need a balance in life. And I think being a woman is the best position to be in because we have to learn to manage so many different challenges that we face.” She strived to weave this wisdom into her business.
Furthermore, she elaborated on women’s responsibilities – be it managing the home, ensuring the family’s well-being, preparing meals on time, and so on, or even from a career perspective. According to her, the need to multitask remains a crucial factor for most women to get things done without any hiccups. As a result, the woman becomes the ideal person who can understand others the most.
In addition to this, she commented on the level of women that are springing into the role of leadership in their respective sectors. “I don’t think we should even address this because I believe we are all equals,” she asserted. “If you take the corporate field as a whole, I think women bring something to the table that men can’t, and it could be vice versa. She further stated, “Together, we should all strive to make this world a better place.”
Gunawardena’s unique advice to those who desire to take up a leadership position is to never let themselves down because she firmly believes that “we are equal in every sense of the world.” Referring to other sectors and professions, she remarked that women are taking up roles that were previously considered to be a man’s place. From being a pilot to a CEO in the corporate field to running for the presidency of a nation, she emphasized the number of women who are stepping into these shoes, reiterating that there is no limitation to the power of a woman.
Furthermore, she shed light on the issues that stagnate a woman’s chance to rise and shine on the grounds of shaming and cultural norms. “Culturally, especially in Asian countries, women are looked at as someone responsible for running the households, raising children, and taking care of their husband but the truth is that we can successfully manage both facets – career and personal life,” she stated. “We can be a really good mom, good wife, look after the household and family, and still have an identity as a woman in the corporate world.” She attributed this feat to multitasking skills.
“Women should never have to feel like this is what she must do first and be made to feel guilty for not fitting into cultural expectations,” she said, noting that culturally women are conditioned to carry guilt, especially if she works when she has kids and added, “However, we are amazingly talented at managing both and I encourage more women to come forward to do that.”
Drawing on the differences between men’s and women’s obligations in a country that is on its way out of patriarchy, Gunawardena mentioned that as mothers or single women, familial responsibilities fall greater on a woman’s shoulder than on a man’s.
Finally, concluding her thoughts by sharing that “women can manage both family and career and be one with men who, on the other hand, have more time to spend in the corporate field and thereby focus more on work”. She reiterated that women should not step back out of fear of not being able to handle both because they can and her achievements reflect this fact.