What is Makeena?
Makeena is a free and easy-to-use mobile app that helps you discover better-for-you, better-for-the-planet products, then rewards you for your purchases, anywhere you shop.
Makeena is part of a larger movement — a movement to build better businesses. We believe small choices impact the world big time. Being B-Certified means we’re socially responsible and committed to being the change we wish to see in the world. We give back to environmental nonprofits as a member of 1% for the Planet and partner with other conscious companies.
Where did the idea for Makeena come from?
I have always been passionate about taking care of our planet. I grew up across the street from a corn field that was sprayed with pesticides, so from an early age I was very aware of the environmental impacts on what we eat. As a child I was also very concerned about people who didn’t have access to healthy food and was always looking for ways to help. Ultimately, when I went vegan in the 1980s I became even more aware of how difficult it can be to find brands that prioritize sustainability and make healthier products.
Ultimately, these experiences motivated me to start Makeena so that everyone on this big, beautiful planet of ours can easily find and afford healthier food and eco-friendly products.
We chose the name Makeena because it means “happiness” in Swahili and “abundance” in Hawiaiian. From our headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, we like to say Makeena also means empowerment. It puts the power of shopping for good directly into the hands of mindful consumers
How did you start and launch the app?
We’ve been fortunate in that we’ve been selected to participate in a couple of accelerator programs with really smart mentors and advisors who have helped us refine our platform and build out our strategy. Along the way we’ve been able to stay true to our core purpose and vision -- which is making the world a better place through our technology and community that rewards the discovery and purchase of better-for-you, better-for-the-planet brands and products. We’re super excited about Makeena and the future!
What have been some of the biggest hurdles?
Like most businesses, the last few months have been difficult to navigate. We were in the middle of setting up a booth at a trade show for one of our industry's largest events when COVID restrictions forced a rapid change in plans. For us, the ability to be nimble and responsive, while sometimes painful, also teaches lessons in patience and resiliency. Ultimately, every hurdle you face in business can either be a curse or blessing -- it is all in the mindset you choose.
What have been some of your biggest successes?
We’re really excited by all 2020 has brought us so far! We earned our B-Certification in January, and are launching a new website, new functionality in our app, new newsletter, new community, and added some great people to our team. And the best part is, we still have half a year left to go! Truly, we believe the best days are ahead for Team Makeena!
What are your best recommendations for someone new to the app?
First off, thank you for downloading Makeena! We are excited to have you in our community.
Second, start scrolling through our brand partners on Makeena and “unlock” experiences. Take the time to check out brands you already know and love, and those you haven’t yet tried! Be sure you engage with all the brands on social media, opt-in for their newsletters, and add items you want to try to your shopping list. Best of all, you can shop at your favorite store or online, anytime. Once you’re done shopping, scan the UPC codes for the Makeena products you’ve purchased, and take a photo of the receipt and upload it through the app. You’ll then get cash back through your PayPal or Venmo account.
Finally, don’t forget to visit the Rebates page. You might find a fruit, vegetable, or even an organic household product that you haven’t used in a while that you can earn a little cash back on as well.
Using the Makeena app is a fun way to explore something new and engage with great products that are truly better for you and better for the environment. How’s that for a win-win?!?
You may also like
Lifestyle
Meet the Models Behind Boody’s Pride Photo Shoot
Pride month is here! At Boody, we celebrate every gorgeous body and our Mother Earth daily, but June gave us an incredible reason...
Lifestyle
Shop Local: The Curious Quill
This month for Boody’s Shop Local series we are featuring The Curious Quill, a specialty boutique located within Thee Draper Village. They've been selling Boody since 2017.
Lifestyle
Why Anyone Can Meditate and How It Will Change Your Life
Guest article by Laura Kelly, Yoga Instructor Meditation teaches us many things. While the world asks us to speed up, meditation teaches us how to slow down. It teaches us to stay calm amongst frantic energy and invites us to slow our movements and consciously feel into our bodies and breath, to become more connected to ourselves and the world around us. Studies have shown that the benefits of a regular meditation practice are countless. It assists in the reduction of stress levels, encourages better sleep, helps attune mental focus, and can aid in the activation of your parasympathetic nervous system, which amongst many things, helps steady those times of high anxiety. Yet, even with studies extolling the virtues of meditation, many are skeptical of the practice and find myriad reasons as to why the practice isn’t for them. “My mind is too busy”, “I don’t have time”, “It doesn’t work”. Sound familiar? These are just some of the explanations you might tell yourself as to why you don’t meditate. But with such a wide range of styles and practices to choose from, even the busiest of brains can find and benefit from a meditation practice. No brain is too busy Living in the modern world can get a little hectic from time to time. You may already know that taking some time to yourself is the best thing to do but it’s not always easy. You might find you struggle with a busy mind; it takes practice to be able to find those tiny pockets of space and stillness throughout the day. But the purpose of meditating isn’t to clear the mind. By simply becoming more aware of our thoughts we can find moments of calm, even amongst the chaos. It doesn’t all look the same A dedicated meditation practice can often conjure up images of monks, sitting completely still in an uncomfortable position for hours on end void a single thought entering their mind. But there are so many different types of meditation out there. They won’t all work for you and they don’t all involve sitting upright with your legs crossed and your eyes closed. A walking meditation is one way to bring yourself into the present moment and settle a busy mind. You might practice meditation with a mantra or by simply focusing your attention on your breath. Explore different styles and see what suits you best. There is always time Research has found that as little as ten minutes of meditating a day can be of huge benefit to our health. If you are starting out, you might begin with one minute a day of focused attention on your breath. Increase to two minutes and so on until you reach ten minutes or more a day. Meditation apps provide useful guided timings whilst even the simplest of smartphones can be used to set a timer. The best time to meditate is often when first waking up. It can also be used as a welcomed break during any time of day or to help you wind down at night. It doesn’t need to be perfect Sarah Owen, a teacher of Yin Yoga and meditation says that your mediation experience is exactly that. It’s YOUR experience. It will be totally different from anyone else in the room and it can be totally different each time. That’s what makes it so amazing. Don’t become attached to the outcome of a meditation practice, find space to sit in the experience. Meditation doesn’t have to look a certain way. If it works for you, then it’s working. Meditation resources Here are a few resources to help support a meditation practice: Headspace Co-founder Andy Puddicombe launched this guided meditation app in 2010. Headspace offers a range of courses including ten-part Meditation Basics available for free which is a great place to start. Their guided sessions range from three-minute breathing exercises to longer courses on specific areas of focus. They also have sleep sounds and guided meditations to help lull you into a restful night’s sleep. Calm This guided sleep and meditation app offers a full range of listening options. Calm have wonderful sleep stories, some of which are read by famous voices such as Stephen Fry with a relaxing tale about lavender fields in the south of France. They also offer meditation courses focusing on calming anxiety, worry, spreading kindness and other areas. They also have peaceful and relaxing musical tracks to choose from. Insight Timer Home to meditation teachers from all over the world, this meditation app has 45,000 free meditations available. You’ll find specific courses in the Insight Timer Members Plus section but their free offerings include guided recordings for; learning to meditate, coping with anxiety or managing stress, mindfulness in the workplace, boosting your self-esteem and so much more. Nimbus & Co The team at this Bondi-based studio launched a meditation series to support their community whilst they were closed due to the COVID-19 restrictions. You can listen to these guided meditations by Nimbus & Co for free here.
