We had the good fortune of connecting with Santana AnnaKay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Santana AnnaKay, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I wanted to turn my pain into purpose and essentially, pay it forward. I want to empower women to find their self worth and make their wellness a priority.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Her Own Lane is a female empowerment brand that focuses mainly on inspiring women to use their voices and adapt to healthy wellness practices. I knew that if I was going to build a brand exclusively for ‘well-being’ then I too needed to be whole and face my fears. I started that journey just over 5 years ago, I took a leap of faith. I started finding myself through solo travel and through that I discovered my purpose. I enrolled in the necessary courses online to further my knowledge and experience in the Wellness Industry. At the time, I felt like I was taking a huge risk because financially I wasn’t stable. I continued to work on myself and the vision I had. We not only educate through the knowledge attained through College/University but also the knowledge gained throughout life experiences that many woman across the world can relate to.

It was not easy! I sacrificed my social life in exchange for a healthier me (it was painful at times) doing this created a massive loss but I knew I needed to practice what I preached to be my authentic self.

My late grandmother who I held close to my heart inspired me to be a strong black woman, to always use my voice, to be resilient and tenacious and to always trust God. Prayer and fasting were life-changing for me! I learned so much about myself during my 21-day cleanse (mind, body and spirit).

I want the world to know that you can always find beauty in the ashes, every season has its purpose and with the right tools, we can all heal from our most damaging experiences. I couldn’t be more proud of the woman and mother I’ve become despite pushbacks I never gave up, I kept trusting my calling and the vision God laid before me. I’m so excited for the future of Her Own Lane – I just want to make an impact and help another woman rise above there own ashes.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start the week with some self care for sure! ElmWood Spa has a variety of spa retreats some of which include lunch/dinner (downtown Toronto) Then I would take her out for brunch at Isabelle Restaurant/Lounge (downtown Burlington) followed by a full day touring the city – Niagara Wine tours/shopping
Dinner would definitely be on me! But happy hours would be spent downtown and around Yorkville Village
It’s a must to check out the CN Tower when in the city the views are breathtaking

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am forever grateful to my family and friends and who stood by me throughout my journey. Also, reading Dr. Daniel Amen’s Unleashing The Power of The Female Brain is where the shift in my life started. I can’t forget to mention Sarah Jakes-Roberts, her sermons on YouTube were so inspirational and had a significant impact.

Instagram: HerOwn_Lane

Linkedin: Santana A. Rowe

Other: Email: Info@herownlane.org

Image Credits
Julian Cohen

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