Saria Hawkins-Banda is the mastermind behind Manifest Your Purpose, a luxury stationery brand that celebrates the beauty and multidimensionality of Black Women. Much like a masterfully crafted blueprint, her company provides the structure for individuals to build the future of their dreams, literally. Through a vision set to change the outlook of their personal and professional lives, women are realizing the power of manifestation is real.
Saria’s life is proof that what you envision and work toward can easily become your reality. As a Founder and CEO, she has transformed the world of stationery into a canvas for empowerment and self-realization.
Manifest Your Purpose was birthed through God’s voice and the power of manifestation. “I started having dreams about stationery every night, and I would wake up at 2:22 AM. This happened for about a week, and I knew that it was God telling me to start the company,” said Saria.
The visionary’s brand emphasizes planning with purpose, aligning one’s goals and intentions with daily life. She believes planning is a form of self-care, encouraging customers to use their products to plan effectively so that their future selves will thank them.
BALANCING BUSINESS AND MOTHERHOOD
While encouraging others to plan ahead and organize their daily tasks, the mother of two faces the same struggles as others. Balancing business with motherhood is a challenge she knows all too well, but she’s honest about the reality of it.
“It’s not easy! But I look at it as constantly assessing priorities versus ‘balancing’. When we use the word balancing, I feel like it makes us think we have to keep up with everything all at once and that is not always feasible. Some days, my kids take priority over work and others, or my work has to take priority over my family.” she unapologetically explained. “As long as I ensure I’m taking care of myself so I am able to show up for the people and things that need me most, everything always falls into place!”
In that balance, Saria finds the power of manifestation to be a declaration by God to make the most of the time we’re given. “True growth and transformation begins with our small, seemingly insignificant, daily actions. Writing in a journal, praying more, practicing mindfulness, creating a daily routine, etc. When we combine these small rituals with consistency over a steady amount of time, real change occurs, and just like that, we’re taking control of our environment rather than our environment controlling us. That’s how we manifest our purpose in life.”
CELEBRATING BLACK WOMEN
For Manifest Your Purpose, Saria’s broader mission is to make celebrating Black Women the standard. The founder acknowledged the challenges of that possibility, stating, “First, our society needs to acknowledge that Black Women live in a reality that is different from literally everyone else. Our status as both Black and female uniquely positions us to face discrimination that’s difficult for most people to understand.”
“We don’t expect them to understand our lived experiences, but to simply acknowledge them and not make us feel ungrateful when we voice our concerns. This is what I feel will truly help us to make substantive progress in this area,” she asserted. Saria made it clear that she won’t stop until that is the standard and her brand is making way for it to transpire with each printed planner.
Manifest Your Purpose isn’t just about stationery, but about empowering, celebrating, and making space for the Black Girl Magic that exists in each of us.
“We are unapologetic in our mission to celebrate and uplift Black women. We are proud to be a safe space for our community and will continue to be for generations to come,” said Saria. Her brand is a testament to the idea that planning with purpose can be a powerful catalyst for change, self-discovery, and ultimately, personal growth.
