I remember hearing people talk about the bracelet or seeing it come up time and time again on my Twitter timeline. I always thought it was a cool concept, but I never really did any research on it. The trend took off like wildfire. I just purchased my first Lokai bracelet at the beginning of the month. It was $18 for a broke college student can be a real challenge, let me tell you. But, when I saw that a percentage of the money goes to a great cause, I couldn't pass it up!
If you haven't heard of this new trend, you've probably been living under a rock. The bracelets are everywhere. It's basically "Livestrong" bracelet 2.0, but an even better concept! From celebrities to everyday people all around the world, the movement is epic. It's honestly so crazy to see how an idea has evolved into something so spectacular. If you don't know the whole story or you've been living under a rock, let me give you the rundown:
Lokai was created by Steven Izen, 23, who founded the business in 2013. He created the business as an undergrad student at Cornell University where he obtained a business degree. Balancing a busy schedule with classes as well as traveling to Manhattan on weekdays to meet with web designers and other team members was a normal thing for the young entrepreneur.
He explains that he came up with the idea during the summer after his freshman year of college. He says in an interview with the Huffington Post, "I was on the beach with family and friends, and thinking about how lucky I was to be there, while at the same time I had just found out that my beloved grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. That was a really tough time for me, because I had always been extremely close with him—I credit him with instilling an entrepreneurial spirit in me; he also taught me how to play pool, golf etc. The feelings of helplessness towards my grandfather's diagnosis were in stark contrast to the happiness and gratitude for my life that I felt that day on beach. I realized that life is a cycle of highs and lows, and it's important to remain humble and grateful at the same time as you're experiencing everything."
That's when the idea hit him. He loved the idea of memories and feelings being preserved in a physical object. He had collected countless objects from his trips to various places around the world, and he wanted this to be the same kind of idea. This is when he decided it would be awesome to incorporate elements from the highest and lowest places on Earth: Mount Everest and the Dead Sea. He executed that idea perfectly!
He decided to make a bracelet because it was something you can wear and take with you. There are two beads at either end of the bracelet: The black one is injected with mud from the Dead Sea and the white one is filled with water from Mt. Everest. The black bead represents the low and difficult moments you face in life, and how you have to find a way to stay hopeful no matter what. On the other hand, the white bead represents the moments that you feel on top of the world, and how you must also stay humble and count your blessings in life. The beads are total opposites, but they keep you balanced. The clear beads represent everyone's unique stories; highs and lows of life are important, but every moment in between is just as crucial. The clear beads remind us to keep clarity.
I'm sure you're thinking..."sure it's filled with water from Mt. Everest and mud from the Dead Sea." When I first heard about the bracelet from friends, I was actually thinking the same thing.
Come to find out, the young entrepreneur actually had it all thought out. It would definitely be a challenge as he was pursuing a degree, but he was also very motivated to make Lokai a reality. He looked at the challenges as an opportunity. He also says in the same interview with the Huffington Post, "We work with local organizations and community members to collect our resources, including native Sherpas from Mount Everest. We give back to these communities, too. Lokai donates 10 percent of its net profits to various charities. This past April there was an avalanche on Mount Everest, and 16 sherpas were buried. It was the biggest tragedy in the mountain's history, and we were able to donate money to the Sherpa Family Fund and help them quickly reach their goal." That brings me to another amazing aspect of the business, 10% of all profits from the bracelets go to charities. As the business has grown in popularity, the list of charities have increased as well. All of these awesome non-profit organizations are always looking for support. Proceeds have been donated to the World Wildlife Fund, Best Buddies International, Charity: Water, Cure Alzheimer's Fund, Pencils of Promise, Music Beats Hearts, American Himalayan Foundation, Bent On Learning, and Kind Campaign. In honor of "Breast Cancer Awareness Month", Lokai has released a limited edition PINK bracelet; 10% of all proceeds are donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation! You can purchase yours at MyLokai.com.
The authenticity of each bracelet is legit. There are videos on the main website about how the natural products are collected to be infused into each bracelet. It's truly incredible.
As for the name of the bracelet... I'm sure you're also thinking, "Lokai... what does that fancy word even mean?" The name LOKAI was actually inspired by the Hawaiian word "Lokahi" meaning unity and to blend opposites. According to Steven Izen, "Lokai" is our unique pursuit of finding a mental balance!
It was a challenge in itself to finding a way to market the product to businesses after it's launch. It was all word-of-mouth and talking to friends that got people talking about the product at first. Steven even went around to stores with buckets of his bracelets to try and get his product out there. "It was hard at first. I only got 1 out of every 30 stores to take a chance. If I didn't believe in Lokai, it would have been easy to let the discouragement get the best of me. It was the passion that kept me going. It's amazing how much you can get done, if you make the right connections and just go for it. Everyone you speak to is just a person like you. If you're passionate about what you do, people will listen. And now we're in over 88 countries, and 300 boutiques around the U.S.", he says in the Huffington Post article. This shows that you can start from nothing, and become something truly extraordinary; it just takes dedication.
He also credits the incredibly fast growth of his business to the countless celebrities that promoted his product on social media to fans. As the company has grown, so has the support of the entertainment industry. From athletes to singers to actors/actresses, the support is incredible. Each and every day, there is someone promoting the product and getting the word out there.
Gregg Sulkin
Lucy Hale
Sarah Hyland
Zendaya
Paul Wesley
Shay Mitchell
Candice Accola
Hilary Duff
Joe Jonas
Phoebe Tonkin
Kendall Jenner
Vanessa Hudgens
Keegan Allen
Jordin Sparks
Emma Roberts
Blake Lively
Colton Haynes
Steven Izen, Founder of Lokai once said “Life is full of joy and sadness, and we can all relate to its highs and lows. I hope that lokai will remind you to stay balanced and centered along your journey.”
Coming from the stress queen herself, and from a young woman who has experienced both joy and sadness, this bracelet gives me the motivation to keep my balance. It is a daily reminder that I can't always be perfect; no one is. A bracelet that reminds me that we all experience tough times, but we also experience some of the most beautiful moments in this crazy thing called life. Life's journey isn't supposed to be easy; it's supposed to teach us lessons along the way. As long as we can keep our balance along the way, life isn't so scary. I can't wait to experience the rest of my journey with this bracelet as a constant reminder that I'm alive and ready for the ride.
So who is with me?! #LIVELOKAI
