Gissy BFFs Sana Bain and Kristy Buckley are doing their bit for the environment, and now they aim to inspire others to adopt more environmentally sustainable, safe products in their homes.
In the first ever double-dose two-person interview in the series, I chatted to them about their new business, Bit by Bit, which features a beautifully crafted range of plant-based cleaning and body products, with essential oil signature scents, as well as delicious organic teas.
Selling online, with refillable options available, they recently opened their flagship store and refillery in the heart of Gisborne.
Both women grew up rurally, Sana on a farm in the Wairarapa and Kristy in Piopio in the King Country. They met on the netball court after moving to Gisborne, and a friendship blossomed.
Raising their young families in the region, and realising neither wanted to return to their careers in teaching, they had long been exploring safer options to use in their own homes, making their own products. They soon realised there was a wider demand for products that contain no nasty stuff, are eco friendly and safe for the whole family.
They saw an opportunity to make an impact and the result is Bit by Bit, doing bit by bit for ourselves, our homes, and our planet.
Describe each other in 3 words:
Sana on Kristy – loyal, ambitious, fun-loving
Kristy on Sana – thoughtful, determined, loving
What inspires you?
Sana: At the end of the day, for me, nature and its environment truly does inspire me. I think, through that, it leads to a want to retain it and look after it, and work with it. It’s so special and can be overlooked sometimes in our daily lives. Also, women I know, mums in particular, in business. It’s such a massive job.
Kristy: What Sana said. I’ve always been inspired to want a better world where humans have a greater awareness to live in a considered and less impactful way. I have a passion to do my bit, and that inspires me to inspire others to do their bit. People who are conscious of their decisions, I look up to the people who are doing that.
Biggest learning in business?
Kristy: Juggling, but also keeping a level head across the board. We are both really focused on mindset and priorities, getting our heads clear before we start our day. That can be exercise, moving our bodies, or gratitude. We both journal and write down our goals and where we want to get to. We’re quite aligned in that sense, and that helps with keeping a level head.
Sana: Balance, time management and prioritising. Time is such a precious resource. I was always aware of it, but now, making a routine and sticking to it is so important. I make sure I get outside at some point in the day too.
Best advice you’ve ever received?
Sana: My dad taught me from a young age, ‘be true to yourself’. It took quite a long time to get my head around, but as the years have gone by it’s become clearer and clearer how important that is. For me, it’s about not worrying about other people’s expectations and things I feel might get loaded on me. It’s living to my own rules and standards, in business and in my personal and family life.
Kristy: My biggest one came from my mum, who has always been a huge inspiration to me. She became a teacher, and is an amazing teacher, I think that’s why I went down that path. She had a tricky upbringing and she always said ‘this too shall pass’. It’s about appreciating the good times and living in the moment, but also knowing that cycle will pass and times will be challenging, but that too will pass. I’m conscious of appreciating the good times, celebrating and enjoying them, while knowing the bad times will also come and go.
Top tip for a sustainable home?
Kristy: Every time a product runs out that has things on the label you don’t know what they are, replace it with a better alternative to reduce the chemicals in your home. It doesn’t have to be about replacing everything in one go.
My other one is always washing your fruit and veges from the supermarket with vinegar or baking soda to reduce the pesticides that leach. Chuck everything in the sink and let them soak. Also, learn about the dirty dozen (the worst offenders when it comes to pesticides).
Sana: Something I’ve been thinking about a lot is trying not to justify new purchases when something could be mended or bought second-hand. Or maybe you could gift an item on to someone else. I don’t think it’s talked about a lot - we live in a throw away and buy society.
Dream way to spend a day?
Sana: Gardening, reading a book, having some time in the bush, walking or hunting.
Kristy: In my garden, I just love being in the garden. Having a ‘no money’ day, which is something we’ve been working on as a family, just really using and being with what we have. Also cooking.
What are you listening to/reading?
Kristy: Where to begin! It’s so diverse because that’s how my brain works, I have like six things on the go at once. My favourite podcast, one I always go back to, is the Happy Families podcast by a family in Brisbane. They’re only about 15 minutes each but they really ground you. Mum guilt is high when you’re running a business and I think that’s why I enjoy them, because it lets me know I am doing a good job.
A friend of ours gave me the book ‘Wild Kinship’ for my birthday - conversations with conscious entrepreneurs. It’s an incredible book for where Sana and I are at in our sustainable business journey and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in sustainability and/or entrepreneurship.
Sana: Kristy gave me the Oprah Winfrey book ‘What I Know for Sure’ and I treat it like a coffee table book, it lives by my bed and I like to pick it up and read a few pages. It reminds me about gratitude and being thankful for what I have in my life.
Kristy: That book is my absolute bible. I love it.
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