Conversations with Si’Neka Demery

Today we’d like to introduce you to Si’Neka Demery.

Hi Si’Neka , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born with a genetic blood disease called Sickle Cell Anemia (SSA). SSA can only be genetically transferred from Parent to Child. I was the only child out of 3 to have this genetic disorder; so growing up, I didn’t feel like anyone, including my parents truly understood what I was going through mentally, emotionally, and physically. A SSA crisis which is consists of severe pain equivalent to labor contractions, 10 broken bones simultaneously and can sometimes last for weeks. Combine this with normal hormonal issues that a young woman faces during puberty growing into adulthood and you can only imagine the trials and tribulations that I ultimately had to face by myself.

I jumped into the medical field when I was 21, went to school, graduated and began working at an Urgent Care/Family Practice. We had a patient one day, who stuck out to me immediately because It was the first time I ever met another SSA woman, who was near my age. We talked about our experiences about feeling like no one would ever understand our life, unless they too, had the disease.

I started Akenis Llc in 2020 because it took years for me to finally be comfortable with living with disease. I incorporated healthier practices, social relationships, and even work environments to bring myself to this place of knowing that being diagnosed with a life long disease such as SSA or any other chronic illness; is not the end of life.

Akenis creates a safe space for women battling chronic illnesses such as Sickle Cell Anemia, Endometriosis, Lupus, & PCOS to feel supported, empowered, and celebrated through natural remedies, products resources, and educational material! We provide hand made natural skin care, hygiene, and house hold products, collaborated with some of the top brands, celebrities, and influencers to bring awareness and support for women like myself, whom battle chronic illnesses & mental health issues associated.

We’re more than just an Awareness brand; we’re a family!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I love getting asked this question because I’ve always been transparent about my journey as an entrepreneur.

When I first started creating the first line of Akenis skin care products, I was working surgical dermatology and learning so much more about the skin and how it being the largest organ on your body is a bigger deal than we like to realize. It made me more cognizant of what are the ingredients that I’m putting on my skin, now knowing it gets fully absorbed into my blood stream.

I live by the rule that if you cannot eat it; you shouldn’t be applying it to your body! So I went back to school to learn more about plants, especially herbs and the amazing benefit they can truly have on the body with consistency and patience!

People didn’t take my vision seriously! I pitched to SO many investors and was constantly denied for the first 2 years! I even had one potential investor tell me at our pitch meeting that, “No one wants to invest in a disease they never heard of, you should focus on modeling. You’d be a great model” and I don’t know if he thought that was a compliment or not but it definitely gave me an idea and also lit a fire in me to prove him wrong.

And I did!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Akenis specializes in 100% organic hand crafted skin care, hygeine, and household products, using only the highest quality of international ingredients from the Earth! All of our products could be consumed and would not cause you any harm (although we don’t encourage you to eat the products😊)

I have 7 years of Dermatology and Surgical Dermatology experience; combined with my 18+ medical career, so I took 2 full years of perfecting my formulas before I released them to the public. I value authenticity with a product and when someone reads the ingredients on our products; what you see is exactly what you’re getting. No lies, no hidden motives, just organic products that work, without any chemicals!

We are known for our products and also our collaborations with some of the top brands, celebrities, and influencers to bring awareness, which I think is SO much fun! Just to let people know who we are as a brand and what we are about! People appreciate the positive vibes Akenis brings and the fact we’re not trying to just sell something to them but we are simply trying to help people live a more fulfilling life.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’ve always been a risk taker because living with SSA and trying to achieve any of the things I have, is taking a risk already!

I’ve lost time, money, and mental sanity at times because of being an entrepreneur who takes risks. But I can’t live my life constantly worried about what could go wrong. There’s a higher power that is guiding me through this journey and I know I wouldn’t be where I am without that higher power, so I always pray and then jump into the risk with both feet planted firm on the ground and my heart full of hope and faith that it’ll work out if it’s supposed to.

I’ve had to turn down business propositions that just didn’t align with the morals and values of Akenis. If it’s not about uplifting, empowering, supporting, showing empathy, and celebrating each other than we don’t want any part of it.

All money isn’t worth my integrity, I stand by that!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.Akenisllc.com
• Instagram: Akenis_llc