From his living room to a tank full of sharks, this is the story of the founders of Alhumo Sacred Smokes

In search of spirituality and healing. Changes always come to our life, by our own decision or because we have to live a situation that makes us turn the tide. One of the best decisions we can make is to perceive these changes as an opportunity and grasp them as an impetus to generate or create something good and prosperous.

Her father’s illness forced Regina Giorgana Mendoza ‘s family to move to another country, at that time, the young woman who is now 30 years old, discovered spirituality through therapies related to herbalism and rituals such as meditation with bowls, among others. Upon returning to Mexico, Regina continued exploring this world until one day she decided that she wanted to share it with many more people.

“At the end of 2018, we found out that my dad needed treatment and we moved abroad. We were experiencing too much uncertainty, that was how that constant search for tranquility, certainty, that whatever it was, everything was going to be fine, I began to approach energy therapies and rituals “, says Regina in an exclusive interview.

“My mom wanted to kick us out”

In this way, Alhumo Sacred Smokes was born, an online store that helps you have a holistic experience with incense and quartz . It seeks that its clients or friends of its clients find peace and harmony through energy therapies.

Shortly after the entrepreneur started her project, she was joined by her brother, Víctor Giorgana Mendoza , who says that they started in the living room of their parents’ house and their mother was about to “kick them out.”

“Creating a company is always a challenge, we started in the living room of my parents’ house, and I can’t tell you how my mother wanted to kick us out every day because we had the whole place full of herbs, quartz, and finally incense… My mother couldn’t even have visitors because we were all working from the living room of the house ”, says Víctor.

Alhumo started in September 2019 with a capital of 15 thousand pesos and they have already achieved sales of 13 million Mexican pesos, they also have a community of 95 thousand followers on Instagram .

What is an incense?

An incense is the action of smoking or incense, and this refers to a product that gives off aromatic smoke in order to purify or perfume an environment.

Alhumo seeks to help anyone to relax and connect with themselves through kits that include incense and rituals “carefully thought out to bring together elements that combine in harmony and complement each other”.

“Anyone can use it, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have previous experience, we give you the bases and the ease to do it,” explains Regina.

In fact, on the brand’s website you can take a test, which will help you find an incense kit according to your intentions.

From the living room of the house to a tank full of sharks

Víctor and Regina participated in the sixth season of Shark Tank México that was broadcast on Canal Sony, where they arrived asking for 750 thousand pesos for 10% of the company.

Three investors were interested in them, Ana Victoria García , Andrea Arnau and Rodrigo Herrera. Who offered them various offers. However, the entrepreneurs made the decision to go with those who believed 100% in the product.

^{Image: Courtesy of Shark Tank México.}

“The truth is that Rodrigo put himself in a position in which he did not believe 100% in the product, let’s say he did believe in incense, in the power of rituals, but he did not believe in quartz, and finally we have an experience holistic, we cannot modify our product, nor do we share their view that quartz is unproven ”, explains Victor.

In this way, Víctor and Regina decided to keep the proposal made by Ana Victoría and Andrea, who offered them 750 thousand pesos for 15% of the brand.

Water and oil

We know the history of various family businesses or ventures, but what is the dynamic really like when you work with your brother? Regina explains that she and Víctor are very different, and “I could even say that like mixing water with oil.” However, both have found the middle ground to achieve the success of Alhumo.

“For Víctor everything must have a process, and for me everything has to do with creativity… We have both learned to develop patience, since we have very different ways of working, but Víctor has succeeded and has helped me to complement each other, he It allows me to be as creative as I want, but at the same time with my feet on the ground, ”says Regina.

Víctor agrees with his sister and explains that “you have to have a lot of empathy, learn to listen to the other person and collaborate with them, finally everyone has ideas, the important thing is to know how to carry them out and how to carry them out. For example, my sister always has many ideas, and the challenge is to help them come true and successfully because that is another part of the formula ”.

Alhumo Sacred Smokes is working on its line of scented candles, as well as new kits with different intentions for this end of the year. On the other hand, they want to enter the US market, since at the moment they only have national deliveries within Mexico.