Interview with Kirsten Samuel, CEO & Founder at Employee Wellbeing Company: Kamwell

Kamwell is an award-winning employee wellbeing company – we were delighted to pick up the gong for ‘Health and Wellbeing Provider of the Year’ last year at the WSB Awards. We work with organisations from SME’s to some of the largest companies and brands in the world, to transform the health and wellbeing of their people.

We do this through our wellbeing consultancy, wellbeing programmes and wellbeing support, which is not surprisingly in big demand at the moment as more people experience Covid-related anxiety and mental ill health challenges than ever before.

During the turbulence of 2020 and now into 2021, we have navigated the ups and downs by drawing strength from our purpose and people. Our purpose at Kamwell is to unleash the potential that a healthy and human-centred workplace can have on our people, communities and society.

We’re currently seven years strong and have been advocating for employee wellbeing to be on every boardroom agenda…….and I think we are slowly getting there. Whilst the pandemic has been tragic for so many reasons, on a positive note, it has accelerated the importance of employee wellbeing and why it needs to become a strategic business priority in every organisation.
 
 

 

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

 
Before I set up Kamwell, I worked for a global American tech company and saw first-hand the negative impacts of stress, burnout and mental ill health on employees’ wellbeing and performance. Seven years ago, stress, burnout and mental health were words that were seldom uttered let alone discussed openly. Mental health issues carried huge stigma and working till you were nearly at the point of exhaustion was carried more as a badge of honour than a sign of needing to slow down.

Coupled with my passion for healthy living and driven by a desire to make a difference, I decided to explore the idea of bringing the two together, i.e., creating a wellbeing company that would focus on preventing employees from getting ill and instead proactively supporting them to live well and thrive, at work and at home. And thus, Kamwell was born.
 

What advice would you give to other aspiring female entrepreneurs?

 
As I reflect on the year that’s just past and set my intentions for 2021, the advice that I am giving to myself and to others would be this:

• Manage where you focus your time and energy – these are your most precious resources.
• Adopt a growth mindset always – reframe failures as learning opportunities.
• Don’t be afraid to dream big and notice any limiting beliefs – accept them, acknowledge them, challenge them, empower new beliefs.
• Cultivate perseverance – particularly on the things that will help you achieve your 80%.
• Prioritise self-care – ensure you are well nourished; you can’t pour from an empty cup.
• Be your authentic self – if you don’t know ‘who’ that is, invest time doing work on the inside.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help – seek out and build relationships with mentors that you admire and can learn from.
• Work on your business, not in it – you’re in charge of the big picture.
• Look after your staff – is looking after your business.

What can we hope to see from Kamwell in the future?

 
We’re at a new juncture and it feels incredibly exciting. This year we will be focusing on developing our global presence, building our online/digital capabilities, and looking to become a certified B Corp. It’s going to be a busy and purposeful year!