We were lucky to catch up with Irena Spegar recently and have shared our conversation below.

Irena, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

The Boonly’s mission is to inspire curiosity, reflection, and joy through thoughtful content and products that foster personal growth and connection in everyday life. As someone who worked in the nonprofit sector and political consulting, lived on four different continents and immigrated to the US in the end, I spent so much time rushing and chasing the next achievement that I ended up feeling burned out. I always loved little things in life, I just needed the courage to say no to the whole hustle culture concept, and surrender to that feeling of finding the beauty in the mundane and doing things on my own terms and at my own pace. So I started creating a space that will help me and others unwind, create a gentler and more intentional life, and find more joy and wisdom.

Irena, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m the creator of The Boonly — a Sunday newsletter and lifestyle shop. When I started, I didn’t think much about the industry I was entering or have a business plan. I simply began sharing my ideas and curated content through a newsletter, hoping to inspire others to live more curious and joyful lives. I wrote about topics I genuinely enjoyed, and as my subscriber base grew, I realized many resonated with my message and found value in it. They found a space and products to relax, reflect, and connect with themselves and others.

This year, we launched our first product, the Connection Set — a conversation game and reflection tool — and our community has truly embraced it.

Many people see wellness or personal growth brands as instructing how to live or what to do, but we aim to foster curiosity and honest conversations about life. Our approach helps readers feel they don’t need constant improvement; they can simply be themselves.

I’m proud of the impact we have, especially on how people spend their weekends and how they feel about Mondays. I often receive messages from readers saying that reading The Boonly with a morning coffee is their favorite Sunday ritual. They also say it makes their Mondays better and less scary, helping to relieve Sunday scaries and bring positive energy and inspiration.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Recently, I had to pause all business activities for two months to take care of my health. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I trusted myself to come back when the time was right and believed my community would understand. What it taught me is that resilience and strength are not only reflected in pushing harder but also in knowing when to pause and be gentle with yourself. As you can see, I’m back to work, demonstrating that you can start again after a setback.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The Boonly was actually the result of a pivot. After moving to a new country and becoming a mother, I felt that returning to my old career path wasn’t an option or something I wanted. So, I created something new and exciting that aligned with my new values.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theboonly.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theboonly/
• Other: https://theboonly.com/shop/

Image Credits

Credit: Bekah Wriedt Ridings