We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kera Sanchez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kera , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

The idea for Get Griefy came to me—like so many creative sparks do—in the shower. Something about that quiet space made me realize there needed to be a place for honest conversations about grief, and I knew I wanted to create it. The moment I stepped out, I didn’t wait. I walked straight to my computer and wrote the very first ‘Letter from the Editor’. I didn’t have a background in publishing or journalism—I simply claimed the role and got to work.

From there, it was a whirlwind of figuring things out as I went. The first few days were about outlining the mission: Who was this for? What tone would it have? What kind of stories did I want to share—and from whom? The following weeks were about setting up the infrastructure: researching digital magazine platforms, designing a logo, creating submission guidelines, and building a website.

I learned everything in real time—how to organize editorial calendars, how to solicit and edit submissions, and how to build a community around something so deeply emotional. It took months to understand the workflow, and nearly a year to feel like I had real systems in place.

Now, 6 issues and 18 months later, I look back and realize that launching Get Griefy wasn’t about waiting until I had it all figured out. It was about starting boldly, staying curious, and learning through the doing.

Kera , 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 started Get Griefy after the unexpected loss of my mother. She passed away while on vacation in Italy, at the very same time I was in the NICU with my youngest daughter. I was battling both grief and postpartum depression, and the weight of it all felt impossible to carry.

In those early days, I found myself deep in the rabbit hole of “Griefstagram”—an entire corner of social media where people were vulnerably sharing their stories of loss. Many of those accounts were incredibly helpful, but they also felt siloed. Each one was its own small island, supporting others from their own platform, but there wasn’t one place that brought all of these powerful voices together into a cohesive resource.

That’s when the idea for Get Griefy was born. I wanted to create a lifeline for other grievers—a bold, vibrant space that collected and showcased the stories, art, and healing work of people who are transforming their pain into purpose. I wanted a platform that didn’t just talk about grief, but showed how people live through it.

I also come from a teaching background, where we’re trained to curate and differentiate our lessons for all types of learners. That philosophy directly shaped the structure of the magazine. Each issue is filled with short, inspiring, and highly visual pieces—content that’s digestible, relatable, and emotionally impactful. It’s designed to meet people wherever they are in their grief, whether they’re skimming for a spark of hope or sitting with a heavy heart.

Get Griefy isn’t just a magazine. It’s a community. It’s a platform for those channeling their pain into something powerful. And it’s a celebration of creativity, resilience, and the beautiful messiness of being human.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I think there’s a common misconception that you need to go viral to be successful. But with Get Griefy, I’ve learned the power of the slow burn. We’ve grown to nearly 4,000 followers—not through overnight hype, but by building real connections. That number might seem modest by internet standards, but it’s mighty.

What’s made the difference is creating opportunities for people to truly get involved—whether through submissions, collaborations, or simply feeling seen in our content. That sense of belonging has kept our community engaged and steadily growing. The people who follow Get Griefy aren’t just passive observers—they want to stick around, contribute, and be part of something that feels real. And that, to me, is the real win.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

We foster brand loyalty by focusing on community, connection, and collaboration. Beyond offering Get Griefy as a magazine, we’ve created the Small Business Collective—a space where grief creatives, makers, and mission-driven brands can align themselves with our platform. It’s more than just a directory or partnership—it’s a way for people to feel seen, supported, and celebrated within a shared ecosystem.

What really creates loyalty is the sense that this is OUR space. Our readers, contributors, and collaborators don’t feel like outsiders looking in—they feel like part of the foundation. That mindset shift—from “this is my brand” to “this is our community”—has been key in building lasting engagement and trust.

We stay in touch through newsletters, direct outreach, and consistent social media presence, but more than anything, we listen. When people feel like they have a voice and a place, they stick around—and they bring others with them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.getgriefymagazine.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getgriefymagazine
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-griefy-magazine/

Image Credits

Megan Hochhauser Photography