Our story

Our Story

Shakti as we know it was founded in 2014 when two best friends went to Thailand for a holiday.

It was meant to be a break before one went back to law studies and the other started an internship at a Hong Kong bank. But a chance encounter with the modern bed of nails led to a meeting with its inventor, and two weeks abroad changed the trajectory of our careers altogether.

We were enlightened by the power of acupressure, and then inspired by Shakti’s potential to restore wellbeing after trying it ourselves. We dipped our toes in before heading home, and it wasn’t long before 2000 mats arrived on our doorstep.

We saw the potential to use business as a force for good, but convincing people that lying on thousands of sharp spikes could be relaxing proved tricky to begin with. 3 months passed and it came time to go back to the world of suits and study, but the fuse was already lit.

It only took a couple of months before we turned our backs on the corporate ladder for careers with more meaning. Taking the plunge and using business as a force for good was an opportunity that’s still too good to pass up. And after a decade of doing it, we feel like we're just getting started.

So far, the process has brought new life to a practice that had almost fallen into obscurity, given people an opportunity to reconnect with themselves—as well as global wellbeing—and done some amazing work in developing communities.

Because improving the lives of people who use wellbeing tools is a reward in itself. But impacting the people and places they come from as well?

That’s Shakti.

Why we do it

Over 200 million people regularly practice yoga, acupressure, and meditation. They’re ancient arts that are steeped in India’s culture, but too many of the people at the heart of them get nothing for their efforts.

It’s a disappointment we’ve seen first-hand. So, after experiencing the benefits of the yogic tool that is the bed of nails, we decided to do something about it.

Shakti honors the true intent of these centuries-old practices by crafting the best acupressure tools on the planet and reinvesting profits in India. We believe that getting comfortable with the uncomfortable is a force for good, and that products used for healing and mindfulness should be made with the same intent.

And that’s how we got here. 2 million people (and counting) embracing discomfort to unlock their best selves—and support some amazing causes along the way.