We recently had the chance to connect with brianna raich and have shared our conversation below.
brianna, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
I think many people secretly struggle with being their most authentic selves. We have a tendency to wear many masks that are shaped by expectations, fears, and our innate desire to be loved and accepted. The result is we often lose touch with who we truly are.
Where I come from, I feel there’s a strong emphasis on success and fitting the mold. While there’s nothing wrong with valuing hard work or wealth, we may end up compromising our values and ultimately our authenticity. And guess what? Not everything should revolve around money or what you do for a living. We should feel free to pursue what we want without always considering the monetary factor. We should feel free to be who we are and follow our passions. In my humblest opinion, the world doesn’t need more “successful” people in the traditional sense. It needs more people who are real, genuine and unafraid to show up as themselves.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello readers, and thank you for taking the time to get to know me.
My name is Brianna, and I’m the founder of Banda Bags, a brand that was born from curiosity, courage, and a love for authenticity!
Banda Bags started as a small side project, sparked by a serendipitous discovery in North Sumatra, Indonesia. I came across these incredible, handcrafted bags which were so vibrant, intricate, and unlike anything I had ever seen. Strangers would stop me to ask about them, and I began to realize there was something truly special here.
At the time, I had no background in business or fashion. My partner (now husband) and I were simply two people following an intuition that these bags could bring us a new adventure, and yes, they sure did. We moved to a remote corner of Indonesia, meeting local artisans and learning their craft. It was a journey filled with many challenges: typhoid, extortion, and more than a few moments of doubt…
But all of this was worth it when we learned that our mission became more than just beautiful bags. We were creating opportunities for women by helping them earn their own income and independence through artistry. Overtime, we built a training program where women could learn the embroidery techniques used in each Banda Bag, crafted entirely on vintage Singer sewing machines. Every trainee received her own machine, a symbol of empowerment and self-reliance.
We had to move quietly at first as cultural norms didn’t always favor women’s liberation, however, the transformation we witnessed was powerful. These women were rewriting their stories: no longer confined to arranged marriages or laboring in rice fields, they were now artists, providers, and entrepreneurs!
Each Banda Bag tells a story. Not only is it the craftsmanship and heritage, but its resilience and freedom. No two bags are alike, and I like to think that when someone carries one, they too are reminded of their own uniqueness and strength.
In many ways, Banda Bags has also been my own journey toward authenticity. Building this brand has taught me to embrace who I truly am and to lead with purpose, creativity, and heart.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that profoundly shaped how I see the world was moving to Hawaii at 18 years old. I came from a very buttoned-up town, the kind of place where fitting the mold was everything, and Hawaii was its perfect opposite: wild, free, and completely untamed.
In Hawaii, I learned to question convention. I began to reconnect with nature and, through that, with myself. It was also there that my natural healing journey began. It helped I was surrounded by people who had stepped away from the norms of society, choosing to trust in the wisdom of the earth rather than pharmaceuticals or doctors.
I was supposed to go to college, but instead, I received an entirely different kind of schooling, one shaped by radical thinkers, travelers, and seekers from all over the world. These were people who had, in their own way, “exited the matrix.” Until then, I had assumed that everyone more or less believed the same things. But in Hawaii, I witnessed people living off the land, in community, in deep connection with both spirit and purpose.
At one point, I lived briefly on a commune, where I learned a bit about self-sufficiency and living off the land. It was eye-opening and a complete departure from the script I had grown up with: get the degree, the job, the house, the car, and follow the crowd.
Hawaii taught to follow my intuition, not the crowd.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
When I think about a time someone truly listened to me, I have to admit that for much of my life, that hasn’t been the norm. As the youngest child, and later as someone who’s always been a bit more carefree and unconventional, I often felt unheard or misunderstood. I think people often dismiss my perspective, assuming that my way of thinking doesn’t align with their convictions or fit neatly within societal expectations.
But there is one beautiful exception, my dear friend, Victoria. She has always listened to me with an open heart and an open mind, and more importantly, she’s trusted me. For years, she struggled with deep emotional and familial challenges, navigating therapy and medication without finding the healing she longed for. When she decided to take a leap of faith and join me in an ayahuasca ceremony, everything began to shift.
Since that experience, Victoria’s transformation has been nothing short of remarkable. She’s gone from working in finance to becoming a breathwork facilitator, helping others release the same tension and pain she once carried. Watching her step into her purpose, her strength, and her healing has been one of the most inspiring things I’ve witnessed.
Victoria meets every challenge with grace and determination and is victorious! I’m endlessly proud of her and honored to have been someone she truly listened to, and who, in turn, listens to her.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Almost! The public version of me is mostly the real me. I still wear a bit of light makeup and use subtle filters for my skin. I admire women who can show up completely bare, saying, “This is me. ALL of me.” I’m not quite there yet.
I’ve always had a complicated relationship with my skin. Growing up, I struggled badly with acne, and even after healing it, that self-consciousness never completely disappeared. The worries just evolved, from acne to melasma, then to fine lines. Being a woman, it sometimes feels like there’s always something new to “fix” or hide, and that can be exhausting.
I wish I could say I don’t care about those things anymore, but the truth is, I still do. I’m working on embracing myself fully, imperfections and all, but I think that’s a lifelong journey for many of us.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What will you regret not doing?
If there’s one thing I would regret not doing, it would be creating a documentary that showcases an alternative way of living and healing, one that explores the power and potential of plant medicines.
I know psychedelic medicine is still considered taboo in many places, but that’s slowly changing as more research emerges and people begin to see the profound healing it can offer. I’ve witnessed transformations that are nothing short of extraordinary, people finding the kind of relief in a single night that years of therapy couldn’t bring.
We live in a world that too often numbs itself and calls it culture. But what we truly need is to feel again, to reconnect, to heal, to awaken. If I never shared that message, never helped open hearts and minds to these possibilities, that’s what I would regret most. The world needs healing! I believe plant medicines can play a vital role in that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bandabags.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bandabags
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianna-jane-raich-28104435/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bandabags
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/bandabags
Image Credits
@angiephoto
