Writing Her Own Story: How Saria Hawkins-Banda and Manifest Your Purpose Are Redefining the Stationery Industry

June 10, 2025 | By ICIC

Saria Hawkins-Banda knows the value of a good notebook. Not just the kind with thick paper and elegant design—though her company, Manifest Your Purpose, certainly makes those—but the kind that captures your dreams, your to-do lists, your growth.

For Saria, writing things down has always been a way of bringing her vision to life. “For me, planning has always been a form of self-care,” she shares. “Writing things down helps me take control of my day—and my future.”

A lifelong list-maker and project manager by training, Saria was used to structure. She steadily navigated the demands of full-time work, Ph.D. coursework, motherhood, and everyday life with her journals and to-do lists, which became more than just tools—they were a necessary anchor as her family and ambitions grew.

It was from this space of reflection and discipline that she noticed a disconnect. The stationery and productivity tools she depended on rarely reflected her identity or values. “There was a gap,” she says. “I wanted to see myself—my culture, my values, my creativity—reflected in the tools I used every day.”

That realization sparked a significant innovation. Saria began designing stationery and office accessories that centered purpose-driven Black women—products that affirm identity while encouraging intentionality.

Turning a Personal Practice Into a Purposeful Brand

Today, Manifest Your Purpose is a lifestyle company focused on beautiful, functional stationery and tools with representation at its core. “As Black women, we deserve to see ourselves reflected in the things we use every day,” she says.

“I didn’t want to settle—I wanted to create something that honored who we are.”

From the beginning, Saria’s mission was about more than paper and planners. It was about self-expression, cultural affirmation, and building generational wealth by serving a market long overlooked by traditional retailers.

Growth Through Black in Business

As her business grew, so did her vision. In 2023, Saria was accepted into the Goldman Sachs Black in Business program, an executive education initiative for early-stage sole proprietors.

The experience was pivotal. “One of the biggest shifts for me was realizing I could create a B2B strategy,” she explains. “Before Black in Business, I was focused on direct-to-consumer sales. But the program opened my eyes to corporate partnerships.”

That strategic shift unlocked new markets. Manifest Your Purpose now creates custom gifting solutions for brands like Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, PayPal, and Patreon—providing companies with tools that speak to intention and inclusion.

“We’re not just selling notebooks,” Saria says. “We’re helping companies show that they care. That’s the kind of impact I want to make—meeting real needs in ways that feel personal.”

Building a Community of Support

The results speak for themselves. By the end of 2023, the company’s revenue soared past $180,000—more than four times what it had been the year before. For 2025, Saria is projecting nearly a quarter million dollars in sales, with continued growth across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

But for Saria, the most meaningful part of the Black in Business program wasn’t financial.

“It’s the community,” she says. “The women in my cohort became like sisters. We travel together, support each other’s businesses, and stay connected.”

That sense of connection inspired her to create a platform of her own. This past April she hosted the Money Moves Summit—a space for women entrepreneurs to come together for honest conversations around money, growth, and sustainability. Half the speakers were Black in Business alumni.

“It was important for me to pay forward the support I received,” Saria says. “Black in Business didn’t just teach me how to grow—it gave me the language, the confidence, and the network to do it.”

Vision for the Future

Looking ahead, Saria is focused on deepening impact through strategic partnerships and cultural representation. “I want to be the go-to stationery and gifting brand for companies running campaigns that center women and employees of color,” she says.

With a growing B2B arm, a thriving DTC presence, and a strong foundation of values, she’s well on her way. But no matter how much the business scales, Saria stays rooted in her original mission: helping women turn their goals into reality through tools they can see themselves in.

“Real change happens in the daily rituals—writing your goals, setting intentions, creating a space that reflects who you are,” she says. “That’s how we manifest our purpose. And that’s the kind of innovation I want to bring to every desk.”

About Goldman Sachs Black in Business

Black in Business is a free business education program dedicated to equipping sole proprietors with the tools necessary to turn their business potential into business growth. The program helps sole proprietors learn how to price their product or service, hire their first employee, understand their finances, and so much more.

Learn more about Goldman Sachs Black in Business at icic.org/bib