This week we talk to Kristina Condous, the entrepreneur behind Urns by Atemo which specialises in crafting customisable, biodegradable urns. The venture was borne out of Kristina’s belief that urns should not only hold the ashes of a departed loved one but also celebrate the essence of what the individual represented while also offering minimal impact on the environment.
ISB: How did the loss of your mum lead the way for you to start this urn business?
KC: The death of a loved one can be layered with intense emotion and finding the perfect vessel to pay tribute to a treasured life can bring an unnecessarily frustrating element to an often intensely emotional journey. When our mum died in 2015, we struggled to find a funeral urn that we liked; that she would have liked. The urns that were made available to us seemed to be mass produced and there was very little choice or variety. Born from this experience, I wanted to provide something better to grieving families and decided to put together an offering of beautiful and contemporary urns that moved away from the more sombre and old-fashioned designs of the past.
ISB: Why do you think customisable urns are the best way to honour our loved ones?
KC: At Urns by Atemo we appreciate that each person’s journey is unique and we believe that offering the option to personalise an urn can be a very important way to give our families the opportunity to relay the personality or values of their loved one. We find that customising an urn with something that feels more personal and is befitting of a person’s life journey, can help families with their healing and grieving journey.
ISB: What has been the most challenging aspect of building this business and how did you overcome it?
KC: I am a bit of a perfectionist and find that I can get lost in the detail. Starting out, I thought I had to do everything by myself. I found wearing multiple hats at the same time and managing all the various aspects of the business quite overwhelming. I felt I needed to be responsible for every little detail, from sourcing to designing packaging and stationery, working on the website, business development and marketing to finance and customer support. Over time, I have learnt to prioritise and distinguish between the things that needed my attention and what was best to be delegated to people who have more experience and can get the tasks at hand done quicker and actually better.
ISB: Can you share how Urns by Atemo manages to be both environment-friendly and long-lasting?
KC: All our urns are made of Arboform which is also called liquid wood and contains lignin. Lignin is a by-product of the pulp and paper industry, which produces about 50 million tonnes of it every year. Lignin is a 100 per cent natural, non-toxic, environmentally friendly, biodegradable and raw material, that does not deplete or depend on non-renewable resources. When liquid wood is pressure-moulded, it looks and feels very similar to polished or mat wood and is very sturdy. So, in the home our urns will last indefinitely. However, under certain conditions, e.g. when placed in nature and exposed to soil and moisture the urns start to decompose over time and will leave no residue in the environment. They will break down into water and humus and will become one with nature again. We think an environmentally-friendly urn is a beautiful way to honour a loved one as well as the earth.
ISB: What is your vision for Urns by Atemo in the next couple of years?
KC: In the Western world, we still are not doing death very well. The funeral industry and many of the services that come with it, for a great part have not changed in decades. I am hoping that with Urns by Atemo, I can be part of a movement, along with the beautiful work of many holistic funeral homes, death doulas and hospice nurses, that brings more love and compassion to this space and opens up the conversation about this very important part of the human experience.
ISB: If you could give one piece of advice to someone who aspires to be an entrepreneur, what would it be?
KC: My advice would be to back yourself and to stick to what you believe in once you find something that has your heart and not get dissuaded by others.
