Today we’d like to introduce you to Hansni Thadhani.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was raised in Sudan before we moved to California when I was eight. My father was in the textile business, and this gave me my foundation and love for apparel which allowed me to use my creativity and business sense. I went to design school with plans of going on to business school, but the allure and fast-paced life of fashion kept me in the industry for 15 years.

I worked for several major brands and loved every minute of it and eventually started my own brand with a partner. We enjoyed successes but also made some mistakes along the way and eventually closed our doors. The timing was such that I got married and decided to take a break to start a family with plans of going back once our last child started school. During this time we also did a major remodel on our home, and that’s how Strand Boards was born, out of a need of style and function!

With three little kids under the age of five at the time, we wanted fun water play feature or pool in the backyard for the days it was too hot but also a place to wash off from the beach on the days we did go. There was also a California drought at the time, and we knew a pool just wasn’t feasible. We thought let’s put in an outdoor shower but didn’t want something dull and boring, so it hit me… we live by the beach surely a surfboard shower exists!?

Looked on the internet, say they do exist, but we didn’t like what was available in color, quality or design. So I went to the surf shop in the next town over and had a surfboard made. We figured out how to integrate the plumbing inside it. Friends would come over to see our remodel and saw the shower in the backyard; they would say “that is awesome, I need one!”. That’s how Strand Boards was born!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Can’t say it has been precisely smooth, just like with any business there are ups and downs. Something I experience often is that I get a lot of “Oh you’re Strand Boards?” In a very male-dominated industry between the plumbing world and surf world, people are often surprised that a woman and mom owns Strand Boards. However, once they meet my bubbly personality and know what I’m talking about it seems to win them over!

Another hurdle as many businesses find is searching for the right suppliers and trying to keep the cost of the products down. Lastly finding the right formula with time management of having a business, raising kids, the relationship with your spouse and running a household! Daily challenges and caffeine along the way!

Please tell us about Strand Boards.
Strand Boards is first known for the “surfboard shower.” Our product stands out because no one has integrated the plumbing inside the surfboard! It’s so unique that we are patent pending. We specialize in making each item customized to our client from color to components, and lastly, Strand Boards knows how to bring something that has style and function together really well!

We are so proud every time a client thinks to include us on their property. Whether it’s a residential customer that saved our business card from an event two years ago and wants to put us in their home or a hotel thinks to put our product on their property, it’s a proud moment. We also love supporting local ocean-friendly causes; it hurts our hearts all the pollution that’s taking place in our oceans.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Traveling! My parents knew the importance of seeing the world and experiencing how other cultures live. This really shaped my younger years and were such great memories of my childhood. I’m so happy to share the same feeling with my children and travel as often as we can so that they have a lot of those same memories

Contact Info:

• Website: www.strandboards.com
• Phone: 4242136002
• Email: info@strandboards.com
• Instagram: @strandboards
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/strandboards
• Twitter: @strandboards