Imani Murray knows what it feels like to run on empty. As an entrepreneur building a creative agency, constant burnout and unmanageable stress was once a part of her reality. But, a weekly ritual of buying herself flowers every Friday has blossomed into The Self Care Lab., an experiential wellness brand on a mission to help others pause, reconnect, and care for self.

Launched on National Self Care Day in 2024, The Self Care Lab. is the heart of Imani’s community centered wellness vision: an ecosystem of pop-ups, workshops, and weekly gatherings that make intentional living feel joyful, creative, and shared. As its Founder and Chief Experience Officer, Imani isn’t just hosting events, she’s designing spaces where wellness becomes a sustainable, collective practice.

Imani’s journey into wellness began in the aisles of Trader Joe’s after she’d moved into her first Atlanta apartment. Each Friday, as a small act of resistance, she’d set aside work, ignore her to-do list, and choose fresh flowers — an inexpensive gesture that offered unexpected peace and joy.

That simple routine, born from the exhaustion of entrepreneurship, sparked a new mission where self care wasn’t something just squeezed into the margins of life, but an intentional, shared practice.

The mission has become an immersive wellness brand that draws hundreds to mindful, communal experiences. The brand’s first sold out pop-up, in Atlanta, welcomed over 100 guests; its next, in Houston, doubled attendance to over 200. And collaborations with brands like Bevel, Michael Lavelle Wines, Kreyol Essence, and Be Rooted has supported its growing influence.

But The Self Care Lab. is only part of Imani’s larger vision. Her creative agency, Leda & Co., which once contributed to her burnout, now complements the mission, using design and storytelling to elevate every event. The synergy between her agency work and wellness brand means each activation is not just an event but an intentional experience crafted to spark calm, creativity, and belonging.

The Self Care Lab. offers community pop-ups and hands-on workshops like floral arranging, candle making, and adult coloring sessions, helping guests slow down and create. The brand also introduced Self Care Is, an adult coloring book designed to make mindfulness an everyday habit.

At the center of it all is the weekly Walk Club along Atlanta’s Beltline on Saturdays at 9 a.m. where attendees gather to move and connect. As International Self Care Day approaches (July 24th), The Self Care Lab. will host a special Walk Club edition with giveaways to celebrate together.

This August, Imani will return to her hometown of New York City with a week-long self care summer series full of creative workshops: a perfume making experience on Sunday, August 10th, an R&B color & sip experience on Wednesday, August 13th, and a mocktail making experience on Thursday, August 14th, culminating in the brand’s signature free pop-up on National Relaxation Day (August 15th).

Imani’s work is a reminder that self care isn’t always about solitude, it can be about shared moments and spaces for creative rituals where everyone feels seen. The Self Care Lab. is a beautifully designed community that started with one simple act of intention.