How CEO Julia Munck Is Making Spirituality More Accessible

Julia Munck, Founder and CEO of Saged, is on a mission to make spirituality accessible for all.

While working at a gaming company, Julia was busy juggling many hats, including being a mother and a wife, and an executive by day and an entrepreneur by night. It was during this time that she realized she no longer felt aligned with her job and wanted to focus on building a product to support her own spiritual journey. She then discovered that she could take her vision a step further and use her technical skills to also support others in their awakening process. Thus, Saged was born—an all-in-one mobile app, community, and shop devoted to supporting an individual’s spiritual journey.

We asked Julia about the founding story of Saged, how she navigates self-doubt as an entrepreneur, and the achievements she’s most proud of since embarking on her journey. 

Q: Tell us the story behind your company’s founding. How and why did you start working on Saged?

A: When the idea for Saged came about, I was working as vice president of product at a bigwig gaming company in Silicon Valley. In this role, I rose through the ranks and was genuinely happy doing what I did and was really good at it. But there came a point where I no longer felt aligned. How I felt inside wasn’t being reflected in my physical reality. I wanted to be a role model for my two daughters as someone who was more than just a woman in a male-dominated industry. Having them see me create my own rules, company, schedule, and life was extremely important to me. I wanted to use my tech chops to build something that wasn’t just an escape from reality but helped users become more present in reality. I was being called by my budding spirituality! 

Saged began as a passion project to help keep me aligned and grounded. But it quickly became clear that this was something that I wanted to develop and explore on a bigger level. What I created to satisfy my own needs and wants began to get great reviews. The responses from users came in quickly. Those first users helped me see that people really did want something like Saged, and that set me on a path to put more time and effort into developing Saged into what you see today, and what’s coming in the future.

Q: Have you ever felt like you’re “different”? If yes, in what ways has this contributed to your journey as an entrepreneur?

A: I definitely felt I was very different in the industry I was in prior to Saged. There were not many women around the table and it was clear that I wasn’t a linear creative thinker. I didn’t work the way the men around me did, and that sometimes felt like a weakness. Why couldn’t I always be “on” or work 70 hours weeks? I eventually realized I was attuned to the moon and my own cycles.

Additionally, I am an immigrant and don’t share the same culture as the people I sat next to. However, as a woman I represented up to 80 percent of the gaming users we designed for. With this perspective, I provided a lot of value because of my perspective and ability to connect with users through the product. This was super frustrating! 

I wanted to break free of the patriarchal business structure and create a company that was founded and run on a divine feminine business structure. And now that I’ve done that, it feels immensely freeing to not have to ask for permission or get buy-in to try my ideas out. Liberation in creation! 

Q: Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

A: When I was 22, I got into importing goods from other countries into Sweden with some friends. This first venture sparked the validation that I had a lot of ideas and that taking action on them was something that was important to me. There are also many entrepreneurs in my family and it was always something that I observed from a young age and energetically was always available to me. 

My grandfather, who I never met, was a successful serial entrepreneur. In a sacred plant medicine ceremony, I connected with his spirit and he helped remind me that I come from a lineage of great entrepreneurs and it doesn't have to be so complicated. What a gift that was. It changed the trajectory of my life and affirmed that I am meant to break the mold and march to the beat of my own drum. I can start small to get something going. That realization helped define the scope of working on Saged and taking little steps from the soul and doing it for myself first and foremost. 

Q: Have you struggled with self doubt as an entrepreneur? How do you navigate this?

A: Yes, I think we are all constantly coming up against our edges of what we think we can or cannot do—especially in entrepreneurship when you have sacrificed so much to make a dream come true or an idea happen. It’s so incredibly vulnerable to create something and hope people like it. It’s the self-talk that is the most challenging. Keeping that in check is a job in itself. I believe getting help from friends or a business coach to expand and share new perspectives is invaluable. You can get too close to something and begin to see it differently. That outside perspective is so helpful. Ultimately, you have to believe in yourself and that you’re worthy of success. 

Keeping a positive mindset is important. You just have to push on doors that are open and follow the path of least resistance, even if that’s away from your original idea. Constantly keeping an open mind and not being afraid to pivot or double down on things has been a huge help. I also meditate on next steps and quiet down when I feel stuck, rather than hustling more. Taking a step back and taking a break helps to avoid hustling in the wrong direction. 

Q: Have you felt like giving up? What made you persist?

A: In the early days, I wasn’t sure if Saged would be worth my time. But every time, without fail, when I had these doubts or a tough day, I would get a five-star review or a gracious email that encouraged me to keep going. It was like the universe was giving me a little bit of encouragement to keep going and realize that it was no longer just for me, but for so many people. I began to see that Saged was bigger than me. The excitement helped me realize that it could grow into something big. I would shout in my head, “It’s working!” and that would make my day. 

Q: We dare you to brag. What achievements are you most proud of?

A: Buckle up, because this is good! I quadrupled the business of Saged during the pandemic by pivoting from written content to live classes and ceremonies for people who could no longer go to in-person events or moon circles. This was huge and it catapulted Saged forward in a major way. I recognized the need to pivot in 2020 and serve a need that wasn’t necessarily in the immediate pipeline for the app or business at the time. At the end of 2021, we launched monthly ritual boxes. They have taken the business and impact from the virtual space to physical by landing in people’s homes. 

My favorite accomplishment yet is being a mother and juggling many hats. Starting my own company gave me the flexibility and freedom to work when I wanted and be very present with my family. I now take summers off and carve out time for myself, while still running a company. Trips to Sweden with family and to Peru with soul sisters is the work-life balance I always dreamed of, but didn’t really believe existed. If my cup isn’t full, then I'm really not serving anyone. That’s been a huge lesson, and taking action to fill my cup is also a great accomplishment.

Q: Has your definition of success evolved throughout your journey as a founder?

A: Initially, success was seeing if the product had any legs at all. Then, it was seeing if it could feed me and my team. This initial foundation began to expand beyond the boundaries of myself and the Saged team and started seeking boundless horizons to serve both people and the planet. I believe that abundance for one person will overflow to abundance for the planet. So as the success of the app and business grows, I am realizing that there’s so much more to success than just making a lot of money and getting a lot of users. I am now thinking about business through the lens of the boundless divine feminine rather than the masculine. 

Q: What would you tell your younger self if you were to start your entrepreneurial journey all over again?

A: I would tell myself to start sooner. I had so many different ideas growing up that I thought were crazy or impossible. I would tell myself to follow ideas even if they sound crazy. Take the risk. Put them into motion to see how they play out. I would also say to ensure that whatever I create or put my energy toward is something that I would use, buy, or participate in myself. “Create what you seek” has been a driving force of Saged, and I am realizing that Saged wouldn’t even exist if I hadn’t needed it in the first place. Sometimes, the need that you’re solving in business is your own!

Q: What’s next for you and your company?

A: We have so many exciting things in the pipeline. Expanding on the way my idea of success has changed, Saged is serving people where they’re at to help heal the heart of humanity and to grow the company, rocketship style. With the help of the Saged team, we are launching a new product line via longer form courses and experiences. With the desire to go ever deeper into spirituality, we are answering the call with more support and a whole new experience. The app is also constantly in evolution so we can keep moving forward. As the needs of our users change, and the user base grows exponentially, we see room for improvement in all aspects. Making everything from small tweaks to complete redesigns, Saged will always be a beautiful work in progress. We’ve got big dreams at Saged and they benefit the whole.

Julia is a member of Dreamers & Doers, a private collective that amplifies the entrepreneurial pursuits of extraordinary women through thought leadership opportunities, authentic connection, and access. Learn more about Dreamers & Doers and subscribe to their monthly The Digest for top entrepreneurial and career resources.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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