The Sistra Story
Sistra was born from the space between cultures, languages, and generations.
The name comes from sestra—meaning “sister” in both Russian and Ukrainian—a word that carries tenderness, strength, and continuity. It reflects the founder’s heritage as a native Russian speaker born to parents from Kyiv, Ukraine, and a lifelong understanding that identity is layered, inherited, and evolving.
At its core, Sistra is about honoring where we come from while creating space for who we’re becoming.
Our Belief
We believe women build differently when they are rooted in purpose, connected through shared experience, and guided by lived wisdom rather than noise or trend.
In a world that rewards speed and visibility, Sistra values depth. Alignment. Work that feels true—not performative.
When women are supported in shaping their stories, building with intention, and learning alongside one another, growth becomes more than progress. It becomes legacy.
Sistra is a global ecosystem for women with a mission.
We bring together conscious entrepreneurship, cultural heritage, storytelling, and collective growth through thoughtfully designed experiences and offerings. From immersive retreats and intentional gatherings to storytelling platforms and future curated marketplace offerings, each layer is shaped by the same foundation: purpose, culture, and connection.
Sistra is not about doing more.
It’s about doing what matters—together.
What Sistra Is
From the Founder
Sistra began as a personal inquiry before it became a platform.
Growing up between cultures and languages shaped how I move through the world—always translating, always connecting, always noticing what gets lost and what gets passed on. That perspective deepened from more than a decade of traveling and living abroad, where I spent time volunteering, listening, and learning from women who built livelihoods through craft, ritual, and tradition.
I was repeatedly drawn to women-led art collectives and local workshops—spaces where creation was shared, knowledge was passed hand to hand, and women supported one another through their work. What stayed with me wasn’t only the beauty of the textiles or natural products, but the power of women creating together—pooling skills, preserving methods, and building economic independence as a collective.
These women weren’t just making beautiful things. They were making impact—supporting families, sustaining communities, and keeping cultural knowledge alive through their work.
Sistra was created to honor that way of building.
A space where women don’t have to fragment themselves to succeed.
Where ambition and alignment can coexist.
Where heritage is not something we leave behind, but something we build from.
This is not just a brand. It’s a commitment—to create with care, to grow with integrity, and to support work that lasts beyond a single season or trend.
Michelle Yastremsky, Founder of Sistra
Our Values
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Purposeful Creation
Purpose is not a slogan—it’s a compass. Every Sistra offering begins with clarity and care, ensuring growth feels aligned, sustainable, and rooted in meaning rather than comparison.
We build with intention.
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Collective Growth
Sistra is designed as a circle, not a hierarchy. Trusted relationships, shared knowledge, and mutual support create stronger outcomes than isolated ambition.
We rise through collaboration.
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Cultural Continuity
Culture is not aesthetic—it’s inheritance. Sistra weaves heritage, craft, and ancestral wisdom into modern creation, ensuring stories and traditions are carried forward with respect.
We honor what came before.
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Story as Strategy
Storytelling at Sistra is not self-expression alone—it’s a method for clarity, connection, and impact. We use story to help women shape meaning, preserve truth, and build with intention.
We treat narrative as a tool.
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Sustainable Impact
We define success by transformation, not extraction. Sistra prioritizes growth that sustains people, communities, and culture over time—rooted in care, continuity, and responsibility.
We build for what lasts.
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Intentional Connection
We design experiences that invite presence, trust, and honest dialogue—without forcing continuity or formal community structures. Connection begins in how we gather.
We create space for meaningful exchange.
Our Vision
We envision a world where women build without disconnecting from themselves, their communities, or their cultural roots.
Where entrepreneurship is informed by wisdom.
Where storytelling preserves what matters.
Where success is shared, not siloed.
Sistra exists to support women in creating that world—one experience, one story, one collaboration at a time.