Today we’d like to introduce you to Yasmin Crystal Santos.
Hi Yasmin Crystal, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Altar was an idea that sprouted from prayer back in 2022. But the seed was planted years prior, when I became the full-time caregiver to my mom who had early-onset dementia.
At first, I did everything “right” to meet her medical needs. We saw physicians, neurologists, ran scans, and took prescriptions. None of it helped. In fact, it kinda made things worse… the stress of appointments, conflicting opinions, and horrific side effects from medications – like nausea, insomnia, and even hallucinations.
Feeling unsupported by allopathic medicine (modern Western medicine), I began to look elsewhere and researched “alternative” medicine – holistic methods that help heal and prevent illness, rather than just manage it.
Through this research, I discovered the vast world of herbalism. I learned that there are thousands of plants that have been used for thousands of years to support the body and mind.
I realized that herbalism wasn’t “alternative” medicine. It is the original.
So I replaced all the prescriptions (which had awful side effects) with herbal teas and supplements. Within weeks, my quickly declining mother was more present, responsive, and confident.
Sadly, by this point, the atrophy in her brain had progressed too far to make a real difference. By the time I’d found the plants, it was too late.
By 2020, she became bedridden. At this point, her comfort was my primary concern.
Needless to say, this experience also took its toll on me. I was anxious, stressed, and grieving.
During this time, I stopped drinking alcohol to heal a gut imbalance that had surely arisen from the stress of the situation. By the time I was healthy enough to drink again, it wasn’t as fun anymore. My vibe was just different now. Alcohol was no longer a way I could de-stress, unwind, or socialize. But I needed SOMETHING.
And so did mom. So I prayed.
And the answer I heard was “the plants are there for you.”
I didn’t know what that meant, so I started researching and discovered several plants that helped relieve pain and anxiety. Maybe this was a solution – for mom and for me. I went to my local smoke shop and purchased three tinctures: CBD, Kratom, and Kava. CBD and Kratom were best for mom, noticeably easing her pain and discomfort. Kava is what worked best for me, bringing calm to the worry and grief.
I started carrying a little bottle of kava tincture with me when I went out. I’d order a soda water and add a dropperful or 2, and it did just the trick, easing my anxiety and opening me up to connection and meaningful social experiences.
It wasn’t long before friends started noticing and wanted some, too.
Their responses to the herbs confirmed it for me.
In 2022, I moved to Austin, Texas – a hub for wellness entrepreneurs and the sober curious community.
Mom had passed the year before, in May, on Mother’s Day, believe it or not.
With my caregiver chapter behind me, it was time for me to live out my life as a 20-something year old in a new city.
As I entered into the wellness and spiritual circles in Austin, people around me already knew about kava and always wanted some! So I started bringing bigger bottles and mixers to share.
I was working at Meta at the time, a very comfy job that provided me with a lot of financial security and free time. But I wasn’t satisfied. I was being called to something more… I just didn’t know what.
So again, I prayed. To be guided.
My prayer was a very non-dogmatic form of prayer; just a convo between me and my creator, whatever that may be. I spent months praying this same prayer: “Please guide me toward the greatest good.”
And one day, right after I prayed, my mind flooded with ideas for this business. I mean, everything just came through in an instant ~ the name, the branding, the business model.
The path wasn’t clear, but I had an idea, and I could see a few steps ahead.
After a few weeks of workshopping it all in my mind and sharing with friends (who didn’t really get it lol), I committed.
And thus, Altar Native was born. I spent all of 2023 developing the brand and formulating recipes (aka “kitchen witchin”), getting to know the plants and getting clear on the vision. We launched as a cater bar for private events in early 2024 and began receiving bookings within a few weeks.
We’re moving away from the cater bar concept into products. Our last event was Mark Hyman’s Grateful Dead themed birthday party back in November 2025, how very apropos.
Events will always be part of our story; they just won’t be the main offering anymore.
The prayer remains “Guide me toward the greatest good.” And I still hear the whisper “the plants are there for you.”
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My founder journey has been smoother than most. I think once you’ve overcome the kind of personal hardship I have, other aspects of life feel easier.
The biggest challenge for me has actually been the internal work necessary to succeed – things like nervous system regulation, self-confidence, worthiness.
Every entrepreneur faces variations of these challenges, whether they’re conscious of it or not.
Beyond the internal work, my greatest challenge with Altar Native is consumer education. The NA/functional beverage space is growing rapidly, but the concept of replacing alcohol with herbs is still very early. It’s funny, herbalism – the use of plants to heal and prevent illness, and ease discomfort – has been used for thousands of years, since the dawn of man.
Before that actually, animals practice herbalism instinctively too, so it predates man.
But we’ve lost so much of it in the last couple centuries. In just 2-3 generations the Western world has abandoned grandma’s garden remedy for bottled chemicals. Breaking that paradigm is difficult, but since Covid people are waking up to certain things, reclaiming autonomy and becoming more and more interested in nature and ancestral wisdom.
Currently, I’m having some trouble with manufacturing. I care so much about the plants and people (my customers) that my products need to be perfect. It’s been difficult to find partners that understand both the pharmacology and spirituality of the plants the way I do. Moreover, the high MOQs mean I have to take on outside capital, whether a bank loan or investor, in order to fund the next run. That’s pretty scary because it’s not a slow roll anymore, it’s a make or break moment. Even though we’re having a good run on Instagram and sold out of our first run of a few hundred units, the next phase is several THOUSAND units and I have no way of knowing if those will sell. It’s a big bet on myself.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am often called an “alchemist.” That really resonates, on all levels – personally, professionally, artistically. On a personal level, I am quite adept at sitting with my emotions and letting them pass through me without reacting (most of the time lol).
Professionally, alchemy comes in to play when formulating plant blends and coming up with drink recipes, a process I call “kitchen witchin” in which I test out different tincture combinations and then blend with various mixers to find the perfect balance of function, feeling, and flavor.
Artistically, I’m a poet. I have written hundreds of short poems and have several longform poems that I perform as spoken word at open mics. They are always very well-received. Every time I perform one for a crowd, I’m always approached afterward by at least 2-3 people telling me how much it moved them. Makes sense, the poems are my own emotion and experience that I somehow captured in words, I guess people can feel that.
Beyond being an alchemist, I’m a pretty badass marketer! A Swiss Army Knife of digital marketing, my sharpest tools being branding, copywriting, graphic design, photography, and Meta ads. My skillset is definitely what has made Altar Native successful, I’m really proud of the brand I’ve created.
What does success mean to you?
Ufffff! What a question!! For myself, success looks like being happy, healthy, wealthy, and doing good in the world. It looks like having time freedom, a loving & supportive community, access to fresh organic food, working on something I truly believe in that inspires and excites me, and enjoying my time on this planet. Wealth is having enough money to be comfortable, travel, and afford to support things I believe in like organic/regenerative food, sustainable products and services.
Pricing:
- $55 per bottle (~60 servings)
- $105 for a duo
- $165 for a trio
- Contact us for wholesale pricing!
- Free product for caregivers (active and previous)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://altarnative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altarnativebar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/altarnativebar
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santosyasmin
