Beni CEO steps down due to personal health issues
Sarah Pinner, one of the co-founders of Santa Barbara-based Beni, stepped down from her post as CEO of the company on April 12, citing personal health issues as the reason.
In a LinkedIn post, Pinner noted that she was “simply no longer mentally or physically healthy enough to continue in this role.”
“I can live with the ‘what ifs’ of leaving this role, but I can’t live with choosing to continue down a path on which I can’t be the best, kindest version of myself. If you ever want to chat about burnout, message me,” she said in her post.
Fellow co-founder and chief marketing officer, Kate Sanner, will step into the CEO role, effective immediately. She will lead Beni alongside Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Celine Lightfoot.
“When I think about what we’re building at Beni, it’s not just a product — it’s a movement. We are driving the re-commerce revolution forward and I am fired up for what the future holds,” Sanner said in a LinkedIn post.
“Change can be hard, but with change comes opportunity to reset and refocus. Celine and I, along with our amazing team are diving headfirst into this next chapter with gusto and confidence.”
Beni, a free-to-use browser extension meant to amplify secondhand shopping efforts, raised $5 million in pre-seed funding in 2022.
The company also has grown their product to have over 40,000 users and has partnered with over 40 companies.
“We are very focused on growth,” Pinner told the Business Times in January.
“Last year, our word was ‘blossom’ and building out the foundation of our company… now we want to get as many people as possible experiencing the magic of resale.”
