MEET SARA AGAH FRANTI

For Sara Agah Franti, hospitality has never been simply about service. It is about creating the conditions for people to feel welcomed, connected and truly seen.

Raised in Calgary as the daughter of Iranian refugees, Sara grew up in a Persian household where hospitality was a way of life. Guests were welcomed with tea, food, music, laughter and the unmistakable feeling that they belonged.

Those values first led Sara into healthcare. She spent ten years as an emergency room nurse, working in hospitals, remote communities and disaster-relief settings. Meeting people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives taught her to see the person beyond their circumstances and showed her how much healing can begin with genuine human connection.

Sara later co-founded Do It For The Love with her husband, musician Michael Franti. The nonprofit inspires hope and healing through the power of music by supporting music therapy, evidence-based research and live music experiences.

In 2020, Sara stepped into a strategic leadership role at Soulshine during one of the most challenging periods in Bali’s tourism history. She became CEO in 2022 and helped lead Soulshine through its next stage of growth, including the resort’s significant expansion in 2023.

Today, Sara guides Soulshine as a resort and retreat experience grounded in music, movement, nature, play and meaningful connection. Her vision is not to prescribe what wellness or transformation should look like. It is to create an environment where people can put down their roles and responsibilities, reconnect with themselves and discover what they need on their own terms.

That belief can be felt throughout Soulshine from the warmth of its team and the energy of its shared spaces to the conversations, music and moments of joy that bring people together.

At the heart of Sara’s leadership is a simple idea:

When people feel seen and meet themselves with compassion, they can find the courage to choose what comes next.