Steph Hon created a company to solve a common frustration: the struggle to carry daily essentials without leaks, spills, or forgotten items.
Cadence, her brand, offers modular magnetic containers designed to organize skincare, supplements, and other small necessities. The system replaces plastic bags and disorganized pouches that often accompany travel, gym trips, or long workdays.
The problem went beyond better bottles
Hon, a former dancer and documentary filmmaker, explained that the issue ran deeper than messy travel kits. “We all have our own unique routines, the things that make us feel most like ourselves,” she said. “Those routines are difficult to maintain when leaving home and challenging to keep organized even at home.”
The moments when these routines matter most—first dates, important workdays, or gym sessions—are often when people feel least prepared. The solution focuses on helping users maintain their rituals without added stress.
Hon’s design process was personal. She wanted products that fit seamlessly into her life, requiring no constant attention to prevent spills or lost items. The result was a system of magnetic, leakproof capsules that can be rearranged or attached to bags, allowing users to keep one hand free while applying makeup or grabbing a supplement.
The first product, the Capsule, took 207 prototypes, four patents, and eight missed launch dates before reaching the market. The delay stemmed from a refusal to compromise.
Manufacturing required reinventing parts of the injection molding process to meet standards for durability and chemical resistance. Most travel bottles fail with oils or serums because silicone absorbs the product. Cadence’s containers use materials that resist absorption, making them suitable for nearly any liquid or cream. The magnetic system, another patented feature, lets users attach the cap to the side or bottom of the capsule, keeping it secure during use.
A team that feels like family
Hon’s hiring approach values intuition over rigid qualifications. “Our team often says they’ve never felt so comfortable anywhere else,” she said. “They found their people.”
The ideal employee, according to Hon, is someone who pursued a passion in high school and now enjoys working with like-minded colleagues. Many team members have backgrounds in art or design, regardless of their role.
Hon admitted that trusting her instincts wasn’t always easy. Early on, she sometimes overlooked red flags when she needed help quickly. Now, she advises entrepreneurs to wait for the right fit, even if it means temporary solutions to ease the workload. “There’s almost always a stopgap,” she said. “Some form of quick support while you search for the right person.”
She also stressed the importance of cultural fit. “Act quickly if someone is great at their job but makes the team uncomfortable,” she said. “That won’t work in the long run.”
Hon’s packing routine
Her own packing system has become a precise habit. She uses a medium Parcel for liquids, which connects magnetically to an “Emergency Parcel” containing tampons, bandages, mints, Advil, Lactaid, extra contacts, and other essentials. A third Parcel holds tech accessories like cords and cables. When leaving the house, she folds the three together and tucks them into her bag.
The capsules are organized by color and type. One set holds shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion, while smaller ones are for skincare. Hon’s tips include pushing cotton rounds into a capsule and adding micellar water for makeup removal on the go. She also recommends the brand’s adapters for hair care, which create a controlled pour for shampoo and body wash.
“If you prefer not to touch your product directly, our spatula is magnetic and hygienic for transferring items,” she said. For labeling, she suggests using different colors for everyday products and supplements, so everything is easy to grab without second-guessing.
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The system reduces the mental load of remembering what to pack. “When everything has a place, you have space,” Hon said. This idea extends to the company’s approach to sustainability. Cadence offers a lifetime guarantee on its capsule system, replacing any damaged product without question. The goal is to create items that last decades, not disposable solutions.
Sustainability means using the right material for the right purpose. The company avoids single-use items like event tote bags unless they serve a real need. Instead, it focuses on longevity, using recycled materials where possible and regrinding scrap material to reuse in new capsules.
For Hon, living well means staying present. “Anything that helps me stay in the moment is worth my time, money, and energy,” she said.
The idea of presence shapes Cadence’s design. The magnetic system, leakproof seals, and modular arrangement all aim to free users from worrying about their essentials so they can focus on what they’re doing.
Outside of her company, Hon admires brands that share this philosophy. She highlights Fishwife, a canned seafood company, and Dianna, which makes dry shampoo, as products that simplify daily life. “They’re fantastic,” she said. “I know I can use them without overthinking.”
Her own summer workout routine reflects this mindset, prioritizing ease and consistency over complexity.
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