I originally met Angela back in the spring when she helped me as a customer in her Beverly store, Kind Lab. She has an interesting story to tell about how exhaustion (something I think many of us can relate to) led her to cannabis and the idea for her business. Keep reading to learn more about this Marblehead mom!
Where are you from originally and what town do you live in now?
I grew up “everywhere” – my family moved around a lot – but we always ended up in the North Shore on vacations and summer break with a lot of extended family in the area, so I consider Marblehead home and now live here full time with my husband and our 2 children.
How many children do you have and what are their age(s)?
2 kids – Dwight is 16 and Emily is 13.
What’s your favorite family activity on the North Shore?
Maybe I’m in the spirit of the season, but apple picking at Russell Orchards followed by lunch at Woodman’s or a day at the Topsfield Fair are always favorites.
Where’s your favorite place to eat and/or shop on the North Shore?
I may be biased, but Cabot Street in Beverly is so up & coming. I love shopping at all the locally-owned boutiques with their unique offerings, and enjoying locally grown & cooked foods everywhere from Gusto to Chianti.
You’re the owner of Kind Lab, a gorgeous boutique in Beverly stocked with CBD-rich hemp products. Tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to open Kind Lab.
Necessity drove me to start using cannabis. I let myself get way too stressed out at work, wasn’t sleeping, and was generally failing at everything from my work to parenthood because I was so exhausted. I finally tried cannabis and couldn’t believe how well it worked. It made me wonder why no one was talking about it, and I had to learn more. Little did I know that one night’s good sleep would kick off a new career.
How do you personally, find CBD helpful?
As a mother, wife, and employer, I am guilty of putting my own wellness on the back burner. But that experience of stress-induced insomnia showed me how important it is as caregivers to take care of myself, because I was clearly no good to anyone when I was running on fumes. CBD is a prominent part of my self-care routine to keep stress in check and keep me moving in the non-stop life of an entrepreneur.
CBD has been around for years but is fairly new to the mainstream wellness space. What are some challenges that you’ve faced with Kind Lab?
The stigma is real – we’ve been taught how terrible cannabis can be and how we should always “say no to drugs”. But while we’ve really only known prohibition, cannabis has been safely used by humans for medicine and ritual for centuries. We’re now in a phase of rediscovery and reeducation. Helping people understand the truths behind hemp and providing a welcoming environment with quality products are ways we’re working to overcome that stigma and making natural wellness accessible.
What do you wish more people knew about using CBD products for wellness?
I always tell people that taking hemp-infused, CBD-rich products is not like taking vitamins – if you’re taking the right product at the correct amount, it should make a difference in your wellness. The process of finding that perfect product can take some time, and patience & consistency is key. So while it may take some experimenting, the end result – an improved quality of life – is worth the wait. And your personal wellness is worth the effort!
As a working mom and boutique owner, any tips for balancing work & motherhood?
I’m truly fortunate to have a supportive spouse. Between the two of us, we juggle the school meetings, sports, and activities with an acceptable level of success. Trying not to be perfect has been the best strategy, and it takes a lot of pressure off that helps us enjoy our time as a family more.
I also have an incredible tribe of friends – both local & virtual – that cheer me on and prop up the sky when it all gets to be too much. “Collaboration over competition” is our motto, and I couldn’t do it without them.
What is the best piece of mom advice you ever received?
The days are long but the years are short. Not as much advice as a mantra. Our son just turned 16, and it truly seems like he was born yesterday. But I remember those years when they were both under 6 and the world was so small for us, with weekends spent at Touch-a-Truck and nights picking Playdough out of the rug. The toddler/grade school years are short but intense, and now we’re rewarded with 2 kids we enjoy spending time with for a few more years with before they fly the coop.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I am a total klutz but I just love CrossFit. I go to CrossFit IronSpider in Salem, and it’s my home away from home. I am truly evidence that anyone can enjoy sports!
If you haven’t visited Kind Lab yet, I highly recommend that you go check it out. Kind Lab is located at 276 Cabot Street in Beverly and the aesthetics of the store are as calming as many of the products Angela stocks. Plus she is always hosting events in the space, from yoga to meditation to chair massages!