Putting You in Charge of Your Well-being

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and supplements but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Robyn Caywood, Co-Founder of Kamu Labs, located in Grass Valley, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Kamu Labs is a conscious wellness brand that uses ancient wisdom coupled with cutting-edge science to formulate potent products to calm, restore, protect, and balance the body. Our customers are individuals focused on natural solutions to common health concerns who choose organic quality supplements.

Tell us about yourself

I really owe my career to my adopted father. He started an organization called the Sacred Run that organized walks and runs around the world to educate people about the sacredness of life. I was a teen when I first started joining the walks and was tasked with first aid for the group. We would travel through indigenous lands and meet with elders who would gift plant medicine to us. They would instruct me on how to best use the herbs for the health of the runners. My love for natural health grew from there. Over the years, I have built several different brands combining plant medicine with current technology. I was introduced to my Kamu co-founder in 2019 when his wife was recovering from breast cancer, and they were looking for plant-based solutions to mitigate the negative side effects of chemo. The idea for Kamu was born from that friendship. I am currently building a skincare brand and a school to train other herbalists to be freelance formulators. I love the work I get to do in the world. That's the dream, isn't it? When you love what you do, it becomes such an integrated part of your life that it no longer feels like work. It becomes how we walk in the world.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Growth mindset and community are my greatest accomplishments in business. I could site success markers like sales quotas, etc. But for me, the biggest rewards have been to challenge myself to constantly grow and learn more about myself as I go. The beauty of being in the wellness industry is that it directly benefits your own health and gives you a way to give back to your community, friends, and family. It has felt amazing to simultaneously build businesses and friendships. I have met so many talented professionals on my career journey who have been colleagues, mentors, and friends, and some have even become business partners.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Discipline. Haha. I have so many ideas that I want to explore but that are impractical as a business model. So, learning to really hone in on what projects I want to see to fruition and not get distracted. My dad would call this "fire tending." Fire starting is easy. There are so many amazing and worthwhile ideas out there. But tending the fires of the ones you have chosen can take discipline and dedication.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Get really clear about your YES. Why are you doing it? Why does it matter? What impact will it make on the world? Revisit these answers whenever you lose steam. This will also help you make decisions that remain in alignment with your mission.
Get a mentor. Or a few. Who you surround yourself with makes a tremendous difference in your success. You want to have mentors and friends who inspire and challenge you to be the best version of yourself you can be. I have a small group of women who meet regularly as a "heartrepreneur group." We celebrate each other's successes, inspire and advise. These connections are invaluable.
Create a realistic roadmap to scale from concept to creation, including time management, budget, and implementing good business practices from the start.
And, don't forget self-care in the process. So often, people get burnt out building something new. It's an irony I find in the wellness industry a lot. People who are offering great services or products to help others thrive in their health but they are stressed out, not sleeping, and burning the candle at both ends. It's a marathon and not a sprint. Take the time for rest, eating right, family, nature, exercise, and decompression. Sometimes my best ideas come in the liminal time between the neverending tasks.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://kamulabs.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kamulabs/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-caywood-b2a0701a1/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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