EP. 35 Don't Judge A Yaupon, By Its Cover

Abianne Falla, Founder of CatSpring Yaupon, discovered that an invasive plant in Texas could actually be used to help folks heal.  Similar to how we can treat each other, we can often judge a book by its cover before we actually give it a try.  For the last decade, Abianne has been sharing yaupon with the world and growing her company.  Abianne started her career working for a large corporate firm where she quickly realized that she wanted to do more.  She then found a company called Lululemon, where she began to follow her passion for creating community and a brand that stands for connecting people.  She shares that working for Lululemon helped her better understand how local heroes and community can be powerful in growing a brand, despite the fierce competition from other fitness apparel titans.  Lessons learned on the ground at Lululemon gave her the perspective and tools to ultimately start CatSpring Yaupon.  Abianne shares her passion for yaupon, its forgotten history (that dates back thousands of years) and her goal to continue to be an 'understanding employer".  She shares how difficult it is for some to restart their lives and maintain work, which is why she believes that CatSpring can be an example for showing other companies how we can do better.  Whether folks come from torn homes, abuse or an unfortunate past, a second chance may be all an employer needs to give to make the world a little better.  Abianne shares that the journey of an entrepreneur is often a long one and that it is critical to find something with meaning, so that you can stick with it- Understand who you are and what you can do best.  Abianne believes that helping other companies incorporate her yaupon in their products is the best way for CatSpring to give their value and stay focused on what they do best.  Where CatSpring is now, was not an overnight success, but something that took over a decade to achieve and is looking forward to a bright future.