Cara Thien is the president of Aaxll Brands Company Limited, Co-Founder of Balance CBD, and an accomplished entrepreneur.
If you could give your past self some advice, what would you tell you?
Cara, trust your instincts and don’t back up, confidence comes one step at a time in the right direction, be true to your values, your spirit and keep going no matter what the fear may be, have faith and enjoy your life as you see it, regardless of the outside world.
When you first started your career, how did you know you were ready and what made you start?
I come from a line of strong independent women, my grandmother owned three restaurants, my mother a hair salon, I began on my own career path at an early age, it was there example that gave me the strength and the work ethic it takes to run a business.
I ran one of the largest nightclubs in Vancouver in the 80’s, Richards on Richards. I had a moment of clarity one night while watching over the crowd and realized it was time for the next chapter of my life to begin. I started a family, went to school and received my personal training certifications. I opened my gym and began helping others. I competed and continued this business until i had another clear vision that it was time to move on, that’s when I joined Aaxll.
What or who has been your greatest influence in business?
1. John Teti – owner of Richards On Richards, he gave me a business education. He hired me as a waitress and promoted me to management. He taught me the business from the other side, scheduling, ordering, promotions, human resources, hiring, firing, accounting and of course how to offer the best customer service to our customers.
This shift from hourly worker, to management was the greatest gift i would ever receive.
2. Joseph Maskell, my husband, owner of Aaxll Brands, he was always a visionary and i was able to listen and take the lead of what was necessary to make his vision come to fruition.
He has always challenged me to take on new projects and complete them with tenacity.
We have built this up from the ground up, Balance CBD our Health and Wellness Brand offers over 60 products and will exceed our financial goals to date. Dani Pepper launches body lotion, massage oil, bath salts, melatonin gummies, melatonin tinctures and….. (secret) this March! We are excited with every step and look forward to next quarter.
What is your number one business goal to accomplish this year?
My goal is to build out our Wholesale division for both of our brands, to ensure we have all of the necessary marketing materials for our customers and support them in their goals to grow their business.
What do you have going on that you’d like to share?
We are launching 6 new products, and with any product launch it is hard for me to say what excites me more, developing the formulations, final packaging approval, building the website, or selling the first one?
It’s all a ride for me and I love it, but what I love more is watching our products taking on a life of their own. Last week Dani Pepper Orgasm Enhancer and PMS Suppositories are now available in Geneva along with Balance CBD making its debut in Japan.
We have a great team and it is all possible because they work hard, support each other and continue to thrive with our one dream in mind, bringing the best products to market to help others live their best life!
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