Hidden Gems: Meet Ann Lam of RA House of CBD

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann Lam

Hi Ann, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in a household of entrepreneurs from my grandparents to my parents, so it was relatively natural for me to get into business. Starting at a young age, I was helping the family business with creating logos, packaging products, and bookkeeping. The family’s influence definitely aided me to have a good foundation to begin and create my own path in my career.

While attending college, I started my very first business at the age of 19 and immediately learned the many roles needed to run a business. Firstly, managing my studies in business and literally operating a business was a struggle in it itself, so soon after I made a decision to focus on my studies. After college, I was not discouraged from continuing my journey and following my heart. While figuring out what kind of business I desired, I had opportunities to work in different kinds of industry, such as service (restaurant, beauty and transportation), retail, manufacturing, and administrative. During this period, I also had my hands in a couple of ventures, a beauty mobile service that was not successful and then a alternative health retail store. This exposure widen my perspectives of all the possibilities and I also gained a better understanding of myself. I discovered that my passion encircle coaching, food, dogs, health wellness and aiding others with improvements needs.

Years ago, at one of my business ventures, a long time customer was traveling far ways to get CBD oil for their daughter, who had a rare joint condition. They were searching to find some place closer to buy from and asked us to sell CBD. Being ignorant at that time, we say we would not sell that type of products because it’s marijuana. This customer tried their best to educate us and advised us to look into CBD because it was not like weed. Since we had a good relationship with the customer and wanted to help them, we took their advice seriously. This was the beginning of my CBD enlightenment and now I am blessed to have the opportunity to combinate my passion in some way or another with RA House of CBD.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course not! Business is the same with life, there are always challenges.

I had to devote significant effort and attention to learn about a foreign subject, research, meet with experts and companies in the industry that was challenging every step of the way. Not until I completely understood all the what, why and how and benefits, did I ponder the idea of a CBD establishment. Then when it finally came time to open up our first store, there were obstacles with finding cities and landlords allowing this type of business. Since CBD was fairly new industry at that time, most people mistaken it as marijuana dispensary and products. Therefore, it required more efforts than usual to search, explain, educate, communicate and advocate to allow us to open in the city. Then finally, all the hard work and efforts paid off for us to open our first store in the City of Glendora, followed by Monrovia, Alhambra and West Covina.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
At RA House of CBD, our focus is educating the people that walk through our doors and making it a safe space to ask questions. After having a better understanding of cannabidiol (CBD) and how it works with our endocannabinoid system, people realize how it could benefit them. Many of our customers use our products to help manage their stress, anxiety, bodily pain and discomforts, get a better night’s sleep and a long list of other reasons.

We’re one of the only stores in the San Gabriel Valley that is a fully CBD store, carrying a wide range of CBD products, such as tinctures, topicals, edibles, etc. for human and pets too. Currently, we have 4 location in the SGV, Alhambra, Monrovia, Glendora and West Covina. We only partner with top tier reliable brands in the industry that follow high standard of manufacturing quality CBD products. All products at RA House of CBD are made in the USA, third party lab tested, and industrial hemp derived.

One of the biggest misconception that many people have is that CBD is marijuana and that is not true at all. CBD is a compound found in cannabis or hemp plant. Everything at RA House of CBD is industrial hemp derived that was made legal because of the The Hemp Farming Act that passed by the Federal Government in 2018.

What are your plans for the future?
CBD is always evolving especially with the advancement of science and technology, there is always new discoveries of the benefits and more studies of each individual compounds in the hemp plant. More recently, it’s not only the compound CBD that offers wonderful wellness properties, gaining popularity are CBG and CBN, which are packed with fatty acids, antioxidants, and nutrient that can help with inflammation and calming anxiety. These new discoveries makes it exciting for new formulated products to be available for more specific conditions. So, we’re always keeping on top of what’s new in CBD world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rahouseofcbd.com
• Instagram: @rahouseofcbd
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rahouseofcbd
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ra-house-of-cbd-monrovia-3