Katrina Thompkins is currently working 12 to 13-hour shifts as a nurse in New York City in the midst of a pandemic. On her days off, she focuses on her Dallas-based startup K’dara CBD, which offers natural wellness CBD products.

Thompkins says she decided to create K’dara after hearing from patients who introduced her to the benefits of CBD. The startup was established in 2019, but officially launched in February 2020. Soon after that, Thompkins headed to NYC.

“Following the COVID-19 outbreak, I decided to use my skills as best as possible, and I temporarily relocated to New York City in order to help the local hospitals with COVID-19 patients,” Thompkins told Dallas Innovates via email. 

Nevertheless, she still runs her self-funded company with her mom in her offtime and has managed to shift the company’s focus during the ongoing pandemic. Thompkins also hopes to raise capital in the future.

“I mainly want to focus on growing our online presence. As we have seen so many turning to e-commerce to get specific products and goods, we want K’dara to be a resource, particularly during such a difficult time for many,” Thompkins says.

Along with patients, Thompkins’ mother and grandmother have also been major inspirations for her. Thompkins says her grandma aimed to help people realize the value of investing in one’s health as an advocate for herbal remedies after successfully using them after a car crash in the early ’60s. Through K’dara, Thompkins also wants to improve the health and wellness of others so that they can live healthier and better lives, too.

“My goal is to help people truly invest in their health and take time to take care of themselves,” Thompkins says. “My passion is taking care of others, and I feel like it is so important to take care of your own health. It is one of the most valuable things that we can have.”

K’dara’s products are made to help with everything from chronic pain to helping people fall asleep with items ranging from oils, edibles, topicals, and bath bombs. All of the organic CBD line’s formulations are developed by a pharmacist with over 50 years of pharmaceutical experience.

[Image: Courtesy K’dara CBD]

So far, K’dara has received a lot of positive feedback from its initial customers, with one of her recent clients using K’dara’s pain cream for her knees while awaiting a bilateral knee replacement surgery. The cream has helped tremendously with reducing a lot of the client’s inflammation, according to Thompkins.

“People have told me that our products have truly made a difference in their lives, which is the most rewarding feeling as a business owner,” she says.

Thompkins has also created a CBD line for pets with treats created specifically for her two dogs Bailey and Spencer. She hopes to continue creating new products, such as her company’s new CBD pain cream with added lidocaine, while also growing her company and hiring employees in the future.

“Success for K’dara within the next 2-3 years would consist of gaining a large presence/audience within the U.S. with the potential to expand onward into the global market,” Thompkins says. “We would also like to develop the ability to have everything produced in-house from the farm, to the extraction machines and even to the labs.”

We took a little time to get to know the startup founder behind the innovation.

First job? In-N-Out Burger in high school.
Time you start your day? I usually naturally wake up around 7:00 a.m. I also tend to go to sleep fairly early. 10:30 is late for me!
Exercise routine? Run/walk 6-8 miles on my days off.
Work uniform or go-to staple? Scrubs and tights. I like to be comfortable.
Favorite item in your office or on your desk? A picture of my family, (mom, brother, and doggies).
Productivity tool or app you can’t live without? Google Maps, especially for navigating the streets of NYC.
Favorite pastime or hobby? I love to travel! I’m always dreaming about my next adventure and destination.

Quincy Preston and Lauren Hawkins contributed to this report.

Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.