08/06/2025
Had the best time chatting with Margarett Kernell from Topstitch Embroidery Plus! โ๐ฌ
Sheโs doing this awesome thing โ 100 cups of coffee with fellow business owners โ and I was lucky enough to be #12/100! It was such a fun, easy, and inspiring conversation. ๐
Thanks for including me, Margarett! I love what youโre doing โ canโt wait to see who you have coffee with next! ๐
Because every great story starts with a conversationโฆ
Expect the Unexpectedโฆ and Possibly Squirrel P**p
Today's cup of coffee (or rather, Vanilla Chai) was shared with the lovely Cindy Dobson of Gen H Wellness. Now let me tell youโCindy is a kind and gentle soul, the kind of person you instantly feel calmer around. She's got a great sense of humor, a heart for people, and an impressive knack for needles (the professional kind, not the craft kind... though sheโs into that too).
Cindy is a certified acupuncturist currently practicing at Absolute Wellness (under her own business name, Gen H Wellness) in Hendersonville. But acupuncture wasnโt always the dream. Born in Colombia and raised in New Jersey, Cindy originally set off to study biology at William Paterson University with a vague idea of helping animalsโcue her โvet phase.โ That dream faded when she realized itโs not all puppy kisses and kitten cuddles.
She explored conservation work, even completing a bat internship (yes, thatโs a thing). Apparently, bats are sweet little creatures, but alas, the world wasnโt hiring many bat whisperers. She toyed with nursing, but it wasnโt quite right. Then a friend casually dropped the word โacupuncture,โ and Cindy went down the rabbit hole. Turns out, one of the few acupuncture schools in the U.S. was just 30 minutes away. Destiny? You bet.
Fast forward: 3 years of acupuncture training, 2 years of herbal medicine, 3 board exams under her belt, and now sheโs one final exam away from full herbalist certification. Talk about dedication.
Now, I had to askโwhatโs the weirdest herbal remedy sheโs come across? Her answer? Squirrel p**p. Yes, you read that right. Apparently, itโs been used to treat menstrual cramps. I mean, desperate times...
Cindy's days are filled with client sessions, admin work, studying, shadowing other practitioners, pet snuggles, and a healthy dose of "grounding"โliterally walking barefoot in the grass to reconnect with nature. In her spare time, she crochets,
hikes, and devours romantasy novels (yep, we swapped recommendations).
She considers her biggest success simply living her life: moving to a new country, finding her calling, and thriving in a field she loves. In the future, she hopes to give backโmaybe by working with animals again or providing acupuncture to women in need.
When I asked how sheโd spend $10K in branded merchandise, Cindy lit up! Ideas flew: cozy socks, mugs, branded tea tins, belly wraps, blankets, and bottles of magnesium butter. Basically, anything that warms you up, calms you down, or makes you feel nurtured.
Her advice for aspiring acupuncturists? Be prepared to work. It's a rigorous journey, but the rewards are plenty. Eastern medicine is finding its place in the modern world, and Cindy is right at the heart of it.
Cindy is driven by people, purpose, and the natural world. Spend five minutes with her and youโll see she lives all three. Thank you, Cindy, for the insight, the laughs, and the unexpected bat facts.
