Meet Dr. Calla Kleene
Hi, I’m Calla, I’m the Chief Executive Officer of Well Labs. When I was 24 years old I found myself married to my high school sweetheart, a chiropractor, and opening my own office. I have to admit, I had zero experience in business ownership. I’ve made a ton of mistakes and also managed to learn a few things here and there. I've been blessed and downright lucky for every lesson I've learned along the way. After my first child I was (or thought I was) a supermom with everything all-natural, super health conscious, organic ONLY. I had a subconsciously ignorant view of the superb health my child displayed. My first baby girl Porter, rarely fussed. She was a champion; happy, easy and healthy.
Fast forward three years to the birth of my second child, Cooper. I call him my “humble me” child. He was hospitalized five times before he was six months old, which nearly killed this previously perfect mom {insert sarcasm...ok, really, I'm laying it on PRETTY THICK}. That time became the scariest time of my life. Not even knowing how long his tiny body would continue to fight...I began questioning everything I thought I knew about health and what health really is.
I was trying to manage a healthy family, a healthy practice, and my own health on top of pumping exclusively (because perfect moms only give babies breastmilk forever [insert more sarcasm]), taking care of my now sick new born, chasing around my 3 year old, and trying to maintain a relationship with my husband who travels frequently for work, and the practice.
I thank God for high functioning adrenal glands, good friends, and the power of prayer. Looking back I can only see that this time was God’s way of teaching me to live in the present, and truly value the simple things in life. During that period of personal growth I realized many things.
- Although I can do all of the “natural” and “healthy” things for my family, they can still get sick.
- I’m not in control.
- Living in the present is 100% against my M.O.
- I'm the only one responsible for my situation.
I had plans, great plans, to do big things in the community. But those plans quickly came to a hault as I watched my bank account dwindle while I sat in a hospital room with my sick baby. I knew I needed to listen. To sit with it. To be still and wait for God, which quite frankly is nails on a chalkboard sometimes. It felt foreign and unfamiliar as I watched what I thought was my dream dwindle away.
But in the time my child was sick, I didn’t care. I told God he could have everything I had if my baby could be healthy. And he took it, my dream of the wellness center was gone right before my eyes, not knowing that there was something so much greater in store.
Fast forward to today. while I had that seemingly short period of time focusing on the present, I was able to find opportunity in Well Labs. The idea came very organically among the three of us. We wanted to do something greater in this world, to make healthy so contagious that everyone wanted it, and give back to those in need. That's how Well Labs was born.