Beam co-founder Kevin Moran on his baseball career, CBD, Boston sports & more

Beam -- also stylized lowercase as "beam" -- is a Massachusetts-based wellness company founded by Matt Lombardi and Kevin Moran. Lombardi and Moran are both former professional athletes, while Beam offers pure, full-spectrum (100 percent THC-free) pharmaceutical-grade CBD products, as made from organically grown hemp in Colorado.

Noticing a lack of transparency in the CBD wellness market, Beam offers consumers a line of rigorously-tested CBD products with high-quality organic ingredients that communicate with the human body’s natural central and peripheral nervous systems and help relieve physical pain, anxiety, sleep deprivation and more. Meanwhile, Lombardi and Moran both continue to be highly-active, regularly participating in IronMan and CrossFit competitions.

I had the pleasure of doing Q&A with both Matt Lombardi and Kevin Moran. Below are highlights from my interview with Moran, who was drafted by the MLB's Chicago White Sox in 2010. More on Beam can be found online at www.beamtlc.com.

When did you first become aware of CBD?

Kevin Moran: I’ve been interested in the wellness space for as long as I can remember, constantly trying new ways to gain a natural competitive edge, so when I came across a blog post with compelling information on CBD, I was eager to give it a try.

How long was it from the concept of beam coming up to your launch?

Kevin Moran: From the time we conceptualized beam to launch was about nine to 12 months. We were kind of naïve as it related to establishing operations, approaching it as we would any other business. However, despite CBD’s legality, we ran into countless logistical complications. For example, current federal regulations prevented us from being able to walk into a bank and setting up a business account.

To you, what separates beam from other companies with CBD products on the market?

Kevin Moran: We are different than a lot of CBD brands in the way we are building the company. Rather than operating like a lifestyle brand, we are creating it like a start-up – from the way we are raising money to the way we have set it up with growth and scaling in mind.

How did you and your business partner first meet?

Kevin Moran: Matt and I both attended Boston College as athletes so we spent time in a lot of the same facilities. We also had a couple classes together, even working on some class projects together. After college, the apartment my fiancé and I shared had a massive flood, everything was ruined. By chance, we ended up moving into the same building in Seaport where Matt was living.

Do you have a favorite of the beam products available?

Kevin Moran: My favorite of Beam’s products is our new CBD Powered Protein Bar – it fits into my life so well. Not only is it a super convenient way to incorporate CBD into my daily routine, it’s also healthy and tastes really good.

What does the rest of 2019 look like for Beam?

Kevin Moran: We are very focused on growing the brand in 2019. We are strengthening our e-commerce platforms, and working hard to grow with consumer feedback in mind. We are working to interface with customers live, giving them a sense that we are always there, eagerly listening, so we can improve in ways that best suit their needs.

We will also be opening a pop-up retail space in Boston’s Seaport District soon. Stay tuned for more news on that front.

Beam aside, what else are you working on?

Kevin Moran: In addition to Beam, I’m training for a marathon. I’m also getting married this week, and we’re excited to be offering Beam as a gift to wedding guests.

Do you have an accomplishment from your athletic career that you are most proud of?

Kevin Moran: I would say my proudest accomplishment from my athletic career is the enduring discipline it built into my life. From all the training, to eventually getting drafted, to all the injuries… I’ve learned how to face adversity and come out of it stronger than ever before.

Are there any particular sports teams you regularly root for or attend games from?

Kevin Moran: I am definitely a Boston fan through and through. Big [New England] Patriots fan. And of course, I support all the Boston College teams, especially baseball.

Do you see yourself as a "former professional athlete turned businessman?" If not, how do you like to be thought of career-wise?

Kevin Moran: Being an entrepreneur is the closest feeling I’ve ever to being an athlete, a closing pitcher in particular. The last pitch of the game is the most important, and the stress that comes with that, the successes and failures you have in that moment, all of that serves to keep me focused and grounded as we continue building this business.

Finally, Kevin, any last words for the kids?

Kevin Moran: In your athletic career, you always have shiny white objects coming at you and distracting you. My advice is to accept this, and rather than let it derail you, stay true to yourself and focus on what you want to bring to the world.