I discovered kanna over a decade ago. Figaro is what happened when I finally decided to share it.

The story

Long before there was a brand, there was a plant.

I discovered kanna in my mid-twenties, during a time when I was learning to be more present with myself and the people around me.

What I noticed was subtle but consistent: less noise in my head, more ease in my body, and a warmth that made hard conversations feel more possible and good ones feel deeper.

I never found a perfect way to describe it. “Mood support” felt too clinical. The closest I could get was: it opens something.

I recommended kanna to friends, brought it into my coaching work, and used it before moments when I wanted to show up fully. For years, it was simply something I believed in, not a business idea.

Eventually, I realized I wanted more people to know about it.

That became Figaro & Co.

The name

Figaro is named after a stuffed cat my grandmother gave me when I was little. I carried him through childhood, through moves, and through grief. When she passed, Figaro became one of the pieces of her I could still hold onto.

The name felt right because, to me, Figaro has always represented comfort and connection.

And that's what I wanted this brand to stand for too: feeling a little more present, a little more open, and a little closer to what matters.

Who I am

I'm Maria Shapley, an actress and certified life coach based in Los Angeles. I've spent much of the last decade studying how people change, why we repeat certain patterns, and what helps us become more present in our own lives.

Kanna has been part of mine for more than a decade.

What Figaro is

Figaro & Co. grew out of lived experience, not a trend or a business plan.

We create plant-based kanna products with intentional dosing, clean formulas, third-party testing, and transparent sourcing. Our kanna comes from South Africa, where Sceletium tortuosum has a long history of traditional use.

We believe more isn't always better. Our goal is to make kanna approachable and easy to incorporate into real life, whether that's before a conversation, a creative moment, a meditation, or simply a day when you want to feel more present.

And as Figaro grows, giving back to the communities connected to kanna's origins is part of where we're headed.

The name carries my grandmother's memory. The products carry something I've believed in for years.

What we make it for

Plant-based kanna products for people who want to feel more present, more open, and more connected.

To themselves. To each other. To what matters.