We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marion Brooks a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Marion, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I failed almost every time.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am an old fashioned cigarette producer, keeping smoking traditional and sexy. My brand targets traditional tobacco smokers and offers a healthier cigarette alternative.. It has been a turbulent, yet exciting journey. The focus of the mission is about transformation and we all know how slow that process can truly be.
Currently, we are working around the ever changing forecast of rules and regulations and dipping our toes into cannabis. We have recently been collaborating with a small Social Equity License Holder under the name of VENICE BOYS in Santee Alley. They are going to license the brand and help us transition into the cannabis market in a small way, which has not been very possible or accessible since legalization.
We look forward to diversifying our cigarette line… stay tuned
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
If you are just starting your own business or toying with the idea, I would suggest doing a full head on, running dive into the waters of your will. I was always willing to accept that I was ignorant to the challenges that come along with making decisions, and this allowed me to try anything I wanted to try without a fear of failure.
I have no formal education, so I learned exclusively by experimenting and failing or succeeding. Get comfortable with an unstable marketplace. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
If I had to pick three qualities that made the journey impactful, I would choose CURIOSITY, WILLINGNESS and COURAGE.
Have the curiosity to try, the willingness to do WHATEVER you have to in order to create the vision and carry the courage inside you, to weather the storms that blow over.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am looking for a partner, potentially. There are so many hats to wear and I don’t wear them all that well. Some of my favorite advice I have received is…
If you find people who are better than you at x,y,z ……find a way to team up with them or hire them. Period.
Full Moons Club is always accepting creative submissions featuring the product. You can send your work to the platform on instagram @fullmoonsclub
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fullmoonsclub.com
- Instagram: @fullmoonsclub
Image Credits
Photograph of me by Nick Ventura of Los Angeles, CA
