We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shelby Brown a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shelby, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?
Life is all about risk taking. My partner, Nick, and I developed a sense of risk aversion when he was diagnosed with drug-induced Lupus after an already rough few years with Crohn’s disease in 2020. We realized quickly, that life isn’t guaranteed, and we are very much dependent on our bodies staying healthy and functional. We did everything “right” by going to doctor after doctor, and even applying for disability as it seemed as our only option at the time. It was after being denied, we decided to research on our own and try to fully understand what was happening in his body. We took the risk, stopped cycling through pharmaceutical medication that was only making him more sick, and decided to try a holistic approach. This changed everything. A daily high dose of Broad Spectrum CBD gave Nick his quality of life back. This seemed incredible to us at the time, as our state had not legalized medical cannabis, but federally legal hemp derived oil without THC was doing the trick. Once we did continued research on the cannabis plant, what we found amazed us. This plant that has been used for centuries, has so many beneficial properties, and there is quite the negative stigma attached. We knew then, our passion for this plant could really help others, and we needed to do just that.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My company Bloomlite, is focused on spreading the word about cannabis and bring efficacious, affordable, and tasty cannabis products to the market. There is a massive negative stigma attached to the cannabis plant, from years of misinformation. My favorite part of how Bloomlite operates, is how focused we are on educating the public on cannabis before we try to sell any products. We post online, and educate customers face to face at events, about cannabinoids and the Endocannabinoid System. It is important to understand the properties of the plant in order to select the right ratio, product type, or potency. We grow the hemp, process it, and make all of our products so we know exactly what goes into every tincture bottle, gummy, etc. This gives us a lot of fun creative control, as well as research opportunities to develop the best possible product we can. We’re having so much fun with it in fact, we are starting to launch new brands for wholesale purposes. Stay tuned on socials for more!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I’ve always had a focused, do it myself, type of attitude (maybe from being the only girl in a family of brothers). This has pushed me in life to educate myself on topics that I find interesting, sending me into a rabbit hole of information that sometimes led me to my next adventure. The stigma attached to the cannabis plant intrigued me, and I wondered how a plant that has been proven to help so many people, could be seen as anything but a gift from nature. My background in cosmetology and the service industry gave me the people skills to communicate with people effectively, so I am able to converse and share my knowledge with anyone who will listen!
My resilience to hard times, helped me stay stable in the beginning when success seemed so out of reach.
To anyone early in their hemp journey, or any business for that matter, my advice is to keep going. No matter what. It’s going to be tough, and that imposter syndrome will come and go, but what will stay is the impact you’ve made. Invest in yourself, in your mind, and keep on trucking!
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed, I listen to my body. I slow down, and prioritize the day. Only the day, so it doesn’t seem like too much. I decide what needs to happen first, and it always starts with myself. I decide if my body needs fuel, hydration, rest, CBD, or fresh air; and I start there. Everything that comes after, will be a whole lot easier to deal with, and my mental and physical health ALWAYS come first.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bloomliteshop.com
- Instagram: bloomlite_ig
- Facebook: Bloomlite
- Twitter: bloomlite_
- Other: TikTok: bloomlite
