Day: February 11, 2022

Brandy Mabra of Savvy Clover Coaching & Consulting: They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It Anyway

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Own that you’re never at the mercy of any situation. Regardless of any situation, we always have control over how we perceive it and how we decide to show up. This isn’t a new insight, however it is one of the things I always keep in mind. We are promised abundance and if we decide to own this mindset, the world is our oyster to achieve greatness.

As a part of our series about “dreamers who ignored the naysayers and did what others said was impossible”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brandy Mabra.

Brandy Mabra is the CEO of Savvy Clover Coaching & Consulting and is a Business and Leadership Coach. She has 15 years of business management and leadership experience. Brandy runs a successful online coaching business empowering her clients to own their role as a bold, and confident CEO to scale their businesses with a strong infrastructure and an engaged team using her signature SAVVY method. Brandy is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, PopSugar and Create & Cultivate, as well as multiple podcasts like the Stacking Benjamins Podcast, Systems Save Me and Group Practice Exchange to name a few.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to ‘get to know you’ a bit better. Can you tell us your ‘backstory’?

I’m originally from a small town in Ohio and have always had a big imagination. I remember when I was little having an imaginary friend named Nina and telling her I was going to be a famous ice skater and a Pediatrician one day. At the time there was a famous black female ice skater named Debbie Thomas who was also in med school to be a Pediatrician, so I wanted to be like her. Although I never ended up being an ice skater or going to med school. I did end up growing up and making a name for myself as I climbed the corporate ladder making it to the C-suite building medical group practices in the healthcare industry.

During the course of my management career I made it to tables where I was in many cases the youngest and the only Black woman. There were challenges I faced leading to me getting my master’s degree. I wanted to learn as much as I could about business, business infrastructure and leadership. With my son being so young at the time, there were nights where I stayed up until 3–4 a.m. doing class work, then turning around to wake up at 6 a.m. to get my son to daycare so I could head to work. The challenges made it worth it as I earned more.

I’ve always been resourceful and determined.

Even before my management career I wanted to create a better life for my son. So as a single mother fresh from filing bankruptcy I moved from Ohio to North Carolina with my 1 year old in a rental car with only our luggage and my last paycheck. I wasn’t sure what my life was going to look like. All I knew is I was meant to do more with my life and I needed to increase my pay so I could provide for my son. Within a month of the move, I got my first management job.

Fast forward to today, I left my well paid, “secure” 6-figure management job and took the leap. Taking this leap was something not many people in my circle understood and still sometimes have a hard time understanding.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Yes, I’m in the process of creating a CEO course for entrepreneurs and business owners to empower them as the CEO of their company and teach them business management and leadership CEO skill sets. There are so many entrepreneurs and business owners who start a business and don’t have the knowledge for how to build a strong infrastructure with efficient operational processes and systems and an engaged team. Chaos and team turnover cost money. In addition, with so many businesses failing. My goal is to help increase the business success rate.

In your opinion, what do you think makes your company or organization stand out from the crowd?

I’m a Black woman teaching leaders how to be a CEO. Most often when we think of CEOs we think of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Elon Musk. I’m none of the above. I’m here to change the perception and help diversify who we think about as your typical CEO leader who runs a company. The best way to do that is by teaching the CEO skill set to others.

Ok, thank you for that. I’d like to jump to the main focus of this interview. Has there ever been a time that someone told you something was impossible, but you did it anyway? Can you share the story with us? What was your idea? What was the reaction of the naysayers? And how did you overcome that?

Yes, starting with birth. I was a premature baby weighing a whopping 3 pounds and 4 ounces. My mother was told I would die and if I lived, I would have severe mental and physical limitations. My mother has always told me I was strong-willed and despite what the doctors told her she knew I would be fine.

As I grew older, my limitations would be the extent of speech impediment showing up as stutter. After years of speech therapy, I was able to control my stutter and find my voice. Today, most don’t notice, despite the fact internally I can feel as if my mouth is moving faster than my brain. However, that has never stopped me from having the desire to get my message out into the world. We are all a work in progress.

I believe the determination I had as a baby, moving past my stutter and deciding to not let my setbacks deter me from doing more in life and in my career. I’ve always been the one to step up to challenge. For example, when I told people about me leaving my management career to be in my business full time or when I told others I was moving to a state with no job, no car, limited amount of money and baby. The instant response is always “Are you sure?” or “What are you going to do if it doesn’t work out?”

I always ignore the chatter and find a way that will allow me to fully step into who I’ve been called to be. I might not have all the answers. I might have to sacrifice along the way. For example, for years before I was high enough in my management career to make over a 6-figure salary, we frequently ate peanut butter sandwiches and chicken noodle soup. It was a budget favorite. My son loved it. I knew it was all we could afford at the time. I knew our situation was temporary.

Life is always changing and giving you opportunities to learn. It’s these lessons that create your success recipe for when the next challenge comes around.

Being a full-time business owner with a growing business there are times when we have to get creative, make pivots, and things sometimes don’t go the way we want. When this happens I go back and think about the moment when I moved with no real guarantee anything would work out.

In the end, how were all the naysayers proven wrong? 🙂

I’m still living, with no mental or physical limitations like the doctors told my mother. I’m a Black woman who can say she’s worked in the C-suite and made a great career for herself with a salary only 5% of women can say they make. I didn’t end up homeless like some thought I would when I made the move without a fleshed-out plan. In fact, I own a beautiful home. I’m able to provide a lovely life for my son and now a blended family of four. I love to travel and have been to amazing places all over the world. Plus, I have the freedom I longed for owning my days with a growing business.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I have been blessed to work with amazing mentors. One mentor in particular that I had earlier on in my management career is who I always credit for my success today. Her name was Debbie. She inspired me and would always remind me to enjoy the journey, not rush my growth as I often would want to as an impatient, goal-oriented professional.

As I grew in my career, she pushed me to apply for the next position. She purposefully gave me projects that would require me to get out of my comfort zone. Looking back, she is who I’ve developed my leadership style after. I think about her often. Above my desk is a plaque she gave me that has been in every office I’ve worked in, in every company. I always think about her. The plaque says “enjoy the journey”.

It must not have been easy to ignore all the naysayers. Did you have any experiences growing up that have contributed to building your resiliency? Can you share the story with us?

In addition to growing up with a stutter, I was shy and socially awkward in many situations. I’m a classic introvert. I used to keep how I felt to myself. But, my family empowered me to speak my mind and make my opinions heard. It’s this that has helped me get noticed at tables where I otherwise might have faded into the background. I’m now quick to contribute to a conversation if I’m passionate about the topic.

We all bring a unique perspective to the table. I was taught to honor my journey and not feel ashamed of where I came from. I didn’t grow up with a lot of money. I wore the same jeans every day when I was in high school and used to borrow my friends’ clothes. The funny thing is that I ended up winning best dressed oddly enough. One thing I know about myself is I will always find a way to make the best out of a situation. When I was in high school, I needed clothes and found a way. It’s this same attitude that has helped me in building my business. I’m always looking for the opportunity around me to make the best out of my situation and it’s this reason I was able to grow in my career and in my business.

Based on your experience, can you share 5 strategies that people can use to harness the sense of tenacity and do what naysayers think is impossible? (Please share a story or an example for each)

1.) Get clear on what you want. One of the things I’ve always been clear on is what I wanted out of life. Whether it was wanting a better situation for myself and my family, making more money, creating a bigger impact. I’m fully aware of what I desire.

2.) Ask yourself what is standing in the way of what you want. Over the years some things that were in the way of the goals I wanted to achieve were where I was living, which is why I moved. Lack of education, which is why I went back to get my Master’s degree. Lack of freedom to do more for others and be with my family, which is why I started my own business.

3.) Prepare for what you want like it is already yours. I’ve learned to make decisions from where I want to be, not from where I am right now. This has allowed me to keep moving forward and avoid stalling my progress. It can feel scary as you’re stepping into the vision, but once your vision comes to pass it’s amazing to see the results. Have faith.

4.) Use what naysayers say to fuel you, not derail you. I love proving people wrong. I do a little dance inside every time I prove someone wrong. One of my favorite sayings is “watch me work”. People need to be inspired. It’s up to us to decide to do the work so others can see what is possible.

5.) Own that you’re never at the mercy of any situation. Regardless of any situation, we always have control over how we perceive it and how we decide to show up. This isn’t a new insight, however it is one of the things I always keep in mind. We are promised abundance and if we decide to own this mindset, the world is our oyster to achieve greatness.

What is your favorite quote or personal philosophy that relates to the concept of resilience?

My personal philosophy is to concentrate on God’s purpose and He will do the rest. We are not meant to live small lives. We are meant to live extraordinary lives. Part of being resilient is believing in yourself and knowing that you can accomplish anything.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

If I could inspire a movement it would be the movement I’m inspiring now. To change the world’s view of what a leader looks like. To honor that as society evolves we all are here to make a difference. There have to be more leaders who want to do right by their companies so we can make a bigger impact collectively.

Can our readers follow you on social media?

Instagram ; Facebook ; LinkedIn

Thank you for these great stories. We wish you only continued success!

Brandy Mabra of Savvy Clover Coaching & Consulting: They Told Me It Was Impossible And I Did It… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

An Interview With Candice Georgiadice

Yes, I hope the current fashion industry think about things with long term mentality. Many of the high-end brand does this but many of the medium to lower side brand fail to see the big picture. They are mostly working to follow the trend.

Many in the fashion industry have been making huge pivots in their business models. Many have turned away from the fast fashion trend. Many have been focusing on fashion that also makes a social impact. Many have turned to sustainable and ethical sourcing. Many have turned to hi tech manufacturing. Many have turned to subscription models. What are the other trends that we will see in the fashion industry? What does it take to lead a successful fashion brand today?

In our series called, “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today” we are talking to successful leaders of fashion brands who can talk about the Future of Fashion and the 5 things it takes to lead a successful fashion brand in our “new normal.”

As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Edward Lee, business consultant with 10+ year experience; own a high-end consignment bag business; now launching a luxury gemstone necklace line based on human aspirations.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

Since I was a kid, I always has interest in understanding about underling purpose in life. So, I dug deep into self-help book and religious texts all the time. This also led me to study Chemistry in college to understand things at the ‘molecular’ level.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

I wanted to get into the business of symbols and meanings. I had plenty of exposure on how luxury industry is run during my time as a business consultant and also understood the resale market from consignment store. I wanted to combine those experience to create a charm necklace brand.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Me and my colleague had to visit 10+ factories before we can find someone that will deliver our design. Our design is made out of natural stones so we got rejected so many times.

You are a successful business leader. Which three-character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Perseverance/Kindness/Conviction

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Our company did 5 year long studies to develop a aspiration test to identify people aspiration. And we created a totem-based gemstone charm necklace to support the aspiration.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Do you see any fascinating developments emerging over the next few years in the fashion industry that you are excited about? Can you tell us about that?

I am very excited about how fashion will evolve in with Metabus technology such as NFT. With this evolution, I believe the market will go even more consumer-centric now and there will be fashion online and offline.

Can you share how your brand is helping to bring goodness to the world?

We try to give confidence in people’s life by providing them with direction via aspiration.

Can you share with our readers about the ethical standards you use when you choose where to source materials?

We focus on making sure jewelry artisans are compensated properly and we produce them in Korea, where we ethically source all of our stones and materials.

Fast fashion has an advantage, that it is affordable for most people, but it also has the drawback that it does not last very long and is therefore not very sustainable. What are your thoughts about this? How does your company address this question?

We are not a particularly big fan of fast fashion. As we are a charm brand, we are looking to create necklaces that will last.

Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand”. Please share a story or example for each.

1. Be passionate about what you are doing
2. Adopt the trend and make it yours
3. Imagine yourself at the show of your customers and match your character
4. Understand and own marketing (if you cannot, hire someone who can)
5. Don’t create something that evaporates under the time. Make something that everyone cherishes.

Every industry constantly evolves and seeks improvement. How do you think the fashion industry can improve itself? Can you give an example?

Yes, I hope the current fashion industry think about things with long term mentality. Many of the high-end brand does this but many of the medium to lower side brand fail to see the big picture. They are mostly working to follow the trend.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I want people to be happy by finding true purpose in their lives. Cherish each of the special moments with love.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Follow our page.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Modern Fashion: Edward Lee On The 5 Things You Need To Lead a Successful Fashion Brand Today was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Women In Wellness: Dr Crystal M Gossard on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

Every morning, wake up and step outside. Take in the morning dew and while you’re outside, think of one reason to be thankful. If it’s cold, even better! The cool fresh air can wake you up, invigorate your morning, and the natural light will help to bring you in sync with the world around you.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Crystal M. Gossard.

Dr. Crystal M. Gossard is a board-certified nutrition specialist, licensed dietitian-nutritionist, researcher, educator, lecturer, spokesperson and author. She has more than 15 years of experience in the fields of nutrition, fitness, dietary supplements and integrative and functional medicine. Dr. Gossard holds Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Nutrition and has lectured extensively on various health topics. Dr. Gossard is a member of the American College of Nutrition and American Society of Nutrition. Dr. Gossard is an Education Specialist for Life Extension®, and in this role, she educates health care professionals on the latest scientific and medical advances in integrative medicine and longevity.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

The focus of my backstory is how I was raised and the influence my childhood had on the person I am today. I grew up in Savannah, GA and was raised by parents who were first-generation college graduates. Both parents were educators who taught me to embrace life-long learning and spread my knowledge to those around me. My mother’s undergraduate degree was in health and physical education, and she led by example. I have fond memories of me and my siblings hanging out in the back of her aerobics classes, watching her “move and grove” or spending time at the playground while she walked laps around the neighborhood park. Many of my healthy eating habits are due to my father’s influence. He was diagnosed with hypertension at a young age and less than enthusiastic about taking medicine for the rest of his life. Therefore, our home was practically free of salt, fried foods, or any other foods deemed unhealthy at the time. Our home, known as the “healthy home,” was full of herbs for cooking and tonics to keep the entire family well. I admit that I dreaded it at times and longed for visits to grandmas to indulge in all things “fried” or her famous “greasy greens.” But even at a young age, I understood the importance of eating for wellness, the benefits of physical activity, and the need to create healthy habits to last a lifetime. We were a faith focused family and daily prayer was routine. As a minister, my father taught me the importance of feeding my mind, body, and soul through prayer and meditation, and to listen to my inner voice for direction.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

One moment that stands out relates to an interaction I had with an executive at the organization where I was employed. This person’s opinion mattered to me, and I longed to be seen in a positive light. During a conversation, I shared my desire to grow with the company and where I envisioned myself in the future. At the time, I was not qualified for my desired role, but I also shared steps I planned to take to become qualified. With a reprimanding tone, I was told that I would never be in that role, and it was foolish to even consider it. As you can imagine, this left me deflated. I felt like my dreams were shattered. Hearing those words from someone I looked up to and had influence over my career path was devastating. After gathering my thoughts, I mustered up the courage to responded, as respectfully as I could, “no one knows the future and if the position is meant for me, I will have it”. Fortunately, that person left the organization, the replacement recognized my value, and eventually I was able to move into the position. The experience taught me that anything worth having, is worth fighting for. I also learned that not everyone will see my potential or embrace my goals and that’s okay. What is most important is that I understand my potential and self-worth. No one can crush my dreams or dim my light but me. It is important not to give anyone that kind of power over my life.

Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I don’t have a specific scenario, but generally, when I first started, I would overcommit/over volunteer to take on projects. I just couldn’t say no. I thought it would lead to the perception that I was a slacker and didn’t want to let anyone down. I call it the “people pleasing” mentality. In my case, it was a combination of wanting to be a pleaser as well as not trusting the abilities of collaborative partners. Over the years I have found that this mentality only leads to frustration, resentment because you feel like you are doing all the work, and burnout. A better approach is to have a prioritized list of projects, tasks, etc. Instead of saying no, identify the priority and set reasonable expectations on if/when you can deliver. In addition, being a team player involves allowing others to play their part. As cheesy as the saying “teamwork, makes the dream work” may sound, it is true.

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

My number one focus is to bring a better understanding to what it means to be well. The first step is prevention. We live in a world where “sick care” is masked under the phrase “health care”. True “health care” starts with making sure the body receives high-quality fuel through adequate nutrition. It involves making sure the nutritional fuel is processed efficiently, recognizing the role of nutritional supplementation to fill in the gaps, and understanding that a one size fits all approach does not work. “Well-care” is an individualized process. The second step is supporting wellness despite disease. We should focus on being the healthiest version of ourselves, defects and all. This includes identifying drug/nutrient interactions, nutrients to increase due to having a disease, and phytonutrients that are restorative. All roads start and end with a licensed nutrition professional. Since nutrition is not a core focus in the medical school curriculum and physicians rarely have the time to give patients a mini med school course during a check-up, my educational efforts are designed to bridge the knowledge gap. My goal is to deconstruct complex topics, dispel myths, and remove confusion. Live Foreverish and LE Live, shows that I cohost, with Michael A. Smith, MD have a global impact and bring a deeper level of understanding to very complex topics. All of our education events and materials, including eBooks, webinars, and YouTube videos are free. Everyone deserves to have equitable access to simplified, science-based health information.

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

1. Make sleep a priority. When I was a new mom, I felt my sanity slipping away and I quickly learned that I needed to sleep when my daughter slept. Sleep rejuvenates the body and mind. I remember returning to work after maternity leave and people were shocked at how refreshed I looked and continued to look even with a newborn. Now, my children are 4 and 7 years old and I continue to align my bedtime with their bedtime. When I am well rested, I am happy, mentally sharp, experience less colds, and have an overall sense of wellbeing. I know I am not alone in needing sleep, a recent survey from Life Extension found that nearly 60% of Americans reported being tired most of the time. While this is likely due to multiple factors, a lack of quality rest can drastically impact people physically and mentally.

2. Practice the pause. It is similar concept of counting to 10 to suppress a rise in anger. I believe it is a good best practice to incorporate in many situations. As an example, if you are craving something sweet, pause and reflect on why you are having that craving. Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Maybe you are stressed or bored. Regardless of the situation, taking a pause will prevent you from making impulsive decisions.

3. Never go grocery store shopping hungry. Shopping hungry will increase the temptation to by unhealthy foods.

4. Turn off the noise and embrace silence. As an example, I often drive without listening to anything on the radio. The silence can be used as a time of reflection and can be extremely healing.

5. Every morning, wake up and step outside. Take in the morning dew and while you’re outside, think of one reason to be thankful. If it’s cold, even better! The cool fresh air can wake you up, invigorate your morning, and the natural light will help to bring you in sync with the world around you.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

From a global perspective, there is a stark contrast between what it takes or means to be well in developing areas of the world versus developed countries. Adding to this health inequities also exist within countries. I believe a movement designed to shine a light on the prevalence of health inequities due to income, gender, ethnicity, education, or disability will be a step in the right direction.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. Change is going to happen. The sooner you accept and adapt to it, the better equipped you will be at making the change work in your favor.

2. Self-care is healthcare. Remember to carve out time to do the things you love. Make a placeholder on your calendar to ensure it gets done and when you feel enjoyment, don’t feel guilty.

3. Do not expect stakeholders to inherently know your accomplishments. There are times when you must make others aware of how hard you worked and what is involved to maintain good work product. This is not bragging. It is bringing your contributions to the forefront and will help you stay ahead of the pack.

4. Start saving early. Set up your 401K as soon as possible and meet the company’s match.

5. Create a naming convention and filing system right away. This is key to efficiently managing time. With an organized system, 10 years from now, you will be able to quickly locate information.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

Mental health, especially in children. As a mother of two small children, I am keenly aware of their mental development. I have also counseled parents of small children on nutritional considerations when dealing with ADHD and anxiety disorders. I encourage parents to make sure their child receives adequate sleep and proper nutrition through fresh fruit and vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids. It is also important to limit sugary drinks, processed carbs, pastries, and candy. Adequate nutrition is the foundation to brain development and the production of brain chemicals that control mood. Research has uncovered that the nutritional status of the mother and grandmother, as well as past traumas, also have an influence on a child’s genes expression as it relates to mental health. This all translates to the importance of taking care of yourself, not just for yourself, but for generations to come.

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

· Instagram: @drcrystalgossard

· Podcast: liveforeverish.com

· YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/LifeExtensionWellness(LE Live Shows, Ask the Doctor, Webinars

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

Women In Wellness: Dr Crystal M Gossard on the Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Wisdom From The Women Leading The Cannabis Industry, With Author Jordana Wright of Cannabis for Creatives

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

While researching and writing this book I realized just how little we actually know about how cannabis affects the parts of our brain related to creative thinking. Scientific study has been hindered for decades because of prohibition. Recently there have been a few key changes in the way scientific studies can access cannabis samples for study. I’m really excited to see what new lessons we can learn once researchers have all the resources they need to make practical and actionable discoveries.

As a part of my series about strong women leaders in the cannabis industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jordana Wright of Cannabis for Creatives.

Jordana Wright is a photographer, writer, educator, and travel enthusiast with over 15 years of experience in the photography industry. She enjoys developing photography curriculum and working with aspiring photographers of all ages both in workshops and in the classroom. In addition to Cannabis for Creatives: How 32 Artists Enhance and Sustain Inspiration, Jordana is also the author of the book The Enthusiast’s Guide to Travel Photography. Her photographs and articles have appeared in a variety of publications and websites including the New York Times. Originally from New York City, she spent two nomadic decades exploring the United States before moving to the Cayo District of Belize, where she lives in the jungle with her husband and rescue pup, Holiday. For more information about her pursuits, visit JordanaWright.com or find her on Instagram and Facebook.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to write a book about cannabis?

Like so many people who find their way to cannabis, I started experimenting with it back in high school. I discovered pot around the same time I really got into the arts, so cannabis and creativity have always been very interconnected for me. As an adult, I’ve always found a sense of focused inspiration after smoking and other artists I knew were having similar experiences. I decided I wanted to tell some of those creative stories and explore this whole other beneficial side of cannabis in a more formal way. Writing Cannabis for Creatives seemed like the perfect pursuit.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began writing the book? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Writing this book has forced me out of the cannabis closet in a real way! It’s impossible to tell people in your life that you’ve written a book like this without being open to talking about pot and its personal meaning. It’s been really interesting to tell people who have no idea that I smoke about the book. Some people have really surprised me by having their own cannabis stories to share.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I learned early on that while I’m fairly adept at my photography work and writing work after I’ve smoked, I’m not the best interviewer if I’m not totally clear minded. You would think that talking about being high benefits from being high… that’s not always the case! Someone has to steer the ship. After one somewhat rudderless interview early on I knew I needed to approach conversations with artists with a bit more clarity!

Do you have a funny story about how someone you knew reacted when they first heard you were writing this book?

I told one of my photography mentors about the book via email and waited nervously to get his response. He’s in his eighties and you never know how people will react to something that’s had so much negative press over the years. I should have known he would be cool because he’s one of the most affable people I know. He responded with a story about a time he over did it with pot, told me he wished he like getting high, then connected me with a couple of really great artists to interview.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

My career has been a snowballing series of small victories ushered in by a wonderful collection of friends, family, and cohorts. Success never happens in a vacuum. I’ve been really lucky with all of the support I’ve received for my photography and writing. That’s why my acknowledgements in my books are always so long! There are lots of people to thank!

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Now that the book is arriving in stores and online retailers, my focus is getting it into the hands of creatives who need it. There are so many valuable lessons to be gained from the talented artists I interviewed. I’d love to see more creative minded people navigating cannabis successfully for their art. Getting people to read the book is the first step!

Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. Despite great progress that has been made we still have a lot more work to do to achieve gender parity in this industry. According to this report in Entrepreneur, less than 25 percent of cannabis businesses are run by women. In your opinion or experience, what 3 things can be done by a)individuals b)companies and/or c) society to support greater gender parity moving forward?

Gender is a significant divide in the cannabis industry, but there are other notable disparities as far as socio-economic level, ethnicity, and race too. I believe that more open social discussion and acceptance of cannabis is the first step toward reaching a more representative distribution in the industry. We need to reestablish what a cannabis enthusiast looks like in our collective consciousness. We need to normalize the idea that CEOs, physicians, teachers, attorneys, moms, and really anyone you can imagine, enjoys pot and can partake in a productive, responsible way. The more that women from all walks of life feel comfortable being open about their pot use, the more women will be able to step forward in positions of power in the industry.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the cannabis industry?

While researching and writing this book I realized just how little we actually know about how cannabis affects the parts of our brain related to creative thinking. Scientific study has been hindered for decades because of prohibition. Recently there have been a few key changes in the way scientific studies can access cannabis samples for study. I’m really excited to see what new lessons we can learn once researchers have all the resources they need to make practical and actionable discoveries.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

When I lived in Colorado for a year, the most direct route to my dispensary took me past a massive prison complex. Every single time I went to pick up supplies I would reflect on how messed up it was that I was purchasing legally the same thing that put some of those prisoners behind those walls. Pardons and sentence commutations have been happening across the US for non-violent cannabis offenses, but it really bothers me that cannabis is a major industry in much of the country and people are still rotting away in jail. I would really love to see more opportunities created for people with past cannabis offenses. They were the original cannapreneurs. They basically built this industry and are being excluded from it in a real way.

What are your thoughts about federal legalization of cannabis? If you could speak to your Senator, what would be your most persuasive argument regarding why they should or should not pursue federal legalization?

Setting aside all of the false representations about cannabis and cannabis users that inspired cannabis prohibition in the first place, I think the financial aspects of federal legalization are a total no brainer. States that have legalized have generated needed funds for education and public works. When much of the US shut down for Covid concerns, dispensaries were considered essential businesses in most communities. If you want to stimulate the economy in a real way and generate much needed tax revenue for infrastructure projects, federal legalization is the best path forward.

Today, cigarettes are legal, but they are heavily regulated, highly taxed, and they are somewhat socially marginalized. Would you like cannabis to have a similar status to cigarettes or different? Can you explain?

I’m fine with the idea of a significant tax on recreational cannabis from dispensaries, but medical is another story. Medicine should be available tax free. Medical cannabis should also be expanded to include a larger range of conditions. My biggest concern with the idea of heavy regulation and taxation is that big companies like Philip Morris may start to monopolize the market and smaller, independently owned businesses will get forced out. Compliance is important, but there needs to be equity in the market for smaller companies to succeed. We don’t need Big Canna like we have Big Pharma.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” I’ve seen that quote attributed to a few different people, including Einstein. It’s always resonated with me because I tend to prefer the comfortable, safe route by default. I’m uncomfortable with the unknown. But I’ve learned that there’s no way to achieve all of your goals if you don’t take some risks. Fortunately, cannabis helps a bit with that fear of the unknown and doubt!

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

I would love to see a more established acceptance of cannabis for creative pursuits. We know cannabis has medical efficacy for a variety of uses. It would be really exciting to have some budding artists learn from the interviews in the book and start exploring their own creative uses of cannabis without fear of judgment.

Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you only continued success!

Wisdom From The Women Leading The Cannabis Industry, With Author Jordana Wright of Cannabis for… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.