A little over a year ago I had a chance encounter in Las Vegas at MJ Biz Con that would change the course of The STL Stoner Mom. I believe I was in my branded shirt and I was pulled aside by who I would later come to find out was Adolphus Busch V, one of the owners of Teal and High Five Brands. Before this blog only one other brand had taken a chance on giving me an opportunity to write about them. Though my initial experience with a Teal product left much to be desired, over the last year I have watched this team grind and overcome more than I can even put into words. The quality of their products speak for themselves these days, made with finesse and love, I am now a proud supporter and fan of Teal and High Five.
During our first interview I learned so much about not only the brands, but the people behind the brands. I asked probably 1000 questions about anything and everything you could imagine, from cannabis to meditation, I was eager to learn about everything. I walked away from that meeting with an invitation to their facility which would then turn into my first ever tour. The people behind the scenes are amazing, Shelby has become a close personal friend, she is just incredible! I could seriously sit here and list every person I have met who is employed and why I like them. That speaks measures as to the care and love that goes into each and every quality product they have put to market.
When I began this journey I was truly feeling around in the dark. Thanks to people like Adolphus and team, as well as the many others I have now had the pleasure of working with in the industry, I have chased my dreams and achieved more than I could have ever imagined in a year! In order to celebrate the blog we did a year ago and what we hope to continue in the future, Adolphus and I sat down and discussed the accomplishments and challenges that his team had faced over the last year. We talked about the monumental moment on November 8th when Missouri voted to legalize recreational marijuana and what that means for the future of the industry. We also spoke about the future of the brands and the exciting things they are working on. While I can't let you in on all the secrets, I am excited to have you here on this journey with us!
If you were to ask Adolphus what his biggest success was, it would be his current team. While there will always be turnover and changing of hands, for the most part his team is a family. Though it sounds cliche to say, each and everyone of the people who work for him are either my good friend or someone I could hug on the worst of days. Their smiles and energy are contagious, I can only imagine the goofy shenanigans and giggles that go on behind closed doors. Another major success is the quality of their products, over the last year, which I have experienced firsthand. As it goes, there is always negative with the positive. Regardless of current quality of product and the amount of passion that this team has for their craft, life in a budding industry can be tough. To combat the negative, their team is highly focused on good customer service, they strive to alway make their customers feel taken care of.
On the flip, if you were to ask him what the biggest struggle was, you will find that it takes him more time to answer. One of the biggest challenges you will find with any company is ensuring that you have the right people, a challenge all employers are facing these days. More importantly though, one of the biggest struggles is education, not just educating the consumers, but educating those selling the products. It was during this conversation I was inspired to write the 280-E blog. Adolphus believes that education is the most important thing missing from this industry, with more education comes a deeper understanding and appreciation for what goes into creating your favorite products. I will link the blog above so you can learn more about what happens behind the scenes with the current regulations .
As with any new industry, there is trial and error, which can make it hard for small companies to keep their head above water. Though I firmly believe that everyone deserves the space to grow and succeed in this industry. When you see the products on a shelf, you don’t see the passion, the stories, the love poured into their products. Picking something off the shelf doesn’t allow you to see the company behind the scenes, the real employees who have found their home in the cannabis space. It is such a privilege to be able to pull back the smoke screen and delve into the world behind the scenes.
To conclude our interview I decided to ask a question that had been burning in my mind since the first blog. Why the names Teal and High Five, the answer did not disappoint. Teal is a nod to a generations-long passion and effort to conserve the wetlands in Missouri and across the US. This in itself could be a blog, but I will spare you all of the things I learned about migrating ducks. High Five and ABV on the other hand are nods to him being the fifth generation namesake as well as the euphoric feeling you receive from consuming cannabis.
I am so grateful for all of my friends at Teal / High Five. I look forward to diving deeper into the companies in Missouri, I look forward to helping consumers and people just like me get to know the faces and stories behind the products that they love so much.
Until next time.
Cecilia
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