Today we’d like to introduce you to D. Scott.
D, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2013 I lost my mother and she had pain management issues. My son was 9 at the time and had a debilitating skin condition. I had been making him hand-curated Shea butter for years. In 2018 I was on a flight back from Texas to Detroit. There was a young woman sitting next to me from Michigan area. She began telling me her story of how she beat cancer as a teenager and used products containing THC for pain management and for appetite. She began this entire monologue about CBD and how it’s legal. At the time I knew nothing. I don’t smoke nor use any pharmaceuticals. By the time we landed in Michigan, I had purchased my website for 716CBD, got my email, and started the trademark research.
Since then, I have experienced growth on all levels. There was an entire year of research and learning. There was another year of trial and error with the making of product. There was a lot of herbalist and chemistry knowledge needed during the process. My boost came from reading Leah Penniman’s book, “Farming While Black”. That book make me want to be a farmer and grow my own hemp. When I actually met her, I was brought to tears. I’m not a crybaby but I was so overwhelmed by someone who looked like me, doing what I wanted to do one day. I’m 45 at the time.
Crystal People Stokes out of Buffalo New York was pivotal in my learning process as well. She has been at the forefront of the cannabis movement and decriminalization for years. She’s our majority leader here in the western New York area. She had monthly conferences for years that did nothing but educate, network and facilitate any person wanting to do “green” business.
My business really started by me taking high-quality CBD oil and infusing bath bombs, Shea butters, and making elderberry tinctures for people that wanted a more holistic approach.
Today I’m one of the 8 recipients of a grant from the Black Farmers fund in New York. My building is under renovation and is slated to open to the public in spring. We offer spiritual services as well as holistic and metaphysical items. I’m thankful that I’m able to help anyone trying to get some sleep or looking for a way to have a little less pain. My company does not claim to replace pain or sleep meds. My company offers an alternative for people wanting to try products from the earth.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
CBD is legal. Try telling that to banks and merchant accounts. I’ve had to switch banks, find new merchants at higher fees because of the disclaimer that CBD contains no more than .3% of THC at the federal level. A plant that has less than a third of 1 percent of THC is the reason a lot of funding, business, and clientele shy away from CBD. I’m also a minority woman in business. I’m not afforded the luxury of always being nice or always being polite. I’ve been robbed and burglarized several times by people that worked for me. The smooth road is when people in terminal situations, cancer treatment or the elderly tell me they love my product. It wasn’t always a whipped smooth Shea butter. Part of the reason I gave as much as I sold, in the beginning, was to make sure my product was effective and loved. Constructive criticism taught me much about my products. I actually listened and didn’t get offended. It was about the customer and making them feel luxurious and relaxed while trying to heal.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about 716CBD?
716CBD specializes in healthy, holistic hemp products that contain CBD. We are known for our hand-curated products, such as our many scents of Shea butter and our medicated CBD bath bombs. What sets us apart from others is that we have been here since 2018 silently building a brand that was strong and reputable. Brand wise I am most proud that we got it out the mud. I invested my own money from my day job into my passion. My building was purchased in the blueprint of GFivecultivation in Las Vegas. Larry Smith was a pioneer in this industry. Once again, I found someone I wanted to study and I did. He would answer questions via email etc and that always motivated me. This man was one of the first African American Cannabis firms in the country and he owned everything he did. The building was bought outright and I wanted to do the same. Not on the same scale, but I did it. In our community we have to have people to look up to and model behavior AND business after. Larry Smith and Leah (Farming While Black) were it for me. My brand actually started prior to me owning 716CBD. I’ve written or ghostwritten 6 book on Amazon and kindle. My podcast “Stay in Your Lane with D. Scott” is on iTunes and I’m almost 400 episodes in after 7 years. I’ve always been about practicing kindness and listening to our ancestors and deities. My services include “raging reiki” which I curated in 2018 as well. I’m a level 3 reiki master. My location will also offer spiritual sessions, ritualistic practices as well as learning tools based in our culture. There will also be food offerings given to those who need it, locally, once our raised bed gardens are in full effect. My goal was to be a pillar in the community. My city has so much history and I wanted very much to be a part of that. I hope I succeeded.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I learned that people needed my products during the height of Covid. Elderberry shot up to $70 a pound. I had access to a farm with elderberry. All of 2020 was spent sending out all my first responders and people who suffered with Covid a care package. People really got back to the earth and the basics during Covid. We started delivering and offering a no contact service for people that needed products. It wasn’t about money. That intention was my blessing in 2021 and I’m thankful.
Contact Info:
- Email: 716cbd@gmail.com
- Website: www.716CBD.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/716cbd/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=285089445730303&ref=content_filter
- Twitter: @716cbd
