Spotlight Series: Carrie Solomon of Greater Goods
In Canada, Cannabis 2.0 (i.e. concentrates, topicals, and edibles) are days away from being available through legally licensed retailers but in the States, some brands have already had an opportunity to thrive and build loyal followings. Take Greater Goods for example. This company makes delightful CBD infused treats using organic chocolate and zero chemicals. Husband and wife team Carrie Solomon and Jody Ake started a medical cannabis company in 2014 focusing on a topical product, then launched an edible line of truffles and chocolate bars that are sold throughout Oregon, Califonia, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Texas.
Learn more or place an order through their Website, or follow them on Instagram, Twitter or on the company Facebook Page.
Carrie Solomon. Photo credit: Sam Gehrke
How did you get involved in the cannabis industry?
In 2013, my husband and business partner was a medical marijuana card holder. At that time, he was a loyal user of a particular topical company who unfortunately stopped producing their product after a variety of new rules were passed requiring a more strict level of testing and packaging to be used.
When we were both unable to find an alternative product that smelled great and was super potent anywhere on the market, we decided to make our own. At that same time, we saw a huge opportunity in the market to create products that were very high quality and also branded more beautifully and with more transparency around ingredients and test results than most other companies had offered up to that point.
A designer by trade, I was able to put together a brand and offer our new (and better) product to the market at large. We quickly then also engaged in making edibles and offered those to the early medical market, launching officially in April of 2014.
At the end of 2018, we saw the opportunity to enter into the hemp CBD side of the industry, as we were getting increasingly more attention for our high CBD edibles on the regulated side as Leif Goods. We noticed that the CBD market was getting quite saturated with brands, however very few were approaching the industry with the intent of bringing something uniquely joyous to the market. We launched Greater Goods in May 2019 in order to offer something wonderful and happy to the wellness world of hemp CBD as an extension of our existing brand.
Tell us a little bit about your product or service:
We make full spectrum hemp CBD infused chocolates, confections and other functional goods to the conscientious consumer. Innovative, creative, and defiantly optimistic, we are on a mission to rescue the world from the mundane and free everyone from the conventional expectations of CBD. Every product is crafted by hand in small batches in Portland, Oregon.
What time does your day typically start and what does a normal day look like to you?
Our days start at the usual time, however each day is incredibly different. Some days we are deep in production, fine-tuning recipes and making sure all of our products are coming out beautifully and accurately. Other days, it’s all about networking and making new connections and friends to expand our business. We are on the cusp of opening the doors to our small retail space at the front of our production facility, so, many days lately have involved building out the location and getting ready for the public.
What is your vision for your company going forward?
We envision rapid expansion for our hemp CBD brand, and hope to be in every local supermarket across the US. Our plans are to continue to innovate our product line to keep our consumers excited all while having greater days.
What would an ideal post prohibition society look like to you?
It would look very similar to the beverage industry in terms of the number of product options consumers have, along with the accessibility of being able to purchase these types of goods in standard locations. We would also like there to be some reasonable form of regulating to help protect consumers from products that are questionable, untested, or do not adhere to certain types of standards that we uphold. At the same time, a true post-prohibition society will also have done the hard work to expunge convictions around cannabis use and distribution and create equitable opportunities for everyone to participate in the industry.
What was your first experience with cannabis like?
I was in a college dorm room with a group of girls a little more experienced than I. A joint was passed around and after that first experience, I felt nothing! When I consumed again the second time, soon thereafter, I started a relationship with cannabis that consistently provided feelings of creativity, comfort and calm, and I primarily consumed on my own for many years. I have since stopped consuming higher THC products, and now have my own regimen of CBD use on a daily basis.
Tell us about some of the challenges you face working in the cannabis industry
Being an entrepreneur in any industry is incredibly challenging, however, the cannabis industry comes with its own very particular pain points. One of which is the difficulty in banking properly and having to manage cash in many cases. We are starting to see movement on the CBD side of things, but still face discrimination when it comes to reasonable banking fees, credit card processing and approval for things like credit with wholesalers.
In addition, many consumers are under-educated about CBD to this day. It is incredibly prevalent, however, so much misinformation is provided. Much of our interaction with potential customers is discussing science, wellness and biology, to both quell their concerns and help them understand the complexities of dosing and usage around CBD.
What are some solutions you've found?
In terms of banking and credit card processing, we are seeing some smaller institutions and companies welcoming us as a CBD company as long as we continue to maintain our high level of transparency with these other entities. In terms of education, our solution is to not only keep educating by doing mainstream trade shows and opening our doors to customers, but also continuing to learn about CBD and how to communicate effectively any time we have the opportunity to teach.
What is one thing you wish everyone knew about cannabis?
It’s safe! Cannabis and hemp cannot harm you, no matter how much you consume! And, that it can treat so many ailments it is a viable and worthy alternative to so many pharmaceutical options that are way too easy to access in our modern society.
What is one thing you wish everyone knew about your product or service?
The most important component of our product is quality. Our beautiful packaging is not just for show, it is to signify that what you are about to consume is made of the highest quality ingredients and hemp oil we can source and that you can always trust Greater Goods to have the consumer in mind.
If you could go back in time and do it all over again, what (if anything) would you do differently?
I’m not sure we would have done anything differently! We took our time to source the CBD oil that we felt the most comfortable with, as well as creating a brand that we could be proud of.
What is your favorite way to consume cannabis:
Flower and edibles! I consume flower via a Pax or a pre-roll that is high in CBD on a regular basis for in-the-moment calmness since it is quicker acting and all of the flavors are able to come through. I consume edibles with hemp CBD like a vitamin to maintain my sense of well being and to battle inflammation.
Do you think cannabis legalization will change the world for the better? Why?
Yes, of course, but legalization will also come with it the burden of regulation. Legalization overall will enable more individuals to access the safe, reliable, alternative forms of medicine that could easily save lives. On a recreational level, it is healthier than alcohol, so that sort of access can do nothing but improve some of the outcomes of indulgence. In terms of regulation, we need to be mindful of what that looks like… will large companies commodify the product and push out smaller purveyors, thus lowering the quality of the product itself? Or will the rules and regulations allow smaller, craft outfits to thrive? We will see.
What advice would you offer to another woman who is looking to get into the industry?
Be strong and resilient. This industry is one challenge after the other, but it is still ours for the taking. We are at the point where we can still define what this world looks like, and female founders and CEOs are still able to create their own world without the same hindrances of some other long standing industries where male CEOs and networks dominate. But we also have to fight to be heard all the time and not be dissuaded by the everyday challenges that can be emotionally draining. Find other female founders to learn from, commiserate with and join in the fight to have an equal seat at the table.