As you may have noticed, CBD has been the breakout beauty and wellness ingredient of 2019. With a variety of uses from beauty products to tinctures and muscle rubs, it’s safe to say CBD is the current darling of the wellness industry. However, unlike so many male-led industries, the CBD beauty surge has been spearheaded by women. Lynn Honderd is one of those pioneering women. She founded Mary’s Brands back in 2013 before CBD really hit the mainstream and has led its success into retail stores and online.
Along with her financial services and business development background and a talented team of experts, Mary’s has become one of the premier brands in hemp and CBD. We got the chance to get an inside look at her journey as an entrepreneur, her advice for aspiring business owners, and the future of Mary’s Brands. Here’s what she had to say.
Lynn, first thank you for taking the time to do this interview! We’re excited to hear more about Mary’s and your journey as an entrepreneur. Can you tell us a bit more about your background and how you got started? What inspired you to start Mary’s Nutritionals?
Lynn Honderd: I am the proud founder and CEO of Mary’s Brands™. My background in financial services and business development has proven valuable in the quickly evolving cannabis and hemp industries. My acumen for managing complex business operations alongside a truly talented team of experts, has helped position all of Mary’s Brands™ as CPG leaders in the cannabis and hemp-derived CBD sectors over the past six years.
When adult-use cannabis passed in Colorado in November 2012, the market was flooded with products that had no ties to education, information or dosing, and everything was branded towards the psychedelic culture. There was an opportunity to explore clinical-grade delivery methods for those seeking alternatives to smoking cannabis. We were the first company to bring a transdermal cannabis patch to market. This was our way of being “the adult in the room”. We developed the patch to offer an accurately dosed, clean, discreet and convenient product for wellness and relief. In 2015, we launched Mary’s Nutritionals – hemp-derived CBD products for wellness and relief available to consumers nationwide based on the same key pillars of Mary’s Medicinals. Since then, we’ve been innovating at the intersection of science, technology and horticulture. We like to say that we are science smart, plant wise.
What has been the most difficult part of starting your business?
LH: The ever-evolving legal and regulatory framework from state to state.
How do you stay healthy and productive as an entrepreneur? Do you have any favorite apps or resources that have been helpful?
LH: I love to workout (when I can) run, lift weights, that said- everything in moderation. Currently, getting back on track to get fit! 😉 Traveling so much has taken its toll. My favorite apps include the calm app and my Peleton app- so when I am traveling and can’t use my bike, I have an app for that! Of course, daily intake of CBD keeps me sane as well!
What is your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
LH: You have to be confident when taking chances and understand that starting a business is not a democracy. If you own your role as a leader and share your passion with your team then you can go be successful. It is important to make changes within your company as it grows and make decisions based on what is best for the organization.
CBD has a lot of confusion surrounding it right now; what do you think are the most important points in educating consumers about CBD?
LH: Not all CBD is created equal, and it is important that the CBD you are using is extracted from organically grown plants AND is third party tested. Mary’s mission is to educate consumers on the benefits of cannabinoid therapy and how CBD can help them reach their full potential. Whether it is a few drops of The Remedy in the morning, a Transdermal Patch to get you through the work day, or soaking in the bath with a Calm Bath Bomb and an application of a CBD Mud Mask at the end of the day, there are multiple ways to consumer and reap the benefits of cannabinoid therapy.
Are there any resources you recommend for helping consumers understand CBD?
LH: The Realm of Caring and Project CBD. We also have a website called https://maryspubs.com/ that houses all of our print education pieces in digital form.
What are the most popular products from Mary’s and what is your personal favorite?
LH: Top sellers are The Remedy Oil, The Transdermal Patch, and Muscle Freeze. My current favorites are The Transdermal Gel Pen, Calm Bath Bomb, and our new Mud Mask!
Mary’s has quite a variety of CBD application types. Can you tell us a little more about the various applications and what their best uses are?
LH: We have transdermal products that offer a systemic (full body) relief when applied to the veinous areas of the skin. This innovative technology allows the CBD to bypass your first-rate metabolism in order to receive the maximum benefits of the product. I don’t EVER travel without a Transdermal Patch or The Transdermal Gel Pen. They help take the edge off on long flights!
Our Muscle Freeze and Elite Compound were created for fast acting spot specific relief. Both contain eucalyptus and menthol as well, so you experience an immediate soothing sensation prior to the CBD working its magic! These products are ideal for soothing sore muscles or offering relief to achy joints.
What other products are in the works for Mary’s Nutritionals? What future plans do you have for your business?
LH: In a nut shell, Mary’s is centered around distilling the wisdom of plants to help people reach the full potential of their bodies, minds, and lives. We believe that this begins with proper education on plant-based therapies and adopting CBD and other cannabinoids into daily wellness routines. We just launched 5 new skincare products in December, so we will continue adding to this product selection as we learn more about the endocannabinoid system in our skin!
Mary’s Nutritionals is available at CBD Beauty Corner at The Salon Project at Saks Fifth Avenue as well as online and at select retailers. To shop and for locations, go to marysnutritionals.com.
Hey look there are companies in the US and canada that can sell CBD nationwide. (thegrowhouse. ca) is one but the list goes on and on .. why not everywhere? I only mention them because they say they are opening up sales in the USA and Europe. They sell weed in canada so will that even work?