The 5 W’s to Coming Clean About Your Cannabis Use to Your Employees.

The 5 W’s to Coming Clean About Your Cannabis Use to Your Employees.

The 5 W’s to Coming Clean About Your Cannabis Use to Your Employees.

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It might not be what you want to hear, but it’s everything you need.

If you’ve ever written a high school essay, you know what the 5 W’s and 1 H are: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. Today, I’ll break down how to use them to figure out whether or not to come clean about your cannabis use to your employees.

Although cannabis has been legalized for adult use in many of the United States, it’s still illegal in several States and at the federal level. That creates consequences for business leaders who would otherwise like to be open about their use of the plant. 

If you’ve used the plant for some time, you’ll know that being open about cannabis use can pull people closer together, so it begs the question, “when is it worth it to tell and when is it a bad idea”?

Only you know the right answer for you, but before you take the leap, pause for a moment to answer these questions first.

1. Why do you want to come clean to them? 

Maybe it’s just me, but it feels like the answer to why is always the most important.  So, why do you want to tell your team about your cannabis use? Is it to save you the trouble of trying to keep it secret with eye drops and spray at the company party? Is it because cannabis is a critical part of your overall wellness plan? Is it because you’ve decided to become an activist or to share with your friends and family? There isn’t a right or wrong why, but it’s important to give the question an honest moment’s thought and make sure it’s really worth it to you. As you’ll find out in some of the other W’s, there may be a lot of details to consider before you make your final decision. A worthwhile why will keep you motivated as you move along the potentially rocky path.

2. Who should you tell? 

Who in your company should or should not know about your cannabis use? Your first response might be that you should only tell your highest paid or closest teammates. They likely keep a lot of other company secrets, so they can keep this one too, right? Wrong. 

First off, your right to use cannabis isn’t protected by federal law and may not be protected by state law or other legal guidelines and policies required in your line of work or position. So, if they slip up and tell someone, you can’t do anything about it and you’ll be 100% liable for the fallout. 

Secondly, it’s really difficult and uncomfortable for your employees to try to keep big secrets from the other people they work with. When you are a peer, they have more incentive to keep your secret so you’ll keep theirs, but if you’re in a position of leadership over them, this secret will ultimately hurt both parties.

So who can you tell? The only answers are: everyone or no-one. That doesn’t mean you need to create a company memo about it, we’ll talk about that in a moment, but it does mean you need to think through the situation from an all or none perspective.  If anyone knows, you can assume everyone knows. What types of consequences could that cause for you, your company, or your team? On the other hand, if you’re open about it after you’ve evaluated the risks, folks won’t feel the need to keep secrets for you when they might also be fighting the stereotypes they believe about the plant and those who use it. Are you ready to be completely open about it or will you keep trying to hide it from the people who work with or for you for awhile longer?

3. What does it mean to come clean about cannabis use?

What are we talking about here in terms of coming clean? Should you write a company memo about it, create a new company policy, or just slowly let news leak through the ranks from your closest out? Let’s get super clear that your first what is actually research. You need to know what your company and industry policies and relevant laws are regarding cannabis use. For example, an Arizona state transportation company executive may not be able to use cannabis openly due to federal TSA regulations. He may think it’s fine because it’s legal for adult use in Arizona, but the federal body that oversees our interstate highways doesn’t agree or recognize those laws.  There are also unclear and dangerous DUI laws in many places that could cause a driver to be arrested for cannabis use that happened up to 30 days prior! If your business receives money from any federal bodies, you need to seriously consider whether or not your confession could cause problems for your agency. You should also consider what the consequences could be for employees on your team to come clean about their cannabis use. Would they face repercussions like losing their license, their children, their housing, or their freedom for using or being caught with the plant? Is your answer different for any individual person or role at the company? If there are laws or policies in place that could penalize people at your company, your job is to fight those laws and get new laws passed, not to tell everyone that you smoke weed on the weekend. Assuming you’ve done all your research and you’re certain there are no big ramifications for being open about your cannabis use, consider the following details before you let the cat out of the bag.

4. How should you come clean about your cannabis use?

Now that you’ve discovered your why, researched the possible risks, and decided you’re ready to tell everyone about it, how should you do it?  Your answer should depend on your specific goals for coming clean. Before I took the leap of intentionally and openly talking about my cannabis use, I worked to understand it’s role in my wellness. I also took the time to understand the history of legalization and criminalization and how those have affected different parts of our society.  I evaluated the historical significance and the medicinal value not only for myself but for others like kids fighting epilepsy and young mothers having their children taken from them by CPS for using the plant to treat symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum. As I learned more, the conversations became easier and easier to have, but they centered more on my “why” than on my use.  My use of the plant became a secondary point to the discussion of the injustices associated with the “war on drugs” and how to repair its’ harm. Through this lens, you can see that the “how” can change dramatically – from changing outdated policies at your company to company-wide campaigns to raise money or lobby for better laws and protections. In other words, no, you don’t need to write a company memo to let everyone know.  Instead, make sure your company and community are safe places for people who use the plant and keep your personal business to yourself when it’s not relevant to work.  Don’t start lighting up in your office unless every employee in every role can safely do the same.  Your vocal and persistent fight to protect people’s rights to use this medicine will tell the story for you.

5. Where is the right place to talk about cannabis use with employees?

You may have picked it up by now, but generally speaking, the office isn’t the best place to talk about cannabis use unless you’ve already handled the other W’s and/or you own a cannabis-related company. Unless you’re doing something at your business that pertains to cannabis or have a specific situation where your admission will benefit your employees but not risk your company, your cannabis use should be a personal matter. I made the mistake early in my career of sharing my cannabis use with some of my direct reports, thinking it would be kept between us. It was not, especially when the power dynamic was there.  Now that it’s legal for adult use in my state and I work for myself, I can be as open about it as I want. I generally don’t drink at parties, and now always ask if there’s a place I can smoke cannabis, because that’s my preference.  I still get funny looks and a lot of judgements, but I accept those because I know my boldness may help someone in the future who needs it for more than just a nice evening. There are people who don’t and won’t work with me only because of my open advocacy for cannabis access. It’s worth it for me every day because of my why.

6. When is the right time to come clean about your cannabis use?

It’s time to do it when you’ve got a strong why, who, what, where, and how figured out. Don’t do it before then or you’ll probably experience consequence you don’t love, like folks quitting, reporting you, suing you, gossiping about you, underestimating you, discrediting you behind your back, and just generally causing you unnecessary trouble. 

Take your time to think about and formulate your plan before you tell anyone at all if possible.  

If, however, someone “found out” on your team, move the other questions along quickly, because you have to assume everyone knows now and consequences might already be forming. Facing the truth head on and challenging any pre-conceived stereotypes you might also harbor will help you deal with said consequences in the best way possible.

Many of the business leaders I work with also use cannabis regularly in a variety of ways. Most of them have kept it a secret for fear of repercussions, and too many carry an associated, but unfounded, shame with it. My willingness to both learn more and to share my learnings publicly has encouraged several otherwise secret cannabis consuming business owners and servant leaders to open up about how the plant supports them too. It has built a foundation for great friendships and long-lasting relationships, as well as costing me some clientele and projects.

At the end of all of these points, I want to wrap it up with this: Your use of cannabis is not shameful, but the way white supremacy culture has used cannabis to imprison generations of Black, Brown, and poor folks is shameful. If you have ANY privilege and you use cannabis for wellness, your most important job with relation to the plant is to use that privilege to increase access and justice in every sphere of influence you have. That could definitely include changing company policies and lobbying to change laws to protect people who use the plant. It could also include sharing your use of the plant with your team. Most importantly is that you recognize the role cannabis plays in our whole society, not just in your life, and recognize and work to share any privilege and access you have with others who may need it even more than you.

If you are feeling ready to come clean, but need help putting together your plan, I’m here to help. Let’s hop on a quick, free call to talk about where you’re at and what resources you need in the short term and over time. We can do this together.

Written by Bridgett Hart

I help people understand what LOVE is, and teach them HOW to apply it to any relationship in their life.

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How to Use Your Creativity to Access Your Creative Genius

How to Use Your Creativity to Access Your Creative Genius

How to Use Your Creativity to Access Your Creative Genius

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Sometimes the best thing you can do for work is stop working.

We already had a 20% deficiency when we got the letter.  The additional 20% cut to our government contracted rates for providing group home services was going into effect in two weeks. Our payroll was 80% of our expenses and critical to providing our services so layoffs weren’t an option.  It felt like the worst possible scenario but we made it through by finding creative solutions to common and uncommon problems, developing systems to close our gaps, and through the power of art therapy.  Here are a few ways we used our creativity to access our creative genius and make something better out of the biggest challenge we faced as a team.

  1. Open-ended anonymous surveys, followed by optional, paid focus group sessions – one of the most important things we did was to create an open-ended anonymous survey for all team members to give us their feedback on what was working, what wasn’t working, and ideas they had for improving. We included vendors, clients, client families, and the whole team. Once we had processed the results of the first layer of data, we held focus group sessions that were paid time for employees so they could give deeper feedback on our dime instead of theirs. Everything else was a result of this process. 
  2. Open book management – As taught in the classic book “The Great Game of Business”, we began to implement an “open book” style of management which means we shared the financials with the whole team and taught each member of the team how to translate and take ownership of their portion of the overall budget and financials. We learned together as a team and held each other accountable.  We applied this same style of management to the quality assurance tools we created as well.
  3. Painting, designing, and updating our facilities – we needed to do some updates to our group homes, but the budget cuts were making that nearly impossible.  As a result of the surveys and the open book management, the team decided to work together to do “Home Makeovers” for each of the group homes as a team. We designed, painted, purchased used furniture & decor, and worked with the residents at each home to create an environment they loved. We weren’t featured in Designers Digest, but we had fun and built relationships with each other, our vendors and supporters, and our clients and their families.
  4. Fun time together – Even though I’m a total introvert and loathe the idea of trying to hang out with a bunch of folks I don’t know while trying to maintain small talk, having fun together was one of the best ways we accessed our creative genius. It wasn’t brainstorming sessions or mandatory after-hours meetings. Instead, it was parties that included clients and the community, general respect for each other, and an authentic interest in each other’s lives. It was easier to build all of those things because we had transparency and accountability. We learned to enjoy being around one another and many folks developed relationships that are still strong 15 years later, including my husband and I!
  5. Music, dance, singing, art – The arts were everywhere in our business. We had art therapy happening every day in our day program room, along with music, singing, and instruments. But we didn’t stop there. We incorporated music, dancing, singing, and art into most of the things we did. We encouraged folks to bring their arts with them to work.  We had singers, songwriters, teachers, chefs, dancers, painters, sculptors, and more on the team. By focusing attention on what each person wanted to bring and finding ways to encourage those strengths, we developed the creative genius of the entire team. Including music all the time was like adding fertilizer to creativities soil.
  6. Eating together – Because we ran a group home business, meals were a big part of our overall operations and something we included with a lot of our team-building efforts.  I always say “if you feed them, they will come”. Maybe it was manipulation, but providing food for meetings and parties was a way for the company to give people what they needed in a form that we could afford by working together.  The chefs would cook delicious meals with residents and bring them to meetings to share with all. We also hosted lunch at least once a month for team members to be served, like they did for others every day.
  7. A realistic understanding of boundaries – every step of the way we discussed boundaries as a team. Both personal and professional. While we were friendly and opened every door and window we could for creativity to come in, we were also a business fraught with liability. It was imperative that we always met our licensing requirements, limited our exposure to increased risk, and found creative and safe solutions. Open book management and the transparency and accountability that resulted from it were important tools for helping us keep this detail in mind at all times. As Executive Director of the organization, I eventually decided to take part in the training of every employee that came on board so I could directly teach the importance of the balance between fun and liability and how to find ways to safely say yes.

It wasn’t all rainbows and roses though. We had to work through some less-than-ideal choices of teammates along the way. When people get close, sometimes they begin to share information and details that don’t belong in every environment. We had growing pains. We lost some folks along the way in our attempt to walk the line between fun and liability, but surprisingly, many are still connected, even if only on social media.

If you find yourself faced with anxiety, a big dilemma, or any challenge that has you stumped, remember that your creative genius is always there, but needs to be woken up regularly. 

To do that, I recommend writing, painting, dancing, singing, acting, sculpting, speaking, or even observing or listening to the arts as great activities to get the creative genius juices flowing. Yoga, meditation, hiking, swimming, boating, and walking around your neighborhood or city can also work wonders in allowing your creativity to blossom. 

It can feel as if working a problem to death is the only plausible solution, but the truth is, walking away and focusing on fun for a while can be a great way to open up blocks our brains have created around the problem. That’s why one of the most important things I do with clients is to have fun. Yes, coaching can be painful and grueling, but it can also be (should also be!) fun, creative, and transformative.  If that sounds like the type of coaching you want, let’s chat. I have a group program opening in April and openings for individual coaching clients starting in January. In the meantime, if you want to understand more about the model I use for coaching and consulting, check out The Hart Habits framework below. I love you!

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Written by Bridgett Hart

I help people understand what LOVE is, and teach them HOW to apply it to any relationship in their life.

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5 Tools for Getting Rest in a Chaotic Service Role

5 Tools for Getting Rest in a Chaotic Service Role

5 Tools for Getting Rest in a Chaotic Service Role

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Servant Leaders take ourselves out!

I spent the first 20 years of my career trying to save the world.  I had a business degree and a heart for social services so I combined the two to develop and run out-of-school programs for K – 6th graders.

When I started, it was with hope in my heart that giving kids a safe, fun place to be during out-of-school hours would support our community and help our next generation grow stronger and wiser. 

Now that I saw what happened in the 2022 midterm elections, I’m pretty sure I was right about that, but what I didn’t realize was that the problems I helped solve didn’t end with fun activities after school.

I was quickly assaulted by the truth of privilege in the US and how different home and community life can be for children in different economic areas – often separated by race, ethnicity, and citizenship.  Over time, I helped with several organizations, legal efforts, non-profits, collaborations, grants, and more because the needs were so great and the resources so limited. I could never do enough.

As I look back now, grateful for the tools I’m about to share with you, I wish I had known better ways to fight for change and equity besides simply running myself ragged trying to “save” everyone.  We’re getting better at this with Gen Z folks as our business and political leaders, but we still have work to do to reverse the damage done by generations of greed and white supremacy. As the brilliant Tricia Hersey of The Nap Ministry explains in her book, “Rest IS Resistance”.

The following are tools I often overlooked for maintaining rest in my chaotic service leadership roles, but I’ve been able to fall back on them consistently. Now, I prioritize them so I can maintain the work I’m doing on purpose and with intention. Make sure you consult with your doctor, therapist, and lawyer when considering these options for yourself. 

 

Sleep

It is easier said than done, but I can not overstate the importance of sleep.  I had a period where I was working in a political situation involving senate committees and big business. I was also doing a day job and running a startup. I really believed the work I was doing was important, and perhaps it was, but I was up at 5 am and having calls until past 10 pm for months. When I hit the wall, I smashed into it at full speed and it took me 6 months to recover. Simply placing a boundary around my sleep could have made the difference between longevity and burnout.

When we’re talking about sleep though, it’s a very personal and nuanced topic. It’s important to take into account physical, mental, and environmental factors affecting your ability to sleep soundly and give your body the time it needs to rest and restore every day.  I’m not a sleep doctor, but I’ve heard folks report needing anywhere from 6 – 10 hours, which seems reasonable to me.  The key is to prioritize your sleep and create boundaries to protect however much time your body needs for it. That includes seeing a doctor if your body is telling you it’s having trouble getting or staying asleep.

Rest/Sleep Aids

Speaking of sleep, there are a lot of tools you can use to aid your sleep mentally, physically, and environmentally. Some of my favorites include:

  1. Oil Diffuser – When I can’t sleep, an oil diffuser with high-quality lavender oil is perfect. I love the essential oil from Ali’i Kula, the lavender farm on Maui. 
  2. Brain.fm – Brain.fm plays frequencies designed to put your brain into different states like focus, rest, and sleep.  Its sleep tracks are lovely and work like a charm with a nighttime headset. They are best played through headphones and can play for up to 10 hours straight.
  3. Calm app – the Calm app offers both guided and unguided meditations for sleep and other things. I honestly recommend this app for all day, anytime you could use a pick me up about one thing or another, but especially for sleep.  They even have children’s sleep meditations and stories so you can help your kids sleep well too! My 8-year-old is out like a light in about 4 minutes when I play their sleep meditations for her. 
  4. CBD/THC products – in most of the United States, you can now order Hemp-derived CBD products and legally have them shipped right to your door. I highly recommend a nighttime edible (gummy, tea, tincture, etc) as well as topical creams, lotions, and bath products to prevent and minimize aches and pains.  Two of my favorite sources for reliable, lab-tested, state-licensed products are TruInfusion and Polite. Both of these companies also have full-spectrum THC versions of their products available at licensed dispensaries in a few states. If your state has legalized cannabis, you’ll be able to find comparable products at your local dispensary. I don’t recommend buying CBD or THC products from brands that don’t provide lab results. There are a lot of snake oil salesmen in this market still.
  5. Sleeping pills – Of course, you should consult your doctor and follow all precautions, but it’s funny to me how we’ve demonized OTC sleeping pills when they are inexpensive and can be super effective. Costco carries a great OTC product that’s about $10 for a 192-day supply. Let me assure you, 192 days of great sleep can transform your life.  While you may have different results, I use them and have never had a problem waking up for an emergency or feeling drowsy in the morning.
  6. Good pillows and mattress – This would seem to go without saying, but I know how hard it can be in some phases of life to have a high-quality mattress and pillows, AND this is one of those areas worth spending money on because good sleep is that important.  If you aren’t sleeping well because your mattress hurts or your pillows are wrong for you, they’re robbing the whole world of your best self. Maybe you can find someone to contribute to your cause!  Also, there are less expensive but good options now in the mattress world. Check out a Tuft & Needle or another foam mattress company – they even have payment plans and money-back guarantees! I like to use a pillow between my knees to help relieve lower back stress.
  7. Blankets – Another simple but crucial part is the blankets you have on your bed. Are they too hot, too cold, too heavy, or too light? Some folks sleep much better with a weighted blanket, while others do best with no more than a sheet. Bearaby has gorgeous weighted blankets of various weights. Providing the right type of comfort to your body and nervous system while you sleep will help you get the best rest. Don’t forget to change and wash blankets regularly because even if you’re very clean, allergens can build up in blankets and make it tough to breathe while you’re asleep.
  8. Programmed HVAC – Programmable HVAC thermostats and digital home control centers make it easy to ensure the temperature in your house is conducive to your sleep. If yours isn’t already programmable, time to switch it up! That 1 or 2-degree drop at night is the difference between a sound sleep and a session of night sweats for me. My husband, the HVAC expert, recommends the Honeywell programmable thermostats.

 

Physical health

Your physical health is a contributing factor to the quality of your rest. Again, since I’m not a doctor, I’ll remind you, go see yours!  Just because you don’t have any acute symptoms, if you feel you aren’t able to rest properly, it’s worth a visit. It could be a case of low or high blood pressure, blood glucose levels, dehydration, or so much more. It might be nothing or it could be a big deal. Prevention and early treatments are key to maintaining good health, which you need to do if you’re going to keep up all that important work you’re doing! Prioritize the body that carries and supports you the way you support your community and the folks who need you. Have that same grace and compassion for yourself as you have for them.

Boundaries/schedule 

This is one of the biggest challenges I see clients consistently facing. Especially the servant leaders. And it’s because we’ve been lied to. We’ve been told to ask ourselves “if not me, then who”? Well, I have a different answer than “Me”.  It’s the universe, God, love, the community, Spirit, or whatever you want to call it. In a nutshell, you AREN’T the only person on the planet who can solve XYZ issue.  You may believe you are, but if you disappeared tonight, many things would carry on in your absence, some would adapt or burn out, the earth would continue spinning, and life would carry on. As harsh as that may seem, it’s actually a blessing.  You are not responsible to save the world, my friend!  You, too, deserve to have boundaries and balance in your life and to allocate time, effort, and resources towards yourself, your family, your fun, your health, and your well-being just as much as you do towards your work and service. So, create boundaries that work for you and allow yourself to schedule your rest, whatever that looks like. Personally, my clients know that if they text or email after 7 pm they will likely not get a response until the following day. No one has canceled on me for it yet! If this is a tough practice for you to begin, I recommend the book The BOSS Shift by my friend and business associate La’Vista Jones. In it, she talks about the dangers of allowing the overwhelm to take us out and how to set up systems and self-care to win the battle. 

Therapy

Last, but more like first and definitely not least, is therapy. I’m no therapist, but there was a point along my path when I realized the way I threw myself into “saving the world” was a trauma response from a young girl who felt very little control. Does that mean the work I did for the community before I realized that was tainted or bad? No, not necessarily, but I WAS pouring from a leaky cup. That leaky cup still gave water to the people right in my vicinity, but it couldn’t do much more than that. You don’t need therapy because you’re messed up or broken or have something wrong with you. The opposite, in fact. You need therapy because you’re a typical human who has experienced things you didn’t understand at the time. And there isn’t just one type of therapy. It’s white supremacy to think that’s the case. Many spiritual, cultural, and medicinal practices have therapeutic outcomes. That’s a journey for you to take for yourself, but I’m here to remind you that you are worth it and that a healed and healing you can do everything better. 

 

The overarching point of this post is to remind you that even though your work is so vital and helps so many people in so many ways, you are equally important in the equation. Your health and well-being are vital to all the work you do and to you being able to live your best life. When I was forced to my deathbed at 39 years old, I had to face the reality that everyone would carry on without me if I didn’t survive. It was sad and scary at first, but it was liberating once I realized that while I am still alive, caring for the body I live in was actually job number 1. Everything else I do and can do is dependent on how well I do that while I have the privilege to.

If you feel yourself getting stretched too thin in your chaotic service roles, I have some things coming to help you get back on track. Let’s hop on a quick, free call to talk about where you’re at and what resources you need in the short term and over time. I’m here to support you.

Written by Bridgett Hart

I help people understand what LOVE is, and teach them HOW to apply it to any relationship in their life.

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5 books that will support your total transformation

5 books that will support your total transformation

5 books that will support your total transformation

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If you want DIY coaching, here it is!

As a child, I was the type of reader that used books as an escape from reality.  I spent ALL night under my covers with a flashlight reading every ending to my Choose Your Own Adventure book. I constantly had a pile of 10 or more library books by my bed.

As I grew older, I was a “Faithful Christian” and focused more on building my career than my relationships (the only two choices besides church I knew of at the time) so I focused my reading on Bible-related books and Business How-tos. I was single though, so the church didn’t leave me much time for reading.

I remember in the first version of my Facebook page, the Bible was the only book I could find to add to my “Books I like” section and at the time, I felt proud of that. 

Thankfully, I soon decided to study love and blew open my thirst for & appreciation of the millions of delicious books and art forms available to connect with.

Over the following 15 years, I read everything I could get my hands on again. I had a library card, amazon, a student id, and eventually an Audible account, so I read a lot!

Looking back at the books that made the biggest impact on my life, I narrowed the list down to the top 5 that supported my total transformation at a foundational level.  Of course, these are just a starting place, but I’m sharing them in order of the impact they made on me, not necessarily in the order you should read them. In fact, I added in the date I read each so you can see I started with taking a sip of the knowledge and worked my way up to the full meals. Each has a link where you can buy it from my favorite local bookstore because supporting local is a value I learned in my study of love, but feel free to find your own local resources!

Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsh published in 1995, I listened in 2021

This is a series of 4 books written by the author in an interview style. His story is that he was awoken in the night over several nights and several years and prompted to ask the questions posed in the book.  The answers are what was given to him to write down. The questions are the deepest ones we’ve all asked if we are looking to understand God better, especially if we come from a Christian background. The answers are simple yet profound. Just as I would expect God’s responses to be. I listened to it on Audible instead of reading and if I hadn’t I may not have made it through.  4 books can seem daunting but it was worth every second and passed quickly. I didn’t even realize it was 4 books worth until I was done! Afterward, I felt both irritated I had never read it before and grateful because I wasn’t spiritually ready to receive it before. I would have blown it off as “new-agey” stuff when it really isn’t if you believe God is omniscient. 

All about love by bell hooks published in 1999, I read in 2020

The title is self-explanatory but as the author dives into her understanding of love, it’s poetic in her depiction of what has been lost for love due to capitalism, patriarchy, and systemic racism. It’s a beautiful interweaving of the individual and community experience of love and how dependent they are on one another. Both nuanced and direct, her writing style will have you highlighting whole pages as you realize where you need to do better personally and how you can contribute to the community best as well. I wish this was required reading for every high school student in the country.  I believe we would become better as a nation almost immediately.

The Widest Net by Pamela Slim published in 2022, I read and listened in 2022

Although this book was just released this year, it’s already a business classic in the making and one I’ve been putting into practice in my business for years as I watched her develop the system. You may have heard me talk about Startup Life Support, which I’ve been part of for several years now. The work I’ve done with this group of folks has been so influential in my life that my family and I moved from the west side of town to the east side partly to be near them! As influential as the group has been for my business health and personal well-being, it is a product of The Widest Net method that Pam Slim put into place at her IRL location, Ké Main Street Business Lab so I got to see watch this book developing from the inside.  I can attest personally that her marketing methods work like hard-won community-building economic development magic. If you are building a business or already have one that you want to level up, this book is a MUST-READ. 

The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris published in 2007, I read it in 2007

I put this book lower on the list, but not because its impact was truly less.  It was probably one of the most pivotal books I’ve read because it allowed me to imagine something different for my money-making activities than I had before. I only put it lower because the principles it shares are simpler and easier to learn and even apply than the books I’ve mentioned above. Instead of being a deep philosophical dive into spirituality or marketing or community, this book is practical and gives real-life ideas about how to develop a business that doesn’t eat up your life. It was perfect for my transition from corporate jobs to building my own business and helping others build theirs. I still apply principles from this book consistently.

Strengths-Based Leadership by Gallup published in 2008, I read in 2010

I read this book while I was still working in corporate and I’m so glad I did. Learning to appreciate the people I worked with for their strengths also allowed me to appreciate my strengths more.  This book is a follow-up to the book Strengths 2.0 by Tom Rath and dives into data collected by the Gallup survey over 35 years. The premise is that each of us has a different combination of 34 core strengths and when we get to operate in our top 5 or so regularly, we have better, more fulfilled lives. As a leader, when we take the time to recognize those strengths and build teams of folks who have complementary, instead of the same, strengths, we can build a more solid foundation and ultimately a more profitable and effective organization. When folks are able to emphasize and develop their strengths instead of being penalized for their weaknesses, they do better work and live better lives. It has a snowball effect.  Also, you get the Strengths Finder quiz free when you buy the book! The quiz and the information you get from that are worth far more than the price of the book.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think? Favorite parts? Least favorite? I’d love to hear your thoughts and talk about them more with you. If you are my client, there’s a HUGE chance I’ve recommended one or more of these books along the way, so if you want DIY coaching, here’s a start! If reading might not be enough and you could use more support in your journey in business and servant leadership, let’s jump on a free, no-obligation phone call to talk about your visions and how to get there. I can’t wait to talk. I love you!

Written by Bridgett Hart

I help people understand what LOVE is, and teach them HOW to apply it to any relationship in their life.

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Top 10 Secrets You Need to Know Before Starting a Cannabiz

Top 10 Secrets You Need to Know Before Starting a Cannabiz

Top 10 Secrets You Need to Know Before Starting a Cannabiz

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Even the “Experts” don’t understand some of these important truths!

You’ve been successful in business and created revenue for yourself and your family, why not do that in cannabis with so much growth and opportunity?

Haven’t you heard? Just take what you do and do it in cannabis.

It sounds idyllic until you start encountering the many roadblocks that have been strategically placed along your path. It took me eleven years on the inside to understand them, but here are the top 10 secrets you need to know before starting a cannabiz.

1. Unrealistic Expectations:

Many folks seem to think that having a cannabis business means cannabis consumption all the time. It can, when it’s your business, but if you aren’t intentional with how you apply cannabis in your life, it can also be a hindrance. There are also a lot of folks (like those you may hire in the future) who think it might be okay to be high all the time when “working in cannabis”. We already know it’s not all smoking weed and eating Cheetos on the couch, but a poorly placed linalool dose in the middle of the day can dampen a productive afternoon. If cannabis is important to you, you can incorporate it mindfully into any type of business you have. You don’t have to have a cannabis business.

2. If it’s not working out of Cannabis, it won’t work in:

If you have an insurance, tax, Hr, bookkeeping, skincare, beverage, or consulting company right now and it’s not working well for some reason, switching to Cannabis will NOT solve your problems.  It will more likely multiply them. In addition to it probably being a core issue with your business model, product, or marketing, adding cannabis will make it tougher to navigate, not easier. Keep the cannabis in your personal life until you’re sure you want to go that route and read to the end if you don’t know how it gets tougher.

3. Banking:

As long as cannabis is a schedule 1 drug (which it should not be, but that’s for another post) to the federal government, there are bountiful issues. They start with banking. Cannabis businesses cannot be insured by the FDIC, so they cannot legally have bank accounts. There are a lot of workarounds folks use, but at the core, they are all federally illegal still and come with huge risks.  One of my clients had over $10K taken by a payment processor because they decided it was an illegal business.  They were hosting legal events in a legal state. 

4. Advertising:

Advertising in its many forms, from magazines to tv, radio, and the internet are heavily regulated by the FCC, a Federal body. Therefore, you run into rules that block you from advertising marijuana, cannabis, or any related products.  Yes, there are ways to work around it, that’s part of what I help clients do, but it can be costly and requires a commitment to meeting the culture (that I’ll talk more about in a few paragraphs) where they are with what they need most. 

5. Federal Benefits:

Since the sale of the plant and any ancillary businesses are generally illegal at the federal level, businesses in this space don’t have the same legal protections at the federal level.  For example, dispensaries and many cannabis companies were not eligible for PPP loans. They are also not able to write off normal business expenses the way typical businesses are and they are often given additional local and state taxes to pay on their sales. Also, contracts you make with cannabis-touching businesses (like dispensaries) may not hold up in a court of law if they end up defaulting. Beyond the State level or when talking about federal breaches, the federal court has to excuse itself because the whole transaction is illegal in their eyes. This leads to my next point.

6. BIG Money and political power involved:

When you realize the value of each dispensary license across the nation and world, you understand the raw attraction of big money to control the market and make sure legislation is created that will favor their objectives. Yes, there are a lot of obstacles right now, but the biggest money can bleed until everyone else has bled dry and then scoop up all the remains and emerge as the victor. If you don’t have the finances to compete with the big money in the current legal structure, consider whether you are ready to lose everything for this dream. When I say big money, think the biggest money piles in the world like big pharma, international shipping,  big real estate, and the prison industrial complex. Plan accordingly.

7. The Green Tax:

I’ve alluded to it before, but it has a name.  The “green tax” is the extra fees cannabis-related businesses pay all around to be and stay in business. From the literal IRS tax implications of 280E to the added state, county, and city taxes that can be tacked on, there are also exorbitant licensing fees, incredible requirements for cash reserves, and line items added on for everyone along the way that provides a service that would otherwise be difficult or illegal to access due to federal law. It’s designed to keep you out unless you have immense wealth and resources.

8. Censorship:

Every platform can make its own rules of engagement. Many of them censor content related to marijuana and cannabis simply because they don’t want to deal with the consequences the FCC might impose. If you don’t know the specific rules about what is and is not okay to post on each platform, you can quickly be de-platformed and lose followers, online stores, blog content, and more. Usually, there’s no recovering what’s been lost on other platforms.

9. Culture Clash:

The “cannabis culture” is a subgroup of society that remains hidden from a lot of typical environments. While many are beginning to open up about their cannabis use, it’s still not accepted in public places and can result in arrest in many locations still, especially for Black, Indigenous, Brown, and poor people.  Parents still have to be careful about when and how they use cannabis products for fear of being reported and penalized by outdated laws and societal stigmas. Add this to a highly publicized and seemingly profitable legalization effort and the cannabis community feels the pain every day. As a community, they have been punished for so long and not given the respect or recognition they deserve because they’ve had to stay hidden to stay safe. Then cannabis “bros” who have never suffered any of those consequences flood in and try to gouge the market. In a nutshell, if you’re not ready to meet the cannabis culture where they are, prepare to die out in a “blaze of glory”.

10. Go Hemp:

Now that I’ve properly scared you out of going into the “Cannabis” business, let me tell you what WILL work if you’ve decided it’s still for you. HEMP. Now, I won’t go into the nuts and bolts of the differences between Hemp and Cannabis (because they are the same plant), but I can tell you that by simply changing the word you use and using a plant with less than .3% THC, you will suddenly face far fewer obstacles.  See, the 2018 Farm Bill legalized Hemp and Hemp-derived CBD products federally. That means the products can be shipped across most of the United States, they can have banking, and they can be sold online or in person wherever you live. If you wanted to be an accountant for Hemp companies, you can do that niching more easily than for cannabis companies. One word of caution though: if you plan to get into beverages, topicals, edibles, or anything people will ingest or use, make sure you consider how the FDA is regulating those items.  While they may not currently be FDA regulated, they likely will soon and your company will need to be able to adapt fully and quickly.

Are you stuck? I can help you, not only with operations; but with HR, marketing, web development and more. Let’s chat. 

I’ve included a link below to my framework, The Hart Habits, which can help you work through some of these things for yourself or if you still have more questions than answers, let’s set up a quick call to talk about your vision and how to get there. I can’t wait to chat!

Download The Hart Habits Framework Now

Written by Bridgett Hart

I help people understand what LOVE is, and teach them HOW to apply it to any relationship in their life.

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Don't Wait.

You Deserve to Shine Now.

5 Important Small Business Expenses and 5 Expenses to Avoid

5 Important Small Business Expenses and 5 Expenses to Avoid

5 Important Small Business Expenses and 5 Expenses to Avoid

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You’ve got to spend money to make money. Spend it right!

Do you already have an established small business but keep finding yourself stuck financially? Are you already questioning what’s important to spend money on RIGHT NOW? It’s pretty simple and common for small business owners to get themselves in a bad money situation. Let’s take a step back and sort some things out together. Prioritize what’s important for your small business… ready, go!

5 Important expenses-whether you’re a start-up or established.

  1. Money Cruncher (accountant). Having an accountant or CFO can save you exponential amounts of money; even more than you spend on them. They are also great at holding you accountable and breaking down your returns and investments.
  2. Branding and Marketing Research. Branding is extremely important.  It defines your business and expresses who you are through your tone in communication, as well as visually. Don’t waste money on this being done poorly, or you won’t be remembered by customers.
  3. Tax professionals. Do you know how much money you can waste by doing your own business taxes? Tons! Why not take a load of stress off and have someone ready to do all of this for you and give advice? Do it, you won’t regret it.
  4. Equipment. Now when I say equipment, I don’t mean expensive, unnecessary equipment. Get what you need and what works. Upgrade as you grow and get into a better financial place.
  5. Outsourcing. Outsourcing can save you a great deal of money. You won’t have to spend nearly as much on a freelancing COO or PR person as you would if you hired them on full-time. You don’t have to provide them with benefits, even! The ups of outsourcing a COO is that they can see the inner workings of your business from an outside perspective, create goals that work, and identify issues you don’t even see!

5 Expenses to Avoid.

  1. Expensive Software Subscriptions. There are PLENTY of software options out there that can give you exactly what you need at a very affordable price; sometimes free! Do your research before you just jump on a software subscription with all of these extra features that you don’t even need. Don’t waste your money!
  2. Purchasing your “customers”. I’m sorry but do you want REAL customers? Or do you want to pay for them, just so people think you’re “popular”? We aren’t in high school, so let’s get you real customers, eh? Your following is only worth something if it’s natural and real.
  3. Bad Advertising. “Do your research and determine if your customer profile matches that of the publishers’ audience. And don’t commit to long-term anything” (from Chris Sonjeow of LoveBookOnline.com). He said it best. Research is important!
  4. Over-the-top office space. This is a no-brainer. We all want our new business or small business to look successful, but it’s unnecessary and a huge money sucker. Stick with what you can actually afford and as I said above- upgrade as you grow!
  5. Non-measurable marketing. If you can’t measure your results when you create a marketing campaign, then don’t spend your money on it. Plain and simple. If you don’t even know what goal you are trying to reach, don’t go overboard.

Every business will have different needs, as you are all unique. Having someone to hold you accountable and keep you on track is necessary and important for your finances.

Are you stuck? I can help you, not only with operations; but with HR, marketing, web development, and more. Let’s chat. 

Written by Bridgett Hart

I help people understand what LOVE is, and teach them HOW to apply it to any relationship in their life.

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Don't Wait.

You Deserve to Shine Now.