Today we’d like to introduce you to Anulika Agu.
Hi Anulika, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ever since I decided to live a plant-based lifestyle in 2017, I’ve been very invested in herbalism and holistic health. In the beginning of 2020, I was introduced to smokable herbs, but like many people, I was skeptical of this because I hadn’t heard of such a thing. I did more research on this and was fascinated by all the health benefits herbal smokes provided.
Fast forward to Summer 2020, the pandemic became real and social inequality was even realer. I’m an avid stoner and advocate, LOL but during this time, THC only left me with extreme anxiety and panic attacks. I began using my own herbal smokes that I made as an alternative to marijuana. It was definitely life-changing and helped with my depression, insomnia, and anxiety more than the other herb did. Juneteenth was when I decided to debut my smokable tea blends to my friends. We were at Leimert Park, enjoying all the Black Excellence, and I asked my friends if they’d be down to try the floral joint I made. They tried it and gave me that “Girl you might’ve just done something” look and that’s when I knew that this was going to be something that people would like and benefit from. We started using the herbs as an alternative to THC, tobacco wraps and to deepen our meditations. September 18, 2020 I decided to turn this hobby into a business. My goal is to expose more people to the healing benefits of Smokable Tea blends. The great thing about our products is smoking is not the only way to enjoy them! You can also sip or soak in our tea blends if smoking is not your thing.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The product part has been a smooth road, but I had to learn the business side of things very fast (especially when I went viral on TikTok). I had no business knowledge and I am the first entrepreneur in my immediate family so topics, such as growing your finances, marketing, shipping rates were all new to me. I think the most frustrating part has been shipping. Covid and the influx of online orders during the holidays has caused a lot of shipping delays and lost packages. I do not play about my customer’s orders, so I had to figure out how to get those packages delivered safely to every single one of them. Thankfully I’m a fast learner and have a great support team that guides and helps me with these things.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Flower Plugg is a small black-owned business specializing in smokable tea blends that you can Smoke, Sip, or Soak. Tea blends are great for those who are looking to decrease their dependence on tobacco or those who are looking into herbal medicine. As the owner of The Flower Plugg, my goal is to bring herbal medicine awareness to communities that are not familiar or exposed to these benefits. I wanted to make a product that people can relate to. Marijuana is slowly being accepted into society, however, people still report feelings of anxiousness or paranoia when under the influence. These smokable tea blends can be a great alternative to give your body a euphoric, calm feeling without the high. Do not be fooled by the packaging, the product contains no THC or CBD. Each tea blend, jar, and pre-roll is made with love and care. I want my customers to not only experience the wonderful benefits of herbs but to also have a great experience shopping with The Flower Plugg. You’re never just going to get a product when shopping with us; Pre-rolls come with a lighter and the jars of loose leaf tea come with a teabag and Biscoff cookie!
What does success mean to you?
My definition of success is being able to pursue my passion and achieving my goals because of it. I feel the most successful whenever I’ve given all I can in a situation and can step back and be proud of the outcome. It does not have to be the result of materialistic things (unless that works for you), but it’s also about the journey and lessons you’ve learned on your way. Being able to provide alternative medicine to individuals and seeing the positive impact on their lives makes me feel the most successful I’ve ever felt!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: TheFlowerPlugg.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/TheFlowerPlugg
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@theflowerplugg?
