Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Okeefe.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
For five years, I worked at a cannabis extraction lab in North San Diego. The business also cultivated their own high CBD hemp plants (ACDC) and created phytocannabinoid tinctures and Rick Simpson Oil for many terminally ill patrons. During that time, I was educated on how phytocannabinoids like cannabidiol interacts with the body. Eventually, I opened a delivery service and for three years supplied phytocannabinoid products for folks with cancer and other chronic or debilitating conditions. One day I decided to formulate a hemp oil tincture for pets, and began to provide those formulations through my delivery business. This garnered a different clientele — these customers weren’t cannabis users, they just really loved their pets. I got overwhelming feedback, and many would report back in tears of joy due to the impact hemp oil had on the quality of their pets lives. I began to fine-tune the product with meticulous effort. Animal’s endocannabinoid system is different than humans and ensuring that there is very little to no THC in his products was vital. People take on cannabinoids in a way that is unique to humans, but animals cannot psychologically process the effects of delta-9 THC. The next thing was achieving full-spectrum oil because cannabinoids work more succinctly when terpenes are involved. Once everything was in place, I was ready to launch. In October 2017, Bailey’s was incorporated with the adorable face of Jay’s pug Bailey as the logo.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
While things are developing smoothly, there have definitely been a fair share of roadblocks along the way, the main one being credit card processing. The CBD industry is seen as “high risk” to credit card processors, and there are limited options for CBD businesses when it comes to getting a merchant processing account set up. We have been shut down from a handful over different processors in the last two years now, which has been especially difficult for us, seeing as most of our business is done online, direct to consumer, through our website. Another difficulty has been marketing online. Facebook, Instagram, Amazon and Google, which are the largest e-commerce marketing platforms, all have strict regulations on marketing CBD products, essentially prohibiting any paid marketing. We have had to get really creative in finding solutions to these roadblocks, yet our ability to adapt has helped us overcome.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Bailey’s CBD is first and foremost a pet company with our overall mission being to help as many pets as possible.
We do this by holding true to our four most important values: integrity, transparency, giving back and rescue awareness.
We specialize in hemp-derived CBD products for pets, and our product line includes Full Spectrum Hemp Oil Tinctures, Omega Hemp Soft Chews, and Full Spectrum Hemp Balms.
With a lack of regulation in the CBD space, we take pride in our commitment to ourselves and our customers to never cut corners and to set high product quality standards.
We thoroughly lab test our products from farm to finished product. Our hemp biomass is first tested for heavy metals, pesticides, and microbials once harvested. It is then extracted into full-spectrum crude oil, which is then tested for residual solvents and cannabinoid potency. Our finished products are then batch tested for cannabinoid potency, confirming that the amount of CBD labeled on our products is actually in our product.
We also take pride in our commitment to the rescue community. Having a social initiative is so important in running a pet CBD business, especially since rescue organizations house so many poor dogs that really need our product and need help finding a home.
Every month we partner with a rescue organization, and for every four items sold, we donate a 150MG oil tincture to that rescue. We also do our part to help these rescues find homes for their pups. This really differentiates us from other companies, because our intentions are where they should be and we show this through our actions.
While some brands may take actions that put profits over pets, we stand firm in our belief that pets come before profits.
What were you like growing up?
I grew up in the northeast, I was a social laid back kid I. was always interested in outdoor activities, hiking, skiing, and walking my dogs, I started playing music early on and realized my passions are in music and animals. Personality-wise I think I’m pretty much the same now as I was back then, easy-going, down to earth. I got along with just about everyone esp animals.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2930 Grace Lane Suite J
Costa Mesa, CA 92626 - Website: www.baileyscbd.com
- Phone: 844-738-7223
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/baileyscbd
- Facebook: facebook.com/baileyscbd
- Twitter: twitter.com/baileyscbd
- Other: pinterest.com/baileyscbd
Image Credit:
Chris Carey, Bao Phan
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