Meet Ashlynn Catalina of Mani Pedi Oh so Heady

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashlynn Catalina.

Ashlynn, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey through the cannabis industry has been an extremely wild ride. It all began when I was 16 years old and about to move out because I wanted to move to Los Angeles. Growing up in Riverside, I began to learn very quickly that the town was not for me. I was 16 years old with a medical marijuana recommendation – which was not an easy thing to get being under the legal age of 18! My mother had to go with me to obtain it, after getting essentially a prescription from my psychiatrist I had been seeing for four years and a note from my primary care physician, I was state legal to get my own mmj. Picture this – Me, 16 years old convincing my recently divorced parents that I would be able to live with my best friend (whom had already been living in LA for about two years) and figure life out on my own. After a few months of convincing them we came to an agreement and before I knew it I was living in a one bedroom apartment right off Hollywood blvd and lo and behold my entire life was different.

Getting my feet off the ground was a definite adjustment, I had gotten a job at a clothing store on melrose and I wasn’t making much money, they would only schedule me a few days a week, I was feeling the pressure, but little did I know that having trimmed weed for my brother and helping him out in his gardens was about to pay off. I made it my mission that Sunday that I was going to go on craigslist and apply to every dispensary looking for bud tenders and I wasn’t going to leave the house until I had an interview. That same day, I had set up an interview and they actually wanted me to start that same day!! That single day changed my entire life. I worked at that shop for almost two years, became a manager and when they opened their second shop it was literally like my project and I put my all into it. I went on to work at and manage upwards of 20 different shops. I started vending while managing my first shop, which opened up a TON of avenues for me. I began doing something very bold, I would apply to a shop, work there for a few weeks sometimes even a couple of months, get to know the staff and show them how hard I work and then I would offer them products I was vending and with my vast knowledge of the cannabis industry at that point, there wasn’t a shop I would apply to and not get a job at.

I can say I met an insane rolodex of people that went on to become some of my closest friends but, doing this was important for me because I gained not only knowledge of how other shops were ran, but also gained respect from big names in the industry and the support of so many patients, that would follow me shop to shop. Cannabal city changed my life entirely though, they hired me as a Budtender and I quickly moved up to their event coordinator to plan all the vendor days and the shops first 4/20 event. I was so ready to get this shop to where it needed to be, seeing as how they had just opened a few months prior we weren’t seeing the amount of patients we should’ve been so for 4/20 I planned a huge carnival – a cannabis carnival. Everything was planned perfectly, there was vendors, carnival games with prizes, food, drinks and best of all DEALS FOR DAYS! Planning this event I got Mike involved, owner of Nexus Social Lounge, Nexus Glass, and Crown Extracts – we collaborated his 4/20 concert with our carnival to give our patients tickets to his event and he had a booth at our carnival as well.

Shortly after I left Cannabal city to run nexus social lounges events! Before I knew it, I was planning huge cannabis events – Wiz Khalifa, Juicy Jay, Gunna, Playboi Carti, amongst others. I gained more knowledge then I even knew possible. I still work for Nexus and I’m so grateful to Mike for everything he’s done for me, he put me on game to so much and I’m super grateful for him. However, after throwing so many cannabis events and concerts I realized how male-dominated it is, and how the events are male-focused and nothing was female based or focused, at a Mass Roots influencer party I was with Rosie AKA stoner dottie from Push Trees, amongst a few of our other gal pal’s and we basically came to the conclusion that a female spa event needed to happen CBD focused, with of course smoking and I came up with the name ‘Mani Pedi Oh So Heady’ at first it was like a joke and it quickly became something serious when I put literally 10k of my own money into the first event.

The first event sold out, then the second one sold out, and by the third I knew I was onto something and couldn’t give up on it. The fourth event was in the Bay Area and that one was seriously awesome because it was such a new mix of girls that weren’t able to make the Beverly Hills events. After a year hiatus because I was going through some personal things, I came back and did an event at Bella Thorne’s ‘Trippy Twin Funhouse’ with Rosie and we rocked it – the best event TO DATE if I do say so myself. We had – a dj, endless food and drinks and not only amazing vendors but an amazing glam squad, featuring non invasive booty lifts, cave lipo. henna, hair braiding, eyelash extensions, massages and Cbd manicures! Everyone had an amazing time and the gift bags were to die for they had over 800$ of product inside. My next event is in October and I’m partnering with millennial beaute a CBD based makeup line. Stay tuned!

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?
I’ve faced many challenges, the biggest one was doing this on my own the first four events were all planned and coordinated by only me with zero help from anyone, I invested 10k of my own money and while I was still working a full-time job. It was definitely stressful but, I would say it built character for sure. It was extremely challenging finding nail salons that were up to my standards that would rent my their salon for a day and allow people to smoke cannabis inside, as well. Probably the most challenging thing I would say by far.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Mani Pedi Oh so Heady story. Tell us more about the business.
Mani Pedi Oh So Heady is the first event of it’s kind, female operated and focused CBD spa day event, where cannabis is welcomed with open arms. We specialize in Cbd manicures and pedicures but we feature facials, massages, non invasive but lifts, henna amongst so much more. Being the first female-focused Cbd event we were definitely set apart by being two years ahead of all of our imitators but, also because we do throw classy one of a kind events that people have tried to duplicate but, just because they have the recipe doesn’t mean the sauce tastes the same. We are always improving always moving forward and we are always a few steps ahead of what’s trending. I’m super proud that we are about to celebrate our three years anniversary in October! I couldn’t be more excited, we have so much in store!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I’m a huge believer in everything happening for a reason, but definitely working at dispensaries opened up huge avenues for me, like all the vendors that buy booths at my events – a huge share of them have been vendors from shops I’ve managed. I was lucky enough to have met Jefferson owner of Herbsmith a vape/ edible company who introduced me to Jean and David owners of House of Polish nail salon and Skyline Beauty Supply who allowed me to rent their nail salon for the first few events – their salon was beautiful, elegant and in Beverly Hills. I’ve definitely experienced some luck in this field and I hope to experience some more – but mainly I owe this to a lot of dedication and hard work to be honest.

Pricing:

• GA is 50$ comes with basic gift bag
• Basic manicure tickets begin at 150$ receive a princess tier gift bag
• Royal treatment 250$ comes with manicure, massage, henna, booty lift and a top tiered gift bag

Contact Info:

• Email: manipedisoheady@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mani.pedi.oh.so.heady/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ManiPediOhSoHeady/

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