Today we’d like to introduce you to Doreen Sullivan.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Doreen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a true California native, (born in Encino and raised in Northridge & Granada Hills). My love for Cannabis began at the early age of 14. Most often my preference for consumption was a bong or water pipe, however, I always felt a disconnect when smoking out of such a device. It was either too heady or most often too phallic and left a lot to be desired from a woman’s point of view. Fast forward to my advertising and entertainment marketing career at www.postnobills.com and my life as a single mother with two children, I often consumed Cannabis to support my creative endeavors and cope with the challenges of running a business and being a single mom. It was a constant struggle to keep things hidden to avoid judgment or legal ramifications. Once my children were adults, I moved to my dream home on a small beach outside of Charleston, SC. I loved it so much that I never wanted to leave the island.
One summer day back in 2015 I had just seshed, was all happy and high, and an unexpected neighbor stops by. I did the classic “oh shit hide the bong dance” that I’ve done my whole life. I hid my bong amongst all of my flower vases in my home. When my neighbor left, I sat there, heart pounding staring at my bong right next to a vase that was actually in the condo I recently bought. The two pieces we so similar in shape and yet so different in style. That was my Ah Ha moment and I will keep that vase forever! The very next day I called a friend and started a 6-month frenzy of repurposing vases into bongs. We busted through every size, every shape and every material imaginable. So many of them broke but the ones that didn’t were just magical. In the beginning, it was worth it to really flush out the challenging craftsmanship ahead of time.
I knew that I had something special in the making. I knew that a product like My Bud Vase™ was needed on many levels, (discretion, aesthetics, convenience) and I also felt compelled to create an industry disrupter that would provide women with their own consumption choices. I choose the name My Bud Vase™ because I feel Cannabis is about one’s own personal preferences. People love options and choices and relate to the different styles, characteristics, and personalities of our vases. I want our customers to feel that ownership in regards to what and how they choose to consume Cannabis. That’s empowering.
Has it been a smooth road?
The hardest part of this journey has been growing My Bud Vase™ while still working and running my agency Post No Bills, Inc. I’ve been President, CEO, and Creative Director, over both companies daily (and nightly) since I started My Bud Vase™ back in August of 2015. It’s just been this past year that I’ve finally been able to restructure to the point of manageability. Additionally, both companies have been self-funded which is its own daily challenge. Juggling the corporate mindset of Post No Bills and the artist mindset of My Bud Vase™ has been a brain drain, to say the least. One has to possess two separate skill sets to be successful in each individually. Being able to remain fluid on a daily, even hourly basis between the two challenged my psyche to a point of rebirth.
Another ongoing challenge is building a global Cannabis business in a prohibition state. We are based out of Charleston, SC and I’m always asked why I don’t move to a legal state, any of them, but I finally got my dream home on Folly Beach (9 miles outside of Charleston, South Carolina ~ which is like a mini Venice Beach) and I love my Salt Life!
As legalization marches on across the US, we are in the South and cannot consume freely. So I’m literally living two Cannabis lives. I have some of the prettiest bongs in the industry and I’m in a place where I can’t even smoke them. Classic right? Like most obstacles, this is actually a benefit because I’m in the inner circle and the outer circle of the Cannabis industry. It makes for a smart perspective. I’m fortunate to have this overview. With that said, I travel often to introduce My Bud Vase™ to new markets and opportunities. In fact, I am in LA so often that many of our followers think we are based there.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We Make Smoking Cannabis Beautiful. From our Signature Collections to our One-of-a-Kind Artisan pieces, each My Bud Vase™ is elegantly crafted to bring art, expression, and discretion to your Cannabis lifestyle. Currently, I believe we are known for being the first to really bring the Vase Bong~ Bong Vase artistically and successfully to market. I believe we are growing as a brand because we inspire creativity and entrepreneurism and I know that we are respected for our strong branding & marketing.
What sets us apart is this:
1. Branding and decorating that adds value, for example, all of our pieces come with our signature hang tag and our faux flower pokers. These flowers add to the functionality of My Bud Vase™ because they clear your bowl and also help you hide your bong in plain sight. They also make smoking from our products convenient. Consume, put the flower back in the vase, turn it around and your out the door.
2. Our One-of-a-Kind Artisan Collection of vases are sourced from all over the world. I have a wicked eye and can find rare and usual things; as I travel around for business I always search for interesting treasures. I often seek out the stories behind certain pieces and honor the history of each vase and its original origins.
3. Our Signature Collections are beautifully designed and developed products. Manufacturing and producing to scale is no easy task, each element adds incredible value and personification but is also complicated to pull together logistically. My experience in product development is unsurpassed and I am incredibly grateful for all those years of making really complicated products for Hollywood. It will pay off in dividends for our Cannabis journey!
Our greatest strengths are our ability to develop products and our expertise to brand, market and advertise the products we develop.
What I’m most proud of are the relationships we’ve built in this industry. At the end of the day, it’s about people and opportunities to grow together. That’s why we take collaborating so seriously. Every day we work to connect deeply to our customers and followers. This is a fun industry but we also are all on a mission to free this plant. It takes momentum and working together to move this industry forward.
Pricing:
- Artisan One Of A Kinds $60-$500+
- Signature Collections $69-$149
- Decanter Sets $200+
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mybudvase.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mybudvase
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/mybudvase
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/mybudvase
Image Credit:
Nihar Photography, Ashley Mack Photography, Canna Chrissy, Unrivaled Exposures
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