They sell cannabis-infused chocolate, tea, and vape pens. We wanted to know how Riley got into the cannabis biz.
Here’s what Riley had to say in this exclusive interview with Miss Marijuana.
Miss Marijuana: What was your very first experience with cannabis like?
Riley Starr: The first time I smoked weed was at a house party, just after starting college. I didn’t get high.
The SECOND time, I got a lift from my buddy to a party at a friend’s place in the country, about an hour outside Montreal.
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It was after dark, in the middle of winter, with a couple of feet of snow on the ground and more falling from the sky. I puffed on half a joint before jumping in the car.
The first Gorillaz album had just dropped, and my chauffeur put it on the car stereo as we left town.
Cruising through the dark, snowy night, with the music BLOWING MY MIND, I realized I was high for the first time.
MM: If you had a bad experience with cannabis at first, what changed your mind about it?
RS: Awesome from day one
MM: When did you start taking cannabis seriously as a benefit to your health and wellness?
RS: I don’t know if there was a moment when I started taking it “seriously.” It was more of a slow realization of all the different ways it made my life better.
The first was how it helped me be less self-conscious. I could relax, be myself, and ignore the voice in my head that was constantly observing and judging me.
Later, I discovered how it made endurance sports more fun, especially cycling. I could ride for hours at maximum output without paying attention to the pain in my lungs and legs.
MM: Can you tell us about the moment you came up with your business idea? Where were you? How sure were you about it? What was the first action step you took?
RS: Again, the business idea was a slow realization in a lot of ways. I’ve always felt like my interests pull me forward in life, and it’s outside of my control.
I first became curious about extraction techniques when I noticed that a lot of commercial machines were built from the same components we used in brewing.
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Once I learned to make my own extract, I started coming up with ways to use it – dropping tincture into tea, or soda, putting it into baked goods and chocolate.
Once I was making edibles for fun, I thought about how underwhelming the products and packaging from the local dealers and dispensaries seemed. So I thought it would be fun to see if I could do better.
By the time I realized I had a business on my hands, things had already taken on a life of their own, and I was just doing my best to keep up.
MM: What other aspects of your background and experience did you draw on to help you conceptualize and create this brand?
RS: So many of the ideas I had around brewing I put into edibles, like fun ways to mix traditional and modern recipes, flavours, and techniques.
I love fancy, single-origin chocolates, and exclusive limited-run beers from talented brewers.
I was always looking for fun ways to elevate my offerings; to go beyond expectations and to expand the boundaries of what seemed possible.
MM: What did your friends and family think about you starting a cannabis brand? And how did their reaction make you feel/impact the building of your business?
RS: The reactions ranged from positive to bemused. Some friends thought it was a cool idea, and a good way to explore cannabis a little deeper.
My family has always been supportive, but none of them are really into cannabis, so I think they were slightly confused. But I think I’ve always confused them a little bit.
MM: What has been your biggest struggle while building your brand/business?
RS: There are always two kinds of struggles – the obstacles the world puts in front of you, and the obstacles you put in front of yourself.
It can be hard sometimes to believe in yourself and your brand, to believe that what you’re doing is meaningful or worthwhile.
On that front I owe so much to my friends and family, and to customers who provided so much positive support. That’s what kept pushing me to move forward.
Navigating this industry has presented its own challenges. As much as legalization was a big step forward, we’re still stuck with a system that is structured around the vilification of cannabis and, by extension, cannabis consumers.
It’s no surprise that it has fostered an industry that sees cannabis as a source of revenue rather than a plant and an experience to be celebrated.
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MM: What has been the most exciting part?
RS: Definitely, the most exciting part has been encountering people who really do have a vision and a passion for cannabis.
As time goes on, more and more of them are managing to find a path into this industry, and finding those types of partners to work with is incredibly gratifying.
MM: How do you plan on taking your brand to the next level?
RS: Simply keeping a focus on our core values, and always expanding the bounds of what everyone believes is possible.
MM: Where can people follow your brand? Instagram? Website?
RS: For the flir brand, you can follow https://www.instagram.com/madeby_flir/. The website is https://www.gallerybrands.com/pages/flir.
For the Calla band, of which I’m a founding partner, the website is https://www.gallerybrands.com/pages/calla.