“As an entrepreneur, I can’t help but see dollar signs when talking about the Cannabis industry.” – Alex Valley, Unity Wellness Co.

We had the honor of interviewing Alex Valley. He is the CEO of Unity Wellness Co., a beverage company with all natural wellness drinks infused with CBD and other super-healthy, plant-based nutrients to help improve physical and emotional well-being and help you unwind.

Can you share with us the story about what brought you to this specific career path?

This may be unconventional for the site. I grew up in a small town in North Dakota where cannabis was frowned upon. Having conservative parents, one of which was a police officer at the time, I was really (ignorantly) against cannabis. I thought it was a bad thing because that is what I was always told growing up. After selling a business at 19 and traveling the world, I realized how harmful that antiquated thinking truly was.

I was struggling with anxiety and decided to try CBD. It worked so well for me that I knew it could help the masses–some with much more debilitating diseases. I decided at that moment that I wanted to be at the forefront of bringing CBD to the masses, championing the industry as a whole, and putting the negative connotations to a rest.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

We have had quite a few celebrities reach out to us about working together or having us supply them with beverages directly. Most of these individuals I have looked up to for years. It’s humbling to me when they reach out, as fans, of what my team and I have created.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

While testing Delta 8 for a SKU we were exploring, I learned that getting a COA to start is important! I wanted to explore the effects of what I thought was 10mg. I realized an hour later that it was more like 200mg. As you can imagine, my night took a much different turn! Good thing for couches, huh?

Are you working on any exciting projects now?

We’re always working on something new! We have a few different SKUs in the works at any given time. Depending on when this launches we will have just launched/will be launching our new 14oz beverage–Blood Orange Hibiscus!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

Charlie and Louise Wardlaw. Their generosity can’t be replicated. From building UNITY in their garage to using one of their buildings as a local storage facility now. The ideas and advice I have received from them have been and are monumental.

This industry is young, dynamic, and creative. Do you use any clever and innovative marketing strategies that you think large legacy companies should consider adopting?

Because the industry is so young, it is constantly growing and changing. One benefit of a smaller company is that we are able to quickly adjust and adapt to this ever-changing space. Adaptability is key. One potential downfall to a larger legacy company is that they get stuck in their ways. Creativity is not one size fits all, so pick a niche that you are good at, and run with it.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Cannabis industry? Can you share 3 things that most concern you?
Excites:

1. 1. It’s growth potential. In the time that I have spent in this industry, I have already seen so much growth. This is just the beginning and it is only going to get bigger from here on out.
   2. The money to be made. As an entrepreneur, I can’t help but see dollar signs when talking about the Cannabis industry. I believe that the cannabis industry will make a large impact on the economy and I look forward to witnessing it from a front row seat perspective. Which leads me to my next point.
   3. The impact. I truly believe that the Cannabis industry will make a large impact on a personal and economic level. There are a lot of people that can benefit from the legalization of Cannabis. With that, will come the funding for testing to be done. There is still so much to be learned about Cannabis, and with the research to back it, the expansion of the industry will skyrocket.

Concerns:

1. Lack of regulation. Without regulation in the industry, it falls on the consumer to seek products that work for them, contain exact amounts, are sourced ethically and correctly, and don’t contain contaminants. Right now, it’s a hit or a miss. Companies can claim that their products contain CBD but they don’t state how much. That needs to change in order for the industry to scale.
2. Testing. This goes hand-in-hand with regulation. Just because a label says it contains CBD, does not mean that the proper testing has been done. As the industry grows, it will become increasingly important to test Cannabis products for contaminants and other FDA regulated chemicals. Testing needs to become required.
3. Misinformation. There are a lot of sources out there that talk about CBD and Cannabis. The issue right now is finding credible sources, for both consumers and manufacturers.

Can you share your “3 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started Leading a Cannabis Business”? Please share a story or example for each.

1. Ask suppliers to label their samples! I was testing CBD samples for a new SKU and a Delta 8 sample got lost in the mix. My business partner and I quickly realized that not a lot of productive work would be taking place that afternoon.
2. Each day comes with a new fire to fight. This industry is exciting, but it will definitely keep you on your toes. Whether it’s finding a payment processor that works with CBD or getting blocked by the Facebook guidelines for paid advertising, you will not get bored. Because the industry is growing and still uncharted territory, each day is different then the last.
3. Know your stuff. Educate yourself on best practices and weed out (pun intended) the misinformation so that you know when you walk into a room, you can talk to someone who isn’t educated on the industry or is an encyclopedia for the industry.

What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?

My management style is to let my employees manage themselves. I supply the tools to succeed and their success is in their hands. It’s okay if they make mistakes, I want them to learn from their mistakes. Although delegation is not something that I find easy, by evaluating my employees on their crisis management skills, I am able to better understand what they can handle individually.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

UNITY. It’s more than just a brand name. You don’t know what someone is going through internally but by us all coming together to have the difficult conversations, there is potential for substantial growth in today’s world. By uniting our mental and physical health, we can be better individuals for ourselves and the communities surrounding us.

What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?

@unitywellnessco or on our site unitywellness.co ! Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn! I love connecting with fellow entrepreneurs.