In celebration of Black History Month, Kush Queen is sharing our current obsessions spearheaded by inspirational Black female entrepreneurs.
You may see articles circulating that say women of color are starting more businesses faster than any other demographic. But don't be fooled by the boasting headlines. Yes, the State of Women-Owned Businesses Report does confirm Black women-owned businesses represented the highest growth rate of any other group between 2014 and 2019; however, these go-getters face a unique array of challenges to get there. Often referred to as "survival entrepreneurs" because of high unemployment rates and vast gender and racial pay gaps, the study shares women of minorities are more likely to have a "sidepreneurship" out of necessity. The venture capital space comes with even more scrutiny. Business Insider confirms “before 2021, only 93 Black female founders had raised $1 million or more in venture capital”. For those hard-working women who need a moment to relax, our THC gummies can help ease the stress and provide much-needed relaxation.
At Kush Queen, we've experienced our journey as a women-owned business. It's because of your support and your support only that we exist in today's cannabis market. We know the struggles of being a small business in America, and the best thing we can do as a community is to continue supporting the businesses we want to see succeed. Our dollars truly are our power.
With that in mind, we'd like to highlight some of Kush Queen's Favorite Black Women-Owned Businesses:
Sexologist Goody Howard
We had the pleasure of being on a panel discussion with Goody back in 2019, and she left an impression on the KQ team that we sill talk about today! From her workshops to 1:1 consultation, Goody is determined to normalize sex-positive conversations as a way to ease stigma and improve sexual responsibility.
Goody Howard is a world-renown sexologist, educator, and consultant. She has dedicated her life to “Empowering through sexual exploration, education, and awareness.” Pair your next self-care session with one of our relaxing CBD gummies while learning from Goody's amazing workshops.
Goody teaches sexual skill workshops, offers sex-positive professional development opportunities, and creates dope, sex-centered t-shirts! She layers her focus on pleasure and education with her energetic and engaging presentation style.
Ariana Foote, Cannabis Content Creator & Podcast Host
You might know of Ariana as @indicawife, @fruit.worship or the host of Chat About It podcast. Regardless of the channel, platform or topic - you can trust the Ariana keeps it 100% real with you whether is talking about dating, mental health, smoking, edibles or making the most drool worthy smoothie bowls.
Ariana began creating content, giving her followers an unfiltered look into her life as she navigated her medical experience through bong rips, blunts and the occasional dab.
“The biggest part was me being very vulnerable with my followers,” she said. “Many people smoke for physical pain. But we’re all human beings and there’s a lot of emotional pain there, too.”
Give her a follow and a listen!
KNC Beauty
Image Source: Hypebae
KNC Beauty makes our favorite eye masks of all time. You won't regret having these beauties in your bathroom. We love to use them before a big night out, while enjoying weed gummies, or while we're soaking in a Kush Queen bath bomb.. Founded by beauty and fashion influencer Kristen Noel Crowley, KNC Beauty also created the KNC School of Beauty to address the inequities in the beauty industry.
Crowley has expressed in the past “as a Black female entrepreneur, it has always been extremely important to me to pay it forward and provide opportunities for emerging talent in our community. Having a skincare brand has always been a dream of mine and I’m excited to support other Black businesswomen who share similar goals and visions.”
Snocorner
Image Source: Mike Guardabascio for Long Beach Post
Snocorner is a Long Beach-based storefront, specializing in New Orleans-style snowballs. As Louisiana natives, we can't get enough of this delicious local treat. Sure it looks like Hawaiian ice, but New Orleans-style snowballs are different. Trust us.
Visit their storefront in Long Beach and taste this delicious southern treat for yourself. Interestingly enough Snocorner is a legacy Long Beach business, its current owner Ashley Monconduit is the third generation to own a business at this location!
Maya's Cookies
Image Source: K.C. Alfred for The San Diego Union-Tribune
Maya's Cookies is the number one Black-owned Gourmet Vegan cookie company in America. Founded by a vegan with a self-proclaimed sweet tooth, Maya Madsen launched Maya's Cookies after several unsuccessful searches for that soft, chewy, freshly-baked vegan cookie she badly desired. Madsen spent years crafting her award-winning recipes, including her "Chocolate Chip S'mores" and "Marble Fudge".
You can visit their San Diego storefront or order online. Recently, Maya's Cookies released their Black History Collection, which was inspired by inspirational figures such as Chadwick Bosman, Michelle Obama, and Uncle Nearest.
Moving Forward...
Taking a page from the crypto world, we encourage our readers to continue doing their own research before investing their powerful currency into companies that don't necessarily align with their moral values. Supporting minority-owned companies, more specifically Black women-owned businesses, remains a priority within Kush Queen's roadmap and company culture. As a society striving for change, we must develop more conscientious shopping habits if we really want to make a difference.
Follow these incredibly talented Boss Babes for more info!
