Today we’d like to introduce you to Corey Dunson.
Hi Corey, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was active in sports from middle school through college. While playing at the collegiate level, I experienced concussions and a lot of physical trauma from football, a high-impact, high-contact sport. At the time, Cannabis was the outlet that helped me with the trauma that I experienced. I started to think about whether there was a bigger need for this. Interest in the potential medicinal benefits of Cannabis was so new at the time, but I believed that it would evolve.
I created Bouqé because I had a deep passion for the healing capacity of the cannabis plant and saw a blank space in the market to cater towards people who love high-quality products but have yet to associate luxury with cannabis. Although I have a business degree, I found it quite challenging to find an entry point in the industry. In fact, I discovered that a sector that was once frowned upon by the corporate elites was now being seen as the new gold rush.
My initial opportunity to enter the Cannabis industry fell through and, as a result, that led me to start Bouqé as an adjunct product to support this new industry. Bouqé is a brand that focuses on making the flower the star of the consumption experience (Our initial product offering included rolling papers, bats (cones), and limited edition trays). My initial vision was to make this brand a platform in which family and my community could leverage to enter into the Cannabis industry.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
One of the most challenging moments was letting my friends and family know that the Cannabis industry was something that I wanted to pursue professionally. I was concerned about their reaction to my interest in an industry that still wasn’t mainstream, that still had a negative stigma and that still wasn’t socially acceptable. In addition, the ongoing war on drugs added to the difficulty in convincing them.
I would describe my experience being like the wild, wild west because initially, there were no standard guidelines, rules or regulations in place that you would typically see in other industries. So, there were a lot of unknowns and we had to figure it out as we went. It has been a lot of hustle and hard work to finally get a footing, but we did. It is an exciting industry and now you are beginning to see a lot of competition in this market.
Despite the challenges, my experience has been a blessing. It prepared me for an industry that is very unique, with a culture that is unlike other industries. I have made some great connections with the people in this industry.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
/bu’kei/noun: an assortment of flowers that have been aesthetically arranged so it can be given as a gift.
Believing in the power of plants as medicine, merged with the buds and flower moniker of the cannabis plant, Bouqé was born. Our mission is simple. Our aim is to enhance the consumption experience of our community by providing Grade A products and services. In addition, the lack of minority representation in the legal cannabis industry has been a strong motive to turn Bouqé into a household name. It is important for minority companies to be in a position to give back and support the communities that have suffered the most from the war on drugs.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
One piece of advice that I would give would be to move faster and bolder when first starting out. When you are a new brand, sometimes it’s easy to let the fear of the unknown influence the way you move and negotiate. But I have come to know that failure is not futile, but it is a part of the process and that the faster and earlier that you fail, the faster you can course correct, thereby minimizing the impact and the cost.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rollingbouqe.com
- Instagram: @rolling_bouqes
- Facebook: @rolling_bouqes
- Twitter: @rolling_bouqes
- Youtube: @rolling_bouqes
Image Credits:
Justin Featherstone @olotphotography
