Meet Tianna Smith of The Hemp House, Women Grow & NORML Women of Georgia

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tianna Smith.

Tianna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In the beginning, cannabis was more of a recreational concept for me. However, in 2017, at the age of 33, I was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation Type 1, which is a rare neurological condition that causes multiple symptoms. When a person has Chiari, the brain tissue extends into your spinal canal. It occurs when part of your skull is abnormally small, pressing on your brain and forcing it downward. The traditional medications that were prescribed to me caused me more harm than good so I turned to cannabis for alternative treatment.
Through my own struggles, I found that there were more people not finding the relief that they needed through typical treatment and decided to become a patient advocate.

I developed the idea of The Hemp House to focus on overlooked conditions in our communities and I knew I wanted there to be a safe space for like-minded people to build and execute their cannvision whether it be for wellness or business.

I really became passionate about marijuana reform and changing the stigma behind the plant and wanted to do more in my local community. So, I started NORML Women of Georgia which is an advocacy group working to reform marijuana laws. We now have a chapter of women that we aim to teach how to speak to our legislators.

They say if you build it, then it will come, and that’s exactly what happened. Within four months, I was leading 3 platforms including a national professional networking organization focused on building women entrepreneurs in the cannabis space. I was appointed with Women Grow for the Atlanta Market and things really started to take off from there.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Are you kidding? You already know what they say about the road less traveled by. I walk that daily, I am in the cannabis space technically as a disabled patient advocate but my husband and I have three young children. It is so important that we educate them and the community about what we are doing so that our intentions don’t get misconstrued.

A year ago, I had to stop working for an amazing company and became a stay at home mom. I started advocating publicly shortly after. One of my biggest challenges is maintaining balance. Physically, lol, and just making sure that my family always feels like they are my biggest priority. Most say I am doing a great job but the one who really needs to confirm, it is me. I will say this has been an amazing ride so far and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Hemp House, Women Grow & NORML Women of Georgia story. Tell us more about it.
The Hemp House is a non-profit that specifically targets business owners & entrepreneurs in the start-up phase. Entities seeking to establish structure, revamp or scale up the framework of their business model. We assist them in providing a professional atmosphere for their staff to train, entertain clients & potential investors, as well as host social events. We are known to the community as cannabis influencers and grassroots accelerators. When people think of us they immediately know that we are behind the brand of NORML Women of Georgia & Women Grow Atlanta Market, two of the most recent projects we hold.

I am most proud of my team when I think of my company. I have an amazing group of women who uplift, empower and make sure my vision is being executed and my mental and physical health is well. They provide structure and sisterhood that a woman entrepreneur could only dream of having in her life.

I believe that people are drawn towards us because of our transparency. My husband is my best friend, caregiver and business partner, we have been married for almost 10 years. When people see me, they know he is right around the corner and so is the rest of my tribe. It took me a while to learn that people truly love to see black families win.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I do not believe in luck. I believe in divine intervention and timing. There’s a joke in our home that we call “Cannavision”. But in all actuality, it makes complete sense. We try to avoid the “hindsight is 20/20” cliche because it can be a tough lesson to learn. So, we focus on staying present and really manifesting the things we want to happen in our lives. Then, when the timing is right, as it always is things start to move. What is for you will be for you. You just have to be ready to move with it, so you do not miss the opportunity until it comes full circle again.

Pricing:

• Women Grow Sponsorship Opportunities: 150 – 2000
• Women Grow Signature Networking Event Admission: 20 – 40
• contact atlanta@womengrow.com for more information on Women Grow events
• The Hemp House has a 20/20 vision of raising $1, 000, 000 for the year.

Contact Info:

• Website: th.house
• Email: tianna@thehemphouseatl.com
• Instagram: thehemphouseatl
• Facebook: thehemphouseatl
• Twitter: thehemphouseatl
• Other: womengrow.com

Image Credit:
Clarence Gabriel Photography, Jennifer Lites Photography, Hassan Musaddiq

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