Meet Fatima Edwards | Scientist Turned CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fatima Edwards and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fatima, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
The Cannabis Industry is Booming… But it’s Broken. Given that cannabis is globally consumed, we have to ensure the efficacy of this plant! Dispensaries push THC numbers, but consumers are left coughing, couch-locked, and (in the underground market) clueless about what they’re consuming. This is where our impact comes in!

I own a company called Pure Path Co. A wellness hub for natural medicine. Pure Path focuses on healing through cannabinoids and herbs designed to truly heal your body.

In June 2024, we launched our signature offering called the Bud bar Experience. This is our mobile dispensary experience where we bring our herbal blends to the community in the form of awesome events. Our herbal blends create intentional elevations that keep people clear, social, balanced, and side effect FREE.

So how are we truly changing the world? We are creating an opportunity for people to consume without complications and to have fun with a community while doing it. Cannabis has built up a negative reputation because of the way it’s being consumed and grown. We are flipping the script on this stigma, and making cannabis a true medicine again!

What should our readers know about your business?
From Scientist to CEO: The Bud Bar Story

What Sets Bud Bar Apart?
The Bud Bar Experience is not just another cannabis lounge or dispensary—it’s a curated, conscious consumption movement. We are redefining how people interact with cannabis by blending education, culture, and social connection into every session. Unlike dispensaries that simply sell products, or lounges that provide a space to consume, Bud Bar creates intentional experiences where people can truly understand and enjoy cannabis without the harsh side effects.

We specialize in custom herbal blends that not only elevate the cannabis experience but also reduce coughing, brain fog, and burnout, making each session smoother, more enjoyable, and tailored to the individual. Whether it’s a Blends & Blues jazz night, a NSEI Fashion Experience, Puff & Paint, or a Game Night, every Bud Bar event is designed to build community, enhance wellness, and shift the cannabis culture.

How Did We Get Here? Was It Easy?
Absolutely not! The cannabis industry is one of the hardest to break into. Regulations, financial barriers, and stigma make it challenging for new brands—especially those run by women of color—to gain traction.

But I knew the industry needed something different. There are so many different strains with a lot of different acronyms, and people are confused on how to navigate the overload of information in this industry to know how to use this plant as medicine – effectively. I ( Fatima Edwards) is a certified medical dispensary technician and I received my bachelors degree in biology and chemistry. I was a laboratory scientist for over a decade and I decided to shift my western medicine focus into herbal medicine healing – particularly healing with cannabis.

Instead of following the industry norm, I leaned into my background as a scientist, and created something “new” in the industry and continue to pave the way on true healing the combining cannabis and herbs.

Lessons & What the World Needs to Know About Bud Bar
Intentional consumption is the future. People don’t just want to get high—they want to feel good, think clearly, and enjoy the experience without negative side effects.

Community is everything. The Bud Bar has impacted over 1,000 people in just a few months, with a 45% return rate and an engaged private community—proving that people crave education, social connection, and an elevated experience.

This is just the beginning. Our mobile dispensary concept is scalable, franchise-ready, and designed to bring conscious cannabis consumption to the world in the next few years.

The Bud Bar Experience is more than cannabis—it’s a culture shift. We’re not just changing how people consume; we’re changing how they connect, heal, and elevate their lives. And that’s what makes this business truly special.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The Perfect One-Day Atlanta Itinerary: City Vibes & Nature Retreats 🌆🌿

If my best friend was visiting Atlanta, I’d craft the perfect day blending the city’s vibrant energy with its underrated natural beauty.

Morning: We’d start the day with a peaceful walk at Reynolds Nature Preserve, soaking in the lush greenery before heading to Rosie’s Café or First Watch for a hearty breakfast/brunch.

Midday: A scenic drive through Midtown and Buckhead would showcase Atlanta’s distinct neighborhoods, followed by a visit to Piedmont Park—a city oasis that feels totally different from the nature preserve but just as refreshing.

Afternoon: A delicious Mediterranean lunch at LaShish would be the perfect mid-day refuel before heading back home for some backyard hot tub rejuvenation.

Evening: Dinner at Tabla for rich, flavorful Indian cuisine, and then the grand finale—The Bud Bar Experience. A night of elevated vibes, community, and conscious cannabis consumption to wind down the day on a high note.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
They say not to rely on friends and family to build your business, but when I told Faye Thompson and Neka Roberson that I wanted to host a Bud Bar for my birthday, they didn’t hesitate. What started as a simple idea turned into a full-blown movement—8 months, 60+ Bud Bar events, and over 1,000 lives impacted later. These two women weren’t just down for the ride; they helped lay the foundation.

Faye has been a healer for over a decade, using cannabis to help people manage inflammation. She didn’t just bring knowledge—she supplied 80% of the inventory that made Bud Bar possible. Without her generosity, her stocked-up event supplies, and her willingness to jump behind the bar, we wouldn’t have had the resources to scale and create such an immersive experience. She’s the provider, the resource queen, and a key pillar in the Bud Bar community.

Then there’s Neka, my right hand behind the bar at every event. Our experiences average 30+ people, and when the rush hits, it’s a lot. Without Neka, I wouldn’t have been able to handle the demand, stay in my creative zone, or grow this community to what it is now. Even at the age of 50, she connects effortlessly with our millennial crowd—proof that the Bud Bar bridges generations.

Faye and Neka didn’t just support me—they became an extension of this vision. Friends don’t owe you their time, energy, or resources, yet these two showed up, believed in the movement, and helped me build something that’s changing how we experience cannabis and community. They’re more than partners—they’re manifested spirit guides in human form. Forever grateful.

“I couldn’t shout out one without the other. We are a triangle, and the triangle is the most sturdy shape. We need all three of us to keep the Bud Bar impact going—and they have been my right and my left since the start

Website: https://linktr.ee/thebudbar.experience

Instagram: https://instagram.com/budbar.exp

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatimaoedwards/

Other: Personal instagram: @scientisturnedCEO

Image Credits
Tristan Harris – @camp.wohgi
Keenan – @eyeshotthis_
Aantray Cooper – @aantray