Meet Tiffany Joi | Founder & Owner

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

Hi Tiffany, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The journey of Hemp Heals Body Shop started out when I started looking for something to help with the pain and discomfort my 70 year old Mom (at that time) was experiencing due to her knee replacement surgery. Unfortunately, the doctor’s prescription meds, Ibuprofen 800mg, were simply not working. Additionally, the doctors had diagnosed her with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoporosis & Fibromyalgia just to name a few. As a result, my mother would be in constant excruciating pain & unable to sleep at night.

Initially, I started her off with THC infused oatmeal cookies that 1 of my friends made (since they were her fav) & they actually worked! However, after consuming those edibles, she gained 25+ pounds & requested an alternative solution that would provide the same relief but without the weight gain & ‘euphoric high!’

Therefore my friend & I took a trip to Denver, CO to further educate ourselves on the Cannabis industry. And that was when I was introduced to CBD! I did a ton of THC and CBD related research, learned about the industry and took numerous tours. I purchased a bunch of creams, salves, balms and other bath/body products to bring back for my Mom to try!

Upon returning home, I supplied my Mom with the CBD products I collected while in Denver. She tested them all out & picked the 1 she thought was the most effective. We studied the labels carefully and decided to begin creating our own CBD Pain Relief Salve. We tested numerous sample batches on my Mom, family members & friends who suffered from chronic pain due to health-related issues until we found the winning batch!

Once the word started to spread & people started inquiring about our “Miracle In A Jar” we knew we were on to something & that led to the inception of Hemp Heals Body Shop!

Although we’ve been in business for approx. 3 years now, the business has been extremely successful! We take pride in educating consumers on the effectiveness & benefits of our CBD infused products. As a result, we’ve participated in various vendor & farmers market events. Additionally, our products are now available in 3 retail locations. Including our very own L1 Retail Store, The Silver Room & Last Lap Corner Store!

All in all, my ultimate goal is to naturally heal people within our urban communities from the inside out with CBD infused products from our Hemp Heals Body Shop product line. Being less dependent on prescription drugs & more knowledgeable about the natural healing benefits of CBD is a top priority for me anytime I’m promoting, vending and/or selling!

Honestly, I’m just a black girl from the south side living my BEST life & trying to make all my dreams come true while healing others in the process. I’m truly honored for the people, networks & blessings that continue to come my way!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Unlike our competitors, Hemp Heals Body Shop is distinct because we’re a Woman Minority Owned business which is extremely rare for the Cannabis industry. We also hand make our products (with love of course) to ensure premium quality ingredients are utilized & customer satisfaction is guaranteed.

Additionally, Hemp Heals Body Shop takes pride in educating our consumers on the numerous benefits of CBD. We understand that it’s not always about making a sale. Sometimes you have to meet the consumer where they are, educate them, provide them with our infamous ‘CBD Benefit Card’ & follow up with them at a later time. That’s why I provide consumers with my personal cell phone number for them to contact me directly with any questions and/or concerns they may have. Once they purchase a CBD product from Hemp Heals Body Shop, that’s the beginning of a life long relationship. They’ve officially become a part of my Framily (Friends & Family Circle)!

Prior to starting my entrepreneurial journey, I worked for the Chicago Public School (CPS) system for approximately 17 years as an Health Inspector. Once I departed, I joined Blue 1642 which was a connection hub for Entrepreneurs & Business Owners to help launch my TeenPreneur BootCamp program. A program geared toward high school students within the urban community to help educate them on how to discover their natural born passion/talent as well as teach them how build generational wealth through entrepreneurship, real estate & the stock market. However, it wasn’t bringing in enough revenue to sustain my livelihood so I needed to pivot but just wasn’t for sure in which direction. As a result, I prayed & meditated on what my next move should be daily. Shortly after, my Mom had the knee preplacement surgery done & needed my assistance for pain management. I started in this direction & haven’t looked back since! Who knew I would be apart of the Cannabis/CBD world!??!

Women in the Cannabis industry can be a bit tough because it’s practically a male dominated world. However, I’m determined to make my footprint within the industry because of the under represented minority women (which is a double edge sword for me). I think the biggest challenges that I face is educating consumers on the benefits of Cannabis as well as the difference between THC & CBD (CBD does NOT cause a ‘high’ like THC). Recreating the mind to think differently than the ‘War On Drugs’ which stems back to the 1970’s has been quite difficult, However, since marijuana is starting to become legal in more states & countries, that definitely has helped to break the stigma!

Additionally, I also work with a NFP Organization, Chicago Inventors Organization, which assists Inventors how to navigate the invention process!

All in all, I want the world to know that we were all born with a special gift/talent. It is our duty here on earth to figure out what it is (chase your talent – not money). Start by doing things that make you happy & smile. Once you’ve found your ‘Sweet Spot’ formulate a business around it (because you will be working 24/7). Keep your faith strong knowing that a net will ALWAYS appear to catch you. Therefore, you’ll never fall (or fail). Anything worth having, is worth working for. And trust me, it’ll be all worth it in the end. That’s my testimony & I’m sticking with it because that’s what has worked for me. It goes back to what my Mom said, you can have/do/be anything in this world only if you put your mind to it…THANKS MOM! =D

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ace Hotel – lodging, drinks, activities. Surrounded by top notch restaurants & bars. Excellent night life.

Hotel Zachary – lodging, drinks, activities. Surrounded by top notch restaurants & bars. Excellent night life.

L1 Retail Store – Boutique that highlights 3 local Minority Entrepreneurs (Sponsored by the University of Chicago)
The Silver Room – A boutique that supports & sells local artists products
Univ. of Chicago Arts Block – Sponsored by APL – An entire city block filled with an Art Gallery, Retreat Coffee Café, L1 Retail Store full of products from 3 local Entrepreneurs (including myself)
Bronzeville Winery – Recently opened & is currently the talk of the town. Nice upscale restaurant that offers high quality delicious food options (including vegan items)!
Harolds Chicken (Hyde Park location) – A Chi-Town staple & definitely a must-have!
Soho House – Members Only scene. But has an extremely cool vibe & their food/drinks are spectacular. Guest are welcomed on the 1st floor!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Honestly, my entire family has supported me since day 1! However, my Mom has always been my guiding light & inspiration. She always instilled in me (from when I was a little girl) that I can be whomever I wanted to be in this world, including the President of the United States. All I had to do was put my mind to it. That statement never left my mind, body or soul. That’s why I put forth so much effort in what I do because not only am I following my dreams but also my passion work of providing holistic alternative solutions to heal others from the inside out!

I’ve also worked with a Non-Profit Organization, Chicago Inventors Organization, for over 5 years now. They assisted me tremendously on my entrepreneurial journey. They educated me on how to protect my trade secret, how to form a business structure as well as recommending profitable revenue streams such as online store, spas, specialty stores etc.

Website: www.hemphealsbodyshop.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hemphealsbodyshop/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hemphealsbodyshop/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hemphealsbodyshop

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZMN_y3glJBgPTbWqbXj8LA

Image Credits
Angela Mejia