“Every career move and/or business venture I’ve made has been based on me adapting to life changing events; not because I wanted to but because I had to.” – Sheena Myers
Businesses are babies, and their founders and CEOs are the parents. If we consider this, then Genotype is a: Taurus sun, Taurus rising, Taurus moon. Considering this, GenoType was born to be: sensual, comfortable, dependable, stable, calm, harmonic, attractive, and successful. Based on the customer reviews, my personal experience, and the making of $200K in year #1- I believe that GenoType’s natal chart is a very accurate reflection of this black woman owned business in cannabis.
About GenoType- a Hemp CBD Infused Beauty and Skin Care Company
GenoType was born on May 20, 2020 at 6:13am in Charleston, SC- to mother Sheena Myers. GenoType is a black woman owned, veteran owned and operated corporation with a line of hemp CBD infused skin care products for women, men, and children. The expansive Genotype product line includes: facial masks, hemp CBD infused sage sticks, hemp CBD oil, hair growth serum, glowing cream, african black soap, and more. Founder Sheena Myers describes her product line as:
“Our products are all organic, with no chemicals, and can be used on the body and on hair. All products are made with the main ingredient being hemp oil, which is homemade with love”.
About the Founder of GenoType, Sheena Myers
Sheena was born in Hollywood, SC and raised in Charleston, SC. She comes from parents Nedra Myers and Vernon Myers, and describes her childhood and teenage years as:
“I was raised by my mom who was a single parent, while my father was off in the military for a while. I spent all my grade school years in Charleston, after graduating high school I moved to Atlanta to attend the Art Institute for graphic design. I got pregnant with my son at 19 and became a single mother. Not long after, his father went to prison, which led me to joining the AirForce as a Mortuary Specialist. While in the air force, I obtained 4 degrees as well as my cosmetology license”.
Fast forward to 2020, Sheena Myers is the first black woman in Charleston, SC county to have obtained a hemp cultivation license. The passion that led her to launching GenoType, rests in her son Geno:
“May 20th, 2019 I was blessed with my miracle child Geno, who came into this world weighing 1lb 8oz; he was in the NICU at Medical University of South Carolina for 4 months. Every day was a struggle. I didn’t know if he’d make it or not, or if he did make it, what struggles he would have. I began researching all the ways to heal different disorders that can come with micro preemies. That’s where I found out about cannabis oil and how it was a miracle worker for children with disabilities. To cut out the middle man, I decided to become a cultivator and have an everlasting supply of hemp, which in turn would allow me to extract fresh CBD oil from my own crop for my Geno”.
Q & A with Sheena Myers of GenoType: Business Launch, Success, Lessons, and Advice
The interview has been slightly edited for clarity.
Sheena, what obstacles were faced before and during the launch of GenoType?
“Learning the industry, and finding hemp farmers that were willing to teach and help me learn how to grow. The plant itself is very tedious and researching the plant and its needs were strenuous. I also faced the industry being male dominated and the concerns that I was selling weed or would fail drug tests”.
When looking back, what do you recall were the easiest parts of business launch?
“The easiest part was and still is creating the products. I’m a creator and I have always had a vision that others were unable to see, it comes natural to me”.
In the first year of operations- your company saw 6 figure profits- what would you say made that happen?
“GenoType actually saw 6 figures in 9 months which is a blessing. It’s one thing to talk about GenoType products, but people started seeing results and that led to a bunch of testimonials from men and women, and even parents advising that the products were helping their children.With those testimonials and reviews, we started seeing an increase in orders. It also helps that GenoType has quick turnaround time with packaging and shipping out orders”.
With the restrictions on marketing and advertising in this industry, how do you advertise your products and services; how does your audience see GenoType?
“I advertise through Instagram, word of mouth, and Facebook, my clients are my walking testimonies. I used my social media platforms to explain the concerns I had for my son’s health made, to read cannabis industry articles shared on social media, and watch short educational videos/documentaries on other children suffering from different diseases that the doctors said Geno would most likely suffer from. I’ve been very transparent when it comes to having a micro preemie, therefore people gravitated toward the business itself. I believe that’s why it struck interest and also it’s new to the south and we love new things”.
GenoType made $200K in year number 1, how much work was put in to see those types of profits in the first year?
“A lot of research and long sleepless nights. I missed out on time I could have spent with my kids, fiancé, and missed family events to see these results within a year”.
Did GenoType launch with investors and does GenoType currently have investors?
“No, absolutely not, but I’ve had multiple offers from individuals wanting to be investors or silent partners”.
Did you crowdfund?
“No, GenoType is self-funded”.
GenoType doesn’t have a storefront, are there plans for that?
“Yes, I have a production center going through the process of building reviews with the help of my commercial building designer Mr. Steve Humbert, whom I look at as a grandfather, we hope to start the building process in August of this year”.
You’ve posted about a facility in relation to Genotype- can you share details about that?.
“Yes! It will be in Charleston, SC and will be an agritourism farm/ production center. The mission is to allow students and visitors to see the production of cannabis and see other exotic plants. I have partnered with the MUSC research team (Medical University of South Carolina), on hemp/cannabis research in an effort to cure pancreatic cancer. On October 1st of this year, Genotype farm will be hosting an Indigo plant event (Indigo, a plant that produces a blue dye, was an important part of South Carolina’s 18th century economy)”.
As a business owner that saw $200K in year 1, what are/were the top 3 priorities focused on?
“1. Building connections
2. Being in tune with every aspect of the business
3. Shedding light on a natural way of fixing health issues through the medicinal benefits of cannabis”.
What is unique about GenoType?
“My business is unique because I started the idea in a hospital full of babies whose parents didn’t know whether or not they would make it home, or how long they would be there. I have changed lives through my products and everyday I wake up to tear jerking testimonials. I will own my own production center. Being the first African American woman to do so in the Lowcountry. I’m also working on the creation of GenoType’s own hemp CBD strain and a new yoni line launching May 20,2020: My Yoni Purrs”.
Does your company help the community where it is located?
“GenoType has plans to give back when the farm is officially opened to the public. It will be a great learning exhibit for the community. Especially having research plants for MUSC”.
If you had one piece of advice to give someone just starting out in this business, what would it be?
“Be passionate and consistent, there’s going to be a lot of people telling you what you should or should not do. Stick to your vision because no one can see it like you can”.
In Closing
Support black owned! Support small owned businesses! Support women in cannabis! GenoType is celebrating their 1 yer anniversary and to celebrate their success- they want to give back! The Veetravelingvegcannawriter tribe is being offered a 10% discount from GenoType! When you shop with GenoType, use code veestribe to save!
The veetravelingvegcannawriter blog would like to wish GenoType a very happy anniversary and congratulate a black woman owned company in the south making huge moves in the cannabis industry!
Written by: Veronica Castillo
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