Josey Orr is the founder of Hugs Wellness, an Austin, Texas-based CBD Brand. Orr is passionate about holding his brand to the highest quality standers while also active in supporting organizations such as the 10,000 Beds Project for individuals who are in recovery.
Hugs Wellness believes that Self Care isn’t Selfish. Isn’t that something we all need to remind ourselves of every day? That’s where Josey Orr, the founder of the Austin brand, steps into the picture.
Back when Josey started taking CBD for better sleep, he noticed the lack of a personable approach in the hemp scene. Why did it have to feel like you’re buying hemp products from a doctor’s office? That nagging idea is what encouraged him to build and bring a more approachable CBD wellness brand to the market. In my conversation with Josey, I learned not only about the Hugs mission, but how it values the user experience of its products and how Austin, Texas influences him as an entrepreneur.
The Beginning of Hugs Wellness
Now, there is nothing wrong with feeling like you’re buying products for a doctor’s office. Hugs actually hold themselves to an extremely high standard in all of its products. However, from the beginning, Josey sought to create something more welcoming, fun to interact with, and relatable to an ignored demographic, his demographic.
And that’s when Hugs Wellness was born. Through the creation of Hugs, they are bringing the highest standard of honesty and transparency to the CBD industry through its high-quality products. Not only that, he wanted to use his new brand to bring awareness to a cause he cared about: Individuals who are in recovery.
Mission Driven
According to “The Mission-Driven Organization“ by Robert Wall, Mark Sobol, Robert Solum, a mission-driven, or mission-based organization can be non-profit or for-profit, public or private, governmental or non-governmental, philanthropic or religious. And typically, mission-driven organizations are formed and managed to accomplish goals that extend beyond profits for stakeholders, shareholders, and owners to include a societal benefit.
Josey’s Goal? Well, as an active member of the recovery community, he strives to give back to organizations such as 10,000 Beds that helped him get on the right path.
The mission of 10,000 Beds is to connect individuals seeking help for addiction, to vetted treatment programs, and to be a resource to families affected by the disease of addiction.
And Hugs Wellness is proud to donate a percentage of each sale to 10,000 beds.
More so, because of that goal, Hugs Wellness holds itself extra accountable in order to continue producing products for the public to enjoy.
User Experience is Key
It also means that it focuses on the user experience with their products is also top-notch. Josey says he takes everything into consideration of their products. From the ingredients in the outcomes of the unboxing experience, he wants you, no matter where you are, to feel considered.
Through his adoption of only the highest standard possible in every part of the company, it provides them with the foundation to not only serve Texas but individual states and their requirements as well.
Hugging Texas and Beyond
Josey and I also discussed what it is like doing business in Texas as a hemp brand. He said that Texas is a great place to start a company. However, just because a product meets a compliance standard in the Lone Star State, it did not mean it will meet that same standard in other parts of the country.
As the government beings adapt and adopt the cannabis industry, so are the individual states and their requirements. Ultimately that means that it will take more than slapping a label on a product for CBD products to be sold nationwide. This is why Hugs Wellness takes its time and exchanges a lot of emails with attorneys when labeling its products.
Besides they know it will pay off in the future. Because not only will Hugs be able to share the love of their brand, but they help more people by spreading awareness of a great cause.
The Influence of Austin
If you think Texas is a great place to have a business, you’re missing out if you haven’t checked out the rush of Austin, Texas. Josey says he loves the fact that Austin has a built-in entrepreneurial ecosystem of creative individuals that are ready to push the future of any industry, but specifically, technology.
People like Paul Gram, from “Y Contributor,’ Tim Farris, Seth Godin, and The Tech Guy, are a few that provide him with a different perspective on how to approach entrepreneurship. Besides, he says, a good idea could come from anywhere.
This just so happens to be one of his favorite subjects to talk about outside of hemp. He loves exploring the world of technology and learning from those in the tech industry due to their unique business perspective.
“Mission-driven allows them to push forward and hold themselves accountable to what they produce and put out for the public to enjoy.”
Josey Orr
Hug Yourself
As the cannabis industry matures, finding the right message to bring consumers who are growing in a world of craziness. Hugs CBD is an example of what is a mission-driven company, and Josey is an excellent example of a millennial hemp entrepreneur space. He joins the ranks of other modern companies who want to push the world forward and don’t just exist to make the world a profit.
You can find their products online or in select locations around the country. Check out their Instagram HERE to see for yourself what the brand is all about.
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