Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Casey Benczo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Casey, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

As a business owner who has had regular jobs in the past, I’d say there are pros and cons to both paths. My experience as a business owner is unique, being that I’m in a heavily stigmatized industry (cannabis), where we’re very limited in our ability to get funding, advertise, post on social media without getting banned, etc. From day 1, I ran into obstacle after obstacle. From finding a physical space to contract issues with a previous partner, I’ve been tested to see if this is something I really wanted. Some days it was, and other days it was really hard to keep going. Everyone talks about having a dream and taking the steps to make that dream come true. Not many people will discuss what it’s like to make that dream a reality, only to realize that maybe it’s not what you want after all. There’s a sense of sadness that comes with that thought. Ultimately, I kept building the business because I did not have another option. I’d invested all of my time and money into it and figured I’d see it through for the term of the lease on my retail space. In some ways, I felt trapped, and in others, I felt guilty because I had an opportunity to pursue a dream and for that, I should be grateful. As months went on, I realized that aspects of the business weren’t appealing to me. What I’d forgotten was that I was in charge, and could make any changes I wanted to. That’s where the joy of business ownership came back to me. I was living by a set of rules I didn’t make and forgot I had the power to change those rules at any time. Once I realized this, I pivoted and started doing things within my business that made me excited again. I changed the store hours, found practitioners who shared common values and hosted events that encouraged healing, self-care, and wellness. I started offering specialized services, like a cannabis bar at weddings, to explore new possibilities. I gave myself permission to make changes as I went, based on what I felt most aligned with at the moment. Some might argue that this isn’t the right way to run a business, but it’s the right way for me. So to answer the question, yes, I am very happy as a business owner. Because I don’t think I’d be able to make these choices, change directions, and try new approaches whenever I felt the need to in a regular job. As a business owner, there are always going to be setbacks and challenges. However, there’s also the opportunity to create something meaningful that resonates with people, that helps people, and that brings you a sense of pride and fulfillment. I had a mentor once who told me if I said no to idea one, then I’d be saying no to idea 100. So now most of the time, if the option makes me curious, I just say yes, trust that I have the ability to figure it out, and see where it takes me.

Casey, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I relocated to Tennessee from Las Vegas, where cannabis had been legalized. I was using it to manage pain from a really bad car accident and discovered it had so many other benefits for me. When my husband and I moved here, I found many of the options here to be what was sold in convenience stores/gas stations, or in environments that felt more like a bar than a solution for emotional and physical well-being. It’s always been a dream of mine to build a business that will have a positive impact, so this led to the creation of Native Notion, which is a dispensary and wellness space located in Franklin TN. I knew I wanted my dispensary to feel welcoming and to prioritize education and safe consumption, especially for first-time users who may be overwhelmed by the options. I used my experience in operational excellence at a luxury resort in Las Vegas to develop our brand experience, so it’s not your typical vape or smoke shop. Our team is passionate about finding the right product for your specific concerns. We’re your personal Cannabis Concierge, tailoring suggestions based on what your mind and body need. I wanted to provide a space rooted in education and advocacy for safe and responsible consumption. There is a lot of misinformation surrounding the plant, and I believed it was important to give people an option to ask their questions and make them feel comfortable with what they are consuming. All of our products are carefully selected based on ingredients, testing, and ethical business practices. We need to work with people we trust so that we can extend that same energy to our customers.

Cannabis is a heavily stigmatized industry, and I felt it was important to create a space that shifted the perspective to one of wellness. It’s been so rewarding to hear stories from our guests about how their lives have improved with cannabis. What I’ve enjoyed the most about this experience is connecting with like-minded individuals. We’ve built a great community at NN, because I think it’s clear that we genuinely care about them and want them to have an enjoyable but safe experience. These interactions with customers also led to the discovery that we all need more access to information and research. I really feel that most people could benefit from this type of solution if used correctly. So during the next few months, I’m pivoting from a permanent fixture at the storefront to a consultant role, focused on education, advocacy, and clinical research. I’m so excited about this next step because it allows me to merge my education in clinical psychology and neuroscience with plant medicine, where I can dive into sharing information about more whole-body holistic health approaches to well-being.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

We opened our doors in July of 2022. The year prior, and months leading up to that day were some of the most stressful and exciting times in my life. Most of these stressors come from good sources, but regardless– I’d been pushed to my mental and emotional capacity. My heart and soul went into every part of this business, and it was amazing and exhausting and everything in between. What most people didn’t get to see during this time were the challenges that continued to arise. While it wasn’t the initial plan to run all aspects of the business on our own, shortly after we opened our doors it became our reality. Once I figured one thing out, another issue would come up. Each day, I was faced with something else I didn’t know how to do, didn’t have the resources for, or that required hours of my time trying to understand legal and compliance changes in the industry. It was exhausting and overwhelming. I kept feeling like I was failing and wanted to give up. But I couldn’t do that, because we’d used all of our savings trying to bring this idea to life. So I persisted and continued to show up and solve each problem. While it might have looked like I was doing okay on the outside, internally I felt like a boat had dropped me off in the middle of the ocean, and I was treading water trying to keep my head above it. I was stuck, and it was only a matter of time until my body gave out. 2022 was the year that the life got sucked out of me, and I spent many months living in a cloud of gray, when I usually am known as an eternal optimist, living life in color. I didn’t share this with many people, but I experienced depression symptoms and had suicidal thoughts. I didn’t feel that I didn’t want to be alive, but I felt as though I couldn’t live as I was. I felt myself losing my light and the qualities that made me “me” as all of my focus and capacity went to putting out fires in the business. Yes, I had kept solving these problems, but I learned how quickly our minds could go from an attitude of resilience to searching for a way out. Thankfully, I was able to notice these signs quickly because I was earning a degree in psychology at this time as well. So I asked for help. Sometimes, that is the bravest and most resilient thing one can do. Be vulnerable about your struggles and ask for support. I shared what I was feeling with my husband, my mom, and my sister. I am so grateful that I have very supportive people I could lean on, who got me through this challenging season of life. Thankfully, 2023 is a much happier story to tell, and I learned a lot about myself and the type of life I want, the type of person I want to be, and the importance of connection, support, and community.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I love anything by Simon Sinek, Adam Grant, Martin Seligman, Ken Robinson, and Richard Branson. I’ve read most of the work they’ve put out there. I find they embody a lot of the qualities I admire in business visionaries, and find hope in their ability to prioritize people and ideas over profits. Other books that have really given me a lot of hope as an empathetic entrepreneur are “I’m Possible” by Jeremy Cowart, and “The War of Art”, by Steven Pressfield. From time to time, I also enjoy listening to Gary Vee yell at me through his social media channels, as it’s always a good kick in the pants to get out of my own way and just do the thing I need to do.