We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jamila Owens-Todd a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jamila, appreciate you joining us today. Can you recount a time when the advice you provided to a client was really spot on? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

Client advice is interesting. Often, I find that speaking to a client is the same as speaking to myself. I believe that we are all reflections of one another. I have had, on many occasions, the experience of “self-reflection,” while speaking to a client. While providing insight or advice, I am literally taking notes for myself. LOL! I believe that we are always working on ourselves, so staying present with my client, helps me better support my client. If I tune in to the body language, the unspoken cues, we can really dive deeper. When applicable, I will also share, how I am working on the exact same issue. I don’t ever want to appear as if I have figured it all out for myself. I do want to remain humble enough to share my challenges, flaws and errors and provide the real-life, solutions that are bringing me success. So, being spot on is based upon both of our willingness to be vulnerable and to trust one another. Once we have trust, then we allow for vulnerability and realness. We both can get to a place of growth. I am on this journey with you. Your success becomes my success.

Jamila, 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 am a Naturopathic Doctor and my role is to get to the root cause of health imbalances. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I treat you, the patient and not a disease. I encourage gentle healing using integrative modalities such as Herbal/Botanical Medicine, Homeopathy (an energy medicine), Lifestyle Counseling, Food-As-Medicine approach and Nutritional Counseling. I came from a home where my mom would go to the kitchen when someone was ill. She would pull herbs and different foods to help with common ailments. My career started out as a Chemist, so I have been able to blend those ancient remedies with modern-day science, in order to better assist patients.

I also work as a Business Consultant. I have launched different product lines and work as Natural Products Consultant for Supplement and Nutraceutical companies. As a Consultant, I take the same healing approach. I consider what has historically worked and integrate, novel new technologies into a product line. With my laboratory and research background, I can offer a greater support in the areas of laboratory build-out, compliance and experience in regulated industries, such as in the cannabis industry.

Can you talk to us about your experience with buying businesses?

Yes, I have purchased a business and I also had to close that business. I am hesitant to discuss as most people want to take sympathy on closing a business. It was a great learning, a Master Class, if you will. I went through a pretty rigorous process with a team of lawyers to do an Asset Purchase Agreement. I did this in the year 2020. New business, with saved funds. I went through every challenge that you could imagine in one year and decided to close it. When considering how many businesses, that I have now learned, have closed and reopened, I am astonished! Closing a business sounds like an ending, however, it has been the start of many new opportunities. I closed this business and honestly, felt the most peace and calm that I ever had over any business decision. It has been an oddly rewarding experience. I am also comforted in knowing, that when I am ready, I can reopen and start fresh.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My pivot into business support and consulting, actually came after being in my Naturopathic practice for some years. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I was still consulting with supplement and natural product companies because of my background as a Chemist and due to the successful launch of products. I moved into a full-time position in the Medical Cannabis industry as an R&D Manager in a manufacturing lab. it was a bit unexpected but welcomed. I had a specific skillset, my decades long knowledge of plant medicine and the ability to maneuver within a laboratory setting maintaining compliance and cGMP were extremely beneficial. This launched another aspect of my business and has now become my primary business. I work as a consultant within the cannabis industry, in different states, assisting with cannabis product manufacturing and new business start-up.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.minthealth.org
• Instagram: @jamilalikesplants
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jamilaowenstodd
• Twitter: @minthealth
• Youtube: @jamilaowenstodd

Image Credits
All images provided by me