We recently connected with Wesley Holloway and have shared our conversation below.

Wesley, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

At Benevolent Bakery, our mission is to make cannabis consumption feel joyful, nostalgic, and approachable—by empowering people to bake their own perfectly dosed edibles at home. But that mission didn’t just emerge out of a marketing brainstorm. It’s deeply personal.

Before I launched Benevolent Bakery, I spent years in the high-pressure world of medical device sales. I worked with surgeons, helped open over a dozen physician-owned surgery centers across Oklahoma and Texas, and saw firsthand how people manage pain, stress, and recovery. When Oklahoma passed one of the most progressive cannabis laws in the country, I realized there was a huge opportunity—not just to build a business, but to help reshape the experience around cannabis itself. One that could be fun, safe, and empowering.

Edibles, for many people, have always been either intimidating or inconsistent. You either had to trust a friend’s mystery brownie or navigate confusing dispensary options. Our infused mixes strip away the uncertainty. No mess. No guess. Just YES. That’s not just a tagline—it’s a promise that cannabis doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as easy and nostalgic as baking a batch of brownies.

But the “benevolent” part of our name is just as important. With every box sold, we donate a portion of proceeds to local nonprofits focused on housing insecurity. We chose this cause because home is a central theme to what we’re creating—comfort, connection, community. If our product helps someone feel more at ease in their own skin or their own kitchen, and that same purchase helps someone else find shelter or support, that’s a win.

So yes, we’re a cannabis company. But we’re also a mission-driven, impact-focused bakery with a twist. And at the end of the day, we’re just here to help people feel good—about what they’re baking, what they’re eating, and what they’re supporting.

Wesley, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hello there! I am Wesley Holloway, founder of Benevolent Bakery—a cannabis-infused baking mix brand designed with the end goal to bring a innovative product to the edible category that is fun, approachable, and reliably dosed. But before I ever thought I’d be in the cannabis space, I was deeply involved in the medical sales space. I spent years working with surgeons and hospitals selling them durable medical equipment, medical devices, and lab panels. Eventually, in 2015, I launched my own medical device distribution company. I had the privilege of helping develop and syndicate over 10 physician-owned surgery centers across Oklahoma and Texas. While I definitely enjoyed the monetary reward that came from working in healthcare, I always felt like there was a more creative, purpose-driven path I hadn’t explored yet.

When Oklahoma passed one of the most progressive cannabis regulations in the country in 2018, I was one of many who saw an opportunity to bring something new to the space. But I didn’t just want to sell products—I wanted to build a brand that could shift the culture around cannabis. One that was rooted in hard work, community, creativity, and a whole lot of nostalgia.

That’s how Benevolent Bakery was born. We make cannabis infused baking mixes as well as hemp-derived THC baking mixes—brownies, confetti cake, seasonal hot cocoa—that allow customers to make their own infused treats at home. We take care of the science and the dosing, so our customers can focus on having fun and spending time with friends and/or family. Whether they’re hosting friends, celebrating a milestone, or just looking to relax without the stress of measuring or guessing, we give them the tools to create something craveable and consistent.

What sets us apart? For starters, we’re not just putting THC into food—we’re putting thought into every part of the experience. Our mixes are easy to make, taste amazing, and come in a range of doses from 100mg to 1000mg, so every kind of consumer can feel confident and in control. We’re solving a big problem in the cannabis space: unpredictability. Our customers don’t want to feel too high—or not high enough. They want to know what they’re getting, and they want the process to feel joyful, not clinical.

I’m most proud of the way Benevolent Bakery blends purpose with business. With every box sold, we donate a portion to local nonprofits working to address housing insecurity. We do this because our brand is about more than brownies—it’s about creating a sense of home, comfort, and care, not just for our customers, but for our communities too.

For anyone just discovering us, I want them to know this: Benevolent Bakery is about reclaiming cannabis as something positive. Something you can share. Something you can trust. Something you can enjoy out loud. We’re not just selling products—we’re helping people reconnect with cannabis in a way that’s fun, safe, and truly satisfying.

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

One of the most defining pivots of my life—and certainly my career—came after the failure of my first cannabis company.

Back in 2019, my best friend Tucker and I took a chance. We scraped together $7,500 and launched a cannabis distribution startup in Oklahoma, working as a third-party distributor for national brands entering the market. What started as a scrappy operation quickly scaled into a multi-practice holdings company. Over the next three years, we built out not just distribution, but also manufacturing, extraction, and fulfillment services, growing to over $10 million in annual revenue.

But as the Oklahoma market shifted, so did our trajectory. We made some critical mistakes, including continuing to scale aggressively using cash flow. Overhead increased. Wholesale prices plummeted. And by the end of 2022, the business we had poured everything into—our money, our time, our identity—was gone.

Losing it all was devastating. We didn’t just lose a company; we lost our vision, our community, and our sense of control. I could’ve walked away from cannabis entirely at that point. Many people expected me to as the other founder and early employees all exited the industry.

But instead, I did something harder: I sat with the failure. I looked at where I went wrong. I owned my role in what happened. And then I chose to pivot—not just in business strategy, but in mindset.

Rather than rebuild another service-based business supporting third-party vendors, I turned my energy toward something that felt more meaningful and resilient: building brands. Specifically, building Benevolent Bakery.

Benevolent Bakery was born from that hard reset. It’s a cannabis brand rooted in joy, creativity, and nostalgia. We make THC-infused baking mixes—brownies, confetti cake, seasonal hot cocoa—that let people create their own edibles at home with confidence and ease. No mess. No guess. Just YES.

This time, I wasn’t building for other companies. I was building for people—for customers who wanted something playful, safe, and shareable. And I was building with the experience, humility, and hard-earned wisdom that only failure can teach you.

So yes, I’ve experienced failure. Big, painful, public failure. But it became the catalyst for a more sustainable, purpose-driven path. And I’m proud to say that Benevolent Bakery is not just a business—it’s a brand built on resilience, reflection, and the belief that sometimes the best way forward is through.

Any advice for managing a team?

Managing a team and maintaining high morale—especially in a fast-moving, often unpredictable industry like cannabis—isn’t just about leadership; it’s about ownership, shared purpose, and culture.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from both my first cannabis venture and now with Benevolent Bakery is that people want to be part of something they believe in. When your team understands why you do what you do—not just what you sell—they show up differently. So for me, it starts with transparency and trust. I’m honest about the big picture, the wins, the challenges, and even the mistakes. That kind of openness builds respect and keeps the team connected to the mission.

The second piece is empowerment. I’ve managed teams across distribution, manufacturing, and now brand operations, and in every case, people perform better when they feel like their contributions matter. I try to create space for autonomy—whether it’s letting someone take full ownership of a retail relationship, or giving creative input on packaging design. When people have a voice, they bring more of themselves to the work.

High morale isn’t about perks or flashy incentives. It’s about people feeling seen, challenged, and appreciated. I’m big on celebrating small wins—especially in an industry that can feel like a rollercoaster. We make time to acknowledge progress, even when it’s messy or in-between stages. And when things go sideways (which they often do in cannabis), I lead with accountability, not blame.

Lastly, I try to be the kind of leader I would’ve wanted when I was grinding to build something from scratch: present, curious, and willing to do the unglamorous stuff alongside the team. That humility goes a long way in building morale—and loyalty.

So my advice? Be human. Stay mission-focused. And build a culture where people feel like they’re growing, not just producing. Because in the long run, a strong team culture will carry you further than any single product ever could.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shopbenevolentbakery.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bakedbybenevolent/
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/wesley-holloway-844a46292

Image Credits

@heylaphotography (product imagery photos)

https://www.instagram.com/heylaphotography/