I’m a sucker for a good brand story, and I love how open Raveena & Sidney were when talking with me about Purple Rose Supply. I think it says a lot when the founders are willing to get on a call to go a little more in-depth on the story, mission, and inspiration behind not just the brand but the products they create. It’s a level of transparency that I think this industry needs more of.
About Purple Rose Supply
Raveena is the CMO & Co-Founder of Purple Rose Supply with partner Sidney as the CEO & Co-Founder. Before cannabis was in the picture, they both came from the tech space, Raveena in marketing, and Sydney as a software engineer
“When I had the opportunity to do something that aligned with my professional goals and my passion, I had to jump on it,” Sidney shared.
It wasn’t exactly an easy switch though; he had quite a history with cannabis. In college, he was caught with just a little over an ounce of cannabis and had to make a hard choice. Drop out for a semester and spend 3-4 months in jail, or take the felony and 3-year probation. In an effort not to derail the degree he was working so hard for, he took the felony, which presented its own challenges.
“… it was hard to find a job. Even just finding an internship, I got rejected so many times before I even got a shot, and moving into work, it was the same.”
Since they teamed up together they’ve taken a new approach to cannabis consumption, and they put accessibility at the forefront of what they’re doing. It’s about empowering people to medicate their way, giving autonomy to their team to take ownership of projects, and making sure that cannabis continues to break barriers and becomes more normalized every day!
Q&A with the Founders of Purple Rose Supply
Casey Renteria: Where did the name purple rose come from?
Sidney: When I was younger and consuming in the Bay Area, there was a lot of emphasis on purple cannabis; it was more exotic. That experience gave the idea for the color, and we played around with different variations. We had friends try the product, and in talking through ideas, everyone liked the name Purple Rose. That’s initially how the name came to be.
CR: What inspired you to start the company?
Sidney: I am a really big blunt smoker. I don’t smoke tobacco as much, but I do smoke in a rolled format. In 2016, I saw the OG Thai stick come up, and they were rebranded as cannagars. When I was looking into it, I realized I was going to have to fly to a different state, and they were a couple of hundred dollars, so I took my skills and made the prototype for the cannagar mold and had it 3D printed. We never thought much about it. I just knew I could now make something that otherwise I’d have to spend a lot, or fly somewhere to get it. After talking with my friends, they loved the whole concept of making it more accessible to people. This unlocked that for everyone else.
Raveena: Yeah, back then it was only marketed to the 1% of people who could get it. It came out of accessibility, we noticed a subset of consumers who had dexterity issues, so it unlocked that for them as well: accessibility is huge!
CR: What is your favorite part of working in cannabis?
Sidney: It has always been a passion. In school, I got a felony for a small amount of cannabis, it was really unfortunate, and I thought it was going to derail my career. To circle back and dive into the industry I love is cool. Now, in my position to build the industry, pave the path forward, and help create the industry for consumers like me, it is very exciting.
Raveena: I think for me, it is nice being in a growing industry. It still comes with headaches, but there is a lot of camaraderie as well.
CR: What is the biggest hurdle or struggle you’ve faced?
Raveena: Rules change all the time. Instagram was big for us organically, and we would get taken down all the time. Navigating how to get our product in front of the right people, especially with the regulations around the platform is hard.
Sidney: I would echo that being in a restricted space comes with challenges like logistics, it adds so much complexity, rather than if we were an accessories company in another space.
CR: What has it been like being a woman in the cannabis industry?
Raveena: I’ve been fortunate in my experience. Everything I’ve encountered in the industry has been great. I see us creating a space for women to thrive, and I feel fortunate to be part of that. It’s been positive, and I have a lot of role models in this space. My sorority sister has been a huge help in navigating this space since she’s in it too.
CR: What are you most excited to see in the industry, whether for your brand or cannabis in general?
Sidney: I’m excited about the future of our brand… we are going to keep moving forward and breaking barriers in the space. I’m excited to see more reform on the legal side. I think we’ve all been waiting for money to go towards medical research.
Raveena: Expanded access. I’ve seen the shift of acceptance even in my Indian family. I’ve seen the shift from pre-legal to post-legal, and I’ve gotten to share that experience with my mom. My grandparents are more open to it now, so it’s always great to see. I’m most excited about the more open acceptance of the plant.
Sidney: I hope all that comes with no one being a felon for cannabis. I went through a nightmare, and I’m excited to have a world where that doesn’t happen anymore.
CR: What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
Raveena: For us, we want to foster a culture where everyone can be the best version of themselves.
Sidney: I’m excited to make an impact for however long I stay in. I want to make sure we positively impact people’s lives. When I first started, accessibility and breaking barriers were big for me. I never liked the exclusive feeling, I wanted to be able to make things more accessible.
