We were honored to have Founder Kristen Williams profiled in our local Columbia Daily Tribune this past weekend!
Somehow, seeing ourselves appear in the local paper seems even more exciting than a national outlet. After two years of patiently laying a solid foundation in our hometown, we finally have a network who will publicly associate with us — now that’s a victory!!
This article highlights Kristen’s journey to founding Hempsley and touches on some of the recent struggles we have been faced with, including our plans now that Missouri has legalized medical marijuana.
When Missouri legalized in November, we had a moment: "Does this mean we become a dispensary?"
The decision paralyzed us for about a month. For a couple of weeks, yes — that was exactly our plan. But it didn't feel quite right. Kristen’s vision for Hempsley is bigger than a dispensary, and in order to get where we ultimately want to go, we still need a lot of education.
After all, the success and longevity of the cannabis industry is dependent on consumers being educated about how to choose products that are best for them and then how to use them responsibly. That's where Hempsley comes in. Read more below!
by Philip Joens, Columbia Daily Tribune (Published 3/2/2019)
Kristen Williams’ office feels serene.
Light green hues on the walls compliment sleek white furniture that dominate most of the room’s decor. On another wall hangs a picture frame with a handful of pressed wildflowers. A few feet away, a pair of violet curtains conceals another wall full of office supplies. In another corner, a shelves are full of terpenes and bottles of cannabidiol, or CBD, oil derived from industrial hemp.
“I wanted to change how people were perceiving this plant,” Williams said. ” I wanted to help give these brands that were coming to the surface to be taken seriously.”
Williams, 26, is not a drug dealer, nor does she want to wade into the world of Missouri’s emerging cannabis industry. Rather, as the cannabis industry flowers across the state, she wants to educate people about the benefits of cannabis through her startup, Hempsley. Still, as she launches her business, located in The Hatchery at 206 Corporate Lake Drive, Williams knows state and federal cannabis laws are murky, confusing and hard to wade through.
