By; Jasmine of Emerald Dreams

Becoming a mom gives you more incentive and determination to build a better future. You want and need to give your kid(s) better than you ever had it. I feel blessed that I am in the position to work hard and give my daughter a legacy she can thrive in.

This marijuana industry is in such a grey area and honestly there is a lot of hoops you must jump through in order to stay legal and stay ahead. To get permitted to grow or sell is a huge challenge in itself. Everyday I wake up and read the news, the new laws and regulations, fill out paper work, and respond to emails. There are so many fees, permits, and certifications that these marijuana permits require when it all used to be about just playing in the dirt. We used to hide our plants in the redwoods, now we have Cal Cannabis inspectors walking through our gardens telling us how beautiful the set up is.

I am building a brand out of my garden. Creating a business out of what used to be black market. I pay my taxes and play with my daughter, dreaming of the day she’s an adult and can inherit this LLC.

Time management is something I’m getting better at. Juggling my time between cuddling my daughter and managing the farm is an art. At this point, I’m not sure what’s more stressful- being a single mom or being a business owner. I definitely know which one is more rewarding though.

In order to raise strong women, we must be strong women. Empowered women empower women. In teaching my daughter how to be fearless, a savvy business owner, and financially secure she’ll be extremely self sufficient. All the groundwork will be done for her so she’ll be able to enjoy this heirloom garden. She’ll know where her food came from because she grew it all. I want her to have that satisfying feeling of making meals from vegetables straight of her garden for the people she loves. She will be able to expand our brand and take it to the next level, however she sees fit. There’s a sense of security when you own the property you live on and you can build for yourself and your family. I have worked extremely hard my entire life and started from the bottom to get to this point. The main thing I have learned is that it is always possible, through hard work, dedication, and good relations.