More Flowerful: Paizley Bishop

Want to hear a story about persistence? Picture it: Los Angeles, 2020. A vibrant young woman in lockdown decides to take a leap of faith and become her own boss (babe).

That vibrant young woman was Paizley Bishop and that leap of faith was founding Peach Honey, a CBD preroll company. “I reached a point in my life where I realized I didn’t want to work for other people anymore,” she recalls. “I wanted to do something in this world that was an extension or representation of myself.” She wasn’t alone. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s ​​Business Formation Statistics, in 2020 alone, over 4 million new business applications were filed.

“Like now I have to figure out QuickBooks; I've never done that before.”

As launch day approached, nerves set in for Paizley. “I finally press go and press live and it was this ultimate moment of vulnerability. This was my heart and soul; my purest self out in the world”, she explains. “I went, ‘Do you like it? And do you wanna spend money on it?’” Spoiler alert: they did. She goes on, “Once that first order came in, I just burst into tears cause it was real. I showed up in this world as the most authentic version of myself after so much hard work and energy and thought and care and it happened. It was out in the world. It felt like an achievement of authenticity and a thing I'd been working towards for a very long time.” As can be expected, there was a slight learning curve for the first time business owner. “Like now I have to figure out QuickBooks; I've never done that before. I mean, I didn't come into this industry with a degree in business. I dropped out of college and moved to LA and just ran on pure intuition with this,” she admits, “There was no sure fire plan. I mean, I did all the planning that I could. I came up with the business plan, I did the pitch deck, I did the branding and on launch day, there were still problems.”

While she makes the process seem effortless, Paizley confesses that it’s anything but. External roadblocks aside, when it comes to her biggest struggles; the calls were coming from inside the house. She admits, “There are times I think the biggest challenge is my own inner monologue that can sometimes be riddled with anxiety and very self-shaming and very scared and feeling very overwhelmed.” She jokes, “She’s not nice to me sometimes. Oh, she's savage sometimes.” And yet, she persists. How?

Her strong sense of resilience as a business woman actually comes from an unlikely source: a failed relationship. After a rough breakup that left her feeling “distraught”, Paizley learned the importance of looking inward for encouragement. She recalls, “I felt this genuine sense of like I'm so in love with myself and like that's what I wanted to create for women. To have these moments to yourself where you could just feel so in love with yourself and to take time for yourself.” According to her, it’s about balancing things out; counteracting her negative thoughts with positive affirmations about herself. As she puts it, “To overcome that and to go, ‘You can do this. You can trust yourself. You're capable. You're smart enough to figure this out.’ Every time. Even if I need to fix something on the website or I need to find a new way to get these products out, every time I overcome it. And it's empowering.” In essence, Paizley learned to tame her “inner saboteur”. RuPaul would be proud.

“I think cannabis in and of itself should be a fun experience.”

Striking a balance is important to Paizley in many aspects. That’s actually what she most looks forward to within the industry as it evolves. As she puts it, “You know, cannabis for the longest time was just like, you like hit a bong in your basement and it was kind of this masculine thing. And just dude heavy. We've seen a lot of big names come out in the dispensary or weed space that didn't take advice from women. Just like Under Armour didn't think that women's fitness was an important thing to pursue and look where they're at now. I think the industry is finally listening to women, which is incredible.” She adds, “I think the more that we create a greater balance with the masculine and feminine energy in this space, the more mainstream and widely accepted and more accessible it'll become to people. In a way that's pleasant and fun.”

And Paizley believes in fun. “I think cannabis in and of itself should be a fun experience. Picking out your strain of flower. How high of a percentage are you gonna go? Are you going really social with it? Are you just like nibbling on a gummy before you go get a massage?” I think it’s about incorporating it into people's daily lives. I think it normalizes it.”

That’s why it’s not at all surprising that levity and good vibes are at the core of her brand messaging. She explains, “That was the whole birth of Peach Honey: to find moments to fall in love with yourself. I feel like I’m a very warm and loving person. My tagline with Peach Honey is ‘getting gooey’ so it’s like this gooey feeling of euphoria and warmth and security. Sort of a confidence in yourself and a moment to be vulnerable and to take pride and to love in that. To be sort of soft, but yet powerful and strong in that.”

“I'm all about beauty and aesthetics,” she adds, “Just to have more of that energy in the space. I think it normalizes it.” Spoken like a true Libra.

Follow Paizley on Instagram here.

Credits:

Photography: Jessica Miller

Agent: Dara Siegel

Hair & Makeup: Shideh Kafei

Wardrobe: Ashley Guerzon

Props Stylist: Shelby Kay

Production: Shabnam Azadeh