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Interviews Skunk Magazine

Ladies of Paradise: Lady Jays, Great Flower/Girl Power!

Photo Credit: Keasha Brown
Photo Credit: Keasha Brown

I’m quite a fan of the brand Lady Jays. My path to this brand came by osmosis and travel.

I was searching for mini pre-rolls while on a cannabis mixology trip to Portland, Oregon and our paths crossed. Not physically unfortunately (for me, not the Ladies of Paradise!), but through my enjoyment of their marvelous cannabis flowers woven into their admirable smokes named: Lady Jays.

Traditionally, I’m not a big fan of the variety of cannabis which is known as hemp. Nor hemp pre-rolls. They are in fact cannabis as I appreciate it, but with extremely low THC. The CBD and CBG components offers all the fine medical effects that we appreciate in medical cannabis, but without the pleasant body buzz. For myself, I’m looking for something a little different. But for those who want to experience Lady Jays without running into unnecessary attention from the “man” may I recommend their legal hemp line. Their hemp derived prerolls are quite lovely indeed. I know you’ll love them!

Warren Bobrow=WB: Please tell me about yourselves? What are you doing in the pro-women cannabis world? What about in the future?

Harlee Case: I’m a tornado of rainbow colors, alien theories, and weed. My “title” is Creative Director for Ladies of Paradise and Lady Jays. I’m in charge of all of our creative clients and original concepts for design and forward-facing marketing. We are only a few women, so in all reality we all have our hands in each other’s business. We have had a difficult time with splitting things up into roles as we all really enjoy working together on mostly everything.

Jade Daniels: I’m a connector. I love meeting new people and introducing friends who I know will vibe. I’m a doer, I can’t sit still. I always have to be on the go or planning my next move. I’m the CEO and founder of Ladies of Paradise and Lady Jays, and a visionary for creativity in cannabis.

WB: Please tell me what you’re working on right now?

Harlee: Ladies or Paradise is a creative agency that specializes in marketing to the wild feminine type. Lady Jays is our first in-house product, which is a 10 pack of half gram pre-rolls. We started with THC products in Oregon and now have CBD/CBG products that are available nationwide.

Jade: I work mostly with Lady Jays production, wholesale and expansion. I have done everything from assembling our boxes to shrink wrapping them, shipping them, establishing relationships with partners and meeting new people to work with.

WB: What makes you, YOU? How do you set yourself apart from your peers?

Harlee: I think our style in general really sets everything we do apart. We like to be loud and push the boundaries of design and style.

Jade: We have a very feminine and loud aesthetic and love to be a positive voice in the community. We bring people together and make everyone feel included. We embrace authenticity and encourage people to be happy being themselves.

Photo credit: Harlee Case

WB: What’s your favorite thing about your accomplishments in the cannabis space?

Harlee: I feel so blessed to be in a work environment that is supportive. We play by our own rules, so there isn’t anything that I’ve wanted to do that I haven’t been able to. If we can dream it, we can do it. I truly love the communities we’ve both created and been a part of — From parties, to photoshoots, to Zoom calls, the energy is incredible. I’m so grateful.

Jade: I love working in the cannabis industry and being a part of something new and exciting. The downside — we have to operate in gray areas because it’s not federally legal, and deal with constant regulation changes, guidelines and restrictions.

WB: Did either of you go to business school? How did you learn the necessary skills to run a successful business?

Harlee: I learn best from jumping in headfirst. I didn’t go to college, so it’s all really been trial and error.

Jade: I went to business school at the University of Houston, and I took a course one semester that really inspired me to start my own business. There’s so much more once it happens, though, that you learn hands-on.

WB: What’s contributed to your success? Where did your inspiration come from?

Harlee: Dreaming big, and always taking forward action towards those dreams.

Jade: Rolling with the punches and pivoting our business model constantly…Never taking “no” as an answer and constantly evolving.

WB: Could you have ever imagined working in the cannabis industry?

Harlee: I grew up in a very popular cultivation zone far before legalization, so it wasn’t that far off of an idea but still I didn’t necessarily think it would be so…Never in the way it has all transpired, at least.

Jade: Not at all. I went to high school and college in Houston, and never thought this was a possibility.

WB: Were your family and friends supportive of your venture?

Harlee: Yes, very supportive. My father wasn’t super excited at first, but he’s always supportive of my life choices even when he doesn’t agree with them.

Jade: My dad is a veteran and knows first-hand the medical benefits of cannabis for PTSD, so that was a really good way for me to validate my involvement in the cannabis industry. My mom was a hippie growing up and smoked weed in the ‘70s, so she’s down with the movement but wasn’t super stoked that this was my career path. I think she just wanted me to be a pro soccer player (and was the most emboldened with me when I was scoring goals).

WB: What has your personal experience with cannabis been?

Harlee & Jade: We love cannabis, always have and always will.

Thank you, Cheers! WB

Jade Daniels, CEO of Ladies of Paradise & Lady Jays

Harlee Case, COO of Ladies of Paradise & Lady Jays

Ladies of Paradise is a women-positive creative agency based in Portland, Oregon, where women are appreciated, celebrated and supported. Currently, LoP offers cannabis event planning services, graphic design, packaging, creative content development, educational meetups, and product lines ranging from clothing to CBD products, as well as the new LoP cannabis and hemp CBD & CBG pre-rolls, Lady Jays. LoP works to uplift, unite, and educate individuals in an effort to normalize cannabis by means of fashion, community and culture. Through their themed cannabis events and community of women of all shapes, sizes, and colors, LoP aims to elevate the aesthetic and remove the stigma from cannabis and the people who make up this community.

https://ladiesofparadise.com

https://www.smokeladyjays.com

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/ladies-of-paradise-lady-jays-great-flower-girl-power/