- Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
Durban Dames is a CBD & hemp-infused product manufacturer. We produce medicinal-grade gummies, vapes, shots, oils, shisha, pet products and more. Our differentiator is in the purity and uncompromising quality of our products.
- Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
My name is Kisha Grant. My educational background is in Electrical Engineering (B.S. from Tuskegee University) and Computer Science (M.S. from Columbia University). I worked in the tech sector for the majority of my professional career. I’m an accredited real estate investor and have a passion for woodworking.
- What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
I ventured into cannabis in an effort to find aid for my mother who suffered a brain aneurysm a decade ago. Modern medicine couldn’t offer any solutions to help my mother reach her baseline. At the time, I was living in California and cannabis was on the verge of legalization. I studied the plant, applicable laws, pre-prohibition use-cases and started curating various formulations of gummies. Lo and behold, after giving my mother 25mg gummies over the course of a few days, she had the energy and desire (after laying in bed for over 7 years) to get out of the house, shop, and visit friends. This, again, hasn’t happened since her aneurysm. From that point forward, I wanted to share this miracle plant with the world! This was the start of Zummy Gummies, my first cannabis company.
- What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
- Understand your “why”. It will encourage you during tough times.
- Do not expect support from friends and family. If you get it, awesome! Don’t expect it.
- Focus on productivity, not activity. At times, you will get stuck spinning your wheels. It’s normal. Refocus. Progress.
- What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
- Communication
- People
- Discipline
- How many hours do you work a day on average?
Being a start up, I work constantly. It’s never ending. Easily 11 hours on average. Once I get over the “new business hump”, I plan to scale back a few hours.
- To what do you most attribute your success?
Tenacity and my love of learning.
- How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Marketing is such a diverse and broad beast. It’s been a challenge finding wild success. What has worked consistently is direct marketing.
- Where did your organization’s funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
We are self-funded.
- What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Market intelligence, agility, and a strong team.
- Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years? In 5 years, I see myself conducting business while traveling the world.
I see Durban Dames being a national brand available in thousands of smoke, CBD shops, and dispensaries.
- Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Easy answer. Cookies.
- How important have good employees been to your success? Good employees are extremely important.
Having great employees is game-changing!
- How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
I’ll stick with an idea until I prove, with verified data, it is impossible or I conquer it to my satisfaction.
- What motivates you?
Learning, exploring, and solving problems.
- How do you generate new ideas?
I can’t stop generating new ideas. Lol. Sometimes it’s a distraction having so many new ideas. It takes discipline not to chase everything. I’m still working on that.
- How do you define success?
Accomplishing your goals and having fun doing it.
- How do you build a successful customer base?
Still figuring that one out.
- What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
The challenge of finding success.
- What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
I’m ecstatic everytime customers rave about a product working for them. Keeps me going during tough times.
- How can you prevent mistakes or do damage control?
In my opinion, there isn’t a way to prevent mistakes, but you must always learn from them. Don’t be overly concerned with the inevitable. Do your best and give yourself grace.
- What makes you happy?
I’m a naturally happy person. As long as I protect my peace, I’ll remain in a happy state. Once my peace is interrupted, I’m stressed until I solve (or end) the disruption. I’ve severed many relationships, opting for peace.
For more information visit us at https://durbandames.com/