Eaze Momentum is a cannabis business accelerator designed to support under-represented founders. In this interview series, the members of our 2022 cohort share some of the most valuable lessons they’ve learned as founders.
Born in Bangladesh and based in Boston, MA, Tess Mitchell started OUNCE to elevate the process of buying, trying and enjoying cannabis for women and consumer 3.0 in Massachusetts. Like many founders and entrepreneurs, she set out to scratch her own itch.
“As a wellness-conscious millennial woman, adult-use dispensaries felt sterile and intimidating with multiple ID checkpoints and budtenders pushing me to buy the most potent and expensive products. OUNCE is a consumer-centric, e-commerce dispensary for women by women. We rigorously vet cannabis products on the market, make personalized recommendations based on our customer’s wellness needs, and deliver it directly to their doorstep – discreetly and quickly.”
What sets your brand apart in the cannabis industry? OUNCE is all about empowering women to feel welcomed in cannabis because there is space for all of us. I’ve first hand felt stigmatized for going to the dispensary asking about cannabis products for libido, menstrual pain, mood stability, etc. OUNCE believes the future of flower is female, and solely focuses on serving the cannabis wellness needs of women, who are a rapidly growing segment of the industry.
With OUNCE, women and consumer 3.0 can have their wellness products recommended and conveniently delivered by their canna-BFF from the comfort of their home! I’m pursuing a Masters in Science (MS) in medical cannabis because I want to help more women become educated about plant medicine and what it can do for them. My clinical experience in the science behind cannabis is embedded into OUNCE’s ethos for connecting more women with the right cannabis products based on their individual wellness needs.
What is the most valuable takeaway you’ve gotten from the Momentum program? The most valuable part of being in the Momentum program is having the platform to learn from the best of cannabis leadership and use their lessons and domain expertise to refine my business.
What advice would you give to your younger self? It may not make sense now, but trust the process. There is a reason for everything.