Meet Shagwhelin Shaggy” Bullock | Cannabis Educator”

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shagwhelin “Shaggy” Bullock and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shagwhelin “Shaggy”, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I’m a big proponent that we are the only ones in control of our own happiness and the only one who can change things to become happy. So the first area to start is. ” What is the most important thing to you in life? What would make you truly happy? Is it having a lot of money, security, a family , making the world better? No answer is wrong, it’s figuring out what is truly important to you. For me it was career. We spend most of our life working so I wanted to do something I Love. The other factors was location! I love nature so have to be by the mountains or beach. I hate the cold so I wanted somewhere warm. My final factor was what am I passionate about? Helping People and cannabis!

So once I figured out how much I was willing to risk to follow my dream. Well I’m a dreamer so for me it was everything! I knew that me just dealing cannabis in Virginia and risking imprisonment had no benefits to anyone or making the world better. So I had to move to a state I could emerge myself in the growing industry. So after a few years of people backing out and waiting to move I eventually had to just pull the trigger and take the biggest risk of my life. I helped some college friends move to San Diego and joined 5 months later! I came out with a duffle bag, backpack, my dog and maybe 3k to my name. It was the riskiest/dumbass move, but it ended being the best decision I ever made! That one decision changed my life in so many ways and help me become who I am today!

However it was not an easy move. When I first moved to California I moved to my sister’s place in Riverside. That lasted all of one day. The first day, they were at work so I rode my skateboard to go apply to jobs. I ended up getting speed wobbles on a hill had to bail and just ate it. Scraped my whole side, ripped my clothes, and blood just streaming down my side. So I go, clean up and look at places in San Diego. San Diego was calling me and my sister understood. The next day I was on a train to San Diego. I stayed on my friends couch but had a place to rent and a job at a bike shop by the end of the weekend. So within a week of taking the Biggest risk of my life I had to take another big one quickly.

I now had my location down but still needed to get in the cannabis industry. On my days off I would bicycle 30 miles to apply to the same 6 dispensaries! It took me 6 months to get my first job in the industry as a tour guide. Than dispensary after the tour company didn’t take off. Once the dispensary got shut down I took a risk going to work with a friend at an edible company. Again this risk paid off really big for two reasons. Connections and knowledge. Even though the company didn’t fully take off it was probably the most two important years of my growth. The connections to other brands and companies allowed me to have partnerships even today after not being apart of the company for years. Also the brew team for Therapy Tonics became my family. My brewmaster is now a roommate, and the rest of our team still constantly chats and meets up. As far as the knowledge I started from a brewer than moving into sales and marketing. By the end of my time there I was Brand Manager where I would train sales reps, influencers, brand ambassadors, build connections with shops and work events. I also took a project to completion from creating a lemonade, training reps, getting it in shops, along with writing, acting, and directing in 2 online commercials.

Unfortunately, not all start up companies will take off but you can take something from every experience. So after putting so much into a company and it not turning out the vision you saw makes you rethink your dream. Sometimes can get even a little depressing at times. Feeling like wanting to give up….. but I’m a dreamer remember so nothing is stopping me! However I realized I did not want to hop into sales anymore I wanted to educate and help the patients not the brands! So how could I help! It was time to bet on MYSELF! I needed to create my own company, my own message!

So obviously with my name and appearance I remind people of Shaggy from Scooby Doo. At first it was a nickname but than it grew to much more. The character provides a familiar face to breakdown the barriers so we can have real conversations! Shaggy has been around since the 1969 and they even created a new movie a few years ago. So as Shaggy I can appeal to an audience that ranges from people from my dads generation to even newer generations now. Also Shaggy was most peoples introduction to a “stoner”. He always have the munchies, smoke coming from his van, his first love name is Mary Jane , and his outfit is a blunt. There are a lot of Easter eggs in the shows and movies to show this. So I’m the true Shaggy that doesn’t hide who he is. I even adopted a retriever/ chow brown dog from a dog adoption and cannabis education event I put on. Of course I named her Scooby and than my other dog who is a corgi/ beagle looks like scrappy doo even though that wasn’t planned. So why do all of this? What’s the point? Well it all leads to the vision!

So I created Shagwhelin’s Way! It’s a lifestyle brand that spreads education and entertainment to break the stigma around and normalize its consumption! I created a Youtube called Shagwhelin’s Way! My content includes Shagwhelin’s Smoke Spots where I take you to amazing spots in San Diego that are private enough to blaze. I also give you riddles to find the spots and encourage cleaning up of our community! I also have Shaggy’s Snacks where I take you to the best local spots to take care of your munchie needs. I’m currently in the process of my biggest project of purchasing a van and turning it into a travel studio. Eventually I want to take my shows on the road along with creating my Potcast, ” A Trip Down Stoner Drive” where I interview Patients, dispensaries, advocates, and more in the industry to tell their stories. I have recently have become an Ordained Minister to encourage the growth of cannabis weddings and more affordable weddings! So you can hire me through my social media accounts and website coming soon! I’m currently at Cannabist while I continue to grow my dream and company but it allows me to connect with patients, brands, and financially!

So I have had to take a lot of risks anywhere moving locations, changing jobs, or even losing the one I loved knowing I did’nt want kids. Taking risks can suck and be scary, but the best things in life are worth it. So determine what is absolutely important to you and what would make you happy. Than when you get that nervous feeling in your gut, your anxiety is through the roof, and you are so scared that’s the time to make the leap. Everyone gets anxiety and scared but will you let it stop you or let it drive you!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Being in the Cannabis Industry I have met a lot of people. Some very successful in other industries and bring their knowledge about business to our industry. There are two things I feel really helped me when I felt like nothing was going right. Don’t be afraid to dream big and don’t be afraid of failure. The best inventions and creations come from the biggest dreams and the biggest dreamers it doesn’t come from following the status quo or doing it like everyone else. You can make money and be successful from some views but if you want to change the world you have to think out of the box. The second lesson was do not be afraid to fail. Ask any successful person if it was easy they will tell you hell no. So submerge yourself in the dream. Take risks but most importantly learn from them! Every experience can teach you something. So the best advice I can give you is when something fails or goes wrong see what you can learn from it.

As far as my work I dream big. I would love my legacy to eventually be along the names of Mr. Rodgers or Anthony Bourdain. I believe Mr. Rodgers understood we need to teach and talk to the younger generation. I also learned that programs like DARE and just say NO were horrible and did more harm than good. It ignored the problem instead addressing it and having a conversation. I think with the growing of cannabis we need a face that have conversations with children understanding that this is a plant that does have side effects. That this is mostly intended for adult consumption but understanding in extreme cases that cannabis may be used by fellow students for medicine. Like in Cases of epilepsy, cancer, parkinsons, etc that these kids are not using recreationally like some adults but that it is a medicine. We have to make sure these patients aren’t using the plant to get stoned in school.
I also loved what Anthony Bourdain did. by bringing together people through food. He understood the importance of connections instead of materials. That people from other cultures all have stories and also very alike and sometimes we need something to break down barriers to unify people. His was food and mine is cannabis. I have seen cannabis bring young people and grandmas, old hippies and retired military. As my great friend Collin Wells, founder of Veterans Walk & Talk, has said ,” Cannabis is the ultimate unifier.” So through my shows, potcasts, and cannabis weddings I hope to bring people together, give a platform for people to tell their stories, and hopefully make the world a better place!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Haha well first I would take them to all my Smoke and Snack spots from my channel. But being from the east coast I definetly have friends come see San Diego! Being voted the city that has the most fun, It’s impossible to hit all we have to offer in just a week. I have lived here almost 5 years and I’m still discovering new places constantly!

My favorite places to take guests are Balboa Park. Just so much culture and views plus if you ever played the original Tony Hawk games you May recognize it! You also have to hit La Jolla to see the seals, Ocean Beach for their farmers market and drum circle on Wednesdays. If its baseball season going downtown for a game is a blast and the trolley makes it easy to avoid parking and expensive uber charges. Also while you are downtown walk over to little Italy and stop by Waterfront Bar and Grill. Hands down best sliders in your life. But you can’t come to San Diego without getting seafood and mexican food. For sushi I reccommend Sushi Kuchi in PB. half of the menu is 50% all the time and dollar saki bombs. Even though you may be stuffed you must get a fish taco from Oscars down the street. They are famous for a reason. Finally you have heard about the amazing sunsets so walk down to Shoreclub for their vodka redbull slushies and the best view. If you want something classier head to Miss B’s Coconut bar in Mission Beach. Ask my man Anthony for a couple Great Idea Shots than have him make you a bomb cocktail.

Finally after a long week your friends will be dead and just want to hang. Take them over to crown point or ski beach and do a bon fire at a pre made fire bit and have a fire on the bay. This is absolutely my favorite thing to do in San Diego. You will never get a better view or more relaxing feeling than a fire on the bay!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I think the person I want to thank the most is Johann Balbuena from Cannabis Synergy! Lots of people have helped my journey but no one has believed in me more and has helped me believe in myself more. I cant wait for the things to come and I’m bring her to the top with me. Success is better with people you trust. Don’t do it alone. Also check out her book , ” The Successful Canna-Preneur”!

Instagram: Shagwhelinsway

Twitter: shagwhelinsway

Facebook: Shagwhelin Bullock

Youtube: Shagwhelin’s Way

Image Credits
Cannabis Synergy Boycott Shitty Weed Johann Balbuena Hazy Lioness