You’re the owner of an exciting new business in the Beach Cities called Pure Hermosa, which sells CBD products. I think a lot of people are confused about CBD. What is it exactly, and what is it used for?
Mother Nature has given us some divine ingredients, and when she created CBD she majorly hooked us up. To get a little bit technical without putting you to sleep, Cannabidiol, CBD, is a naturally occurring compound in Hemp and Cannabis plants. At Pure Hermosa we use Hemp-only so that our products are non-psychoactive, meaning they don’t get you high, and contain Zero-THC. So they can be used by everyone. And the amazing part is that CBD has been known for centuries, maybe more, to have great health benefits. And the even more amazing part is that CBD’s many therapeutic
properties have actually been scientifically tested for decades. And that is our major mission at Pure Hermosa to spread that news. For instance, a 2013 NIH published study suggests that modulating our EndoCannabinoid System activity, and supporting it with CBD, may have therapeutic potential in almost all diseases affecting humans, including neurodegenerative diabetes, inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular, skin, and the big one, cancer. In fact the American Cancer Society now has a link on their website to the study that shows that Cannabinoids slow the growth, or cause death in certain types of cancer cells growing in lab dishes. How is that not major news?
Now, to be safe, and legally compliant, we have to not use the word cure, and I agree that there is a long way to go before doctors can prescribe CBD, but I am thrilled that we are going in that direction. For now it is regulated like your supplements are. Interesting to know, CBD and THC, (which does get you high), react differently with different receptors in the brain and body with beneficial functions. And party- strategy note, CBD can actually neutralize the affects of too much THC, or being too high, if needed. One of our products, the Sleep Spray is a great party tool to keep with
you if you are experiencing with THC and what your level is. I don’t imbibe in THC products, but wish I knew about CBD in college…in many ways!
The must know about CBD, is that it works with our Endocannabinoid System, or ECS, and our ECS receptors, CB1 and CB2. Our ECS is the biological system that helps us regulate all other systems in our body and find balance, or homeostasis. How cool is that? I guess better late than never, but how is it that we are only now aware of our EndoCannabinoid System…we probably could have staved off a lot of issues in ourselves and loved ones. So it’s our passion and mission to share this great news, the facts and make a quality, safe and accessible product with everyone.
What drew you to work in holistic health, and dealing with CDB specifically?
My sister, Jeanne Grosset, fell in to Macrobiotics 15 years ago to help a family member with cancer healing. As a producer, (my Day-Job), I thought this is never going to work, how could food heal cancer? So I documented the process, knowing he would not survive but I would have footage for their kids, who were then 2 and 4 years old. Well it did work, within 6 months he was cancer free from metastasized, Stage 4 prostate cancer. I went all over the country interviewing Western doctors who did, and did not, believe in the healing benefits of food. It’s too much to go in to here but many do believe that food had a lot to do with his healing. So many epiphanies happened in that filming process, that I then pivoted away from producing music videos and commercials to doing long form marketing, DRTV, for health and beauty products, but only ones that truly were healthy. And I want to add; I love our family doctors, Gynecologists, surgeons, etc. They’re incredible people helping and healing and always learning. I truly believe in
pharmaceuticals being necessary, when needed. But I also believe deeply in balance and being holistic, and how we are what we eat, and food CAN and does heal us – because I have seen first hand the results, over and over again. They say do what you are passionate about. I was blessed to work with some amazing Direct Response brands created by people who travel the world to source quality ingredients to help people. And I know for a fact these products were positively benefiting their lives because my specialty is working with “Testimonials” to try products and tell us their experience. Who better to hear about a product from than your neighbors, or someone you relate to? Then two years ago my son’s friend’s momma, a great Hermosa Mom, who was already working in the Cannabis Industry, brought me in to do some Testimonial marketing, and it was the ah-hah moment. Finally a product that addresses so many needs we all have, as families, across the board. And could, and should be taken every day for
wellness, to help us possibly avert many issues. I love that CBD works with us on a physical and emotional level.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon or Yosemite and I don’t like strawberries. Or at least those are the things that people say “Really?!”… but seriously, I don’t know the answer here because I am such an open book. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and being of mostly Italian and German genetics, I am not exactly quiet or have a lot of filters. So I will have to get back to you on that… I asked my fiancée’ and the question stumped him too.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
My 2 amazing boys are:
Dillan – 27, and a very successful Salesman at Yelp! up in SFO. I miss him terribly day to day but he is healthy and happy and doing amazing so I have such pride for him. He comes home a lot to see his momma… he’s a gem. He is fantastically funny, and very loved by all.
Lukas – 14, and finishing freshman year at Mira Costa High School. He’s a volleyballer and also hilarious. He had a great season with the school Frosh/Soph team and is on the 16s SCVC Club Team and loves his team and Coaches. We all get to spend 4th of July in Dallas for Jr. Olympics. He also made the Team USA Vollyeball High Performance Training Team for the 2nd year and goes to play with them the end of July in Charlotte, NC. So we are really proud of him, but my favorite thing about Lukas is his sweetness matched with hilarious with. Also as a little pivot, he was moved to apply
Loyola High School and just got in, so he will be attending there in the Fall. All his doing… very proud of him.
Starting a new business, as we know, takes a ton of work. What does a typical weekday
look like for you?
I am a Producer and Marketer, so there are not typical weeks- really. I try to work out of the house as much as possible, so that I can have as much time as with our teen and be there for him, even if I’m slammed with deadlines I take breaks to make him snacks and check in on his studies. I know how quickly high school years pass, then college, then they are out in to the world. The weeks when we are shooting I am in the clients office more, and then on location.
Since last October I’ve also been developing and creating the Pure Hermosa product line, branding and marketing, so the days are even longer. I try, really hard, with about 50% success-rate to start my day walking, or running the Strand with my favorite Hermosians. My goal is to work some beach yoga into the morning routine. Beach yoga, using the Pacific Ocean horizon as your “focus point” is transcendent. I know there are a lot of great morning groups out there so I can’t wait to be a part of those. But back to the question- for now, I start working once the kiddo is fed and out the door to school. Have meeting at Java Man or around town, then make dinner, binge watch a legal or political fiction TV Show with my man- whilst working, and stop when it’s time to sleep… But no complaints because I get to do what I love, creating and marketing products to help us “live our best lives”. We’ve been using, maybe over-using, that term in marketing for a few years now, but I love it, it says it all. Our lives are what we make it, nothing more, nothing less. My mom and dad taught me that- and it is truth. So it’s fantastic to source ingredients and create products that help us do that- easily and affordably.
As a resident of the LA area for over 20 years, what drew you more recently to settle
down specifically in the Beach Cities?
My parents moved from Rochester, NY in 1987 when I was in college at Emerson in Boston. The joke is that my siblings and I “found” them because within a few years we all moved out here and back in with them. They’re amazing parents so they loved having us around. I lived in Beachwood in Hollywood for many years whilst in the music video biz. Then married and moved to Santa Monica, then London for a year, then back
to LA and Studio City. I’ve loved every neighborhood, but I am “in-love” with Hermosa Beach and the South Bay. I had only known Hermosa as a place to come fraternize in the 90s on Pier Avenue. But my fiancée, David, knew the volleyball scene here in the 80s and 90s and when he played indoor volleyball for UCLA. So when it was time to merge households a few years ago he insisted we check out this area. I thought there was no way we’d find beach-life affordable. We were blessed with finding an amazing place the first time we looked. So I believe it was meant to be. I wanted to get involved in this great community and through Lukas’ Beach Volleyball Coaches, Brenton and Tori, joined Leadership Hermosa, and through school helped coordinate the Halloween Carnival. Those experiences quickly garnered new amazing friendships. How cool, and heartwarming, to go in shops and restaurants, or to all the fantastic local events and always see people you know and adore! It’s the small town feel we had growing up
in Rochester, NY- but had not yet found in the big metropolis of Los Angeles in over 20
years. This town is truly divine.
What are some of your favorite local things to do with your kids?
Oh my goodness, there’s so many faves… Well, our teen is very busy with school, volleyball and friends but Sunday is Family Day and we start with mass at American Martyrs, then a quick bagel at Noah’s then we have a group of families that play beach volleyball all day. So that is my favorite day of the week- we are all together and surrounded by dear friends, whilst enjoying the beautiful beach and amazing Pacific. When I can wrangle the teen, and even his friends, simply walking The Strand and getting a smoothie at Juiced or a bowl at Paradise is pure, simple happiness. The
Movies on the Beach, movie events at the Community Center, and the Summer Concert Series are really incredible. The teens love it as much as we do, and we are all together- well at some point they peel off for a bit but being that they are teens, we get that they need some space. On that note, we do keep them close, with tons of love, and a major line of communication about all the temptations that now present themselves in life. I think it’s amazing how much freedom the kids have here. In the valley we drove my older son everywhere, and always knew where they were, and
being kids they still found ways to try what they wanted- as most do… here with Find Friends App we can see where he is, and know his friends well, trusting that they will make good choices. It’s an interesting time to raise kids- I’ve raised one without Smartphones and one with. It’s WAY harder with, when I think the inventors intended to make life easier. Ironic. But we have a lot of rules on the use of it at home- and again keep very open lines of communication, which I have researched for many years on how to do and hopefully raise a secure, loved and independent person. Okay I took a
little left turn there in to a deeper subject- but it’s a really serious parenting one- and it is about what we love to do. Back on point, we love to bike everywhere, and love that the kids can walk, skateboard and bike to school, and all over town with us. Just an incredible quality of life. So we
keep it simple- our fave things are the simplest things.
Our favorite Eats are Martha’s, Tower 12, Brother’s Burritos, Java Man, Poke, El Gringo, Good Stuff and there are many others we still need to try actually! Oh and we love to walk to our fave shops, Spyder, GumTree, Jack’s and Hermosa Cyclery! They are all so incredibly welcoming and kind…
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
Again I am in-love with this city. When we first moved here I would walk the Greenbelt every morning whilst working for marketing clients and would start out feeling stressed but the walk would soothe me and when on walks is when I do my best thinking- great ideas come when the head is clear. And the Green Belt and Strand walks still do that for me… and it was on a Green Belt walk that I had the aha moment of this is finally the
ingredient, Cannabidiol, that I truly “get” and am so thrilled exists. Again CBD can solve so many serious problems and we are blessed we can now get it out to the world. It’s living here, and through my son’s friendship that I met the amazing mom who introduced me to the CBD industry and continues to share her friendship, support and expertise. The relationships I’ve made in the incredible web of friendships with local pro athletes, and other business owners has been beneficial in meeting some of the fantastic Influencers we are working with. And then the healthy, sporty, relaxed, organically soothing, and often breathtaking surroundings completely inspire the Pure Hermosa brand, I knew I had to have Hermosa in the brand name, and Hermosa means beauty. CBD is for beauty inside and out. Then capturing the visuals for our packaging, has never been easier… I
literally walk out the door with my iPhone and capture the label shots or the marketing visuals while on walks. My loved ones back East love seeing the Hermosa pier and beach and sunsets in their medicine cabinets, as well as on the Instagram and Facebook posts. When they tell me that, I know I made the right move. In so many ways.
