Tara Wells is a superhero, in my book. Sure, she’s won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Competition Program as a Producer of CBS’s The Amazing Race, but she’s also launched an online cannabis empire in California, and just as the name claims: The Goddess Delivers. I’m sure she can do anything she puts her mind to, just like my mother says about me.

I can only imagine the hurdles she’s had to clear, economically, (e.g., perhaps investing lots of her own cash?) professionally – (bravely coming out of the closet amongst her Hollywood colleagues and family members, despite the stoner stigma?) and emotionally (having the appetite for such risk, and such confidence in the risk-taking!). From where I stand, as a lifelong coming out of the closet pot-smoker, she’s mastering the fiercely competitive landscape, and she’s The Leader in the green rush pack.

Starting from a home baking business in 2006, then progressing to goddess delivers as a Direct to Consumer business in 2010, she’s going on forteen years in business already. I wonder if she feels like a kingpin. I wonder if she’d give me an interview. I wonder what I’d ask her if she did.

Here is a list of questions I might pose to her, or her partner, CEO Zachary Pitts, – who is actually on LinkedIn. The only thing stopping me from asking is the fear of rejection I guess. Or, the fear of actually doing the interview?

  1. What is your background in business – how did you go from a small pot-brownie baking business to The Goddess Delivers in just four years?
  2. How much of the day-to-day operations and decision making is yours vs. delegating to your team? What is a day in the life of TW like?
  3. How big is your empire – employee-wise, and how do you select and train your staff? How much do you do “in-house” vs. hiring consulting firms or agencies? e.g, with branding, or delivery, or customer service for example…
  4. How is hiring for your Cannabis empire like casting for The Amazing Race? Are there similarities, or differences that you could highlight?
  5. What kinds of hurdles have you had to clear – regulatory and otherwise- (banking/cash outlays/investors?)
  6. If you had to describe the level of risk you’ve taken – and your level of comfort with that risk – how would you characterize your business path and your feelings about it, over the past decade?
  7. What would you say to your younger self, before you started this business? What would you say to your older self, years from now?
  8. What is your reaction to places like Oaksterdam University and the curriculum they’re offering?
  9. Are you aware of, or working with my local advocates over at https://powerplantpark.com/? What can you tell me about them, or places like them?
  10. Is Cali your favorite state for doing biz? Why or why not?
  11. Getting really personal now – what’s your favorite way to ingest your weed and what’s your daily intake?

 “I was determined to make the cannabis experience aesthetically beautiful, judgement-free, safe and convenient for everyone. Easy access to cannabis is the primary mission of Ganja Goddess.” 

Tara Wells, in the Forbes interview

I also like how sure of herself she is like when she says “it became clear that there was a great opportunity to shape the industry and the perception of this herb. I knew I wanted to give both my creative side and entrepreneurial spirit a new challenge, so I became one of the first women pioneers in the cannabis space over a decade ago.” A decade ago I’d already decided I couldn’t be a zealot, or an outlaw – and that I should pursue more acceptable (legal) career paths than to be a grower’s partner.

 “I love changing the perception of cannabis and normalizing its use in everyday life. Cannabis makes you feel good emotionally, physically and spiritually.  It  heals people and it allows the ego to soften, so acceptance and creativity are more present in the user. That is reflected in every aspect of the Ganja Goddess brand. “

Tara Wells, in that same Forbes interview

The other day my order from The Goddess was misdelivered to some other lucky condo dweller. Goddess replaced it same day, at no cost to me, and within a few hours. When you visit this interview in Forbes and read about her values of Compassion + Inclusion – these are familiar tones in the cannabis industry, as it is, first and foremost – a medicine. But I can say, firsthand, Ms. Wells and her brand, are definitely living those values.