Meet Jae Graham-Anciso | Cannabis Advocate & CEO of MARYJAE®

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jae Graham-Anciso and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jae, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk has always been a necessary element of everything I do. Beginning with the risk of introducing my dad to cannabis when he was sick, to the risks we take daily with MARYJAE, risk runs like a thread through all of my experiences, and it has created this beautiful life I never could have imagined. Risk was the guide that walked me through selling our house and everything in it so we could create MaryJae. It’s the third partner in our business as we make decisions every day that affect the delicate balance we have between our company, cannabis, and our community. Risk warns us of all the outcomes that could result from our decisions and gives us the insight to make the best choices. It also brings us gratitude when we know we made the right decisions for ourselves and our customers. If it wasn’t for risk, we wouldn’t have achieved this level of success in building our dream, finding our community, or creating a safe space for all people.

What should our readers know about your business?
What sets us apart is our unwillingness to follow rules, trends, or opinions. We remain guided by our principles, our love for our community, and our dedication to bringing the best products to our customers.

I am incredibly proud of our new line of products that has been four years in the making. We used our platform to listen to our customers, hear what they want, learn what they need, and then formulated the best products we could create for our customers. We’ve earned and continue to earn the trust of our community, and we wholeheartedly believe in our products. We believe in our line so much we put our name on it. Additionally, we are able to support another woman-owned operation while we support our customers. Together we are partners in creating our product line, but also cultivating the common good for our community.

It has never been easy getting to this point. We were denied loans from banks and could not find a way to create MARYJAE®. We began to second guess our dream and reason our way through giving up. Ultimately we make the decision to sell our house, which was a very difficult decision. My parents worked their entire lives to leave a house for me so I could have the great American dream. It was the last piece I had of my father, and it was the hardest thing to let go of. But his spirit was not in the house, it is in everything we do at MARYJAE®. I know he is with us, in our community. Though the challenges do not end, we love our work and every step has been worth it.

Francisca is the backbone of our business. Having someone to share every high and low with makes all the challenges worthwhile. She is the co-creator of everything I dream of, and I couldn’t realize my dreams without her ability to build them. She’s the perfect architect for my vision.

I have learned many life lessons throughout the journeys I have experienced, beginning with my father, selling the house, opening MARYJAE®, and so many others. I have learned to stay true to myself, my community, and my partner. I want to be a guide for others in their cannabis journey; to see them, hear them, and show them the beauty that is in this world. I want the world to know that MARYJAE® is home. It is your safe space, your family, and a place to be loved and validated. I want MARYJAE® to be a household name, and when people hear about us, I hope they know this is my love and passion. I want MARYJAE® to be an experience where you enjoy more than cannabis, but also lifelong friends and family. The quality, the service, and the products will always be top-notch because that is what our community deserves.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Welcoming someone into MARYJAE® is like welcoming them into my own home, and there isn’t anywhere on earth I am more comfortable and in my element than in my own home. I love to cook for people, listen to their stories, and create new stories with them that they carry for the rest of their lives. Spending time out on the town is a lot of fun, but for me, I love creating my own magic for my guests. I love creating atmospheres where people feel welcomed, comfortable, and connected.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Every dream needs a poet or a painter or an architect to make it tangible for all the world to see and enjoy and be inspired by, and Francisca is that person for me. I am a person who sees the world in color and possibility, and none of that would make sense to anyone if Francisca my life and business partner wasn’t here to translate who I am to the world. She takes my ideas, my dreams, my inspirations, and she builds them. She creates the blueprints, does the math, builds the spreadsheets, and breathes life into everything I dream of. I couldn’t be this free in who I am without her. Our team is an extension of both of us – a perfect combination of compassion, insight, and skill. Together, we all design, create and perfect the experience of MARYJAE® for our community.

Website: https://www.shopmaryjae.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopmaryjae

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shopmaryjae

Facebook: https://facebook.com/shopmaryjae

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/maryjae-austin

Image Credits
Regina Blancas @reginablancas