Barbara Biddle, Founder and CEO of District Hemp Botanicals – Interview Series

One of the main appeals of CBD and hemp products is how many different people can find relief or comfort in them. From new mothers to veterans and athletes, this audience is as diverse as the cannabinoids found in a single hemp bud. While the intoxicating nature and varying potency of THC can be off-putting for some, non-intoxicating CBD allows consumers to explore cannabinoids without fear of getting “higher” than they’d like. At the same time, the rising popularity of these products has created plenty of rewarding opportunities for small business owners.

To take a closer look at the ups and downs of running a hemp business—and why CBD and hemp products have become staples in modern wellness routines—mycannabis.com spoke with Barbara Biddle, Founder and CEO of District Hemp Botanicals.

When did you first notice how CBD-based products positively impacted your life? How did it provide relief in ways that pharmaceuticals or other methods weren’t achieving?

After the birth of my first son, I was dealing with postpartum depression. CBD became part of my wellness routine, and the difference I felt in my overall well-being convinced me it could be a game changer. I do not view it as a replacement for medical care, but that experience motivated me to learn more about CBD.

Particularly with new mothers, how could CBD products provide assistance or relief in the many unpleasant aspects of postpartum depression?

I have to be careful here because I do not want to make medical claims. I can only speak to my own experience: CBD became part of my wellness routine after childbirth, but it is not a substitute for medical care. New mothers should talk with their health care provider, especially if they are breastfeeding or taking medication.

Before founding District Hemp Botanicals, what experience did you have with entrepreneurship and business ownership?

Entrepreneurship runs in my blood. My mother owned a hair-braiding business, and my grandmother ran a farm and a school. Some of my first work experience came from helping my mother and seeing firsthand what it takes to run a business. I later studied business management in college but left after starting my own business.

Along with your own experience with postpartum depression, what inspired you to create District Hemp Botanicals?

What inspired me most was hearing how CBD was affecting people’s lives. During market testing, we heard from people using it for many different reasons. Those stories sparked my passion for hemp and CBD education and ultimately pushed me to create District Hemp Botanicals.

With wellness routines becoming a very popular topic in the mid-2020s, what have been the most popular product formats among your regular customers? How does the popularity of a particular product format usually change by demographic, such as gender or age?

Gummies and topicals are the most popular because they are convenient and familiar. Older customers often lean toward topicals, in part because they feel more approachable and carry less stigma. Younger customers tend to be more open to ingestible and smokable products.

From your experience with District Hemp Botanicals, what are some effective ways CBD and hemp brands can better appeal to new mothers and female consumers in general?

For adult consumers generally, we strongly believe in a “try before you buy” approach. Many people are skeptical until they can experience a product for themselves, so sampling and straightforward education can be effective without relying on exaggerated claims. For new mothers, brands should take a much more cautious approach, avoid medical claims, and encourage them to speak with a health care provider, especially if they are breastfeeding or taking medication.

What exactly inspired you to co-found the Cannabis Small Business Association? What gaps in representation and service did hemp and cannabis businesses that influenced the organization’s creation?

We saw how little representation small operators had in policy discussions and wanted to pool our resources to change that. Those conversations were often dominated by multistate corporations, while small businesses were the most vulnerable to new costs and sudden rule changes. We created CSBA to give those operators a stronger collective voice.

Based on your experience living and operating a hemp-based business in the DMV, how receptive will Virginia be toward a recreational cannabis industry? What counties and regions of Virginia do you think will have more cannabis operations and dispensaries than others?

Virginia has now approved a framework for an adult-use retail market that is scheduled to take effect in 2027. I would expect Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads, including Virginia Beach, to see the most activity because of population density and demand. More conservative areas, especially Southwest Virginia, may move more slowly. A lot will depend on licensing, local rules, and whether small businesses have a realistic path into the market.

What do you and members of CSBA think are some valuable lessons in successful operations and regulation that the Virginia cannabis industry can learn from the nearby Maryland industry?

Maryland launched adult-use sales quickly by allowing existing medical dispensaries to serve both markets. It then created a social equity licensing round with standard and micro-license categories. Virginia should learn from both parts: move efficiently, but give smaller businesses a meaningful path into the market from the outset. Affordable application and compliance costs, access to capital, and real competition will matter. I also think Michigan and Colorado offer useful comparisons around competition and pricing, although oversupply created challenges in those markets.

What exciting plans do you have for District Hemp Botanicals moving forward? What concerns do you have regarding the potential hemp product ban?

Virginia’s new hemp rules have had a severe impact on District Hemp Botanicals. The loss of so many products has led to a sharp decline in sales and put the business in an extremely difficult financial position. After nearly nine years, we are evaluating what is still possible under the current regulatory environment and expect to share more once our next steps are finalized.

Thank you for joining us, Barbara! For more information on District Hemp Botanicals, please visit its website.