Marvina Thomas, CEO & Founder of Fourtwenty Collections – Interview Series

The CEO of Fourtwenty, Marvina Thomas, has always been fascinated with the Egyptians’ spiritual beautification routines and their use of natural ingredients, such as essential oils and sea salt, that have inspired our own self-care rituals today. However, she initially started making skin care to provide basic necessities, such as soap, for those in need.

A nurse by trade and a mother to many, Marvina was also interested in the benefits of CBD and THC to help promote a healthy body and mind. She began infusing her skin care products, knowing that she wanted to provide relief to her clients while building an operation that had the ability to help her give back to those in need.

When did you realize you wanted to become an entrepreneur?

My greatest passion and self-proclaimed purpose is making people feel better. I found entering the medical field made sense, and I went to school to become a nurse.

After diving into my nursing career, I soon became interested in plant medicine. I began doing research to see how I could implement plant medicine in tandem to pharmaceuticals. With my newfound knowledge on CBD, I created a CBD infused bar of soap with all natural ingredients. It was a miracle medicine for certain patients suffering from skin diseases and skin irritation. After seeing my product's success, I worked tirelessly to bring my vision to market. Through sheer grind and grit, I worked my way up the business ladder and am proud to say I am now a nationally recognized black woman in the cannabis industry.

Could you share the genesis story behind Fourtwenty Collections?

Fourtwenty Collections originated in Phoenix, Arizona in 2015 and solely consisted of skincare products. The adoption of medibles and apparel came as our company grew.

I saw a single bar of my CBD infused soap change one of my patients' lives. She came to me with third-degree infected burns on her face. I gave her one bar of my newly developed CBD infused soap and instructed her to apply the soap to her face and infected areas twice a day. In a matter of weeks her skin regrowth was healthy and she was able to get her life back. That was the moment I knew I had created something special and knew I needed to bring the concept to market. Then, Fourtwenty Skincare was created.

What types of products are currently offered on Fourtwenty Collections and what markets do you serve?

Fourtwenty Collections consists of a CBD skincare line, THC-infused medible line and a fashion line for men and women. Fourtwenty products can be found in Ponderosa dispensary in Phoenix and non-medicated purchases can also be made on our website at 420-skincare.com. We have recently announced our expansion of Fourtwenty Collections products to the New Mexico market and are pleased to say our operations will be available to the public by Q3.

Could you discuss your fascination with the Egyptians’ spiritual beautification routines, and how it influenced the types of products that are offered?

Every Fourtwenty Collections product unleashes your inner God and Goddess. We hold our products to the highest standards and only use natural and the best quality materials. When people feel good about themselves they feel like a god or goddess. We want to tap into that feeling with every Fourtwenty Collections purchase and experience.

What have been some of your biggest business challenges?

Fighting through adversity. There is so much competition in the cannabis space, it is very hard for cannabis brands to survive. After being in the industry for more than five years, I have been knocked down and faced hardships but I always get back up and fight. I successfully adapted my business to meet the emerging industry’s needs and on the journey, built an amazing team and company I’m proud to represent.

One of your greatest passions is to educate people on the benefits of medical cannabis, how helpful do you believe that medical cannabis can be to help transition people away from opiods?

I have seen medicinal cannabis change people's lives. In addition to owning Fourtwenty Collections, I own and run a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group home operation called Start Living Inc. At Start Living Inc., we serve underrepresented communities suffering from alcohol and drug addiction and provide the resources they need to successfully reenter society. With our holistic approach at Start Living Inc., we are able to introduce medical cannabis into some patients' programs helping them transition from deadly substances and utilize plant medicine.

Could you share some details on Fourtwenty Collections' “Buy & Give” program?

Dozens of people’s lives are impacted by our operations at Start Living Inc. With our expansion of the nonprofit, we operate 15 total group homes. The Buy & Give program we have at Fourtwenty Collections donates 25% of the proceeds of every purchase to help our team provide the best care with the best resources for our patients at Start Living Inc.

You’re known for giving back to the community, why is this important for you?

One of the key pillars of my business model is Corporate Social Responsibility. I understand it takes a village to succeed and no one can do it alone. I want to encourage other businesses to follow and continue giving back to their local communities. Small businesses can not thrive without the support of their community.

We partner with nonprofit organizations that share our same mission and donate thousands of dollars every year to the homeless and local people in need.

Is there anything else that you would like to share about Fourtwenty Collections?

To stay up to date with our company, Fourtwenty Collections can be found on social media at the following:

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fourtwentycollections

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fourtwenty-collections/

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit the social media links above or visit Fourtwenty Collections.