Grower Stories #79: Shannon Shell

Hemp-Derived Healing: An Interview With Shannon Shell, CEO and Co-Founder of Brio Nutrition

It’s fair to say that the CBD industry has absolutely exploded since the hemp-derived CBD was legalized for retail sales. That’s where premium CBD product developers like Brio come in. AskGrowers chats with Shannon Shell, co-founder of Brio Nutrition, about her own healing journey with CBD, their full-spectrum products, and tips for aspiring entrepreneurs getting started. #growerstories

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Tia (AskGrowers) : How did you start Brio Nutrition? Tell us your origin story!

Shannon Shell : Oh man, it’s been quite the ride! My husband and I were inspired down this path due to my personal struggles, particularly joint issues. By the time I was 33, I would wake up with my hands so stiff that I could hardly hold a coffee cup!

Eventually, enough was enough and I had to find a way to get back to a better quality of life so I started trying different natural alternatives. A friend introduced me to CBD and finally, I found some relief! But the more products I tried from different brands and even from bottle to bottle within the same brands I noticed a lack of consistency.

With my husband having been a vetted long-time entrepreneur we put our heads together and thought “Hmm, what if we created a CBD/cannabinoid product line that’s truly backed by science with higher efficacy and transparency?”

After a conversation with our dear friend Jesse with 17+ years in nutraceuticals, it was a wrap! And thus, Brio was born.

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Tia : What makes your brand special and different on the market? What sets you apart from your competition?

Shannon : Brio is a complete broad-spectrum line, so every Brio product contains all phytocannabinoids with the exception of THC. All of our products with the exception of pet spray are water dispersible, including our capsules! All of our topicals are transdermal. We strive to make all of our formulas as natural as possible and incorporate other herbs and ingredients to support overall wellness.

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Tia : Where is your CBD sourced?

Shannon : Oregon.

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Tia : How is your CBD oil extracted? What’s your preferred method?

Shannon : Ethanol extraction.

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Tia : Do you have full-spectrum CBD or CBD isolation? What are the downsides/advantages to each?

Shannon : Neither! All Brio products are broad-spectrum. Broad-spectrum extracts include all phytocannabinoids with 0 percent THC. Full-spectrum is all phytocannabinoids including THC and isolate is cannabidiol (CBD) only.

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Tia : According to your website, your products are “formulated from high-quality ingredients.” What ingredients do you use to create your products? And where are your ingredients sourced?

Shannon : We have a variety of ingredients ranging from sunflower lecithin used in the water-dispersible emulsion to added herbs and vitamins throughout the line. Our hemp is always domestic as are the mass majority of all other ingredients all obtained from reputable sources.

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Tia : Do you use third-party lab testing for your products?

Shannon : Always! Every batch is sent off for third-party testing. We have QR codes located on our products that will lead you to the accompanying certificate of analysis.

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Tia : Is it hard to compete with giant operations as an independent cannabis business. What do you think about the monopoly in the cannabis market?

Shannon : We have a large variety of water-dispersible products that even the big players don’t offer. There are a few companies that are the giants in the industry but I don’t see it as a monopoly.

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Tia : What’s your advice to cannabis start-ups and entrepreneurs everywhere? Any tips on how to start the business? What’s one huge mistake they should try to avoid?

Shannon : Great question. I would tell them to make sure they start off ahead of the curve and be ready for the FDA to get involved. Start with a CGMP manufacturing facility. Believe it or not, even some of the biggest companies aren’t produced in CGMP. Second, I would tell them to be completely transparent. There are too many shady companies that aren’t telling the whole truth whether it is their lab reports or the actual amount of CBD in their products. Having integrity and transparency with our customers is always our top priority.

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Tia : CBD is one of the fastest-growing categories in the food-and-drug retailing landscape. What product trends do you foresee in your future? Any new products you’ll launch in 2021?

Shannon : We are definitely in an exciting time. We are currently exploring more CBD with vitamin additions. Being able to integrate several of your daily supplements into a manageable and easy routine is key.

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Tia : Can you tell us about your veteran and special needs program?

Shannon : [tooltip title="Christopher «Chris» Scott Kyle" content="Former US Navy SEAL sniper also known for his autobiographical book, which became the source for Clint Eastwood's blockbuster."]Chris Kyle[/tooltip] said it best, “It is our duty to serve those who serve us.”

We know that our Veterans have struggled with both mental and physical strains from serving this great nation so we want to give back to them. It is an honor to offer them our deepest discount.

Our special needs program follows that same belief. The special needs community experiences its own struggles and we have seen how CBD has helped them in a variety of ways. Being able to help them as well is also an honor.

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You can follow Brio Nutrition at:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

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Thank you so much, Brio Nutrition team, for taking the time to do the interview. To learn more about them, head on over to their website.