Enterprenuer
Brendan Smith is the Co-Founder and CEO at Raw Botanics.
He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company and product development.
Smith is a lifelong entrepreneur and has more than 20 years of experience in the sector.
He brings his knowledge in marketing, business development, technology, and marketing to Raw Botanics.
Smith, a trauma survivor, has had PTSD for many years. He is passionate about the health benefits of quality hemp-derived products.
Smith hopes to advocate for others who are looking to improve their quality of living.
In addition to his role as CEO at Raw Botanics, Smith is also the founder and CEO of Motive Interactive.
Motive Interactive uses machine-learning algorithms for mobile advertising optimization, prediction, and service.
Smith is a dedicated entrepreneur who has sold many businesses, including a clothing brand and a transportation app.
He also managed a portfolio of domains that ranked among the top 50 most popular in 2019.
Smith was twice named Entrepreneur of the year by Entrepreneurs’ Organisation (EO) and was a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Years and the CEO of the year by CEO World Awards.
He has also been honored five times by Inc. 5000 for his leadership role at one of America’s fastest-growing private businesses.
Smith was born and raised in New York City’s suburbs.
He attended the University of West Virginia.
Smith now lives in Encinitas in California with his wife and their two children.
What inspired the idea of Raw Botanics?
I was 17 years old when I was victim to a random act of violence that left my life in peril during my first year at college. Although I survived, it was a terrible experience that changed my life and left me with PTSD for the rest of my life.
When COVID-19 swept the world, the stress from being faced with a global pandemic increased my symptoms–nightmares disrupted sleep and anxiety.
I was able to look deeper into my condition and work towards natural relief.
I am excited to get involved in the cannabis and hemp industry and proud to have created something to help others like me.
Raw Botanics was born out of my PTSD. It started as a sleep aid and then became an anti-anxiety supplement.
How do you stay productive?
Routines are a big part of my life. They are crucial for building businesses, and I’ve found them invaluable as an entrepreneur.
My morning routine includes waking up early to see success, meditation, reading The Daily Stoic, a half-hour of exercise, and then a cup of coffee.
I then go to work to spend time with my family.
I prioritize my week in segments. Mondays are used for planning, Tuesdays for external meetings, Wednesdays for general internal meetings, Thursdays for business operations, Fridays for strategizing, and Thursdays for internal meetings.
So that I can use Monday and Friday for personal wellbeing, brainstorming, or creative endeavors, I try not to book calls or meetings on Monday or Friday.
This is how I’ve operated for many years and how I managed to build various companies.
Young children are very flexible and will often follow your schedule.
This changed dramatically when I had children.
This kind of structure is possible with children, but it requires sacrifices.
While I still adhere to routines, I can forgive myself for the days when life gets in my way.
I am also much more flexible about how I approach a typical day.
My priority today is family time. Although it’s more flexible and adaptable, my family time is the most important.
I ensure that they are taken care of for each day’s first and final hours.
I spend at most one hour outdoors running, walking, surfing, snowboarding, or meditating.
Although I do the same thing most days, it might start a little later in the morning.
Flexibility has helped me to be flexible.
I can help my family if they need me.
I can also shift and lean in the work direction when it is chaotic.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Ideas are constantly coming to me. It is important to prioritize them, filter them, and then choose the realistic ones based on market opportunity, bandwidth, and need.
My problem as a “dreamer”? I am always coming up with crazy ideas.
First, I ask myself if I would buy that product. If yes, I ask my wife if it would be something she would use.
If she says no, I drop it. However, if she is interested in the idea, I move on to the next step.
This is “Who else would use it or buy it?” I do this before I invest in an idea.
It then moves on to the market opportunity and business logistics. I direct this.
What’s your favorite trend?
It is exciting to see natural wellness becoming mainstream.
The brands that take this to the next level in terms of the quality and efficacy of ingredients are what excite me.
I believe in the healing power and effectiveness of nature.
This is why I prefer natural remedies.
This is easier than ever because many innovative companies are entering the natural wellness market. But “natural” is still a term that people use without understanding its meaning.
Natural wellness brands often take advantage of the inaccessibility of this word and the lack of regulation to sell products that are far removed from the wild.
Melatonin products are becoming increasingly popular and sold by nearly every company as “all-natural.”
Supplements containing melatonin are not natural.
It is synthetic and manufactured in a laboratory.
It has been shown to have significant side effects, and it is not recommended for daily consumption.
However, Melatonin-containing products are almost always labeled natural.
It is not chemically synthesized in China and has the same warm and fuzzy sound.
I am most excited about the trend towards actual natural products being made by transparent companies that don’t mind making a quick buck.
What habits make you productive?
One habit that has made me more productive as an entrepreneur is my daily commitment to spending at least one hour outdoors every day.
This is something that anyone could do, but very few people do.
You don’t need to live in the mountains or near the ocean.
It is possible to get out into nature even in a big city by simply walking through the streets or visiting a park.
Get outside, and don’t bring your phone.
This is something I do every day, and it allows me to let go of negative thoughts and stress and lets my imagination take flight.
I take Vitamin D and listen to every sound and smell around me.
This slows down the world around me and allows my thoughts to flow freely.
This is my greatest secret weapon.
What’s your advice for the Noob?
Be wise in your choices. It is sometimes better to walk away than fight.
Smile more and worry less. Happiness is an option, and positivity is infectious.
You can’t see the scars that you don’t have. Keep an eye on what heals you, and make sure it is a part of your daily life.
If you are afraid to ask for assistance, don’t be scared to ask.
Do at least half of what you love, and you will be able to practice it even more.
Although your natural talents and passions might not make money, they will feed your soul.
Even if you are embarrassed, don’t be afraid of performing for others.
This will help you gain confidence and keep your feet on the ground.
What is one thing we can all agree on?
Giving is the key to success – sharing your ideas and services with others without any plan or monetary gain will bring you more excellent financial and spiritual value.
What do you recommend as an entrepreneur?
Entrepreneurship requires creativity and problem-solving skills.
To achieve my goals, I visualize my success every day.
Every aspect of my success is visualized, from the plan and successful outcome to the challenges and how I deal with them.
However, I only imagine difficult situations when I am ready to see how I will solve them.
Just like athletes visualize themselves winning and competing before they begin the event, I do the same thing with the goals and obstacles I have set.
What’s your rich strategy?
I am stepping away from my business and helping others.
You hire people to fill the roles you have created when you start a company.
These are people you can trust to perform the job they have been hired for.
Employers often don’t allow these people to excel; they control them so much that they cannot achieve success.
My best strategy was to hire slowly and fire quickly.
When I believe in someone, it puts them in a position of power and impact. I let them fly and get out of their way.
How do you overcome Failure?
It isn’t easy to choose just one. However, I would have to say that my worst failure as an entrepreneur was not having the applicable operating agreements and contracts in place before a partnership began.
I trusted too many people and didn’t trust my instincts as much as I should.
This was a costly error that I made several times and which I learned the hard way.
This is a result of my 17-year experience running a top marketing agency.
My co-founder brought great clients with him when I founded the company.
After signing a handshake agreement, all the clients I had lost disappeared quickly.
Perhaps this person was burned out. Maybe they didn’t have it in themselves.
Perhaps the industry became too complex. They checked out immediately and didn’t return, but they still owned 50% of the company.
We didn’t have the proper contacts or tools to resolve any dispute because I trusted the person.
This made it very difficult for the company and was a toxic and costly burden that lasted many years.
This was overcome by my patience and understanding of the individual.
I didn’t lose my cool, even though it was nearly unbearable to deal with.
I was open and transparent with the person but never tried to make them do something they did not want.
I was patient and understanding, which allowed me to see the truth and take responsibility for the business’s acquisition.
Although this was a massive win for the company and me personally, it took many years to accomplish.
Everything I do today is written down, and I choose the people with whom I work very carefully.
Can you share a business idea?
Make a device that shows how your liver breaks down vitamins and supplements and what it needs.
Many people use vitamins and supplements but don’t know if it is necessary or practical.
You may feel the need for an immune boost if your body is in dire need.
However, this usually happens when it’s too late.
If you have an early detection technology and notice that something is changing in your body, you will likely take up zinc for the week.
Knowing what your body needs at any given time is helpful.
You would likely stop taking the vitamin if you knew that your body discarded 80% of the vitamin that you took in one day.
Companies have an excellent opportunity to develop consumer products that provide real-time information and allow users to track their health through an app.
This information would allow us to tailor our wellness products to our needs and show effectiveness.
Although I don’t know if this is possible, I have not seen anything similar on the market.
What’s your recent best buy?
SEYDEL Blues 1847 Harmonica. Blues harmonica has been a part of my life for most of my life.
Although it is a bit expensive, it has a great sound, and I was eager to get back to playing harmonica after so many years.
I love the instrument and blues legends like James Cotton or Sonny Boy Williamson.
Although it is difficult for me to find the time to play music, it brings me great peace and joy.
What are your favorite Softwares or Apps?
My iPhone’s voice memos app. Sometimes I have thoughts while driving but can’t remember how to write them down.
It’s easier for me to click and record my voice and then let loose with my most creative and crazy ideas.
Which book would you recommend?
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.
This book was given to me by my doctor after being in critical condition following the stabbing that almost killed me.
This book provided great comfort for me after severe mental and physical pain.
It helped me to relax and heal. This book helped me relax as an entrepreneur and kept me focused as a servant leader.
I was particularly struck by the quote, “Out of suffering have come to the strongest souls; The most massive characters are marred with scars.”
What’s your favorite quote?
“Great accomplishment is often the result of great sacrifice, and it is never the result selfishness.”
Napoleon Hill
When I was 20, I started my first company. By the age of 30, I had created several multi-million-dollar businesses and employed close to 100 people.
I also developed various technology products, from machine learning and AI to a luxury health and wellness brand.
My most important secret is my servant-leadership management style.
I am committed to helping others and believe in the importance of giving and sacrificing to help others.
TL;DR by Brendan Smith
- No agenda. Help others. To grow spiritually and professionally, you must give and sacrifice.
- Visualize your success. From the challenges that might arise and how you will handle them, to the successful outcome.
- Carefully choose the people with whom you work. Trust and believe in people, then let them succeed.
