We had the good fortune of connecting with Eve Simonsen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eve, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
To answer this candidly requires a degree of vulnerability. The birth of REUNION as a business stemmed from an unexpected life shift and a series of events that led to the creation of our brand.

Our journey began with my father following a spiritual calling to purchase a farm and grow hemp. This pivotal moment marked the start of our family’s reconnection, and REUNION emerged from our personal journey of reunification. It was the culmination of years of individual experiences and healing that brought my father, my brother, and me into alignment. One fundamental truth emerged: we all shared a desire to help others reconnect with themselves, with others, and with nature. Our chosen medium was the hemp plant, and our mission continues to be to create products using plants grown on our family farm to assist people in supporting their nervous systems, achieving mental clarity, and enjoying better sleep.

From there, we contemplated how to establish a business that was spiritually guided, where sharing our story to inspire others to open their own doors of connection was as crucial as developing a product line that genuinely facilitated such connections.

Over a year into our journey, these questions remain at the forefront of our minds daily. Operating with integrity, fostering a deep connection to our planet, and promoting healthy consumerism are all integral to our process. And we believe we’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible…

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our business is deeply rooted in a personal and transformative journey, which sets us apart in part through our unwavering commitment to holistic wellbeing.

One of my proudest achievements is creating a brand that not only offers high-quality CBD and CBG products but also serves as a platform to share our story and inspire others to connect with themselves and the world around them. I am also proud to be certified organic. Obtaining this certification was paramount from the start, and we continue to exceed organic standards by rigorously testing our soil for harmful pesticides like glyphosate (which we are proud to say we are free of!).

The path to our current position has been challenging yet incredibly rewarding. Along the way, we’ve learned valuable lessons about perseverance, adaptability, and the importance of staying true to our values. While building a business from the ground up is never easy, overcoming these obstacles has only strengthened our resolve.

A key lesson we’ve learned is the significance of authenticity. We want the world to recognize that REUNION is more than just a brand; it signifies a movement towards a more connected and balanced way of living.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
While I enjoy city life, I also cherish time spent outside of urban areas. My ideal week in LA would include hiking around the Observatory in Griffith Park, enjoying brunch at Botanica in Silver Lake, and taking a mid-week trip (to avoid weekend traffic) to Joshua Tree. I’d indulge in a slice of chocolate banana pie from Erewhon, savor a leisurely coffee at Lily’s in Laurel Canyon, and schedule acupuncture with Amalia Gardner in Atwater Village (preferably on a Sunday to coincide with the farmer’s market). Finally, I’d visit Cornerstone Collective in Eagle Rock, which is the best dispensary in my opinion.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This would be a really long shoutout if I were to name every person who has played a supporting role in the journey of REUNION. But the company truly wouldn’t exist with my dad, John (who in addition to being our farmer and hemp expert, is also a chemist and professor) and my brother, Rob (who is also a brilliant film composer). Their combined wisdom, experience, values, unconditional love and support have helped guide me along my journey and I am endlessly grateful to both of them.

My two helpers at home: my daughter Tava and my son Quino. It can be tough having an entrepreneurial mama who is often traveling, and seemingly always on a call or running to a meeting or sending an email. We’ve developed code words for when I get too deep in work mode and they need my attention. They are my biggest teachers in life!

Lastly I’ll shoutout all the women founders, operators and advocates who have paved the way in the hemp and cannabis space, the retailers who support us by stocking our products on their shelves and all of the incredible people who helped us not only build this brand but help keep it operating everyday!

Website: thisisreunion.com

Instagram: @thisisreunion

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evesimonsen/

Image Credits
Julia Gorbach Wu Russell

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