Meet Robin Carey | Chief of Product Development & Owner

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

Hi Robin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
In 2016 I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Breast Cancer at the age of 40. During this time, I had a thriving chocolate company in Santa Rosa Ca. that I had spent years building. To be honest, I was devastated. I had grown up in a family that struggled with illnesses, quite a few members having passed from different forms of cancer. None being Breast Cancer. Regardless of the type, I was all too aware of what living and dying with cancer looked like. So many crazy things go through your head with a diagnosis like this, oddly, my first thought was that I did not want to lose my business, We had thought it best that I put my business on hold while I had the surgeries and treatments. Just until I had enough energy to get back to the kitchen. Little did I know that I would not end up going back to my little chocolate company. During the months of treatment, I found myself trying to find natural alternatives to combat the side-effects of the Chemo, Steroids and other medications that were used for treatment. I was told to try THC products but I could not handle the high or the smell. I was told to try CBD products. but I just could not find any that were strong enough, tasted good, smelled good, had quality ingredients or wasn’t ridiculously expensive. I realized then, that this would be my future. My thought process was to create an affordable, all natural, high-quality, premium CBD product line that smelled and felt amazing. Using my skills in recipe development and experience with pain, depression and a desire to help people I started our line in March of 2017.

What should our readers know about your business?
Starting any business has its challenges, but this has been one of the most difficult businesses I have had for many reasons. There are so many THC and CBD companies, many people jumped on this train because they thought it would be a fast way to make tons of money. The market is saturated with CBD products that boast to be the best products. Most of them can’t even tell you why they are the best or where their CBD comes from. I feel that this is a disservice to the population searching for real help. With all of the companies out there, you have to work extra hard to break through the noise, This is what I have done. Pushed harder than I have ever for any business I have run. I have stood behind my mission and had sought out to find partners that were of like mind and had the experience or key components to make my brand better and build on that. Relief. Energy. Mood. is an all natural, luxurious CBD line that is focused on just that, relief, energy and mood, I partnered with an amazing group this year (Pure Nectar) who opened up the doors to make our products ‘seed to shelf’. It was highly important to me to not only hand craft the products but to ensure that our ingredients were all natural, organic and that I knew where our cbd was sourced. I believe that what sets us apart is that we have a deep understanding of what it means to live with pain and depression, that we also understand the need for alternatives for management in medicinals, and we in a whole care about people and offering products that are affordable. Being able to create something by hand that is effective is so satisfying on so many levels. I meet so many people who suffer with pain. I have had many of them tell me that our products help them. I do not think that there has been anything more gratifying to me as a business owner. I used to love seeing people smile when they wore my jewelry or ate a piece of Chocolate. But nothing touches the feeling of helping someone feel better. I have learned to adapt in this business, the rules to having a CBD based business is unlike any other business that I have owned. I have learned how truly invested I am in this business and to my mission, how proud I am of myself for overcoming my fears and that I am truly excited about my new partnership and all of the amazing things we have planned for our company.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in Sonoma County, there are so many wonderful things to do up here. I am a foodie with a deep love for Beer and Whiskey. Most people know of us up here as strictly ‘the Wine Country’, but over the last decade or two the growth in the Beer and distilled Spirits industry has been huge. Oh, and did I mention the Coffee? If my best friend was visiting for a week, I would take her to all of my favorite places to go, Food and Drink- 1. Retrograde Roasters Coffee, Sebastopol.- RRC is an artisan craft coffee house, they roast their own organic and sustainable coffee beans as well as make their own milks for Lattes and such. It is owned and operated by two of the most wonderful people Casey and Danielle. 2. Wildflour Bakery, Freestone. – The most amazing fresh bread and scones made in this entire state. This bakery is seriously to die for. there is always a huge line, so you need to get there early! 3. Hog Island Oyster Co. Tomales.- Best place to buy your Fresh oysters, Perhaps we would have a few shucked there and sit on their patio to enjoy the atmosphere. 4. Cowgirl Creamery, Pt. Reyes.- melt in your mouth artisan cheeses. You can get the most amazing grilled Cheese sandwiches and sit on the lawn or patio with a glass of wine or beer. 5. Crooked Goat Brewery, Sebastopol.- Absolutely one of the best breweries in Sonoma County. We would grab a couple crowlers of bee beard honey ale, Grain and Blood, a Blood orange double IPA, and maybe one of their special beers of the month. These guys make some crazy beers. My favorite crazy beer of theirs is the Bazooka joe, this beer tastes just like bubblegum! 6. Alley 6 craft distillery, Healdsburg.- you can never go wrong with a full tasting at this adorable tasting room. This Distillery is so dear to me,I take everyone I know here. The owners Jason and Krystle Jorgenson are the most adorable couple and very entertaining when visiting, their whiskeys are just fantastic! I personally have about 6 bottles of Rye on my shelf at home at all times. I have never enjoyed Gin until I tried theirs. Their Gin is grape based, they make it once a year and hand pick the bay laurel and fennel from local fields. Actually, the majority of the ingredients they use to “spice up” their spirits and bitters are all hand picked. Like the candy cap mushrooms that are foraged in Bodega and used to make their famous ‘candy capped’ bitters! 7. Bird and Bottle, Santa Rosa.- Best tapas and drinks in sonoma county in my opinion. I love to sit out on the patio, have one or three of their amazing craft cocktails, their smoky poke, Roasted beet salad and Pork belly tacos. I could eat here everyday. 8. The Block, Petaluma- best wood-fired pizza and beer from Triple Rock brewery. Outside seating year round, fire pits and amazing energy at this place. Local sights and things to do- 1. Fulton Crossing gallery- the best place for art and meeting some of the best artists in sonoma county as they work in the gallery, so you can actually view them painting their creations in person! 2. Tubing or Kayaking on the Russian river, there are a few places to rent Kayaks for a day in Guerneville or Forestville. This is a great day spent when the weather is right. 3. Hiking in the Redwoods at Armstrong Grove.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are quite a few people that deserve recognition in my story. First of all, Jeremiah for having my back everyday and encouraging me to take on all of my crazy adventures in business as well as taking care of me and supporting me during my diagnosis. Sutter Cancer Center and Women’s Health Center of Santa Rosa for taking such great care of me and getting me to be cancer free. Last but not least, My friends. My amazing wonderful friends who offer me boundless words of encouragement and love.

Website: reliefenergymood.com
Instagram: relief.energy.mood

Image Credits
John Gilhooley Audra Von Glahn