420 Compass Cannacations

The Lovely Kathy Wood owner of this awesome Cannabis Vacation Company sits down and has a conversation about her company.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:33

What's going on, good Bob Travis? This is your boy Bouder on the Hot Box Podcast. Man, we are so happy to be here tonight because we got a lovely friend with us, a friend we met last year at the uh Valley Cannabis Cup. In fact, she wasn't only there at the Cannabis Cup, she was there to give away the prize to whoever won the Cannabis Cup. We had a stand set up next to her. We got to talking, and I tell you what, she is an awesome person. And I'm so glad to be here today to be talking about her company because when she first told me about it, it blew my freaking mind because you know, this is something I even thought about. I wish somebody would do something like this. Because, you know, if you're like me, you've gone somewhere and maybe you've ran out of smoke or something, and you know, you didn't know where to get it, and you're on vacation, you know, and sometimes that can be a bummer, you know, because sometimes we're not on the best vacation, so sometimes having that little bit of pup-pup give, you know, makes it better. So we have Kathy Wood here with us today from Port 20 Compass. Kathy, how are we doing today?

SPEAKER_03 1:35

I'm doing absolutely excellent, and that was so nice of you to say all those kind words. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:40

Oh, you're welcome. I mean, I mean, I thank you so much. I mean, uh, you know, I I'd like to say we're friends now, so you know, I want to speak highly of you, you know, when when I speak of you.

SPEAKER_03 1:50

Well, thanks. We have good gotten to know each other very well, actually. I think I could do consider you a friend, so thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:56

You're welcome. You're welcome. So how are we doing uh today?

SPEAKER_03 1:59

I'm doing okay. Just chilling a little bit, enjoying the weekend. How about yourself?

SPEAKER_01 2:03

Oh, not too bad. Doing the same thing, you know, here with a couple a couple friends, and you know, my wife, of course, you know, having this podcast with you and stuff. And something I forgot to mention earlier was this reality show called The Blocks. And I I think this would be a good opening because this also helps you talking about your company 420 Compass. So can you explain to us about these two things?

SPEAKER_03 2:26

Sure, that's that's a big ticket there. But uh first let me start with 420 Compass. Obviously, it's got the 420 in it. So we know it's a cannabis-related thing. 420 Compass is actually the world's only full service guided all travel agency, but we just haven't specialized in cannabis travel. We actually go out and uh check out locations, talk to people, line up tours, uh actually see things so they can we can write about them, and uh we put on what we put on our website, and yeah, maybe people can take those vacations or we put vacations together for them. And that's you know, inside the US and outside the US. It's just it's what we do and what we'll continue to do because there's a whole lot of world out there and it's it's uh it's fun to see it, you know. But uh we we sort of are are uh thinking about the uh patients and veterans and anybody who likes cannabis. I I don't want to go and get that drunk on vacation that I don't remember it, but I sure would like a good buzz.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

Oh, absolutely, absolutely, you know. And sometimes drinking alcohol on a vacation can find you in a worse spot, you know.

SPEAKER_03 3:35

I travel alone, yeah. I've got to be careful about that. And you know, a good bus never let never leaves you feeling bad in the morning. It's awful when you're on vacation and you feel rough in the morning. You've got like a certain amount of time, certain amount of days you're gonna be there, and you're feeling rough because you're really stupid last night at the party. You know, I've been there.

SPEAKER_01 3:53

Oh, I agree. I totally agree with that. It does, it really does. Um then you you know, you got kids to deal with at times too, and you know, and then you gotta deal with maybe the spouse, you know, mad at you for being hungover, you know, wearing sunglasses, hair all messed up, you know. We gotta go get breakfast. The kids are hungry, and you know, you're like, shit, I just want to go back to bed.

SPEAKER_03 4:16

Right, you watch them, I'm going to the beach.

SPEAKER_01 4:19

Go ahead. I'll be out there later. I'm gonna take a nap.

SPEAKER_03 4:24

Yeah. Well, all that and more, actually. All that and more. And sometimes you want to be clear-headed in the morning because there might be mushrooms involved on these trips, so you know, you just never know.

SPEAKER_01 4:35

Yeah, and I'm totally down for that too, you know. I'm down with the vegetation. I tell you what, it's tough research.

SPEAKER_03 4:42

It it truly is, but I feel like somebody has to do it. Yeah, I'm I'm absolutely thrilled with the progress of the company. I I'm thrilled with where we are and you know what we've what we've gotten to this far, and uh, I'm looking forward to expanding, which takes us to the blocks. What is the blocks?

SPEAKER_01 4:59

That's what I'm here about to do.

SPEAKER_03 5:01

Right. A business incubator contest wrapped in a reality documentary format. There, that's exactly what it is. That is a lot of words. That is a lot of words there. It absolutely is. But what it is, is it like the 27th season of this thing called the blocks, which is a cool, it's a business incubator. And with certain backgrounds, is that you know, there's a whole history behind it, but it's it's just the thing that's become very, very successful because you get a whole bunch of people together, you mix them with uh not just mentors, but professionals and coaches and and people that are just really, really good in business, you let them have masters and this type of thing. And you let them have one-on-one time with them, you have team time with them, you're broken into small teams, there's a competition going on, and it's ashes of a shit. But the biggest thing is that people have done it before come out and say they have learned so much in that it's a short period of time. People who have masters and you know, business and this type of thing have said they've learned more about business going through this process than eight the whole years in school, which is to me strong. Some of them can go back again, but it it's tough and it's just it's an awful lot. But it's one of those, I think one of those things that comes along that wow, I'm so happy. You know, some of the people that are there too, coaching and mentoring, you know, sometimes you meet people that align in business that help, you know, they'll partner up with this type thing. But there's also investors and angel investors that sort of s look around here and so that's that's a nice possibility too. Whatever happens, I know I'll grow. Another thing I'll be able to do is use it for um like focus group type of thing. I have enough people that'll sort of help me with some of my words, and it's just an exciting time. Do you want to know more?

SPEAKER_01 6:59

Yeah, I mean, absolutely, you know, you sound awfully excited about that, and that that tell you what, that makes me feel good, you know, because hearing excitement in your voice voice makes me feel like you're you really want this and you're really going after it, and that's freaking awesome.

SPEAKER_03 7:14

Well, you know, sometimes and thank you for that, you know, sometimes things sort of line up all together. Had another happening just line up, and that is uh got a hookup for financing for my vacations. So now on 420compass.com, you go on and you see a vacation package, or you work with me for a vacation package, you can actually apply for the financing. Go ahead, take your vacation and you know, pay it off, whatever the terms are. I think they've got different terms and that type of thing. It's just a day type of happening. I've been working on it. I got the go, and I'm super excited about that because who's what travel companies got that on their website? Really?

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Nobody. Nobody.

SPEAKER_03 7:53

That's what I thought. So there you go. I said, you know, planes, trains, automobiles, well, hotels, motels, things on wheels, all of it. Hey, that was really cool. I should be like a rapper, a travel rapper, right?

SPEAKER_01 8:07

Absolutely true. Hey, hey, you're gonna be there at the Canafest here in a couple weeks, so you might be able to get up a stage and spit some lyrics, you know.

SPEAKER_04 8:13

You're right. I think I should. I'm sure you'd probably be really fascinated by that.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

I tell you what, if you get up there, I'll get up there and be your hype man. How about that? Would you really hell yeah I would.

SPEAKER_03 8:24

That would be outrageous.

SPEAKER_01 8:26

She's a poet and she didn't know it. Yep, she's a poet and she didn't know it. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 8:31

If I could blow it off, I'd do it just to say I could. You know those things that those lists you come out on Facebook that say, you know, give yourself ten points for everything you've done. I have never seen anybody on that list say sung rap in front of a large crowd.

SPEAKER_01 8:47

You know? That's true. That is very true.

SPEAKER_02 8:50

That's right. We should have a stoner list. The stoners, some of them have done that.

SPEAKER_01 8:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:56

Well, some of them has.

SPEAKER_01 8:58

So so Kathy, we know about your business now, and we know what what you're fixing getting to with the blocks, but tell us how did you, you know, come up with the idea of 420 compass and and everything? What led you down that road to get to this point?

SPEAKER_03 9:14

Well, it's actually been a long time getting to this point because putting all those pieces together to have that quote unquote full service, that took a long time to figure out, an awful long time. And also some of the history and some of the the goings-ons to you know, get the packages to this point and you know build out the site to this point has taken a long time. But basically to answer your question, job frustration. You know, sometimes when you really hate what you're doing, you you s you sit in your daydream about what you'd rather be doing, you know? Absolutely. So I I I was sitting there daydreaming, and I thought, I don't know what I'd rather be doing, but I'd rather it be from a computer on the back of a yacht.

SPEAKER_01 9:53

Very true.

SPEAKER_03 9:54

Well, that's you know, sometimes what I do. So it's not a bad gig.

SPEAKER_01 10:00

No, that doesn't sound like a bad gig at all.

SPEAKER_03 10:05

Not a bad gig. Not a bad gig at all.

SPEAKER_01 10:08

Makes me makes me just a tad bit envious.

SPEAKER_03 10:11

I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01 10:12

Oh, it's okay. It's a coming, you know, so you know, you know, good things you know, good things take time sometimes, you know.

SPEAKER_03 10:21

And uh well they do. They do. But you know, actually, I had started doing this back in like 2009 under the name Rasta Vacations. And when I posted Rasta Vacations, I knew absolutely nothing about website development, SEO, if even if it was a thing back then, and travel. I knew nothing. But I'm putting these trips together places, and people are taking them thinking, wow, this is bizarre, these are crazy. Well, the thing is, I was contacted by several resorts and and places. Hey, come and check us out and put us on your website. Well, that's really nice. So I started doing that. And to this day, this is 2009, to this day, Mark and Zimbalian retreating, I are just like thickest family. We just love each other, and it's a it's been a wonderful friendship, and I've got a couple that have passed, but uh new friendships found. It's it's just it's a very genuine community, and I like that. You know, nobody wants to jump into a shark tank with people, you know, nipping at their heels all the time and that type of thing. You know, travel in general is a very lovely and stress-free way to make a living, which I think is is good. Especially, you know, I'm I'm retired. This is a second thing for me, and meaning a second career. And uh I like it a lot better than the first one. That's uh it's something anybody can do. You know, I can show up help. So anyway. What else you got for me? Ask me questions.

SPEAKER_01 11:44

Uh hold on, my buddies asked me a question right now. What what is it?

SPEAKER_00 11:47

How do you come about doing it in like the do you only do it in the legal states?

SPEAKER_01 11:52

I mean, it might be a dumb question, but Yeah, he's asking, how do you do it in the states where it's illegal, but he says you may uh only be able to do it in the legal states.

SPEAKER_03 12:03

Well, I'll only do it in legal states and illegal places. Yeah. It's just a liability issue.

SPEAKER_04 12:08

Right.

SPEAKER_03 12:09

But we make sure that people that go to the places where it is legal not only get hooked ups because like if you go to Jamaica, you're always gonna get hooked up with wheat, right? You just are. Well, is it sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not. And you know, a lot of the growers in Jamaica are look at you know, they're just not what you would expect, especially like it's from well, I've got some really good growers, but you know, if BC butt's like really, really good, and there's just good butt out there. So, you know, you're not necessarily getting that. Although I did get sense a million down there a few years ago, and that was lovely. I hadn't seen that in a hell of a long time. So it was a real, real treat. But it's knowing the people that have the good and getting it to you. Jamaica, for instance, when you get off an airplane, there's somebody holding a sign with your name saying, Come right here. And he's got a nice clean vehicle that's nice and cool, it's got a cooler in it, there's your red stripe. Would you like a couple splits? Just go. You know, it's all you're gonna be hooked up the moment you get off the plane. So and that's a nice thing. It's a real nice thing. And that's just something I've always done. And then, in fact, why did I I disbanded uh roster vacations because I knew that I didn't have the tools that I need to really do the right thing for people. And that's important for me. You know, if I can't do the best job for somebody, then that's not I don't want to do that. I want to do a good job for people.

SPEAKER_00 13:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:29

So, you know, that brings me to you know, finding those right tools and plugging into them. And and the tough thing being, um, plugging into conventional tools and making them weed friendly has been very, very difficult. And finding out the little nuances and that, and it's been learning experiences and that type of thing along the way that obviously we're at that point in the world, sort of figured all that out. And to be honest, looking for like three three people that would be interested in doing the same thing, whether it's my niche or their niche, but I am growing, and because the blocks is coming up, I need to get a couple people trained so they can book the vacations that are coming through the door. So, yeah, but once I I'm sure you'll give them my contact information or 420compass.com might be it. Hello.

SPEAKER_01 14:15

Yeah, I know, so I got somebody in mine right now, to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_03 14:19

It's a very good opportunity. It's an extremely good opportunity, actually. It's it's laughable. I wish I think back to it like when I was young, I just got my real estate license at that point, and somebody took a liking to me, a gentleman took a liking to me, and he had a legit business, took it there, showed me met. He wanted to teach me uh um on like investing and all all that type of stuff. There's one part of it in in particular that he was going to show me that you know, you different licenses for it and this type of thing. Anyway, I said no, I just started with real estate and I didn't think it was yeah, that it didn't write to jump off of one and go to the other so quickly without giving it a try. But it's just looking back, it's probably one of the stupidest mistakes I'd ever made. So I I put this, you know, thinking that there was somebody who's offering that that hand and and I didn't take it, you know, that's well, I'm sure we all have one of those stories, but you know, I'm offering a hand to a couple people.

SPEAKER_01 15:15

Well, I tell you what, is this something you can do from home too, right?

SPEAKER_03 15:19

God, yes. Absolutely. And in the winter when it's coding, wear your bunny slippers. And part-time, full time, whatever. Whatever somebody wants to do. It just it helps out. And so long as they tell me here's here's what I want to do and what I don't want to do, that's fine, you know, like sort of tailor it or whatever somebody wants to do, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:08

Well, I have somebody in mind, and I'll tell you what, hang on after we get done with the podcast, and I'll talk with you about it, okay? Okay, that's cool. Thank you. So tell me, favorite vacation spot that's cannabis friendly that you went to.

SPEAKER_03 16:26

You know, not to duck out, but I savor little moments from so many vacations. And actually, maybe I I I mean I'll call them vacations because I I don't really relax. I'm always like putting things together. It's just the way my mind works, but I just relish so many little snippets. And like being up in British Columbia out on I went to Vancouver Island, one of my lifelong type of friends, the brother, you know, he and his wife brought me up there. They had this cool place on the side of a mountain that overlooked the valley, and the mountain lacrosse would have snow on top, and there was a little store across the way, you just didn't really see it. It was across the valley. It was just beautiful. You look to the right, there's all the water going by and stuff, and it's just absolutely incredible. And you know, as much as I always pictured that area to be, it was just so much more because it was reality. But then you kind of go into Amsterdam, and you know, you look at storybooks when you're children and you think, oh, you, you know, what it's gonna be like. But I think this is just the fact that when you get there, there's so much of it that is a storybook. It's not just a page, you're you're surrounded by all of it. And actually, when I went, it was the beginning of December, it was Santa Claus Eve. And what what they do is in the beginning of the month, they have Christmas for the children and they exchange uh gifts and have those celebrations so they can focus on everything that their religion would focus on, or you know, whatever for Christmas. But it was so cool because what they do sometimes is they shut down the streets, and we're staying like right down where you just want to stay, right down our old downtown. And they shut down the streets, and people were scurrying around up and down these again, those cool cobblestone streets like you could hear their feet scuffling across as they're buying their last minute gifts. And I opened the window and I'm watching them and listening to them, and their voices are bouncing off the walls, and it started snowing.

SPEAKER_04 18:22

I'm like, oh my god, it's like being inside of a snow globe.

unknown 18:25

It was the coolest thing.

SPEAKER_03 18:27

And it was just absolutely gorgeous because it's like, oh my god, you know, you're like 900 years old, and it's like, oh my god, this is just just crazy.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

I've always had a you know a little idea about something I want to do for Christmas, you know, and that's being like on a freaking mountain somewhere, woods and everything, you know, big windows, power place going snowing, and just be able to smoke, you know, and being around a family and stuff, just being all around that. That that's something, you know, I'm looking forward to doing. I'm planning on doing it. And uh, you know, I'm gonna make it happen. But yeah, that's something, yeah, what you described is saying, you know, yeah, I definitely want to do that.

SPEAKER_03 19:02

It it's just yeah, absolutely beautiful. Absolutely. Then you of course you yeah, you go down the Caribbean, you're snorkeling or laying on the beach or I don't know, petting dolphins. I mean, whatever you want to do, it's it's all there. You know, me, I'm I'm checking out people's groves and that type of thing, or climbing through caves, or doing just crazy ass stuff that tourists would want to do something like experience to tell them about it. The cave trip, by the way, was that that whole whole experience was so next level. It was so next level. And you know, if people still wonder if if Jamaicans offer up, I don't know, yeah, offer up uh blessings or or ask for blessings or incense or sacrifices or whatever it is, if they tell that that still happens, I can tell you I saw it in a cave in Jamaica with my own eyes. So there are adventures that happen. And it was unsettling, I can tell you that.

SPEAKER_01 20:08

Well, that all sounds freaking amazing, you know. And one day we'll get together on it and plan, you know, you know, our vacation, you know, and I'm looking forward to it, you know.

SPEAKER_03 20:20

I'll be here. Yep. That's what we do. And thanks. Thanks for humoring me while I share these these stories of craziness.

SPEAKER_01 20:30

No, I mean, you know, people need to hear these stories, you know. I mean that that's one reason why, you know, I started podcasting and stuff, you know, is to get, you know, and you know, especially talking about festivals, you know, letting people see my experience, you know, telling them, hey, get out and go live life. You know, look how look how much fun and how much life is going on around out here, you know. Because you you see it every day, how sucked in people are into social media. And even though my my gig and what I do is on social media, I encourage encourage people to get away from it, you know, go out there and live life. You know, and I see you doing that with what you're doing too, and I think it's freaking awesome.

SPEAKER_03 21:09

I love it. I just love experiencing it. I love taking photos. Absolutely too. Not the best at it, but I've got a couple that turned out okay, I suppose, you know. And uh and writing, you know, that's what that's what I like to do, and uh that's just what I want to do. And and my my whole thing is keep into whatever they put their mind to, you know, and I think that that sometimes people need to hear whatever whatever your background is, you know, everybody's got pluses and minuses in their life, and some people have you know pretty tough childhoods and pretty tough coming up and you know treated pretty unfairly. You know what? Has nothing to do with you. People do horrible things because they're horrible people. It has nothing to do with you. Just keep marching forward, and if you stumble, get up off your feet and keep going and keep trying to figure it out and do what you gotta do, but just keep marching forward. Uh and eventually things just work out.

SPEAKER_01 22:08

Well, you know, when you get to be older, you know, you have two choices. Either you can focus on the negative and live that kind of life, or you can focus on the positive, you know, and live that life, you know, and you you that's the two types of people you see every day. You know, those who want to live in the past and you know, be negative about the world they're living and never seeing any love or life in anything. Then you see those with positivity who are just friendly going out there doing things, you know, like we're doing and stuff, you know.

SPEAKER_03 22:40

Well, and you know, sometimes people make excuses for not going forward. I think that honestly, some people may suffer some depression issues or whatever that keep them feeling smaller than they really are. I mean, people I think a lot of times when you've been beaten down that you don't realize that you're just as as big a person as anybody else. You know, you feel small, so I I think that that's an issue.

SPEAKER_01 23:03

Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. But, you know, let's keep spreading our love and, you know, our positivity and you know, hopefully it'll catch on and everything. And Kathy, before we go, let's hear about where people can find you at, you know, uh all your info.

SPEAKER_03 23:21

Well, I'm just easy, you know, 420compass.com. The phone number's right on there. I just find it easier just to direct everybody to it. You know, because if you scribble down my phone number, you're gonna lose it. So just remember 420compass.com, right? It's hard. Do you have anyone?

SPEAKER_01 23:40

Do you have social media platforms, right?

SPEAKER_03 23:42

Oh, yeah, that's I like my website, you know, the others. I I have people that help me keep up with it. Um on Facebook, sorry, 420compass.com. On uh Instagram 420compass L C believe is what it is. But you'll see because my logo's there. And you know where you can find my logo? On 420compass.com.

SPEAKER_01 24:06

Bingo. You know what? I was just thinking the same damn thing, to be honest with you. You know what? That's genius. But genius. But it, you know, Kathy, it sounds like you guys can find people's friendly skies to their friendly highs, and that's awesome. You know, and absolutely, you know, I'm so glad to have you, you know, on the show. And hey, when we're at the Cannafest, we'll do a podcast and have you on again while we're there and talk about what you have going on there, and we'll talk about the fest of the festival too, to promote that as well, you know, since we're both there as well promoting ourselves in the festival.

SPEAKER_03 24:43

You betcha, you betcha. But I want to say thanks to everybody for putting up with me.

SPEAKER_01 24:47

Hey, thank you. Hey, you're you're freaking awesome. You know, and I and I thank you, Sai. Thank you so much for coming on and hanging out with us and stuff, you know. And um stay on the line and close out the show right quick, and we'll get that info for you about a possible new employee. How about that?

SPEAKER_03 25:03

Okay, that's cool.

SPEAKER_01 25:04

All right, yep. All right, okay. Well, no problem, no problem. Well, good vibes tribe. You know, you heard it here. 420 compass, Kathy Wood, man. And I tell you what, I'm definitely Yeah, I'm thinking so, you know. It's just so nice and so convenient to have something like that, you know. Especially, you know, if you smoke cannabis, you know, it takes all the hassle out of it, you know. And, you know, like Kathy was saying, you know, that there's not a lot of vacation companies doing what she's doing at all. You know, probably maybe just her, you know, and I think that's freaking, hey, that's where it's at then, you know. So if you guys hear anybody wanting to go on on a vacation and stuff, you know, who smokes cannabis and it's kind of like, hey, you know, hey, I'd you know, would like to know where to go. Hey, I mentioned 420 compass to them. You know, it's right there. Kathy is an awesome person. Her people will help you out and get and get you situated. But guys, we're gonna get out of here because we got some more to do tonight. We got a couple more shows to do tonight. But we love you. We'll see you guys soon. And hey, 420 Compass, baby.