When Shayda reached out to me on Instagram a few weeks ago, I was excited to find that Restart CBD is both a woman-owned business and local to Austin. I love discovering and supporting local businesses, so when she invited me to visit their shop off Burnet Road (now located at 2521 Rutland Dr @ Burnet Rd), I eagerly accepted!

I learned that Shayda was involved in an accident a few years ago that left her with a fractured pelvis and it was actually their mom that introduced the idea of using CBD as an alternative to manage her pain. Shayda’s positive experience with CBD encouraged Sydney to begin using it to promote post-workout recovery and relaxation. From there, these CBD sisters were inspired to share their passion with the community and become a part of re-shaping the conversation around cannabis.

One of the main things we discussed is the importance of educating yourself about the products that you use. Shadya and Sydney spend most of their time in the shop teaching customers the basics: what CBD is, the difference between full-spectrum vs isolate, and even how to read labels. The goal with their products is to meet people where they are most comfortable, which is why they offer a variety of options that include sublingual drops, soaking salts, and even skin salves for those that might still harbor a stigma around ingesting cannabis.

These sisters are so committed to helping newbies navigate the world of CBD that they hold a monthly forum called Canna Conversations where consumers can participate in an open discussion about cannabis-related topics. (Non-newbies are welcome, too!)

Shayda and Syndey are looking forward to moving to a new location (still off of Burnet Road) that will provide them with more space and be easier for customers to find. They are currently working on adding a line of CBD gummies for sugar fiends like myself, and are committed to creating a formula that is free of additives, fillers, or preservatives.

let’s hear from shayda and sydney!

WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE A WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS?

To show that women can do anything men can do! We’re grateful to build a business in a time where there are more and more women entrepreneurs every day, but we understand the battle is not over. So any opportunity we can contribute to leading by example, by supporting other women-owned businesses, to help lift up others to reaching their full potential. That’s how change happens, so being able to be a business that is helping to establish that change is a powerful and beautiful thing!

DO YOU FEEL LIKE BEING A WOMAN HAS HELPED OR HINDERED YOUR BUSINESS IN ANY WAY?

It’s absolutely helped! In fact, the cannabis industry as a whole has a lot of strong female leads. 26% more females in leadership positions over 21% in traditional industries. That’s extremely motivating and exciting especially in such a disruptive space like cannabis. What it shows us is that not only are women here to represent more and more of the workforce, but we’re kicking butt at it and making moves in major ways to inspire the next generation of leaders.

WHAT ARE YOUR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT CANNABIS/CBD?

We’re constantly reading High Times, Leafly, and other leading publications just trying to keep a pulse on what’s happening on a national level. Here in Texas we try to be as connected as we can to the local organizations leading the charge like Hemp Industries Association. Additionally we want to establish ourselves as a resource, helping to share that information we come across with our customers and followers. We’ve launched a monthly CBD focused event series called Canna Conversations where we host meet ups where consumers can come and talk about specific topics relating to Cannabis and CBD. And we have a secret, but not really secret, Facebook group where anyone can join and help contribute to the conversation by sharing resources or asking questions.

WHAT OTHER CANNABIS-RELATED BUSINESS/BRAND OR WOMAN DO YOU ADMIRE?

Ever since we came across Flora and Fortitude (owned by Ellyn Dixon) we’ve been hooked on their CBD caramels. Plus we are just obsessed with their branding and attention to detail when it comes to quality ingredients being incorporated into their products. And they’re a Texas company too, hello San Antonio! We love supporting female owned business AND local, a double win!