[INTERVIEW] MY BUD VASE FOUNDER DOREEN SULLIVAN TALKS BRIDGING THE WORLDS OF CANNABIS AND CONTEMPORARY ART
Connor Phillips • Mar 5, 2024
Get ready to embark on a journey through the intersection of cannabis and contemporary art with Doreen Sullivan, the visionary behind My Bud Vase. We had the privelege of chatting with this Ultraprenuer and founder, who unveiled the inspiration behind her company, recounting the moment that sparked the idea behind her luxurious vase bongs. From concealing bongs amidst flower vases to revolutionizing cannabis paraphernalia, Doreen dives into her dedication to reinvention and creativity reflected by her pioneering brand.
Learn how My Bud Vase is reshaping perceptions of cannabis use through artistry, empowerment, and advocacy, while gaining invaluable insights into entrepreneurship in the cannabis industry and beyond. Check out Magnetic’s interview with Doreen below.
What inspired the creation of My Bud Vase, and how did your ‘Hide the Bong Dance’ moment lead to this innovative concept?
I have hidden my consumption my entire life. One late afternoon in August 2015, I was seshing after a long tedious work day, and right after I cleared my bowl, there was a heavy knock on my door. I went into panic mode to hide my bong because I was in a prohibition state and I wasn’t expecting anyone.
It is what I refer to as my final “Hide the Bong” dance because I ran around in circles trying to figure out where to hide my piece. Then I saw all of these flower vases on my kitchen counter… so I quickly rearranged them around my bong to hid it and sprayed Lysol to cover any smells.
I opened the door to a carpenter saying hey can I get into your attic to check on the roof? I let him in while my heart was pounding out of my chest. When he left, I went over to my floral fortress. It was such synergy that my bong was hidden next to a vase that was shaped like a bong. That’s when I had the Ah-HA moment. The very next day, I started collecting vases to figure out how to make them into beautiful and functional smoking devices.
As an Ultrapreneur with a background in entertainment marketing, how has your creative journey influenced the unique positioning of My Bud Vase in the cannabis industry?
My background has helped me manufacture, brand, market, and position My Bud Vase in every way imaginable. Starting with product development, I am known in the entertainment marketing world for making things that have never been made before. From the brand that is recognizable and super easy to work with, to the marketing where each release is treated like a movie launch and each vase is a leading lady, I love it all.
I have spent 35 years successfully helping companies positioning their products and services. So now, I am basically my own client and can apply all that I have learned to my own creations.
What do you believe sets your brand apart and makes it a go-to choice for celebrities and cannabis enthusiasts alike?
I believe that it boils down to three things:
It is beautiful in the home
It is discreet when necessary
It is clever and designed to entertain
How do you balance the functional aspects of a smoking accessory with the aesthetic appeal, ensuring each My Bud Vase is a piece of art and home decor?
I achieve this by starting with the objective, that first and foremost it is actually art and home decor.
Regarding the functionality, I make sure that the downstem is low to the bottom or bent if need be, and that the additional aesthetics increase value and functionality to the smoking experience. This is where I am excited to evolve and expand the product line because I just love adding the extra value of the custom pokers and the decorative accoutrements.
Could you share more about the thought process behind forging each one-of-a-kind designs, like the Mermaid or TocaCabana bongs, and the significance of adding meaningful accessories to each piece?
Absolutely and I love the way you say “meaningful accessories” ~ Our mermaid vase (ok, bong) was inspired by Yemaya, The Mother Goddess of the Ocean. Her history is rich in West African culture and she is revered for having strong and protective energy. I imported Cowrie shells directly from Africa and tied them with Hemp rope to protect the plant and the vase while honoring the goddess and sharing her story.
As a product developer, I live to dive into the history and artisans of a particular culture to discover and incorporate accessories that are authentic and meaningful, beautiful and functional.
Your journey from repurposing vintage vases to creating the Signature Collection is so inspiring and remarkable! What challenges did you face in carving out a new category in the male-dominated cannabis industry, and how did you overcome them?
At this point, I finally feel like the challenges have strengthened me and my company, but it didn’t always feel this way. Part of the acceptance in this space comes because my products are quality, and men really appreciate things that are well-made.
Also, I bring women into the male dominated industry which I know is a universal goal. I am also very open about how women think and what they value. I try to share this with the men in this industry to help us all work together to normalize consumption and end prohibition.
Celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Martha Stewart, and others have endorsed My Bud Vase. How do these celebrity connections contribute to the brand’s popularity and impact? How do you typically get in contact with these A-listers?
That entertainment marketing background that you referred to earlier helps me create moments where my vases can get noticed by celebrities. My agency was always hired to get press for feature films and new entertainment licenses, so I know how to get noticed.
I get out and about and support celebrity encounters, gifting my vases to people that gift celebrities. Fortunately, they love them too!
One of the biggest honors we have at My Bud Vase is when celebrities gift our products to their friends and loved ones. It just goes to show you that the market (of Cannabis Consumers) needs a paradigm shift in paraphernalia.
You have emphasized the importance of storytelling in product marketing. How do you ensure that each My Bud Vase carries a rich narrative, adding value beyond its structural purpose?
I start with what inspires me. My brand’s three keywords are Artistry, Inspiration, and Evolution. When I am designing a new product, it has to inspire me in a way that I cannot stop thinking about it. I just got back from sourcing in Mexico and I started my journey by strolling through the village streets seeing what stood out to me, what whispered to my soul.
I came upon a vendor that had these beautiful intricate beaded creations and there was a hummingbird that I could not take my eyes off. I bought it. I held it. I looked at it from every angle. I googled Hummingbirds and Mexican culture, as a result the floodgates of creativity opened.
Then hummingbirds started appearing everywhere, which to me is a sign from the universe that there is a story here and I am supposed to create it. So yes, one of our new pieces will be inspired by the phenomenal hummingbird (You heard it here first. I will most likely name it Colibri and have all the elements come from artisans in Mexico.
From now until it launches, I will be open to discovering everything I can about this tiny little spirit animal and how I can transfer that goodness and energy into the final product.
Shopping around and getting physical samples are key aspects of your product development process. How do these practices contribute to the foundation and quality of My Bud Vase designs?
I cannot stress this enough – if you are developing products, you have to have physical samples and you need to “gather” these elements in order for them to build on each other. I hate seeing lines of merchandise that are a waste of money because they were all developed online or through a product portal. The hand, the feel, the colors, the smells, the senses are what should be considered. You cannot experience senses fully on a screen.
I want to make a side note that I am in the process of launching a Master Class in Product Development because developing products is an art that ties into our senses. More on this later, but the bottom line is that it is better to grab any physical samples when you see them and they inspire you. This is to try to describe them later when explaining to someone how great that item felt when you had it in your hands.
Regarding your dedication to ending cannabis prohibition, how does My Bud Vase contribute to this mission, and what steps do you take to raise awareness and funds for essential cannabis causes?
We always use our platform to raise awareness and funds to help other brands and initiatives. We also contribute by our products changing home consumption rituals and our marketing showing how beautiful and normal this lifestyle can actually be.
With your strong focus on authenticity, how do you maintain a personal connection with your customers? How does it make you feel when a customer speaks to the happiness that purchasing a My Bud Vase has brought them?
My personal phone number is on my website. If there is a problem or concern I want to be the first to know. Customers are shocked when they ask is this customer service for My Bud Vase, and I’m like… “Yes this is Doreen.”
I know I cannot do this forever but every call (which is only about 6-8 a month) teaches me something I need to know and gives me an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s experience with my brand and mission. Also, I am on my Instagram often and I get such great comments in my DMs, which never fails to make my day.
If you could only pick three, what are your favorite vases that you have ever designed and why?
This is the hardest question to ask a mother because I love them all so much and all for different reasons.
Aurora ~ she was our first signature piece and she launched on my birthday in 2017 in NYC and the Empire State Building was lit in the exact same colors that night.
Stardust ~ she stopped people in their tracks from day one, and she shines so bright.
TocaCabana ~ she is a masterpiece on every level. The size, the drippy glazed colors, the Toucan, the Greenery, the Logo Bracelet, the Topper.
(But wait, what about Vamp and Lotus and Love Bud and Coyote, and the list goes on…)
Outside of My Bud Vase, what is a personal objective you have or something you would love to experience for the first time in 2024?
Dating again. I have been too busy and I feel like I have missed out on a social life over the past few years.
Looking ahead, what exciting developments can we expect from My Bud Vase, and how do you envision the brand’s role in shaping the future of cannabis consumption?
Doreen Sullivan: There are so many new things in development that will focus on the growing Cannabis Lifestyle as it relates to home consumption. The shift is happening and new trends are coming as consumers move towards healthier mindful choices. We want to help pioneer these shifts with our products and our marketing.
Thank you Magnetic Magazine for such great questions and I hope your readers are inspired and will follow our journey @mybudvase.com and @doreen_sullivan_.
