Dreka Gates: 60 Acres, a 7-Figure Wellness Empire, and the Moment She Reclaimed Her Power

For Good Podcast: Dreka Gates — 60 Acres, a 7-Figure Wellness Empire, and the Moment She Reclaimed Her Power

Host: Joseph "JoJo" Simmons
Guest: Dreka Gates
Date: November 4, 2025

Episode Overview

In this rich, vulnerable conversation, JoJo Simmons welcomes wellness entrepreneur Dreka Gates to explore how her personal journey of self-healing became the fuel for a multifaceted empire. They talk legacy, land, emotional well-being, generational healing, and building regenerative businesses—from Black-owned cannabis and Mississippi farmland to pioneering wellness in both tech and AI. They discuss what it means to lead with intention, love, and authenticity, especially as a Black woman in traditionally exploitative industries. The episode offers wisdom for entrepreneurs seeking to balance success with peace, encourages radical self-love, and underscores the power of choosing yourself—even before you have proof things will work.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Building Her Own Legacy and Journey to Self-Mastery

Timestamps: 01:00, 03:43, 05:10

The ‘aha’ moment: Dreka shares that her desire to build her own legacy solidified after moving to her Mississippi farm during COVID-related isolation.

“When you’re in a state of just…isolation, you get so many insights and downloads…that’s when it kind of hit me—when I had that ‘aha’ moment.” (03:43)
Self-discovery intensified during pandemic lockdowns, leading Dreka to embark on what she calls her “journey of self mastery.”
She reaffirms the foundational importance of inner work—not just for personal well-being, but as the bedrock for business success.
JoJo relates:

“When you move authentically, with intention, people can see that…they want to work with you because they know you’re not bullshitting them.” (05:53)

2. Reclaiming Ancestral Practices, Building Generational Wealth

Timestamps: 07:15–08:18

Dreka now operates a 60-acre regenerative farm in Mississippi, reconnecting with agricultural practices of her ancestors, despite the trauma embedded in Black Southern land.
Emotional moment:

“I just, like, fell to my knees in tears…Like, I’m reclaiming my power. Me having this right now is literally me reclaiming the truth of who I am.” (07:15)

3. Cannabis, Harm Repair, and Economic Justice

Timestamps: 08:52–10:28

Dreka sees cannabis as first and foremost “medicine” and is committed to education and de-stigmatization.
She leads Love’s Harvest, Mississippi’s first Black woman-owned dispensary, and insists on giving a spotlight to formerly criminalized legacy growers:

“That’s another way I feel like you can repair the harm in the cannabis space—not treating these guys like criminals, but treating them like entrepreneurs, because that’s what they were the whole time.” — JoJo (10:14)

4. Unlearning Limiting (Inherited) Beliefs

Timestamps: 10:30–11:34

Dreka discusses the deeply-rooted, inherited belief “it’s not safe to shine,” and speaks candidly about the ongoing, layered process of unlearning.

“You’re taught that it’s not safe to shine…keep it quiet…it’s just not okay. That’s something I am still to this day working on.” (10:43)

5. Radical Transparency and Navigating Bias

Timestamps: 11:35–12:47

Dreka explains how sharing her struggles publicly—such as not being taken seriously as a woman and constant pressure to prove herself—became her differentiator:

“More people can relate to you. Sometimes celebrities can be put on a pedestal…it’s like, No, we probably do [have the same struggles], and we have to experience these in the spotlight, so that makes it a thousand times worse.” (11:53)

6. Leading With Love, Not Ego—In Life and Business

Timestamps: 13:01–15:11

Dreka works daily on embodying the wisdom a spiritual psychologist gave her: “Be love, no matter what.”
Practicing love in hard negotiations: “It’s called a sandwich…The bread is the part that makes you feel good…You go in, like, ‘Hi, I understand you feel this way,’ then you give them what you really need to tell them, and then you finish it off with love.” (14:49)
Both Dreka and JoJo describe the importance of expressing all emotions (not bottling up), but doing so in intentional, private spaces for emotional release.

7. Balancing Ambition With Peace

Timestamps: 16:19–18:00

Dreka avoids burnout by making sacred morning time for herself—movement, writing, releasing negative energy (by literally burning what she writes).
JoJo is inspired:

“If I could focus on me first, then everybody else can get 100% of me…if I don’t feel like 100% in the morning, you’re not gonna get that. No, I want to make sure I give them 100% of the best part of me.” (17:29)

8. Radical Self-Love as Foundation

Timestamps: 18:17–20:16

Dreka found “true self love” during COVID, in her 30s:

“You think that you love yourself, but until you really, truly experience that, it’s like a next level…not in a selfish way, but this is a must in order for everything else around me to thrive.” (18:27)
Both agree: If you don’t love yourself, you risk projecting that lack onto others.

9. Wellness in Tech, Gaming, and AI

Timestamps: 21:01–23:45

Dreka co-produces a reality show in Fortnite, and has built “Drika AI,” a digital avatar, to share her wellness guidance at scale:

“She can talk to millions of people at one time, one-on-one… I can’t do that. But I have such a wealth of knowledge…and I want to be able to share that.” (22:33)
The value of “meeting people where they are”—not waiting for them to seek out wellness, but embedding it in the spaces (like gaming) they already inhabit.

10. Rose-Colored Lenses: Eyewear as Emotional Wellness

Timestamps: 24:37–25:11

Dreka launched Dr. Rose, an emotional well-being eyewear line meant to literally & metaphorically help people “see through love”:

“Looking through those rose-colored lenses…you’re raising your vibration, you’re literally in the vibration of love.” (24:53)

11. Intentional Wellness Products and Community Experience

Timestamps: 25:39–27:19

Dreka invests in historic buildings for her dispensaries to create an intentionally loving, educational consumer experience.
Her cannabis products are formulated for real needs (focus, energy, recovery), not just for consumption.

“I don’t want to just be…another person slapping a label on some product…I really need it to actually work, to provide support to people.” (27:19)

12. Tactical Wellness Practices for Entrepreneurs

Timestamps: 28:03–28:57

High-vibe writing: Dreka’s daily practice is to write out negative feelings for 12 minutes, then burn the pages—clearing herself for the day.

“Depression to me is like being in a state of not expressing your emotions…When you don’t do that, it’s like a backpack—everything you don’t process, you’re just adding more, so it gets heavier and heavier…” (28:28)

13. Rejecting Hustle Culture: Success with Peace

Timestamps: 29:49–30:34

Dreka refuses to sacrifice self for hustle, describing true success as being well-supported and witnessing her work change others’ lives:

“Any time I go out, people come up to me and I get to hear amazing stories of how I’ve supported someone or how something I sell has changed their life. That is success to me.” (30:15)

14. Courage & Advice to Her Younger Self

Timestamps: 31:35–32:49

Dreka reflects on leaving her church at 13 against family wishes, and what she’d now tell that younger version:

“Girl, she was bold…at that moment I knew what I needed to do…I don’t think I’ve been to a church since then, to be honest with you.” (32:02)

15. What's Next: Expanding Wellness Offerings

Timestamps: 33:04–33:34

Dreka’s developing online courses, retreats, and supplements focused on sexual wellness.
She continues to identify as a “creator”—constantly innovating and expanding wellness in new, more accessible ways.

16. Recent Personal Growth & Self-Care

Timestamps: 34:07–34:56

Dreka shares her recent journey to the Amazon jungle for healing with traditional shamans, describing it as a profound act of self-reconnection and power reclamation:

“I went and spent some time in the Amazon jungle with some Shipibo shamans…just processing a lot of things that I was having difficulties with processing on my own.” (34:07)

17. Resources and Inspiration

Timestamps: 35:10–35:24

Dreka recommends the book The Body Keeps the Score for understanding trauma and healing.

Notable Quotes

Dreka Gates: “When I had that ‘aha’ moment…I realized the importance of self love. You think you love yourself, but until you really, truly experience that, it’s a next level.” (03:43, 18:27)
JoJo Simmons: “When you move authentically with intention, people…want to work with that because they know you’re not bullshitting them.” (05:53)
Dreka Gates: “You’re taught that it’s not safe to shine…That’s something I am still to this day working on.” (10:43)
Dreka Gates: “Love is all-encompassing, so even when I assert myself, I’m still love.” (13:29)
JoJo Simmons: “I want to give them 100% of the best part of me.” (17:29)
Dreka Gates: “[Depression] is like a backpack—everything you don’t process, you’re just adding more…How are you in a state of clarity making decisions if you’re carrying around all this stuff?” (28:28)

Timestamps for Important Segments

01:00, 03:43: Dreka’s pivot to building her own legacy and farm
07:15–08:18: Emotional reclamation of ancestral land
08:52–10:28: Cannabis, harm repair, and legacy in the industry
10:30–11:34: Unlearning inherited limiting beliefs
13:01–15:11: Leading with love and expressing emotions
18:17–20:16: Radical self-love and practical importance
21:01–23:45: Innovations in tech, gaming, and AI wellness
24:37–25:11: Drika Rose Eyewear and emotional wellness
25:39–27:19: Intentionally-designed products and customer experience
28:03–28:57: Daily ritual of high-vibe writing and burning for emotional clarity
29:49–30:34: Defining success with peace, not just hustle
31:35–32:49: Advice to her 13-year-old self

Closing Thoughts

Dreka Gates exemplifies building a movement and a business rooted in healing: for herself, her lineage, and her community. She demonstrates that success, peace, and impact are not mutually exclusive. Her story encourages listeners—especially underrepresented entrepreneurs—to fearlessly embrace self-love, harness legacy, and innovate across boundaries. Love, intention, and authenticity are, as Dreka and JoJo show, the most regenerative forms of “capital” one can invest in.

Recommended by Dreka:

The Body Keeps the Score (Bessel van der Kolk)

For Good: Focusing on the good, measured by what we do, not what we have.
Host: JoJo Simmons
Guest: Dreka Gates

For Good Podcast: Dreka Gates — 60 Acres, a 7-Figure Wellness Empire, and the Moment She Reclaimed Her Power

Host: Joseph "JoJo" Simmons
Guest: Dreka Gates
Date: November 4, 2025

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Building Her Own Legacy and Journey to Self-Mastery

Timestamps: 01:00, 03:43, 05:10

The ‘aha’ moment: Dreka shares that her desire to build her own legacy solidified after moving to her Mississippi farm during COVID-related isolation.

“When you’re in a state of just…isolation, you get so many insights and downloads…that’s when it kind of hit me—when I had that ‘aha’ moment.” (03:43)
Self-discovery intensified during pandemic lockdowns, leading Dreka to embark on what she calls her “journey of self mastery.”
She reaffirms the foundational importance of inner work—not just for personal well-being, but as the bedrock for business success.
JoJo relates:

“When you move authentically, with intention, people can see that…they want to work with you because they know you’re not bullshitting them.” (05:53)

2. Reclaiming Ancestral Practices, Building Generational Wealth

Timestamps: 07:15–08:18

Dreka now operates a 60-acre regenerative farm in Mississippi, reconnecting with agricultural practices of her ancestors, despite the trauma embedded in Black Southern land.
Emotional moment:

“I just, like, fell to my knees in tears…Like, I’m reclaiming my power. Me having this right now is literally me reclaiming the truth of who I am.” (07:15)

3. Cannabis, Harm Repair, and Economic Justice

Timestamps: 08:52–10:28

Dreka sees cannabis as first and foremost “medicine” and is committed to education and de-stigmatization.
She leads Love’s Harvest, Mississippi’s first Black woman-owned dispensary, and insists on giving a spotlight to formerly criminalized legacy growers:

“That’s another way I feel like you can repair the harm in the cannabis space—not treating these guys like criminals, but treating them like entrepreneurs, because that’s what they were the whole time.” — JoJo (10:14)

4. Unlearning Limiting (Inherited) Beliefs

Timestamps: 10:30–11:34

Dreka discusses the deeply-rooted, inherited belief “it’s not safe to shine,” and speaks candidly about the ongoing, layered process of unlearning.

“You’re taught that it’s not safe to shine…keep it quiet…it’s just not okay. That’s something I am still to this day working on.” (10:43)

5. Radical Transparency and Navigating Bias

Timestamps: 11:35–12:47

Dreka explains how sharing her struggles publicly—such as not being taken seriously as a woman and constant pressure to prove herself—became her differentiator:

“More people can relate to you. Sometimes celebrities can be put on a pedestal…it’s like, No, we probably do [have the same struggles], and we have to experience these in the spotlight, so that makes it a thousand times worse.” (11:53)

6. Leading With Love, Not Ego—In Life and Business

Timestamps: 13:01–15:11

Dreka works daily on embodying the wisdom a spiritual psychologist gave her: “Be love, no matter what.”
Practicing love in hard negotiations: “It’s called a sandwich…The bread is the part that makes you feel good…You go in, like, ‘Hi, I understand you feel this way,’ then you give them what you really need to tell them, and then you finish it off with love.” (14:49)
Both Dreka and JoJo describe the importance of expressing all emotions (not bottling up), but doing so in intentional, private spaces for emotional release.

7. Balancing Ambition With Peace

Timestamps: 16:19–18:00

Dreka avoids burnout by making sacred morning time for herself—movement, writing, releasing negative energy (by literally burning what she writes).
JoJo is inspired:

“If I could focus on me first, then everybody else can get 100% of me…if I don’t feel like 100% in the morning, you’re not gonna get that. No, I want to make sure I give them 100% of the best part of me.” (17:29)

8. Radical Self-Love as Foundation

Timestamps: 18:17–20:16

Dreka found “true self love” during COVID, in her 30s:

“You think that you love yourself, but until you really, truly experience that, it’s like a next level…not in a selfish way, but this is a must in order for everything else around me to thrive.” (18:27)
Both agree: If you don’t love yourself, you risk projecting that lack onto others.

9. Wellness in Tech, Gaming, and AI

Timestamps: 21:01–23:45

Dreka co-produces a reality show in Fortnite, and has built “Drika AI,” a digital avatar, to share her wellness guidance at scale:

“She can talk to millions of people at one time, one-on-one… I can’t do that. But I have such a wealth of knowledge…and I want to be able to share that.” (22:33)
The value of “meeting people where they are”—not waiting for them to seek out wellness, but embedding it in the spaces (like gaming) they already inhabit.

10. Rose-Colored Lenses: Eyewear as Emotional Wellness

Timestamps: 24:37–25:11

Dreka launched Dr. Rose, an emotional well-being eyewear line meant to literally & metaphorically help people “see through love”:

“Looking through those rose-colored lenses…you’re raising your vibration, you’re literally in the vibration of love.” (24:53)

11. Intentional Wellness Products and Community Experience

Timestamps: 25:39–27:19

Dreka invests in historic buildings for her dispensaries to create an intentionally loving, educational consumer experience.
Her cannabis products are formulated for real needs (focus, energy, recovery), not just for consumption.

“I don’t want to just be…another person slapping a label on some product…I really need it to actually work, to provide support to people.” (27:19)

12. Tactical Wellness Practices for Entrepreneurs

Timestamps: 28:03–28:57

High-vibe writing: Dreka’s daily practice is to write out negative feelings for 12 minutes, then burn the pages—clearing herself for the day.

“Depression to me is like being in a state of not expressing your emotions…When you don’t do that, it’s like a backpack—everything you don’t process, you’re just adding more, so it gets heavier and heavier…” (28:28)

13. Rejecting Hustle Culture: Success with Peace

Timestamps: 29:49–30:34

Dreka refuses to sacrifice self for hustle, describing true success as being well-supported and witnessing her work change others’ lives:

“Any time I go out, people come up to me and I get to hear amazing stories of how I’ve supported someone or how something I sell has changed their life. That is success to me.” (30:15)

14. Courage & Advice to Her Younger Self

Timestamps: 31:35–32:49

Dreka reflects on leaving her church at 13 against family wishes, and what she’d now tell that younger version:

“Girl, she was bold…at that moment I knew what I needed to do…I don’t think I’ve been to a church since then, to be honest with you.” (32:02)

15. What's Next: Expanding Wellness Offerings

Timestamps: 33:04–33:34

Dreka’s developing online courses, retreats, and supplements focused on sexual wellness.
She continues to identify as a “creator”—constantly innovating and expanding wellness in new, more accessible ways.

16. Recent Personal Growth & Self-Care

Timestamps: 34:07–34:56

Dreka shares her recent journey to the Amazon jungle for healing with traditional shamans, describing it as a profound act of self-reconnection and power reclamation:

“I went and spent some time in the Amazon jungle with some Shipibo shamans…just processing a lot of things that I was having difficulties with processing on my own.” (34:07)

17. Resources and Inspiration

Timestamps: 35:10–35:24

Dreka recommends the book The Body Keeps the Score for understanding trauma and healing.

Notable Quotes

Dreka Gates: “When I had that ‘aha’ moment…I realized the importance of self love. You think you love yourself, but until you really, truly experience that, it’s a next level.” (03:43, 18:27)
JoJo Simmons: “When you move authentically with intention, people…want to work with that because they know you’re not bullshitting them.” (05:53)
Dreka Gates: “You’re taught that it’s not safe to shine…That’s something I am still to this day working on.” (10:43)
Dreka Gates: “Love is all-encompassing, so even when I assert myself, I’m still love.” (13:29)
JoJo Simmons: “I want to give them 100% of the best part of me.” (17:29)
Dreka Gates: “[Depression] is like a backpack—everything you don’t process, you’re just adding more…How are you in a state of clarity making decisions if you’re carrying around all this stuff?” (28:28)

Timestamps for Important Segments

01:00, 03:43: Dreka’s pivot to building her own legacy and farm
07:15–08:18: Emotional reclamation of ancestral land
08:52–10:28: Cannabis, harm repair, and legacy in the industry
10:30–11:34: Unlearning inherited limiting beliefs
13:01–15:11: Leading with love and expressing emotions
18:17–20:16: Radical self-love and practical importance
21:01–23:45: Innovations in tech, gaming, and AI wellness
24:37–25:11: Drika Rose Eyewear and emotional wellness
25:39–27:19: Intentionally-designed products and customer experience
28:03–28:57: Daily ritual of high-vibe writing and burning for emotional clarity
29:49–30:34: Defining success with peace, not just hustle
31:35–32:49: Advice to her 13-year-old self

Closing Thoughts

Recommended by Dreka:

The Body Keeps the Score (Bessel van der Kolk)

For Good: Focusing on the good, measured by what we do, not what we have.
Host: JoJo Simmons
Guest: Dreka Gates

Powered by Wave AI

Summary

For Good Podcast: Dreka Gates — 60 Acres, a 7-Figure Wellness Empire, and the Moment She Reclaimed Her Power

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Building Her Own Legacy and Journey to Self-Mastery

2. Reclaiming Ancestral Practices, Building Generational Wealth

3. Cannabis, Harm Repair, and Economic Justice

4. Unlearning Limiting (Inherited) Beliefs

5. Radical Transparency and Navigating Bias

6. Leading With Love, Not Ego—In Life and Business

7. Balancing Ambition With Peace

8. Radical Self-Love as Foundation

9. Wellness in Tech, Gaming, and AI

10. Rose-Colored Lenses: Eyewear as Emotional Wellness

11. Intentional Wellness Products and Community Experience

12. Tactical Wellness Practices for Entrepreneurs

13. Rejecting Hustle Culture: Success with Peace

14. Courage & Advice to Her Younger Self

15. What's Next: Expanding Wellness Offerings

16. Recent Personal Growth & Self-Care

17. Resources and Inspiration

Notable Quotes

Timestamps for Important Segments

Closing Thoughts

Summary

For Good Podcast: Dreka Gates — 60 Acres, a 7-Figure Wellness Empire, and the Moment She Reclaimed Her Power

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Building Her Own Legacy and Journey to Self-Mastery

2. Reclaiming Ancestral Practices, Building Generational Wealth

3. Cannabis, Harm Repair, and Economic Justice

4. Unlearning Limiting (Inherited) Beliefs

5. Radical Transparency and Navigating Bias

6. Leading With Love, Not Ego—In Life and Business

7. Balancing Ambition With Peace

8. Radical Self-Love as Foundation

9. Wellness in Tech, Gaming, and AI

10. Rose-Colored Lenses: Eyewear as Emotional Wellness

11. Intentional Wellness Products and Community Experience

12. Tactical Wellness Practices for Entrepreneurs

13. Rejecting Hustle Culture: Success with Peace

14. Courage & Advice to Her Younger Self

15. What's Next: Expanding Wellness Offerings

16. Recent Personal Growth & Self-Care

17. Resources and Inspiration

Notable Quotes

Timestamps for Important Segments

Closing Thoughts