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Living Your Legacy
Guilty Pleasures Founder: The Story Behind Michigan’s Largest Female Cannabis Farm
00:18:36
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- [00:00]
A
The reason I started medicating was just trauma response, depressed and you kind of turn to it for some relief. And when I realized how much it helped me, that's when I became such an advocate. Like, if it can help me in this way, like, I can only imagine what it does. And that's when I started on my journey and hearing other people's stories.
- [00:16]
B
You know Millie Montana, founder of Millie Montana Industries and pioneering cannabis entrepreneur who's built brands from seed to sale. With over a decade in the industry, she now runs Michigan's largest female led outdoor cannabis farm, cultivating more than 200,000 plants while breaking barriers and building a legacy for the next generation.
- [00:36]
A
It's undeniable how great this is. That's really why I just started advocating for it so hard. While I could tell you when I started everybody was judgmental, I think I've been in an addiction phase where
- [00:52]
B
it spans the globe like a super high cold Internet Elvis friends. Today Apple is going to reinvent LeFon. It's not over until I win. The Living youg Legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy that's extraordinary. The impossible has been. Oh, that is sensational. Jordan, open Chicago with the lead. You said Paul is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dream foreign. Welcome to another episode of the Living youg Legacy podcast. For Inside Success, I'm Ray Gutierrez. Joining me today is Millie Montana, building quite the empire. My show notes say here that she is building Guilty Pleasures by Millie. Millie. There isn't any pleasure that isn't pleasurable unless you feel guilty about it. Why? Why should I feel guilty about your pleas?
- [01:59]
A
You know, when I started Guilty Pleasures, my original thought was when I retire, I want to open a bakery and I'm going to smoke weed with my girlfriends, make a bunch of fun desserts, and I'm gonna call it Guilty Pleasures. And then the opportunity came along in cannabis and I figured, why not just use it now, you know, and we did so much fun marketing on it. I mean, it's such a great play on everything. I mean, at the time when the market was like a gray market, you know, it is a guilty pleasure because it's not fully accepted in society yet. It's not fully.
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B
Isn't that nuts?
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A
Yeah.
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B
It's the year 2025 and folks still haven't figured it out yet.
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A
I know. And this was back. This was probably like 10 years ago.
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B
Oh, gosh.
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A
So it was. It was really fun at the time and, you know, we were able to do it. We did shelve it for a little bit. And I focused on outdoor farming. And the reason was because the market was just saturated. Prices were very low. It was just becoming too expensive to operate. So we focused on outdoor farming because at that point, I can just make my own oil. And then the cost of good comes down for me significantly. So there's a chance I might bring it back. We'll see. But definitely just focusing on the infrastructure behind the products now.
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B
Right on.
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A
Yeah.
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B
You and I share a very similar journey. East coast raised. I saw Detroit, Michigan, Michigan in your show notes. Born and raised, Miami, Florida. But you made it out to San Diego. I made it out to the Bay Area.
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A
Okay.
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B
Talk about how. How does the difference. Let's start with the green. The difference between east coast and west coast. And when it comes to the mindset of being an entrepreneur.
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A
Yep. So I moved to the west coast when I was in high school, and I really didn't, like, play with cannabis until, like, maybe halfway through high school. And I was in the west coast, so it was a lot more accepted there. And, you know, the attitude towards it was just very different.
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B
It's less dangerous, too.
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A
Yeah. And I had a lot of, you know, family in Michigan still, and it was still like a weird hush, hush thing, like, don't tell anybody. You know what I mean? And when I. When I graduated high school, I'm like, this is my life. Cause I love cannabis, you know, it just does so many good things for people, and I want to learn more about it. So I just started, you know, trimming. I was doing all the little basic jobs, whatever, and it's just very different. Like, being an entrepreneur for cannabis in California was a lot easier back then. But between the time that I had left to go to college, I was in Miami, and the time I decided to quit college and pursue my dreams when I went back to California, like, it was probably like a couple years. Oh, my God. So saturated.
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B
Yeah. Yeah.
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A
And then that's when I kind of decided, well, I'm from Michigan, you know, I might as well just go there and try it out. And they took me in with open arms, and it was. It was amazing. So really, I think, you know, the energy towards being an entrepreneur really just depended on my timing, you know, and that's what I learned from that, was just picking the right time to make the right decisions.
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B
It's perfect because it's. It's funny because you mentioned the right timing, but it was always destined for your time.
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A
Yeah.
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B
For it to fall into place some of my favorite baristas are from Michigan. Like, time I'm in Michigan visiting family. We, we, we. We visit our fair baristas. Can you talk about how the lifestyle and the culture has modernized? It's. It's gone from like, you know, east coast versus west coast rap to being something very juvenile, but now it's become a lifestyle, it's become a medicine. It's become a way of life.
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A
Oh, yeah. Well, I could tell you when I started, everybody was judgmental. You know, it was still like, again, like a hush hush thing. You know, you don't tell everybody, you don't tell family. And I'm Middle Eastern, so that's like a big thing in the family. It's like, you know, but now everybody's in it and it's just changed. Like, I remember, like, something so awesome the first time that I realized, like, wow, this has really changed for the better. I was trimming for fun, because I don't do that anymore, only because my aunts, my cousins, like, all the girls in the family were all trimming on this project. And I'm like, this is like, I'm never gonna experience this again. And that's when it really hit me, like, wow, this, this energy towards this has changed so much. The way people look at a society just so different. And it's. It's so much easier to maneuver and advertise and talk about it now as opposed to back then. Back then, it was very like, you know, you're. You're still kind of like, is it weird? Is it the devil's lettuce?
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B
What are you doing?
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A
Are you drug dealing? Are you selling medicine? Or like, you know what I mean? It's kind of that fine line of like, what are we doing here, guys? You know what I mean?
- [06:55]
B
So, yeah, no, to your point. I grew up in Miami and I, I was such a late bloomer when it came to, to, to medicating that I discovered it in the west coast through an app and was like, wait, what? You really could just.
- [07:05]
A
Was it weed maps?
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B
It really probably was. This was like the 20, 2012. Like, yeah, definitely weed maps. I'm like, I had a doctor on a virtual call PDF within 15 minutes. And then I went downstairs to the barista and I, boy, do I miss my 1000 milligram Corova bars. I would dice that up and wild, wild west. I'm like, I would literally see music all weekend. It was just like to be in this euphoric state of mind and you're coming on this Comedown. Like, I always call these, like, podcasts, a decompression state or an ascension state where your mind's ready to ascend or descend. And that, that, that, that spiritual level and that code level. I wasn't talking like this. Being raised in Miami. Most folks don't talk like this in Miami. That's starting to happen now because a lot of that energy is coming from the west coast, from. From Austin. Talk about the code, the energy, the frequencies that you are attuned to when you are essentially medicating.
- [07:56]
A
Well, the reason I started medicating was just trauma response, you know, and it was one of those things. It's like I'm, you know, 15 years old, like, depressed, going through puberty, going through all these things that I had moved so many times, like, just so much pressure and, you know, and you kind of turn to it for some relief. And what it did was slow me down enough where I can recollect my thoughts, assess situations a little bit differently, slowly, you know. Cause a lot of times with anxiety that I experienced was I'm just moving too fast all the time. I'm thinking too fast, thinking too deep, going down rabbit holes. And then cannabis just kind of allowed me to slow down. Yeah. And kind of just appreciate life for what it was. And it got me through so far in life. I never had to take, you know, medication. Like, it was just so many things that I wanted was to go the holistic route. And. And when I realized how much it helped me, that's when I became such an advocate. Like, wow, this, this. If it can help me in this way, like, I can only imagine what it does. And that's when I started on my journey and hearing other people's stories, you know, so many illnesses and ailment, like, just. It has helped so many people.
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B
Yeah.
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A
It's undeniable how great this is. And, you know, that that's really why I just started advocating for it. So hard. So hard.
- [09:23]
B
For sure. Yeah, definitely. I don't. Definitely don't recommend the a thousand milligram carnivores out the gate. The only reason why I brought that up, because I did slice it up into smaller milligrams. But what I experienced, I was addicted to. It wasn't the drug. It was the feeling of, like, the darkness has gone, the veil has been lifted. I'm seeing happiness for the first time. I can truly see sounds. And yeah, it was. I was addicted to that. I clearly cannot peak that high anymore. But it's. It's in my daily it's in my daily ritual where I'll microdose here or there, but I'm always medicating because it does help with the daily grind. It does help with the, the existence called reality. Talk about folks that you've help change like the before and after those stories.
- [10:05]
A
So I, I've had so many people just like different ailments and you know, at the time, back then, you know, we were in the caregiver market, so accessing product was a little bit difficult, but by all means we were going to get them whatever they needed at all times. Whether it was, you know, somebody that wanted edibles because they have, you know, chronic pain or cancer. Like people who have cancer, for example. I had a couple of patients that, you know, couldn't smoke, so they turned to edibles, you know, and that was my specialty was I always was heavy in the edibles. And it really just helped them to, to eat more. Like in chemo, you know, you don't want to eat. It would help them eat, it would help them relax, sleep. Even in chronic pain. Like again, it's not something to smoke off. Like you can't really. You can, and it's temporary. But you know, an edible will give you this, this body high that you know, will help relieve pain. And I've dealt with people all the way from, you know, menstruating issues all the way to cancer and you know what I mean? And it's helped everybody. So I really haven't had any instances where, you know, somebody took it and regretted it.
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B
Sure, sure. Yeah, yeah.
- [11:20]
A
No, typically when they come to me, they're already looking, you know what I mean? And so like, you know, by all means necessary. We'll get them what they need. And you know, it is very. What's the right word? Like just life changing to see definitely is how it helps and why it's so important. But again, it's like using responsibly, right?
- [11:42]
B
Like absolutely, yes.
- [11:43]
A
There's definitely some abuse that goes on.
- [11:46]
B
Yeah, yeah, for sure. But but to your point, it definitely does help, at least for me. I'm always very quick. I'm sure you can tell that I mumble most of the time I speak because I still think Cuban. It definitely helps slow down and help me like smell the roses. And it's helped me achieve working in high strain environments and it's helped me achieve greater things that I couldn't have done if I wouldn't have experimented or not understood that it's really in my control to create this intimacy with the product and create a journey with it. With that. I don't think I've seen someone go, here's your daily recipe. Here's what you should be taking in the morning, and then take some of this in the afternoon. Do you feel like we need that? Is that something you're creating kind of like a daily lifestyle for customers?
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A
So I guess it depends on where in the country you are, because there is a lot of that now in Michigan, for example, California now, you can go to a dispensary and say, hey, I'm feeling this way. They'll tell you what to do. In the earlier days, you know, I would always proceed with caution, and I would always advise, like, like, especially with edibles, you can always eat more, but you can't take back what you eat.
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B
Yeah.
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A
So start slow. Don't just, like, take that thousand milligram edible.
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B
Like, I didn't take the whole thing. Yeah.
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A
And I have had people who have done and call me like, dude, I had the craziest three days ever. And yeah. So, you know, we do, we do lean more towards that. I think a lot of changes we've had in the industry is that we went from very strong products to more of a micro dose.
- [13:21]
B
I've noticed.
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A
Yeah. And it's a little bit different now. So I think that's a great way because it's not for everybody. So everybody handles it differently. And I think, you know, it is really important to say, okay, why am I doing this? Is it for fun?
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B
Yeah.
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A
Is it for my pain? Is it for me to eat? What is it for? And then kind of dose yourself based off of that and just do it safely. You know, it's, it's like same thing as alcohol. You don't want to take a bottle of something and just chug it. Right. You want to, like, ease yourself into it. But it is a great alternative. You know, when, when we go out.
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B
Yep.
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A
You know, it's safer.
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B
It's, it's definitely safer. It's a confidence booster. I, I, I'm an advocate. I've recently cold turkey yet again caught alcohol. Because I just noticed good friends of mine that just opened a restaurant downstairs. I'm like, oh, there's liquor nearby. And I go straight for it because it's just liquid courage. I'm like, yeah. And then that liquid courage becomes liquid depression. Yeah. And that's when you gotta stop the recovery.
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A
Yeah.
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B
But I definitely don't stop the edibles, the smoking, just the, the keeping up. When. When is it addiction and when it Is it. When is it necessary? What's your opinion on that?
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A
It's a fine line.
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B
So definitely is.
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A
Addiction to me is somebody that just constantly, like. I mean, I can't even deny it. I've been. I think I've been in an addiction phase where, like. Are you familiar with dabbing? Like, when you. Okay, so when that first came out.
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B
Oh, gosh.
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A
Oh, my God. We were just constantly, like, just.
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B
I was in Snow Globe. Yeah. That is a music festival. It's exactly why it's called Snow Globe. Yeah.
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A
And that, to me is like. Okay, I'm. I'm kind of being, like. Like an addict right now.
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B
Yeah. Because it's a whole contraption now. You really have to put efforts, like.
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A
And any. Like, any. Anything that would annoy me or anything. I'm like, oh, I need a dab. Oh, I need it right there. It's so easy. It's electronic. You don't have to click. You don't have to roll. You don't have to smell it. It's, like, so easy. And I think we had to, you know, kind of step back and say, okay, this is a bit much. Now it's taking me, like, a few grams just to get high.
- [15:17]
B
Yes.
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A
And that's kind of, to me, is like, where the fine line of addiction is. And it's not necessarily a. A bad addiction. Like, I don't know if that's a real thing, but, like, you're not gonna.
- [15:32]
B
You.
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A
What you don't want is to. To affect your daily life. You don't want to not go to work because you slept in, because you got too high or.
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B
Right.
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A
You know, that. That, to me is like, where. Okay, it's kind of a problem. We got to take it back a notch, you know? But again, it's like. Like, if you're sitting next to somebody that's going through chemo, their dose is very high. Where somebody like you or me probably would be off our rocker.
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B
You know what I mean? Yeah. For sure.
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A
It is personal, and I think just being able to recognize when too much is too much and, you know, and just as long as it doesn't affect your daily life. I think that's the. That's the rule of thumb.
- [16:07]
B
And then what I always kind of, like, preach is like, just kind of understand that there is hundreds of names and all sorts of strains, but it really comes down to sativa and hybrids and, you know, and indicas. Like, I'm a sativa person. I just want to be awake and creative. If I do Want to chill or have a back pain? Definitely go straight into my indicas. And then hybrids is something I enjoy just, like, puffing away because it keeps me mellow and creative, but very jubilant, like, very fun to be around. I don't like being the Debbie Downer. Most of the time when I'm not medicated, I tend to regress and become an introvert again. So I hope I'm doing well, especially hosting a podcast.
- [16:42]
A
You're doing a great job.
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B
So are you, Princess Leia. I love your Princess Leia outfit. I'm sorry. So what's next for you? How can people find you? What are we gonna learn about you in your epis?
- [16:51]
A
So what's next? Let's see. I. I spent a lot of time focusing on these outdoor farms. I think that, you know, over all these years, I mean, it's been over. It's got to be at least 15 years now. I've learned so much in the back end of things. So I think that, you know, my focus going forward is just going to be developing products, you know, consulting on. On the grows. You know, I do. I am going to be working with a new project for. It's going to be just edibles, cartridges, things like that. So I'm kind of getting back into that. And. Yeah, so just, you know, I. I think that my main focus is working with people that are not corporate kind of people that come from the same cloth. They're cut from the same cloth that I am. And. And that's kind of the thing you're always going to get. Transparency, honesty, and, you know, just a great product, a reliable product. So that's kind of where I'm headed, you know, in that direction. And you can find me on Instagram, you know, and I do consult in Michigan and New York, Massachusetts and Missouri. So if you're in those states, look out for our products. Coming soon, for sure. Yeah. So that's kind of where. Where I'm headed now.
- [18:10]
B
Cool, right? Yeah. Yeah. Next time I'm in Michigan, I'll definitely swing by. Yeah. Hello, dm.
- [18:15]
A
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
- [18:16]
B
Well, appreciate your time and energy. I'm very excited for you to do your interview for Women in Power. Keep living your legacy. This concludes another episode of the Women in Power podcast for Inside Success. This is Millie Montana, and I'm Ray Gutierrez.