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Thank You For Your Business! ❤️ ❌ STORE CLOSED. No Longer Taking Orders. ❌

Eunice Kim: From Fashion to Cannabis

 

Eunice Kim is the founder and CEO of HiVi, a mission-led platform that champions plant-based self-care and wellness for the conscious consumer. Prior to starting HiVi, Eunice worked for Vogue and started her own successful sneaker-line. HiVi is Eunice’s passion for cannabis reimagined as a friendly and accessible space for fellow women to learn more about the plant through credible, Medical Advisor-backed education, a stigma-free community, and high-quality product recommendations. After learning that the cannabis industry is overwhelmingly white cis-male-led, Eunice decided it was her duty to amplify the work of underrepresented, women owned CBD brands and plant based businesses, BIPOC founders, and activists. By working together, she believes her vision of a kinder and more ethical wellness/cannabis industry is possible.   

 

PP: How did you first discover plant-based medicine? 

EK: Turns out, plant-based medicine was woven into my life since childhood. My Korean mother’s answer to various ailments was usually herbal tonics and edibles before she reached for over-the-counter medicines. If I had a cold, I got chicken soup with ginseng and ginger tea. It was so natural and seamless that I didn’t even realize this was the case until I started being much more mindful about my health in my late twenties.  

My family and I fully subscribed to the cannabis stigma growing up. The D.A.R.E program really got me! So, even though I embraced legal and easily accessible herbs and plants, I didn’t understand how helpful cannabis could be until I needed a solution for my anxiety and sleep issues. I had to unlearn what I thought I knew and try it out for myself within more educated and safe parameters. It was a process that took months, but I ’m so glad I stuck to it because this one plant is capable of so much in our lives and it is now a part of my everyday routine.  

 

PP: What is one of your key plant-based medicine rituals?  

EK: My daily cannabis ritual actually has me using this one plant in two very different ways. In the morning, I take my CBD for clarity and peace of mind. It’s my moment to pause and set my intention for the day and it’s usually combined with a light morning stretch. In the evening, I enjoy unwinding from a long day by micro-dosing THC. Just a few mg of THC does the trick and it’s now pre-dosed and easily available in high-quality forms of gummies and inhalants, especially in LA, California, where I’m based. To be honest, it might just replace a glass of wine at night for me! A tasty gummy and a soak in a warm bath is a dream set-up to drift off. 

 

 

PP: Do you have a cultural or ancestral connection to any plants?  

EK: I think Koreans have a strong connection to plants – whether it is for food, medicine, shelter, or even clothing. Ginseng specifically comes to mind because it signified health and vitality in our history. It was lying around the house at all times, in various forms, ready to treat and heal us. 

 

 

PP: What is the one plant/herb you can’t live without and why? 

EK: I know I own a cannabis platform, but I choose the rose for the one plant I can’t live without. It has been the center of my identity for as long as I can remember. I use rose oil throughout my beauty routine, my signature scent is Rose of No Man’s Land by Byredo, and love to buy and receive roses for myself and the home. Also, grinding up dried rose petals with my cannabis when rolling a joint has been my new favorite way to smoke. I love how it rounds out the aromas and taste of cannabis as well as provides a gentler high. 

 

PP: Can you share your favorite self-care practice? 

EK: I think I thrive as an entrepreneur because I love to give my everything to my business. I live, breathe, dream for HiVi. But, in order for this drive to be sustainable, I’ve learned that that best thing I can do for myself is set clear boundaries for rest. I plan my week out on Sunday and physically block out time on my calendar for rest and sleep and have gotten into the practice of sticking to these blocks. It feels trivial, but for someone who likes order and plans, that exercise works! During these times, I don’t open emails or anything HiVi-related, and instead spend that time pursuing other loves and passions. Most of the time it's reading, watching old movies, or flat out napping. But it could also be spending time with my sister and while that’s not physical rest, I’m able to rest my work mind and provide myself with some balance.  

 

PP: What is one organization you think people should know about and support? 

EK: Given the history of this plant, cannabis reform is really important and needed. Anyone who has touched cannabis, as a consumer or as a member of the industry, needs to be educated and take active steps to be a responsible member of this movement. Cannaclusive and the work they do on behalf of  advocacy, education and accountability has been inspiring. I see the impact they are making in this industry and am here to support their efforts and build upon it.