At the heart of every business are the people that make it possible. This is true two-fold for a local company like ours. At risk of sounding too sentimental, we at Farmer & Chemist believe that our people are some of the best in the business. Not only are we constantly impressed by their knowledge and passion regarding all things CBD, but we genuinely think they’re pretty cool people.
While we would love for everyone to come to our store and meet the team, we know that it isn’t always possible. You may prefer ordering online or taking advantage of our curbside pick-up option. While the ease of these options is astounding, we think our customers deserve to know a little bit more about the people that are helping them out. As such, we’ve decided to spotlight the members of our staff that make maximum relief an achievable goal.
BreAnn Cook is one of our full-time pharmacy technicians. She has been with Farmer & Chemist since our opening and is often the first face customers see as they walk through the door. We asked BreAnn a few questions about her experience in the healthcare industry and why she chose to move into CBD. But first, some quick facts about BreAnn:
- She loves to travel, and lived in Minas Gerais, Brazil for several months. Her dream destination is Santorini, Greece.
- BreAnn is fluent in three languages (English, Portuguese, and ASL). The goal is eight.
- In addition to spending time with her husband and family, BreAnn has two cats named Zelda and Mr. Feeny.
- She also enjoys playing PC games and using art editing software.
Tell us a little bit about your background! What drew you to healthcare?
I've been certified pharmacy technician for just under five years. The pharmacy industry has been something I grew up around my whole life because my dad has been a part of many pharmaceutical companies. My oldest sister was a pharmacy technician for a little bit as well, so the whole concept of being around pharmaceuticals and helping better people's lives has always been second nature for me.
When transferring from pharmacy to CBD, why Farmer & Chemist?
I’m trying to help put more options out there! And what really sets Farmer & Chemist is that the company is run by people that have been in the pharmacy industry for a good chunk of time. You know, people that have titles and credibility. You have pharmacy technicians and pharmacists, you have chemists, you have doctors. There are so many people on board and on the staff. And I believe that's super important because you can ask the questions that you need to and feel confident that you’re receiving the right answers.
The number one thing that really drew me into the company is the two owners, Jeff Dunn and Doug Burgoyne. I've known them for many years and have had the pleasure to be a part of some of their past pursuits. Working with them, you can see that they're such professional, straight-up guys, and incredibly intelligent. You know, they started a managed care pharmacy company, opened a retail pharmacy, and have now started a CBD company. Working with people who are constantly being innovative is something that you aspire to. Jeff and Doug are constantly trying to better themselves and better the world that surrounds them. It seemed like the best thing for my career was to continue learning from them and following what they were doing. Once they discovered CBD, it was kind of a no brainer.
CBD is like an alternative way to a pharmacy—it’s something that has become a part of this day and age. And while the CBD industry is still in its Wild West stage, we have these professionals that are constantly working on improving and learning more, and continuing to grow and educate other people.
Farmer & Chemist is also a nice refuge. It isn’t a shady place to go in and be nervous about.
What has CBD done for you, and why do you recommend it to others?
The big thing for me is that CBD doesn't have side effects. I mean, you could technically take more CDB than you can metabolize, and that can make you feel lethargic, but the lethargy can be easily avoided by being consistent and talking with our pharmacists to figure out your dosage. It really can make all the difference. But aside from that, there aren’t any withdrawals, and there's no chemical addiction. Especially with the recent opioid epidemic, I’ve seen what CBD can do for people, and how much it can improve their lives.
I have a lot of people in my family, and not one of them doesn’t suffer from anxiety, pain, or lack of sleep. You can't find a single person that doesn't have issues with one of those things! And that's something that our manager Jason always says. He says, “Find me one person that doesn't fit any of these criteria, and I will pay you money, 'cause it's not gonna happen.”
I mean, I have anxiety myself, and it's kind of nice just have gummies on hand for those days that, you know, even though I take these anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications, taking a Yummy Gummy on top of that is just what I need to feel 100%.
The Problem Salved is also amazing. My husband has a bad shoulder, and he's had to see a chiropractor for months now. It's just so bad that he can't sleep, and sometimes it's even painful just sitting there working on the computer. To avoid surgery, we've just stuck with the chiropractor, or massages. Above all else, CBD and using that salve has been the key. He said for him, the It’s the Balm was amazing, but he said that upgrading from the balm to the salve was a night and day difference. Overall, CBD is a great product.
CBD Made Simple
It’s the people like BreAnn that make Farmer & Chemist what it is today. Her pharmaceutical background, in addition to her knowledge of the products and helpful demeanor, helps make your CBD experience a simple one.
Stay tuned to our weekly blog and follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@farmer_and_chemist) to learn more about our team and our favorite supplement, CBD.