2020 was a tumultuous year for everyone. For entrepreneur Amanda Goetz, it was quite the rollercoaster for her family as well as her career. Amanda is the founder and CEO of House of Wise, a new CBD product company that features a collection of five high quality, full-spectrum CBD products with natural active ingredients. House of Wise was born of necessity from Amanda’s own experiences navigating a divorce and the pandemic while homeschooling her three kids. She created House of Wise to empower women and overworked moms to find joy and peace through better sex, sleep and stress relief.
She is on a mission to help women give more purposeful intention and take back control of their lives during uncertainty. Previously, Amanda led consumer and product marketing at The Knot Worldwide, the leading global wedding company and online marketplace for couples and wedding professionals. Continuing her commitment to supporting women, Amanda also serves as part-time CMO for Teal, a career development platform.
We spoke with the CEO to learn more about her mission, how she managed to navigate such a difficult year personally, and how House of Wise is also engaging in advocacy work to dismantle stigma around cannabis and disproportionate incarceration among African Americans because of it.
Can you first tell us where the brand name House of Wise came from?
I was traveling to India for work right as the pandemic was starting (before lockdown). I got to spend a day traveling to the Taj Mahal and by myself reflecting on all I had been through. My mind wandered to women who have built companies for men who never allowed them a seat at the table. Brownie Wise, inventor of the Tupperware Party, became the focus of my research.
She created a feminist movement, sparking meaning and mission through selling Tupperware from your home. When she asked Earl Tupper for a raise and executive seat, he ended up firing her and selling the company a few months later. Brownie got nothing. Women have been the backbone of many organizations without the recognition and payment they deserve, and we are building this company for them.
2020 was a tough year for everyone with the pandemic alone. But you were also navigating a divorce and homeschooling three kids! How were your stress levels during this time?
I’d be lying if I said the early days of lockdown weren’t dark. I never thought midday baths and crying walks would become a new part of my routine, but we were facing the now cliche “unprecedented times”. I was leading marketing for The Knot at the time, and thousands of weddings were canceled with 48 hours notice. My whole life was turned upside down with no childcare to help me.
The hardest part was waking up and not knowing how long it would last and what the solution for anything was going to be. Schools were changing daily, co-parenting schedules were thrown out the window and I was now a mom, executive, teacher, cook, cleaner, etc. It was a lot. My focus was on daily workouts, no alcohol, CBD and trying to take walks and baths to recalibrate when I hit a wall.
When did you first become interested in CBD products, and realize it can be a powerful tool to take back control of your stress, sleep and sex life?
I found myself at the height of my career with 3 kids under the age of 4 and filing for divorce. I’ve never been a big drinker due to my background as an athlete and ACE certified personal trainer, but I was starting to depend on a glass of wine or two at night to unwind. This was leading to increased anxiety attacks during the day and horrible sleep cycles. I knew I needed something else and turned to research cannabinoids to understand what CBD is and how it works with our endocannabinoid system (ECS).
CBD has become legalized in so many states across the US, but there is still so much stigma, as well as historic and systemic racism associated with it. Can you share some of your own evolution, coming from a conservative Midwest Background?
I was raised Catholic in a small town of 800 people in Central Illinois. I was raised on a farm and taught to appreciate what the earth and soil can give to us; however, cannabis was completely against all rules, yet alcohol was widely accepted. The more I learn about the social history of cannabis and the “why” behind criminalization, the greater my desire to build this company so we can give back to all the families that have been harmed by the very industry we now benefit from.
There are still people imprisoned for doing the very thing that is legal in roughly 34 states in some capacity. We need to continue to amplify projects like Last Prisoner Project on a mission to free everyone from cannabis charges, and then expunging it from their record so it doesn’t continue to block them from moving forward with their lives. Our partnership allows our proceeds to go toward the children of incarcerated women. We are all in this together.
With the proliferation of so many CBD companies and brands now available, how did you figure out your niche target market?
I knew my demographic when I was a CBD consumer and completely overwhelmed with the products. I didn’t know who was behind any products, nor did I know how they were sourced. I wanted to create a brand for high functioning women who can’t risk feeling groggy or off during their busy days. I wanted to create original formulas with explicit functional goals: better sleep, increased sex drive, lower stress.
For those who are looking for a quick primer, what is the difference between CBD, Cannabis and marijuana?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of over 100 chemical compounds found in the cannabis sativa plant. CBD is not marijuana, and it is not psychoactive like THC – meaning it does not get the user ‘high.’ CBD is a great aid for reducing pain, easing anxiety, finding focus and more, without the mind-altering effects that often come with THC or some pharmaceutical drugs.
We spent time on our farm in Colorado and a cannabis plant with high CBD, low THC (<.3%) is considered hemp, while a cannabis plant with higher THC, lower CBD is considered marijuana. Our farmer has to test constantly to ensure he harvests the hemp before it becomes “hot”…aka over the legal limit of <.3% THC.
Can you share some of the feedback you’ve gotten from your customers, especially busy working moms like you, who use the House of Wise products?
Women are feeling relieved that they no longer have to feel guilt over needing help in these areas. Lowered libido is caused by hormonal issues and stress.
A few testimonials we’ve received:
“I took a whole gummy and started feeling effects about 30-40 mins later. Physically, I felt pretty warm and tingly. It also got me in the mood mentally, too. I genuinely couldn’t believe how all-around wonderful the sex gummy made me feel, which made for extra fun intimate time with my husband.
The unique part about my experience that I want to share is that my husband and I started trying to have our first baby a few months ago. So, I did a lot of research before taking the sex gummy in particular, being a little OCD about what I’m putting in my body while trying to conceive. I was surprised to find that maca root and ashwagandha, respectively, can promote fertility and reproductive health in both men and women.
I took a sex gummy during my ovulation week, and a couple days later when my LH peaked, my surge was >95! This was the highest it has ever been. My LH surge is usually 60-80 when I ovulate, so this was insane. I can’t help but think the gummy ingredients had an impact! And as for any other results, still waiting…
Thank you for creating such a beautiful, empowering, and effective brand and product.” -Chelsea C.
“With the stresses of work and life, I’ve found it to be challenging to maintain a healthy sex life. I came across House of Wise on social media and was intrigued. I ordered the sex gummies and noticed a definite difference after I’d taken it a couple of times (and omg, they taste SO good). The gummies helped relax me, made me more present, and put me in the mood for intimacy.” -User Requests to Remain Anonymous
“Third time’s the charm, but also the first and second times were pretty damn amazing *FireFire*” -Christina K.
“I purchased the Sex Gummies and tried them out as soon as I got them, and OMG experienced one of the best orgasms ever. I don’t have much experience with sex but I knew that orgasm was different than others and HOW gummies were a huge part of that.” -Monica M.
What are the best selling products so far from your range?
We actually see Sex Gummies and Sleep drops climing the charts. Women are really getting intentional about their evening routines 🙂
While your life story and work probably answer this question already, one thing we love to ask all interviewees: what makes you a powerful woman?
After facing all that I’ve faced, I no longer let society tell me how something should be done. I no longer allow anyone to put me in a box. I will build a billion dollar company that doesn’t look like a typical corporate, patriarchal society 9-5pm and give women a chance to embrace all their roles in life, guilt free.
You can learn more about House of Wise and purchase their products by clicking HERE.
