Amy Duncan cares about your health.
The born-and-bred Midwesterner’s early interest in healthcare inspired her to work everywhere from Walgreen’s Pharmacy to medical device company, Nihon Kohden. From there, she transitioned into the biotech industry as COO of genetic laboratory, Vantari Genetics, in Southern California.
But it was not until her husband’s malignant brain tumor returned in 2016 that she realized and followed her true passion: Drawing on all her former expertise, she founded Mowellens, a conscious cannabis wellness company that prizes transparency and pureness of ingredients above all else. In the meantime, when she’s not consulting, she’s also developing Source Rising, a virtual reality experience interfacing a spiritual journey with tangible mastery tools.
Here, this tireless entrepreneur—motivated by love and light—tells us why it’s so essential to appreciate every single moment:
Live The Process: What drew you to healthcare and healing?
Amy Duncan: Originally, I’m from St. Louis, Missouri, and my parents raised me with a Midwestern work ethic and belief system. That upbringing instilled core values in me of kindness and empathy. I’ve always been drawn to caring for others and knew that healthcare and being in hospitals was an innate calling. Seeing the healthcare industry from a number of angles—in business, as a caregiver and from my husband’s perspective as a patient—accelerated my shift into wellness and more proactive healthcare. Self-care is the greatest form of healthcare.
LTP: What made you decided to drop what you were doing and follow your own passions?
AD: I feel as though I was put on this Earth with a true vision for my life, and with every opportunity I have had to execute on this vision, I have taken the leap.
My husband was initially diagnosed in 2012, a year after we were married, with a glioblastoma brain tumor. From this day forward, the decision to live my passion became easier. When your life is transformed in a way that’s out of your control, it completely shifts your perspective.
During the summer of 2016, I had been researching cannabis testing and was preparing to launch a cannabis service line, testing for clean products. I was diving into testing for residual solvents, microbials, pesticides, heavy metals, cannabinoids and terpenes. After seeing all the products on the market that didn’t disclose the lab testing results, I was inspired to produce safe products I would use in and on my own body.
When my husband’s brain cancer returned in October 2016, something I don’t wish on anyone, I realized that time is precious and it’s so important to make sure that you’re doing what you love every minute. This made the decision to walk away from the laboratory very easy.
LTP: Tell us about Mowellens. What is different and special about what you’re offering?
AD: Mowellens is a plant distillery and wellness company current in the CBD wellness space, creating cannabis superfood products to help people live healthier, longer lives. Our products are formulated 100% free of pesticides, additives, synthetic compounds, sulfates, phthalates, parabens, GMOs, formaldehyde releasing preservatives, artificial fragrances and colors, titanium dioxide and residual solvents. You can’t live your best life with chemicals, right?
We incorporate unique botanical extracts, sourced from around the world and delicately extracted. Gardenia enfleurage and tonka bean absolute are two amazing plant ingredients we use for fragrance. Low extraction temperatures preserve the terpene profile in the hemp extract and further enhance our products’ benefits. Our commitment to labeling and cannabis education brings transparency to our consumers.
Mowellens was founded under the belief that fueling the body and mind with simple, plant-based ingredients creates an organic restoration and return to homeostasis. Today, Mowellens is actively crafting products through which every ingredient matters, transparency fuels our growth and reverie and reality are in perfect balance.
Our line includes a CBD infused avocado honey, THC-free edible oil, edible superfood oil and a topical wellness oil. I use these products. I love these products. Infused with high vibrations, this company is my operation freedom, my passion project, my soul. It’s living my best life. And I hope it inspires others to live theirs.
LTP: What’s your vision for the future?
AD: Mowellens will always produce goods with a rooted connection to nature. We are diving into other plant formulations and other plants outside of cannabis.
The food and beverage and eco-tourism industries are areas of passion for me. We are currently formulating a non-alcoholic distilled beverage with unique plant botanicals from the Amazon and Mediterranean. I haven’t had a drink in eight years. And, when I go out, I want to recreate the feeling of having a cosmo: the taste, the experience, the flavor profile—without the alcohol, the hangover, the guilt. We’ll also create a “whiskey on the rocks” experience—all made from exotic, sophisticated flavor profiles and bringing people who don’t drink something to be proud of (no sugars or juices in the mocktail).
Making all of our wellness products accessible is also an area of focus. In about 30 days, we will be launching a 1ml bottle of our Inner Peace CBD product. I believe everyone should try CBD in their lifetime. This will allow people to try it at a $15 price point and then, when they like it, they can decide to invest in a larger bottle. We want wellness and self-care to feel within reach and we believe we can inspire change and new healthy habits for your wellness routine. CBD and plant-based products can be the catalyst to other positive choices in your life. It helps to create the pause we need to think before we respond, consume or decide.
We are also excited about some upcoming partnerships with well-known, hip and aligned wellness brands looking to create CBD products. Our knowledge and experience will enable others to launch in this space.
LTP: Are there any products or rituals (aside from your own) that keep you feeling balanced and healthy?
AD: Every morning, when my feet hit the floor, I take the time to write three things I’m grateful for in my gratitude journal. After doing this for nearly a year, I have shifted my mindset to find growth and appreciation for everything and every person. This is now a lifestyle for me, and I encourage this practice as a first step in anyone’s wellness routine.
Often times, we hear recommendations to journal. But when the topic is too vast, we get paralyzed about what to actually write. When I zoomed in by writing three things I’m grateful for, I could see progress in the way I starting viewing the world. This small shift started a domino effect in manifestation and visualization. It took my spiritual practice to the next level.
LTP: What does happiness look like to you?
AD: Happiness is surrounding myself with an amazing community of people. It is freedom; it is love, light and gratitude. When I have these things in my life, I am happy. When I am making progress, I am happy. Happiness is appreciating every single moment I am on this Earth and feeling deeply all things, experiences and emotions.
LTP: What does it mean to you to “Live The Process” and how can we all do that more each day?
AD: For me, it’s all about the journey. Living the process is having knowledge at a very deep level and not being afraid to roll up your sleeves. It is the grit and the grind and the passion that moves you and others to participate in a process. Living the process is a movement to me. It inspires the awareness to create pause before we respond or react.