From Cannabis to Wellness: How Carolyn Scott and Sensi Magazine are Shifting the Narrative

In 2017, a longtime friend approached Carolyn Scott about getting involved with Sensi Magazine, a cannabis media company. As someone who works closely with pastors and holds a leadership role in her church, openly supporting cannabis seemed risky to her at first. However, encouraged by her friend to do her due diligence, Scott dove into medical research and emerged with a transformative realization.

Overcoming Stigma and Shame

"The people I work with, the people in my circles, need to know this, need to be okay with it, need to not be shamed," Scott explains. "Cannabis needs to be treated, come out of a shame field and a stigmatized field."

This epiphany aligned perfectly with Sensi Magazine's mission to destigmatize cannabis and make it acceptable to the mainstream. "To present something beautiful that your grandma could read or a soccer mom could read and not be ashamed of it. And also then start to realize that there's options for them," says Scott.

Refocusing on Communication and Marketing

After initially working with Sensi in a sales role, Scott returned to freelancing in communications. Then, in February 2023, Sensi's COO, Jade Kolb, approached Scott to launch their Newsletters program. This quickly turned into a full-time experience working to deconstruct and rebuild the company from the ground up.

Leaping at the chance to shape Sensi's evolution, Scott worked tirelessly alongside the COO, stripping the company "down to the bare bones and then rebuilding it" with a focus on digital expansion. This transformation allowed Sensi to grow its reach and impact exponentially, especially through a key partnership with Hearst Media.

Expanding Into Holistic Wellness

Kolb and Scott took the company through a shift in its offerings and an expansion of its mission, moving from a cannabis-focused publication to a holistic wellness media leader.

"Sensi media is really committed to wellness and health and fitness, really health," Scott articulates. "And we've kind of titled it Wellness with an Edge." This ethos encompasses a wide range of alternative therapies and practices, from acupuncture and breathwork to naturopathy and even psychedelics.

Empowering Readers with Knowledge

At the heart of this mission is a dedication to empowering readers with accessible, actionable information to optimize their well-being. Scott witnessed the critical need for this during her years as a nutrition coach, encountering a surprising knowledge gap.

"I had a client who was a well-educated college grad; she's a teacher, and she didn't know how to read a nutrition label, which is something I thought was really basic," Scott recalls. This experience underscored the importance of breaking complex health topics into manageable, practical pieces - a principle underpinning Sensi's content strategy.

Growing Thought Leadership with Sages

Looking forward, Scott is most energized by Sensi's groundbreaking Sages program, an initiative that brings together expert writers across diverse health and wellness domains to contribute cutting-edge content.

"Some of our Sages need coaching in their writing, but all of them are experts in their arena of health. I feel so honored to read their articles and work with them," Scott shares excitedly. The expansion of our content is really exciting. We are rapidly getting to the point where we will post new content daily."

Cultivating Community and Connection

But Sensi's impact goes beyond the digital realm. The company is fundamentally about fostering community, connection, and education - both online and in person. "Our whole model is to build relationships, to stimulate networking, both through events and personal connections," Scott emphasizes.

Redefining Health and Wellness Media

Sensi Magazine is not only changing the conversation about cannabis and alternative wellness but also redefining the potential of a health and wellness media company. It aims to be a reliable source of information, an active community builder, and a positive force for transformation. With its focus on cutting-edge research and alignment with the needs of its audience, Sensi is positioned to impact the overall well-being of our society significantly.