Business

Milwaukee’s CBD Wave Fosters Home-Grown, All-Natural Business

MILWAUKEE COURIER — Since CBD’s legalization in 2014, Milwaukee has seen a wave of CBD stores and products both in the city and surrounding neighborhoods.

Published

7 years ago

March 4, 2019

Oakland Post

By Ethan Duran

Since CBD’s legalization in 2014, Milwaukee has seen a wave of CBD stores and products both in the city and surrounding neighborhoods. The counters of most smoke and tobacco stores now carry cannabidiol, or CBD, a chemical compound found in cannabis that treats anxiety and pain. Now that CBD has settled in Wisconsin, proprietors have started selling CBD-infused natural products like candles and lotion, opening a new frontier for the cannabidiol business.

TruCannaBliss opened in Brown Deer on Feb. 1 and specializes in selling vegan and organic CBD natural products. Like any other smoke shop, the counter is stocked with water pipes, rolling papers and plastic bags of little green nuggets in them, but the shelves are stocked with soap, candles and even CBD-infused bath bombs.

Ostaveeya Tye’s objective with TruCannaBliss is to provide CBD products that can be used in many different ways, so a customer can find a method they like the most. If one doesn’t enjoy CBD oils or gummies, they can try natural products from businesses from across the country. “We don’t upcharge,” said Tye, a co-owner of TruCannaBliss. “We try to find the most quality products and we try to make the customer happy with what they purchased.”

A UW-Milwaukee student and finance worker, Tye owns the store with her parents. “CBD is alternative medicine to me,” she said. “It does help relieve pain and anxiety. It’s not something that’s for everyone, but you can definitely find your niche in it.” Tye said there’s nothing special to opening a CBD business outside of the regular nitty-gritty work of entrepreneurship. If a store wants to grow its own hemp, it would need a special license.

Running a CBD shop comes with its own risks and challenges as well. Though CBD is legal to buy and sell in Wisconsin, federal law still applies to the product. Though Tye owns a natural products business, she can’t advertise them because they are infused with CBD. “I can’t post on Facebook about this store. I can’t do a promoted ad, because it is still considered an illegal substance,” Tye said, listing a few of the restrictions on her business.

Even with legal CBD and Governor Tony Evers pushing for legal medical cannabis in Madison, the CBD businesses still hang in the balance of federal legislation. “We can’t do very much on a city level,” Tye said. “We can get the word out and work with local politicians, but it all has to trickle up.”

Despite the long road ahead for cannabis, Tye said that her hopes are to see more stores and to get better products to serve people with.

This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Courier.

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

3 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

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Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC