AACE: Seibo Shen is Here to Help
There are people we meet in our work and personal lives that stand out, not because of flamboyancy or loudness, and that exudes a sense of “you need to know who I am”; those are the ones I avoid. Then I met Seibo in 2015 at the start of my company Stockpot Images; Seibo is one that stood out, his quiet sense of who he is, what he needs to accomplish, and most importantly, the way you can sense that he is on a journey that is not complete and never will be because he is the Explorer and will always find new vistas to explore and share.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other; like most during COVID-19, I watched you from afar on social media and marveled at how you pivoted. Tell us about your pivot to working one-on-one coaching.
My passion is helping people, and I had never thought of that as a career path. On July 30th of 2020, I sat down to do a 90-minute meditation with my wife, and I had a vision that it was time to step away from running Vapexhale and to become a coach. At that time, the only coach I knew was Tony Robbins, and I never had a desire to become that type of coach, but for some reason, that idea stuck with me. I continued to meditate every day and I kept on getting the message that it was time for me to become a coach and serendipitously a Youtube video showed up on my feed and the woman in the video was teaching people how to start a coaching business. I bought her course for $1000 and by Sept 1, I began coaching other people. I started off as an executive coach, helping high achievers perform at a higher level and then became a mindset coach, then an emotional intelligence coach, then a manifestation coach, and even a spiritual coach. Coaching has been one of the most rewarding experiences, and there is nothing more satisfying than tapping people on the shoulder and watching them wake up.
Before Covid, you ran a thriving vape business, now looking back what would’ve you changed in business plans? (For example, disposables, not partnering, hemp, distribution to other states)
There were several mistakes that I made in hiring, fundraising, and marketing that the previous version of me had major regrets about. The current version of me wouldn't change anything as I have come to realize that there are no mistakes in life. I used to be an outcome-driven person, so I could be doing things that were out of alignment with myself, but as long as the end result was what I was looking for, I would be more than happy to sacrifice my time, health, and relationships. As I began expanding my consciousness through meditation, I realized that enjoying the process was far more important than focusing on the outcome. People have asked me, "what is more important, the journey or the destination?" I have found that the journey IS the destination and the destination is just some arbitrary goal that helps you release a temporary dose of dopamine and is more of an illusion. What is real is the journey that we live every single day and by prioritizing happiness during my journey, I arrive at my destination in less time and far less mental suffering.
You are as fluid in your professional career as you are as a competitive Jijitsu participant; how has the discipline of training helped you in cannabis and in coaching?
Jiu-jitsu has taught me so many things outside of being able to defend myself. In jiu-jitsu, there are limitless ways to impose your will against your opponent, and the art showed me that given the right strategy, David can indeed slay Goliath. Because there are so many ways to win in jiu-jitsu, you can be aggressive, you can be proactive, you can be reactive, it taught me that there is not a one-size-fits-all strategy that will work for everyone. In cannabis, I believe we are all looking for THE WAY to win, and we often emulate those who are experiencing the type of success that we hope to have. Unfortunately, many of the best practices we try to implement are ones larger organizations with bigger budgets can pull off. It becomes increasingly difficult to try and compete on an even playing field. One thing that doesn't cost money is using your creativity and when you can tap into that frequency, you can come up with strategies that will allow you to compete and even beat the bigger players in the market. Jiu-jitsu taught me that there are infinite ways to win, and if you're committed to winning, you will find a way.
Tell us about your re-entry into the cannabis industry. What lessons did you learn in your past business to bring to this new one? Where will the vape/hardware designs go in the next five years?
Last November, I was meditating, and I got a download that it was time to get back into the cannabis industry. I had no idea what I would or should be doing but knew I no longer wanted to be a CEO. I started looking for VP of Sales or Chief Revenue Officer jobs but couldn't find the right fit, so I decided to meditate on my lack of success in finding a position that resonated with me. What was shown to me was that I was trying too hard to find my "dream position," and instead of achieving my desired result, I wanted to receive it. Within a week of changing my approach and energy, I was contacted by Form Vape to see if I would like to be their Chief Innovation Officer. They wanted someone who could innovate new products so they could compete with the CCELLs, AVDs, and Ispires of the world. Although I designed all the products for the companies I ran, I never thought I would get hired to be head of product for another company. The universe delivered my dream job by not having expectations of what I wanted and being simply open to other opportunities. The ability to design products without being responsible for running and leading a company. All-in-ones are all the rage, but over the next five years, I see us moving toward a more sustainable model. I am already looking into laser technology that would be superior to 510 products in terms of performance and environmental impact.
What would you say to a new entrant into the cannabis industry today?
I would tell someone new to the industry that this is the most significant opportunity for you to be the hero in your own story. There will be many obstacles, and I have seen these obstacles crush men and women far stronger than myself. if you can reframe each obstacle as an opportunity for you to grow, then you will have a much easier time navigating and surviving the cannabis industry. When I was running my own company, I looked at every challenge as yet another problem that I had to solve, and it became overwhelming. Now I look at every challenge as gift for me to grow professionally, personally, and spiritually and not only have I been growing, but I have been enjoying the process much more than before.
LINKS:
@seiboshen for TikTok, IG, LinkedIn and Youtube