“With the Hemp Act of 2018, they were very specific saying that you cannot have Delta Nine THC through the marijuana plant. Delta Eight came out first. It is a natural molecule but at very minute levels. Then, stoners got smart and discovered there are ways to produce THC by adding pressure or heat. The pressure changes a chemical bond on the left side of the molecule, pops it off, and creates a chemical bond on the right side where the molecule connects to the receptor, making a THC molecule. The only real difference between a CBD molecule and a THC molecule is that any CBD molecule binds to our C1 receptors whereas THC binds and activates to that receptor. The activation property of the THC molecule is how we get the psychoactive effects. With more research and development, there are now more ways to legally harvest THC naturally from the plant. Simplistically, we harvest the plant a little bit earlier than normal.

At this stage, it’s technically CBD due to the plant having an acid complex on the end of the THC molecule. This process makes the plant’s bud fully legal. I put my savings into the store and I’m very into following the rules. I talk to the police chief once a year to assure him we are compliant. In Wisconsin, there’s a huge percentage of people who don’t drink. We started offering a non-alcoholic option at the store called Nowadays. It’s incognito and a great alternative to drinking. There aren’t any negative effects to it. It contains very little sugar, and the human body doesn’t react the same way to THC that it does to alcohol. No hangover feelings whatsoever. The store offers photo-cannabinoids or plant cannabinoids which is a way of saying CBD or THC. Whether it be sleep, pain, focus, anxiety relief, or other health and wellness items, we have them. Our pet product is a Lake Geneva local called Paws & Claws. It’s produced here and it’s a fantastic product. I believe in supporting small businesses.

If you spend your money in a small business, 90% of that money is circulated back into it. It’s important to support local businesses, to keep the “Mom and Pop” shops open, and to keep your money in our community. I take my marketing lead from the Nashville music industry. In country music, they collaborate rather than compete. One person listens to the songwriter and if it sounds more like another company, they’ll send them the song. As I get to know people in Lake Geneva, I feel like all businesses here can collaborate more in this way. When someone comes into my store, I talk to them, I try to get to know them. Even if they’re not buying anything, I’ll suggest a few other spots that I think they would like. That adds value to our town.

What people don’t understand is if you say, ‘This place sucks,’ the listener doesn’t hear ‘this place sucks’, they’ll hear, ‘Lake Geneva sucks.’ The more the businesses positively support one another, the more successful all the businesses will be. At Wholistic Connections, we sell the same products that you can get in Illinois, Colorado, and California. That side of the store keeps the lights on. What I love is the other side of things, the non-intoxicating products that help with sleep, pain, focus, and all the health benefits without the high. That part feeds my soul.”

Tyler Dempsey, Wholistic Connections, located at 225 on Broad Street.