We had the good fortune of connecting with Casey Butler and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Casey, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It’s in my DNA to always make something out of nothing. My dad was disabled from a work accident, but that didn’t stop him from starting his own small business- Ben’s Video Taping. As a little girl I would go to all the events and help him with his paperwork as I got older. My mom and her sisters were all in nursing so that’s where my love for being a Nurse came from. I started Travels by Casey B simply for my love of travel and helping others. I had actually been doing the job unofficially for friends and family for over 20 yrs, I started the travel business initially to get discounts in my own travel but my pains & ailments from previous surgeries lead me to retire my full time job as a Hospice Nurse & pursue travel full time to help my wife with household bills.
My parents would take me on road-trips to far places often for all my childhood & I’ve never stopped traveling since.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Both my businesses are focused on things I’m passionate about. My hobbies became my full time job. My two businesses are: Bayou Kisses Cannabis Consulting &
Travels by Casey B
I love educating myself & others, so patient education on cannabis & educating my travelers on their location of choice comes easy.
The road to becoming a nurse wasn’t easy. I attempted to start nursing school 3 times in over a 9 year span. Being a teen mom it was hard but once my daughters were older I finally I got it done. I shifted my focus to Cannabis Nursing when I found out it was even a thing. I’ve always used cannabis medically since a teen for a mild form of Tourette’s and now currently I have have degenerative disc and osteoarthritis in my neck with a pinched nerve, so I be in pain often. Cannabis was never “devil’s lettuce” in my family. It was commonly used and sold, my late great aunt Leona Young Trahan was a Queen Pin between Cameron, Louisiana & Houston, Texas in the late 70’s & 80’s so cannabis and old school remedies like a “hot toddy” was a common in my grandparents household. All those ailments lead me here to the travel business. This business is something I can do at my own pace, at home or anywhere, with no heavy lifting, it’s constant learning about travel and traveling to beautiful places, and the joy & excitement of sending people on their first plane or cruise vacation, getting to hear stories and see pictures. I love it and it keeps me busy. I feel like it was all in God’s plan.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m from Lake Charles, Louisiana so road trip’s to Houston was several times a year my entire childhood and young adult to go to Astro World & Water World. The hurricanes in 2020 relocated me to Houston, Texas so now when my friends & family come visit some places at the top of the list to visit is Taste Bar & Grill, Lost & Found, Atomic, The Brunch Bus whom actually catered my wedding, Cajun Stick Talk Hibachi, Forget me Not, TABU, Gotti’s, Discovery Green, POST, and finish off with homemade cookies from Kimmy Yum Yum Cookies in Cypress. I’m a total foodie.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
God first. Then I would like to thank my mom Dawn Rodrigue and dad the late Carl Ben Gauthier for raising a BOSS, my wife Tanara Butler for the love and support in everything I do, my daughters Cameryn & Caylin- they are my “why’s” , CNOC- Cannabis Nurses Of Color for the community and support, CNS- Cannabis Nursing Solutions founder & Author Ashley Wynn-Grimes for the opportunities & mentorship, and lastly my cousin Che’rica Bertrand who introduced me to the travel business that allows me to give others the same opportunity.
Website: https://linktr.ee/nursecaseybutler
Instagram: https://instagram.com/travelsbycaseyb?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travelsbycaseyb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TravelsByCaseyBLLC?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Other: https://www.facebook.com/BayouKisses?mibextid=LQQJ4d https://instagram.com/bayoukissescannabisnurse?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=