Meet Stephen Hayes | I’m a Travel Dentist, real estate investor, philanthropist, and dispensary owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephen Hayes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephen, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It initially was an idea my family spoke about for years prior to me starting a dispensary. It wasn’t too many people of color in this space and still isn’t. I wanted to do something for the culture and transition people from the street products. It’s so many harmful perspectives of the street products due to the legality and the health aspect. The health aspect as in drugs can be laced or manipulated which can have some dangerous and life long effects. Furthermore as a healthcare provider i see the benefits of cannabis for people with anxiety, depression, adhd, stress, back pain, etc. Theres not much research yet in this space but thats what i see with our customers.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Wow! great questions. I’ve wanted to be a dentist since i was 5 y/o. So i dedicated my life to that. I didn’t know id go to 5 Universities in the process and obtain 4 degrees and attend Residency in the largest Medical Center in the world. The journey was long and tough just like anything worth attaining. I listened to people that were better than me and gained a lot of humility along the way. My father being an entrepreneur and my cousin was a surgeon. My cousin would say I wish I took more business courses and he’s making 800k/year as a surgeon. So merging those two perspectives i went to LSU and got an MBA while practicing full time as dentist. Before i finished my MBA i doubled my dental income and bought 3 rental properties. So i was on one lol. Now fast forward i have 2 dispensaries in Houston Rice Village and the Heights. I practice in 4 states, and i take annual mission trips to Guatemala. The mission work has been a profoundly life changing experience and given me an appreciation for people of all walks of life. I’ve learned through it all that you don’t get what you deserve only what you negotiate. As far as my brand/story, I just want to be someone that can be an inspiration and show people you can be successful in many ways. School is a route, entrepreneurship is a route, learning a skill or trade is a route as well. At the end of the day discipline, work ethic, and consistency is the common denominator in success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is easy. If my best friend is into fitness, we are going to Level one fitness to get in a great workout. Then we hitting breakfast klub because you can’t come to the H with hitting that spot. The chicken and waffles or Catfish and grits don’t miss. Then we prolly hit the Galleria go shopping then have lunch at Joey Uptown or maybe go to Turkey Leg Hut for the vibe. Then we chill for a bit before we go out later that night. We might go to Kamp or 5015 and get a section. We just gonna vibe out until 2 or 3 am. We are probably hungry so we are going to Katz if we wanna sit down or Whataburger/Chachos if we want something quick and go to bed.

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?
This may be cliche but my mother and father. My mom always taught to be respectful and never give up or back down. My Dad taught me work ethic and discipline. Having both dynamics helped me become the man i am today. They both were philanthropic in their own rights. I always saw them helping and giving to others even when they didn’t have it like that. My dad would see a homeless kid with no shoes and we’d go to the store immediately and buy shoes. My mom was a special needs educator and it takes a special person to dedicate their life to our special needs community. All in all, i was and i am blessed. A book that changed my outlook is the 4hr work week. It gave me insights on how to manage time with success. The principles taught in the book were profound and gives one courage and understanding on how to be successful.

Website: https://singingkush.com/

Instagram: singingkushhtx

Other: Personal IG
drshayes

Image Credits
Jones Media Team located in Houston, Tx and personal photos.