E86: How Kratom and Kava Are Changing Lives in Fort Collins

Meet Rhiannon Bruns, owner of Botava—a specialty Kratom and Kava shop in North Fort Collins with a remarkable story behind it. Growing up surrounded by addiction in Atlanta, Rhiannon's path took unexpected turns, including imprisonment, before finding purpose in helping others discover wellness alternatives.

What makes Botava different is their unwavering commitment to education and quality in an industry often focused solely on profit. "A lot of places that sell Kratom or Kava do not specialize in it," Rhiannon explains, highlighting how many retailers lack knowledge about these products. She emphasizes that all Kratom is not created equal—source, testing, quality, and additives matter significantly. In the current unregulated market, some companies add substances that increase addiction potential rather than therapeutic benefits.

Serving customers from 21 to 89 years old, Botava has become a sanctuary for those dealing with pain, anxiety, or trying to break free from substance dependencies. Rather than pitching products, Rhiannon prioritizes genuine connections: "We want to know them as people. We want to know about their struggles." This philosophy extends to welcoming people into her shop even if they don't purchase anything, simply to provide a friendly face and a caring presence.

Discover this unique Fort Collins business where quality meets compassion at 1415 North College Avenue, or reach out at 970-832-7337. Whether you're seeking alternatives for yourself or simply curious about natural wellness options, Botava offers education without pressure and products with purpose. Visit focobotava.com to learn more about how this small shop is making a big difference in people's lives through ethical, informed approaches to botanical alternatives.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Nick George.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a wellnessalternative that can help with
anxiety and pain relief?
One might be closer than youthink.
Today I have the great pleasureof introducing your good
neighbor Rhiannon Bruns withFOCO.
I'm sorry, just Botava, rightBotava.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yes.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
B-O-T-A-V-A.
For those of you that arewondering how we're spelling it,
but you can find it online atfocobotavacom.
Rhiannon, tell us all aboutyour company.
So, I run a.

Speaker 3 (00:46):
Kratom and Kava shop up in North Fort Collins.
I started it when five yearsago it was after.
I had been through quite a bitof experience with dealing with
opiates and two crazy things inmy life.
And we really try to helpnavigate and help people
navigate how to use it, thesealternatives, in a safe way and

(01:08):
actually make informed decisionsabout the product.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
How did you get into this business?

Speaker 3 (01:16):
so I grew up in atlanta, um.
I was surrounded by opiates andaddictions.
Both my parents were addicts.
It was something that theystruggled throughout most of my
life, as well as a lot of thepeople around me.
I came up to Colorado to try toget away from that, but ended
up kind of been getting intotrouble.
I actually ended up going toprison.

(01:38):
Um, that was seven years agoactually this week that.
I dealt with going through thatexperience and that experience
really taught me that, or showedme that I really didn't want to
be in that lifestyle anymorebut wanted to help people.
I, you know being a felon we'renot treated very well in terms

(01:58):
of opportunity after making abad decision and.
I wanted to be able to helppeople deal with their pain and
actually know that people careabout them.
I think it's a very dying thing.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
I'm glad that we have you on today, because there's
probably, I know of a few mythsand misconceptions in your
industry that I would likeanswered.
What are some myths andmisconceptions in your industry?

Speaker 3 (02:34):
So I think that some of the biggest misconceptions
have to do with the educationaround how to use their products
and what the products they'reactually getting are what's in
them and what they even can dofor you.
A lot of places that sellKratom or Kava do not specialize
in it, as it's not theirprimary product, so they're not
very well educated or able toeducate customers or the people

(02:57):
about how to use the things thatthey're selling.
A lot of the time it ends upbeing more about the pitch and
their bottom line rather thanactually caring about somebody
who's looking for relief in somesense of the way.
A lot of people think thatKratom is all the same and it's
really not it makes a hugedifference of where it's coming
from who you're getting it from?

(03:17):
Is there testing?
What's the?
Quality level if there'sadditives or anything like that?
What if there's additives oranything like that?
Um, you know a lot of thesecompanies as well with the gray
market area, still that we're inand the lack of regulation.
They can put additives in thatreally only contribute a lot of
the time to making it moreaddictive, to making more of a,

(03:40):
you know, a profit-based thing,rather than about treating the
person Right.
So you stress quality there,quality and education.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
I think are the two biggest things.
Who are your target customers?
A lot of people don't know thatthey might be a potential
customer for Kratom.
Who are you trying to reach andhow are you reaching out to
them now?

Speaker 3 (04:03):
So as of right now, I mean I can tell you my existing
customer base is from 21 yearsold all the way up to 89 years
old.
It's something if you deal withpain, if you're dealing with
anxiety, if you are stoppingdrinking, if you're stopping

(04:24):
doing drugs, but you still wanta way to.
You know we all have a vice andI try to really encourage
people if they're needing a toolthat this is a product that
really can be cool to helppeople move through those
difficult parts of their lives.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
We know that marketing is the heart of every
business.
Have you ever thought aboutrunning your own podcast?

Speaker 3 (04:44):
So I have thought about it.
I.
It's one of those things that.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
I.

Speaker 3 (04:51):
I struggle a bit with doing things not in a
person-to-person type of way.
I really put all my focus intodoing actual marketing around
Fort Collins.
You might see my cart out andaround.
I give a free ounce to everycustomer because I'm very
confident in that quality.

(05:11):
It's something.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
I have considered I.

Speaker 3 (05:15):
I think my energy has been a lot in the people who
want so you're probably verybusy outside of work.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
What do you do for fun?

Speaker 3 (05:23):
um, so I am a singer.
I'm currently not my uh, danhad to disband a little bit, but
um, I'm a singer, I love tohike.

Speaker 2 (05:31):
I've got three giant dogs to definitely keep me busy
on my post um and I love totravel a lot rhiannon, what's
one thing that you want ourlisteners to take away from this
?
This interview about yourcompany.

Speaker 3 (05:50):
I really would like people to know that when they
come in to my shop, where theycall or text or email us that
we're not there to pitch them aproduct.
We're there to get them to.
We want to know them as people.
We want to know about theirstruggles and even if we have
people that come in that don'teven buy anything and just
because they know that they'llhave a friendly face and someone

(06:12):
who actually cares about themum, even if you know, or we're
just a little shop, a hole inthe wall on North College.

Speaker 2 (06:20):
How can our listeners learn more about Botava?

Speaker 3 (06:25):
So stopping in the shop, I think, is definitely the
best way Up on North College,across from the Ever Open Cafe
or calling and texting, but thenalso on our website and through
our Google reviews.
It's a really great way to getin touch with us.

Speaker 2 (06:41):
Okay, and what's your address again?

Speaker 3 (06:43):
1415 North.

Speaker 2 (06:45):
College Avenue.

Speaker 3 (06:47):
Unit 3.
And we are across from EverOpen Cafe and next Tuesday
U-Haul.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
Do you want to toss a phone number out?

Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, 970-832-7337.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
Well, Rhiannon, we definitely appreciate you being
on our show and we wish you andyour business, your very unique
business, the very best movingforward.

Speaker 3 (07:09):
Thank you so much.
I appreciate the podcast.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
Hang with me at the end here.

Speaker 1 (07:16):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go tognpfortcollinscom.
That's gnpfortcollinscom, orcall 970-438-0825.