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All businesses hinge on the success of their founders. With their unique blend of innovation and brilliance, successful entrepreneurs can transform their industries by filling a gap in the market.
This is what Vithurs (or V, as he likes to be called) did when he entered the digital marketing world and ultimately launched Blessed CBD—one of the fastest growing CBD brands in the UK.
His unique skill set, paired with his fearless approach to business and deep knowledge of the cannabis industry, propelled him towards success.
Because ultimately, a company is only as successful as its founder. And there’s no arguing Vithurs is a leading name in the UK’s growing cannabis industry.
Global reach in digital marketing
Born and raised in the UK, Vithurs was just 13 when he delved into Internet marketing for the first time. He says he’d often skip class, visit the library and learn everything he could about the ins and outs of running an online business. His passion for business dates back to an early age, and his role models include the likes of Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg—and also his close friend, Dyar Al-Ashtari.
The Internet, with its vast potential, has always fascinated him. And at age 14, after spending nearly two years self-studying online marketing best practices (with an emphasis on search engine optimisation; SEO), Vithurs launched his first business—a SEO service that was advertised on an industry-recognized marketing forum. The service was a massive success, grossing over £20,000 a week in sales at its peak.
This endeavor gave the young serial entrepreneur a unique opportunity to work with global brands of all sizes. After selling his SEO services on forums, Vithurs went on to create his very own digital marketing business partnering with co-founder Jonathan Waller. His agency, Rankfluence, currently works with major clients from all over the world—including a number of Fortune 1,000 brands.
Pivoting to cannabis and Blessed CBD
In 2017, Vithurs ' entrepreneurial spirit led him straight to the cannabis industry. He began exploring the medicinal study of marijuana and embarked on a journey to launch his new business: his very own CBD brand in the UK.
Vithurs was fuelled by a gap in the market where quality was a concern. At the time, CBD brands produced in the US were significantly higher in quality than in the UK—and the entrepreneur wanted to change that. To realize his vision, he made it his mission to research everything there was to know about the CBD industry, from suppliers to manufacturing processes and legal requirements.
With recent developments in the UK regarding hemp and hemp-infused products, Vithurs knew the nation was ready for a hemp company that could take ‘dealing weed’ to far more sophisticated heights. And so he spent 18 months working tirelessly behind the scenes, before launching his CBD brand.
Blessed CBD’s mission is simple: to become a trusted source for all things hemp. And although starting as a fairly small business, Vithurs' company has begun to achieve this. Blessed CBD has been voted the best CBD brand in the UK by well-reputed publications such as Reader's Digest, Discover Magazine, Observer, Express, Daily Record, VentureBeat, Manchester Evening News, We-Heart, Bristol Post and HerbMighty.
A profitable model from a budding cannabis entrepreneur
Valued at over £20 million, Blessed CBD is poised to rake in £5 million in yearly sales. Though Vithurs is thrilled the masses have taken to his brand, he firmly believes his company is more than just a business. Ultimately, the brand is designed to help others.
From CBD oils and CBD gummies, to CBD creams, the brand offers it all. What’s more, Blessed CBD has garnered thousands of reviews. He tells us the overwhelming positive feedback means the world to him—and is far more redeeming than the revenue itself.
The brand is quickly gaining attention worldwide too, thanks to their recent signing of UFC middleweight and featherweight champions, Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski. Plans are also underway to make Blessed CBD’s range of products accessible in Europe, New Zealand and Australia.
To this day, Vithurs runs Rankfluence, Blessed CBD and manages a portfolio of other online businesses including the lauded technology news and review site TechEye, which he recently acquired. He firmly believes e-commerce is the way forward, especially in a post COVID-19 world, and he considers his digital marketing skills paramount to his success story and track record.
Vithurs’ tip for others looking to get into business?
“You've probably heard this before, but the typical entrepreneurs and business owners think, how can I make a lot of money?” he explains.
“But the best way to think is, how can I make people’s lives a lot better? If you get that right, the money will eventually come.”
The proof is in Blessed CBD’s success.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/352147
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