EXHALE Pro Stories: The Humans Behind the Businesses & Events You Love.
Welcome to EXHALE Pro Stories, in this exclusive series, we dive into the lives of business owners, operators, and the everyday s/heroes who are shaping the culture, paving the way, and creating positive change in the world of cannabis. In this exclusive interview, we talk to Xavier Joyner Chief Operations Officer of ReLeaf Cannabis LLC in New Jersey.
ReLeaf Cannabis is an independently owned and operated minority business, co-founded by Xavier Joyner, Luis Figueiredo, and Britney Bailey. Together, this trio didn’t just enter the cannabis industry — they manifested their vision into a thriving, community-focused dispensary that puts education, wellness, and authenticity first.
You can watch and listen to the full interview on YouTube and Spotify.
From Breakdown to Breakthrough: The Origin Story
It all started with burnout. Luis and Britney — both travel nurses — visited a small dispensary in Vermont. Something about the experience stuck with them. Luis had just finished a rough day at work and thought, “There has to be more than this.” That moment sparked the idea that maybe, just maybe, they could do this too.
Back home in New Jersey, they shared the idea with Xavier — a postal worker and basketball coach who also knew the feeling of being stretched too thin. That kitchen table conversation turned into a business plan. “We sat down and we planned it out. It really is that simple sometimes,” said Xavier.
JOYNER: “So it started with Lewis and Britney went to a dispensary in Vermont, like a little micro one, and he was kind of just like, “This is this is great. This is cool.” And he came home and Louis and Britney are both registered nurses. They’re both travel nurses. So he came home, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. And I believe the way he described it to me was ‘he had a terrible day at work.’ Awful. We all been there. And I guess he was just like, “You know what? We gonna try this dispensary joint because I can’t keep doing this rest of my life.”
EXHALE SOCIAL: This sounds like the start of a cannabis movie.
And just like that, the dream was born — backed not by endless capital, but by courage, spreadsheets, and the willingness to bet on themselves.
Business Built on Love and Brutal Honesty
One of the most compelling aspects of ReLeaf’s origin is the bond between its founders. Having known each other since middle and high school, their relationship was built on trust and respect.
EXHALE SOCIAL: What’s it like being in business with your friends? Do you think it makes every day business more or less difficult?
JOYNER: It helps. We can say hard things to each other, and know it comes from a place of love. We’re a family — but we’re still in business. If one of us wins, we all win.
Despite building a respected dispensary, Xavier insists he’s still learning every single day. “The willingness to fail is key,” he said. “We’ve done a lot, but I still feel like we don’t know anything — and that mindset keeps us growing.
That level of accountability is what’s helped them survive the rocky road of launching a dispensary — from licensing headaches to running out of funds. Joyner recalls draining his retirement savings and even selling his house to stay afloat.
JOYNER: Literally anything could be a hurdle, but the ones that almost put me down were definitely running out of money. I had emptied out I was teaching for three years full-time, so I had a little retirement with them. I also had my savings plan with the post office. I took loans out from that and expenses were still piling. This is right before I sold my house. And this is just a testament to Luis and Brittney because when I had ran out of money right before I sold my house they kind of started covering everything and I was like… they’re remarkable people for sure.
EXHALE SOCIAL: Team work! Literally the definition of how teamwork makes the dream work, right?
JOYNER: Yeah. Exactly.
EXHALE SOCIAL: …and that’s a very important point when you’re going into business with these people. If this goes left how are we going to handle this? Do we actually have each other’s backs?
Growing Pains.
One of the most refreshing parts of this story? Joyner’s transparency.
EXHALE SOCIAL: Let’s talk about this friend group. What skill sets did you all bring to the table on making this dispensary happen?
JOYNER: The willingness to fail…because I mean I still feel like I don’t know anything but we’ve done so much I feel it’s dumb saying that because we’ve done a lot but I feel like I learn every day. And if you ask Willas, I’ll say the same thing. we learn every day that we don’t know anything.
EXHALE SOCIAL: And that there’s more learn.
JOYNER: Right. Yes. Every day. So if you keep that attitude, I mean, you can steal advice from places if you just listen.
EXHALE SOCIAL: And I really appreciate that attitude because again I feel like a lot of people look at you right and they see you with the dispensary. They see you with the end result and in their mind they’re like whoa I don’t even know where to start when it comes to doing something like this. And that alone can scare someone into not starting the process. So, it’s important to see individuals such as yourself who made it happen to be able to be transparent enough to say, ‘Look, I’m literally learning as I go.’
“You’re going to mess up a lot. But if you’ve got a team that supports you, and you keep going…you’ll get there.” -Xavier Joyner
For those intimidated by the thought of starting a cannabis business, this message is gold. You don’t need to know everything — you just need to start. And keep going.
EXHALE SOCIAL: So were you in a position like many other dispensary owners where you had the location and no license?
JOYNER: That was the second time that almost did me in. So I actually had an apartment, too. And so I was paying my apartment rent and the rent from the shop, for the shop. And I’m like, so, just to make sure I had all my ducks in a row, I was able to make it all the way through my lease, peanut butter sandwiches and ramen noodles. but that was almost not making that was just having to live real, working all the time, working day and night. And then just the mental you have for not being able to rest and then this people 800 numbers calling you and the thought of all these financials weighing up on you and the state taking their time and there’s nothing you could do. It’s just like what am I supposed to do? What do I do? But the answer is always keep going.
ReLeaf Cannabis: Changing the Narrative & Destigmatizing the Plant.
ReLeaf isn’t just about selling flower — it’s about changing the narrative around cannabis, especially in communities that have long been marginalized or misinformed about its use.
“Our goal is to have people see cannabis and think of us — not the ‘boogeyman,’” Xavier explained. That philosophy is felt the moment you walk into their shop. With infused olive oils, butters, and non-smoking options like CBN-rich gummies, ReLeaf offers a wide variety of products tailored to real needs — not just hype strains.
Having registered nurses on the founding team also brings a unique patient-centered approach to the business. It’s not just about the high — it’s about wellness and personalized care.
Cleaner Cannabis Consumption.
EXHALE SOCIAL: You said you just recently started consuming cannabis. Yes?
JOYNER: Yeah. Consistently. Yeah. smoking.
EXHALE SOCIAL: How do you prefer to consume it? Might I ask?
JOYNER: And this is crazy too because having to do research about everything. To be honest I think that most people who smoke have that thought in the back of their head ‘man I might be destroying my body.’ So just having the knowledge to counteract that or the knowledge of things that are being made now like the volcano. We just got volcanoes at the shop.
They’re like those desktop vaporizers. We have the handheld ones too. And this drone is literally just like a air pump, a heating coil, and a nozzle. And what it does is you can set the temperature to 180 degrees Celsius, like something like real hot, and it’ll just vaporize the cannabis just like that, and then suck air in from the room and blow it up into this balloon, or you can get a little hookah mouthpiece, and it’s like a real clean smoke…it’s a dry herb. So people hearing about stuff like that it helps people to feel — to be honest — less guilty.
A Triple Threat: Cannabis, Collaboration & Community
ReLeaf is heavily rooted in their community. From hosting cannabis education classes at local centers to putting on “Paint & Puff” events to break the lazy stoner stigma, they’re actively shifting the culture.
One of their most exciting collaborations? A partnership with Veda Warrior, providing infused self-care products like coconut oil, olive oil, and butters that support both internal and external wellness. Oh, and yes — there’s a cooking class coming up to show folks how to use those products creatively in the kitchen.
If You’re Reading This: You Can Make a Difference.
ReLeaf Cannabis’ story is a testament to the power of vision, community, and perseverance. It’s a reminder that you don’t need to be a lifelong cannabis user or industry insider to make an impact. You just need to care deeply, work relentlessly, and surround yourself with people who believe in the dream just as much as you do.
From a pivotal moment at the kitchen table to a cornerstone of the community — ReLeaf Cannabis is proof that cannabis builds community even when society—and the rent payment— tries to keep us down.
Watch the full interview for an in depth look at this week’s EXHALE Social PRO: ReLeaf Cannnabis.
Exclusive Interview:
share to your network
EXHALE Social 
Leave a comment