Episode 055 – Manisha Singal

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Richard Matthews  

Hello, and welcome back to the HERO Show. 

 

My name is Richard Matthews. 

 

And I am on the line with Manisha Singal. Is that correct? 

 

Manisha Singal  

Yes, it is. 

 

Richard Matthews  

Awesome. Glad to have you on the show. 

 

And let me do a quick introduction for you,

 

So people know who you are. 

 

You are at the forefront of the cannabis movement 

 

And you’re currently leading the efforts 

 

To create one of the country’s first hospital-based 

 

Pain management centers using CBD and THC. 

 

You’re certified to prescribe medical cannabis in Washington

 

And you’re a member of the Safe Access, Women’s Grow 

 

And International Cannabinoid Research Society. 

 

Did I say that right?

 

Manisha Singal  

Yes.

 

Richard Matthews  

And you’re born in India immigrated to the US as a child, 

 

Your family settled in Pittsburgh, you excelled at school, 

 

Attended University of Pennsylvania, graduated with honors. 

 

So, lots of fun stuff going on there. 

 

I guess my – Before I get too deep into that, 

 

Let’s talk about what it is that you’re known for now. 

 

What is the business that you run or 

 

That you work with or working on starting? 

 

Tell us about that and, sort of, why people come to you?

 

Manisha Singal  

Absolutely. … first and foremost, I’m known as a healer,

 

As well as an entrepreneur. And this is what I’ve done for 

 

Pretty much most of my life, since college. 

 

And what I’m doing currently is – 

 

So currently, I’m the Chief Medical Officer of a hospital,

 

Right on Capitol Hill, few steps away from where 

 

All the actions occurring. And I’ve been there for almost 20 years. 

 

And what I’ve done in the last few years, I’ve been trying 

 

To find ways to infuse my beliefs in a traditional, natural, 

 

Ayurvedic Eastern Medicine with my trading in the Western world. 

 

And so for the last, I would say, four years and change, 

 

I’ve been really studying the cannabis plant, 

 

And how it’s been used for thousands of years and 

 

Where could it have some potential possibilities 

 

In today’s culture and needs. And along with that, 

 

As I’ve been exploring, I started a company called Athera Beauty.

 

It’s a little hard to pronounce with A-E-T-H-E-R-A  Beauty. 

 

And again, it’s exploring skin health, skincare,

 

Using a lot of natural botanical active products. 

 

Again infusing the cannabis CBD seed oil, 

 

How does that really affect our health? 

 

Few more things, I actually wrote a book on cannabis and 

 

Cannabinoids, its coming out next year in July. 

 

Focused on skincare initially because this was where I thought 

 

I can really work with CBD and see how it really does for all of us. 

 

I did a deep dive with that book. And as you just mentioned,

 

I’ve been leading efforts and trying to get experts, 

 

Literally from around the country and from DC itself,

 

To come together to see how we can use cannabis CBD. 

 

And ask and when the federal rules allow for it.

 

Medical marijuana in our hospitalized patients, as many people know, 

 

We’re riddled with pain addiction, complications from all these

 

Different types of drugs, for all these different ailments. 

 

And I think that as we unlock some of the 

 

Medical potential properties of cannabis, 

 

This will have a really exciting role for my patients 

 

In my own hospital.

 

Richard Matthews  

It’s really interesting. So, for my audience, 

 

I’m not sure how this goes for most people,

 

But I know in my life, Cannabis was a -as long as it was illegal,

 

It was never a thing that was on the table for us. 

 

So we didn’t know much about it. And we – We travel full time. 

 

We’re currently in Washington State and Got into Oregon and 

 

It’s legal here, and it’s all over the place. We got it. It’s kind of funny. 

 

We went to a little tourist town and they have little downtown shops.

 

They’ve got the candy store and the stuff and 

 

There’s like 15 shops on a little downtown. 

 

And three of them are cannabis shops. 

 

They really like the cannabis around here. 

 

Manisha Singal  

Absolutely. 

 

Richard Matthews  

And and so my wife and I were like, 

 

“We should try some of those edibles.” 

 

We’re probably never going to smoke anything in our lives,

 

But we went out some of the some of the chocolates and tried them. 

 

And it’s like a completely different experience. 

 

I guess, I relate it to, I don’t know, if you’ve ever drank enough wine

 

To feel a little tipsy. That’s sort of what cannabis does to you.

 

Manisha Singal  

I do you enjoy some wine.

 

Richard Matthews  

So for those of us who are not real familiar with cannabis and THC.

 

I didn’t know there was a difference between THC and CBD

 

And what that difference was, and I didn’t know

 

What some of the beneficial properties of THC were other than,

 

Like, it was supposed to make you feel like

 

You’re drinking plenty of wine. But there’s a bunch 

 

Of other benefits to it as well, that I haven’t really learned.

 

I hadn’t learned about until recently. 

 

So I’m curious to just sort of hear from an expert.

 

What are some of the the main parts of THC and CBD,

 

What’s the difference and why do people use it?

 

And smoking versus edibles and what are some of the benefits of it?

 

Manisha Singal  

That’s a huge topic and how much time do we have?

 

Richard Matthews  

We could we could probably go all day on just that stuff, 

 

But just like a quick rundown for people 

 

So they just, they can have context for the rest of our conversation.

 

Manisha Singal  

I’ll just keep it really simple.

 

Because it is very complicated. So CBD / THC, they’re both chemicals. 

 

They’re one of a hundred plus chemicals from the cannabis plant.

 

So that’s number one. What we know today, as the hemp plant 

 

And the marijuana plant, they’re both cannabis plants. 

 

But the way we’ve defined them, the difference between the two,

 

Especially here in the US, is that the hemp plant 

 

Has shared very minutiae amounts of THC, 

 

Or what we know as marijuana. 

 

What gives people that experience of the high.

 

Whether people get high from wine or 

 

They get the lows from wine, but THC is really known 

 

As the psycho active component chemical from these plans. 

 

Whereas the marijuana plant has a pretty high dose

 

Concentration of THC along with all the other cannabinoids. 

 

So currently the US with legal, at this time, 

 

Is working with the hemp plant. 

 

So plants that have no to maybe less than 3% of THC in it.

 

So what are the properties? Well, we’re still trying 

 

To discover from a science standpoint, 

 

What are all those properties? How the CBD really affect us? 

 

Other than what we know on TV or in our experience 

 

That we may have smoking or taking the edibles and getting that high,

 

What we’re looking for in CBD is really its anti inflammatory properties, 

 

Unlocking those properties and how can we safely utilize that,

 

Their antioxidant properties, the calming effects 

 

That we may get from CBD, whether we’re using a topical 

 

Or adjusting. So this is a huge topic. 

 

It’s something I’m very fascinated with. 

 

I actually started taking some courses 

 

At George Washington University Hospital, 

 

… The school … actually back in 2016, 

 

Where I started really learning about the bio kinetics

 

Of these different type of cannabinoids. 

 

But this is where my interest is. 

 

We’ve seen a lot of benefits when it comes to pain management

 

And as your listeners really can attest to,its well publicized 

 

And we are an opioid epidemic, 

 

Everything is about the narcotic medicine. 

 

Where there’s a Percocet, morphine, dilauded, …

 

And in my healthcare practice, as a physician 

 

In the intensive care unit in the hospital floors, 

 

I see this every day and everyone needs a pill for something. 

 

Whether it’s pain, this or the other. 

 

I, myself, my family, I’ve had significant complications and 

 

Side effects from all these pills that we prescribe. 

 

And so for me, I was like, 

 

“You know what, we’re learning more and more about 

 

The potential of this natural plant as the … over 5000 years, 

 

And as science will show, and it’s both anecdotal, 

 

it’s experienced and science,

 

I really want to be about forefront, using CBD.

 

Richard Matthews  

Like replacing more dangerous chemicals 

 

With stuff that’s – more natural

 

 so interesting to me that I think might apply 

 

For our entrepreneurial audience is –

 

Just a common problem that I run into being an entrepreneur,

 

Is I can never shut my brain off. Like, I have a hard time 

 

Falling asleep at night, because I’ve got a bajillion business plans 

 

That I’m writing in my head. I lay my head on the pillow

 

At 10 o’clock. It’s 2am before I’ve actually fallen asleep, 

 

And it’s been like that since I was three years old.

 

I’ve never just been able to fall asleep like normal people. 

 

And I know that’s pretty common among entrepreneurs, 

 

Because I’ve talked to a lot of them about it. 

 

And just because we’re visionary people, 

 

We’re constantly on and doing things and inventing things 

 

And creating stuff and it’s probably common 

 

Just in any creative individual. But anyways, very common 

 

And one of the things that I noticed when my wife and 

 

I tried the edibles a couple of times is I sleep like a rock. 

 

And fall asleep, when you wake up rested. 

 

And I was like, my wife I was like, 

 

“I can’t believe you like this as much as you do,” 

 

Because I’m like, it’s not really the high feeling. 

 

At the end, I sleep better than I’ve ever slept in my life 

 

When I tried them, which I know is one of the medical benefits 

 

Is that it can help, I don’t know what you call it,

 

Relaxing sleeping, whatever. So I’ve heard that 

 

There are different ways that you can process 

 

The different chemicals for different, 

 

I don’t know what you call them, they’ve got strains 

 

That are good for focus, and they’ve got strains 

 

That are good for different things. Is that true?

 

Manisha Singal  

So you know, we can call them different plants or 

 

Different ways that these plants are being, I guess, genetically grown.

 

So each plant has their genetic interest, but let me say this

 

For everyone to keep it really simple. 

 

So CBD, irrespective of where you get the CBD, 

 

So whether it’s from marijuana, 

 

Whether it’s from the different type plants, 

 

Let’s say it was a type of plant, 

 

The Indica plant or plants that

 

What we call are hybrids. CBD in itself is a chemical. 

 

Now, the reason why we make it different 

 

Experiences or benefits, somebody say 

 

Medical benefits is the additives. What comes along 

 

With that CBD? Is there something from that plant

 

That the CBD was extracted from that 

 

Has a component that can help us 

 

Sleep better like Myrcene, M-Y-R-C-E-N-E. Depending 

 

On whether the Myrcene coming from a specific plant, 

 

How it’s extracted along with the CBD 

 

Can have a certain effect under chemistry. 

 

Having said that, you can have a list of—

 

Let’s talk about an edible or a pill. 

 

A CBD pill. That CBD can have 

 

A different effect on you. Let’s say 

 

On your wife or on someone else. For you, 

 

It maybe calming, and give you the best sleep 

 

That you’ve had and you wake up refreshed. 

 

You got your deep sleep. You got your REM sleep.

 

Now, you’re … to go. Whereas for somebody else, 

 

That can be like the movie Limitless. 

 

Where all of a sudden, instead of getting sleep, 

 

You’re so wired. Your mind is active and 

 

All your brain—synapses we call them.

 

Or connections are firing at this hyper mode, 

 

Where you can solve the world’s problems. 

 

I say that because that’s actually the truth. 

 

I have someone who I know who went 

 

To one of these beautiful dispensary’s. 

 

We were in Santa Barbara not too long ago.

 

There’s a new dispensary open up like an Apple store. 

 

We were like, “Can you give us something 

 

That can help us sleep,” and they explained to us 

 

What other additives were in that gummy. 

 

A lot of the CBD that should help promote calmness 

 

And sleep. Instead of getting calm and sleep 

 

This individual literally became 

 

The most genius person you would have met 

 

And literally came up with a whole list of things 

 

That can solve this side or the other. 

 

What I would say is this: however we want 

 

To experience or experiencing CBD and 

 

I’m saying CBD specific, it’s not just CPT, 

 

You really have to educate yourself on 

 

What are you ingesting. What are you applying 

 

To your body. Are you smoking it?

 

What are the other additives? Ask the person 

 

Where you bought it from. Where was it grown? 

 

There’s so many different—I’m all about 

 

Health experience but also safety. Even my 

 

Own product in a sera. We’re not growing;

 

We’re not farmers. But where we receive 

 

Our CBD we know that: is it pure? Are there metals? 

 

Are there additives? What are we working with? 

 

I probably got off from the question 

 

You were asking. But yes, people 

 

Will take CBD or some formulation 

 

To help them sleep. To help them with pain 

 

That may help them with sensations 

 

Of being itchy. Some people or a lot of institutions 

 

Are looking at CBD to see, are there 

 

Any properties that can be additives to 

 

When we’re healing from let’s say cancer. 

 

Some are looking at it to right size 

 

Any other symptoms that we have. 

 

But this is quite a complicated— 

 

It’s not a panacea. It’s people using a snake oil, 

 

But at the heart of what I want your listeners to understand is

 

In your experimentation. In your experience. 

 

In you’re working with CBD specialized physicians,

 

Really know what you’re receiving and start out …

 

Richard Matthews  

It’s one of those things that when there are 

 

Effective properties that actually help people, 

 

It’s an easy marketplace for people to come in and 

 

Be snake oil salesman and say, it’s got all these benefits

 

That it may or may not have, which is why you’re saying 

 

You should educate yourself about what the actual things are.

 

Before we started looking to the market,

 

I didn’t know there were different plants. 

 

I didn’t know hemp and marijuana were different plants or 

 

That Indica of was a specific plant or what would you call 

 

The other one, Sativa. 

 

I didn’t know those were specific plants.

 

You start getting into the industry and you’re like,

 

“Okay, I sort of see some of these things.”

 

But you have to learn that. 

 

I learned, the THC and CBD.

 

THC, I guess has been impact on the feeling of high.

 

Where the CBD does not. A lot of people

 

They’re afraid of having that high feeling,

 

But you can still get some of the benefits 

 

Of the marijuana plants from the CBD oil without the high.

 

Manisha Singal  

And then also when CBD and THC are combined together,

 

Formulated, there’s something called the entourage effect.

 

It’s not just the cannabinoids like CBD, THC.

 

 There’s CBC, CBG, CBN. 

 

CBN is really coming to play now in the hopes 

 

That it’s the unlocker of helping us get better sleep. 

 

There’s also something called terpenes and flavonoids,

 

Which we find in everyday fruits, trees, vegetables, 

 

Which these plants also have in much smaller quantities.

 

But are almost identical or similar to what we see.

 

Let’s say, on your orange peel or your apple or your fir tree,

 

Or whatever it may be …

 

Richard Matthews  

The bio flavonoids that you see 

 

In a lot of your health supplements.

 

Manisha Singal  

It’s complicated. It’s exciting as an individual.

 

I want to make sure that not only am I 

 

At the forefront of this, but I’m at the forefront 

 

In a very safe effective responsible manner.

 

Richard Matthews  

Awesome. I’m curious then, 

 

How you would, in your entrepreneurial journey, 

 

Describe your superpowers. 

 

What you do or build or offer this world that help

 

Solves problems for them?

 

What do you use to help slay people’s villains, 

 

So to speak, in your business?

 

Manisha Singal  

Great question. I think at the heart of everything 

 

I’ve done, through my own personal journeys, 

 

Is really as a healer, as an educator. 

 

Using my story and other stories in that pathway and 

 

Helping people understand how they can take 

 

Those next steps toward their goals, 

 

Whether it’s having a longer life, a healthier life. 

 

I really bring all the tools of all my exposures and 

 

All my heroes in my life to pass.

 

Richard Matthews  

To help people heal. 

 

Manisha Singal  

Right. 

 

Richard Matthews  

This is a little off topic, but it’s curious question, 

 

Since you’re in Capitol Hill, 

 

And you’re talking about all these things. 

 

Why is marijuana not being treated similar 

 

To alcohol in terms of how it is legislated? 

 

What is keeping it from being -? 

 

Because my understanding is it’s less dangerous than alcohol. 

 

And it would be just as simple to regulate as alcohol is,

 

Why is it being treated so differently?

 

Manisha Singal  

Well, this hacking back, almost 80 years ago 

 

Because marijuana CBD has been around for thousands of years, 

 

And caught up in what we call the whole Reefer Madness. 

 

People associate marijuana as a gateway towards other drugs.

 

So, where there’s marijuana, there’s heroin, there’s cocaine, 

 

There’s these other very dangerous chemicals 

 

That people will use. 

 

Many years ago, US government, in his efforts 

 

On the war against drugs. Marijuana CPD

 

Got locked into that same category. 

 

It takes time and education. Our legislators; 

 

Regulators want proof of what may have know

 

And experience even around the world, 

 

But they really want proof that if they allow 

 

For deregulation, about actually 

 

Not deregulation, they allow for

 

The legalization.

 

Richard Matthews  

Legalization and the regulation. Because tobacco 

 

Is legal and regulated. Alcohol is legal and regulated. 

 

Why can CBD not be that way?

 

Manisha Singal  

It’s just a matter of education, and people 

 

Looking towards the FDA and for scientists 

 

To really comment, “This is safe.” Right now, 

 

As you probably may know, your listeners 

 

May know we have something 

 

Called scheduled drugs. Most drugs are scheduled 1-2-3-4-5 

 

Depending on their safety profile and their 

 

Medical benefits. CBD is a top of the list or 

 

For the CBD for the marijuana plant is 

 

On the top of the list as a schedule one drug 

 

That has the highest risk and benefits. 

 

Although this has been proven otherwise 

 

In many formats, it hasn’t reached a level 

 

Where our legislators will say, “Let’s take this 

 

Off the list.” Now, the international community, 

 

Their specialists have split for us being the highest. 

 

They’re doing the same thing. Many in our industry.

 

Many advocates. Many doctors, institutions 

 

Have a lot of, I think confidence and hope 

 

That the next 1 to 2 years, the restrictions 

 

Will be lifted. We’re looking for that because 

 

We want more regulations, because it’s founded 

 

Everything with marijuana. We want the good folks 

 

To come on board and say, “For the growers, 

 

These are the regulations we want you to abide by. 

 

For the entrepreneurs, these are the regulations, 

 

We want to abide by.” The FDA. We want the FDA 

 

To say: “You know what, your product is safe 

 

For the consumers to buy.” Or, “Here’s the profile 

 

That we need to look at.” But it’s going to take time. 

 

It’s a beast.

 

Richard Matthews  

It seems like it’ll be safer for consumers

 

Once you have the because, right now, 

 

It’s operating outside of the the federal legislation. 

 

There’s no law of the land regarding 

 

How the quality of the plant growing. 

 

There’s no FDA approval of the farmers. 

 

There’s no oversight on any of that stuff, 

 

Which is depending on where you fall politically 

 

Could be a good or a bad thing. But if you have it 

 

Federally legal then it allows for the regulations 

 

That you see in other industries like we see 

 

In the tobacco industry with the warning labels 

 

And you have to have accurate stuff 

 

On all your labels. That doesn’t exist

 

With the marijuana stuff yet.

 

Manisha Singal  

What we’ve done in the US is the state legislators 

 

Have taken upon themselves where 

 

They will ascribe what is legal in their states. 

 

Currently, with a farm act of last year that came up 

 

In November of 2018, it allowed CBD from 

 

Hemp plants to be legal in all 50 states. Now, 

 

That doesn’t mean that you can necessarily  

 

Transport and do business across state lines. 

 

Some people have found ways to do that. 

 

But at least they’re saying, “To the scientists 

 

And the doctors and the companies; to the growers.

 

If you grow hemp with CBD, we can use that now 

 

For research and testing.” That’s good. That’s a start, 

 

When it comes to the adult use. The recreational use 

 

Of marijuana. There are some states 

 

That are allowing that but just within the states, 

 

But where it becomes really tricky is again, 

 

Like you said, there is no regulators. There’s a lot of 

 

Really good third party companies that have come 

 

To … now that are doing those regulatory testing 

 

On products. There was an article that came out 

 

In the JAMA, which is the Journal of American 

 

Medical Association. What they did was they went 

 

And bought—they looked at, I think, 

 

Don’t quote me exactly, 50 to 80 products 

 

That were being sold online or elsewhere that claim 

 

To have CBD in it. I tell you, there was a very 

 

Small percentage of those products that actually had 

 

What they said that they had. A lot of … have said

 

That they had CBD, it was less than, point one, 

 

Or they had other chemicals involved in it. 

 

We need regulation. We need educators. I want to be 

 

One of those educators. There’s a lot of good organizations 

 

That are really involved. You mentioned the Americans for 

 

Safe Access. For those listeners who are 

 

Not familiar with it. I highly recommend going 

 

On their website. They just put out a position paper 

 

Which they’re using to educate all the lawmakers 

 

When it comes to CBD and the benefits 

 

Of the plant. I went back to … there’s 

 

Over 30,000 position papers, whether it’s 

 

Bench research, clinical trials, which are not 

 

Double blinded, but in your short population trials 

 

That have been reported on the benefits.

 

There’s a lot that’s come to bear.

 

Richard Matthews  

I have another curious question that I think 

 

Follows on that. I think ties right into 

 

The entrepreneurial relationship. Right now,

 

Marijuana is a Wild Wild West industry. One of the 

 

Nice things about Wild Wild West industries 

 

For entrepreneurs is that just screams opportunity.

 

The opportunity to get on the ground floor 

 

Of becoming a big name in edibles or becoming 

 

Big names in specific strains or becoming a big name 

 

In using the hemp plant to replace cotton 

 

For shirts and other things. I know, there’s a lot 

 

Of the hemp plants. Ridiculously more efficient 

 

For clothing making then cotton is. There’s a lot 

 

Of other things that are like that. There’s a lot 

 

Of opportunity in the space. Where do you see 

 

Some of the biggest opportunities 

 

In the CBD and hemp space?

 

Manisha Singal  

A lot of what we spoke about. I think, 

 

One great opportunity. One opportunity we’ve 

 

Already seen is in children with certain types of seizures. 

 

The FDA has approved …

 

Which is a medication for children with some 

 

Type of seizures. I think that we’re seeing 

 

A lot of interest and this is where I’m focusing. 

 

On pain management. Where CBD and THC 

 

Affects our brains is very different than 

 

How narcotics and opioids affect our brain. 

 

That’s a huge area. We can see a lot more of that 

 

In the coming years. I’m very excited about— 

 

And some major institutions like Harvard 

 

And the NIH, Georgetown, Princeton, lot of these schools 

 

And major cancer arenas are really trying to do 

 

Some research with CBD and THC. I can’t say THC 

 

But with CBD, to see are there unlocking properties 

 

That can help us heal. These are areas I’m really 

 

Excited about and you have in clothing has been 

 

Used for thousands of years, even in the colonial years. 

 

That was really one of the mainstays of tool. 

 

Cotton came around. There’s so much history in this, 

 

Let’s see, I have no idea. I’m very excited. 

 

I can tell you every single morning 

 

I wake up, I’m getting a ping from one medical organization 

 

Or another talking about what’s the latest in CBD. 

 

Who’s working on what. Where we are. 

 

But we literally barely scratched the surface on this.

 

We’re behind the eight ball. We have not been able 

 

To study the hemp plant and CBD because of 

 

The prohibition that we’ve been in for so many years. 

 

I don’t have the answers. But I want to be 

 

That messenger of education and my own product,

 

In Aethera, we’re using CBD from a grower 

 

Is 95% we’re getting it back checked, pre-post, just 

 

To make sure that if we’re going to use it in our product 

 

It’s going to have the effects that we desire. 

 

That’s more experiential, that’s not medicinal 

 

I’m gonna make sure everybody knows.

 

Like I said, there’s too much.

 

Richard Matthews  

There’s just from an entrepreneur standpoint, 

 

There’s opportunity and everything 

 

From creating specific experiences, 

 

To the medical advancements to its use in clothing 

 

And paper. I’ve even read that the marijuana plant 

 

Has been instrumental in, I’m going to forget, 

 

If it’s horticulture what the name is, but in farming. 

 

Being able to do indoor farming has—marijuana 

 

Has been responsible for almost 

 

All the advancements in that space.

 

Manisha Singal  

It’s sustainable. It’s green. Literally green.

 

It has great nutritional benefits and if people 

 

Use hemp-derived hemp oil. Hemp seed oil

 

As a natural supplement to their daily use.

 

But making medical claims we just have to be really careful.

 

Richard Matthews  

I don’t know the exact statistic but I had read 

 

Somewhere that the hemp plant—an acre of hemp plant. 

 

Farming produces the same amount of oxygen as 

 

Four or five acres of rain forest, because it’s a very, 

 

It’s a very breezy plant. I don’t know what the word is, 

 

But anyways, there’s just lots of things.

 

Manisha Singal  

I don’t doubt it. I don’t know the details.

 

I can’t speak to it. But nature is just so incredible. 

 

I think we all need to be responsible in how we treat 

 

Our environment. We need to be sustainable. We need 

 

To be able to preserve our opportunity to grow. 

 

Whether it’s the hemp plant. Whether it’s whatever 

 

Those plants are. Trees to sustain life. There is an interplay 

 

With oxygen and the gases that we have in our ozone. 

 

Everything, I believe is connected, but I’m not an expert 

 

In those areas. I can—

 

Richard Matthews  

The medical stuff is where your focus is.

 

Your product, the Aethera, is that 

 

Your main business, right now?

 

Manisha Singal  

It’s not my business. It’s one up. My main business is 

 

As a doctor at this hospital that’s here in DC 

 

It’s called Bridgepoint Hospital. I’ve been there 

 

For almost 20 years working with patients 

 

From agency with their needs to be whether they’re in 

 

Intensive care or not. That’s my main focus. Not focus on. 

 

That’s my main job. That’s what I’ve been doing.

 

My main passion and mission. I’m really using that 

 

As a platform to springboard into other areas 

 

Because I know too well, how these pills 

 

That big farm companies have been infusing 

 

In our culture as necessary just to breathe 

 

Every single day. Even a Tylenol, and now we know 

 

Even aspirin. There’s serious risks to all of this.

 

This is what I practice and preach my own patients 

 

In my hospital who come on 20 plus drugs, 

 

Which my team and I, my other colleagues of mine, 

 

We partner together to try to get people off 

 

These dangerous medications while we treat them 

 

And outside of the hospital I’m exploring 

 

These alternatives. Natural alternatives, and my focus 

 

Is understand the cannabis plant, whether it’s 

 

Is to really understand and my excitement 

 

From hemp plant or otherwise. Like I said, 

 

Like everybody else, although in the industry, 

 

I’m constantly educating myself. Constantly educating

 

Those that come across on how to use it responsibly 

 

And looking forward to research to guide us 

 

On how we can really use it even more 

 

As a tool in our medical box.

 

Richard Matthews  

Awesome. So, if your superpower is helping people 

 

Heal, and bringing your experience to bear. 

 

Helping them get off of dangerous medications 

 

And live a healthier lifestyle because of that, 

 

The other side of that is your fatal flaw. Superman 

 

Has his Kryptonite. Or Batman is not actually 

 

A superhero. He’s got to work real hard. 

 

What is it that you think has held 

 

Your business back? Either your brand that you’re building,

 

The Aethera or in your medical practice? 

 

Manisha Singal  

Time.

 

Richard Matthews  

Time? And how do you overcome that struggle 

 

For other people who struggle the same thing?

 

Manisha Singal  

I always—for many years I was the ultimate 

 

Micromanager. Unless I did it. Touched it. Taste it. 

 

Designed it. I was always under this constant fear. 

 

Am I missing some detail? I think, over time, 

 

I’ve learned that there’s too many great people, 

 

And experts, and delegation is actually a good word. 

 

I’m trying to get better on that delegation aspect. 

 

And building teams to really work together 

 

Towards whatever our goals are, and our mission is. 

 

I would say, my weak point is, why do you do so much.

 

Know that that’s not humanly possible, 

 

And finding the tools within myself to really meet my mission.

 

Richard Matthews  

I’ve actually found the same thing. I was for

 

First 9 years of my business was the—I wore every hat. 

 

You do all the things. Got to touch all the things. 

 

Got to see all the things. When you realize 

 

That I’m my own worst bottleneck, and I need 

 

To hand things off to other people. You worry. 

 

My hand is off to other people, then it’s not gonna be 

 

As good as if I did it. And you realize that the leverage 

 

That you unlock, more than pays for any reduction 

 

In efficiency that you have, by not doing it yourself.

 

Manisha Singal  

Absolutely … I like people. I like to work 

 

With people. It’s exciting because you gain 

 

Other people’s energies and you’re able to impart your own.

 

Richard Matthews  

On a curious level. Because you’re in the 

 

Product development space with your Aethera brand. 

 

What is it like to develop a product? Are you guys going 

 

All the way down to the chemical level and putting together 

 

Exactly what you want in there? How do you decide 

 

If you’re going to make it a pill versus making it a gummy 

 

Versus making whatever your product is. How do you 

 

Develop a product with the end-user experience in mind?

 

Manisha Singal  

It’s been exciting. As we talked about, there is a team. 

 

I can’t take the credit for the phenomenal chemists 

 

That we have on our team. They’re actually formulating. 

 

We have a group of specialists who understands 

 

The different properties of well known botanicals, 

 

Whether it’s from coconut or papaya or tamarind, 

 

Whatever you may be. Well studied benefits of these botanicals. 

 

What we decided was we wanted to come up 

 

With an experience of skincare, skin health program, 

 

Using these botanicals. Then to see how we can 

 

Safely infuse CBD seed oil and CBD into 

 

These products to really give that oomf. As far as experience 

 

And calming and richness of the skin. We are not currently 

 

Doing ingestables and … or any of those other uses. 

 

Again, I want to be very safe. This is not a medical product. 

 

If VRS really topical doesn’t go into them

 

Richard Matthews  

It’s like skincare. Like help with your 

 

Crow’s feet kind of things?

 

Manisha Singal  

That’s is a nice side effect. I’ve been actually trying—

 

My nurses have been trying the various iterations 

 

Of the last 3 years. We just launched in 

 

February this year with our hemp seed oil 

 

Which has no CBD, and now we’re just about to launch 

 

In November, our line using CBD, itself. Personally, 

 

What I found is just my personal experience, because 

 

I’m allergic to you name the chemical. I had this 

 

Terrible skin reaction to hair dye. I just turned 50. 

 

Been dyeing my hair for last 10 years. About 3 years ago

 

Around the same—was one of the impetus 

 

To get into this space as well. Total body reaction.

 

Took me 6 to 8 months to get over the chemicals 

 

That was in the hair dye. At that time of a second rate, 

 

There may be some beneficial properties with CBD. 

 

The anti-inflammatory. The anti-oxide. We came up 

 

With a formulation. And I tell you, I didn’t react to it. 

 

My skin was more moisturized. I’m … it, again, 

 

This is just my experience, not as a medical doctor, 

 

To why I haven’t been breaking out in rashes 

 

Or having acne or whatever it may be. That was 

 

A wonderful, I would call it side effect. We thought,

 

In our entrepreneurs, let’s really explore it. 

 

Come out with a really great product. It’s taken us 

 

Many years to formally to get it right. It’s not easy 

 

For those listeners. Let me tell you when CBD comes, 

 

Because we’re not growers. When we receive CBD 

 

From the growers, it comes as this really hard 

 

Wax brown dark smelly. You can’t even imagine it 

 

Because I’ve been to our lab to see 

 

How they formulate this. Stood out getting the CBD 

 

From this hard sticky material to something 

 

That can be experientially very pleasant. But we have 

 

A small group of chemists, many of them are women, 

 

Which I find very exciting. 

 

Richard Matthews  

Women entrepreneurs?

 

Manisha Singal  

Women entrepreneurs. Women chemists have 

 

To come together. I really tried to make this 

 

A great experience for all of us. But I’ve learned 

 

That it’s not easy to formulate. We get our product 

 

Third party tested to make sure that what comes out, 

 

Comes out. It takes at least 3 months. Once you do 

 

Come up with a product to put in this big fat—

 

It’s like going into a winery, you’re going to wind 

 

Towards you see how they cure the grape 

 

And they put these big baths and they let it, 

 

I don’t know what the proper word is. Ferment. 

 

Exactly. Same thing with what we do in our chemical lab.

 

There was this big huge metal vats. The product

 

Sits in there. We let it to. We see how long 

 

Was the shelf life. We test it for bacteria. Test it 

 

For: chemicals, sustainability experienced. It’s exciting 

 

To be part of a team that has the knowledge. 

 

The experience and the skill sets to do this. 

 

So, I’m still learning a lot.

 

Richard Matthews  

So, in the product development, 

 

Are you self funding that until you bring product 

 

To market or do you have investors 

 

Who are funding that or— 

 

Manisha Singal  

We are self-funding at this moment. 

 

And the other wonderful thing 

 

And what I love with my team is … because 

 

Most of our products are either inspired by 

 

Or we’re acquiring from the Caribbean. 

 

The other thing about this: we started this company

 

Back when it was hurricane Maria. It was like 

 

A perfect storm of ideas, thoughts, 

 

And unfortunate circumstances that really stimulate us 

 

To say, “We want to be able to do good in the space 

 

That we have an opportunity, in a safe manner. 

 

And whatever we do, because we have received 

 

Our inspiration, and we were also pretty devastated 

 

By what was happening. It’s happening now 

 

Every year, it appears, in the Caribbean. We want 

 

To be able to give back.” So, for your listeners, 

 

I really would love for you to come to our website.

 

It’s https://aetherabeauty.com/

 

You’ll see the charities that we’re really contributing 

 

Through the work. Now, we’re a young company. 

 

Even though a portion of our proceeds go towards charity—

 

Richard Matthews  

Are you guys already on the market? 

 

Manisha Singal  

Yes, we’re on the market. On Amazon. 

 

You’ll see there Cannabis Sativa which is the hemp seed oil 

 

Which has no CBD in it. That’s on Amazon, 

 

On our website. You could also, test run some 

 

Of our products. Our CBD line is gonna come out 

 

In the next one to two months. I’m just excited 

 

Because it’s from an experience standpoint.

 

From my own personal use standpoint, because 

 

If you’re willing to try and use it every single day, 

 

Then you can speak to it. It’s different. 

 

But let me say this. I’m very fortunate, very blessed 

 

With all the trials and tribulations. It’s not even 

 

About the money for me. But for all the individuals 

 

That come together. From the chemist to the people 

 

Who’ve been in various industries, to the people 

 

That we work with in accessing and sourcing 

 

Our materials. It’s exciting to be part of a team 

 

And I just want to make sure that they get 

 

Tobtain new knowledge. I’m here. Yes, 

 

I’m the Chief Medical Officer. Yes, I’m a co-founder, 

 

But quite frankly, I see myself more 

 

As an educator and someone who is on the …

 

One of the first ones to even just test the product. 

 

It’s like every girl’s dream to be part of that. 

 

Richard Matthews  

Have you guys set that magical point 

 

Where you’re profitable yet?

 

Manisha Singal  

We’re very young, and I don’t even know 

 

If we put numbers. I’ll leave that 

 

To the other principles. They are more financially-minded.

 

Richard Matthews  

They know what’s going on with it. I’m just just curious, 

 

You’re getting stuff going. I know that that’s gotta be— 

 

You said it’s been about 3 years in development. 

 

It’s not cheap. Once you get to market, 

 

Then you start bringing the money in. 

 

You can pay back your investments into it. 

 

Sometimes it can be four or five years before you hit 

 

That: we’re finally not in the hole.

 

Get it to zero. Now, we can actually grow our company.

 

Manisha Singal  

I’ll offer you this. When we talk again.

 

A year from now two years from now, 

 

Then we can talk more about that.

 

Richard Matthews  

You’ll have more products on the market then.

 

Manisha Singal  

Absolutely. Then, the next few months 

 

In this coming year. We’ve received 

 

Amazing feedback and it’s got—a young company—

 

Richard Matthews  

How do you guys handle marketing 

 

In a space that is not federally legal, 

 

But is legal on a state level?

 

Manisha Singal  

First and foremost, we’re not advocating 

 

Any medical use. You have to be very careful. 

 

Like I said, the science. The jury’s still out 

 

On the true medical benefits but from an experiential 

 

And just from good skincare. Our products, first 

 

And foremost, for Aethera is really about the botanicals 

 

That we’re using. On our website is literally lists 

 

Of botanicals within each product. Why there’s benefits. 

 

We have an FAQ, obviously site word. It really tests you 

 

What’s the difference between hemp seed oil, 

 

And CBD, and botanicals. Why we’re doing 

 

What we’re doing and you know how we’re also 

 

Trying to give back but it’s — I’m so excited about this. 

 

Again, when it comes to the PR and the marketing, 

 

We are not advocating that this has anything to do 

 

With any medical benefit. Now, if you happen 

 

To experience some improvement in your skin tone 

 

And decrease redness, that’s fantastic. A lot of that 

 

Is probably due to the active botanicals 

 

Which have been well studied. Science has backed —

 

From the hibiscus flower to coconut oil to carrot properties 

 

From the carrots. All of that is well studied, and actually 

 

My book that is going to be coming out in July. 

 

To share, I actually talk about these different 

 

Well known benefits and who’s done those trials

 

In the last, let’s say 5-10 years 

 

On these various ingredients. But our product —

 

I’m very excited about. Let me get your feedback 

 

Or I can say so …

 

Richard Matthews  

I think I may know the answer to this question 

 

Just based on how we’ve been talking. 

 

But next question’s about your driving force. 

 

Spider Man tries to save New York. Or Batman fights 

 

To save Gotham. Or Google fights to index and categorize 

 

All the world’s information. 

 

What do you guys fight for at Aethera?

 

Manisha Singal  

How about if I just bring to myself?

 

Richard Matthews  

Absolutely. Just for you.

 

Manisha Singal  

To do that, I think every person has 

 

Their own journey. Their own path. There’s a lot 

 

Of shared interests. I can only speak for myself. 

 

I briefly looted my own family I’ll just say this to —

 

My driving force is to, really quite frankly, to do good. 

 

I know it sounds really trite. But it’s true. My father 

 

When he was 43, was misdiagnosed. The pillar of health 

 

That everything right. Had some symptoms the doctors 

 

Couldn’t figure out. Got a second opinion. He had lymphoma. 

 

Three months later, he dies from it at age 43. 

 

In that process, I barely just started medicine, 

 

Medical school. I really learned about authenticity, 

 

And how people treat each other. How they talk 

 

To each other. And what due diligence do they do.

 

Through that process, I made a vow to myself 

 

To the best that I can. I want to be that healer. I want to 

 

Be that person that helps people in their pathways 

 

And their decision process of how to live a healthier life. 

 

How to identify things early. How to be —

 

How to avoid chemicals that we think that we need 

 

Every single day. For this and the other to realize: 

 

You really don’t need that. And if someone says, 

 

“Just take a Tylenol for that headache,” or, 

 

“Take 1000 milligrams three times a day for that pain.”

 

Realize that there’s some significant side effects 

 

That come from that. There’s alternative pathways. 

 

That’s been my mission. That’s been my motivator 

 

And in my path as a healer. In my path 

 

As an entrepreneur, I’ve come across some 

 

Amazing people,opportunities, groups, Aethera, 

 

The people at my hospital, Bridgepoint on Capitol Hill. 

 

People have helped me and supported me through my book. 

 

I’ve met so many people, my own patients. 

 

I think for me, I’m just so infused with energy, 

 

Other people’s energies, but my mission is to see 

 

How I can be part of that process for others 

 

To find their path for a healthier enjoyable life.

 

Richard Matthews  

Absolutely. I know that the misdiagnosis 

 

And stuff is difficult. All the drugs that they put you on. 

 

Everything from — I’ve had — my father was —

 

He had an allergic reaction, like you had, to something 

 

In his life. He was working at a beer maker. 

 

I don’t know what they call those people, beer makers. 

 

Anyways, the hops machine. They have to clean 

 

The hops machine out every month. They sprayed out 

 

With an air thing and it aerosolizes the hops. 

 

My dad has no allergy to hops and most 

 

Anything else. He’s fine with beer and everything, 

 

But find out as soon as it’s aerosolized 

 

And he breathes it into the air. He almost died 

 

From an anaphylactic shock. 

 

Manisha Singal  

I’m so sorry. That’s horrific. 

 

Richard Matthews  

It’s terrible, but he goes 

 

To the hospital and the drugs that they put him on 

 

To save his life, ruin the next six months of his life.

 

They gave him an ulcer and he ended up having to go 

 

Into surgery and have some other things happen 

 

To help them overcome the anaphylactic shock 

 

And all that was from the drugs that they used 

 

Which we’re glad he didn’t die from anaphylactic shock 

 

But at the same time the drugs are dangerous.

 

Manisha Singal  

It’s so dangerous. It really is. When my dad was misdiagnosed;

 

Doctors would give him this drug, that drug, for this symptom. 

 

Pain, ache, whatever it was completely missing cancer. 

 

Then, two months … , he’s cured. I’m like: “No,

 

Something’s wrong.” He’s having these symptoms 

 

Like a psychological and then he developed meningitis,

 

Because of the cancer and they completely missed it. 

 

Being a very — I wanted to go into healthcare field. 

 

I just started medical school. Can you believe 

 

That the doc — the doctor I spoke to on the phone. I called 

 

Very nicely to my training in DC. 

 

… moved back to Pittsburgh, she literally 

 

Chastised me over the phone. It was one of those 

 

Movie moments where you’re on the phone. 

 

You’re holding the phone, the receiver, 

 

And next thing you know, the phone drops 

 

From your hand. You just couldn’t believe what happened.

 

I think it was like 5:30 or 6. She’s like, “How dare you call me? 

 

This is a psychological problem. You’re going 

 

To health care field. You should know.” 

 

I didn’t know, to start out in medical school, that 

 

There’s proper times to call, make an appointment

 

To talk about these things. It’s a long story 

 

I have to tell you what I learned from that experience:

 

Listen to your patient. Be open to other people’s — 

 

Be open to not knowing. I’ll be the first one 

 

To tell people look, I don’t know, but I’m going 

 

To find the path. I’m going to work with you. I’m going 

 

To find — I’ll do my due diligence. I’ll do my homework. 

 

That’s my favorite tagline to my patients. Great question. 

 

I don’t know the answer, but I’m gonna do my homework 

 

And I’m gonna come back. Bring this to what I’m doing now. 

 

Because I’ve seen people lose their life over, 

 

What we call, polypharmacy — being on too many drugs. 

 

There’s a place for drugs. Absolutely. In healing.

 

 I’m in that business. But too many times our answer 

 

Is at one drug to another to another to another.

 

Richard Matthews  

My grandmother passed away 5 or 6 years ago 

 

From a heart attack. The autopsy stuff that 

 

Came back afterwards indicated the heart attack 

 

Might have been caused by one of 

 

The 30 prescription drugs the doctors had her on.

 

And it’s just ridiculous. My grandfather who survived her 

 

Was on the same 30 or so drugs. And in the 5 or 6 years 

 

Since. Have been working with my mom and some 

 

Health practitioners to remove that. They’re down to,

 

I think he’s on on 2 things for his heart condition. 

 

And went from 30 to 2. He’s in much better shape 

 

And much better health, now.

 

Manisha Singal  

I think this is the best — that’s the best example. 

 

I can’t tell how many patients like your father, 

 

On all these medications having more symptoms, 

 

Nobody can figure it out.

 

Richard Matthews  

That’s because you have this drug that has 

 

This side effects. You take another drug to counteract 

 

That side effect. That one’s got another side effect. 

 

You take a drug for that side effect, and you’re like, “Wait a second.

 

Why am I doing all of this?”

 

Manisha Singal  

Absolutely. This is why — this is one of the many 

 

Reasons why I’m looking outside of that 

 

Traditional box that we have. A society that’s: 

 

A doctor must have — you must have a pill 

 

Can you believe it? I was told, “If you don’t give 

 

For every ailment. If you don’t give a pill to your patient. 

 

A pill to your patient; they would go to another doctor 

 

To find that pill. Why do you want to 

 

Lose business?” And I was like, “That is the worst thing 

 

You could actually say. You don’t want to create illness; 

 

You want to prevent illness. And want to have 

 

A very partnership like discussion with your patient 

 

And their family and whoever comes in your path 

 

And come up with a solution. I’m so sorry to hear 

 

About your loss. Totally preventable. I’m hoping —

 

Again, for me CBD cannabis is just one 

 

Of many possibilities. It is exciting. It is new.

 

We’re years away from really truly unlocking all its potentials.

 

Richard Matthews  

It’s gonna be a huge discussion. Both in the medical field 

 

And in the political field. And getting this stuff 

 

Deregulated, and then regulated properly, I guess.

 

Manisha Singal  

Yes.

 

Richard Matthews  

It’s got to change its regulatory class.

 

From being illegal to being legal and regulated well.

 

Like you said, I think there’s more to the discussion. 

 

And whether or not CBD is part of it, I think part of it 

 

Is we have a medical community that, 

 

Just from history,because of the authority position 

 

They have. And with the advent of social media 

 

And the communication that happens between 

 

Doctors and patients and whatnot, I think the industry 

 

Is just changing. Where instead of authority top down.

 

I’m the doctor who’s had medical school and 

 

You’re a nobody. To we’re on the same level 

 

As human beings that are communicating with 

 

How do we solve the problems in my life. That transition 

 

Is going to be rough from all sides.

 

Manisha Singal  

Absolutely. But I firmly believe it. For all the education 

 

I’ve had. Wherever those destinations may be, 

 

The ultimate education is educating the mind 

 

And how we think. How we identify a need. 

 

How we formulate a process; a solution. 

 

How we execute that. I mean, these are the pillars 

 

That we hear about, but through all of that, I think 

 

Which is really important this is what I tell my students 

 

And my nurses and my colleagues. You have 

 

To have your coordination. You have to have 

 

Your core values. Be relevant. Be open. 

 

And always think several steps ahead. 

 

Before you have that prescription whether it’s

 

For a pill. Whether it’s for intervention, 

 

Like a CAT scan, or an MRI or something 

 

More invasive even. You have to think, 

 

What are the risks? What are the benefits? 

 

What are you going to do with that information? 

 

Or what ifs. I wish all of that had happened 

 

During the time that my father who I think 

 

Would have been alive today because I know 

 

That there’s others who are diagnosed with lymphoma 

 

When he had his diagnosis that are still alive ’til today. 

 

I wish that with earlier diagnosis. Who knows why 

 

And how he was exposed to what had led him 

 

To have that. But I mean, it was a horrible death. 

 

He had pain. He had suffering. He had people 

 

Who didn’t believe him. Or didn’t believe 

 

His family when they said; “Something’s going on here.”

 

And then he passed — 

 

Richard Matthews  

Not psychological when you die from it.

 

Manisha Singal  

Exactly. I see that with my patients so I’m in 

 

I’m receiving people because of this trauma 

 

The reactive industry of healthcare. I’m like the catcher.

 

Or this ill effect or whatever it may be. 

 

Timely or chronic, whatever it may be. What I’m doing —

 

I’ve been always interested doing is really 

 

Putting myself on the forefront. Who lifestyle —

 

Richard Matthews  

How do you have a healthy lifestyle? How do you 

 

Eat well? How do you take care of your body 

 

So, it is protected from these things in the first place.

 

Manisha Singal  

How do you sleep well, by the way, as much as 

 

Entrepreneurs get a little less sleep, can you imagine 

 

The productivity we would have if 

 

We had another hour of sleep?

 

Richard Matthews  

I know. One of my core tenants, we talked about 

 

All the time on this show is I tell people, “You have 

 

To give yourself permission to play.” And I refer to that 

 

As recreation, relaxation, sleeping, that kind of stuff. 

 

It is not a result of productivity. It’s a foundation 

 

Of productivity. It’s not a reward for being productive. 

 

It’s something you have to have in order to be productive. 

 

And I think so many people, particularly entrepreneurs, 

 

Miss that. So, I tell them all the time, “You got 

 

To give yourself permission to play.”

 

Manisha Singal  

I’ll give you something that parallels that. 

 

I always say is to be kind to yourself. It took 

 

A long time for me to understand that. You just have 

 

To be kind to yourself for all the same reasons 

 

That you’ve just mentioned. 

 

Parse through that. This is our one life. And irrespective 

 

What people make leave, and I’m Hindu. I know 

 

Reincarnation runs strong but this is the one life 

 

That I had visibility in — conscious of — 

 

Let’s put it that way. Why not enjoy it? 

 

And be safe in the process and follow …

 

Speaker  

Music is by Purple Planet Music. Visit https://www.purple-planet.com/

 

Richard Matthews  

I got a couple more questions here to fend off. 

 

One of them is about your own personal heroes. 

 

You alluded to this a little bit earlier. I’m curious. 

 

Frodo had Gandalf. Luke had Obi Wan. Robert Kiyosaki 

 

Had his Rich Dad. Who were some of your heroes? 

 

Were they real life mentors, speakers or authors, 

 

Peers who were a couple of years ahead of you 

 

And how important have they been to what you’ve 

 

Accomplished so far in your medical career 

 

And in your Aethera company?

 

Manisha Singal  

Absolutely. Yes, I’ve would — obviously my father. 

 

I mean, that was very life defining for me. 

 

It really put me on a path that opened my eyes. 

 

But even before then, as I’ve mentioned, I was born 

 

In India. Came when I was 2. Somehow we land in Pittsburgh. 

 

Definitely a Steelers’ fan. I pray for them. But very early on, 

 

I used to go back to India every year. I would 

 

Do schooling there and school in the US. Had

 

Great exposures. And my grandfather with what little 

 

He had was quite charitable. I don’t know if he did this 

 

By design to influence me. It worked, but he used 

 

To take me to clinics where people would wait in line 

 

For hours just to be seen by a doctor. He would also 

 

Take me to places where they’d be lot of people 

 

Who were living in the street and didn’t have much. 

 

I remember once that we’ve bought a whole — boxes 

 

Full of blankets. I remember literally, I was very young, 

 

I remember handing blankets with my grandfather, 

 

To people are on the street. So they had some protection 

 

And it wouldn’t get cold. Then we went back a few days, 

 

I just wanted to see it. All the blankets were gone 

 

And I was really surprised. I said, “Grandpa, why 

 

Are there no blankets?” He told me that they probably 

 

Sold their blankets. And so one because think, the whole purpose 

 

For the blanket is for them to get the benefit 

 

Of the blanket. But they had another purpose for it. 

 

Unless I took from that, and what he instilled in me was:

 

Whatever your action is, irrespective how someone 

 

May receive that. A blanket or selling for money. 

 

They received a benefit from that. In my years 

 

Of — in all the influencers of my life, and especially 

 

As a healer, what I realized that this was all so 

 

Very hard. A patient of mine taught me 

 

Some lessons with this. As much as we may think 

 

We have answers and we have the prescriptions.

 

We know what tests need to be done.

 

We don’t have to fight this or that illness or cancer. 

 

You have to be … as to how …

 

What experiences they’ve gone through. 

 

What they want to take from it and whatnot. 

 

And give respect to that. I don’t come across 

 

As a very complicated person. An individual 

 

With many influencers in my life. But there’s 

 

A patient of mine who had cancer and much older.

 

He was in his 70s-80s. And he sat me down 

 

As a young doctor. He said, “Let me teach you something. 

 

I know you want to heal me, but I am healed. 

 

I’ve had this wonderful life. I know that doctors 

 

Want to give me chemicals for my cancer. 

 

But I don’t want to lose certain enjoyment on life 

 

Because, now, I’m taking these chemicals with cancer.” 

 

So, in all these different stages of my life, 

 

I’ve been having lessons. I’ve been fueling who I am.

 

How I interact with people. And how I want to be 

 

In that role as a healer and as an entrepreneur.

 

Richard Matthews  

It’s really fascinating too. Because it’s actually something 

 

That’s come up on this show before. Not in this context. 

 

But the idea that the experience is created 

 

From whatever it is that you do or provide is actually 

 

Only ever half done until the person on the other side 

 

Receives it. It’s come up in the context before of —

 

Like writing. If you write a book, you only ever write 

 

Half of a story. Because the story doesn’t really happen 

 

Until someone reads it and it comes alive in their head. 

 

There’s two parts to that creation. Part of it 

 

Is the actual writing. The other part is the reading of it 

 

Before you’ve actually had something come to life. 

 

It’s almost the same type of experience in the 

 

Medical care, is you have a thing that you’re giving 

 

To your patient, but then the patient has the receipt 

 

That — how they receive that care. 

 

That’s what, I guess, brings it to fruition.

 

Manisha Singal  

Absolutely. I had so many. In my life. Trying to be 

 

More a delegator, not a micromanager. Allowing people 

 

Their own choices, even if I think I have the answer, 

 

But giving respect and saying, “If I can be my role 

 

As an educator, is that partnership.” That handoff,

 

Just as you’ve mentioned, they have to receive it 

 

And what they do with it, you can only take responsibility 

 

For large part of what you offer somebody else 

 

That has to take it from there. I was trying to tell you, 

 

I am so fortunate in my life, and every day for me, 

 

And I tell everyone, every day for us is a blessing. 

 

The choices that we make. What we’re able to knock 

 

Off our list. Wherever it may be in our phone 

 

Or computers or on a napkin. You have 

 

To allow yourself, your successes. Allow yourself 

 

Which you can’t —

 

Your near successes. And you have to allow yourself your losses.

 

Richard Matthews  

You can’t move forward without messing it up a little bit.

 

Manisha Singal  

And working with the — I’m just so privileged 

 

To work with the people at Aethera. I’m learning 

 

So much from them. I’m so fortunate to working 

 

With the people at my hospital for all the trials, 

 

Tribulations, and healthcare. I’m trying to chart 

 

A new path and really explore the potential 

 

Of the Cannabis plant and where does that interplay 

 

With what I do on a day to day basis.

 

Richard Matthews  

Awesome. Well, with that, let’s bring it home for our listeners. 

 

Last question about you is what are the top one or two 

 

Guiding principles or actions that you use on a regular basis 

 

That you think contribute to the success 

 

And influence that you enjoy today?

 

Manisha Singal  

Again, I think there’s so many cross intersections 

 

Before we’ve spoken about. But I think one of —

 

It’s really just making sure every day when I wake up,

 

I say a blessing, number one. I really try to focus on:

 

What is my core values? Am I living the life true 

 

To my mission? And it’s not onerous. It’s not like 

 

I have to write things down, but it’s just okay. 

 

Am I, on the path of doing what I want to do 

 

In the manner that I am. It’s not about success 

 

Or failure. It’s about the path that I’m taking. 

 

Then it’s about: say to myself, I gotta be kind to myself. 

 

I will achieve what I can and just have 

 

These wonderful experience with other people 

 

And to the most that I can try to prevent. I don’t want 

 

To be like those that I’ve seen, with my father 

 

And with other people that have been so closed minded,

 

And harmful under closed mindedness. 

 

So this is as simple as it gets me.

 

Richard Matthews  

I had my voice on mute so I wasn’t messing up 

 

The audio. I said that it’s a good point too. 

 

Just making sure that you’re waking up every day 

 

And following through with things you 

 

Want to follow through with because if you 

 

Don’t keep it cognizant, you can veer off path 

 

Pretty easily. Like in sailing, if you’re off 

 

By half a degree, you’ll end up on a different country.

 

Manisha Singal  

That’s another fact. I did not know.

 

Richard Matthews  

If you’re trying to go in a straight line, if you’re off 

 

Just a little bit, you go 1000 miles, you’re off 

 

A really long ways from where you want to be. 

 

So it’s good idea to constantly just check. 

 

Manisha Singal  

Course correct. 

 

Richard Matthews  

Course correct. Make sure that we’re going the right way. 

 

Makes a lot of sense. Last thing, we do the show 

 

To all of our guests. I call it the Hero Challenge. 

 

Is pretty simple. It’s a challenge that I issue 

 

It’s basically this: Do you have someone in your life 

 

Or in your network who you think has a 

 

Cool entrepreneurial story? Who are they? First names 

 

Are fine. And why do you think they should come 

 

On our show and share their story?

 

Manisha Singal  

That’s easy. My best friend, my life partner, 

 

My husband. I think he has a story 

 

But for so many people. His whole life has been 

 

Dedicated to helping others. He works with 

 

That many don’t know. His name is Rengan. R-E-N-G-A-N

 

What was the challenge? What am I putting —

 

Richard Matthews  

Basically, who are they and why do you think 

 

They should come share their story on our show?

 

Manisha Singal  

Now I as much as I shared with you, 

 

He’s been a great inspiration not only for me, 

 

The Innocence Project. There’s a whole story behind that. 

 

I’m just so proud of him, but I always see him, 

 

Which is where he likes to be. He always wants 

 

To be in a background. He never wants to show himself but —

 

Richard Matthews  

Is he the gentlemen I saw earlier who was 

 

Helping us get the audio working in the beginning?

 

Manisha Singal  

Yes. He’s also very technically enabled.

 

I have to say, of recent and so many years.

 

We’ve been married for 5 years. 

 

That’s a great story there too. But he’s been 

 

My hero. And he’s been here for many people.

 

Richard Matthews  

We’ll definitely see if we can get him on the show

 

At some point and hear his story. Last thing, 

 

Thank you so much for coming on the show. 

 

Really appreciate it. Where can people find you? 

 

Find your products? And who are 

 

The ideal people to come and check those things out?

 

Manisha Singal  

The ideal people, it’s easy, it’s really anybody 

 

And these products is just for grit skincare. 

 

For Aethera, it’s https://aetherabeauty.com/

 

And there’s a host of information on that website. 

 

Our non-CBD skincare line is on Amazon, 

 

Again under Aethera Beauty. If you put that in Amazon, 

 

You’ll see that but the host of our products 

 

Will be available on our site now. We are working —

 

Our products are also if you’re out in the East Coast 

 

At Shen Beauty. That’s a great natural healthcare company. 

 

We’re working with people like Beautylish. 

 

There’s a host of people have really worked with 

 

And there’s some new developments that 

 

Are coming up. I’m not sure if I can actually — 

 

I’ll put it out there very excited that a company, 

 

Anthropologie is looking at working with us, 

 

For instant wellness platforms out in the 

 

State of California and Washington, which I think 

 

You said that’s where you are now. 

 

Richard Matthews  

That’s where we’re currently at. We’ll be 

 

In California in a couple weeks. But right now 

 

We’re in Washington. So it’s https://aetherabeauty.com/ 

 

If you want to check out the products, 

 

And if you’re listening to this, and you have skin, 

 

Sounds like they would be definitely good products 

 

To check out. If you don’t have skin, you probably 

 

Need to go talk to a doctor.

 

Manisha Singal  

I have to say that always have a good doctor 

 

Or a team of doctors. But again, cautious about the pills. 

 

Richard Matthews  

Definitely. Again, thank you so much for coming on 

 

And sharing your story today. Really interesting. 

 

Definitely an interesting topic. Because it’s a wide open space 

 

That we’re seeing a lot of entrepreneurial activity happen. 

 

It’s always fun to watch an industry go through 

 

That Wild West phase and eventually it’ll go through 

 

That consolidation phase and then it’s going 

 

To ramp up and it’s something we’ve seen 

 

In industry after industry after industry. Everything 

 

From technologies to other things to 

 

Have someone who’s on the forefront 

 

Of a burgeoning industry, talking about what you’re doing 

 

And how you’re doing it. I think we’ll hear a lot more 

 

About your company over the next 10-15 years. 

 

So, that’ll be exciting.

 

Manisha Singal  

Richard, thank you so much for this opportunity. I look forward 

 

To hearing your podcasts which I’ve been listening to. 

 

They’re very exciting. Very interesting people 

 

That you’ve been talking to. Thank you.

 

Richard Matthews  

Thanks for coming on. Any final words of wisdom 

 

For our audience before we hit the done record button.

 

Manisha Singal  

Final words of wisdom is what I’ve said. 

 

Every day is a blessing no matter what our trials 

 

And tribulations are. Just give yourself some credit. 

 

And get some good sleep as well.

 

Richard Matthews  

You heard her, go get a good nap.

 

Thanks for coming on.

 

Manisha Singal  

Thank you.