The Real Housewives of Potomac star Stacey Rusch announces her own cannabis brand

The Real Housewives of Potomac star Stacey Rusch has announced the launch of her cannabis brand. 

The announcement came during the filming of The Real Housewives of Potomac season 10. 

Stacey has previously denied rumours that she is starting a cannabis line-up during the reunion episode of season 9. 

But during season 10, she revealed that she is indeed going into the wellness-based industry. 

She however clarified along with the announcement that the details and discussions about the launch had not started until many months later after the filming of the reunion episode. 

The Real Housewives of Potomac’s Stacey Rusch called her cannabis brand launch historic

Her cast members Gizelle Bryant and Ashley Darby were a bit sceptical about the timeline of the launch and did not quite agree with Stacey’s version. 

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Dish, the reality television star responded to the criticism and stated:

"I don't have anything to say to people who criticize my decision to talk about the launch of my brand in my own time. I think that reasonable people and people that have businesses understand the importance of timing. And when I was asked about my brand, I didn't have it at the time. And now that I do, I'm very excited to share that."

Rusch also proudly claimed that she is the first Black women in the state to start a cannabis brand. 

She continued:

“I mean, I've made history as the first Black woman in the state of Virginia to have a cannabis brand. I can't be worried about other people. I can only focus on myself and my success." 

She concluded her statement by saying that she does not have feel the need to respond to anyone who “rushes greatness”. 

She also remarked that she was drawn to the wellness industry due to her desire to help people.

Stacey said that her clients are those:

“who may suffer, for example, from anxiety; or people who are going through treatment and need help in terms of getting their appetite back; people who have certain personal issues but need a little help maintaining their anxiety or their stress level."

In an interview with Ebony in August 2025, Stacey shared more insights about her brand. 

She even revealed the reason why she was so tight lipped about the whole thing during the season 9 reunion episode. 

Stacey stated that she wanted to stake her claim and during the filming of the reunion episode the business idea just came up to her, so she wanted to keep the cards close to her chest. 

She stated:

“ During the season nine reunion of RHOP, my business idea came up, and there was some contention around it. I decided then to wait—to hold it close to my chest until I could roll it out on my own terms. I didn’t want it to just feel like a storyline; I wanted it to come from a place of care, intentionality, and education.” 

Stacey further shared that the name of her brand, Shayo means “joy” in Yoruba and she wanted to celebrate her Nigerian heritage. 

She remarked:

“Naming the company Shayo isn’t just branding; it’s an homage to that culture and a reminder that joy is the foundation of healing.”

Stay tuned for more such updates.