What’s the biggest challenge facing the cannabis industry right now, and how are you and/or your company addressing it?
The biggest challenge I see is a lack of diplomacy and productive communication among industry stakeholders and between the cannabis industry and consumers alike. Cannabis is sometimes framed as being a ‘bifurcated market’, but it’s closer to a quadfurciated market; you have state-legal recreation vs. state-legal medical vs. Intoxicating Hemp vs. Legacy / “Illicit”. Consider that all of the players represented in the different categories above are all competing with different rules in what is ostensibly the same market around the same plant. I run a media platform that analyzes the sector through a satirical lens in order to make sense of an often non-sensical industry.
Where do you see the most exciting opportunity for growth and innovation in cannabis?
Global cannabis culture itself is the most exciting angle of this emerging industry. People all over the planet love cannabis, and the social acceptance that comes from the establishing of a legal market invites more people to connect with the plant and find their own ways to get more involved with building an international cannabis community. The rise of cannabis-infused beverages is also a really exciting development to track – alcohol sales are declining and the younger generations are increasingly opting for natural and safer experiences like cannabis beverages and edibles.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to break into the cannabis industry?
Build your network one person at a time and always center the plant itself and the ways it cane uplift your own health and the health of your community when evaluating opportunities and engaging decision making.
What is the most important thing you have learned from your experiences in the cannabis industry?
It’s essential to have a robust sense of humor and humility an to lead with those qualities wherever you can. The cannabis industry reminds me a lot of my days as a baseball player; it’s a beautiful game that is often brutal and unforgiving, so getting comfortable with failure and learning to develop a work ethic and strategy that favors consistency and resilience will pay dividends in the long run.
What do you want your legacy to be as it relates to the cannabis industry?
I want people to read things I’ve written and laugh about them when they’re faced with a tough day or challenging development.