What’s the biggest challenge facing the cannabis industry right now, and how are you and/or your company addressing it?
There are so many, but IMHO, the biggest challenge in cannabis right now, is that we’ve scaled the industry without scaling integrity.
The ‘soul’ of this movement, including our cultural roots, community values & healing potential, is being stripped for profit.
Legacy farmers and operators are being priced out, patients overlooked — what once was a revolutionary act is now being sanitized into soulless CPG sadly.
Through consulting I help brands stay grounded in authenticity; Not just chasing market-share, but aligning w/ their mission, prioritizing education, creating real impact…showing clients that love can be lucrative when we lead with purpose.
Whether mentoring equity applicants, lobbying for fair policy, speaking on difficult subjects on public panels, volunteering w/ veteran orgs, or supporting compassion prog.’s, I keep the focus on the plant + the people behind it.
As an educator, homegrower, seed-preserving cultivator, I help bridge the gap between the boardroom and the garden/farm and remind the industry that weed is not just a product. It is a literal promise. …One that asks us to move with integrity, center the culture that built this space, and give back more than we take!!
Where do you see the most exciting opportunity for growth and innovation in cannabis?
The most exciting opportunity for growth in cannabis is reconnecting the plant with its original purpose: healing, connection & consciousness.
We’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible when we stop treating weed like just another product and start approaching it like the powerful, multi-dimensional medicine it is.
I’m talking ’bout full-spectrum wellness, integration w/ psychedelics, regenerative farming, terpene science, cultural preservation, conscious consumption… all of it.
The real innovation isn’t just in “new tech” or form factors… It’s in how we relate to the plant & each other. That means education-first experiences, ethical branding, reclaiming Indigenous and ancestral practices, and platforms that uplift legacy wisdom alongside modern science.
That’s what I help my clients do. Build brands and campaigns that don’t just sell products, but spark movement.
That’s what I speak on podcasts and panels about, what I write about in my thoughts leadership online, what I cultivate at home, and what I fight for in policy rooms from Sac to D.C.
Because the next frontier in cannabis isn’t new gadgets or strains, it’s creating an industry that actually feels good to be a part of: one rooted in reciprocity, not extraction!
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to break into the cannabis industry?
My advice :
Learn the history before you try to profit off the future.
This plant has been sacred, criminalized, weaponized, and now commodified… and the people who carried it through all of that deserve more than to be erased by slick branding or quick capital!
Stay curious, humble, and stay of service.
Find mentors who’ve done the work.
Volunteer.
Listen more than you talk. Don’t come in trying to “disrupt” until you understand what’s already been built (by growers, caregivers, freedom fighters, and underground scientists who kept this culture alive).
This isn’t just an industry, it’s a lineage, so If you treat it with reverence, it’ll open doors you never imagined. And if you come in just to extract, it’ll spit you out fast… The plant knows!!
What is the most important thing you have learned from your experiences in the cannabis industry?
That this plant is a mirror.
It reflects who you are, how you show up, and what you value. If you move w/ love, service, authenticity, it’ll reward you with deep connection & purpose.
Move with greed, ego, or shortcuts, it will humble you, fast.
I’ve learned community is the currency; Relationships matter more than resumes.
And Integrity is everything… no matter how far we scale, if we lose sight of the plant’s roots, we lose the soul of this entire movement.
Cannabis has taught me SO MUCH patience, resilience, & to always check my intentions to ensure they’re good and pure… Because It’s not just a “business,” it’s a calling. 🙂
What do you want your legacy to be as it relates to the cannabis industry?
I want my legacy to be that I helped keep the soul in it.
That I used my voice, my platform, my privilege to protect the people & the plant.
That I made space for the ones who came before me + opened doors for those coming next. That I helped build an industry that didn’t just talk about equity & education, but actually lived it for real.
I wanna be remembered as someone who stood for culture, not just capital.
Someone who fought for legacy farmers, spoke truth in uncomfortable rooms, taught w/ heart & showed that love/impact can be part of a profitable model.
If my work helps even a few people feel seen, healed, or empowered to lead w/ purpose, then I did what I came here to do!!!