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What’s the biggest challenge facing the cannabis industry right now, and how are you and/or your company addressing it?
The biggest challenge facing the cannabis industry right now is navigating the collision between legacy and legal markets. We’re still operating in a patchwork system where federal prohibition keeps patients, brands, and businesses in limbo. That uncertainty breeds stigma, confusion, and distrust —especially for the communities that built this industry before legalization.
At Proud Mary Cannabis and through The Thunder Walker Experience, I’m addressing this by creating platforms that amplify real stories, educate the public, and push the conversation toward national solutions. Whether it’s the Oklahoma State Takeover at MJBiz, my workshops, or my role as a cannabis appraiser and judge, I’m committed to bringing transparency and credibility to the space. We lead with education, culture, and patient advocacy, because the cannabis industry won’t thrive until it fully honors the people and communities that laid its foundation
Where do you see the most exciting opportunity for growth and innovation in cannabis?
The most exciting growth opportunities in cannabis are in education, culture, and crossover industries. Cannabis is no longer just about flower on the shelf — it’s about how we integrate the plant into wellness, food, entertainment, construction, finance, and even fashion. The companies that lean into authentic storytelling and create real experiences around cannabis will lead the next wave.
I believe cannabis is a wellness product at its core. That’s why I’m focused on product innovation — like one-to-one offerings and concierge strains designed to meet specific medicinal purposes. This is about giving patients and consumers access to cannabis in a way that is personal, intentional, and transformative.
For me, that’s why I focus on cannabis appraisal, cultural activations like the Oklahoma State Takeover, and content platforms like The Thunder Walker Experience. When we connect cannabis to the larger conversations — mental health, social justice, access in business, and lifestyle innovation — we grow markets, we grow movements. That’s the opportunity I see, and that’s exactly where I’m building.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone looking to break into the cannabis industry?
My advice for anyone wanting to step into the cannabis space — whether you’re plant-touching or not — is to think bigger than the flower. This industry is about innovation, access, and creativity. Today, you can buy IP addresses and sell virtual cannabis real estate, creating a digital footprint that will matter just as much as a physical storefront.
You don’t have to grow a single plant to build a powerful presence in cannabis. Partner with those who are already in the space, learn the culture, and then create your own brand that reflects your vision. Cannabis is a wide-open industry — from tech to wellness, from products to experiences — but the key is to position yourself in a way that’s authentic, sustainable, and future-driven.
But if you do want to be cannabis-touching, go out there and seek opportunities in states that will actually allow you to participate — like Oklahoma or New Mexico. It’s okay to cross state lines just to do business, but don’t take it back home. Respect the laws, respect the plant, and build where you’re welcomed.
That’s the strategy I live by: whether it’s through cannabis appraisal, cultural activations, or brand development, I’m always looking at where the industry is headed and building for that moment — not just the one we’re in today.
What is the most important thing you have learned from your experiences in the cannabis industry?
The most important thing I’ve learned in this industry is that holding a license and being a cannabis culture icon are two completely different battles — but both require resilience. As a license holder, I’ve learned that compliance, consistency, and creativity must live together if you want to survive. The regulations shift, the costs add up, and the landscape changes overnight — but if you treat your license like the key to a kingdom, you protect it and build around it.
As a cannabis queen and culture icon, I’ve learned the power of storytelling. Cannabis isn’t just about THC percentages — it’s about how this plant heals, how it connects people, and how it pushes culture forward. My role is to bridge that gap: to educate, to advocate, and to unapologetically represent cannabis as more than a product — it’s a lifestyle, a wellness tool, and a movement.
The lesson? This industry will test you, but if you stay authentic to the culture and smart with the business, you won’t just survive it — you’ll define it.
I Became Cannabis!
What do you want your legacy to be as it relates to the cannabis industry?
My cannabis legacy is simple but unstoppable. I want to be remembered as the woman who fought for a national medical marijuana card — one that works state to state, giving patients the freedom and protection they deserve no matter where they are in this country.
I want to lay the foundation for pediatric cannabis so that parents of disabled children don’t have to fight through stigma, silence, or shame just to give their kids quality of life. Cannabis for children in medical need should never be a whispered conversation — it should be a right.
And finally, I want my legacy to remind people that age is just a number. In this lifestyle, in this culture, cannabis evolves with us. Just as the plant gets better with age, so do the people who embrace it. If I can show the world that cannabis is not only about business, but about healing, freedom, and longevity, then I’ve done my work.
That’s the mark I want to leave behind.
Thunder Walker – Queen Of Cannabis