In less than 11 weeks, an idea scribbled on paper has taken on a life of its own. The Plug Society has gone from a conversation between peers to one of the fastest emerging networks in cannabis. Sixteen ancillary vendor partners, five event partners, a media partner, and a nonprofit have already signed on, with more in motion. Clearly, the industry was waiting for something like this.
The Origin Story
The Plug Society was not born out of theory. It grew out of lived experience.
Founder and CEO Adam Rothstein has spent nearly a decade scaling hardware and technology companies across cannabis, helping drive more than $50 million in revenue in global markets. But what stood out to him was not just the success, it was the friction. Fragmented supply chains, endless cold outreach, partnerships that failed to stick, and too much time wasted.
“My first year in the picks and shovels side of the industry, I attended 42 expos,” Rothstein recalls. “At some point, I realized I was seeing vendors more than my family. We became Canna Fam, and I found myself plugging people into my network just to help good people connect and get work done.”
At first, The Plug Society was simply a consulting hub, a way to connect trusted vendors with operators and brands. But the scope quickly expanded. Instead of staying boutique, Rothstein and his team envisioned a platform that could simplify the entire ancillary supply chain, powered by SaaS tools the industry had long needed but never had.
“There is no central place or app for this part of the puzzle,” Rothstein said. “That is why the same problems keep repeating. We are building from scratch to solve them head on.”
Turning Pain Points Into Progress
The Plug Society began with a question: What if the pain points vendors, operators, and brands struggle with every day were not just managed but actually fixed?
- Project Management and Forecasting: Operators often run into the same bottlenecks around budgets, timelines, and deliverables. The Plug Society’s Project Planner was built to address that.
- Accountability: A rating system ensures that partnerships are not left to chance. Vendors and operators are measured by completed deals, creating transparency without vendettas.
- Centralization: Rather than chasing scattered contacts and unreliable leads, companies can now find trusted partners in one place. To keep the platform professional, only cannabis business domain emails are allowed.
- Efficiency Tools: Features like AI powered contract and document builders help streamline deal making by automating what usually drags.
The results are not hypothetical. Deals are closing. Partnerships are forming. The system is already proving useful even before its official launch.
From Benzinga to Today
The Plug Society’s soft launch coincided with the Benzinga (now IgniteIt) Cannabis Capital Conference in June 2025. What started as an early deck and a pitch in the hallways quickly gained traction.
In just under three months:
- 16 ancillary vendor partners, spanning packaging to compliance
- 5 event partners tapped into the network
- A nonprofit and a media partner ensuring that both impact and storytelling remain at the core
And this is just the beginning. “We have not even hit the busy part of the trade show cycle yet,” Rothstein noted. “And we are already seeing traction most startups only dream about.”
Expanding the Network
What sets The Plug Society apart is that it is not just a vendor platform. Events, nonprofits, educators, and media outlets are also joining the fold, the kinds of organizations that have earned trust in the space through years of real contribution. By weaving these partners in, The Plug Society is shaping an ecosystem that reflects the full spectrum of cannabis, not just one piece of it.
Building Trust First
At this stage, The Plug Society’s foundation is built on exclusivity and trust. Early vendors represent their sub sector exclusively, a “fractional business development” model that gives them clear value and accountability. Once the groundwork is proven, the larger vision is a full SaaS marketplace, open, scalable, and reputation driven.
The structure keeps participation free for brands, operators, and retailers, while creating strong incentives for vendors to join and uphold quality standards.
Why It Matters
The cannabis industry is expanding quickly, but growth without structure has consequences. Without better tools for forecasting, accountability, and connection, the same inefficiencies will keep repeating.
The Plug Society is not promising perfection, but it does represent a shift. Away from fragmented hustling. Toward organized, scalable collaboration.
What’s Next
The beta launch is planned for this fall, with a full rollout around MJBizCon. For now, the focus remains on building trust, refining tools, and weaving together a stronger supply chain.
As Rothstein puts it: “We are not just building a platform. We are building the operating system for the cannabis supply chain. And everyone who touches this industry, from startups to enterprises, will benefit from it.”The foundation is set. The momentum is undeniable. And the future of the cannabis supply chain is already taking shape. To learn more or sign up, please visit The Plug Society.
Adam Rothstein helps companies grow — and now he and his team are building the platform to redefine growth for an entire industry.
As Founder & CEO of The Plug Society, Adam is creating the first SaaS platform designed to unify the cannabis industry’s global supply chain. Their mission is to flip chaos into clarity by connecting brands, operators, and retailers with the most trusted ancillary partners worldwide.
For the past eight years, Adam has been in the trenches of cannabis and technology — leading revenue strategy, building international partnerships, and scaling operations from scratch. At his last company, he helped drive $50M+ in revenue in just four years, launched new technologies and products, and navigated the complexities of a fragmented supply chain on a global stage.
What sets him apart is the ability to operate at the intersections of strategy, creativity, and execution. He doesn’t just sell, he builds. From developing scalable systems to leading enterprise deals, from pitching boardrooms to designing products and brands, he turns vision into repeatable success.
Now, Adam is channeling his experience into a platform that merges SaaS, business development, and cannabis culture, helping an industry that’s been underserved for too long.
