The Benzinga Cannabis Market Spotlight Event was a packed event filled with an exclusive C-Suite breakfast, networking lunches, and a cocktail hour that coordinated connections for those within the California industry. A selection of exhibitors and speaker panels with influential thought leaders made this a combined networking event for engaging discussions to inspire innovation and build connections.
Earlier this month at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California, The Benzinga Cannabis Market Spotlight event brought together key figures, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to discuss the industry’s future landscape and potential possibilities.
The Beard Bros have been on a busy tour this year, engaging and interacting with various brands, company faces, and networking events – but Benzinga’s event in Anaheim was an excellent mix of California brands and carefully curated speaking panels relevant to the concerns and questions the California cannabis community faces collectively.
Even though in recent years, most of the California cannabis industry has been financially beaten up with overregulation, fees, and financial woes – many are still here fighting to survive. Seeing the amount of California brands at this event actively learning and engaging in the tough conversations was so encouraging.
To the Beard Bros, it showed that Benzinga Cannabis has created an important space for businesses and brands to come together and show their support.
Yet between the intimate setting at the House of Blues, the panel topics, and the curated list of speakers, Benzinga showed up once again as not your ordinary cannabis networking event.
What was truly impressive was the quality of the topics and the volume of the panels. Limiting topics to 30 minutes helped everyone keep it free-flowing. The smaller space was also ideal for following up on conversation points with a speaker after a panel.
These Benzinga panelist discussions ranged in topics like advancing your brand with tech-driven growth, what’s driving innovation in pre-roll production, leveraging celebrity brands for sales, and strategizing consumer segments.
The event kicked off with a fireside chat from Nicole Elliott, Director of the California Department of Cannabis Control, and Dustin Moore, Co-Founder of Embarc, who discussed state policies and their impact on the industry. Keynote speakers at Benzinga included Kyle Kazan, Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO of Glass House Brands, and Sahar Ayinehsazian, Partner at Vicente LLP, who shared insights on navigating capital markets and the evolving regulatory landscape.
Co-founder and CEO of Budist, Jocelyn Sheltraw sat with speakers like Laurie Holcomb, CEO of Gold Flora, and Drew Mathews, CEO of Green Life Business Group Inc. for the panel ‘Califonia Cannabis As A Global Brand: The Economics Of West Coast Power.’
Beard Bros’ very own Co-Founder, Bill Levers, was a speaker on the hot topic panel, ‘The Economics Of Strain Development: Are Hot New Cultivars Profitable? Or Will OG Kush Always Be King?’ With Sue Carlton, Owner of Ranchera Familia + Moon Valley Creek Ranch, Jason McKnight, Founder of Green Label RX, and Manny from High Tolerance, the group debated the crucial elements of strain development in today’s industry.
Rachel Wright, Founder & CEO of Verdant Strategies spoke on the inspiring panel ‘Capitalizing California: The Hard Questions Investors Need Answered,’ that shed an inside look on investing in today’s cannabis industry. Brian Applegarth, Founder & CEO of Applegarth Strategies, also spoke on the ‘Travel & Tourism as a Growth Engine for California Brands & Businesses’ panel to discuss the thriving potential of cannabis tourism in the state.
In all, the continuous conversation around innovation and collaboration among industry stakeholders was highlighted by Benzinga, paving the way for future success and growth in the California market.
Benzinga seamlessly cultivated high-impact networking, allowing attendees to forge connections with industry leaders, investors, and policymakers in an intimate, supportive environment. Through each exceptionally hosted event, Benzinga has created an important space for businesses and brands to come together to discuss strategies and the next steps for navigating the thriving California cannabis landscape.
We want to keep seeing these smaller, regional events! (Especially those in our own backyard.)
As always, thank you to Benzinga Cannabis, Elliot Lane, and Patrick Lane for all they do for the industry.
Isabella DeChard is a writer & Certified Ganjier on a mission to advocate, educate, and elevate the power of the plant – to the cannabis community and its consumers alike. She offers creative content and writing that ignites the celebration and diversity of cannabis and everything it offers.
She is a proud digital marketer, writer, stoner, and creative artist under @btchyhippie.
You can find Isabella on her website here.
