You Go Gurl 2019: Five Ways for the Modern Professional Woman to Bloom with Cannabis
At a New Year’s Eve party ringing in 2019, I gathered around the kitchen island and cheersed with a number of women. Some were trans, some were cis, and all were radiant. The cheers? “You GO girl 2019!”
Given that there’s a ton of risk with shifting regulations and leery lenders (even still!), the cannabis space is wide open for entrepreneurship of any gender, but in particular, women who are tired of the tech bros or dead-end work that doesn’t compensate fairly. Also, women are going into weed as a second career in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. The New York Times reported that women hold 36% of executive roles in cannabusinesses versus 22% in “normal” U.S. businesses. This means it is never too late, ladies!
You may know a ton about cannabis already or you may be curious, seen a CBD beverage in your local grocery store or have a remedy that’s worked well for you and you’d like to share it with a wider audience. Or perhaps you have a concrete idea and business plan and now you need seed funding.
Well, the good news is…you GO GIRL. We support you and as a women-led business, we’re here for all the women who want to get into some facet of this industry. And regardless of the angle you’re coming in at, we want you to work smarter, not harder. After all, didn’t we get curious about cannabis to help us with something, whether that’s better sleep, reduced anxiety, greater focus or…you fill in the blank.
So, from our team at the 4Twenty Group, we bring you:
5 Ways for Modern Women to Work “Canna-Smart” in 2019.
1. Knowledge is Power
Big Q: What is that I want to learn more about and what are my “blind” spots?
Knowing what’s up in a fast-moving, rapidly evolving industry is essential for success. Keep educating yourself on cannabis’ effects, history, and movement building. Liked what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently said about cannabis and (in)equality? We at the 4Twenty Group are here for it. One way to counteract the trend of many cannabusinesses being owned and operated by white cisgender men is to support companies being run by women, especially those with women of color in leadership roles.
420Cents: Support the Minority Cannabis Business Association and check out the work of Supernova Women, or fill up on cultural information from curated potcasts like MARIA & JANE or follow @highgoodpeople (Season One coming soon!)
2. Kondo That Sh*t
Big Q: What necessary housekeeping does your fledgling or existing business need that’ll spark joy in the everyday?
While you ponder the answer to that hefty question, just know you’re not alone in this land of nebulous regulations. Help in terms of accounting and tax advisory solutions for cannabis business owners exists! Whether you’re worried about compliance or some weird results that came back on a batch test you were assured would be clean, there’s people out there who can help you find the answer.
420 Cents: Listen to people like industry bad-ass Jessica Velazquez at Indiva Advisors for practical financial advice. Also we like the Canna Law Blog for legal concerns and practical aspects of cannabis law. Since 2010, people!
3. Get Your Doc on Board
Big Q: Are you open with your primary care provider about your cannabis use?
While having your doctor’s approval is certainly not necessary for any health and wellness regimen that incorporates cannabis, it sure can help. Not all doctors have read the plethora of research that continues to confirm the benefits of cannabis, but if you bring an NIH study into your next visit, I bet they won’t argue with you. Whether you’re coping with endometriosis to chronic back pain to...you name the condition or mood-related issue, it helps when your doctor is “on the level,” if they’re not already there with you.
420Cents: Refer to the Canna MDs a.k.a. the Knox Sisters for language to advocate for medical cannabis integration with your primary physician. MedicalMarijuana.com also has a list of cannabis-friendly doctors in each state listed in the database.
4. CBD Beverages, coming in hot. Well cold, really. But also HOT.
Big Q: What are your thoughts/feelings about alternative forms of cannabis consumption?
So, we love you but move over, wine. Given the 2018 Farm Bill’s success, the FDA appears more hospitable to CBD in general. In fact, the hemp and CBD ready-to-drink beverage market is forecasted to by a $1 billion industry by 2020. Dang, y’all. We’re talkin’ CBD-infused coffee, tea, alkaline water, probably some alternative milks, and really any safe to drink liquid we can get our hands on. It’s mainstream, at this point, but we bring it up because there is a lot of consumer demand and therefore, a lot of opportunity for well-formulated products.
420Cents: If your ears perk up at this trend, consider attending the first Cannabis Drinks Expo in July 2019 in San Francisco. There will certainly be startup funders and venture capitalists in attendance and it’s also likely to be a great opportunity to talk to producers themselves.
5. Treat Yourself & Take Care
Big Q: Have you worked cannabis into your life in ways that boost your health?
With adult recreational use also comes the temptation to try everything. Of course, there’s still value in moderation (aka being able to remember your To-Do list, you know, occasionally.) That being said, there are some interesting ways to socialize or exercise with cannabis. There’s yoga with cannabis, cannabis farm tours, and many, many culinary events that center cannabis fine dining.
420Cents: Though a little pricey, it’s fun to lookout for cannabis culinary evenings for seasonal cuisine and artisanal cannabis pairings. In the Bay, we love the Herb Somm and Cannaisseur series. If going out is too much, check out DIY options like Stephanie Hua and Coreen Carrol’s new cookbook, Edibles: Small Bites for the Modern Cannabis Kitchen (Chronicle Books), which presents over 30 bite-sized, low-dose recipes in gorgeous, easy-to-master fashion.
There you have it, folks. A quick round-up of some strategies and things to ponder when considering how you live and thrive with cannabis on a personal and sometimes, professional scale. We want any woman interested in cannabis to have all the tools she needs to grow her business and find community. After all, the plant herself is female so…