As we reach the end of Women’s herstory month and move closer to April 20th (aka 4/20) I wanted to write about an area that isn’t talked about much and still has a quite a bit of a stigma associated with it.
Women run businesses growing in numbers in the cannabis industry.
This is an industry that’s growing (no pun intended) and is an exciting time for women who are getting into it from the ground up! This is also beneficial for everyone for several different reasons.
New cannabis jobs have seen immense growth
According to Forbes, new cannabis jobs have seen an explosive employment growth. In fact, the cannabis industry is able to support as many as 1.75 million jobs across the country. In another study done by Leafy, the US cannabis industry now supports 428,059 jobs. It’s also now a $25 billion business in the US. (Now may be a good time to consider switching professions ;) )
In 2019, women held a whopping 36% of executive positions. However, it's disheartening to report that number has seen a steep decline in 2021 and 2022 from 36% to 23%. It’s important to note that this percentage is also lower than national averages across all businesses, not just the cannabis industry.
Additional challenges
One of the reasons for the decline in numbers when it comes to women in this industry is that it's still very much a "bro club." Cannabis industry experts suggest that competitive markets tend to favor businesses with men in ownership and leadership positions, primarily because of their access to capital.
Women face their own set unique challenges when it comes to running a business in addition to the unique circumstances of also being in the cannabis industry. With cannabis still being considered federally illegal in the US, this is also a particularly challenging and complex situation. While other businesses can sell fairly easily, there are a different set of rules when it comes to navigating the cannabis industry.
Enter branding
This is where branding plays a huge role in working around these challenges and setbacks. Effective and strategic branding builds trust with customers, increases your market share, and ultimately drives sales.
Branding establishes the following:
• Positive image
• Standing out from the crowd
It's an investment that I hope will help raise the percentage of women executives in cannabis. The world needs more strong women in power and I am proud to help with my services.
Hailing from the nation’s leading cannabis provider (California), owning my own business as a woman, and knowledgeable on the benefits of marijuana (no, “getting high” isn’t the only benefit!), I have decided to focus my services towards boosting the branding for women owned businesses in cannabis and wellness industry. My goal is to help women in cannabis for the betterment of all. From women in leadership to the healing properties of this mystic plant, this is something I whole-heartedly support, believe in, and want to be a part of.
As I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, when women succeed, we all prosper as a result.
Do you resonate with the above? Let’s have a chat about how we can boost your branding to reduce the stress of having to do it yourself, save time, elevate awareness, and increase your revenue.
