Meadowlands 2021 conversation with Nicole Elliott of California's Department of Cannabis Control with Meadow CEO David Hua

DCC Director Nicole Elliott with David Hua Meadow

The Dabbies Awards given out by Lanese Martin from The Hood Incubator during the Meadowlands 2021 leadership summit

Hood Incubator Dabbies Awards Meadowlands Leadership Summit

Meadow's new Dynamic Delivery cannabis delivery system

Dynamic Cannabis Delivery Ice Cream Truck Style ERP

Cannabis delivery that works like an ice cream truck with compliant cannabis inventory in the vehicle for dispensary ease

Dynamic Delivery cannabis ice cream truck style system

Cannabis industry retreat powered by Meadow

Meadowlands Mendocino cannabis

Ice cream truck style cannabis delivery software for dispensaries

Trunk by Trunk cannabis delivery software

Social equity license holder Whitney Beatty in front of her new dispensary, Josephine and Billie's, in Los Angeles

Whitney Beatty CEO Josephine and Billie's dispensary Los Angeles

Meadow's connected cannabis retail system reduces labor and optimizes your dispensary operations for efficiency.

How A Fully Connected Cannabis POS System Can Save You Thousands Every Year

Meadow builds cannabis retail and delivery software

cannabis retail software

Rusty Wilenkin Old Pal CEO

The Dabbies Awards from The Hood Incubator during the Meadowlands 2021 leadership summit

The Dabbies Awards by The Hood Incubator at Meadowlands 2021

Josephine and Billie's social equity dispensary Los Angeles CEO Whitney Beatty

CEO Whitney Beatty in front of her new social equity dispensary in Los Angeles, Josephine and Billie's

Aria Biswas is head of marketing and cannabis events at Meadow, a cannabis retail software system for dispensaries.

Aria Biswas

Meadow's cannabis delivery software allows dispensaries to create delivery zones

Cannabis Delivery Software for zone creations

Nicole Elliott Director of Cannabis Control in California in conversation with Meadow CEO David Hua on stage at Meadowlands 2021 at Camp Navarro.

Meadowlands 2021 with Nicole Elliott Director of Cannabis Control

Mission Green cannabis activism with Weldon Angelos

The Weldon Project Weldon Angelos Mission Green

Rusty Wilenkin is the CEO of cannabis brand Old Pal

Old Pal CEO Rusty Wilenkin 

Meadowlands Cannabis Event Camp Navarro

Weldon Angelos uses The Weldon Project and Mission Green to advocate for those nonviolent drug offenders incarcerated for cannabis

Cannabis is Not a Crime Weldon Angelos

Meadow has been building cannabis dispensary software since 2014

Meadow top rated dispensary software

Cannabis Events and Culture

Cannabis Industry Leadership

Cannabis Delivery

Cannabis Retail

Cannabis Compliance

Since 2014 Meadow has worked hand in hand with dispensaries and delivery services of all sizes across the state of California to build a beautiful, intuitive, easy to use, easy to learn [cannabis retail](https://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-retail "cannabis retail") software system.

Every year, Meadow continues to optimize operational workflows and build new tools to help cannabis dispensaries sell more cannabis with less work. Here's a breakdown of what we've added to our all-in-one system in just the last 12 months: 

# The 7+ Biggest Recent Updates to Meadow's Connected Cannabis Retail System 

## 1. Dynamic Delivery Launch
Meadow’s Dynamic Delivery platform (also known as Ice Cream Truck or Trunk by Trunk Delivery) makes cannabis delivery more efficient and profitable by allowing vehicles to operate as their own inventory locations with customizable zones, automatic dispatching, and per vehicle inventory and menus. Learn more about our new [cannabis delivery software](https://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-delivery "cannabis delivery software").
![Dynamic cannabis delivery software](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/2KSfYFRfeN2FdBj2JYGnYR/aaaa999441350b45be2ab56b9bbcc091/OG_Image_Blog_Size__18_.png)

## 2. Meadow Analytics: Inventory Velocity + Premium Insights Launch
Our 2.0 analytics package is a major upgrade that makes it easier to forecast purchasing with precision using inventory velocity, understand your sales channels and customers in greater depth, and see product, brand, and category performance in an instant.

![cannabis dispensary POS software analytics](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/30JSUMO3OqyfAez1uUdYcd/eb6f034cb6cb095860ddfbc391d76c6a/OG_Image_Blog_Size__14_.png)

## 3. Kiosk Mode Launch  
With Meadow's iPad-based POS and new kiosk-mode workflows, it's easy to conveniently make advanced sales! Want to set up a standalone iPad or tablet for your customers to place orders? Now you can with the new kiosk mode for the menu embed. Customers can create profiles, sign in and place orders for in-store pickup or delivery. The kiosk also works with guest checkout; if a customer doesn't complete their order or forgets to log out, the kiosk will reset automatically to the home page, clearing the cart and logging out any customer if logged in. 

![Cannabis retail kiosk software](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/6CAEVOb4eL8o3oruc9m8mV/b4ed5c684d22c11a3e96febae1b7752c/OG_Image_Blog_Size__20_.png)

## 4. Quickbooks Integration For Streamlined Accounting
Meadow has teamed up with the team at Alembic to bring you an integration with QB Desktop and now QB Online. Create [accounting activity in QuickBooks](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/accounting/ "accounting activity in QuickBooks") with ease; import data once a day, once a week or once a month. Meadow reports paired with Quickbooks makes it easy for dispensaries to manage their books.

![Quickbooks integrated with Meadow cannabis retail software](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/4eKMvNBjokSxrgvF2dZqFa/13051a1a3422c4090b699ea2e7cb6d5f/OG_Image_Blog_Size__17_.png)

## 5. Google Tag Manager (GTM) Integration
Meadow's integration with Google Tag Manager helps you understand your customer's online shopping behaviors. You can learn a lot about how your customers interact with your dispensary eCommerce menu by using Google Tag Manager (GTM) to track how they navigate your site. With Meadow's GTM integration, you can now track events like product impressions, views and clicks; products added to/removed from the cart; and checkouts and purchases completed! GTM data can help you improve the online ordering experience for your customers, optimize your product mix and boost basket sizes. 

![Google Tag Manager with Meadow cannabis POS](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/4tqHdNxFQK9yRSYshkUG8B/d2dbcda158d7525347b0e4a9b2a2ecd5/OG_Image_Blog_Size__16_.png)

## 6. New Text Marketing Segments
We've added NEW audience segments to our [cannabis marketing](https://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-marketing "cannabis marketing") tool so you can target customers by brand or subcategory purchased, ZIP code, birthday, referral source, age, and more. Break customers into meaningful groups to send relevant SMS and MMS messages that will drive sales, repeat customers, and ROI.

![Cannabis marketing segmentation](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/26EOTUFqSQTeh1tBEEfgTp/4b307cf09a54e1ef9f15849d6f9c542c/OG_Image_Blog_Size__15_.png)

## 7. New Inventory Discrepancy Report 
Meadow’s robust [reporting system](https://getmeadow.com/features/analytics-and-reporting "reporting system") continues to get even smarter, now with more than 20 exportable reports to help dispensaries understand all aspects of their business. 

California Department of Cannabis Control regulations require you to count your inventory at least monthly and to ensure you do not have a significant discrepancy in inventory. "A significant discrepancy in inventory means a difference in actual inventory compared to records pertaining to inventory of at least 3 percent of the average monthly sales of the licensee." (see § 5034. Significant Discrepancy in Inventory for more detail). This latest report calculates your acceptable threshold and shows how accurate your inventory is relative to that limit using discrepancy measurements at the product, option and package levels. Meadow's [cannabis compliance software](http://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-compliance "cannabis compliance software") is helps you keep track of your inventory to maintain compliance, reduce loss, and avoid an audit by the DCC.

![Inventory discrepancy report for cannabis dispensaries](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/604QYr7eEwg7okj1LXopJq/06f7fa7a0fd228b4d18a691f01c93fbc/OG_Image_Blog_Size__21_.png)

## Bonus: Add a Pass Through Excise Tax 
Want to show pre-tax pricing on your menu? For dispensaries that want to show the lowest prices, it's now easy to break out excise tax as a separate line, which gets added to the total at checkout.
![Excise tax pass through](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/4LOf0Sb7aMhbC26sOTMR6S/02e04dc8930b87b2c22d7ed75c92aebf/OG_Image_Blog_Size__22_.png)

## Plus: Hundreds of other quality of life upgrades, while maintaining [99.99% uptime](https://www.meadowstatus.com/ "Meadow Status")

There's a reason why we're the most loved dispensary POS system on [G2](https://www.g2.com/products/meadow-meadow/reviews "G2 Reviews"):

![Best dispensary POS software  ](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/2wKBfm8gflowUop0OJzuU9/14cad06325012ae3470499e52e3462da/Best_Dispensary_POS_software.png)

![Cannabis POS System Reviews](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/1PzqO049c6uJM4rlcKqtjb/bd16735de23f01f3b64de772a1e9a5d4/Cannabis_POS_System_Reviews.png)

We continue to pro-actively make Meadow's all-in-one POS system better, based on feedback from the 200 cannabis retail operators we support across California.

Book a call to learn more about Meadow by completing the short form below.

Learn more about the 7 biggest launches and most recent product upgrades in the last year

Smarter Cannabis Technology: What We Built for 2022

The fastest, most efficient [cannabis delivery software](http://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-delivery "Cannabis Delivery Software") is here!

Meadow's new Dynamic Delivery platform allows vehicles to operate as roaming mini-dispensaries with precise geofencing, automatic dispatching of drivers, customized menus, real-time inventory reporting, and geo-targeted SMS marketing for the fastest, most powerful cannabis delivery experience available. 

Dynamic Delivery allows vehicles to become independent inventory locations that roam within a geographic zone, taking orders as they are placed. With just a vehicle, a driver, and a few clicks, Meadow users can create a fully compliant, customized mobile dispensary anywhere in California.  

The value of this can't be overstated: this is a fully compliant, low-cost way to scale operations, expand margins, and provide fast delivery anywhere in California.

Here are five ways this new cannabis delivery system can help you save time and keep more cash in your pocket at the end of the day.

**1) Eliminate the Time, Cost, and Labor of Manual Dispatching** 

Dynamic delivery vehicles operate as independent inventory locations. with customized product offerings, online menus, and geo-targeted marketing campaigns to generate real-time demand. Vehicles can be automatically dispatched when orders in their zone are placed and fulfill those orders directly without having to travel back to a storefront or inventory hub. Once the item is purchased by the customer, a task is autogenerated in Onfleet and auto-assigned if there's a single driver in the region. This means less manual labor for your dispatcher, allowing that employee to focus on more revenue-generating or creative tasks. 

**2) Reach Underserved Customers & Expand Your Reach**

65% of California still does not yet have legal cannabis retail. A key component of Meadow’s Dynamic Delivery is customizable delivery zones that can be drawn to exact specifications — as large or as small as a retailer likes, meaning you can easily target the entire next county over or just a few key zip codes a bit further out than you would serve with a hub-and-spoke model.  Your drivers have increased ability to roam new regions with up to $5k of product ready to sell. This means you can promote your business in adjacent regions to your local customers, helping serve a wider segment with decentralized inventory, creating a larger customer base, more access and faster delivery to customers who may not be used to being able to order products to their homes.

![Cannabis delivery software zone mapping](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/1ioagGQa2Ax3n0E54EzuYP/6f1693d3dafc8d3da6a56193ce7a0425/Ice_Cream_Truck_Cannabis_Delivery_Software.png)

**3) Set Up Delivery to Serve Local Events with Onsite Sales**

It's now incredibly easy for retailers to partner with venues or brick-and-mortar businesses like hotels to set up kiosks with a menu and a dedicated delivery vehicle. Simply create a delivery zone that's one location only and set up a vehicle stocked with up to $5k of grab-and-go products. Add signage to your event encouraging guests to order online and head to a VIP delivery zone. This model would work anywhere from a Giant’s baseball stadium to Golden Gate Park during Outside Lands; simply draw a delivery zone and have a drop area. It's never been easier to have onsite cannabis sales, compliantly, at events across California — without the costs and red tape of using an events license.

**4) Create a Dedicated Delivery Vehicle for Brand Partners**

Retailers can now partner with a brand eager to capitalize on direct-to-consumer opportunities. This new structure unlocks new creative possibilities of how brands and dispensaries work together to reach customers in new ways. For instance, during the upcoming LA Marathon, a retailer could collaborate with Papa & Barkley to have a delivery vehicle full of Releaf Balm and other topicals readily available at the end of the race. For exposure, Papa & Barkley might consider hiring onsite masseuses giving out free infused massages with a flyer to order their own P&B products. The retailer benefits if the brand provides deeply discounted products (say $1/unit instead of $10), and/or they pay a $5,000 product sponsorship, and they’re also bringing new customers into their ecosystem who can be nurtured with loyalty offers and future special promos. 

**5) Send Targeted Text Campaigns to Customers In The Zip Code Your Car with Inventory is Roaming**

Meadow's CRM and SMS functionality allows you to send geo-targeted [cannabis marketing](https://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-marketing "cannabis marketing") campaigns to targeted segments of your customers. Have a delivery driver with lots of Kiva dark chocolate bars in San Francisco's SOMA neighborhood? Send customers in that delivery region a promo code for $5 off for that day only to help move that specific product.  

![cannabis marketing text messages](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/7F1bsXKYdmYbJOWuPoF06e/901c3a9440c7c74c85faa8a55eaee14a/cannabis_marketing_text_messages.png)

In short: Meadow's new delivery system has no limit to how fast you can deliver to customers or how much you can scale delivery operations. 

Dynamic Delivery builds on Meadow's full stack of [dispensary POS software](https://getmeadow.com/features/point-of-sale "dispensary POS software"), which brings sales, inventory, loyalty, analytics, delivery, eCommerce, CRM, marketing, and compliance under one roof.

The integrated system is a powerful example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, with an omnichannel sales ecosystem that goes beyond POS to help retailers identity and capitalize on opportunities for sales, retention, and growth. This is how retailers *really* compete. 

<sidebar padding="no">
__Next on the Blog__

[Omnichannel Sales: The Value of a Connected Dispensary POS for Growth
](https://getmeadow.com/blog/Omnichannel-Sales-The-Value-of-a-Connected-Dispensary-POS-for-Growth "Omnichannel Sales: The Value of a Connected Dispensary POS for Growth") 

  Modern cannabis customers expect the dispensary sales experience to be like any other retail industry — fast, easy, efficient, accessible everywhere. To fully capture every potential customer, dispensaries should offer a seamless customer experience, no matter where they're buying your products. </sidebar>

Dynamic Delivery launched as a freemium feature, with the cost of operating a single vehicle baked-in to Meadow’s cannabis retail system packages. There's never been a better time to launch a new delivery operation or upgrade your current SOPs to earn more revenue as a cannabis retailer. 

[Schedule a demo of Dynamic Delivery now](https://meetings.hubspot.com/ryanmeadow/meadow-software-demo)

Discover the benefits of this fully compliant, low-cost way to provide fast delivery anywhere in California

5 Ways to Boost Revenue with New Ice Cream Truck Dynamic Cannabis Delivery

We get it: taxes, regulatory costs, and other hurdles inherent to cannabis retail can make margins thin.

Where dispensaries really stretch margins and make concrete gains is with operational efficiencies and smart, compliant workflows. [California has a unique set of cannabis regulations](https://getmeadow.com/blog/why-california-dispensaries-need-a-california-specific-pos-for-compliant "California cannabis regulations"), and not all software is built with workflows to make it easy to meet all of California's unique state and local requirements. 

Here are 3 reasons why dispensaries that cobble together four or five different software services to power their dispensary operations (POS, delivery, loyalty program, text marketing, eCommerce, etc) are unfortunately __not__ running as an efficient cannabis retail operation as possible: 

### 1. Loss of Valuable Customer & Sales Data
If you require three or four different software subscriptions each month to run your dispensary marketing and sales, it's likely that a couple of the platforms don't work together, and data may be getting lost or corrupted as it moves from one system to another. Your dispensary data is extremely valuable to help you understand who your customers are, what they're buying, when and where, and if you can't easily find this information (and more importantly, trust the data), your business is operating below its true revenue potential. Further, you should be able to put that historic data to work to send targeted marketing to your customers with deals and offers tailored to their shopping patterns and preferences for the greatest ROI.

### 2. Missing Compliance Guardrails
Some cannabis POS systems have the proper guardrails in place to keep you 100% compliant in the state you operate in; others will let you oversell and go into negative inventory. In California, you are required to keep your inventory variance below 3%; if you are consistently reporting inaccurate data (or worse, not reporting data at all) you are putting your hard-earned license at risk by remaining out of compliance.

If you discover one of these [Metrc red flags](https://getmeadow.com/blog/3-metrc-red-flags-for-california-cannabis-retailers-to-watch-out-for "Metrc red flags"), it's likely you will then need to hire cannabis consultants and/or lawyers to clean up data inaccuracies and discrepancies. 

It's important to know which regulatory environment your POS system is built for. If a cannabis retail software system is designed to operate in many states and countries, it's likely a sign that the system doesn't work perfectly in any single location (at this stage in cannabis legalization, there are wildly different regulations in each legal market and most teams have not yet created region-specific compliance guardrails for every single requirement in that market).

### 3. Unnecessarily High Labor Costs
Hiring Metrc consultants to find and fix compliance errors can add up quickly, especially if your Metrc account has been out of compliance for prolonged periods of time. Often, when using multiple pieces of software to run your dispensary, your team will be expected to download CSVs from platform and reupload it into another one, which leads to more labor costs, repetitive data entry, and often, less satisfied employees. When you are deciding which software you will use for different parts of your dispensary operations, you want to evaluate what clunky workarounds may be required to pair various cannabis softwares together. 

---

__Meadow’s Connected Solution for Smarter Dispensary Management__

You could cobble together different software services, but hundreds of storefront dispensaries and delivery teams across California choose Meadow to manage their operations, grow their sales, and reduce their workload.

A fully connected cannabis POS system, designed specifically for California compliance, can truly __[save you thousands of dollars every year](https://getmeadow.com/pricing "save thousands of dollars every year")__ by:

1. Creating valuable sales and customer data
2. Funneling that data into targeted marketing campaigns from the same system
3. Helping you sleep at night knowing you're fully compliant
4. Reducing unnecessary labor costs
5. Letting your team focus their energy not on mundane data entry but on more satisfying & revenue-generating tasks

Learn more about Meadow's approach to connected [cannabis retail](https://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-retail "cannabis retail").

<figure>
  ![Martin Olive Vapor Room dispensary Meadow cannabis POS review](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/6tjWbsNfY7bMF1c6E2ciWt/16a5710b223fbc97a40333e38847182d/Martin_Olive_Vapor_Room_dispensary_Meadow_cannabis_POS_review.png)
<figcaption>Hear more about how Martin and his team at [Vapor Room](https://getmeadow.com/case-studies/vapor-room "Vapor Room") are getting real value from using a connected, all-in-one cannabis retail platform </figcaption>
</figure>


Read more to discover how your dispensary can save thousands every year in labor costs

3 Common Operational Inefficiencies at Cannabis Dispensaries

Read and listen to the full Meadowlands conversation with Director of the DCC, Nicole Elliott

Meadowlands 2021: Updates from the DCC with Director Nicole Elliott

Meadow's new cannabis delivery system is here!

<video-player url="https://vimeo.com/636642435/1a11aae713"></video-player>

Standard hub-and-spoke delivery requires trips back and forth between the inventory hub to pick up orders. Tried and true, but without a lot of flexibility or ability to scale. Dynamic Delivery (also called ice cream truck or trunk by trunk delivery) makes each vehicle its own inventory hub, with a designated service area and customized menu offerings. Now you can eliminate the back and forth trips for blazing-fast delivery, assign vehicles to customized zones, drawn to your exact specifications, and auto dispatch, so orders are automatically assigned to vehicles without human intervention.

As [TechCrunch reported](https://techcrunch.com/2021/11/16/meadow-launches-dynamic-delivery-to-bring-mobile-cannabis-dispensaries-to-california/), *Meadow’s new Dynamic Delivery helped Cannable cut delivery times from hours to 20 minutes. How? The delivery vehicle is stocked with pot available for purchase, and customers can order, through an app, directly from the car in their neighborhood. Think of it like an ice cream truck with a modern online ordering system. But, instead of serving gelato treats and Creamsicles, these mobile dispensaries are slinging eighths of Gelato and Creamsicle*.

Discover how this smart new [cannabis delivery software](https://getmeadow.com/blog/tags/cannabis-delivery "cannabis delivery software") can broaden your reach, scale your operations, and sell more cannabis to more customers.

<callout>[Book a Call to Learn More](#upgrade-now)</callout>

<sidebar padding="no" side="right">

Read More: 
[5 Ways to Boost Revenue with New Ice Cream Truck Dynamic Cannabis Delivery](https://getmeadow.com/blog/5-ways-to-boost-revenue-with-new-ice-cream-truck-dynamic-cannabis-delivery "5 Ways to Boost Revenue with New Ice Cream Truck Dynamic Cannabis Delivery")

Discover how to save time and keep more cash in your pocket with fast and efficient cannabis delivery.

</sidebar>

Discover how this smart new cannabis delivery software system can boost delivery times and expand revenue

Watch Now: The Fastest Cannabis Delivery Software System is Here

In this Q&A, Whitney Beatty shares her experience as the CEO of [Josephine & Billie's](https://josephineandbillies.com/ "Josephine & Billie's"), the first dispensary in the country to focus on women of color.

"The dispensary is named after Josephine Baker and Billie Holiday, two women of color who were persecuted for their cannabis consumption, and yet they used their art to fight against injsutice, they rejected the mainstream and they wrote their own rules all while holding the door open for other women who came after them, and for us, that is *Goals AF*," says CEO Whitney Beatty. "That's the ethos that we build ourselves after. We intend to provide plant medicine to the community at large but also to focus on education in everything that we do, from the signage on the walls to the way we talk to our customer base." 

Meadow commissioned this interview to hear [Whitney's story](https://www.heyartifact.com/creations/Zy5OD/) getting her new South Los Angeles dispensary up and running. Listen to the 10 minute interview or continue to read the transcript, below.

<callout>[Listen to the Interview with CEO Whitney Beatty
](https://www.heyartifact.com/creations/Zy5OD/ "Meadow Profiles: Josephine & Billie's")</callout>

__Meadow:__
Can you talk about some of the struggles or surprises in launching a business, getting it off the ground, what have you run into? 

__Whitney:__
What haven't I run into? The struggles and challenges are immense in launching a business in the cannabis space. From top to bottom, left to right, even more so when you're talking about launching a social equity business, which Josephine & Billie's is. We are a social equity licensee and we are woman of color-led. I am the social equity license holder for Josephine & Billie's. What we know for sure within the space is that money moves things within the cannabis space. What we know for sure is that access to capital is very difficult. It's one of the biggest barriers to entry out there. The ways to access capital within the cannabis industry is very limited. You don't have the ability to get a bank loan. The SBAs not going to give you a loan. You can't go to Bank of America and go 'can I get a loan for my cannabis business?' It's still federally illegal so you cannot do that. You're stuck in a position where you get money from angel investors and you get money from VCs. 

Angel investors tend to invest in people who look like them, remind them of themselves, and who are in their network. And when you're talking about people of color, they tend not to have people with high net worth within their network. It's just a simple numbers fact. Typical Black family has $5,000 dollars I think it was most recently of net worth; you just don't have those sort of people within your network. So now you're looking more at VC money; VCs are giving 2% of their dollars to women-led business and .0006% to businesses led by women of color. So there's that. And that's just data points. You can always argue with thoughts but it's very hard to argue with data, and the data shows it's very hard to start a business within the space when it's cash heavy. And everyone knows that licensed businesses are cash-heavy; to start a dispensary you are looking at $1 million or $2 to get off the ground. So you have a situation where you're saying, you need to be making less than X amount of money, and yet you need to start a business that requires Z amount of money. And you need the ability to make it from X to Z; that's why this is difficult.

__Meadow:__
What's it been like to deal with these challenges, push through them, and be able to put out this brand that resonates with people? What's been rewarding about your pursuit of this company?

![Whitney Beatty and Ebony Anderson cannabis dispensary partners of Josephine and Billie's ](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/68cdGFi1Zt9zeFbgiEGs6M/b2f153e9228cd9fda87f5d8800ce3d19/Josephine_and_Billie-s_Whitney_Beatty_and_Ebony_Anderson_cannabis_dispensary.png)

__Whitney:__
I think what's been most rewarding is the community at large. We built this company because we saw a need. Me and my partner, Ebony Anderson, as we came together, we built what we really wanted to see within the community. And as we started putting it together, to see the community come out to say 'We've been waiting for this, we've been hoping for this, we're cheering you guys on.' To see the community support has definitely encouraged us when times were hard, or money was scarce. When you continually, constantly running up against concrete walls, it becomes very hard when you're pushing a boulder up hill. I applied for this license back in 2019, so it's been definitely a long path and I've been obviously working on this prior to that application period. So the support of the community at large and the encouragement from women of color who have been waiting to be recognized within the space and have a home within the space, and to see their needs met within the space, has been incredibly encouraging and important to us.

<callout>"Meadow has been a great partner to work with thus far. They’ve been incredibly encouraging, supportive, they've been a flexible brand partner and I think they have shown that they have similar values to ours, which is incredibly important to a brand like Josephine & Billie’s." 
- Whitney Beatty, CEO, Josephine & Billie's </callout>

__Meadow:__
Can you dive into more what those values are and how you've been able to manifest them?

__Whitney:__
We value diversity and inclusion in the marketplace. We show that across the board in the way that we do business, in the way that we talk to our customer base, the way that we stock goods, and the businesses we choose to do business with. We see also Meadow’s commitment to supporting diversity and inclusion within the cannabis industry at large. 

__Meadow:__
What are you looking forward to in the coming months, years of your business once you've established your foundation? 

__Whitney:__
I'm excited about the growth of Josephine & Billie's nationwide. The Los Angeles store is our flagship and I'm super excited to get that off the ground and start building this community of women of color but I'm excited to see that grow, to be able to open additional locations, to see us franchise out and be able to grow that brand and to see this community really see that they have a home within the space.

__Meadow:__
Finally, taking into account your experiences in the industry, what would you like to say to those listening right now who are in the industry as well about your experiences?

__Whitney:__
My advice for other people within the industry, especially women of color who are interested in the space or interested in rolling brands within the space is even though it's not easy, I think that it's still worth doing. And I encourage them to come into the space. It's never going to be any smaller than it is today. The barriers of entry grow on a daily basis, but it is a worthwhile endeavor. There's opportunities abound and I encourage them to really look at how to transfer the skill sets they already have into this industry in a meaningful way. I have really learned so much from being able to transfer my background in the entertainment industry into the cannabis field and I encourage other people to be able to work in this space as well. Communities of color have been disproportionately disenfranchised by the war on drugs for years and it's important that we have inclusion within the space as it grows to be, you, know—it's slated to be a $70 billion dollar space. I want to see diversity within it. 

__Meadow:__
For those who want to support your company, what can they do right now?

__Whitney:__
If you like Josephine & Billie's and you want to learn more about what we're doing, please come check us out at [josephineandbillies.com](https://josephineandbillies.com/ "josephineandbillies.com"). You can follow us on Instagram at [@josephineandbillies](https://www.instagram.com/josephineandbillies/ "@josephineandbillies") and you can follow us on Twitter at [@billiesentme](https://twitter.com/billiesentme "@billiesentme") and you can always come and check us out at 1535 West Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. in beautiful South Los Angeles. 

Whitney shares her story of navigating the many hurdles of Los Angeles's social equity program to open her new dispensary

CEO Whitney Beatty on Launching Josephine & Billie's

Meadowlands returns to Camp Navarro this September 30th - October 3rd! View the full weekend agenda below and [grab your tickets](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meadowlands-2021-tickets-160611955683)!

The theme for this year's cannabis industry retreat is "Coming Up for AIR." AIR stands for Activation, Integration and Rejuvenation. We want to use this time to activate the community to share their gifts and knowledge and support, to integrate the lessons of the pandemic with quiet time to lay in hammock or just be together in the redwoods, and to fill up our internal wells and practice self care so we can keep building this industry, together. [Hear from former Meadowlands campers about this cannabis industry retreat.](https://www.instagram.com/p/CTf99teJcFV/)

California's [new emergency regulations are here](https://cannabis.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/Rulemaking-210908-Consolidation-ER-Finding-of-Emergency.pdf?utm_campaign=Meadowlands&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8aFIZL7inaH1U4olm50HF0prtwjoyqLIOWF951N8kbXfaZJPmzgKyReB7_hv1uzRDaC1Lv). Nicole Elliott, Director of the newly formed Department of Cannabis Control, will join us onstage at Meadowlands on Saturday, October 2 to answer questions from the community. We're seeking community input from industry professionals in the state of California to help us shape conversations with the DCC and local CA regulators. [Submit your feedback to the DCC to help anonymously inform our conversations onstage at Meadowlands.](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJvpUXyZLSCAwgXuBeajrPFIRsY46L004ss9QqXU9CKugT8w/viewform?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_4I_D5l9IEjytHGJ1DUZhcK1U9Lwt_w0w6bjtkquq0b4mbLcuQotJiT7B1temxkJCbSxpB)

<figure>
  <video-player url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nLVfZY9UV8="315"></video-player>
  <figcaption>Meadowlands returns to Camp Navarro this September 30th - October 3, 2021. Reserve your ticket now!
</figcaption>
</figure>

## Thursday, September 30
__LEADERSHIP SUMMIT BEGINS__

Special thanks to our Leadership Summit Sponsors: [Cookies](https://www.impact.cookies.co/), [Backbone](https://backboneiq.com/) and [HERBL](https://www.herbl.com/)

- 2-4pm: Arrivals & Camp Set Up
- 3:15-4:15pm: Samba Yoga with [Eliza Maroney, The Cannabis Yogi](https://www.instagram.com/thecannabisyogi/?hl=en "Eliza Maroney, The Cannabis Yogi")
- 4:20 - 5:50pm: __Keynote: Resiliency Through Integrity and Belonging: Bold Leadership in a Changing Industry with Mazin Jamal, [Holistic Underground](https://www.holisticunderground.org/about)__
- 6-7:15pm: Housekeeping & Dinner
- 7:15-8:45pm: __[The Dabbies Awards](https://getmeadow.com/blog/the-dabbies-awards-presented-by-the-hood-incubator) with The Hood Incubator__
- 8:45 - 10pm: Fireside music with [DJ One Lovell](https://www.twitch.tv/djOnelovell)
- 9pm: Late Night Munchies 
                                                                                                                                                      ![Meado](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/DlMkSKlzrS6QfeW3ANMzy/12804d9af5aef3b5439e56e6aa0b3e5b/Mellows_smores_bar_bonfire_Meadowlands_cannabis_camp.png)

## Friday, October 1

- 8 - 9am: Breakfast
- 9-10:30am: __Keynote: Your Energy Is Expensive: How To Take Back Your Power Through Peace and Plant Medicine with Psychotherapist and Entrepreneur, [Bea Arthur](https://www.beaarthurtherapy.com/)__
- 10:30-11:30am: Breathwork with [Aria Diana](https://www.ariadiana.com/)
- 11:30-12:30pm: __Taking the Helm: Leadership in California Cannabis__
  - Crystal Millican, VP of Retail, [Cookies](https://www.impact.cookies.co/)
  - Marie Montmarquet, Co-Founder, [MD Numbers, Inc.](https://www.mdnumbersinc.com/)
  - Peter Huson, COO, [Backbone](https://backboneiq.com/)
  - Bobby Turner, COO, [HERBL](https://www.herbl.com)
  - Moderated by Ricardo Baca, CEO & Co-Founder, [Grasslands](https://mygrasslands.com/)
- 12:30 - 1:30pm: Lunch
- 1:45-3pm: 1x1 Networking
- 3-4pm: Bend & Blaze with [The Cannabis Yogi](https://www.instagram.com/thecannabisyogi/?hl=en) or Afternoon Hike led by Camp Navarro team
- 3:30-5:30: Massages on the main lawn
                                                                                                                                                      ![Meadowlands cannabis event panel](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/7qpL04XHRFYm4sn9zTV6AU/9f72a957e257483dbc0d00b6d962724e/OG_Image_Blog_Size__5_.png)

**GENERAL ADMISSION BEGINS**

- 4-6pm: Happy Hour with Sponsors, [Cannaisseur Series](https://cannaisseurseries.com/) and music by [DJ Smokes](https://soundcloud.com/smokesxs)
- 6- 7:30pm: Dinner
- 7-8pm: Opening Ceremonies & [Frenchy Cannoli](https://www.instagram.com/frenchycannoli/?hl=en) Tribute
- 8-10pm: [Mellows](https://getmellows.com/) & [Kiva Dark Chocolate](https://www.kivaconfections.com/flavor/cbd-51-dark-chocolate) S’mores Bar
- 8-9pm: __Dispensary Trends & Tastemakers: Live Product Tasting__
  - Michelle Mendoza, Head Buyer, [Sweet Flower](https://sweetflower.com/)
  - Reese Benton, CEO, [Posh Green](https://www.poshgreencollective.com/)
  - Joshua Eisenberg, COO, [Pineapple Express](https://pineappleexpress.com/)
  - Deanna Garcia, CFO, [Napa Cannabis Collective](https://www.napacannabiscollective.com/?)
  - Moderated by Ryan Bush, Head of Partnerships, [Meadow](https://getmeadow.com/)
- 9-10:30: Fireside Music with [DJ Charles Hawthorne](https://soundcloud.com/charles-hawthorne-4)
- 9:30-10:30pm: Stargazing Night Hike presented by [Mistifi](https://mistifi.com/)
- 9-11pm: Late Night Munchies: Woodfired Pizzas with [Chef Swoop](https://www.instagram.com/chef_swoop/?hl=en) and team [Potli](https://www.potlishop.com/) with fresh produce from [Sonoma Hills Farm](https://sonomahillsfarm.com/)
- 11am-1am: Silent Disco with [GlittrCat](https://glittrcat.com/)
- 10pm - 2am: Zendope: A Safe Supportive Space to Ride Out Your Journey with support from:
  - Mary Sanders, LCSW Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist & Founding Board Member [People of Color Psychedelic Collective](https://www.pocpsychedelics.com/)
  - [Mona Kim](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mona-kim-1a05278/), Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner & Ketamine Clinician, Mindbloom & Kaiser Permanente

![Ganja Yoga with Dee Dussault at Meadowlands](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/3PEPznCyEK0kYWOaz2o7qE/a0259a7b85d8f35fff551111f23b40a4/Ganja_Yoga_with_Dee_Dussault_at_Meadowlands.png)                                                                      

## Saturday, October 2 

- 8 - 9am: Breakfast

- 8:15-9am: Ganja Yoga with [Yazmin McCamey](https://baamyoga.com/)

- 9-10am:__ The State of Regulations__

  - Cat Packer, Executive Director, [Department of Cannabis Regulations, Los Angeles](https://cannabis.lacity.org/about/department-cannabis-regulation/about-us)
  - Marisa Rodriguez, [Director of the Office of Cannabis, San Francisco](https://officeofcannabis.sfgov.org/about)
  - Greg Minor, [Assistant to the City Administrator, Oakland](https://www.oaklandca.gov/staff/gregory-minor)
  - Moderated by Max Esdale, Head of Compliance, [Meadow](https://getmeadow.com/)

- 10-10:45am: __Updates from the Department of Cannabis Control__
  - Nicole Elliott, Director, [California Department of Cannabis Control](https://cannabis.ca.gov/about-us/about-dcc/) in conversation with David Hua, [CEO of Meadow](https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhua). [Submit your feedback to the DCC to help inform this conversation!](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJvpUXyZLSCAwgXuBeajrPFIRsY46L004ss9QqXU9CKugT8w/viewform?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_4I_D5l9IEjytHGJ1DUZhcK1U9Lwt_w0w6bjtkquq0b4mbLcuQotJiT7B1temxkJCbSxpB)

- 10:45am - 11:45am: __Access, Allyship and the State of Social Equity in California__
  - Whitney Beatty, Founder and CEO, [Josephine & Billie's](https://josephineandbillies.com/)
  - [Amber Senter](https://amberesenter.com/), CEO, Breeze Distro & Co-Founder, [Supernova Women](https://www.supernovawomen.com/)
  - Brandon Bolton, Board Member, [United Core Alliance](https://united-core.org/)
  - Ramon Garcia, President, [Original Equity Group](https://www.instagram.com/equitysessions/?hl=en)
  - Edgar Cruz, Founder, [Long Beach Cannabis Commerce Council](https://www.lbcannabiscommerce.org/)
  - Moderated by Wally Wong, Head of Equity Programming, [Meadow](https://getmeadow.com/)

- 11:55am - 12:30pm:  __The Unconference:__ Bring your solutions, stories & insight in these short, impromptu community sharing sessions
- 12:30 - Group Photo
- 12:30 - 1:30pm Lunch
- 1 - 5pm: Choose Your Own Adventure
    - Archery
    - Maximize Retail Margins: The Workshop with Meadow and [Onfleet](https://onfleet.com/)
    - Big Ideas & Strategy Session with the new [Department of Cannabis Control](https://cannabis.ca.gov/)
    - Set & Setting & Crafting:  Paint your own Intentional Magic Mushroom with [Clark Howell LLP ](https://clarkhowell.com/)
    - Chakra Meditation with Swami Chaitanya, Founder, [Swami Select](https://swamiselect.com/)
    - Sharing Circle with Kimberly Hooks, [Frenchy Cannoli Brand](https://frenchycannoli.com/) & Nikki Lastreto, [Swami Select](https://swamiselect.com/founders/)
    - SB-34 Compassion Workshop with [Dear Cannabis](https://www.dearcannabis.org/), [Green Wings Compassion](https://greenwingscompassion.org/) & [Sweetleaf Collective](https://www.sweetleafcollective.org/)
    - Massages with [Purple Raina CBD balm wands](https://www.purpleraina.com/hemp-cbd-products)
    - Ancestors and Plant-cestors: BIPOC-Centered Healing Ritual with [Mazin Jamal](https://www.mazinjamal.com/about)
    - Feather Cleansing & Reiki with June Johnson, [Collective High](https://collective-high.com/)
    - Transcendental Movement & Sound Bath with [Eliza Maroney](https://www.instagram.com/thecannabisyogi/?hl=en)

    ![Meadowlands Cannabis Summer Camp](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/7dZU8Rne6L4UZ7riQBqM4U/b76c07ae904f6aed9801e2b3f6f3dbd0/Meadowlands_Cannabis_Summer_Camp.png)

- 5-7pm: Happy Hour Tables & Music by [DJ Chatoyance](https://www.instagram.com/trippytoya/?hl=en)
- 5-7pm: Massages on the main lawn
- 5-6pm: Ganja Yoga with [Yazmin McCamey](https://baamyoga.com/)
- 6-7:30pm: Dinner
- 7:45-8:45pm: __Altering Perceptions: Psychedelics & The Future of Plant Medicine__
   - Charles Hawthorne, [Capacity Building Coordinator at Harm Reduction Coalition](https://americanhealth.jhu.edu/people/charles-hawthorne)
   - [Mona Kim](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mona-kim-1a05278/), Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner & Ketamine Clinician, Mindbloom & Kaiser Permanente
   - Omar Figueroa, Founder and Principal, [Law Offices of Omar Figueroa](https://www.omarfigueroa.com/)
   - Jennifer Pisansky, Chief Operating Officer, [Journey Colab](https://www.journeycolab.com/team)
   - Moderated by Mary Sanders, LCSW Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist & Founding Board Member [People of Color Psychedelic Collective](https://www.pocpsychedelics.com/)

- 8-10pm: [Mellows](https://getmellows.com/) & [Kiva Dark Chocolate](https://www.kivaconfections.com/flavor/cbd-51-dark-chocolate) S’mores Bar
- 8:45 - 10:30pm: Fireside Music with [Glittrcat](https://soundcloud.com/glittrcat)
- 9:30-10:30pm: Stargazing Night Hike presented by [Mistifi](https://mistifi.com/)
- 10pm: Late Night Munchies: Sushi Service with [Jetty Sushi](https://www.instagram.com/jettysushi/?hl=en)
- 11pm - 2am: Main Lawn Silent Disco Dance Party with [DJ Still Rob G](https://soundcloud.com/robgrega)
- 10pm - 2am: Zendope: A Safe Supportive Space to Ride Out Your Journey with support from:
  - Mary Sanders, LCSW Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist & Founding Board Member [People of Color Psychedelic Collective](https://www.pocpsychedelics.com/)
  - [Mona Kim](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mona-kim-1a05278/), Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner & Ketamine Clinician, Mindbloom & Kaiser Permanente

![Cannabis industry workshops](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/6FBuzJjRcsZrklL3hoaikb/ed129d4cc1fe411f764311f34f8d58ed/Cannabis_industry_workshops.png)

## Sunday, October 3                                                             

- 8:45 - 10:00: Wake 'n Bake DJ Set with [Zack Darling](https://soundcloud.com/zack-darling) 

- 8:45 - 9:45am: Ganja Yoga with [Yazmin McCamey](https://baamyoga.com/)

- 9 - 11 am: Wake ‘n Bake Brunch

- 10:30-11:30am: __Protecting Craft Cannabis & Regenerative Supply Chain Solutions__

  - Paul Roethle, Founder and CEO, [Chemistry](https://www.trychemistry.com/)

  - Tina Gordon, Founder, Owner & Executive Farm Boss, [Moon Made Farms](https://www.moonmadefarms.com/)

  - Casey O'Neill, Founder, [HappyDay Farms](https://www.instagram.com/happydayfarms/?hl=en)

  - Julia Jacobson, CEO, [Aster Farms](https://www.asterfarms.com/)

  - Moderated by Jimi Devine, Journalist, [LA Weekly](https://www.laweekly.com/author/jdevine/)

- 11:30am-12:30pm: __Follow the Money: Financing, Fundraising and M&A in Cannabis__

  - Helene Servillon, Founding Partner, [Journey One Ventures](https://www.journeyone.vc/)

  - Matthew Nordgren, Founder and CEO, [Arcadian Capital](https://www.arcadiancap.com/)

  - Meital Manzuri, Managing Partner, [Manzuri Law](https://manzurilaw.com/)

  - Moderated by Christopher J. Davis, Executive Director, [International Cannabis Bar Association](https://canbar.org/)

- 12:30 - 1pm: Closing Ceremonies

- 1-2pm: Departures & Goodbyes

<callout>[Tickets On Sale Now Through September 15th!](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meadowlands-2021-tickets-160611955683)</callout>

![Meadowlands cannabis NorCal](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/3xqI2ZiTD3agRYpS1YXAui/065d052d26f44f5715620549721a5c44/Meadowlands_cannabis.png)

![Meadowlands Cannabis Event Sponsors](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/7FfEbjJA5dKNTAk7oWPSYh/dc0338a749e89e6f99dc1c53a7ed6143/Meadowlands_Cannabis_Event_Sponsors.png)

![Leadership Sponsors](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/4HHs2XtxC8wslJTmxGvsbS/fe6e9aafa4c2797eedf1c1c0e7234ead/1.png)

![Big Happy Hour Sponsors (3)](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/1P0SLFDJicoNn3jatRoE8E/7e66ce2d10f18222cae77ca7578461a1/Big_Happy_Hour_Sponsors__3_.png)

![Meadowlands Sponsors](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/IgUvmnfYXgz1LLF0olYpK/389a5b83ccf72916d2efa66145eb005d/4.png)

![Meadowlands Entertainment Sponsors ](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/2mikagYYRpRSjfn863g4Ke/5da0b48fdf15aae2e63cef110f594601/Meadowlands_Sponsors__10_.png)

![Meadowlands Wellness Village](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/3iLASvMN26fWItiPhWDsfY/792f7b5a2e35e89e66fca64b0f357de9/Meadowlands_Wellness_Village.png)

![Meadowlands Green Goddess Village Sponsors](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/6hH29dKRMr42QyrPj2fnuh/7eed48dc7fa73bdd6cbc999251eec3ac/7.png)

![Hospitality Sponsors](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/3D4nYOPJ0Gj3wvV9uUQrk1/caa95c9bdd602017becdb42403fb900c/8.png)

![Meadowlands Digtital Sponsors](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/2inWiU9n50eUT7YAMCimuN/31fc8bcc437c9d34286c95b3247f1aa0/Meadowlands_Digtital_Sponsors.png)

![Community Partners](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/35raC9CLaqkw1viAkneIqS/a48b4b3e1ce549aac3d1ade0341d9e6b/10.png)

![Workshop Partners](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/66glsiwhSQ7uFMkpPeYXck/4d9f117aa90b10bbe4b123f6d5cc95b3/11.png)

![Equity Fund Sponsors](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/5yYYe8z07gdPZBpBvwIhJZ/3fce8362b330786ce50da157da2afe58/12.png)                           

See the full agenda for the 2021 cannabis industry retreat at Camp Navarro

Meadowlands Returns: Join Us for Our 2021 Cannabis Industry Retreat

The Dabbies Awards, presented by [The Hood Incubator](https://www.hoodincubator.org/ "The Hood Incubator"), are designed to recognize companies in the cannabis industry who have made sustained effort to support and champion social equity. 

These industry awards will be given out onstage at Camp Navarro on Friday, October 1, 2021, during the [Meadowlands](https://getmeadow.com/meadowlands "Meadowlands") Leadership Summit.

<callout>[View the shortlist and help us select the winners; submit your vote now!](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-vX42OCzVV4oPWnaZ-bwwSgVtYIc6IQbPCOOsXwtk5r1dDg/viewform "Submit your vote now")</callout>

In 2019, The Hood Incubator presented the original Dabbies Award to advertising veteran, Daniel Stein, Founder of Evolution Bureau and CEO of Essential Good. From 2016-2019, Stein provided a free community space in Oakland for women, veterans, seniors and equity groups to gather. 

<figure>
![Daniel Stein The Dabbies Award from Hood Incubator](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/1Wl94PsExsSV9yu2MH47Hx/e77d87acbec60e3f7be9b5d4fbe59976/Daniel_Stein_The_Dabbies_Award_from_Hood_Incubator.png)
<figcaption>Daniel Stein receives the first ever Dabbies Award from Melodye Montgomery.</figcaption>
</figure>

The 2021 version of The Dabbies Awards have expanded to multiple categories with the aim of celebrating the social impact and advocacy work of the wider cannabis industry. The shortlist is created with data from [The Accountability List from Cannaclusive](https://www.cannaclusive.com/news/2020/6/25/our-open-letter-to-the-cannabis-and-hemp-community "The Accountability List from Cannaclusive") and the cannabis industry is invited to [submit their vote](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-vX42OCzVV4oPWnaZ-bwwSgVtYIc6IQbPCOOsXwtk5r1dDg/viewform "submit their vote") to help choose the winners in each category.

View the shortlist of awards and submit your vote!

The Dabbies Awards, presented by The Hood Incubator

Rusty Wilenkin is the CEO of [Old Pal](https://oldpal.com/ "Old Pal").  In this Q&A, Rusty shares about his long journey with cannabis, creating a team and company around this plant, and the importance of building an inclusive community within this industry. 

__What brought you to the cannabis industry?__

I had a job with a financial tech company when I moved to California in 2013, but I knew I wanted to be in the cannabis industry. I'd been a consumer for a long time, and was beyond passionate about the product. I spent a number of nights and weekends emailing and messaging cannabis companies, and actually worked as an intern for Meadow in the very early days. In 2014 I had the opportunity to join Kiva Sales and Service as a Los Angeles rep, and jumped at the opportunity.

__How has cannabis served you?__

It’s not an overstatement to say that cannabis has changed my entire life. As a consumer it’s allowed me to find a sense of calm when life gets stressful, and it’s allowed me to think both critically and creatively in a much deeper way. It’s also given me the opportunity of a lifetime to become an entrepreneur, and to help provide quality, accessible cannabis to the many that rely on it. I’m forever grateful to this special plant. 

![Old Pal cannabis flower](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/4z4fwABW1vBAl6F3R5XYuF/ce301a1e09a3b54a5c77313dbb88ce6d/Old_Pal_cannabis_flower.png)

__In what ways have you served the cannabis plant?__

Getting involved with programs such as [Our Academy](https://thisisourdream.com/our-academy/ "Our Academy") has given me the opportunity to mentor social equity candidates, and to give back, even in a small way, to the industry that’s given me so much. We in this industry all have a very long way to go in terms of working to undo the effects of the War on Drugs, and it’s a goal of mine to continue to find ways to serve the cannabis plant as well as the many communities it touches. 

__What is the reason your company or organization exists? Please brag about what you do:__

Old Pal was inspired by a void that we felt existed in the industry. Many of the early brands in the recreational market often felt intimidating, sterile and out of reach for many consumers. Old Pal set out to be approachable, accessible, and a purveyor of value in everything we make and do –– and to us, value means the highest quality products, at fair price points. 

__What is your philosophy about building companies, teams and partnerships in this new industry?__

I really believe in authenticity, and in working alongside great people who share Old Pal’s values and beliefs. We’re extremely thorough and thoughtful whenever we’re vetting new partners across all facets of the business, and that diligence continues to pay off time and time again.  If you surround yourself with talented people who are enjoyable to work with, you’re off to a great start already. 

__What advice do you have to new or aspiring companies who are just starting out in California cannabis?__

Not to get discouraged; the industry has really exploded in terms of the number of brands and products that are in-market currently, but my advice would be to stay true to what makes your brand, product, etc. unique, and to stick with it. It’s such an exciting space to be in, and there’s room for everyone. 

To add to that, I would say don’t be afraid to reach out to contacts you have that are involved in cannabis. The cannabis industry is truly such a community, and I think you’ll find more often than not that most are always willing to have a conversation, offer advice, and point people in the right direction.

<callout>"Don’t be afraid to reach out to contacts you have that are involved in cannabis. The cannabis industry is truly such a community, and I think you’ll find more often than not that most are always willing to have a conversation, offer advice, and point people in the right direction." - Rusty Wilenkin</callout>

__What do you hope the California cannabis industry looks like in 5 years? 10 years? 20?__

I really hope that over the next few years, the cannabis industry as a whole evolves to operate more like traditional CPG companies. We run into so many hurdles with things like the technology and software we can use, shipping regulations, and licensing. If all of those hurdles could be reduced, and we can operate like other CPG brands, it will do wonders for normalizing cannabis usage and making products more accessible for all. 

__How do you stay energized and keep your team energized?__

Our team really keeps me energized. I feel very lucky to be surrounded by a group that’s as passionate about what we're building as I am, and the variety of different backgrounds, perspectives, and skill sets helps us to continue to innovate and evolve as we grow. In terms of keeping the entire team energized, we very much prioritize a culture of balance. We’re all incredibly dedicated to the work that we’re doing, but at the end of the day, we respect that each of us needs time away from work as well to be able to take care of our own well being. I hope my team would agree that creating this type of culture that puts each of us as a human with a life outside of Old Pal first gives us the space to come to work feeling energized and stoked to be there. 

__What are good examples of poor leadership and great examples of great leadership?__

In my experience, great leadership is shown by those who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty and learn the ins and outs of all segments of the business, and by those who are solution-oriented above all else. I think we’ve all been in top-down work environments where leaders are out of touch with the realities of the business, which can result in a lot of finger-pointing when things don’t go as planned. At Old Pal we’re conscious of always using “we” language when we’re talking about the business - we’re all working together and towards the same goal, and I want the entire team to support one another and prioritize solutions versus shifting blame when challenges arise. 

<callout>"Great leadership is shown by those who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty and learn the ins and outs of all segments of the business, and by those who are solution-oriented above all else." -Rusty Wilenkin </callout>

__What can the cannabis industry learn from other industries?__

Honestly, I think other industries could benefit from learning how to be more adaptable like the cannabis industry. No matter how big or small a cannabis company is, everyone in the cannabis space has learned to adapt with countless curveballs week after week due to everchanging laws and regulations. We’ve all had to swerve at the drop of a hat and have considered it a norm to keep doing so. It’s no small feat to be a part of this world. 

__What is the highest vision for your cannabis business? What do you hope to achieve and contribute?__

The highest vision is to continue to bring a valuable experience to all of our customers, to continue to foster a sense of community through everything that we make and do and grow that community nationwide (and eventually globally). The ethos of Old Pal is to provide quality products that are accessible to as many as possible, all while prioritizing giving back to the communities that we’re a part of. 

__How do you think about building businesses in a way that is both equitable and profitable?__

It’s important for us to give back to the community that we’re lucky to be a part of. We’re continuing to learn what being equitable means in the cannabis industry and finding ways to make equity a core aspect of our business. What’s important for us is to keep going — intention without any action won’t make anything better. We’re certainly learning as we go, and we’re grateful to be in touch with experts like Cannabis for Black Lives and Our Academy to name a few who we can learn from and partner with in our efforts to create lasting, equitable change.

__We know the rollout of state social equity programs has left a lot to be desired; how do you think about social equity when it comes to your own businesses? Do you have diversity and inclusion statements that shape the way you grow your own operations?__

It's an incredibly important part of what we do at Old Pal. In 2019 we rolled out an initiative called [Legalize Humanity](https://oldpalprovisions.com/pages/legalize-humanity "Legalize Humanity") as a way to continuously be giving back to causes that align with our core values, with profits from our Old Pal Provisions Legalize Humanity collection being donated to organizations such as National Expungement Week, and our current beneficiary, Our Academy. Our goal is for the program to only continue to grow from here. 

Over the past year we’ve also instituted a dedicated team to head up our Corporate Social Responsibility efforts, and now have a mandatory yearly DEI training along with a Diversity and Inclusion statement in our employee handbook. We at Old Pal are committed to continuing to learn and grow, and our entire team is passionate about making this a more equitable industry overall.

![Old Pal joint](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/7HSUmI58cQOPX0aXJEDaRU/c776098bc20d14bcaf009d2d80721b1c/Old_Pal_joint.png)

__As your business evolves, what is your philosophy about team building? What do you look for when adding team members?__

Old Pal is all about the social and shareable aspect of cannabis, and we bring that same philosophy to our team culture. We encourage everyone’s voices to be heard and think it’s important for people who don’t ordinarily work with each other to interact and mingle. 

Beyond virtual happy hours during Covid, we’ve also started something called “Old Pal University” where team members present and teach the rest of us more about their expertise or a topic they are passionate about. We’ve had sessions on terpenes, product development, marketing, and even building efficient spreadsheets — which ended up being a super fun session. Even when we can safely meet in person again, we’ll probably still keep the Old Pal University sessions going. 

As for adding new team members, it’s important for us to learn about their “why” for wanting to be a part of the cannabis industry. Everyone on the team has their own relationship with this space, and we want to learn more about that as we get to know them.

__When you are faced with a challenge, walk us through how you problem solve and make decisions.__

I’ve always been of the belief that challenges are better faced together versus alone. When challenges arise for Old Pal, I’m lucky that I have my co-founder Jason Osni and a strong leadership team  to turn to. We share the same values and similar ways of thinking, but also bring different strengths and skill sets to the table. This allows us to attack the challenge, and to delegate accordingly. Knowing that I have such a strong team behind me every step of the way gives me the confidence to face whatever challenges may pop up. 

__Where do you see other businesses faltering and how do you avoid missteps?__

Again, I think it comes back to authenticity. The cannabis space has filled up very quickly, and anytime you see that type of rapid growth it can evolve into a mad rush to be releasing the next big thing. Of course innovation is hugely important, but I’m also a big believer in staying true to the vision that you have for what you’re creating. If there’s a unique perspective and passion behind a particular brand or product, that always shines through in the end. 

Again, this brings me back to the enormous emphasis that we put on team, and on a “we” attitude above all else. As a founder it can be easy to forget that, but ultimately, from my perspective, you are only as successful as the team around you. 

<callout>"You are only as successful as the team around you." - Rusty Wilenkin</callout>

__What is the best investment you've made — resources, time or money, you've made in the last year?__

My best investment this past year has definitely been one of time. I keep coming back to the work I’ve been fortunate to do with Our Academy, and time spent with my most recent mentee, Charles. Being able to help him with his cultivation business with my network has been unbelievably fulfilling. There’s no better investment than having the chance to step outside of your own day-to-day to gain a broader perspective of the industry landscape as a whole, and to help elevate other entrepreneurs along the way. 

__What's the most effective habit you've cultivated in the last year?__

I can’t say that it’s an entirely new habit, but shifting to taking several of my calls throughout the day while walking and/or outside has become a really effective habit for me. I’m on the phone the majority of my days and nights, so shifting gears by stepping outside or walking as I talk allows me to think clearer, and to give my eyes (and brain) a break from so much screen time and take in some vitamin D and sights of nature. Not to mention, my daily step counts have gone through the roof!

__What's your morning routine?__

I’d have to say my two morning constants are a walk with my dog, Stubbs, and an espresso. This combo allows me to take a beat first thing before diving into the day’s responsibilities, and gives me the mental clarity and energy needed to jump into whatever the day has in store. 

__What 3 books do you most recommend & why?__

*Ashes to Ashes* by Richard Kluger. While the cannabis industry is uniquely its own and not big tobacco, I find that understanding that industry's history is interesting when looking at how ours may evolve.

Anything by Harlan Coben. For turning off and just reading a thrilling novel.

*Blink* by Malcolm Gladwell. A must-read for all business leaders in my opinion, especially the way he describes "thin-slicing", our ability to use limited info from a very narrow period of experience to come to conclusions. It's a concept I find myself coming back to again and again. 

![Old Pal cannabis](//images.contentful.com/6kwu1u6s8j23/1ltOrboQwuPCtfeAnCEUG7/0ca1cbe234c106efcb086c2c0ff08630/Old_Pal_cannabis.png)

__What are your 3 favorite cannabis products right now?__

1. If I’m on the go I love our newest pre-roll product, [Palitos](https://oldpal.com/flower/palitos "Palitos"). Each pack comes with 10 delicious 0.35 gram mini joints, perfectly sized to keep in your pocket or share with a pal. The ultimate in convenience.  
2. Our [classic 1/8 ounce of whole flower](https://oldpal.com/flower/whole-flower "whole flower") will always hold a special place in my heart and on my rolling tray -- our first Old Pal product!
3. If I’m having more of a sweet tooth, Kiva’s munchie bar is a really unique product. Chocolate with chips, pretzels, and cookies in it, it’s quite the stoner treat. 

__If you had one story you could tell in cannabis, what would it be?__

The thing a lot of folks outside of the industry may not realize or fully appreciate is how much of an authentic, tight-knit community exists within cannabis. Two years ago, when Santa Rosa was experiencing particularly horrific fires, one of my good friends was stuck on his farm, filling generators with gas, unwilling to leave because he didn't want his fresh frozen to thaw. I sent out a group text to a handful of contacts in the space, and within hours we had a refrigerated truck at his property loading up his fresh frozen to get him and his product out of harm’s way. In the end the community stepping up got my friend out of the way of the fire, and kept his livelihood safe. To me, this is so reflective of the cannabis community as a whole. 

Learn more about Rusty and his team at [OldPal.com](https://oldpal.com/ "OldPal.com")

Read more about Rusty's journey building the Old Pal company

Serving Cannabis: Q&A with Old Pal CEO, Rusty Wilenkin

President and Co-Founder of Mission Green, Weldon Angelos, is a music producer who has worked with legends like Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur’s recording group, and Tory Lanez.

In 2004, Weldon became the national face of criminal justice reform after he was sentenced to a mandatory 55-year prison term for roughly $9 000 worth of cannabis. His cause was championed by Senators Cory Booker & Mike Lee, celebrities, leading news organizations like the Washington Post & Rolling Stone magazine, and even the Koch brothers, which led to an early release in 2016 after serving 13 years of his 55-year sentence.

Since his release, Weldon has become a leading activist working to end the cannabis prohibition and reform our federal criminal justice system. We asked him some questions to understand what he's working on and how the cannabis industry can help.

![Weldon Angelos of Mission Green and The Weldon Project](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/66c2vvEx1PwTS4c16qwWaC/9d861aeada4369ef0f0d8ddc44302826/Weldon_Angelos_cannabis_incarceration_clemency_initiative_Mission_Green.png)

__Can you tell us about The Weldon Project & Mission Green? What is your mission and how does it come to life to make change?__

The Weldon Project (“TWP”) is a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of currently or formerly incarcerated drug offenders who were sentenced to prison for nonviolent drug offenses. TWP has adopted a multifaceted approach to addressing the injustices and disparities in sentencing for drug offenses and the collateral consequences of drug-related arrests and convictions. TWP redresses these injustices and disparities through policy reform, legislative advocacy, and impactful direct service programs designed both to secure release of nonviolent drug offenders from incarceration and to assist those coming out of incarceration in rebuilding their lives through reentry programs and anti-recidivism efforts.

The Weldon Project works to bring together leaders impacted by the criminal justice system and unlikely allies from both political parties to push for criminal justice solutions. TWP works directly with lawmakers, advocacy groups, incarcerated individuals, and the White House on a broad range of criminal justice issues. Notably, TWP helped pass the historic, bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation called the First Step Act which was signed into law in December 2018.

The Weldon Project launched the MISSION [GREEN] initiative to focus on individuals incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses in the federal criminal justice system. The Mission Green campaign is led by socially conscious people who have been impacted by the justice system and have lived through the issues these advocacy organizations are working to address. The people most harmed by the criminal justice system are uniquely qualified to create and champion the solutions that will begin to transform it. Mission Green assists prisoners with clemency and compassionate release petitions and advocates on their behalf throughout the process. As these offenders are released, Mission Green works to create pathways to expungement or pardons and assists them in finding second chance jobs to ensure they have the resources they need to succeed in the free world.

<callout>"Not everyone in prison has famous friends or political figures fighting for them, so I knew that I needed to be their voice."</callout>

__Can you share some of your personal journey with cannabis and incarceration?__

My first experience with cannabis happened in the early 90s when Dr. Dre’s The Chronic came out followed by Doggystyle, which led me to experiment with the plant for the first time at the age of 13 and opened up my creative side. It led me to my journey in the music industry where I would eventually work with those I grew up listening to. My involvement with hip hop music and cannabis would both lead to my ultimate incarceration. I was eventually targeted by authorities in Salt Lake City, Utah because of my efforts to bring the hip hop culture to my hometown. I was eventually charged with 105 years worth of mandatory minimums for roughly $900 of cannabis and after trial sentenced to a mandatory 55-year sentence. I spent 13 years in prison before I was released thanks to an unprecedented effort to secure my release by Senators Mike Lee and Cory Booker, musicians like Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt, and Snoop Dogg, and news agencies like the Washington Post.   

__After being released from prison, why did you make it your mission to help others avoid what you went through?__

I was the lucky one. Not everyone in prison has famous friends or political figures fighting for them, so I knew that I needed to be their voice. I was given a unique platform and network that I couldn’t just waste those resources. So, when I was released I had to make a decision. Did I want to get back in music and try to get my life back, or use my experience and contacts to help make change and bring others home. I chose the latter. 

![Weldon Angelos, Mission Green, The Weldon Project](//images.ctfassets.net/6kwu1u6s8j23/7puIJ3wJj7kdvgLUW4drzP/61a0df4a4f5776b2ccb8fba02fb1667c/Weldon_Angelos.png)

__Can you share some highlights & wins of the good work you’ve been doing?__

Shortly after I was released from prison, I was invited to the White House Prison Reform Summit to push for the First Step Act with Van Jones and the Kochs. I immediately began working with Senators Mike Lee and Cory Booker who both used my story to convince other members of Congress to vote in favor of the First Step Act, which was the first comprehensive federal criminal justice reform since 1970. It was a hard fight but in December 2018, we won. It was passed overwhelmingly in both houses of Congress and signed by the President. After that victory, I shifted my focus of cannabis cases and started working with the White House on clemency. We helped 12 individuals who were serving life sentences for cannabis get presidential clemency in January of this year. I also was instrumental in freeing Michael “Harry O” Harris, the co-founder of Death Row Records who was serving a very draconian prison term for a non-violent drug offense. Last July, we secured the release of former Bad Boy Records rapper Loon. Because of my work on the First Step Act and presidential clemencies, I was granted a full pardon by the President on December 22, 2020. 

Recently, we started working with the White House on a clemency initiative for those incarcerated federally for cannabis-related offenses. We’ve submitted two proposals. If adopted, the White House would issue a proclamation granting a general pardon to anyone with the federal cannabis felony. This type of categorical pardon is not unprecedented. Both Presidents Ford and Carter issued categorical pardons to the draft evaders, and we are hopeful Biden will move forward in a similar fashion. 

<figure>
<video-player url="[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRkqE2_aXxU&feature=youtu.be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRkqE2_aXxU&feature=youtu.be)"></video-player>
<figcaption>Weldon Angelos shares his personal story of being incarcerated for cannabis and how it fuels the work he does today to help free others who are still behind bars for nonviolent cannabis offenses.</figcaption>
</figure>

__How can the cannabis industry support your project?__

For the first two years of Project Mission Green, we were totally self-funded and our results were unprecedented. With the help and support of the cannabis industry, our work can be amplified. Our clemency initiative needs funding so we can expand and help more people in the federal system and expand our initiative to the states where there are people still serving prison time for cannabis. 

<callout>"It’s the duty of anyone profiting from cannabis to not forget about those who paid the ultimate price and moved the needle in favor of reform."</callout>

__Where can people learn more and support your efforts?__

Anyone interested in supporting us with a donation can go directly to our website [theweldonproject.org/donate](https://www.theweldonproject.org/ "The Weldon Project"), sign up for our mailing list, or follow us on Instagram at [@projectmissiongreen](https://www.instagram.com/projectmissiongreen/?hl=en "@projectmissiongreen"). We have a lot of exciting projects and events happening.


Learn about Weldon's efforts to help end cannabis prohibition and reform our federal criminal justice system

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Q&A With Weldon Angelos: Highlighting The Weldon Project and Mission Green

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