Bridging the Gap Between Corporate and Culture
If there is a gap to mind in the cannabis industry, it’s not necessarily the chasm between medical and adult-use markets. I’d say it’s what divides the Roots and the Suits.
🌱 The “Roots” risked life and liberty -before legalization- to ensure people had access to the plant. They are the culture of our industry. They are the tastemakers. Their opinions matter like Anna Wintour picking next fall’s color palette.
👔 The “Suits” came in post-legalization, mostly with experience earned from other corporate careers, to drive operational growth and monetize opportunities in our emerging industry. They are making the business case for cannabis and bringing our hidden and stigmatized industry into the light.
I count myself lucky because I’ve had a foot in both worlds since my formative years. My dad has cultivated cannabis for over 50 years, long before it was trendy or legal. And my first cousin on my mom’s side is DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill. I was in law school in the early 1990s when he famously lit a joint on Saturday Night Live.
My dad and Muggs are Roots. I’m a Suit. I spent 20 years investing in real estate before Muggs convinced me to explore cannabis. I wasn’t a consumer—or even a fan of weed—when I came into the industry. I was on a mission and my path was and is decidedly corporate.
As I started in the industry with my corporate experience and Dad & Muggs in my ear, it was clear that connecting Roots and Suits would benefit us all. Muggs and I started an agency where we connected cannabis brands with celebrities. I had a lot to learn about the plant, the people who consume it, and the culture around it. I believe the most important thing I learned is how much the Roots and Suits can learn from each other.
Here’s the truth. These labels create walls when we need bridges. 🌉
🌱 Legacy operators possess unparalleled wisdom earned through risk, innovation and sheer grit. They have a deep, passionate understanding of the plant and production techniques from cultivation to hashmaking. This knowledge, earned under the cover of darkness, is too valuable to ignore. And believe me, the Roots understand the importance of forging trust and authentic consumer relationships. The quality of their relationships was the difference between freedom and going to jail. Staying nimble in adverse conditions was a way of life, not a skillset.
👔 Corporate executives bring expertise in leveraging data, navigating complex financial and legal frameworks, developing workarounds for annoying legislation, and all while running multistate operations and global enterprises. The Suits have valuable connections to capital, to businesses in other industries, and the real world reps in strategies that can help cannabis companies scale.
Neither side will flourish without the other. Our industry’s future benefits when Roots and Suits have a cooperative spirit. Together we are working through the challenges of creating a legal industry from the destruction caused by years of prohibition.
🌱 To the Roots, I say, “Legalization is a worthy evolution.” The Suits all have a cannabis story too and the part they play in our industry’s growth creates opportunity for everyone.
👔 To the Suits, I say, “Listen with the intention to learn.” There’s no MBA for what legacy operators know about this industry. Their knowledge is priceless. It’s the very soul of what kept cannabis alive under the threat of prison or death.
The War on Drugs is full of false narratives, many still in play to this day. The Roots and Suits share a desire to correct the record. By working together, we can conquer the stigma and create an equitable and profitable industry for the benefit of our bodies, minds, and communities.
I love hearing cannabis stories. It’s something we all have in common, a story about what got us into the industry. Whether a Root or a Suit or a little of both, what got you here? Please share!✨
