Our recreational dispensary loves to see women entrepreneurs, which is why we love how many are evolving in the cannabis industry. Women in cannabis, especially in executive-level roles, are paving the way for a more equitable cannabusiness landscape—in addition to becoming a beacon for other industries to follow suit. That last part is important. Nationally, women average only about 21% of senior-level and other leadership roles.
Meanwhile, a 2019 study found women dominate close to 37% of the senior-level positions in the cannabis industry. These women in cannabis are making waves, whether they’re cannabis entrepreneurs, CEO, or leading other initiatives. With more and more women joining cannabusiness, we believe that women in cannabis will continue to lead the pack.
In honor of March being Women’s History Month, we want to spotlight some of the women entrepreneurs in the marijuana industry. This list isn’t exhaustive, so it’s just a taste of the power women hold in supercharging the explosive growth of our industry!
Katie Stem and Kate Black – CEOs, COOs, and Co-Founders of Peak Extract
For decadent, vegan, gluten-free couverture chocolates in the cannabis industry, you’d turn to Peak Extract. Katie Stem and Kate Black lead the charge at Peak as the impressive CEOs, COOs, and co-founders of the brand. Overall, they’re one of the best examples we can think of when it comes to inspiring women entrepreneurs.
Women-owned and Oregon-based, the cannabis extract business shows no sign of slowing down! With the experience to back its trailblaze through the market, it’s no wonder it’s one of the highest-selling cannabis brands in Oregon.
Kristi Knoblich Palmer – Co-Founder of Kiva Confections
Kiva Confections is another notable chocolate brand in the cannabis industry. In fact, Palmer helped co-found an entire confection line of cannabis treats.
Kiva Confections is a well-known name that’s been in the marijuana market since legal edibles’ infancy. When dosing was inaccurate and branding was lackluster, Kiva came in to provide a culinary experience that raised the bar for cannabis-infused confections.
Palmer’s brand is available in more than 550 dispensaries spanning six states. Nationally, Kiva’s Blueberry Terra bites are the best-selling cannabis-infused chocolate. That’s an impressive achievement that certainly inspires us!
Cassandra Farrington – Co-Founder and Board Chair
To be more specific, Farrington is the co-founder and board chair of both MJBizCon and Marijuana Business Daily. Two legendary linchpins in the industry, you may be familiar with the MJBizCon conference series. In 2019, the series saw record numbers of 36,000 attendees. Founded in 2012, Farrington and her partner, Anne Holland, helped pave the way for other cannabis businesses. In fact, many would agree they’ve helped set a professionalization path for the entire industry.
These women entrepreneurs continue to educate and inspire the rest of the cannabis industry. We love to see it! It’s certainly fitting to celebrate Women’s History Month by learning about these and other women who are revolutionizing cannabis.
Wrapping Up
The women in cannabis we discussed today only scratch the surface of successful women entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry. Inspiring us every step of the way, we’re excited to see a future where women are better represented in the workforce. This goes especially for executive-level roles. The glass ceiling continues to be a plight for women everywhere. Through cannabis, women across the country can break that glass ceiling, together.
One way to support women-owned cannabis brands is with your dollars. Stop by—our budtenders can show you all the products we have in stock that are powered by women-owned companies.
