While the U.S. cannabis market continues to grow, an MJBiz Daily report suggested that female leadership hit an all-time low in 2021, with only 22.1% representation at the executive level after it saw a spike of 36.8% in 2019.
Today, however, a group of female leaders are leading some of the most influential cannabis companies in the world and redefining good business practices, bringing in a new era of inclusive leadership approaches. This Women’s History Month, we will unravel many such Women in Cannabis who are breaking the stereotypes and stigma around the magical world of marijuana.
What is Women’s History Month?
Women’s History Month takes place in March every year to acknowledge the outstanding contributions that women have made throughout history.
During Women’s History Month, several organizations hold events and activities to honor the accomplishments of women in various industries, including cannabis, politics, science, education, sports, and the arts.
It is also a time to reflect on the ongoing struggle for gender equality and to raise awareness about issues such as the gender pay gap, women’s health, and violence against women.
How Did Women Start in the Cannabis Industry?
Women have played a significant role in the cannabis industry since its inception. Historically, women have been involved in cannabis cultivation and consumption for medicinal and recreational purposes and in producing textiles and other goods made from hemp fibers.
And with the legalization of cannabis in many parts of the world, women have become increasingly involved in various aspects of the industry, including entrepreneurship, advocacy, research, and policy-making.
How Are Women Changing the Dynamics of Business in Cannabis?
Women are taking over the cannabis industry and shaking things up with fresh and innovative ideas. With a renewed perspective on the benefits of cannabis and its potential, women-led cannabis companies are quickly becoming industry leaders.
Gone are the days of a one-dimensional approach to cannabis, as women bring inclusivity and diversity to the forefront. They are creating products that cater to everyone regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. Some also implement social justice initiatives and sustainable practices, prioritizing the planet and people over profits.
With their strong communication skills, collaborative nature, and empathetic approach to business, women are also stepping up and taking on leadership roles in the industry.
Women-Led Cannabis Brands: Celebrating the Women We Work With
Grassdoor highlights the unique and innovative cannabis products these women-led brands have brought to the market by sharing the inspiring stories of the women behind them.
Aster Farms
Aster Farms is a sustainable cannabis company established in Northern California in 2018. They use live soil and organic inputs to cultivate marijuana flower and is a brand dedicated to transparency and responsible farming practices. Their product line includes eighth jars, half-ounce jars, pre-roll packs, and 1g pre-rolls with varying terpenes profiles made with Hybrid, Indica, and Sativa strains.
The Woman Behind Aster Farms
- Julia Jacobson, CEO and Co-founder
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Her
Jacobson worked in tech after graduating from Brown University in 2007. She co-founded and became CEO of NMRKT, a Techstars branch now owned by X.O. Group. She decided to change her career direction when work-related stress started causing her chronic migraines.
The switch happened after an E.R. medic suggested cannabis as a treatment for Jacobson’s chronic migraines, following which she stopped taking the prescription medication and found cannabis to be effective.
After discovering the medical benefits of cannabis, Jacobson and her then-boyfriend, now-husband Sam Ludwig, entered the cannabis industry, which is how Aster Farms was born in 2018.
Level
LEVEL Experience is a science-based cannabis company that aims to provide humans with information and products to make informed decisions. LEVEL offers a variety of cannabis edibles with unique cannabinoids like CBG, CBDa, CBN, THCa, THCv, and delta-8 THC and terpenoids profiles that cater to specific needs such as improving focus, sleep, stress relief, and pain relief. They provide different doses and methods of intake to help partakers find what works best for them. Their product line includes LEVEL Protab, Sativa Protab™, LEVEL Hashtab, and more.
The Woman Behind Level Experience
- Brie Emerson, Co-owner and COO
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Her
After graduating from the University of Nevada, Reno, in Speech Communications, Brie gained extensive experience in sales and business and has since refined her skills in negotiation, communication, and team building.
She has a profound understanding of people, which allows her to unite diverse groups to work as a cohesive team. Alongside Chris Emerson’s (Founder and CEO) leadership, Brie’s tenacity and expertise have helped create LEVEL Cannabis, California’s top capsule brand in the cannabis industry.
Potli
Potli is a premium wellness brand that elevates the products found in your kitchen pantry by infusing them with the physical and mental benefits of cannabis edibles. Their product line includes CBD edibles like Faded Chipz (Lemon Pepper, Mala Spice, Korean BBQ) and other marijuana edibles like cannabis-infused raw honey incorporates a 2:1:1 ratio of CBN, CBD, and THC, halal hemp chili oil, and more.
The Woman Behind Potli
- Felicity Chen, Co-Founder and CEO
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Her
Felicity, a third-generation sauce and spice maker, created Potli to promote healthy living. She wanted to break the stigma around cannabis as her mother, a first-generation immigrant with asthma, was hesitant to explore the health benefits of cannabis due to its negative reputation. In response, Felicity set out to develop a reliable product that indicated its quality and dosage, allowing customers to trust its effectiveness.
As Potli’s CEO, she oversees the company’s revenue and operations, emphasizing ingredient quality—a primary factor in attracting and retaining customers. Before joining Potli, Felicity worked in the food tech industry, including roles at Uber Eats and Gilt.com.
Miss Grass
Miss Grass was introduced in January 2018, coinciding with the legalization of recreational marijuana in California. The company grows cannabis sustainably and with high terpene content. They work with cultivators to select strains with consistent terpene and cannabinoid profiles across different batches and states. Their product line includes THC pre-rolls, THC flower, hemp + herb mini (THC: CBD in a 1:1 ratio) made by CBD hemp flower, and more.
The Woman Behind Miss Grass
- Anna Duckworth and Kate Miller, Founders
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Her
Kate initially had the idea for her startup while working part-time at a medicinal marijuana dispensary while studying at USC. She bought the Miss Grass URL ten years before and continued working in the entertainment industry until she decided to pursue her business idea. Anna had positive and negative experiences with cannabis in an unregulated, illegal market. After moving to L.A. from Canada, where she worked for a cannabis wellness brand, dosist, Anna became more familiar with cannabis and appreciated its spiritual and ceremonial aspects. Together, they pursued their shared vision for Miss Grass.
Kiva Confections
Kiva Confections is a company that combines cannabis with chocolate-making. Kiva is the top cannabis edibles brand for THC chocolates and THC gummies in the U.S. It emphasizes consistency and safety, using the best ingredients to create controllable doses of THC for a tailored experience. Their product line includes chocolate bars, Petra mints, indica-dominant chews, Terra bites, Camino CBN gummies, Camino Sleep gummies, and more.
The Woman Behind Kiva Confections
- Kristi Palmer, Co-founder
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Her
After a trip to a nearby chocolatier, Scott Palmer and Kristi Palmer were inspired to create the first Kiva Bars in their kitchen, which led to the founding of Kiva Confections in 2010. Unbeknownst to them then, Kiva edible was well-received by consumers and set the gold standard for the entire legal cannabis industry.
Dr. Norm’s
Dr. Norm’s was established in 2017 by siblings Jeff Koz and Roberta Koz Wilson in honor of their father, the original Dr. Norm, and their mother, Audrey, a talented baker. The brand supplies more than 350 retailers with an expanding range of cannabis-infused baked goods that align with their primary goals of exceptional taste, accurate dosing, and traditional family principles. Dr. Norm’s edibles include THC treats like weed cookies, vegan THC cookies, brownies, crispy rice bars, nano sleep gummies, and more.
The Woman Behind Dr. Norms
- Roberta Wilson, Co-founder
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Her
After Audrey’s unexpected death, Roberta honored her legacy by establishing a cookie company in her mother’s name. During a branding meeting with her brother Jeff, Roberta jokingly suggested making THC cookies. The introduction of Proposition 64 to legalize marijuana in California proved to be the ideal moment, and Dr. Norm’s was founded, named as a tribute to their father.
Pure Beauty
Pure Beauty is a cannabis flower and pre-roll brand using sustainable cultivation practices such as generating energy on-site for indoor flower growth. You can get Pure Beauty pre-rolls packs, cannabis cigarettes filled with premium Indica, Sativa and Hybrid strains, and more. They also donate soil to public parks and strongly emphasize art and culture, which they view as integral to the plant.
The Woman Behind Pure Beauty
- Imelda Walavalkar, Co-founder and CEO
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Her
Imelda holds a master’s in public health and international and public affairs from Columbia University and has previously worked with post-incarcerated populations to promote social justice. She had a catering business in New York City named Five Spice before entering the cannabis industry, where the main focus was on using sustainable and diverse ingredients. Imelda and her team started Pure Beauty to reflect their love and ideals for weed while seeking independence and freedom from corporate structures.
Garden Society
Garden Society offers handcrafted cannabis edibles and sun-grown pre-rolls incorporating responsible farming, sustainable ingredients, and strain-centric cannabis. This results in high-quality products that provide a pleasurable and expected cannabis experience, elevating everyday life. Their product line includes pre-roll packs with Indica and Sativa strains, CBD-dominant strains, weed edibles like cannabis-infused chocolates, wine country gummies, and more.
The Women Behind Garden Society
- Erin Gore, Founder, and CEO
- Karli Warner, Co-Founder, and CMO
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Them
Erin Gore is a member of the Northern California cannabis community and frequently talks about cannabis and entrepreneurship. She advocates for women-owned cannabis businesses and works to break the stigma around the plant. Erin holds a Chemical and Biological Engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is well-versed in the science-based talk of cannabis and production. Her accomplishments are recognized by Forbes and the North Bay Business Journal, and she is consistently listed as one of the top women in cannabis.
Karli Warner, the co-founder and CMO brings her background in P.R. and marketing in the wine industry to tell the Garden Society story. She is passionate about the positive impact of low-dose cannabis on the mind, body, and soul.
LEUNE
LEUNE is a lifestyle brand founded in California that aims to go beyond the usual narrative of cannabis culture. They cater to a new generation of consumers who understand that cannabis is not just about “getting high” and are committed to elevating the conversation around it. With a focus on high aesthetics and uncompromising quality standards, LEUNE is redefining the industry’s standards. Their product line includes cannabis edibles like rosin gummies, flower, pre-rolls, weed vape pens, vape cartridges, and more.
The Woman Behind LEUNE
- Nidhi Lucky Handa, Founder, and CEO
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Her
Before founding LEUNE in 2018, Handa gained years of experience in Luxury Brand Communications in Boston and New York. She later transitioned to Celebrity Talent Management in Los Angeles, utilizing her business acumen and marketing expertise. Forbes has recognized Handa as a “Woman Breaking the Grass Ceiling in Weed” and a “Woman of Weed” by High Times Magazine. She is dedicated to creating a brand that raises industry standards for workplace culture, representation, and social equity while honoring a Cannabis 3.0 consumer who understands the plant’s true significance beyond just “getting high.”
Sundae School
Sundae School is a California-based smoke-wear and craft cannabis brand that originated in Seoul. They aim to globalize cannabis and remove the stigma surrounding it by providing dependable highs and sharing stories that contextualize the plant. The team consists of creative individuals committed to building an inclusive industry and community that reflects everyone, including immigrants, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people of color.
The Woman Behind Sundae School
- Jennifer Tran, Head of Cannabis, CRO
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Her
Jennifer Tran aims to change the stigma around cannabis in an authentic way and create opportunities for marginalized BIPOC individuals in the industry, acknowledging their significant contributions to the field.
Kikoko
Kikoko is a cannabis brand that creates premium wellness products using natural ingredients available in different forms, including cannabis tea, THC drinks, tinctures, and edibles.
The Women Behind Kikoko
- Amanda Jones, Co-founder, and Co-CEO
- Jennifer Chapin, Co-founder, and Co-CEO
Why Grassdoor Celebrates Them
Amanda Jones is the Co-CEO and co-founder of Kikoko, a women-led and women-focused cannabis wellness products company. After working for 25 years as an international travel writer and photographer, Amanda, and her business partner Jennifer Chapin started Kikoko in 2015 to honor a friend who had terminal cancer. Amanda and Jennifer left their previous career to venture into the cannabis industry. They wanted to create cannabis products that could be an alternative to pharmaceuticals and alcohol.
How to Honor Women’s History Month
There are several ways to honor Women’s History Month, including,
- Educate yourself about the contributions of women throughout history and in various fields.
- Support and uplift women-owned businesses and organizations.
- Celebrate the women in your life and acknowledge their achievements and contributions.
- Participate in events and activities that promote and celebrate women.
- Advocate for women’s rights and gender equality.
Breaking Barriers and Shaping the Future: Women’s Impact on the Cannabis Industry
As we celebrate Women’s History Month this March, let’s take a moment to acknowledge the many incredible women who have contributed to the cannabis industry throughout history.
We can expect more women to lead the way, from entrepreneurs and researchers to policymakers and activists. So, here’s to all the fantastic women in cannabis, past, present, and future—thank you for all you do!
