cannabis + careers
Welcome to the green rush!
Thanks to legalized cannabis, jobs that never existed before are being created in huge numbers. Across America, the state-legalized marijuana industry already provides work for as many as 230,000 people. By 2021 the cannabis industry is expected to create 414,000 jobs in the U.S., according to an ArcView study.
Cuomo has recently announced efforts to legalize adult-use cannabis in New York State and New Jersey has awarded 6 new Medical licenses. Are you ready to transition your career to the cannabis industry?
There are many cannabis jobs available, but many people ask: How can I get a job in the cannabis industry? Our speakers can tell you how.
joe dimeo
cannabis + careers
joyce cenali
cannabis + careers
david belsky
cannabis + careers
christine de la rosa
cannabis + careers
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS!
THE PEOPLE'S DISPENSARY - SILVER SPONSOR
We created The People’s Dispensary in 2016 because the cannabis market was not serving our needs as people of color, women, queer people, veterans, formerly incarcerated and people with chronic illnesses. We started in Oakland thinking we’d serve a few hundred of our friends – but we quickly developed a loyal, diverse, active client base of almost 4,000members, with a monthly retention rate of 84%.
As we began to expand, however, we realized we were only solving part of the problem. The cannabis industry was (and still is) exploding, but the communities we served – some of which had been historically harmed by the war on drugs – were unable to benefit from its legalization.
They were not accredited investors who could passively benefit from an emerging market
They lacked access to capital and business development training to build their own companies
With this knowledge, we were no longer content to only reach these communities – we wanted to uplift them. Our equity structure, which remains unique to the industry, allows people to help bring dispensaries to their towns, enrich their communities, and improve their quality of life.
The cannabis industry is projected to become a $500 billion market. The People’s Dispensary makes sure it leaves no one behind.
SILVER SPONSOR
Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance.
MAGICALBUTTER® - ANNUAL BRONZE SPONSOR
Established in 2013, Tress Capital is a leading institutional-grade cannabis investment management firm embedded at the core of the cannabis industry, supported by a world-class infrastructure. With a unique industry network, unparalleled deal-flow pipeline, and experienced team with in-house niche expertise, Tress is the go-to for sophisticated investors seeking competence. Tress originates, guides, and manages investment for HNW, SFO, and institutional clients in both fund and bespoke SMA vehicles. Tress works closely with its companies and sector as an active value-add investor. Its portfolio includes industry leaders such as Headset, Baker Technologies, SC Labs, Cannabis Now, Infusion Biosciences, Grownetics and North Bud Farms.
SPEAKERS
CHRISTINE DE LA ROSA
Co-Founder + CEO / The People’s Dispensary (CA, OR)
Christine De La Rosa is a proven entrepreneur with an extensive background in creating social equity and impact models. She co-owns several successful businesses in both California and Oregon. She is a well-known advocate for the chronically ill, people of color, women, and the LGBTQ community. She was recently awarded the Economic Justice Leadership Award by the San Francisco LGBT Center. Christine’s business experience and savvy has been a driving source for growing Benefit Health Collective into a profitable dispensary and now transitioning that model into the socially equitable and wellness enterprise known now as The People’s Dispensary across multiple cities and states.
JOYCE CENALI
Partner + COO / Big Rock Partners (CA)
Joyce Cenali is a founding partner and leads operations at Big Rock Partners, a strategic advisory firm serving investors and companies at the intersection of food, hospitality and cannabis. Big Rock Partners portfolio includes PharmaCann, Kikoko, Cannacraft, Sonoma Hills Farm, Garden Society, Phylos, Juna, Sava, Octavia Wellness, and others that are growing the next generation of cannabis. She previously founded a boutique artist management firm, and lead business development, licensing and partner integrations for e-commerce start-ups Zazzle, GearLaunch, and DesignCrowd. A long time craft cannabis cultivator, she co-founded of an Emerald Cup winning operation, and served as Co-Chair for Women Grow, Sonoma. Her speaking engagements include SXSW, New West Summit, SF Music Tech, CMJ, etc. She attended Smith College is fluent in Portuguese, and lives with her wife and puppy children in San Francisco.
DAVID BELSKY
Founder / FlowerHire (CA)
David Belsky is a 15 year recruiting industry veteran and founder of FlowerHire, an Executive Talent Firm, founded out of LA, that has become a core building block of the Cannabis industry. Quickly rising to leadership and helping to scale a $250 Million dollar tech recruiting agency for the majority his career, Dave was an early Investor in Eaze and was retained to build out their early executive team, leading to the founding of FlowerHire. Since then, FlowerHire has grown to become the leading bridge-building and talent advisory firm, seeding industry leaders into the companies that are actively shaping the cannabis industry. Dave Graduated Cornell University and with a degree in Industrial Relations and resides in LA with his wife and four children.
JOE DIMEO - HOST
Host / My West Coast Buds (OR)
Joe Dimeo has been building businesses in the cannabis industry since 2008. His cannabis career started with an edible company where Joe drove sales and distribution. Following a successful expansion, Joe transitioned to dispensary management. During this time, Joe recognized many areas in the cannabis supply chain that could operate better and his passion for process improvement developed by way of best practices and standard operating procedures. With over 10 years in legal cannabis, Joe’s experience allows him to evaluate markets and organizations from a perspective few can match. If there’s a job in cannabis, Joe’s probably worked it, identified inefficiencies, and improved the positions process.
When he’s not on site or online consulting clients, Joe can be found hosting the My West Coast Buds podcast, the number 1 podcast for cannabis business insights and interviews