The cannabis industry is known for being dominated by men, but several women are making major moves in it. From founding companies to working on improvements in decriminalization, women hold places in every realm of the cannabis space. According to a 2017 report by MJBizDaily, women hold 27 percent of all C-suite positions in the cannabis industry, down from 36 percent in October 2015. In a more recent survey by Vangst, a leading cannabis staffing agency, only 38.5 percent of employees at 166 marijuana companies across 17 states identify as women.
“Despite centering on a female plant, the commercialization of cannabis has been categorically shaped around men,” Maggie Connors, founder and CEO of Besito tells us. “The current landscape needs a feminine touch on the products, brands and retailers in order to appeal to the changing demographic catalyzed by legalization. Women build more diverse teams, which will drive innovation across this growing industry. Feminine leadership often focuses on impact beyond the bottom line, and can bring reinvestment into communities—especially those most affected by the War on Drugs.”
The industry lacks in gender diversity, an important and proven part of a company’s success. We sought out a few of the top women in weed who are breaking the norms and narrowing that gap.
