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The Green Repeal - A Guide to Cannabis Marketing & Advertising


Nov 16, 2020

The legal cannabis industry is astoundingly white and astoundingly male - and the barriers to entry for everyone else are astoundingly high. Entrepreneurs of color struggle to raise funds, shake social stigmas, and become part of an industry that hasn’t fully reckoned with its history. 

Entrepreneurs like Ashley Stallworth don’t just know this firsthand - they have a deep understanding of how to navigate these challenges and advocate for others to break into this industry. Ashley is the owner and founder of Present Naturals and Bio Fiber Industries. He is also on the management team of about 400 other companies including Pathogen Pros, High Standard Labs, and Wepa! Farms, as well as an active member of the Minority Hemp Builders Association. 

Today, Ashley joins the podcast to share his unique views on the industry, where it’s come from, and where it’s headed. We discuss the challenges of entrepreneurship in the face of regulation, upcoming legislation, and what it means to be a Black man making a living in the cannabis industry in 2020. 

Key Takeaways

  • How Ashley keeps track of the many unusual tax rules and regulations that make operating cannabis businesses across multiple states so difficult.
  • Why it’s so hard for people of color and diverse backgrounds to get into legitimate cannabis - and how this mirrors the lack of diversity in startup hubs and Silicon Valley.
  • Why so many people of color are also afraid to get involved in legitimate cannabis - and how a rampant distrust of authority has made this even worse.
  • How Ashley thinks states should approach legalization of adult-use cannabis - and why criminal records for nonviolent crimes related to cannabis need to be expunged at the same time.
  • Why so many businesses are looking for the perfect banner ad instead of advocating for meaningful change - and how the Black Lives Matter movement has impacted Ashley’s work.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/22

To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal