One thing I really like about the medical marijuana industry is the general feel of networking events and celebratory gatherings. No, people are not lighting up joints left and right (a myth I’ll touch on eventually as part of this series of posts). I simply find the overall vibe of these events very agreeable.
I spent more than a decade covering a variety of sectors, from aviation and high tech to tourism and small businesses. I have therefore been to my fair share of industry gatherings. Most of them, I’ve found, are somewhat stuffy affairs, and I’ve never quite felt at home surrounded by people in suits and ties talking about revenue passenger miles or silicon wafers. I took on the skiing industry beat for two years, and those people know how to network….er, I mean party, as that’s what gatherings inevitably turned into.
Still, I’d have to say the networking events and after-hours gatherings in the medical marijuana industry take the cake, primarily because everyone is very approachable, friendly and so not stuffy. The get-togethers have a very casual feel, and on one is wearing a suit. It feels like you’re just kind of hanging out rather than (in my case) working and trying to meet new sources.
Tonight I’m venturing out to another one: The 1st Inaugural Cannabis Community Celebration here in Denver. The organizer (Act4Colorado) promises music, food, vendor booths, games, prizes and, most importantly, a chance for the medical marijuana industry to come together and celebrate its very existence. Best of all, the event will raise money and food donations for the Colorado Aids Project.
I’ll give you my thoughts about the event and some highlights tomorrow.
Chris Walsh is the editor of Medical Marijuana Business Daily
