Marijuana Business Magazine January 2019

Marijuana Business Magazine | January 2019 42 T he 22 women selected for Marijuana Business Magazine’s Women to Watch list have crafted companies from the ground up, forged new woman- focused alliances and upended traditional business models as they’ve paved the way in this rapidly evolving cannabis industry. But these women are alike in another way: In this new year, they are embarking on major undertakings as leaders in a nascent industry that, like the rest of corporate America, is dominated by men in the top jobs. In 2017, women held 27% of the executive-level roles in the marijuana industry, according to a survey conducted by Marijuana Business Daily . The figure was down from an MJBizDaily survey in 2015, when 36% of firms reported having females in leadership roles. That leadership disparity makes the goals set by the women spotlighted in the following pages worth watching even more. As these women pursue their ambitions and business plans, they’re finding ways to lift other women as they climb. From the launch of multimillion-dollar venture capital funds crafted to back women-founded firms to new business accelerators aimed at mentoring women entrepreneurs, these leading ladies of cannabis are blazing new trails in ways that are leaving a lasting mark on the industry. – Lisa Bernard Kuhn The Selection Process The editorial staff of Marijuana Business Magazine singled out more than 20 women cannabis professionals who merit attention in the year ahead. We chose them for a variety of reasons—the two on the cover, for example, are leading a newly merged company, while another is offering a potentially groundbreaking technology. To help our selection process, we sought input from the public through MJBizDaily ’s social media platforms. Hundreds of readers nominated women in the cannabis industry from around the globe. While we no doubt omitted some noteworthy candidates— and this list is not meant to be considered a “ranking”—we look forward to reporting on these women in the year to come. Watch for them in these pages and at mjbizdaily. com. And feel free to let us know your thoughts at editorial@mjbizdaily.com. – The Editors Listen Up! This graphic appears by women featured on Marijuana Business Daily’s new podcast, News & Views. Subscribe to the podcast through Stitcher, iTunes and on our website via the MJBIZTALKS tab. These women will be featured on the podcast in mid-January. Women Executives in the Workforce—a Comparison General economy Cannabis industry In the U.S, women account for 28% of “chief executives”—the federal government’s category for senior leadership. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Women account for around 27% of executives—in line with the rest of the economy. Marijuana Business Daily survey Note: All statistics are from 2017, the latest numbers available. In Canada, that figure is 29%. Statistics Canada Women to Watch in 2019