Trade shows, events, and expositions have long been opportunities to build community within the tight-knit cannabis industry while operators celebrate their successes, share their insight, and shape the future together. As trade shows make a comeback after a pandemic-induced absence of nearly two years, businesses can once again experience the synergy of in-person events. But which conferences are worth attending based on company goals? When should a company exhibit or sponsor rather than just attend? To reap the most benefit from industry events, organizations must know how to determine which best meet their needs and be armed with strategies for exhibiting, budgeting, marketing, and choosing the right team to represent their brands.
When it comes to navigating trade shows, a team’s preparedness will make or break the company’s experience. From exhibiting a stellar, engaging booth to creating targeted marketing materials that boost engagement, success at a trade show is all about the details. Companies can maximize their show presence by creating goals for the event and executing them with strategic budgeting, realistic timelines, and a well-chosen team of enthusiastic employees to network, generate leads, and simply enjoy the experience. In doing so, organizations will thrive at industry events in 2022, forging new relationships and collaborating to build the industry’s future.
“Being able to network and learn from one another in a safe environment is vital to the continued growth of the industry,” said Kathee Brewer, editorial director at Inc Media, parent company of mg Magazine. “After nearly two years of cancellations and virtual events, businesses are thrilled to be able to gather in person again to learn, discover new products and services, and catch up with colleagues.”
Not only is the cannabis industry celebrating a return to in-person events, but it is also embracing leaders from a diverse array of backgrounds. CEOs like Whitney Beatty at Josephine & Billie’s are paving the way for women of color in the predominantly white cannabis industry. Morris Kelly, who founded SF Roots after expunging a cannabis-related criminal record, highlights the need for social equity programs that work against the harms of the war on drugs. Attorneys such as Fabiola Jimenez are litigating to break down the stigma of cannabis law, while professionals like Nadir Pearson at WISECO leverage their business acumen to pay their success forward to the next generation. Though the industry still has a way to go in terms of inclusion, groundbreaking leaders of color attest to a new, closer-than-ever horizon for cannabis.
Read mg Magazine‘s February issue here. Print copies are available by subscription.
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