Women are making big waves in the cannabis industry, and we couldn’t be more proud. Recent research shows that women aged 19 to 30 consume cannabis more frequently than men (a historical shift). But the good news doesn’t stop there! Today, 66% of cannabis home growers are women, and nearly 25% of cannabis business owners are women, too.
For decades, cannabis culture was built around a very specific archetype. But that image is rapidly fading. We women have not only entered the space but are reshaping it entirely.
The sheer number of women showing up in the cannabis industry, building brands, cultivating, and driving consumption represents a cultural shift that deserves to be recognized and celebrated.
And what better way to do that than to continue pushing women in cannabis forward through thought leadership?
What is thought leadership in cannabis?
Thought leadership is the art of becoming an expert in a particular subject and sharing your ideas and opinions to influence, inspire or challenge others.
Examples of thought leadership in cannabis:
- A dispensary owner who speaks and educates on budtender hiring practices to effectively scale and build customer loyalty.
- A cultivator sharing what soil health does to terpene profiles and how to yield the most potent strains of cannabis.
- A compliance specialist breaking down regulation changes in plain language that is easy to understand.
- A marketing director who speaks honestly about what branding strategies do and don’t work in this industry or within a specific niche of this industry.
The topic matters less than the specificity and the way that it’s delivered. What makes someone a thought leader isn’t just the fact that they know a bunch of stuff, but rather the way that they translate that knowledge into ideas that other people can and want to learn from.
Why become a cannabis thought leader?
The decision to become a thought leader in the cannabis industry is entirely subjective, but some of the reasons you may consider trying include:
- Increasing your brand awareness and community engagement
- Becoming discoverable by investors, partners and brand collaborators
- Developing a truly unique sense of confidence through vulnerable sharing
- Reaching new leads and potential customers who need what you offer
- Building a community of like-minded women in the cannabis space
- Showing other women in cannabis that it’s possible to become a leader
How do I become a cannabis thought leader?
There are unlimited ways to become a thought leader. It all comes down to figuring out which methods work best for you. The only requirement is the willingness to take a stance and vocalize your ideas!
If you’re looking to become a cannabis thought leader, here are a few easy steps to get started.
Become known for a niche perspective and learn to translate your experience into teachings
First things first, becoming a thought leader starts with becoming known for a niche perspective and teaching that perspective to others. When it comes to this step, the more niche you can get, the better.
Think contrarian perspectives and hot-take stances that go against what most other leaders are currently sharing. Part of what makes someone a thought leader is to, well, be the leader of thoughts!
Our two favorite ways to get started as a thought leader are:
- Taking a stance that opposes most people in your industry
- Creating a framework that solves a common problem in a unique way
The more original you are when it comes to executing your expertise, the more magnetic you will become.
Apply to speak at cannabis conferences and expos
Once you’ve developed your unique stance and what you want to be known for in the industry, it’s time to amplify your voice. And what better way to do that than to speak at cannabis events or expos?!
Cannabis events are constantly seeking unique thought leaders to share their expertise with other industry professionals.
You can also look for speaking opportunities through cannabis membership sites like WEiC (yep, that’s us!).
Reach out to cannabis podcast owners and pitch yourself for an interview
If getting on stage feels like a bit much, another great way to demonstrate thought leadership in cannabis is to reach out to podcast hosts and pitch yourself for an interview.
While some podcasts do include video recordings, you will likely be among a small audience, or even at home.
WEiC is reactivating our podcast, and we’d love to help you amplify your voice! You can reach out to us here if you’re interested.
Commit to long-form content like YouTube, blogging or podcasting to share your opinion pieces
Prefer to kick off thought leadership on your own terms? No problem. There are tons of prominent voices in cannabis who got started without any fancy stage or shared platform.
How? They started their own! Choosing a long-form content platform like YouTube, Substack, or a personal website to share blog posts is a great way to share your opinion with the world.
Offer coaching or mentorship to other women in cannabis who aspire to work in your field of expertise
If you’re looking for a more intimate way to become a thought leader in cannabis, you may consider offering 1:1 coaching, group coaching or mentorship to other women who are interested in learning more about what you have to offer.
Alternatively, you could also create a live or pre-recorded course or create your own membership community.
Participate in online discussion boards and demonstrate your knowledge in real time
The more publicly you demonstrate your thoughts, the more likely you are to become known as a leader in the industry. This can be done through social media marketing, but if you’re trying to move away from the algorithms (like us), you can opt to join private communities like WEiC’s Higher Her Society, jump onto Reddit threads or start a newsletter via LinkedIn, which is great for those in the B2B space.
Join WEiC and share your thought leadership with our audience of more than 18,000 women in cannabis!
If you’re new here, hi! Women Employed In Cannabis (WEiC) is a free membership platform for women in the plant medicine industry looking to grow their personal and professional relationships.
Between our free virtual networking groups, speaking opportunities, podcast and paid private community, we’ve got tons of opportunities for women like you who are ready to share their knowledge with the world.