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Find out what the trends are in luxury cannabis branding Given the short time that cannabis has been legal, the maturation of the market is remarkable. No where is that evidenced more than in the luxury cannabis category. In this session, panelists will speak about the marketing behind a luxury cannabis brand - and what the similarities and differences are to consumers of other luxury products like alcohol or fashion. In addition, panelists will talk about how the pandemic and economic downturns affect their marketing efforts and sales. Cynthia Salarizadeh, Founder & President, House of Saka After visiting Sonoma about a year before she moved to California to work in the cannabis industry, Cynthia met with popular wine makers and cannabis cultivators and knew she wanted to begin an infused wine company based on the historic significance of it throughout the world. Once the time was ripe for the regulatory landscape to allow for such a licensed product, she teamed up with innovative and powerful women throughout both the wine and cannabis industries in order to bring the vision to life. Her background in managing startups, fundraising, branding, and public relations brought an advantageous value to developing the sophisticated brand for the House of Saka. Cynthia is also the Founder of the cannabis industry’s newswire and entrepreneur tech suite, AxisWire, as well as the Co-founder of Green Market Media which is currently most recognized for its cannabis finance news publication Green Market Report and its conference series Green Market Summit. She is also a Co-founder of the network Industry Power Women. KCSA Strategic Communications acquired her leading cannabis and hemp public relations firm Salar Media Group after being in operations for three years. She is a council member on Forbes Communications Council as well as a contributing writer for Entrepreneur Media on the leading women and business of cannabis. Cynthia also sits on the advisory board of the innovative hemp and sustainable hospitality company MoonCloth Designs. In 2018, Cynthia was nominated as Entrepreneur of the Year and CEO of the Year by her peers through Cashinbis, she was named by High Times as one of the 100 Women in High Places and featured by Dope Magazine as one of the “Outstanding Women in Cannabis”. In 2019, she was named as one of 15 of the most Powerful and Innovative Women in Cannabis by Forbes, one of 20 Women set to Dominate the International Landscape in Cannabis by Benzinga as well as named as one of the 20 Most Influential Women in Cannabis by High Times as well as GreenDorphin. Cynthia received her degree from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a certificate in political journalism from Georgetown University. Sam Arellano, Chief Marketing Officer, Canndescent Sam Arellano is an accomplished, entrepreneur-minded executive and award-winning accelerator of lifestyle brands. He’s created and produced nationally recognized campaigns for some of the world’s leading brands including Nike, Red Bull, and Incase. A career marketing specialist, Sam’s 20 year work history spans men’s contemporary apparel, sporting goods and consumer electronics. In 2006 Sam co-founded Graphite Brand Design - a Los Angeles based creative agency focused on luxury goods, contemporary fashion and street culture. During his four years at Graphite, Sam secured major account wins including Agency of Record for leading Apple accessories brand, Incase. In addition, Sam led multimillion-dollar projects for Toyota, MTV, ROXY, Moleskine, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and has worked with the world’s foremost street artists including KAWS, Evan Hecox and Shepard Fairey. In 2013 Sam served as Global Head of Marketing for Globe International – a publicly traded, $150M Australian surf and skate apparel company (ASX: GLB) – where he led the implementation of a dozen wholly-owned retail stores around the world. Additionally, Sam drove the execution of North American sales and marketing plans that increased sales 14% 2014-2015. Prior to joining Canndescent, Sam served as CMO for Lumos Labs – a Hong Kong based manufacturer of the world’s first smart bicycle helmet with integrated lights, hard brake, and turn signals. In 2018, Lumos was recognized by TIME Magazine as the world’s best invention for technology and mobility. Sam serves as advisor to technology start up MavFarm, Inc., makers of the Sho_w app - the first interactive mobile camera and shoppable video-sharing marketplace for art, music, and fashion enthusiasts; and to ICAN Los Angeles, a supported employment agency created to help mentally disabled young people find meaningful employment around LA. Andreas Neumann, Chief Creative Director, Jushi Holdings Inc. Andreas Neumann is Jushi Holdings Inc. (Jushi) Chief Creative Director, reporting directly to Jim Cacioppo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Neumann and his team employ their expansive creative backgrounds in leading all creative, marketing and communication for Jushi, working closely with the executive team to initiate a "design thinking" transformation of the Jushi brand and its subsidiaries. Neumann joins Jushi from Idean, a leading global design agency, where he served as Creative Director and Head of Content. Neumann was instrumental in building out Idean's U.S. footprint with new, key clients such as IBM, HP, Rolls Royce, Ericsson and others. The success of the U.S. expansion led to the sale of the agency to French consulting giant, Capgemini in 2017. Neumann has been an entrepreneur in the fields of advertising, entertainment, and technology for over three decades. After selling his award-winning film production company to Grey Advertising/WPP, he became the head of their European television department. Later, he co-founded multiple companies, including Songpeople, the UK's first digital-music research company, GUM, the branded-entertainment division of Saatchi & Saatchi London and Talenthouse, the Silicon-Valley-based social network for artists. Neumann has developed and launched digital lifestyle platforms for top-tier celebrities in music and fashion. His Hollywood-based production company Siouxx has produced award-winning content in film, print, and music. Neumann is also a rock photographer and has worked with some of the biggest names in the genre including: Queens of the Stone Age, Iggy Pop, Foo Fighters, ZZ Top, Lenny Kravitz and others. About Andreas's creative work, Josh Homme, Queens of the Stone Age, says, "Dre is a man of the present, looking straight into the future. He is the most in-the-now photographer I've ever worked with. He just believes if there's a problem, the problem's got a problem. That tireless energy is why we have such a high ratio of hits."

This panel brings together executives from Flowhub, LeafLink and Vangst, three of the leading cannabis services. The COVID-19 pandemic has sent shockwaves across the entire world, causing disruptions and alterations to everyday operations across all industries and business types - including cannabis. Across the U.S., shelter-in-place orders forced dispensaries to pivot to delivery and curbside pickup, expediting the shift from predominantly brick-and-mortar shopping experiences to e-commerce. Cannabis was deemed an essential service in most states where it is legal, giving power and affirmation to the legalization debate. Now, with uncertainty surrounding what “business as usual” looks like, cannabis companies must steady themselves for a wildly different and unpredictable future. This panel brings together executives from Flowhub, LeafLink and Vangst, three of the leading cannabis services, to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and discuss trends that will alter the industry for the future. Based on their in-depth industry report, The State of the Cannabis Industry: 2020, the panelists will provide valuable and quantitative insights into the state of the cannabis landscape, corroborated by in-depth data analysis and survey responses from some of the largest and most respected companies in the industry. The data-packed panel will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the cannabis industry while touching on several key facets of the industrys: B2B relationships and ordering patterns, consumer preferences and purchasing habits, and human resources management.The coalition will also provide guidance and advice on the outlook for 2021. Karson Humiston, Founder & CEO, Vangst: Karson Humiston is the Founder & CEO of Vangst, the cannabis industry’s recruiting platform. Since launching in 2016, Vangst has connected thousands of people with jobs at over leading cannabis businesses around the World. Karson was featured on the 2018 Forbes 30 under 30 list and Vangst was featured in Entrepreneur’s 100 Brilliant Companies of 2018. Prior to founding Vangst, Karson founded On Track Adventures, a student travel organization based out of St. Lawrence University. Michael Hanson, Director of Data Science, Flowhub: Michael Hanson is the Director of Data Science at Flowhub with expertise in machine learning, natural language processing and statistical analysis to provide actionable intelligence to decision makers. Michael spent his career designing and building new processes for mining, production and visualization of databases. Prior to Flowhub, Michael worked at Echostar (a Dish subsidiary) as a criminal intelligence analyst, Convercent as a Data Scientist and with local Swiss police departments using data science to help discover patterns in criminal activities. Michael studied at the School of Criminal Sciences at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, where he wrote a thesis on developing a new process to analyze payment information in an effort to understand and prevent satellite piracy. Alex Feldman, General Manager, LeafLink Insights: Alex Feldman is the General Manager of LeafLink Insights where he is responsible for product development and data monetization. He has 14 years of experience developing commercial relationships and building new products in media and technology. Prior to LeafLink, Alex worked as Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Comscore, a media measurement and analytics company. While there, he was responsible for structuring agreements with connected TV and streaming video platforms and leading new product development. He has also held senior positions at Comcast and Viacom in business development roles. Through his consulting practice, Night Heron, Alex worked with VICE, Wieden+Kennedy and other technology clients. From 2009-2012, Alex built and subsequently led the global forecasting division at ad holding company, Interpublic Group. He began his career as an analyst covering the Education and Advertising sectors for Merrill Lynch in New York. Alex received his Bachelors of Science in Finance with a Minor in Mathematics from N.Y.U’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business. He has served as Adjunct Professor of American Media at the City University of New York.

This panel brings together executives from Flowhub, LeafLink and Vangst, three of the leading cannabis services. The COVID-19 pandemic has sent shockwaves across the entire world, causing disruptions and alterations to everyday operations across all industries and business types - including cannabis. Across the U.S., shelter-in-place orders forced dispensaries to pivot to delivery and curbside pickup, expediting the shift from predominantly brick-and-mortar shopping experiences to e-commerce. Cannabis was deemed an essential service in most states where it is legal, giving power and affirmation to the legalization debate. Now, with uncertainty surrounding what “business as usual” looks like, cannabis companies must steady themselves for a wildly different and unpredictable future. This panel brings together executives from Flowhub, LeafLink and Vangst, three of the leading cannabis services, to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and discuss trends that will alter the industry for the future. Based on their in-depth industry report, The State of the Cannabis Industry: 2020, the panelists will provide valuable and quantitative insights into the state of the cannabis landscape, corroborated by in-depth data analysis and survey responses from some of the largest and most respected companies in the industry. The data-packed panel will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the cannabis industry while touching on several key facets of the industrys: B2B relationships and ordering patterns, consumer preferences and purchasing habits, and human resources management.The coalition will also provide guidance and advice on the outlook for 2021. Karson Humiston, Founder & CEO, Vangst: Karson Humiston is the Founder & CEO of Vangst, the cannabis industry’s recruiting platform. Since launching in 2016, Vangst has connected thousands of people with jobs at over leading cannabis businesses around the World. Karson was featured on the 2018 Forbes 30 under 30 list and Vangst was featured in Entrepreneur’s 100 Brilliant Companies of 2018. Prior to founding Vangst, Karson founded On Track Adventures, a student travel organization based out of St. Lawrence University. Michael Hanson, Director of Data Science, Flowhub: Michael Hanson is the Director of Data Science at Flowhub with expertise in machine learning, natural language processing and statistical analysis to provide actionable intelligence to decision makers. Michael spent his career designing and building new processes for mining, production and visualization of databases. Prior to Flowhub, Michael worked at Echostar (a Dish subsidiary) as a criminal intelligence analyst, Convercent as a Data Scientist and with local Swiss police departments using data science to help discover patterns in criminal activities. Michael studied at the School of Criminal Sciences at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, where he wrote a thesis on developing a new process to analyze payment information in an effort to understand and prevent satellite piracy. Alex Feldman, General Manager, LeafLink Insights: Alex Feldman is the General Manager of LeafLink Insights where he is responsible for product development and data monetization. He has 14 years of experience developing commercial relationships and building new products in media and technology. Prior to LeafLink, Alex worked as Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Comscore, a media measurement and analytics company. While there, he was responsible for structuring agreements with connected TV and streaming video platforms and leading new product development. He has also held senior positions at Comcast and Viacom in business development roles. Through his consulting practice, Night Heron, Alex worked with VICE, Wieden+Kennedy and other technology clients. From 2009-2012, Alex built and subsequently led the global forecasting division at ad holding company, Interpublic Group. He began his career as an analyst covering the Education and Advertising sectors for Merrill Lynch in New York. Alex received his Bachelors of Science in Finance with a Minor in Mathematics from N.Y.U’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business. He has served as Adjunct Professor of American Media at the City University of New York.

Content writing, copywriting and storytelling in the cannabis space. Stories work. They sell products, educate, amuse, emote and explain. Good content always tells a story — short form and longform alike — so learning to tell yours effectively is something of a superpower. This panel of marketers, copywriters, journalists and editors will share their experiences telling stories across the cannabis space, and give tips and insights for brands to implement.

Join CMA and LPP for virtual happy hour where we will be writing letters to Last Prisoner Project's constituents! The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) is a coalition of cannabis industry leaders, executives and artists dedicated to bringing restorative justice to the cannabis industry. LPP is dedicated to releasing cannabis prisoners and helping them rebuild their lives. Join Cannabis Marketing Association and Last Prisoner Project for our Letter Writing Happy Hour on October 13. Attendees will hear from LPP's Managing Director, Mary Bailey, to learn about Last Prisoner Project's Letter Writing Program, how to get involved, and have the opportunity to write an LPP constituent a letter. What to Write The biggest hurdle to beginning a pen pal relationship is getting started. A suggestion for a first letter might include an intro with a short bio, an explanation of how you came to hear about your pen pal, hobbies, pets, music, activism, etc. Let them know that cannabis justice activists like yourself are fighting for their freedom! Don't forget, the prison mail system can be slow. Sometimes it takes several weeks to get a response. Mailing Instructions Plain white envelopes only No stamps (other than postage stamps on the envelope), stickers, tape, glue, glitter, staples, paper clips, fragrances, crayon, ribbon, etc on the envelope or letter No popup/out content No address labels All ingoing and outgoing mail is subject to inspection. Never include anything you wouldn't want staff to read No drawings or markings that can be misconstrued as secret code or inappropriate content etc Please realize that even if you do everything correctly, mail can be returned Addressing the Envelope Always include your pen pal's full name, six-digit prison ID#, institution name, address, and your full name and return address. This event is free to everyone; however, $10 donations to Last Prisoner Project are suggested. To learn more about Last Prisoner Project, visit https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/. Become a CMA member at: https://thecannabismarketingassociation.com/membership/