Women Owned/Founded Cannabis Companies You Should Know About

More women are consuming cannabis than ever before, but only 19.9 percent of cannabis companies are owned by women. The shortage of women in ownership rolls impacts how cannabis products are marketed, produced, and developed, sometimes forgetting a significant segment of the population that controls an even larger percentage of the buying power. While women are proportionally represented as business owners in the industry, there are some powerful ladies changing the landscape when it comes to cultivation, cannabis PR and media, consultation, and more.  

Here are some cannabis companies owned or founded by women that are leading the way:  

• Cannaspire: From application to expansion Cannaspire provides the products, services, and consulting you need to succeed in the Cannabis industry. The company was founded in 2018 by leading business, cannabis, and Wall Street veterans with over 80 years’ combined experience. Starting as a cannabis security service, Cannaspire expanded its offerings and team to meet the growing needs of the market at large for dispensaries, process-manufacturers, grows, and state & local policymakers. Chairman and founder Tracey Kauffman leveraged her background as founder and president of Validity Security, a cybersecurity solutions company, to create Cannaspire, and now oversees all company strategy, marketing and vendor relations.  
• Cann Strategy: Since 2016, Cann Strategy has built its reputation by customizing client projects, utilizing the collaboration of specialized consultants from across the country with combined decades of experience in cannabis business licensing, operations, product sales, research, team building, and business development. Whether working with newcomers or existing businesses, whether on-site or remote working, we help companies reach their ultimate goals by creating actionable strategies and project managing from start to finish. Founder and president Juliana Whitney has emerged as an expert in competitive licensing and social equity in cannabis and created Leafsheets, a firm on a mission to lower barriers of entry into the cannabis industry by providing simple, easy-to-digest solutions for entrepreneurs. 
• Etain Health: As New York’s first women-owned cannabis dispensary, Etain operates four locations throughout the state. Driven by a commitment to quality, Etain sells a diverse line of medical cannabis products specifically developed for patients. Founded by a CEO Amy Peckham, and her two daughters, Hillary Peckham who is COO, and Keeley Peckham, who is Chief Horticultural Officer, Etain is not only an outspoken advocate for medical patients, but also the elevation of women in the cannabis industry.  
• Honeysuckle Magazine: Honeysuckle is a print and digital publication that emphasizes diverse voices with high visual impact. The outlet uses cannabis to explore gender and sexuality, racial politics, the environment, and pop culture. The magazine gives a platform to the voices of the underrepresented within the cannabis industry. Founder and publisher Ronit Pinto has led several advertising and print media campaigns under the Honeysuckle name, including becoming the first company to place cannabis and hemp ads in Times Square.  
• House of Puff: House of Puff designs approachable, luxe products and content to help the next generation of cannabis consumers. Its art-inspired sophisticated puffware is made up of curated objects meant to be shown off. Leveraging her background in art and fashion, the company’s founder, Kristina Adduci, is a leading voice among the Latina-cannabis company and is invested in reducing stigma among people who use cannabis.  
• Poplar: The online, modern drug store offers the best selection of must-have hemp-derived CBD products (read - weed without the high) and educational resources and experiences to demystify plant medicine. Founder Beryl Solomon is also leading the opt-in movement on Long Island, where cannabis business owners are hoping to convince local municipalities to opt into retail cannabis sales. 
• Roll-up Life: Working in New Jersey’s growing cannabis market, Roll-up Life is positioning itself to become the premier provider and transporter of high-quality cannabis and related products. Founder Precious Osagie Erese is regularly tapped as an expert on the New Jersey industry, minority representation in cannabis and marketing and branding cannabis brands and delivery services.  
• Shinnecock Hemp: Founded in 2019, Shinnecock Hemp grows full spectrum hemp the Shinnecock Indian Nation territory. Rainbow Chavis, co-owner, founder and CMO of Shinnecock Hemp, is an outspoken advocate for the indigenous community, cannabis legalizations and the health benefits of the plants. 

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, it is likely that women’s interest in the plant and its consumption will only grow. Therefore, it will be paramount to support women-owned brands and businesses within the industry, so that this market can be tapped in the most effective way.  

The above women-owned brands are great examples of those truly making a splash within the industry, not only with their products, services and content, but also through their advocacy, initiative and understanding of culture, consumer mindsets and the connections between cannabis, art and lifestyle.