{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-insight-jsx","path":"/insight/how-vanessa-cuccurullo-is-building-leilala--watson","result":{"data":{"prismic":{"insightByUID":{"title":[{"type":"heading1","text":"How Vanessa Cuccurullo is Building Leilala & Watson Around Trust ","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"}],"category":{"__typename":"PRISMIC_Category","name":"In-house Experts"},"author":{"__typename":"PRISMIC_Person","name":"Samantha Qualls"},"feature_image":{"dimensions":{"width":2000,"height":2000},"alt":null,"copyright":null,"url":"https://images.prismic.io/marino-pr/eiyYdpajgl9hRSN-_VanessaCuccurullo-DSC_1491-2-.jpg?auto=format,compress"},"related_case_study":null,"body":[{"__typename":"PRISMIC_InsightBodyText","type":"text","primary":{"content":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Vanessa Cuccurullo didn't just start her cannabis company because she saw a business opportunity. She entered the cannabis industry because the plant became part of her own health journey. A two-time breast cancer survivor, Cuccurullo turned to cannabis during treatment but struggled to find products she could consistently trust. Alongside her husband and caregiver, Paul, she set out to create something different: a brand built around precision, transparency, and thoughtful product design rather than high potency.","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"That vision became Leilala & Watson™, a New York State licensed cannabis brand produced by Mrs. C Botanicals LLC and guided by the philosophy \"Low Dose – High Trust™.\" Cuccurullo is focused on making cannabis more approachable through predictable dosing, clean ingredients, and consistent quality. She spoke with Marino about building a brand in New York – one of the country's most competitive regulated markets – the lessons she's learned as an entrepreneur, and where she sees the industry headed next.","spans":[{"start":19,"end":36,"type":"hyperlink","data":{"link_type":"Web","url":"https://www.leilala.com/","target":"_blank"}}],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"heading3","text":"1. What inspired you to launch Leilala & Watson?","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Leilala & Watson was born while I was recovering from breast cancer. During treatment, I turned to cannabis, but I found the experience frustrating. Products were often inconsistent, difficult to dose, or made with ingredients that didn’t reflect how I wanted to care for my body. My husband was my caregiver during that time, and together we began asking a simple question: What if cannabis could be more thoughtful?","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"We created Leilala & Watson to bridge the gap between the canna curious and the connoisseur, proving that precision, clean ingredients, and beautiful design can exist in the same product. Every decision, from our proprietary scored gummy bar to our ingredient standards, reflects that belief.","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"heading3","text":"2. How did you approach developing a product that stands out while meeting New York’s regulatory requirements?","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"We never viewed compliance as something to work around. We treated it as a design framework. Every decision started with the consumer experience and then had to satisfy New York’s regulatory framework.","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Rather than chasing the highest potency, we focused on precision and quality. Our solventless live rosin gummy bars are scored for predictable dosing and made with ingredients we felt proud to stand behind: vegan, gluten-free, kosher-certified, and free from dyes and corn syrup. We wanted every part of the product, from formulation to packaging, to reinforce trust.","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"heading3","text":"3. What has been the biggest surprise or lesson you’ve learned while launching a cannabis business?","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The biggest surprise has been discovering what resonates with people. I thought everyone would immediately gravitate toward the product itself, but what has been most meaningful is seeing how different people connect with different parts of our story.","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"For some, it’s that we’re kosher-certified or that we chose to make our gummies without dyes or corn syrup. For others, it’s my experience as a two-time cancer survivor. And for many, it’s hearing about Paul’s role as my caregiver during treatment and how we built Leilala & Watson together while navigating that season of our lives.","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The lesson for me has been that people aren’t just looking for products. They’re looking for something they can relate to and believe in. Along the way, we’ve built genuine friendships with people across the industry, and that has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"heading3","text":"4. Where do you see the greatest opportunity for innovation as New York’s cannabis market continues to mature?","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"I think the biggest opportunity is moving beyond potency as the primary measure of quality. Consumers are becoming more educated and more intentional. They’re asking better questions about ingredients, dosing, formulation, and how cannabis fits into their lives.","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The future belongs to brands that build trust through consistency, transparency, and thoughtful product design. I believe we’re still in the early chapters of what cannabis can become, and that’s an incredibly exciting place to be.","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"}],"alignment":"Left"}},{"__typename":"PRISMIC_InsightBodyCustom_html","type":"custom_html","primary":{"content":[{"type":"preformatted","text":"<script charset=\"utf-8\" type=\"text/javascript\" src=\"//js.hsforms.net/forms/embed/v2.js\"></script>\n<script>\n  hbspt.forms.create({\n    portalId: \"46082381\",\n    formId: \"a01501c4-d8ad-417b-bead-b37a626373a7\"\n  });\n</script>","spans":[],"direction":"ltr"}]}}],"related_insights":[{"insight":null}],"get_in_touch_heading":null,"social_title":null,"social_description":null,"social_image":null},"allSite_settingss":{"edges":[{"node":{"get_in_touch_heading":"Everything starts with a conversation."}}]}}},"pageContext":{"rootQuery":"\n  query InsightQuery($uid: String!) {\n    prismic {\n      insightByUID: insight(uid: $uid, lang: \"en-us\") {\n        title\n        category {\n          ... on PRISMIC_Category {\n            name\n          }\n        }\n        author {\n          ... on PRISMIC_Person {\n            name\n          }\n        }\n        feature_image\n        related_case_study {\n          ... on PRISMIC_Case_study {\n            client_name\n            tagline\n            feature_image\n            area {\n              ... on PRISMIC_Area {\n                name\n              }\n            }\n            _meta {\n              uid\n            }\n          }\n        }\n        body {\n          ... on PRISMIC_InsightBodyText {\n            type\n            primary {\n              content\n              alignment\n            }\n          }\n          ... on PRISMIC_InsightBodyCustom_html {\n            type\n            primary {\n              content\n            }\n          }\n          ... on PRISMIC_InsightBodyQuote {\n            type\n            primary {\n              quote {\n                ... on PRISMIC_Quote {\n                  content\n                  name\n                  title\n                }\n              }\n            }\n          }\n          ... on PRISMIC_InsightBodyContent_block {\n            type\n            primary {\n              image\n              caption\n              rubric\n              content\n            }\n          }\n          ... on PRISMIC_InsightBodyCallout {\n            type\n            primary {\n              callout\n              rubric\n              content\n            }\n          }\n        }\n        related_insights {\n          insight {\n            ... on PRISMIC_Insight {\n              _meta {\n                uid\n              }\n              title\n              feature_image\n              category {\n                ... on PRISMIC_Category {\n                  name\n                }\n              }    \n            }\n          }\n        }\n        get_in_touch_heading\n        social_title\n        social_description\n        social_image\n      }\n      allSite_settingss {\n        edges {\n          node {\n            get_in_touch_heading\n          }\n        }\n      }\n    }\n  }\n","id":"anuGqhEAACsAEpjB","lang":"en-us","uid":"how-vanessa-cuccurullo-is-building-leilala--watson","type":"insight","alternateLanguages":[],"cursor":"YXJyYXljb25uZWN0aW9uOjE5NQ==","paginationPreviousMeta":{"id":"anomihEAACgAEDU4","lang":"en-us","uid":"green-wednesday-is-a-summer-opportunity-not-a-november-scramble","type":"insight","alternateLanguages":[]},"paginationPreviousUid":"green-wednesday-is-a-summer-opportunity-not-a-november-scramble","paginationPreviousLang":"en-us","paginationNextMeta":{"id":"anuLoREAACsAEqCM","lang":"en-us","uid":"what-data-center-developers-should-do-during-new-yorks-data-center-moratorium","type":"insight","alternateLanguages":[]},"paginationNextUid":"what-data-center-developers-should-do-during-new-yorks-data-center-moratorium","paginationNextLang":"en-us","lastQueryChunkEndCursor":"YXJyYXljb25uZWN0aW9uOjE3OQ=="}}}