Kieve Huffman

Disagree strongly with this take. The fundamental disconnect is thinking digital marketing's only value comes from direct conversions to sales. That sounds like saying the internet had no business value because you couldn't sell through it in 90’s… My theory is that branding has and will continue to evolve alongside tech. First, companies like Apple and Google provided ecosystems (Web1; App Store/iOS and Play Store/Android) which led to the creation of billions in value and onboarded millions of users. Then, we saw the rise of platforms (Web2; Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Snap) built on these ecosystems. The platforms onboarded billions of users, while adding trillions in dollars in value to the ecosystems (and in Meta's case, themselves reached over $1T). Those platforms generated value through creators, on the back of digital marketing. They unknowingly, yet fundamentally, rewired how consumer trust works. These creators aren't just building audiences, rather they're architecting trust networks at scale. Mr. Beast isn't just disrupting the candy industry, and Logan Paul isn't just challenging drinks. They're showing that authentic, community driven brands can succeed even in the toughest markets. These creators aren’t just swaying consumer spending or capturing viewers attention as a “time suck.” They are bringing in massive viewership numbers and have the ability to sway action. For example, Joe Rogan pulled in over 50m views with Trump podcast. Hell, Elon's appearance on Rogan shortly after was what drove me to vote, for the first time ever…. Podcasts have been a big talk this election, and it’s because we are seeing (or finally realizing) the power they hold. Digital/social isn't just media anymore. It's not a distraction, it's the new infrastructure of influence which operates at unprecedented scale. P.S. We're documenting our journey growing Higher State Brands right now. Follow along if you want to see how we're building a cannabis brand through radical transparency. YouTube channel launching soon!

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In this video, we explore how New York aims to set the benchmark for cannabis industry regulation. w/ @nycannabisretailassociation Britni Tantalo, MBA & Jayson Tantalo Join us as we discuss the trials and triumphs, showcasing how the state is paving the way for others to follow in the evolving landscape of cannabis governance. #CannabisRegulation #NewYorkCannabis #IndustryLeadership #GovernanceStrategy #CannabisCommunity #LegalizationSuccess #InnovationInCannabis #RegulatoryBestPractices #CannabisIndustry #NYLeadership

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Good morning California Cannabis Industry, Today, in the economic evolution of cannabinoids (both cannabis and help), there's one question remaining: WHO WON THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.  

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As the cannabis industry matures, we are starting to get reliable data. This can help make decisions based on real sales figures and not predictions. 10 years ago, there was only one state with adult use sales (#colorado) and a handful of states with medical seals. Now there is 24 sates with adult use sales and an additional 15 states with medical seals. At the moment #california leads with total seals but #michigan leads with per capita seals. #florida leads in medical seals. #missouri with a relatively small population and only 17 months since they launched their adult-use market, is already in fifth place. Thank you Debra Borchardt from Green Market Report for the financial update. #cannabisindustry #cannabiscommunity #cannabisnews #cannabiseducation #cannabispolicy #cannbislaw https://lnkd.in/gc96gcCh

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New trends are always exciting to explore and compare to traditional metrics. Something always shakes out to prove or disprove an assumption. Therefore, reading this article from Packaging Strategies Magazine, it's no surprise that cannabis packaging has a direct impact on the bottom line. #retail #packaging #trends #cannabispackaging #cannabis #protip

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🌿 "Green Scene Insights: Subscribe Now and Explore Cannabis Culture! 🌿 Dive deep into the world of cannabis with Green Scene Insights! From cultivation to testing, smoking to diverse uses, and the unique insights of users – we cover it all! Subscribe now for a comprehensive understanding of marijuana culture! 🎙️💨 Subscribe: https://lnkd.in/grhu-iFE #GreenSceneInsights #CannabisCulture #SubscribeNow #CannabisCommunity 🌱"

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🌿 Let’s Talk! 🌿 Happy Wisdom Wednesday, everyone! Today, we're thrilled to introduce our new segment, "Let's Talk," where we'll dive into important cannabis topics brought to you by LeVar, CEO of @blurok_farms. I wanted to provide more context from my interview with Strain Damage Podcast because this is a very layered topic. The fact that cannabis is now legal in over 20 states indicates that the law was flawed. People who were incarcerated for possession, cultivation, or distribution shouldn’t have been. Beyond the medical benefits of cannabis—which is a separate conversation—we know that Black and Brown communities were disproportionately targeted and sentenced compared to their white counterparts during the War on Drugs. Being arrested significantly impacts one's earning potential and future opportunities. Historically, reparations have been used to address past injustices, such as the promise of "40 acres and a mule" to former slaves, which was largely rescinded after President Lincoln’s assassination, and the reparations given to Japanese internment victims. So why can't people incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses receive reparations in the form of cannabis licenses and expungement? Expungements help, but they don’t solve everything. Those affected should be able to profit and create businesses in the industry they were incarcerated for. The cannabis industry has a high capital barrier for entry. Even with a free license, those who were incarcerated will need capital for build-out, location, and operations. They can’t get loans because it’s cannabis, and they’ll have a hard time getting investors due to a lack of legal work history. Personal funds are often unavailable due to time spent incarcerated, and Black and Brown communities typically lack the disposable income to invest the necessary amounts for starting a cannabis business, especially cultivation. These are the reasons I believe cannabis-convicted individuals should at minimum receive free expungements and free cannabis industry licenses. But I believe they deserve much more. Let's talk!!! 🌱💬 #LetsTalk #WisdomWednesday #CannabisJustice #BIPOCinCannabis #BluRokFarm #BluRokFam

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How Sonoma County's Cannabis Equity Program missed the mark: How did Erich Pearson, CEO of SPARC and owner of 7 successful Bay Area dispensaries, along with 3 of his associates, manage to pull in 22% of the $635,000 awarded to grant recipients? Why is it that “a majority of the grant recipients are among the most successful and influential people in the county’s legal cannabis industry, some of (whom) are even promoters of local equity initiatives themselves”, according to Ezra W.’s investigative report for the Sebastopol Times? The Sonoma Valley Cannabis Group suggests that the manner in which these monies were awarded exemplifies the abject failure of a program that should be helping those most in need, but instead rewards some of the most eminently undeserving participants in the county’s cannabis community. Erich Pearson’s feigned support for social equity is the height of hypocrisy. Understanding that some of the recipients may be more deserving of the social equity money provided by the state, it is nevertheless concerning that others appear to have taken advantage of the opportunity and subverted the spirit of “social equity”. Where is the equity here? Mr. Wallach’s article only raises more questions and they deserve much better answers than, “The grant recipient met the eligibility criteria as specified”, and the county “will be reviewing and updating the eligibility criteria in the coming months”. The county has not only failed in this endeavor, it opens the door to questions of corruption of the process. Here is the Sebastopol Times article: https://bit.ly/3Suew44

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Six Steps Cannabis Businesses Can Take to Overcome Industry Hurdles 1) Normalize the Consumer Retail Experience 2) Advocate for Decisive Reform 3) Share Content That Highlights Your ‘Why’ 4) Be Ready to Pivot at Any Time 5) Use Available Resources to Expand Your Customer Base 6) Stay Informed and Active Read the details … https://lnkd.in/e8Fxq6NN

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🍃 "Cannabis Creative Group has absolutely taken off like wildfire."  – Dan Serard, VP of Sales and Marketing for Cannabis Creative Let’s take a deep dive into a vertical that certainly is anything but dull. This week's guest on the Deep Specialization Podcast, Dan Serard, is a trailblazer in cannabis marketing and has stories to tell. We discuss everything from carving out a vertical for a highly regulated product to dreaming up a standalone event brand for industry networking and the building blocks that made CGC the success that it is today. We cover in this episode: → Starting the cannabis vertical at an agency. → The quirks of the industry and navigating restrictions. → How CCG grows through thought leaderships, partnerships, trade shows, and more. → Building community for long-term success. Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders: → GTM skills, even from a different industry, is a great skill set for sales leaders. → Try to find spaces where you can show up first to gain an unfair advantage. → Be active at industry associations; it’s a space not all agencies play in. → Be the connector between clients and prospects at industry events to build community. The episode is live now worldwide. Go listen!! --------------------------- I'm Corey Quinn 🎯 Click my name + follow + 🔔 I help agencies specialize, simplify, and escape founder-led sales. #agencygrowth #deepspecialization #positioning

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Building a true brand-driven MSO   Most cannabis executives and sector analysts concur: Winning MSOs will be brand-driven. Great, but what does that mean in practice and how do you get there?   A strong brand is more than a logo or THC level. It is a promise of value reliably delivered to consumers – and, if done right, a provider of strong margins and sustainable advantage for producers.   I've worked with some of the biggest consumer & B2B brands in the world (e.g., P&G, Merck, AmEx) plus many ambitious Canadian and US weed brands.   Here's what I learned in cannabis. It doesn’t matter how many CPG people you hire, the amount of executive ‘happy talk’ or how much money you throw around.   Great brands will emerge from the creation of a brand development engine that forms the core of how a firm competes. This engine is built on a foundation of strategic clarity, an unwavering focus on channel & consumer needs and the assembling of enabling capabilities such as market research & analytics, innovation, and product line management.   One MSO that is dialed into this advanced thinking is Ayr Wellness.   Ayr’s go-to-market strategy is based on the notion of a ‘flywheel’. This is an understanding that the company is simultaneously seeking to be a retailer of choice and a house of sought-after CPG-like brands. Their operational ‘secret sauce’ includes quickly capturing and leveraging market & consumer learnings, ensuring quality throughout the supply chain and designing the ideal consumer brand portfolio and experience.   This approach seems obvious, but it is not. Many MSOs plan/execute their retail and brand strategies in silos, thereby increasing complexity, hindering learning and challenging cost minimization efforts.   For Ayr’s differing brand and retail strategies to work, they need to support one another and leverage available synergies. For example, Ayr’s CPG brands need strong equity and a unique identity, and not be seen as ‘me too’ house brands. Ayr has rationalized its brand portfolio from 12 single-form factor brands to 2 core brands that cross form factors to ensure that each provides a differentiated value proposition and carries a strong physical and digital presence. When done successfully, brands can become a driver for retail, much like carrying Coca Cola is de rigueur for any grocery chain.   On the other side of the flywheel, Ayr’s strong retail platform gives them the ability to launch/build brand equity through readily available shelf space, a supportive retail service team and direct access to market data. The retail brand is being built to convey clear positioning and resonating pillars and focused on generating customer loyalty.    When fully developed, Ayr’s flywheel could powerfully drive corporate performance, including delivering market-leading brands, service levels and margins. 🔔Hit that follow bell to always get my unique, impactful content #cannabisindustry #MSOS #branding #cannabis #marketing #AyrWellness

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Pre-rolls are becoming one of the fastest-growing sectors in the cannabis industry, with numerous brands embracing this convenient format. This trend is helping businesses diversify and appeal to new customer segments. Between June 2023 and June 2024, pre-rolls experienced the biggest increase in sales revenue among all categories, jumping 11.89%, according to a recent study. Pre-rolls accounted for more than $4.1 billion in sales and sold over 394 million units during that time frame, the study shows. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gGFY7PcA. #seedlessmedia #cannabismarketing #marketingcannabis #cannabiscontentmarketing #cannabisdispensarymarketing #cannabismarketingagency #advertising #branding #digitalmarketing #cannabisindustry

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🚨 Insightful DEA Report: Illicit marijuana flowers average a THC potency of 16%. 🌿💨 This statistic underscores a significant advantage of purchasing from licensed dispensaries—quality and safety. Unlike the unregulated market, dispensaries offer products that are tested, compliant, and consistent in their THC content. This not only ensures a safer consumer experience but also supports the legal cannabis industry committed to high standards. Why risk the unknown? Choose quality, safety, and reliability every time with dispensary-bought cannabis. Let's advocate for more informed consumer choices and support regulations that emphasize these benefits. Stay informed and choose wisely. #CannabisIndustry #ConsumerSafety #DispensaryQuality #THCPotency #RegulatedCannabis

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Check out my article in Cannabis Business Times - "Navigating the Green Line: How to Balance Selling and Profitability in Cannabis Retail." As an industry, we are moving beyond the need to focus solely on top line revenue. Profitability is key and it is important to ensure that everyone is focused on it. There are tools out there that can help with understanding profitability & optimal assortment. Utilizing data to make decisions has become a requirement in this industry. If you are in dispensary retail, check out this article! Noelle Skodzinski Tony Lange Jeni Cohen Cassie Tomaselli Adriana Tarasiewicz Lori DeCarlo Stephen Fialek Jack Blaeser Anibal Palma Frank Vana Steph Woods Headset Mosaic Dutchie Flowhub Matthew Cox Amelia Thorne, CAPM Jacob Sagare Sarah Zelman Jeff Dayton Jaimee Hamm The Cannabis Chamber of Commerce John Svoboda Chris Boudreau Ryan Guedel, CPA Mahja Sulemanjee https://lnkd.in/gZRhcBmG

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Understanding Cannabis Retail: Why Advisors Are Essential Meet Herb Barbot, former Director of Operations and Host of the Joint Session Podcast as we discuss running a cannabis retail business comes with unique challenges. We discuss the importance of securing trusted advisors, raising capital, and leveraging business savvy for success in New York’s evolving market. Don’t navigate this complex landscape alone! #CannabisBusiness #RetailSuccess #AdvisorsMatter #NewYorkCannabis #BusinessGrowth #FinancialAdvice #LegalSupport #Entrepreneurship #CannabisIndustry #NavigatingChallenges

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For those who wonder how cannabis is grown and the details, here is an episode of Cannacribs, which walks you through the entire Culta process! Our secret is our team....... https://lnkd.in/e4df2r4Z

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📢 Quick update from the latest NY Cannabis Control Board (CCB) meeting: Big milestones reached—over 1,100 adult-use licenses issued this year and the opening of New York's 200th dispensary! 🌱 The market is expanding fast. Currently, there are more licenses than active proximity protections, and we anticipate updates to some proximity protections by Oct 23rd. We’ll be looking into this and reporting back soon. Also, provisional licensees do not need to return to the board for final approval, meaning there may be fewer provisional licenses and more active retail operations than shown in the table. #NYCannabis #CannabisRegulations #MarketGrowth

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How to Create an Unforgettable Dispensary Experience @terpbros.astoria Jeremy Rivera Learn how to provide exceptional customer service and create a memorable experience at your cannabis dispensary. Discover the key strategies to separate your business from the competition and build a loyal customer base. #DispensaryExperience #CustomerServiceTips #CannabisIndustry #CustomerSatisfaction #DifferentiationStrategies #DispensarySuccess #CannabisCommunity #BusinessGrowth #CustomerRetention #MemorableExperience

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🌿 BluRok Farm offers unique opportunities for private investors. Hear success stories from our existing investors and see how your investment can make a positive impact. Scan the QR code to donate or DM us to learn more about investing! #CannabisInvestment #HempBusiness #BluRokFarm

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