As an all women team, we look for mentors in the cannabis space. You’ve got to have a mentor in any industry and we see the great need for not only our clients starting out, but us as well. These mentors usually come in the form of education, science, government and business. It is a great thing to see women represented in high places, we want to see more. There are hundreds of strong women out there working hard to make retail and agricultural hemp and cannabis businesses not just successful, but fair, inclusive, legal and safe. Here are three women in cannabis that we admire greatly and love seeing what they’re working on.

Dr. Sue Sisley

The cannabis industry continues to fight for patients and caregiver rights. At center stage and also behind the scenes, Dr. Sue Sisley has been a cannabis advocate and activist for years. She lobbies for proper medical care, research and clinical trials. She has also been behind many of the most influential and impactful studies on cannabis and hemp. Dr. Sisley strives to put crucial medically active plants through the FDA drug development process to someday be on the market as an alternative to treat pain, opioid dependence and PTSD. She believes in the efficacy of the plant as a safer alternative to pharmaceuticals.

Mary Pryor

If you haven’t been reading Forbes, or heard of Mary Pryor, now is the time to follow and sign up for everything she puts out. Mary has a lot to say about the inclusion of women and POC in cannabis. “I received exposure to automotive design, electrical engineering, music, digital art, and marketing at an early age, and I realized that there was a pressing need for agencies that catered to culturally rich and niche audiences through digital and social marketing integration. It has been challenging to be respected as a woman of color within a large corporation or thriving industry. In the early days of corporate cannabis, there were women who held higher positions and status, however they were typically the wives of wealthy, Caucasian men. These women made it known, so it is harder to be heard and respected in higher positions and see more acceptance on all levels within the industry and community.” Don’t walk, run to her website, Cannaclusive, and see for yourself the beautiful work she is doing out there. We are huge fans of go-to lists for our clients to access easily from trusted sources that share our values of women and people of color in high places. We love her rich list of black and female owned sources for not only products to stock but resources and info on getting active in legislation.

Amber Senter

You may have heard Amber Senter’s name recently in the news. But if you’ve ever been anywhere in the cannabis industry you know she is a heavy hitter and in almost every aspect of the cannabis industry. Her brand resume is vast and her knowledge unmatched. She is an amazing person to talk to. Our Founder, Melanie, had the pleasure of interviewing Amber on our Women Who Lead in Weed; Meet the CEO Forum. Her track record and work ethic is undeniable. She is a dynamo in fundraising, government relations, strategy, product development and marketing. She is the co-founder, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Supernova Women. Any chance you get to hear her speak is a great opportunity to learn, grow and expand your knowledge

All three of these kick ass leaders are united in that they believe in deep connections. To their clients, to the community and to each other. They are truly inspiring and have opened many doors for others in the business of cannabis and hemp. As an all women team, Sungrown Studio also knows the value of friendships and connection throughout the industry. I love when wallpaper designers call me with a new hemp toile they’re working on and want to run a few color options past me. Or a consultant in an emerging state has some clients that could use my help. Our black book of connections is ever-growing. We care about who we recommend to our clients and who recommends us. Collaboration not competition for the win.