Smoke Show: We Are JAINE levels a leafy playing field through networking and empowerment
Photo Courtesy of We Are JAINE
As fresh as cannabis across various legal states is, statistics show that it still leans toward a male-dominated industry. According to a 2021 report from MJBizDaily, only 22.1% of women in the cannabis industry held executive positions in 2021, which was a decline from 36.8% in 2019. The 2020 national average among all industries in the country was 29.8%.
We Are JAINE is a nonprofit aimed at empowering women, working to ensure that the Missouri cannabis industry remains as level a playing field as possible.
JAINE—which stands for Join, Achieve, Ignite, Network, and Empower—began as an early concept by a few Missouri women license holders and advocates during the medicinal years in the state and has grown through the legalization of recreational cannabis, now with over 170 members, both men and women.
The organization has four different annual membership plans that individuals, small businesses, and larger corporations in the space can get in on, each listed at $100 per person (with a discounted $1,800 for a twenty-person corporate package) that grant the member a variety of amenities.
Through different events, web seminars, and just being an overall hub for women looking for guidance, support, or varying perspectives regarding the market, We Are JAINE wants to be the central avenue for any woman looking to grow in the cannabis field.
Photo Courtesy of We Are JAINE
Current JAINE Co-President Kassie Ferrero is no stranger to how cannabis markets operate. She got her feet wet in Maryland’s medicinal market before diving into Missouri’s recreational, now working as Principal Procurement Specialist for Calyx Peak—the parent company to Local Cannabis Co., Smackers, and Pinchy’s. Throughout her five-plus years of working within the field, she understands the different hoops and hurdles that women encounter, which led to her getting involved with JAINE in 2023.
“A lack of female presence” in the legal weed scene is what drives Ferrero’s work with JAINE. “That space for women was really lacking. I mean, it was there, but it was small. And I do truly believe that we need to have a stronger space like that,” she says.
As Co-President, Ferrero services the West side of the state, whereas Co-President Lila Waier services the East side. Ferrero touches on the importance of holding events in cities across the state, specifically Southern Missouri.
“There’s a goal that we’ve accomplished—just getting more spread throughout the state and hosting more events, especially in the southern area,” she says. “It’s such an underserved area.”
Current JAINE Secretary and Marketing Committee Chair Nicole Castellano’s introduction to the organization was organic. After working in the Colorado cannabis industry, she moved back to St. Louis and later founded her marketing company Planty of Greenery, servicing local plant shops, dispensaries, CBD companies, and farmers. Her first client was a local garden center, The Garden Shop, owned by Lila Waier.
In 2023, Waier mentioned We Are JAINE to Castellano, gifting her a membership, and she has been all hands on deck since. She says that the number of connections she has received through networking with the group is inimitable.
“I’ve definitely made a lot of personal and professional connections, which has been great,” Castellano says. “I feel so connected to all these different women all over and it’s been really cool to learn their stories.”
Photo Courtesy of We Are JAINE
She has taken what she learned from her experience in the Colorado cannabis space and brought that knowledge with her to the Show-Me State, which is about a decade behind in terms of market experience. Yet, despite its freshness, Castellano mentions that it is still a remarkably, incredibly booming service.
“Clearly, it’s still a younger market, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping the sales or the amount of product that keeps coming out,” she says.
Castellano spearheads much of the organization’s social media presence, website updates, event planning, and more. As far as their events go, We Are JAINE holds larger, informative gatherings as well as smaller, intimate smoke seshes when members are looking to blow off some steam.
Just at the end of May, the organization hosted its third JAINE in Bloom event at The Higher Event Space in Independence, where individuals came together to get more deeply intertwined with cannabis culture and knowledge, while also being able to take part in sound meditation, networking, and other fun activities.
Photo Courtesy of We Are JAINE
This upcoming September, We Are JAINE is looking to tap into the younger demographic, hosting a cannabis career expo in Columbia, aimed at targeting University of Missouri students. While some Missouri universities have taken up cannabis courses to help educate young adults on the innovative and flourishing space, Mizzou does not yet offer any classes—another checkmark on what makes Columbia a solid fit for the conference.
“I hear from people who are coming out of college or in college that are intrigued and want to learn more,” Ferrero says.
JAINE’s reach goes much further than just knowledge spread in the Missouri market; There are members from many different states, along with international members. JAINE member and author of Cannabis Queens Melanie Wentzel is based in Brisbane, Australia. She met former Co-President Sarah Glasser in St. Louis and immediately wanted to join the group.
Ferrero values the fact that she and the other board members can provide a center for women looking to get more involved in the behind-the-scenes of cannabis. “You shouldn’t have to be a man. You shouldn’t have to have money. That shouldn’t be a contingency on success—I would love to see more places value hard work and good character.”
With their consistent meetings and broader congregations, We Are JAINE hopes to continue to be an all-encompassing intersection for knowledgeable cannabis-centered minds searching for ways to make Missouri, and overall cannabis industries better than the day before.
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