Hope Creative Takes Las Vegas!

We came, we learned, we socialized! It was a blast to attend our first team MJBizCon in Las Vegas. The conference brought out 35,000 cannabis experts, cultivators, investors, and enthusiasts; it was a pleasure to be in such good company!

Our founder, Sara Hope Smith, is an OG in the cannabis world. Since 2003, she has working to change the overall perception when marketing the industry when the High Times ads were all ‘boobs and buds’ and continues to be a driving force representing women in cannabis marketing. Getting her start on the cultivation and brand retail side, Sara created one of the online hydroponics retail stores and was a major pillar in the industry for 10 years (yeah, that’s when the Cannabis industry was still known as hydroponics). 

In Sara’s own words: “MJBizcon was an incredible experience. The highlight of my time there was reconnecting with colleagues I’ve known since I started in the hydroponics industry, fresh out of college. This industry has changed so much since I entered it so many years ago in that tiny retail shop in College Park, GA, land of southern hip hop (and one of the largest airports in the world). It’s nice to see that the community largely remains the same and works to uplift and support one another. I’ve spent the better part of the last four years in the advertising and marketing industry in Los Angeles, so to see the convergence of these two worlds as states begin to become legal and Cannabis Marketing is something we can actually take seriously. We are really looking forward to working with so many passionate advocates working to break the stigma and promote wellness through a relationship with this magical herb!”

Our educational Cannabis Marketing happy hour, hosted in partnership with Atheneum Collective, was one for the history books! The Hope team showcased the innovative work our clients and partners have been doing in the Cannabis space. Attendees screened the Cannabis Marketing Course with Jim Baudino, President of MERRY JANE MEDIA, and nominee for Most Influential in Cannabis 2019 at the Cannabis Business Awards. 

Speaking of the Cannabis Business Awards, what an honor it was to attend! We’d like to congratulate our media partner Merry Jane for their Best Online Media Publication win. It was an honor to attend the award show with you; much well deserved! Merry Jane wasn’t the only legendary presence at the show. A crowd favorite was Amsterdam native Mariska, the woman who created hash in her washing machine. She won a lifetime achievement award, exclaiming “smoke weed every day” as her acceptance speech. Nominees included Snoop, Al Harrington, and Seth Rogan for Houseplant Cannabis, and many more. Congratulations to all of the nominees and of course, the gracious winners!

This event wouldn’t have been as amazing as it was without the support of our strategic event partners Go Higher Cannabis Wellness Journal, 11:11 Cannabis, Eeesh’s Edibles, Hydro Guru Grow Box, Agave Social, Wireless Guardian, Gr33n Solutions, and Real Wellness by Ricky Williams.

Cheers to our first team MJBizCon; really amazing connections and industry partners and friends at Tri-Grow, Hawthorne Grow Supplies (thanks for the great party Friday night!), Willmington Hemp, Urban Roots Hydro, Yellow Lion Solutions and more. We’re looking forward to a very green 2020 and beyond!