The Green Rush: Part 1

Now that California and Canada have legalized recreational cannabis use, many US states that were initially resistant to legalization are now starting to realize the potential for growth that exists with legalization.

With reform brings excitement; The Green Rush is officially a widespread movement gaining unstoppable momentum and worldwide attention.

It’s not a secret that during The California Gold Rush, those who profited most were not actually the minors. It was actually much more common for entrepreneurs and creative thinkers to become wealthy by providing the miners with supplies and services that they needed.

The first millionaire during the California Gold Rush was named Samuel Brennan. Once he heard the news that gold had been discovered nearby, Brannan seized the opportunity by widely publicizing the discovery and then selling goods in his convenience store to the flood of men who came in search of gold.

“Analysts report the arrival of corporate interests and investments are expected to make the US cannabis market triple in size over the next seven years, reaching $25 billion by 2025” (Dope Magazine, 2018). Because of projections like that, people in record numbers are entering the cannabis industry in the hope of tapping into that vast potential of the ongoing “Green Rush” for marijuana money.

So what jobs exist for people and companies who value cannabis culture and want to be a part of it? For those (like me) who aren’t interested in cultivating or selling cannabis, fear not:

There are endless opportunities available as a result of this cultural and political shift.

The job creation taking place isn't limited to dirt-under-the-fingernails positions like growers and trimmers. Businesses are scrambling to hire scientists, attorneys, accountants, engineers, technicians and marketing experts (Fortune Magazine, 2018).

While I myself have not “struck it rich”, I’ve definitely experienced a positive change in my finances because of cannabis. I used to own a childcare business which was profitable, but not scalable and not exciting enough to me. Now I regularly read marijuana magazines and cannabis-related articles as research to inspire my freelance writing and artwork, and I’m much happier with my new found freedom and creative outlets.

Although I’ve had my California medical marijuana card since 2008, I NEVER thought I’d make a living publicly (and shamelessly) helping to promote cannabis culture.

Hi mom, aren’t you so proud?!

...The funny thing is, my mom actually is proud.

Because of me she’s a recent convert to LOCAL’d CBD gummies and she likes that I’ve created a source of income for myself that is fun for me and also helps people.

This is no longer a taboo and unconventional career path as it used to be, and will only become even less so with time. I recently came across an interview by DOPE productions featuring an interview with Gary Vaynerchuk. For those who aren’t yet familiar, this is a man who has earned a reputation for his savvy start-up investments (the list of companies he’s backed in their early days include household names such as Twitter, Facebook, Venmo, Resy and Uber). He’s also the brains behind the wine e-commerce platform Wine Library and chief executive of digital agency VaynerMedia. In the interview, Vaynerchuk was asked to predict which industries he felt cannabis culture had the most potential to affect positive growth. His list included:

1. Technology and Design sector (ie hardware designs for delivery mechanisms, farming and growing technology, package design, ect )
2. Marketing and Entertainment fields (ie social media, advertising, entertainment, informative and educational content creation, ect)
3. Personal health and Beauty markets (ie beauty and personal health products)
4. Hospitality and Food and Beverage markets

Over time cannabis will become just as mainstream and available as (for example) alcohol has become in our society, which means so will related job opportunities.

Do you see the potential? Will you be someone who uses the Green Rush to your advantage?

New year, New Possibilities! Contact us today!