Month: December 2017

#13: COURTNEY MATHIS | CANNABIS DOING GOOD

Originally Published on TheMindMill.com
By Seth Marcus | Dec. 14, 2017

Last November, seven more states legalized marijuana, increasing the total number of states where the use of marijuana in some capacity (recreational or medical) is not illegal to twenty-eight. Overall, the legal marijuana industry could gross as much as $20 billion in revenue by 2020. Many of the new businesses making up the legal marijuana industry are looking to give back to their communities, but many nonprofits are hesitant to accept their donations.

Courtney Mathis is a serial entrepreneur within the Cannabis Space. Her history in the non-profit sector has given her a unique passion for business/community involvement, which she now applies to the emerging cannabis industry. Her motto “Cannabis Doing Good” represents her core values in all projects she leads.

Courtney and I get into it quick, and discuss everything from travel stories and plans, our relationships with cannabis, work-family balance, and the universal power of purpose. We became fast friends, and I’m so excited to share Courtney Mathis with the MindMill Community.

When reaching out to Courtney for our interview, she provided this amazing email, which gives great insight into all of her current project and her vibrant personality:

EMAIL FROM COURTNEY: kindColorado: We are a nearly two-years old, female founded agency that facilitates community engagement for the cannabis industry (particularly those communities impacted by the War on Drugs). We have trademarked Cannabis Social Responsibility and developed a framework for how industry businesses can meaningful show up in their communities in a way that creates mutual benefit and thus positive community impact. (we are re-launching website soon, ignore its current state now)

RootedSpace: This is my marketing and branding agency. We recently pivoted to serve only cannabis through market demand (very lucky). Our unique position is that we help craft messaging for companies that showcase their values – in hopes of cultivating increased brand affinity and fan loyalty. We also strive to get cannabis business owners to think about how their products are an illustration of values. In essence, giving them a chance to tell their market what they care about and why.

Conscious Cannabis Co: This is a newly launched initiative of RootedSpace. Our goal is to elevate the cannabis industry’s narrative while giving the cannabis community and the cannabis curious a way to support curated causes. We will first launch two t-shirts (including tanks and long-sleeves) – one will say “cannabis is the new kale”, the other will say “Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin CBD”. A percentage of proceeds (still working on #s) from cannabis is the new kale” will go to hurricane relief and “vitamin A…” will go to support Wildfire relief. We will launch new shirts and new causes every quarter. Hemp and sustainably farmed cotton materials.

The Daily Organic: Our goal is to create a no frills, entertaining cannabis newsletter. We eliminate the consumers’ need to visit multiple websites for cannabis news and deliver into their inbox (soon, daily). We also add much needed levity to very serious topics including regulation and politics. We are in beta phase but very excited about the potential of our product (modeled after The Skimm and Finimize).

Okay so that’s all the fun that I’m up to. Most of these projects have prevailing themes, which is that I want to elevate the industry while also giving business owners the necessary tools to show up in their communities as good neighbors. I come from the nonprofit world, over 15 years management and strategic planning. It is a broken sector, handicapped by its own poverty mentality and inability to end cycles of bad philanthropy. What if we could take the courageous from the cannabis sector and embolden them to support the vulnerable from the nonprofit or service sectors. Whether we do this through thoughtful giving, authentic messaging or amazing swag – the goal is the same – marrying cannabis with a cause (other than it’s own). And The Daily Organic is such a fun way to get an audience and overtime, share some our opinions about the unfolding cannabis landscape.

Also, doing all of this while being a first time mom is FUCKING hard. Balance is nearly impossible. It takes an incredibly patient husband and an insane amount of self-awareness to create moments in the day where I can be with my family and still run my businesses. I mess up all the time and am a long way off from achieving any sort of entrepreneur meets mom nirvana – but I’m trying. My two mottos every day are:I am abundant(meaning I already have enough) – being broke and in constant start-up mode takes its toll – but I try and remind myself I have what I need (family, food, shelter). And my other is, “play more, make more”. Very few successful people worked themself into miserable oblivion. So I take walks every day with my family and have started to hold Saturdays sacred – no working. Baby steps towards that one.

And when I’m done changing the cannabis narrative and creating huge positive change for communities – I hope to write science fiction and hang with my kiddo.

Read Original Article Here.

End 4/20 Shame: How Can the Cannabis Industry Give Back?

Originally Published on DopeMagazine.com
By Kelly Vo | Dec. 12, 2017

or cannabis companies, giving back to the community isn’t always easy. In fact, many charitable organizations are reluctant to accept donations from the cannabis industry, citing worries of legality at the national level.

For cannabis companies, giving back to the community isn’t always easy. In fact, many charitable organizations are reluctant to accept donations from the cannabis industry, citing worries of legality at the national level.

No non-profit wants to risk their 501(c)(3) status by accepting donations from what could potentially be considered a criminal organization, and you can’t really blame them. However, that does present a few problems. As Organa Brands President Chris Driessen told Forbes after his company was rejected from donating to Wounded Warriors, American Cancer Society and The Children’s Hospital Foundation: “It felt like a slap in the face . . . because the message was essentially you’re a drug dealer.”

The good news is that the barriers haven’t stopped cannabis companies from moving forward with their philanthropy, and some companies—such as kindColorado—are working to make cannabis giving easier and more effective. And for an industry that’s expected to be worth $10 billion by 2020, according to Frontier Data, that’s good news for everyone.

About kindColorado

Headquartered in Colorado, kindColorado is a consulting firm that works with cannabis companies across the country, helping them figure out how to get involved in their community. “We think cannabis can be an asset. It can contribute to economic health and impact communities positively,” says Kelly Perez, Co-founder and CEO of kindColorado. “The key is determining how best cannabis can meet community needs.”

That’s what kindColorado is all about. They work with cannabis businesses located in communities negatively affected by the drug war, and they figure out how cannabis companies within those communities can begin to change the narrative. It’s not about throwing money at projects and charities, but giving cannabis a seat at the table to engage in civic conversations and meet community needs.

“We want to create places for cannabis businesses to participate in the community, including in philanthropy, where they can be the hero of their own story—a force for good in their community,” explains Perez. “Our focus is to connect non-profits with the cannabis industry in a way that opens a dialogue and embraces the idea of ‘doing good.’”

They do this in three ways:

Education & Training: Many non-profit organizations have a difficult time understanding the cannabis industry. “We work with them to organize a framework for giving where the cannabis company can be actively engaged, and not just a wallet,” explains Courtney Mathis, Co-founder and President of kindColorado.

Philanthropy Projects: For cannabis businesses who want to give back but don’t quite know how to get started, kindColorado helps them develop their concept of Cannabis Social ResponsibilityTM, which opens the door for mutually beneficial partnerships between cannabis and the community.

Volunteer Opportunities: Finally, kindColorado matches cannabis businesses with current charitable projects and volunteer opportunities for active charitable giving.

For example, kindColorado recently partnered with The Gathering Place, the only daytime drop-in center in Denver that serves women, children and transgender individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness. Through this partnership, kindColorado and five women-owned or operated cannabis businesses—Lightshade, Wana Brands, Olio, the Marijuana Industry Group and Mason Jar Events—raised $35,000 for the organization. More than that, they got a seat at the table to participate in volunteer opportunities, sponsorship and more.

“We think cannabis can be an asset. It can contribute to economic health and impact communities positively . . . The key is determining how best cannabis can meet community needs.”

Another cannabis company volunteered with 12-15 of their staff members at the Denver Urban Gardens, DeLaney Community Farm, which partners with refugee farmers to grow food and nourish the community. During this volunteer time, the cannabis employees broke down cultural barriers and represented not just their company, but the cannabis industry as a whole.

“This was possible because the cannabis company owner was value-driven and 100% open to listening to his community and figuring out what it needed based on their priorities,” says Mathis. “Whenever we organize efforts, we ensure that the entire business is excited to actively engage.”

How Can Cannabis Give Back? As for how cannabis businesses can and should get involved in giving back, Mathis and Perez recommend starting with your community. “Before you volunteer and before you give money, find out what your community wants and needs,” says Mathis. “You need to understand the community dynamic. Find out what they care about and what they’re afraid of. That’s the only way to get their support and to change their perception of cannabis business.”

Many of the communities where cannabis businesses have been set up, based on zoning and local policy, are the same areas that have been most negatively affected by the War on Drugs. That means marijuana businesses already have a huge hurdle to overcome in terms of their public perception; they need to move forward carefully if they want to change the cannabis dialogue.

For instance, kindColorado is currently working in a community where the local soup kitchen, Grant Avenue Street Reach, desperately needs help to serve 1,200 meals every Monday. Specifically, they need a security guard at just $250 a week to stay open. Mathis and Perez would love to find a cannabis business to fill this specific need instead of just throwing money at something else. “The sweet spot for giving back is where a cannabis company’s values align with what the community cares about,” explains Perez.

If you’d like to get your business involved in your community, kindColorado has many options, including their trademarked Cannabis Social ResponsibilityTM program, which matches cannabis businesses with non-profit partners for a mutually beneficial relationship. You can learn more at kindcolorado.org.

Read Original Article Here.