The largest international conference connecting women in the cannabis and psychedelics industries is on track to double their attendance numbers compared to last year.
The first annual Womxn, Wellness and Cannabis (WWC) Conference ran for one day last year and is making a two-day comeback this year, running May 26–27. Day one will be dedicated to cannabis and day two to psychedelics.
Event organizer Marigold Marketing and PR, a Toronto-based cannabis marketing and public relations firm, aims to empower women in the cannabis and psychedelics industries by offering the two-day online conference showcasing female experts in the industries and promoting networking between female entrepreneurs.
“Last year, we had about 1,000 people registered and this year we are on track for about 2,500,” says Marigold co-founder Katie Pringle, adding that they have over 30 partners from across Canada that have been supporting the conference.
With the help of an advisory committee, the firm recruited over 80 female industry experts to speak at the event.
Among them are Stacey Wallin, chief scientific officer at Numinus; Susan Chapelle, chief operating officer at PurMinds; Trina Fraser, partner at Brazeau Seller Law; Salimeh Tabrizi, co-founder of the Canadian Psychedelic Association; and the Sisters of the Valley, a cannabis activist organization led by nuns.
Along with her business partner and co-founder Bridget Hoffer, Pringle launched Marigold five years ago to support and empower women in business.
“We sort of say, ‘Cannabis came to us.’ We started with one cannabis client, thought it might be a division of our work and it quickly evolved into almost all of our work and now we are about 80 per cent cannabis [and] 20 per cent psychedelics,” Pringle says.
Katie Pringle, CEO and co-founder of Marigold Marketing and PR. Submitted photo
Pringle hopes the conference will motivate women who are having second thoughts about joining the industries due to stigma.
“We really see how the [cannabis] industry has become more and more professional and I think as we eliminate that stigma, we also build a reputation and showcase how many amazing people are working in the space,” she says.
She said that by keeping the conference free and low barrier, newbies wanting to get into the industry can get access to experts, inspiration and learning.
“At the end of the day we hope that people are making connections with women in the space that will move the business forward and continue to drive everyone’s growth,” Pringle continues.
Event partners include Lift & Co. Expo, North America’s largest cannabis industry conference and tradeshow; Flow Scientific, a terpene supplier; licensed producer VIVO Cannabis; and cannabis accessory business Flower Stampede Smoking Haute.
Topics that will be covered at the conference include women in leadership, psychedelic research and mental health.
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Bridget Hoffer (left) and Katie Pringle, founders of Marigold Marketing and PR. Submitted photo
Covid has slowed professional relationship building that the WWC Conference aims to encourage
Networking and collaboration is essential in young, start-up industries like cannabis and psychedelics, Pringle says.
“And in this really remote Covid world it’s been very difficult, when you are used to trade shows and seeing everyone all the time, to build those relationships,” she adds.
Pringle hopes numerous relationships are built at the conference to move these new industries, and the women in them, forward.
In the future, Marigold wants to continue building the WWC Conference and expand their network globally.
“We would love to be in a place where we could have satellite networking opportunities across the world,” says Pringle, hoping in-person networking is possible next year.
Marigold produces another event series called CanndoraConnect, that promotes and engages women in emerging sectors.
Their latest event was held on March 8, and focused on celebrating International Women’s Day with women in the cannabis and psychedelics space.
General admission for the WWC Conference is free and attendees can reserve their spot here.
Find the list of speakers here, and the agenda here.
Mugglehead is a media partner with Marigold PR
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