12th MJBizCon Gets Bigger, Bolder
“Dare to” theme celebrates the cannabis community
By Omar Sacirbey, MJBizDaily
The 12th annual MJBizCon, the business event for the marijuana industry, will happen November 28 – December 1, 2023 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Registration is open for marijuana business executives and business professionals. There will be more than 1,400 exhibitors and 30,000 executives attending, plus more than 110 speakers.
The networking opportunities and knowledge on offer at MJBizCon are timely as marijuana business leaders are facing the hardest business cycle since state-based, marijuana legalization began: financing is scarce and expensive, inflation is hurting businesses big and small, prices and sales are down in many states, supply chains remain choppy, federal prohibition continues and many state regulations are ill-conceived.
Because difficult times demand daring individuals, the 2023 MJBizCon theme is “Dare to…,” celebrating the people making cannabis business work. The event campaign highlights the stories of some of the industry’s most courageous entrepreneurs on the MJBiz YouTube channel and website.
For example, Lance Lambert funded his criminal justice degree studies with illicit legal cannabis sales and later broke into the cannabis industry as a general manager with multistate operator The Cannabist. He now serves as chief marketing officer for Grover Bags, an ancillary company in Bedford Heights, Ohio. He’s also a longtime show attendee and exhibitor.
“I remember when MJBizCon was a little show with hundreds, not tens-of-thousands, in attendance,” Lambert said about MJBizCon’s earliest days. “Just like the acceptance and understanding of the plant has grown, so has this pivotal show.”
Dr. Scott Kuzdzal, vice president of new strategy at Shimadzu Scientific Instruments and another MJBizCon veteran, agrees. “Whether you are an industry expert or a novice, there is much to learn every year at MJBizCon,” Dr. Kuzdzal said.
For 2023, MJBizCon will introduce new networking and content opportunities.
A new opening day element will focus on social equity in cannabis.
The MJBiz Women in Leadership Forum, an all-day event of panels and networking on Nov. 28, will cover effective leadership, dealing with online hate and building a supportive community. Speakers include Whitney Beatty of Josephine & Billie’s, Pam DeCosta of Veta Living and STATS and Great Brandt of The Flower Shop and True Earth Organics.
Another new feature is the half-day Cannabis Business Strategies and Solutions track which takes a realistic look at some of the cannabis industry’s most persistent problems, including surviving in markets with “race-to-the-bottom” pricing and understanding competition from the illicit market. A session with Alexa Alianiello of X (previously, Twitter), Socrates Rosenfeld of Jane Technologies and Yoko Miyashita of Leafly will dive into the mainstreaming of cannabis tech.
In the new Cannabis Leadership Talks, industry veterans will share their personal stories of how they got started in the industry and the moves and traits that have helped them survive. There will be six such talks on November 30 and December 1.
For example, Chris Ball, who left a well-paying job as a player in the Canadian Football League for even better pay in the legacy market before launching Ball Family Farms in Los Angeles, will discuss how he’s not just survived but thrived in market downturns.
Tahir Johnson of Simply Pure Trenton in New Jersey will talk about breaking into new markets and expanding, while Pure Beauty CEO Imelda Walavalkar will share her story of cross industry branding to create a better marijuana business.
Also new: MJBiz has joined forces with Farechild Events to launch The Emjays, an international, high-fashion cannabis award ceremony at the famous Pearl Concert Theater with an after-party poolside at the Palms Hotel & Casino.
A new, International Pavilion will be on the Expo floor to serve the needs of cannabis entrepreneurs with global aspirations.
In addition to these new elements, MJBizCon will provide attendees with show stalwarts like the First Timers’ Open House, where show pros help MJBizCon rookies make the most of the week.
The Outdoor Patio is back by popular demand as are favorite pre-show forums, most notably the MJBiz Finance Forum, Marketing Forum, Science Forum and ReMind, a partner conference on psychedelics.
To learn more, or to attend the event, click here.
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