015: How Lantern Created a Cannabis Delivery Business with Meredith Mahoney

With the onset of the COVID-19, lifestyles all over the world have changed in major ways. More than ever before, people are relying on delivery services to get their groceries, meals from their favorite restaurants, alcoholic beverages, and a whole lot of other things. However, for many reasons, some of which might be obvious, cannabis is a particularly tricky product to legally deliver.  Meredith Mahoney is facing these challenges head-on. She’s the president of Lantern, a cannabis business solely owned by Drizly. Currently serving customers in Massachusetts, Lantern helps people shop by dispensary, find cannabis products suited to their unique needs, and safely and legally purchase directly from shops from the convenience of their doorstep.  Today, Meredith joins the podcast to walk us through how Lantern got started, the challenges of building an online business in a highly regulated space, and what the company is doing to grow over the next several years.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Why Lantern, as a software company and not a delivery business, doesn’t need to be licensed on a state-by-state basis in order to operate. How a business like Lantern differs from food delivery vendors in terms of pricing structure. How Lantern finds partners, retailers, and dispensaries to work with - and how social equity and economic empowerment are part of the company’s mission. What makes using Lantern a better experience than most dispensaries’ own websites.  Why Lantern hasn’t yet rolled out in states like Colorado - and how federal restrictions help protect the company from competitors. Show Notes For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/15 To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal

Om Podcasten

Today’s Cannabis marketers are facing the same challenges faced by the alcohol industry in 1933 when prohibition was reversed — how do you successfully market a product and navigate an industry that is on the verge of becoming legalized on a federal level? Join alcohol beverage marketing experts and founders of SoHo Experiential, Rick Kiley and Jeff Boedges, as they interview economists, historians, entrepreneurs, legal experts, and more! Listen in as they track the path to a “Green Repeal”, through the lens of alcohol beverage professionals familiar with the trials and tribulations of marketing a “sin-dustry.” Through the podcast, listeners will get an excellent understanding of the Cannabis industry, how it will be governed, and how to successfully navigate the challenges of marketing a successful product in a heavily restricted industry.