021: Fighting Stereotypes and Advocating for Minorities in Cannabis with Ophelia Chong

The stereotypes around “stoner culture” - Bob Marley posters, ridiculous looking photos of bongs, and the associations with criminals, addicts, and drug dealers - have been around for decades. As the perception of cannabis, both in medicine and adult use, changes, people are finally pushing back against this imagery.  Serial entrepreneur Ophelia Chong is a tireless advocate for Asian American women in the cannabis industry. She’s the founder of Stockpot Images, Asian Americans for Cannabis Education, and Mogu Garden, to name just a few of her many endeavors.  Today, Ophelia joins the podcast to talk about how she built a massive collection of positive stock imagery around cannabis, the unique challenges businesses face in making a Schedule 1 controlled substance approachable to a mass audience, and how women and minorities can get a bigger stake and find their voices in an industry dominated by white men. KEY TAKEAWAYS How her sister’s battle with an autoimmune disease led Ophelia to launch her first cannabis-related company.  Why almost everyone has an “edibles story,” why it’s so hard to accurately dose cannabis for new consumers, and how the industry can work to stop this from happening (and scaring off customers) in the future.  How cannabis product sales have changed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.  How high-end cannabis, much like high-end wine, can become a category of its own. Show Notes For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/21 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.