What cannabis entrepreneurs hope to accomplish at MJBizCon

For the thousands of individuals attending MJBizCon this week, their goals and objectives for the conference and exhibition are as diverse as the show itself – often considered the Super Bowl of cannabis business events.

For some attendees – such as Susie Plascencia, a speaker at Tuesday’s Marketing Forum – the nearly weeklong conference and trade show will provide ample opportunities to produce new content and connections.

For exhibitors – including Los Angeles-based Sorting Robotics, a technology company serving the cannabis industry – the industry gathering at the Las Vegas Convention Center attracts an ideal audience to showcase their latest innovations for existing and potential new customers.

First-time visitors

Hundreds of MJBizCon visitors, such as Mitch Cargo, are attending the four-day event for the first time.

Cargo, a partner in the Minneapolis office of Hinshaw & Culbertson and chair of the Chicago-headquartered law firm’s National Cannabis Practice, said he’s interested in learning about industry innovations, trends and patterns.

“MJBizCon will also provide a venue and forum for sharing ideas, developing new relationships and strengthening existing relationships in cannabis,” Cargo said.

Panel discussions

In addition to participating on a Thursday panel titled, “Navigating New Horizons: The Impact of the SAFER Banking Act on the Cannabis Industry,” Kevin Hart is excited to connect with clients and partners face-to-face.

“The opportunity to meet in person, collaborate and explore new possibilities is always the most rewarding part of being there,” said Hart, the founder and CEO of Green Check Verified, a Florida-based cannabis fintech company.

Hart will be attending the conference for the seventh consecutive year.

“We’ve never left without building deeper relationships and forming new partnerships, and I’m confident this year will be the best yet,” he added.

Women leaders on stage

Plascencia, a social media marketer and industry organizer, is hosting a meetup for women entrepreneurs and participating in various podcasts on the exhibit floor.

“MJBizCon attracts top professionals from all over the world,” said Plascencia, who in 2020 launched Mota Glass to fairly compensate disenfranchised Latino glass blowers in Los Angeles and Latinas in Cannabis to uplift, connect and provide resources for women entrepreneurs in the space.

“I look forward to speaking, hosting a Latinas in Cannabis meetup, interviewing fellow leaders at the MITA Unshackled Podcast and my very own, The Greens Podcast, learning from colleagues, and deepening existing connections as well as making new ones.”

Cannabis legal expert Paula Savchenko is looking to build impactful connections for her firm and clients.

“We attend MJBizCon annually to reconnect with existing clients, connect our clients with each other to create synergy for them to work together, and meet new clients to assist with expansion and regulatory compliance,” said the Florida-based founder of Cannacore Group and PS Law Group.

On the show floor

California-based Green Leaf Solutions expanded its exhibit space to answer real-world business questions from visitors and provide practical solutions.

“We’ll have CPAs, HR consultants and retirement experts on hand for operators to ask questions and receive practical insights – not just elevator pitches but real help that can benefit their business immediately,” said Tyler Priest, chief revenue officer for the payroll- and HR-services provider.

“We hope this approach brings meaningful value to what we consider the best trade show of the year.”

RollPros, a Vancouver, Washington-based manufacturer of the BlackBird automated joint-rolling system, is exhibiting for the fourth time at MJBizCon.

Founder and CEO Kyle Loucks said the company’s strategy is threefold:

• Introduce manufacturers and brands to the Blackbird.
• Deepen relationships with partners.
• Spend quality time with customers.

“MJBizCon is the most important cannabis industry event on the calendar, hands down,” Loucks said via email.

“We love talking about joints and look forward to some enthusiastic discussions.”

Los Angeles-based Sorting Robotics has been an exhibitor since 2021.

“Our newest robot, Stardust, will be offering attendees a firsthand look at the latest advancements in automation for the industry,” said Nohtal Partansky, co-founder and CEO of the Los Angeles company, which makes vape cartridge-filling machines and pre-roll infusion robots, among other products.

“MJBizCon is like a class reunion for industry operators – always a great time.”

Closing out 2024

Cannabis Safety & Quality, a St. Louis-based compliance service, is aiming to end 2024 on a high note, according to Darwin Millard, the company’s technical director.

“MJBizCon is the largest cannabis event on the planet, bringing interested parties from all over the globe, and we plan to close out 2024 by capitalizing on this opportunity to showcase CSQ on the world stage,” said Millard, who’s attending his seventh MJBizCon and second as a guest panelist.

More information about MJBizCon is available here.

Chris Casacchia can be reached at chris.casacchia@mjbizdaily.com.