Tuesday, August 15, 2023 1:15:32 PM
Poor Simon don’t know what to do next as more weed is being destroyed.
More problems ahead tells me you should purchase more shares as prices are going down weekly.
https://cannabisnow.com/women-of-influence-wanda-james/
Wanda James IN THE MAGAZINE The Pioneer
Photos courtesy of Wanda James
Breaking boundaries is second nature to dispensary owner Wanda James.
ByJoy KingPublished on August 15, 2023
As one of the most profoundly accomplished female entrepreneurs in cannabis, Wanda James is simultaneously shattering the glass and grass ceilings. The founder and CEO of the Denver-based dispensary, Simply Pure, is blazing a trail for not only women of color, but for women in general.
James is the first legally licensed African American dispensary owner in the US. She attributes that to her strong work ethic; a willingness to trust her intuition; a readiness to pivot when necessary; and the influence of her “remarkable” father, who raised James and her brother alone.
“My dad used to always tell me, ‘If you’re ever walking down the street and something tells you to turn left, but you need to keep going straight, follow your gut: Turn left,’” James says. “He always told me not to let someone talk you out of not feeling that instinct.”
James learned to trust her gut and listen to her intuition—an ability that helped her form a strong sense of self and build a successful career as an adult. She says she never felt that growing up without a mother changed who she was or who she could become. Being part of a family without traditional gender roles helped form her expectations of the future: As she saw it, anything was possible.
After graduating from the Naval ROTC program as the first Black female in 1986, James admits she didn’t understand the significance of many of her accomplishments until years later. She found discipline and structure within the military, something James admits she needed at the time. So, James didn’t realize that it was uncommon for her to be the only Black woman in ROTC, or the only female officer or one of very few Black executives in corporate America. She says she didn’t realize she was America’s first Black dispensary owner either.
“I didn’t even know that until I think it was MSNBC that brought it up, because I didn’t know it was unusual,” she says. “The more I’m experiencing and looking back, I’m now saying, ‘Well, dang, I was the only woman. I was like, ‘Go me!’”
Her work as a Fortune 500 Executive, a small business owner and a leading advocate in the cannabis industry led James to work with government leaders including President Obama, Vice President Harris, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Barbara Lee and Colorado Governor Jared Polis. She says she focuses on social equity, justice and ending the War on Drugs. She ran for election to the University of Colorado Board of Regents representing District 1 and won in Colorado’s general election on November 8, 2022. With yet another achievement, James is a first-generation graduate of CU Boulder. Combined with the fact that there hasn’t been a Black woman on the Board of Regents since the 1980s, it’s another remarkable accolade in her career.
James admits that some of her life’s most significant decisions weren’t planned.
“When the universe presents something to you in a moment—whatever that is—your ‘spidey’ senses, your gut, all of a sudden, it all comes together and it’s like, that’s what you’re doing,” she says. “And so, I wish I could tell you—even with everything with cannabis, even with going to college and joining the military—all of those decisions were things that the universe presented me with at a time when that wasn’t what I was looking for. But it all said, ‘Say yes.’”
Wanda James with Vice President Kamala Harris
But the road hasn’t always been easy. James says it’s these tougher experiences—learning how to overcome hardships—that have provided her with many of the skills necessary to succeed. James made this clear while speaking to a political science class at CU Boulder. A student asked about her many career highlights, so she started running through her triumphs, but then, she suddenly stopped and said, “I need you to all understand that all of this happened because other things didn’t go right.”
Even in the competitive landscape that Denver dispensaries operate, she says her shop’s superpower is that they’ve remained small and have yet to take on any debt. Also, James says their ultimate success is because of the people behind the work.
“We’re like The Little Engine That Could,” she starts. “Nobody has been greedy. My investors have held on even when they don’t always get dividends. But we’ve all looked at it as if we’re almost at the point of legalization. It’s been the people who work there as well as what we believe about the plant. And it shows. We take time to explain things to customers; we’re not trying to rush them in and out. We’re doing the antithesis of what every consultant says you should be doing in a retail operation.”
When it comes to counseling women trying to break into the industry, James isn’t all sunshine and roses—not even close.
“Whenever I’m asked about advice I’d give to women about entering the cannabis industry, I’m always torn between wanting to give the uplifting answer that I know somebody in my position should deliver to folks,” she says. “It should be something like, ‘Hey, believe in your dreams, and yes, your cake can be on the shelf of every dispensary out there.’ But, sadly, that’s not the case at all. I’ve always been about entrepreneurism. I love being an entrepreneur. I’m wired that way. Not everybody is wired to be an entrepreneur.”
James emphasizes the importance of understanding what you’re getting yourself into. While some people may have their heart set on starting and growing a business, others may be better suited working alongside a team of passionate employees.
“There are incredible careers and high-paying jobs in the cannabis space,” she says. “If you’ve never run a business, if you don’t understand mass distribution, if you’re not looking at scaling your product line the same way Coca-Cola scales, then in that case, you’re in the wrong business. If you’re not looking to build that kind of business, sitting in front of a computer most days, having countless meetings with people you may not like very much and who don’t understand your passion and don’t speak your language, cannabis may not be your calling.”
Luckily for James, cannabis was the siren call she never knew she needed to answer. After a lifetime of groundbreaking firsts—in cannabis and in business—this dynamic force of nature is determined to keep following her gut and continue making her father proud.
Recent TLRY News
- Widmer Brothers Brewing Launches New Hefe Variety Pack With Revamped Versions of the Original American Hefeweizen • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 05/01/2024 11:00:00 AM
- Breckenridge Brewery Introduces New West Coast Style IPA ‘Ridge Runner’ • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/29/2024 11:00:00 AM
- Tilray Brands Celebrates Big Wins at the Craft Brewer’s Conference and 2024 World Beer Cup, the Most Prestigious Beer Competition in the World • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/25/2024 08:33:50 PM
- Tilray Brands Celebrates Epic 420 Weekend With Over 20,000 Fans Across the U.S. • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/25/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Sweetwater Brewing Unveils Modern Rebrand • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/25/2024 11:00:00 AM
- Good Supply Cannabis Introduces New Signature ‘Bud Squad’ Products • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/24/2024 11:00:00 AM
- Montauk Brewing’s Project 4:20 IPA Returns to Support Surfrider Foundation • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/18/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Good Supply Cannabis Brand Celebrates Earth Day and Unveils Environmental Impact of “Green You Can Feel Good About” Campaign • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/18/2024 11:00:00 AM
- Tilray Brands Lights Up 420 With Music Festivals and Celebrations Across The Country • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/17/2024 11:00:00 AM
- 10 Barrel Brewing Adds 'Juicy Drama' to Its Award-Winning HopBurst Family • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/11/2024 12:30:00 PM
- Montauk Brewing Releases Its First Non-Alcoholic Brew: Montauk N.A. IPA • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/11/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Tilray Brands, Inc. Reports Q3 Fiscal 2024 Financial Results • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/09/2024 11:00:00 AM
- U.S. Futures Show Mixed Movement, Crude Oil Prices Inch Up • IH Market News • 04/09/2024 10:42:21 AM
- Tilray Brands Announces 420 Activations Across Canada and Unveils Celebratory Product Lineup • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/04/2024 11:00:00 AM
- UPDATE – Redhook Brewery Announces New “Big Juicy Ballard” IPA and Revives IPA Daze Festival at the Brewlab on 4/20 Weekend • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/03/2024 06:02:00 PM
- Redhook Brewery Announces New “Big Juicy Ballard” IPA and Revives IPA Daze Festival at the Brewlab on 4/20 Weekend • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/03/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Tilray Medical Announces New Scientific Publication on Age-Related Patterns of Medical Cannabis Use • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/03/2024 11:00:00 AM
- Sweetwater Brewing Unveils New 420 Variety Pack • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 04/02/2024 11:00:00 AM
- UPDATE – Breckenridge Brewery Partners With Denver Nuggets to Launch Championship Edition Mile High City Golden Ale • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 03/28/2024 04:50:58 PM
- SweetWater Brewing Launches Hammer Red Amber Ale to Support Georgia Aquarium • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 03/28/2024 12:30:00 PM
- Breckenridge Brewery Announces Special Denver Nuggets Championship Edition Mile High City Golden Ale • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 03/28/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Tilray Brands, Inc. to Announce Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results on April 9, 2024 • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 03/28/2024 11:00:00 AM
- 10 Barrel Brewing Unveils Newest Ready-to-Drink Canned Cocktails • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 03/26/2024 11:00:00 AM
- Redecan Cannabis Launches New Spring Lineup • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 03/21/2024 11:00:00 AM
- Tilray Medical Receives Approval for First Medical Cannabis Extract in Portugal • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 03/14/2024 11:00:00 AM
Bantec Engaged in a Letter of Intent to Acquire a Small New Jersey Based Manufacturing Company • BANT • May 1, 2024 10:00 AM
Cannabix Technologies to Deliver Breath Logix Alcohol Screening Device to Australia • BLO • Apr 30, 2024 8:53 AM
Hydromer, Inc. Reports Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results for First Quarter 2024 • HYDI • Apr 29, 2024 9:10 AM
Avant Technologies to Implement AI-Empowered, Zero Trust Architecture in Its Data Centers • AVAI • Apr 29, 2024 8:00 AM
Bantec Reports an Over 50 Percent Increase in Sales and Profits in Q1 2024 from Q1 2023 • BANT • Apr 25, 2024 10:00 AM
Cannabix's Breath Logix Alcohol Device Delivers Positive Impact to Private Monitoring Agency in Montana, USA • BLO • Apr 25, 2024 8:52 AM