Being a feminist is easier said than done. But these women are putting their money where their mouths are: in front of women.
As cannabis really penetrates the mainstream, an increasing number of highly skilled, intelligent people are getting into the industry. And, while most of these characters generate the utmost respect, very few are really, really impressive – at least in my book.
Two ladies who have certainly earned the latter description are cannabis-focused investment managers: Tahira Rehmatullah, president of T3 Ventures, and Emily Paxhia, co-founder and managing partner of Poseidon Asset Management.
Another group of impressive, experienced women in cannabis is behind cannabis-focused venture fund Treehouse Global Ventures, a fund that, as its website explains, was founded by women and “designed to identify, mentor and grow women and minority-founded cannabis-related businesses.” They are Lindy Snider, Lori Ferrara, and Gaynell Rogers.
Lori Ferrara (L), Gaynell Rogers (C), Lindy Snider (R)
So, when I heard all five of these women were joining forces under the Treehouse umbrella, as Rehmatullah and Paxhia joined the firm as senior investment advisors, I could not help but feel excited.
The final pieces for this story fell in place with the addition of Maria Rodale, famed writer and activist, and former Chairman and CEO of global health and wellness media company Rodale Inc, to Treehouse Global Ventures’ senior advisory board, and a personal realization: many in the cannabis industry take pride in supporting gender equality; but when push comes to shove, few are willing to put their money where their mouths are.
In an industry that is rapidly losing female representation among the C-Suite, with the percentage of women in these spots falling from 36 percent in 2015 to 27 percent in 2017 – according to MJBizDaily numbers, and funding for female-led businesses being scarce and hard to come across, the existence of a firm like Treehouse Global Ventures, a venture fund that seeks to empower women founders, acquires extreme relevance.
Interested in learning more about this amazing, honorable project, I caught up with its six fembers.
The Treehouse Ladies Club
Lindy Snider is a cannabis business development expert, founder and CEO of Lindi Skin, a skin care product line geared toward cancer patients. Before starting her own company and becoming a business development expert, Snider held senior positions in marketing, sales, operational and strategic areas for a series of sports and entertainment companies, including the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers, Comcast-Spectacor and the Wells Fargo Center at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.
Prior to getting into cannabis, Ferrara worked on TV distribution, managing syndication operations for big-name shows like Inside Edition, Jeopardy, Geraldo, and The Oprah Winfrey Show, ultimately setting up her own company, Picture Perfect Partners.
Since getting into the marijuana industry, Ferrara became the first female investor member of The Arcview Group, arguably the best-known investor network in cannabis.
“This personal journey has given new meaning to my life,” Ferrara explained in an exclusive chat. “Never would I have thought in my lifetime I would be able to contribute to the expansion of the health and wellness choices that men and women can share, both benefiting from the gifts of this medicine. Nor did I ever believe that women would have this place in history to come together, and empower and support one another like I have witnessed. This is a natural ‘high’ in itself and I am inspired by the brilliance that surrounds me.”
Nor did I ever believe that women would have this place in history to come together, and empower and support one another like I have witnessed.”
Gaynell Rogers is a real life influencer, as measured by her real reach and relevance in the cannabis industry, and not by her follower count on social media.
For Rehmatullah, the numbers speak for themselves, as less than 2 percent of VC funding goes to women-founded companies. “Minorities receive even less,” she said. “The only way to change that is to create the solution by supporting women directly through education, mentorship, and funding.”
It is her opinion that finding this solution is especially critical for the development of the cannabis industry, which has quickly shifted to mimic the “bad habits” of more established industries. “Working with Treehouse and a team of accomplished and passionate women determined to change the narrative is incredibly exciting as they venture to create financial and social returns.”
Emily Paxhia, with Poseidon Asset Management, plays numerous roles beyond investing in the cannabis industry. Paxhia also works as a board member at companies and non-profits – like Athletes for CARE, as an advisor and as a public speaker. She’s passionate about helping people shape and grow their businesses, but also about social justice. In the past, Paxhia served on the board of the Marijuana Policy Project. She graduated from New York University with a master's in psychology in 2008.
“Cannabis is a powerful tool for helping people naturally with health issues, from cancer, to sleep, to anxiety and high blood pressure,” Rodale told me. “Hemp is a powerful tool for reshaping our environment, especially for farmers.”
“And women...well, we get the job done with a minimum of ego and a maximum of long term strategic thinking. I am totally psyched to be hanging out in the tree house with these amazing ladies,” Rodale concluded.
Author's note: since this article was originally published, Akerna Corp KERN CEO Jessica Billingsley also joined the fund's board of advisors.
Lead image by Ilona Szentivanyi. Copyright: Benzinga. Pictures in article courtesy of Treehouse Global Ventures.
Follow Javier Hasse on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for up-to-date cannabis news and stories from the industry.
This article was originally published on Forbes, and republished here with permission.
Noticias sobre cannabis en Español en El Planteo.© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is coming to Florida
The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is returning to Florida, in a new venue in Hollywood, on April 16 and 17, 2024. The two-day event at The Diplomat Beach Resort will be a chance for entrepreneurs, both large and small, to network, learn and grow. Renowned for its trendsetting abilities and influence on the future of cannabis, mark your calendars – this conference is the go-to event of the year for the cannabis world.
Get your tickets now on bzcannabis.com – Prices will increase very soon!