Building Powerful Community: Ishqa Hillman's Essential Mission

What if relief from relentless anxiety became the spark that rebuilt your career, your community, and your voice? That’s the charge running through our conversation with Ishqa Hillman, founder of Canna Boss Babes, whose personal healing journey with cannabis led to a platform elevating women, creating real opportunities, and challenging the systems that keep small operators on the ropes.

We start where change usually does: at home, wide awake, and out of options. Sensitive to pharmaceuticals and drawn to plant medicine, Ishqa used cannabis to sleep, breathe, and slowly re-enter the world. She breaks down how Canna Boss Babes was born to end gatekeeping and reward agency, guided by two rules: handle your own business first, and make up your own mind. Connection isn’t a buzzword here, it’s a job filled, a door opened, a life re-routed.

If you care about cannabis culture, small-business survival, and stories that turn listeners into leaders, you’ll find fuel here. Continue the conversation at the Bite Me Cannabis Club. 

Check out the store at BiteMePodcast.Shop! 

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Episode Setup
• 2:46 Meet Ishka And Her Journey
• 5:14 Cannabis For Anxiety And Healing
• 12:56 Leaving Corporate For Purpose
• 19:44 Discovering The Endocannabinoid System
• 23:21 Birth Of Canaboss Babes
• 29:44 Values, Rules, And Early Growth
• 35:26 Podcasting Philosophy And Impact
• 42:46 Stories Of Advocacy And Opportunity
• 49:02 Building Community With Grace
• 56:09 Small Operators Vs Regulation And Taxes

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 1:08

What happens when you take a love of food, a passion for culture, and a knowledge of cannabis and you toss them all into one bowl? You get Bite Me, the podcast that explores the intersection of food, culture, and cannabis and helps cooks make great edibles at home. I'm your host, Margaret, a certified gangier, TCI certified cannabis educator, and I believe your kitchen is the best dispensary you'll ever have. Together we'll explore stories, science, and the sheer joy of making edibles safe and effective at home. So preheat your oven and let's get ready for a great episode. And today I am joined for episode 325 by Ishka Hillman. Ishka hosts a podcast, runs incredible events, and is the founder of Canaboss Babes. What's a Cannabas Babe? I'm glad you asked. The Cannabas Babes are a collective of cannabis professionals who are dedicated to empowering entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for diversity to thrive within the industry. We cover a number of topics in this conversation, like how Ishka transitioned from a corporate career to the cannabis industry, how she created a vibrant community around the cannabis babes, the hurdles that small business in the cannabis space have to confront, and how they can remain competitive and a whole lot more. Ishka has become a voice in the cannabis community and the cannabis industry that is worth listening to. So without making you wait any longer, please enjoy this conversation with Ishka Hillman. All right, we're live. Ishka, thank you so much for joining me today. I'm really excited to have you on Bite Me the Show about Edibles. And before we get into today's conversation, if you could just let the listeners of Bite Me know a little bit about yourself and your cannabis journey.

SPEAKER_01: 2:58

Yeah. Um, well, it was unexpected. I know that. Um I, you know, I kind of always go and I default to saying I'm just a single mom. And so I am a single mom. Um I entered the industry when my daughter turned 18, but when she was about 12, I started using cannabis medically. Um, I was struggling from some severe social anxiety. Um, it took about four years before I was leaving the house regularly, like a person, normal person again. Um, but I I went to work and I took my daughter to school, and that was pretty much the gist of it. And cannabis really helped me. Basically, what had happened, and I didn't even realize it, um, was I had been operating without any kind of healing for a very, very long time. And not without any healing, but um, I had a very traumatic childhood. I was on the streets and in juvenile halls and group homes as a kid. So um I think my default is always figure it out and keep going. And so I'm very good at that. And it caught up with me after a while. Um, and so cannabis really, I couldn't fucking sleep for like it was months. It was so long. It was so long. And uh cannabis helped me start falling asleep at night. It started helping me um slow down and breathe. And then eventually really just uh do some work on my own mindset, which led to further healing, the ability to go outside uh to a cannabis event and uh and continue to grow. So right.

SPEAKER_00: 4:49

So, what drew you to cannabis in the first place then as like a tool to help you through a lot of the stuff that you've been through versus other options that would be out there?

SPEAKER_01: 4:58

Oh, I tried a lot of other options. I mean, that was, you know, I I worked corporate for almost 20 years. Like I had great insurance. So, you know, the doctors were prescribing all the different options. Um, I've just always been really sensitive to medication. Um, and so, you know, they prescribe me something and they're like, you'll feel it in two weeks. And two days later, I'm like, my skin's crawling, something's crawling into my skin, get it out of me. There's no way you can even feel it by now. I was like, no, no, no, no, get it the fuck out of me. Like, I don't like this. You know, like my walls are moving in my office. I'm not, this is not what I want, you know. Um so I think being that sensitive has limited my options, but also always made me really interested in plant medicine. Like one of the oldest books on my bookshelf is like this, you know, four-inch thick natural encyclopedia from when my daughter was a baby. So, you know, like I've always really loved plant medicine and been interested in how we've always healed ourselves with what's around us and what is naturally provided for us. Um and so yeah, I think definitely there was a little bit of stigma to get over. I think being a young single mom and it not always being legal when she was little, right? Um, and being too afraid in my professional life and what I was trying to build for us, you know, um financially to go and get a medical card or be on a list somewhere, different things. So it took a while before I started using it as medicine. It definitely was like a fun little sneak recreation thing before that.

SPEAKER_00: 6:53

Um so you had a little bit of experience with it beforehand, but you Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 6:57

I mean, I started smoking it when I was like 12.

SPEAKER_00: 7:00

So yeah, like you know, for sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 7:03

Mad kid, remember? Like, no.

SPEAKER_00: 7:06

Yeah, that's fair. Yeah. Yeah, it's you did mention that you're you're working in corporate for a long time. So I'm glad you mentioned that because that sort of leads into my next question, which was that you worked uh a corporate job, had built a career for 20 years, and then you have become a prominent voice in the cannabis industry, and that's a pretty major shift going from corporate to the cannabis industry. What was the most pivotal pivotal moment that made you decide to leave the corporate world and go dedicate yourself to cannabis and the cannabis babes?

SPEAKER_01: 7:41

Well, um, loaded question, and let's preface it by saying I was never a very good corporate employee. I always asked you many questions. I always said a little too much shit. Um, I was, you know, definitely always the one that was like, you know, I mean, when I I used to work for American Haunted Motor Company, and it's a great company. I loved my experiences there. Um, having FedEx on site is a game changer when you suck at shipping things. While I worked there, all my Christmas presents were on time. I've never been on time outside of that. Um, so you know, things like that on site, you know, like having your car get serviced and it like disappears while you're at work and it comes back and it's clean. And like, you know, there's definitely some perks that are nice, right? Um I I loved it. It was it was great. I loved the whole, you know, um work Barbie outfits and six-inch heels I used to wear then too, because hey, I was I was in my 20s. So um, you know, all of that was really great. But I left because there um were things that were not in alignment with what they said their values were, and that didn't make sense to me. And when things don't make sense to me, I ask questions. And uh in environments like that, um, much like in the administration we have here in the United States today, they don't like that. So um when I was 29, I I left, you know, working in in large corporations to start working in smaller businesses where I felt like it had more of an impact and also help with some of those other things in order to create, um, I've always called it a better human experience, right? It's like, yes, of course, the customer experience, you want the sales, but that really begins with the employee experience. And the employee experience is improved through you know, clear communication, efficient operations, and and some fun little perks, right? Like the like treating them like humans.

SPEAKER_00: 10:03

Yes, yeah. I feel like more people need to be doing that these days, but yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01: 10:08

Well, you know, yeah, yeah, that was what I thought I'd be doing. The transition to cannabis was such an interesting thing because it was not planned. I had actually um cannabis had been helping me heal for a few years into my last job, and my last company was an amazing company in the architectural industry. It was a 10-year-old business here in Long Beach, eight people making six figures. They were all very moderately happy. Um, my hiring seminar, it was like me and a bunch of other people, and I was like, I remember standing at the door and the owners like literally closing the door because we're like dun-dun. And I'm like wanting to know, well, what have your thoughts been on franchising and expanding? And like, and I'm just curious, you know, I'm always curious. Um, and and I ended up getting the job, and so within five years' time, I helped them grow to three locations, two states$5.8 million through improving their different um systems and just a lot of things. I know a lot over there. But it was time. Like there's something that I tell my daughter, my daughter's in a transition right now, she's 24, that um sometimes the universe will use people around you to move you. You know, like when our time was done, it's done. And so I had no idea about the cannabis industry. I hadn't even considered that, but I knew that my time was coming to an end. And I actually, and the reason why I wear the 710 necklace is because I, before I even knew what it meant, I resigned on 710 2019. And so 11 days later was actually when I went to uh cannabis education, like little thing after work. One of the women I had hired for that company years before was moonlighting as a bed tender, because you know, we could do that here then. And um, and so I was like, Yeah, sure, I'm curious about learning more, you know, because I it had helped me so much already at that point. I was curious in an industry, and like, oh, brands and people, and okay. And I go in, and yeah, there were tons of brands, tons of people. The room was way too packed. Um, but there was also speakers, and that's where I heard the term endocannabinoid system for the first time, and my life was changed in that instant. I got visuals. I always say I always feel like this too, because I saw prison bars on this side with the doors opening and a golden cage with the door opening. And I just was like, everyone has a right to know what this system does and that it's in our body, and like we all deserve to be free.

SPEAKER_00: 13:05

So right, I love that. I I the ECS, the endocannabinoid system is what changed you. That's kind of that's really cool. Yeah, and yeah, how did cannabos babes come about then after that?

SPEAKER_01: 13:17

So that was such a funny thing because I had actually um gotten my business license and built a website and brochures and business cards and the whole champagne market um for what I thought was going to be a curated culture. And so my idea when I left there was that I was going to be doing business consulting and then working in juvenile halls on my free time with kids like me to help just teach them some of the things it took me decades to learn about myself and my capabilities and my place in this world and what I'm capable of. And so, and I'm still learning those things, 48, still learning those things. Um, but you know, uh I I thought that's what the plan was gonna be. Uh the cannabas babes resulted because from that first meeting, I started meeting people left and right. And so it was the strangest thing because I really only talked to the people I worked with for four years, right? Like I didn't talk to other people for four years. All of a sudden, there's all these different people, all these people, and I'm meeting them all, and they're all very entrepreneurial, you know, like Prop 64 had just passed, so recreation had just legalized. So everyone's very hopeful and like wanting to have a part within this ecosystem that we're building here. And it was just really inspiring to meet all these incredible women and then find out, oh wait, they didn't know each other. So, like from the beginning, even though I was the new girl, I was like, oh, well, you need you, and you need you, and you need you. And then simultaneously, here I am, because I'm I'm a corporate mom, kind of fresh out of corporate, right? I'm looking for all the events, I'm paying way too much money for a lot of these things. Um, um, and trying to find community. And the women's groups at the time were not nice, they were mean girls. And so then also as I'm having conversations with these individual women that are amazing and need inspiration, I'm hearing about these mean girls. And I was like, it's just so weird. And so how it happened was I was one day sitting with two of my friends. Um, and one of them was being threatened on Instagram to have her page taken down if she didn't unfollow someone. Oh wow. And I just and my response was at the time, I'm 42, my daughter's 18. I don't understand. We'll just create a new space and then people don't have to choose. And I went into Instagram and the Canaboss Babes was available. Uh, canabas babes had been something from years before, but it didn't hadn't been touched in years. So I was like, okay, the can of boss babes, like we're cannibals babes, we don't have time for this. Like, we're doing things. And um, and a week later, I bought the domain, and um a few months later, or no, two weeks later, we did our first event with my brother from another Mother Ricola Meet. Um, and it just it took off. Like from the beginning, though, people are like, oh, I've heard of you, oh, I've heard of you. And and I think it just was the name, right? Like I think the name is one of those names, like, oh yeah, you know. Um, but yeah, that's what it is. And so, you know, we've got a couple little can of boss babe roles. The first one being, and the first one's always the main one, but a can of boss babe handles their own business first. And that is for us to know that we can prioritize ourselves and should prioritize ourselves. But then also as the group collective, to not get upset when we go off and take care of ourselves in whatever way that looks like, but to celebrate the return, right? To celebrate that that that's a hard thing to do to go against the group, right? And do what you need to do for you, but that's a good thing, and we celebrate that here. So that was one really important to me. And then the other one is a canabas makes up their own mind because like I don't want to be responsible for anybody else's life decisions. Like, we're here to share information and then we all support each other's decisions in whatever was best in that moment for them. Because yeah, I just think that control stuff's weird. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00: 17:53

I yeah, I totally agree with that. So you started Cannabas Babes and it started out as, as I understand, an entrepreneur, entrepreneurial support platform, but now you've grown into a multifaceted brand. You have a podcast, you do some consulting services and events. So, what was your original version for Cannabas Babes? And how has it how has it evolved over the years? Obviously, touching on the fact that you have all these cool things happening under one umbrella.

SPEAKER_01: 18:19

Thank you. You know, it's really funny. I started this with a whole bunch of other people, right? Like it was like a group of us, it was the pandemic, we had all this free time, a lot of us had a little extra free money. Um, and so when it got started, there were a lot of ideas, and also the recreational um industry was new and fresh, and there was still money. And in California, we are struggling so hard. That's not here, that's not real. Um, a lot of those were dreams, um, and they're beautiful dreams, and and we'll see them through. It just wasn't gonna be as quickly as maybe we thought as a group at the beginning. And so, you know, as the world went back into its new normal and people went back to work and the kids are back in school, actually in school, and you know, like I and Instagram took our page in 2021, the end of 2021 after 804 lives, which that just crushed a lot of the babes. I don't know what's wrong with me. Like people always talk to me about, oh, your consistency is though it's a good thing. And I'm always like, There might be something wrong with me though. Like, I don't know if that's a good thing. Like, I'm glad you think it's a good thing, but there might be like I don't sometimes I don't know why I keep going. Um, but I do. It's it's really honestly for the conversations to be able to share the stories. Um, it's um it's my purpose. I don't know how to explain it other than that. Is like it lights me up to be able to see and provide a space to allow others to feel their impact in the world.

SPEAKER_00: 20:05

Right. Yeah, that's such a beautiful thing. And that's one of the reasons why I love having guests on my show to talk about how they're sharing their cannabis message with other people. And so, you like I mentioned, you have a podcast and it's it's a top-ranking podcast for for women in cannabis. And what do you believe is the key to its success? Uh, and what are some of the most impactful stories you've had the opportunity to share and you know, asking for a friend.

SPEAKER_01: 20:31

So um, yeah. Gosh, you know, I I think the key to its success is that I just kind of started doing it, right? That no one had to be perfect, that no one that that, you know, we were just doing it, just having the conversations, um, imperfect as they are. I think that that allows for more listeners and more people to self-identify and resonate with what's possible for them and hearing the real raw stories from others. And so, you know, I think sometimes that we see a lot of, you know, podcasts and everything looks shiny and fancy. And so we think that that's only for shiny and fancy people and not for us.

SPEAKER_02: 21:27

Right.

SPEAKER_01: 21:28

And um I pride myself on being a space that's for anyone who asks for it. You know, I've had people who um don't even smoke cannabis. I had a woman reach out once and asked to be on the podcast and she waited her. I mean, it's it's I'm backed up, you guys. Like I'm booking 26 right now. It's September, like, you know. Um, I so and she waited. She waited her, I think it was like two months and then came on. And she didn't even know what CBD was. She just was on there and wanted to share the importance of women joining the trucking industry, both as one, a great way to be able to homeschool and raise your child from the road, a great income. And also the more women that we have on the road, the more we can protect other women in the world.

SPEAKER_00: 22:23

Right. Yeah. I love that you're also sharing stories of people who don't necessarily consume cannabis as well, because we need those allies in the cannabis space. And uh, there's some of the best allies out there or advocates as well for the for the plant.

SPEAKER_01: 22:37

I mean, it was awesome because I got to start the show with a little teaching her a little bit about our plant too. And right, and usually it's just me like, okay, teach me what you know. Right. Yeah. Yeah. It was great, you know, like that's that's good too. But um, oh my favorites, man, I've got, I've got, I feel so blessed. I'm totally gonna start balling again. I feel so blessed to have done this work, and I don't even know all the lives that I've touched, but I do know that the people that reach out let me know. Like the impact's real, you know? Like, um Carl Wagner, high school teacher in Indiana. Indiana doesn't even have medical, like, they're not anywhere, they're not even trying to do any of that. For years, years, he watched the show um with uh, you know, like an Instagram handle, no one would know who he is. Years. Um, joined the weed mom book club, was the only guy in the weed mom book club and showed up every week, but had his video camera completely off to protect his identity because again, scary situation in Indiana. Um, and after a couple years, and after even coming on the show and sitting in the dark and sharing his story like America's most wanted, like a couple, a few, just a few months after that, he ended up posting on Facebook and this beautiful op-ed as to why it's time for Indiana to wake up and start having this conversation. And now he leads a group of over 2,000 people on Facebook, and like and that grew to like a thousand within the first year, and it just is so beautiful to see someone who was too afraid to advocate, learn so much that they can't help but to, right? Yeah, and that, and so like Carl, damn, and respect because it's still not okay there, you know what I mean? Like, like he's still dealing with that. Um, and so I think anyone who can um put themselves out there and at risk that way. Um, my babe Misty is also one of my favorites. She um she was watching the show, she's actually local to me. She was watching the show. My daughter was helping me with um all the social media and stuff at first because it was a lot with all the different hosts and shows and things. You know, we had 10 shows a week, so it was a lot. Um, and and then she decided she was gonna go and get a job. So I was like, oh, I'm gonna need some help. So I like put out a little call and Missy's like, oh, I want to help with social media, and and I was like, okay. And so we ended up meeting in person, which was fun because we'd been, you know, engaging online for a long time. And I ask her, and this I ask everyone this um, what is it that you really want to do? Because I love to find ways for people to do that. That's what lights me up, and that's also what the show is about. And so um, she says, I really want to grow. I said, Well, do you have experience? She's like, not really, like a little at home. I was like, okay. I don't know what it is. I always tell people give me like 48 hours. I got a phone call from a friend of mine. I also have a nonprofit, and so from the mental health sector from my nonprofit life, right? Called me. She's like, You're the only person I know in cannabis. My husband's friend has a grow. He just lost his guy. Do you know anyone? And I said, Well, what's a woman? And she says, Well, can she lift 50 pounds? I said, Well, if if Misty's not dabbing on her Instagram, she's lifting weights on her Instagram. So I'm pretty sure she can. She went in there on like a couple days later on that Monday. Uh, three months later, she was running that girl on her own. Now she's one of like the top fucking cultivators at one of the top brands actually in the world. Um, and I won't name them because the owner doesn't want her to get poached. So, but like things like that, you know, like really being able to um, you know, but it's also been things like last year at the network show, there was a young woman who I'd never even seen before, and she asked, You don't know me, but a couple years ago you said something on your story, and I quit my job and here and handed me her vape. She's like, and now I have my own brand. So, like, it's just cool. It's a lot, you know, like it's a variety of things.

SPEAKER_00: 27:31

It sounds like you're a real connector of people as well, which is you know, I think the world needs more of that, it needs more of that kind of sentimentality around rising or rising tides lift all ships. There's space for all of us in this in this cannabis industry, but you've created a really strong community around the cannabis babes, emphasizing inclusivity and support. What are some of the biggest challenges and rewards of fostering community in an industry that's still pretty stigmatized?

SPEAKER_01: 28:01

Oh um, you know, the marketing, right? Like the being the limitations that we have on social media, the limitations on really being able to expand in order to let more people know this community exists. Um, I'd say that's probably the biggest challenge. Um other things are also, I don't, it can be a challenge for me at times. I'm definitely human, not perfect at all, but this industry has really in community has really um taught me, and this plant has really taught me to give myself and others more grace. Um, 80% of disabilities are invisible in this plant as a medicine. We really don't know. We make a lot of assumptions um based on how people look that we have an idea of what they've been through. And the truth is we really have no idea. And so I think sometimes there can be challenges with that, with you know, um, there's also challenges with for me because I had the social anxiety to all of a sudden go to um very much more public positions is I don't always um I I have spent so much of my life looking to help people live to their highest selves. Um, not you know, high on weed, but highest calling. And so I see that in a lot of people. And sometimes people want that for themselves, but the work to do that's hard. And they don't always want to do that part. And so I think sometimes the hardest part for me, and I've I'm getting better, but much better, um, is detaching from when they're not ready. And so, really, just like look, creating more of this is an opportunity. I'd love to explore this with you when you're ready to show up for you. Let me know. And so I used to chase, and now I don't chase anymore.

SPEAKER_00: 30:22

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's funny you mentioned you touched on the social anxiety again because I find it like you seem so outgoing. And I feel like I can learn something from you about that. And it's hard to imagine that you would have any kind of social anxiety. So that's that's incredible to me.

SPEAKER_01: 30:37

Yeah. I'm at home. I'm at home. My daughter and I talk about it as um, so I say there's like three anchors that I have when I go out. And so, and it's do I know the people I'm going, do I know the place I'm going, and do I know what the fuck I'm gonna wear? Like that's always the most anxiety producing. Um, especially if I don't know where I'm going and maybe I'm arriving alone, right? And so, like, I don't know the parking situation. Or, like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00: 31:06

So, those are the three things that you try and like figure out ahead of time, or one of those three things to make it feel more comfortable.

SPEAKER_01: 31:12

So, you know, I have to say, now with cannabis, the control I need to have over those things has changed.

SPEAKER_00: 31:23

Right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 31:25

And so now, I mean, one, I usually am going places where I'm going to know people. I went to New York earlier this year and I knew people there. So like I just it surprises me how small this industry really is, you know. And I love it. I'm I'm grateful. It's, it's, I always have that anchor now, right? You know, I may not know where I'm going or what I'm gonna wear, but I know I'm gonna know somebody. Um, that helps. Uh, but also I developed a mindset in order to be able to go out and do all this. You know, one, what you see here, I'm comfortable. I'm at home. Like I've been saying for years, like it's funny to me that this is blown up so much because I'm just a mom on her couch. You know, like I'm like, I'm I'm chilling at home and talking to people. Like, how much more comfortable does this get? I'm wearing pajama shorts underneath this dress right now, you know. Like, I mean, right, you know, um dress from the top up. Like uh, yeah, it's this is easy. Like I can be at ease here at home. Um, I'm also high, like, you know, I've I'm I've got my stuff. I I had a couple bowls this morning before we did this, as early as it is. Um, so that helps. Um, but also I really love the conversations and the one-on-ones. Like, I I love that. I I do a group thing though though, too. We have um an online group that we host bi-weekly on Mondays. Um, and that's been awesome with people literally all over the world joining us. Like it's and all over the industry. It's really kind of amazing all the different people that come together and the ways that we continue to find to connect. So um, yeah, there might be high and asked how to answer questions today.

SPEAKER_00: 33:10

No, that's fine. Uh, you to you've touched on too about the survival squeeze that small operators in the cannabis industry face. What do you think are the biggest hurdles for small business and entrepreneurs who are trying to succeed in a super competitive landscape? And also, I mean, I know this all too well myself, but just a landscape with players that have much deeper pockets than I do, or some of these other small players might.

SPEAKER_01: 33:37

I mean, even the ones with the deeper pockets, those pockets are getting more shallow, right? Like really honestly, the biggest challenge is regulations, is is uh the whole federally rescheduling. My prediction, and I've been sounding like a conspiracy theorist online for a year now, but I think people starting to believe me now, is that if we get rescheduled, how they're gonna take out the smaller shops is by forcing them to have a pharmacist on staff, and that's no small salary.

SPEAKER_02: 34:09

Right.

unknown: 34:11

Right.

SPEAKER_01: 34:11

But if it's re you know, schedule three, yeah, that's standard operating. So uh the regulations are a big one here in California. Uh taxes were raised even further on July 1st. Uh, it was announced yesterday that they will be dropped, but not effective until October 1st, which why are you trying to take three months from people that you like you made that decision knowing we don't have it? But that's another way to take businesses out. Is so we see different phases. There's certain events of the year that you see that shortly after, usually businesses are gone. It won't be like your last big hurrah, and then a week later, oh, all these layoffs. That's a very common thing we see around here. Um taxes definitely take people out. We've got that a couple times a year, you know, that goes through phases. And so what we've been seeing, you know, as we're going into our sixth year, right? Um, of rec is that uh these investors even are like tired and this is a little too long a game for them to right. So that's the biggest challenge. Um, and then because of those taxes, the prices being too high, things not moving in the dispensaries, so then even the quality of the dispensary is less, even though you're paying more. So the traditional market is thriving once again. Right.

SPEAKER_02: 35:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 35:49

And, you know, and honestly, that all comes down to an issue with accessibility.

SPEAKER_00: 35:55

Yeah. Yeah, 100%. So I guess you're suggesting that legislation is sort of the only way out of that, but that always seems like there's big horizon.

SPEAKER_01: 36:03

I do, because that's how we we need banking, we need tax write-offs, we need the ability to be able to market publicly and provide education and not just leave it up to some Netflix show to like half-ass what the experience of weed is. Like, right, you know, we're getting better content, but there's still so much stigma around the content that is being produced, and it actually pisses me off. So, like, like I love the TV show Shameless, and the last season of Shameless, they did Weed So Dirty.

SPEAKER_00: 36:43

I don't remember that, and I watched all of it.

SPEAKER_01: 36:45

Did they? Oh, yeah. No, they did Weed So Dirty. One of the first episodes of the season was that two guys in the bar, I think, ate a brownie or something and got stupid high, and then ended up like because they had a whole weed business after years of being heterosexual, now all of a sudden are homosexual, and there's nothing wrong with homosexuality, but to sit there and like say that weed made them do like I've never known anyone to get high off weed and make a decision like that suddenly. Right. Like that.

SPEAKER_00: 37:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 37:23

That's not a good thing.

SPEAKER_00: 37:25

It sounds very reefer madness like. Yeah, I really totally forgot about that storyline.

SPEAKER_01: 37:30

Like, as real as that show had been for so many other things, um, like I my daughter and I laugh. Uh Frank Gallagher in that show is the father. Yeah, he is like my dad. Like every single episode my daughter and I saw, we'd be like, Oh, Poppy. That is my dad. He even kind of looks like him. It's wild. Um, so they got so many other things right. And and yeah, they fucked that up and made me mad.

SPEAKER_00: 38:01

Yeah, because I I had totally forgotten that didn't two of the characters that ran the bar start a business selling edibles out of the bar? Yeah, I totally forgot about that. Yeah, yeah. I'm always surprised that the stigma is still hanging on so much, even though legalization, like where you are and where I am, has been around for a while. It just always surprises me that the mainstream isn't catching on faster. I don't get it. But I guess there's still a lot of forces working against it, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_01: 38:29

It's really interesting, you know, it's it's mainstream media, and it's the same thing that we see in our news, right? Like we know we can't trust our news, our news is propaganda, mainstream media is too. Everything that we are fed or get to pay a subscription for is going to be what they want us to see and think. Um, I find content from real people way better. I love it like the, you know, who doesn't love a good like food account on Instagram, right? We all love to get hot and look at the good foody things. Um, I am no exception. I watch way too much food videos, but that's okay. Um and I love seeing like the chefs that'll just sit there and like they're not even like stoner chefs necessarily or anything like that, but they'll be like, I just had an edible, we're gonna make this. And then like you even see them as they eat it at the end, their eyes are so low, but they're so happy. And I'm like, that just that, right?

SPEAKER_00: 39:35

Like, yeah. Yeah, we'll get maybe we'll get there one day. Who knows? I guess we'll we'll just have to wait and see, wait it out.

SPEAKER_01: 39:42

But I mean, I've always said it's like I feel like it's like the railroad. So I've always thought that like this is like we're building the railroad, and some lives are taken and become a part of the railroad so that future generations can ride it more easily. And and that's the work with with this. That is the work with with cannabis and bringing bringing back plant medicine to the people.

SPEAKER_00: 40:06

Yeah, and that's so true too, because like there's kids growing up right now where I live that have never known it not to be legal, which is crazy to me. But yeah, they've just dispensaries have always been there, and it's like that's their life. And I'm like, wow, it we a lot of people.

SPEAKER_01: 40:23

You know, the conversation I had with my daughter when she was younger was it was medicine. She always saw it as medicine for me, and and it helped that she would see its effect, right? Like she would know, like, oh, we'd be out shopping and have to run a bunch of errands because it's like school shopping, and like, oh my god. And I have social anxiety, so like, I don't want to do any of this, but we got to because I love you, and so anything for you, boo boo. Like, you know, and and yeah, and she'd be like, um, mom, here, take your vape.

SPEAKER_00: 40:56

Like, you know, this'll help, yeah. Yeah. Now, social equity in the cannabis industry is something that gets talked a lot about, but often it's a lot of words and not a lot of action. From your perspective, what are the most critical steps that need to be taken for a more equitable and just industry?

SPEAKER_01: 41:18

Um God. Okay, so the reason why I'm hesitating is because my very first thought was fuck the government. Um I just I and I don't know, and I'm sitting here like trying, like, well, how do I say that in a nice way though? And then I'm like, well, no, but fuck the government. And and um honestly, it's a setup. So social equity was a really good idea to make certain people feel good about things and like, oh, and and you know, to like get the support of and like, oh, it's a thing. But I learned very early on in working with a subcommittee here and my local government in the lovely city of Long Beach, California, um, years ago in their social equity department, that you know, as long as the government's gonna hire idiots and people who are willfully ignorant, um, um, and it's by mandate, I'm sure, and like, you know, certain psych profiles only, um, IQs very low. Uh there's a willful ignorance there. Um my first call with them, so uh just so basically to the very first year of social equity. Only one of 87 candidates made it through and got their loan. Only one of 87. Right. The very first call, so uh we spent as a subcommittee, we spent months having conversations with people who are social equity conversations with other operators in the space. I'm a part of uh my local uh LBCA, Long Beach Collective Association. It's different cannabis operators. I of course do not hold a license, however, um being adjacent and volunteering for them from the very first time I heard endocannabinoid system at their their event. Um, I've I'm active. You can't get me out of this stuff. So um uh yeah, the very first meeting we had with our city department was uh, hey, there's a problem. Only one of 87 candidates made it through your system, which means that it doesn't work. And here's like the different points as to why. And they said, no, no, no, no. Only one out of 87 wanted it bad enough.

SPEAKER_00: 43:47

Oh, interesting. That's an interesting way to look at that.

SPEAKER_01: 43:51

I just don't, I was like, You gotta be that dumb on purpose. Like it was, it was you have conversations with them, and it is you you sit in city council meetings and and and they're dumb on purpose. You know, you talk about the environmental impact of bringing in these giant cruise ships, and and they're like, huh? Vote yes. We want the money, and it's just yeah, fuck the government.

SPEAKER_00: 44:20

So do you think there's anything that can be done to improve those kind of numbers? Like when they have social equity programs for the colour.

SPEAKER_01: 44:26

There's the other thing, social equity and the way that they're set up is to put additional burden on other cannabis businesses. Um, social equity is not the responsibility of the cannabis industry. The cannabis industry has already been negatively impacted by the lack of social equity in the world, in the in every industry, in as a whole. So to put the bird, so even the way that it's written again, right? Like it's good PR. So my my wonderful mayor, Rex Richardson, who I'm not allowed to tag online anymore. Um I I he is such a sellout, but um he, you know, I mentioned earlier, nonprofit, my partner in the nonprofit during the pandemic, uh, our local community here in the park, the homeless issue, way out of control. Um for two, we celebrated their two-year anniversary of serving people, uh, shower truck, laundry truck, clothing, food, weekly, like you know, trying to serve a hundred people each week. Like it's not enough, but it's something. And and all of a sudden you see after two years an article in the newspaper with Rex and about 10 other people none of us have ever seen before talking about all the services we've been providing, as though they've been providing it. And I'm like, who are who are any of those people? So it's PR. Everything with politics is PR. And that's the thing that honestly these canimus conversations have taught me in the last six years, is what a setup it all is.

SPEAKER_00: 46:18

Right. Yeah. So there is no traditional, there is no real answer from our government, essentially, which kind of makes sense to me. Like it does make sense to me.

SPEAKER_01: 46:29

No, it's intended to fail. All of this is intended to fail. If you look at if they really wanted this industry to succeed, they would not make it so hard to survive in. Uh, taxes are 36% right now, 39% going back down to 36% in October 1st. Woo! Um, 36%. When I first entered this space, because again, I was like business consulting, right? And I hired 36% and there's no financing and there's no marketing, and 36% in taxes alone is more than overhead is in most other businesses. The entire overhead. And that's just taxes. That's not employees, that's not rent, that's not SCE and their bullshit electric bill either. Um, it's what? Right. So I don't know what's wrong with me. Like I said earlier, there's something wrong with me. I like a challenge. Let's go. And that's kind of what happens.

SPEAKER_00: 47:33

Yeah, because the cannabis space is definitely very challenging to operate in. I I find even being in Canada, we've had legalization like rec for about over six years now, it it's not any easier up here in a lot of ways.

SPEAKER_01: 47:46

Cause you don't have marketing, your packaging is all right.

SPEAKER_00: 47:51

Like, yeah, there's pretty much none. So there's definitely challenges here as well. But as a woman, you've broken a lot of barriers and you operate in a really male-dominated space, even though we're all here celebrating the plant, which is female, somehow it's still very male-dominated. But what advice would you give for other women who are looking to build a career in the cannabis space? And are there any particular opportunities right now that are that are great for women, in your opinion?

SPEAKER_01: 48:19

Oh, I mean, I think there's always opportunities that are great for women to be in this space. It's not hard. It's not, you know, if you want a soft life, if you're a soft life kind of gal, don't come here. Like, you know, you have to be willing to be, you know, chewed up and spit out a few times. Um, I I've earned a lot of cannabis stripes. I used to be uncomfortable with people calling me an OG because I don't feel like six years has been all that long, but actually I've been through a few things. I I got some stripes over here. So um, you know, don't come expecting it to be easy. Um come because this plant has changed your life, not because you want to make money. Um I don't, yeah, I don't expect to make money. Um, you know, if you're someone who has is able to serve a lot of people and do consultant type work similar to myself or 1099, um, definitely keep clients in other industries that will help you keep your lights on um in between. Um and find community, be wary, though. Also, there are again like 80% of disabilities are invisible going on. Um, and also a lot of people are very, you know, cannabis has attracted a lot of really amazing healing-centered people and also a lot of opportunists. And sometimes you can't tell them apart until it's too late. So, you know, be patient, don't dive in too quickly, do your research. Um, but also don't judge people based on other people's experiences entirely because you know, everyone's got their reason for their perspective.

SPEAKER_00: 50:11

Right. Yeah. And I do love that you mentioned to find community as well, because I think that that's something that we all need, regardless of whether you're in the cannabis space or just living your life out in the world. Like we need we need people.

SPEAKER_01: 50:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 50:24

To be to be around us and to support us.

SPEAKER_01: 50:27

Yeah. I would say join one of the Cannabas Babes Connect groups, um, you know, every other Monday evening. I love that's really I we've done three. We just did the third one last night. It's an idea I've had forever. Um, I had a guest on my podcast recently that was talking about being really lonely, like having so much work, she doesn't get to leave work very often, but wanting that community. And so, like, oh, well, we can meet online. That's an easy thing. And I was like, Oh, I've been thinking about doing, let me just do it. Let me just stop talking, like, let me just do it. And it's been amazing. Like the very first one. Um, you know, it's limited to 50 people. We end up having about half show up because, you know, it's a free event online people forget and realize I didn't pay anything for it. So I'm gonna go eat dinner instead, and that's fine. Um, but it's been about 20 people each time, 20 to 25. And we just kind of share who we are, what we're doing in the space, maybe some of what we're working on, how we'd like to serve, or what we could use. And um, from the very first meeting, there was someone who needed an employee. Three of the other people ended up applying. One of them got hired, the other two ended up with one-on-ones with me, and one of them's going off, and I've connected her already to someone else to do something that was even more aligned with what she really wants to do. And so, um, you know, it's really exciting. We've always got new people. There's definitely a lot of familiar faces. Um, there's big names from all over the industry, too. I really love my friends. I'm so blessed. Like, I geek out that these are like, these are my people, these are my friends. Like, like Luna Stour comes and sleeps on my couch when, you know, like, you know, like yeah, yeah. Um, yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 52:17

Yeah. Well, it's very cool that you started, you call it Cannibas Babes Connect. I really love that idea. And honestly, when you said that you just wanted to do it, my my mantra this year has been just fucking do it. Because so often, like I just overthink things. And I'm sure this is an experience common to many people. You just overthink things, you're waiting for it to be perfect, like all these reasons why you can't just do it. And then when you do do it, you're like, oh my God, I'm so glad I did. Just like your calls that you're hosting on Monday nights. So I love that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 52:49

Well, in writing, I actually it just was published for the first time two weeks ago. Two weeks ago. Um, and hosted my first panel last week as well. And those are two things that you know, hosting a panel I've been wanting to do. Writing, I've always loved to do, but I had in my head for the longest time, like, I didn't go to school for that. I've not worked in like even though like I've literally created a magazine and everywhere I've ever worked. And like I've done it informally so many places throughout my entire life. So that was a huge thing. I wasn't even planning on doing that. It ended up being um the publication wanted um my connection to be in it, and then said, Oh, well, Ishko write an article about you, and uh, and then ended up telling me I told them you'd write an article, and I was like, You did, huh? Okay. Yeah, well, you know, sometimes you just have to do it because it unlocked something in me in that I've always loved to write. I write a ton on my blog. Um, and and and I've always been like, oh, I'm not a writer, and now I get to be like Right.

SPEAKER_00: 54:07

Yeah, because you just fucking did it. I love it.

SPEAKER_01: 54:10

And it was great, and everyone loved it. So it was like that's exciting and affirming too, is is you know, yeah. So I get to just share more stories in more formats and more ways. And I've been getting really into like the SEO and the blog and building out the website to also, again, just draw more attention to all of the stories, you know. Um, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 54:34

Yeah. Now, this is a question that I I like to ask a lot of the guests that I have on my show. So, what would surprise people about you?

SPEAKER_01: 54:42

Oh, that I'm not really extroverted.

SPEAKER_00: 54:45

That is surprising to me. You seem very gregarious.

SPEAKER_01: 54:48

So I'm I um I'm a home at Cama shards. Um I, you know, I love spending time alone. I really spend so much time alone and so much time in my head, and I even like laugh at myself at how much I really do just entertain myself and dream up new work to do and new projects to do. Like, no one, like, no one pays me to do this. Like, I come up with this stuff on my own. I just keep giving myself more work to do. Um, and and I love it, and it's just so fun. And I, yeah, I love being alone. I think, especially right now, um, being perimenopausal as well. I love sleeping alone. I go to bed at night and then I like stretch out. I'm like, I'm so glad I'm share with anybody. Like, if I wake up at one o'clock in the morning and I can't sleep for four hours, like I'm just chilling and smoking weed in the living room and like no one's asking me, Are you okay? Are you gonna come in? Like, no, go away. Like, yeah, sometimes it might be nice if dinner was delivered to my desk because I'm not getting up, but um, and working late. But you know, other than that, I really love being alone. I I and then when I go out to my events, it's lovely and wonderful, but I do make sure to charge up a lot before done. And I make sure to give myself a few days afterwards because some of the bigger events, like one of my favorite things to do is go walk every day. It's like a two, almost three mile walk. And when I come back from big events, I don't even want to go on my walk because I don't even want to say hi to a neighbor. Like, yeah, I don't wanna recharge. I think that's probably what would surprise people is like I do end up becoming nonverbal, and then people are like, wait, what? And I'm like, Yeah, I don't want to talk yet.

SPEAKER_00: 56:46

I'm not ready. I've got to recharge the social boundary. Yeah. Now finally, what is next for Can of Boss Babes? And do you have anything on the horizon that you're excited about in particular?

SPEAKER_01: 56:56

Yeah. Um, so I am co-hosting a suite in Vegas again this year for MJ Bizcon with my babe Kelly Riddle, who I hosted um a beautiful uh townhome in Hudson, New York earlier with. And so we're going to Vegas. We've got a corner suite at one of the top hotels. It's one of the ones you guys want to be at. And we've got Sarah Pyan coming in and hosting a few hours and doing some fun things. And Luna Stewart's coming in and hosting a few hours, and we're gonna have a fun little photo shoot at the Neon Graveyard with 10 lucky influencers, and you know, just uh I'm looking forward to more connections. I love this. I love being able to have everyone come from all over the world, seeing all the babes together in person. But, you know, it can be overstimulating sometimes on the showroom floor and like a lot, you know, there's so much going on. The conversations are like this versus when you have a suite where, you know, maybe we even have like a massage therapist or something, um, and a nice little, you know, dabby dab bar. Um you can relax enough to have a conversation and to really explore where alignment is between you and growth opportunities. And and that to me is what it's all about is creating more connections so that we can create more opportunities for growth.

SPEAKER_00: 58:38

Yeah, that's amazing. So people can look out for you at MJBizCon. And of course, you have your podcast that people can tune into as well because you do new episodes every when when do you put out new episodes?

SPEAKER_01: 58:49

Um every week we put up a new one. I am taking off September. September's been a big month. There's been a lot of different events, um, but I will be back in October. And then I'm also going to be podcasting live from Ignite It, which is formerly Benzinga. Um, their California market spotlight is here in Anaheim on October 8th, and I'll be podcasting live from there as well.

SPEAKER_00: 59:13

That's amazing. So I'll be sure to include all this stuff in the show notes so people can find you and find where to connect with you. And Ishka, I just want to thank you so much for your time today. It's been a really great conversation, and I appreciate you.

SPEAKER_01: 59:24

Yeah, thank you so much, Margaret. I can't wait for you to join me on my.

SPEAKER_00: 59:28

Yeah, I'm looking forward to that too. I trust that you enjoyed that conversation as much as I did. I will include the links where to find Ishka and the cannabas babes in the show notes. And please share this conversation with someone as curious about cannabis as you are. Join us over at the Bite Me Cannabis Club. And until next time, my friends, I am your host, Margaret, and stay high.