The Female Cannabis Plant Has a Lot to Teach Us.

On a recent trip to Pai, Thailand, a chance encounter with an Italian traveler sparked an interesting conversation. We started talking about our respective careers, and when I mentioned that I’m a female founder in the cannabis industry, my new friend said, "The cannabis plant itself is female…there's something powerful in recognizing that connection." 

Her words gave me pause. Cannabis plants are dioecious, which means that the plant has separate male and female individuals. However, only the female plants produce usable buds. Generally speaking, high-yield cannabis cultivation relies on separating out the female plants so they can better develop the terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids we prize.

While I’d always known female cannabis plants were the primary source of value in this industry, I hadn’t considered how much their nature mirrored my personal growth and priorities. As we continued to share stories about our industry experiences, I wondered if the plant I'd been working with for nearly two decades still had something new to show me.

In recent years, my industry has evolved rapidly into a sophisticated, nationwide market. At the heart of all that prosperity is the female cannabis plant. She’s the producer, the worker bee. Without her reliability and constancy, we have nothing to create or sell. This plant alone is our profitable source of countless types of products, but she doesn’t just produce them overnight—her growth is the result of time, care, and the ideal environment.

The more I thought about it, the more I noticed the lessons embedded in the female plant’s lifecycle—lessons not just for cultivation, but for how we build systems and businesses that last. Just as the female cannabis plant requires strong roots before she can flourish, success in this industry—or any industry—depends on a solid foundation. In my work as a founder and now consultant, I’ve taken this lesson to heart. The bedrock of my career has been networking and forming strong connections with my local community of cannabis business owners. I also don’t believe in rushing, cutting corners, or creating artificial growth for the sake of quick returns. Instead, I try to stay focused on these guideposts:

Intention – Every strong business, like every strong cannabis plant, starts with understanding its environment and nurturing its foundation. In every interaction I have with a colleague, client, or vendor, I take the time to listen and assess before diving in with my thoughts.

Adaptability – Cannabis plants are masters of adaptation, adjusting to their surroundings to thrive. Likewise, the people who succeed in this industry are the ones who stay flexible, learn from challenges, and pivot when needed. Moving from the legacy to the recreational market was certainly a masterclass in adaptability in my early years as a founder.

Sustainability – A thriving cannabis plant gives generously, but not at the expense of its own wellbeing. I have built (and helped my clients to build) businesses that are both profitable and sustainable. Longevity is the objective, rather than short-term gains that fall away quickly or unsustainable practices that will erode your time and resources.

In the end, my intent is to build businesses that not just survive but truly thrive. Because, as the female cannabis plant shows, real growth comes from patience, care, and purpose.

If you’re ready to build a cannabis business with deep roots and sustainable success, let’s talk. My consulting team is ready to help entrepreneurs grow with intention,