046: How Rebelle is Elevating the Cannabis Experience

The nascent cannabis industry still has a long way to grow. In many ways, it hasn’t successfully given back to the people hurt the most from the war on drugs, empowered marginalized entrepreneurs, or created opportunities for more than a small number of people–many of whom are men–with access to capital. Today, we’re talking to Charlotte Hanna and Geraldine Hessler. They’re the founder and CMO of Rebelle, one of a small handful of women and minority-owned vertically integrated cannabis and lifestyle companies in Massachusetts. Their mission is to empower people who have been marginalized by the criminalization of cannabis while championing its benefits as part of a healthy, positive lifestyle. In this episode, you’ll learn how they created a unique brand that filled a clear void in the marketplace, the challenges facing women in this field, and how changing cannabis laws in New York will affect other parts of the country.  KEY TAKEAWAYS What led Charlotte and Geraldine to develop and launch the Rebelle brand. How Rebelle cultivated its concepts and visual identity–and why branding consultants are probably too worried about pissing off men when trying to appeal to women. How Rebelle is working to do business in the most equitable and just way possible–and how they’re creating jobs and careers for people coming out of jail. How Charlotte and Geraldine talk to their kids about their work–and how schools are starting to discuss cannabis. Why Geraldine believes it’s going to be a while before we see cannabis menus alongside wine lists at restaurants. Show Notes For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/46 To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal