954 Wendy Bronfein: Cannabis Opportunities
Navigating Regulatory Roadblocks to Scale a Business
Scaling a business is never easy, even without the headwinds that continue to buffet the U.S. cannabis industry, where U.S. federal Schedule 1 status for the drug means excessive taxation and restrictions on banking, research, and marketing. Even though research shows safer communities, more state tax revenue, reduced opioid use, and lower teen consumption where cannabis is legal, the baffling policy gridlock is making it especially hard for cannabis entrepreneurs to succeed.
Wendy Bronfein is tackling the medical marijuana opportunity as the co-founder of Curio Wellness. Wendy grew up learning the intricacies of regulated healthcare as she watched her parents grow a pharmaceutical retail and distribution business serving long-term care facilities. Then after a successful career in TV branding and marketing across LIVE! With Kelly & Michael, BBC Worldwide Americas The Andy Milonakis Show, Wanda Does it, and The Sharon Osbourne Show, she returned home to Maryland to lend her expertise to the emerging medical marijuana business.
Today Wendy and shares what it has taken to scale the company’s products in the complex regulatory environment with its restrictions on banking, research and marketing. She shares her innovative approach to marketing, with high-touch IRL experiential strategies that build community and generate trust, plus how Curio Wellness is taking bold steps to offer franchise opportunities specifically designed to help women, minorities, and disabled veterans break into the cannabis business—helping others navigate regulatory and financial barriers by supporting their capital needs and providing operational guidance.
🔑Key Takeaways🔑
🛠️📝 Navigating Regulatory Roadblocks: How to scale a business in a challenging industry like cannabis, where U.S. federal Schedule 1 drug status means excessive taxation and restrictions on banking, research, and marketing. This, when research shows safer communities, more state tax revenue, reduced opioid use, and lower teen consumption where cannabis is legal.
🤟❤️ Branding in a Constrained Industry: What to do when traditional marketing and advertising channels are closed off, and how to make creative, high-touch approaches, community engagement, and “ground game” outreach earn customer trust and build awareness.
🌈 🤎 Empowering the Next Generation of Diverse Entrepreneurs: Learn how Curio Wellness is taking bold steps to offer franchise opportunities specifically designed to help women, minorities, and disabled veterans break into the cannabis business—helping others navigate regulatory and financial barriers by supporting their capital needs and providing operational guidance.
More about Wendy Bronfein at curiowellness.com
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More about Wendy at Curio Wellness
Wendy Bronfein is the Co-Founder, Chief Brand Officer and Director of Public Policy at Curio Wellness, Maryland’s leading medical cannabis company, where she focuses on driving the company’s legislative agenda across multiple states and building the Curio brand. Wendy made the leap into the medical marijuana space after a long career in television. She was Creative Director of On-Air Promotions at LIVE! With Kelly & Michael and was a Managing Producer at BBC Worldwide Americas from 2006-2010. She has also served in various freelance production roles in New York and Los Angeles working on shows such as The Andy Milonakis Show, Wanda Does it, and The Sharon Osbourne Show.
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