027: Inside the World of Cannabis Journalism with Lauren Yoshiko

03/23/21 • 61 min

The Green Repeal - A Guide to Cannabis Marketing & Advertising

The audience for cannabis content has grown rapidly over the last decade - but who writes it, what value does it provide, and what challenges make this niche so unique?

Here to answer these questions is Lauren Yoshiko. She’s a writer, cannabis journalist, magazine editor, and the host of Broccoli Talk, Broccoli Magazine’s official podcast. She’s a cannabis speaker on branding and women in weed, a budtender, the harvest manager of Cannabis Farm, a copywriter, and a well-respected advocate for women, minorities, and small businesses within the cannabis space.

Twice a week, she publishes the Broccoli Report, where she writes about topics including industry news and stoner lifestyle accessories, giving both entrepreneurs and users the inside scoop.

Today, Lauren joins the podcast to talk about how she entered the cannabis industry, and what cannabis tourism may look like post-COVID.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The stigmas and myths around cannabis that Lauren encountered in her early twenties, the cultural shifts that helped her get her first cannabis column, and why she had to write under a pseudonym to protect her corporate job at a Fortune 500 company.
Why so many brands are looking to shake the legacy of stoner imagery while retaining parts of it - and why so many brands are crashing and failing.
How illegal dispensaries successfully operate while masquerading as legitimate ones.
What cannabis tourism and consumption spaces may look like.
How working as a grower helped Lauren better understand the labor that goes into cannabis production and led her straight into her career in journalism.
How Broccoli differentiated itself from publications like High Times, and why Lauren’s work stands out in a culture that can be very “bro-y.”
Why Lauren hopes to see interstate commerce before full federal legalization.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/27

To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal

The audience for cannabis content has grown rapidly over the last decade - but who writes it, what value does it provide, and what challenges make this niche so unique?

Twice a week, she publishes the Broccoli Report, where she writes about topics including industry news and stoner lifestyle accessories, giving both entrepreneurs and users the inside scoop.

Today, Lauren joins the podcast to talk about how she entered the cannabis industry, and what cannabis tourism may look like post-COVID.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The stigmas and myths around cannabis that Lauren encountered in her early twenties, the cultural shifts that helped her get her first cannabis column, and why she had to write under a pseudonym to protect her corporate job at a Fortune 500 company.
Why so many brands are looking to shake the legacy of stoner imagery while retaining parts of it - and why so many brands are crashing and failing.
How illegal dispensaries successfully operate while masquerading as legitimate ones.
What cannabis tourism and consumption spaces may look like.
How working as a grower helped Lauren better understand the labor that goes into cannabis production and led her straight into her career in journalism.
How Broccoli differentiated itself from publications like High Times, and why Lauren’s work stands out in a culture that can be very “bro-y.”
Why Lauren hopes to see interstate commerce before full federal legalization.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/27

To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal

Previous Episode

026: Enlightening Minds as a Cannabis Authenticator with Brooke Burgstahler

In the age of social media backlash and deep distrust in “influencers,” how can one be a responsible ambassador and advocate for cannabis?

Here to help us answer that question is Brooke Burgstahler. She’s a writer, producer, host, and actress in TV, online media, and film. She’s the star of BigMike and Advanced Nutrients’ show, Marijuana Morning News, which she hosts daily. She conceptualizes and shares stories covering everything from pop culture to politics, history, and social justice reform.

Her work has reached millions of viewers, and she’s also a 500-hour certified yoga instructor. Her latest venture is Budding Mind, a cannabis and wellness startup designed to expand the mind and heart through the exploration of plant medicine, alternative healing, science, and spirituality.

Today, Brooke joins the podcast to share the story of how she became a cannabis content creator, showcasing the “softer side” of what can be a grungy and male-dominated industry, and the amazing ways she’s building a singular brand in the space.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Why Brooke identifies as an authenticator in the cannabis space and not an influencer.
The similarities between cannabis edutainment and yoga - and what Brooke is doing to create inviting spaces to learn and have fun at the same time.
How Brooke is using Instagram to responsibly share accurate, vetted information with her audience while avoiding takedowns.
Why it’s so difficult for cannabis brands to share content on TikTok.
The common myths around cannabis that Brooke is on a mission to debunk.
How cannabis does (and doesn’t) fit into a wellness and self-care regimen.
The unique intersection between cannabis and yoga.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/26

To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal

Next Episode

028: Advocating for Responsible Cannabis Use Among Athletes with Jim McAlpine

There are many talented people working to demonstrate the link between positive health outcomes and cannabis use, but what about in sports and athletics?

To help us answer that question, we’re speaking to Jim McAlpine. Jim is a snowboard company executive and an early advocate for cannabis use among athletes. He created the 420 Games – a multi-sport event company for cannabis users to destigmatize stoner stereotypes and network of professional athletes and advocates working to demonstrate the connection between weed and wellness.

Today, Jim joins the podcast to talk about why skiing and snowboarding go with cannabis like peanut butter and jelly, the power of great live experiences, and his mission to prove that elite athletics and cannabis can go hand-in-hand.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

What Jim didn’t like about conventional ski and snowboard events as a young entrepreneur - and the unconventional strategy he used to poach huge numbers of prospective customers.
How the 420 Games forged authentic connections with customers in the yoga, ski, and snowboarding spaces.
How the perception of elite athletes’ cannabis use has changed since the infamous photo of Michael Phelps smoking a bong, how athletes are now advocating for cannabis use as part of their training, and why cannabis is not a PED.
The do’s and don’ts of incorporating cannabis into events of all kinds.
Why Jim believes the differences between indica and sativa are a myth and everyone’s reactions are different.
How the perception of cannabis in the media has become more realistic over the last decade.

Show Notes

For complete show notes, including transcripts, takeaways, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit SoHoExp.com/28

To learn more about the podcast and get access to all episodes, visit: SoHoExp.com/GreenRepeal