Welcome to Legacies: Celebrating International Women’s Day (00:09)

Tom Ritchie Says: Hey, welcome to Legacies, everyone! We’re hosting a very special episode this week in honor of International Women’s Day. Today, we’re joined by Katie Pringle of Marigold Marketing and PR in support of the upcoming Radical Femmes event. We posed questions to several prominent female leaders speaking at the event, and we’re excited to feature their insights. But first, Katie Pringle, welcome back to Legacies!

Katie Pringle Says: Thanks for having me back, Tom! We really appreciate your support and the opportunity to talk about this again.

Tom Ritchie Says: You were fantastic on your first appearance, and we deeply value the platform you’re building with Radical Femmes. This event aligns with International Women’s Day on March 8th, and your event is March 6th, correct?

Katie Pringle Says: Correct! This is our second International Women’s Day themed event with Radical Femmes after launching on IWD last year. We’ve structured a slightly longer, more immersive format than our standard networking mixers, featuring two powerhouse panels—one focused on retail and one focused on brand strategy.

Radical Femmes Event Details: Panels, OCS Insights & Community (00:45)

Katie Pringle Says: We have a fantastic balance of independent retail founders, retail leadership, and licensed producers represented. The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) is joining as a VIP partner to deliver an exclusive presentation on consumer insights regarding women as cannabis consumers, which is a massive growth segment.

Tom Ritchie Says: That’s vital data. As this industry matures, we still aren’t doing justice to the women driving critical sectors of the business. The fact that we even need dedicated initiatives underscores that broad inclusivity still requires deliberate attention.

Industry Challenges: Access to Capital & Executive Representation (02:13)

Tom Ritchie Says: Let’s dive into the systemic hurdles women encounter in cannabis. Capital is notoriously tight across the board right now, but are female-led enterprises facing an even steeper uphill climb when fundraising?

Katie Pringle Says: One hundred percent. Across general business, female founders receive a fraction of venture capital, but in cannabis—where capital has contracted drastically—securing investment as a woman is exponentially more difficult. Raising capital in this environment is brutal.

Tom Ritchie Says: Are we seeing progress in executive leadership and boardroom appointments, or is representation stagnating?

Katie Pringle Says: While comprehensive Canadian metrics are limited, North America has seen a noticeable brain drain. Given the market’s turbulence, many talented women exited the sector for greater stability. Our objective is to rebuild that talent pipeline, elevate women into executive roles and board seats, and provide structured leadership development. The business case is indisputable: companies with diverse executive teams consistently generate higher revenue and stronger returns.

Authentic Networking, Empathy & Mentorship Environments (05:10)

Tom Ritchie Says: How does an environment like Radical Femmes differ from a conventional trade show or mixer?

Katie Pringle Says: It removes intimidation and creates psychological safety. Many professionals simply don’t have the bandwidth to step away from operational desks, and conventional networking environments can feel exclusionary. At Radical Femmes, attendees connect directly with peers who understand their reality. We’ve celebrated promotions, facilitated job transitions, and forged commercial partnerships directly from these gatherings.

Tom Ritchie Says: Studies show men will apply for a role if they meet 40% of the criteria, whereas women often wait until they meet 95%. How does that disparity affect entrepreneurship?

Katie Pringle Says: We actively encourage attendees to step outside their comfort zones, put their hands up, and make their achievements known. Younger generations of women are demonstrating incredible confidence in interviews. Historically, leadership was modeled on rigid, hierarchical structures. Women frequently lead with greater empathy, active listening, and holistic problem-solving. Embracing that style strengthens operational culture.

Community-Led Marketing, Social Platforms & Stewart Farms (12:55)

Tom Ritchie Says: Under stringent Section 17 marketing restrictions, commercial success relies heavily on grassroots community building. Women seem exceptionally adept at cultivating authentic consumer trust.

Katie Pringle Says: Absolutely. Outside of Reddit, women maintain a substantially larger presence on social platforms and LinkedIn, sharing their professional journeys and humanizing brands. A prime example is Stewart Farms—they’ve done a magnificent job empowering a passionate team of brand advocates and creators who care deeply about botanical wellness.

Tom Ritchie Says: It takes immense vulnerability for women in senior roles to publicly voice the systemic challenges they face. How do you cultivate safe spaces for those conversations?

Katie Pringle Says: Trade show floors are designed for rapid sales pitches, not nuanced reflections. By designing intimate, curated environments with thoughtful panel moderation, leaders feel supported to speak openly about operational adversity, risk management, and commercial resilience.

Tom Ritchie Says: What are the logistics for the upcoming event on March 6th?

Katie Pringle Says: We are gathering at Luna from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. We’ll host our retail leadership panel, followed by our LP brand-building panel, the OCS consumer data presentation, a catered lunch, and dedicated networking. Green Monké is hosting an interactive beverage takeover, and both the IRCC and Glacial Gold will be onsite. It’s an action-packed four hours!

Tom Ritchie Says: Katie, thank you for your leadership and advocacy. Now, let’s hear directly from our featured speakers!

Emma Andrews: From Budtender to the Nextleaf Boardroom (20:50)

Emma Andrews Says: Hello, everyone! I’m Emma Andrews, CEO of Nextleaf Solutions, joining from Victoria, British Columbia. I spent a decade in the natural health products industry before entering regulated cannabis six years ago, initially as a commercial consultant before stepping into executive leadership and eventually becoming CEO.

Emma Andrews Says: Being a female CEO and public company board director in cannabis is still a rarity, and I carry that responsibility seriously. Visibility matters—it demystifies what is achievable for aspiring leaders. I often emphasize the concept of ‘Budtender to Boardroom.’ Frontline retail experience provides an unmatched pulse on consumer behavior, brand loyalty, and product market fit.

Emma Andrews Says: I urge professionals to seek mentorship from leaders a few stages ahead, attend educational forums, volunteer, contribute content, and actively confront imposter syndrome. Ground your performance in purpose, think like an agile entrepreneur, and embrace calculated risk. Experience combined with strong relationships will unlock executive opportunities.

Janani Nadesananthan: Amplifying Capital & Inclusive Spaces (24:22)

Janani Nadesananthan Says: Women in cannabis encounter systemic barriers similar to traditional corporate sectors—limited capital access, leadership underrepresentation, and credibility biases—but these are intensified by the industry’s youth, rapid regulatory shifts, and lingering social stigmas, particularly for women of color.

Janani Nadesananthan Says: Overcoming this requires deliberate action. Organizations must formalize diversity in executive development, investors must allocate capital into female-founded enterprises, and women must actively mentor and sponsor one another. Because cannabis lacks rigid legacy career tracks, professionals have a rare chance to chart their own paths, making mentorship an essential compass.

Janani Nadesananthan Says: Capital access remains the steepest barrier. Investors frequently fund founders who mirror themselves. We need more female fund managers, targeted investor education highlighting the profitability of women-led firms, and inclusive networking venues. Traditional networking often caters to narrow demographics; events like Radical Femmes cultivate welcoming, empowering spaces for diverse talent.

Ritika Kumar: The Power of Active Sponsorship (29:04)

Ritika Kumar Says: Mentorship has been foundational throughout my leadership journey at High Tide Inc. Navigating a competitive, hyper-regulated retail sector requires resilient guidance. However, mentorship must evolve into active sponsorship.

Ritika Kumar Says: Offering advice is helpful, but meaningful advancement happens when established leaders advocate for women behind closed doors—making strategic introductions, recommending candidates for board or C-suite vacancies, and providing high-visibility assignments that influence strategic outcomes. Sponsorship equips women with the tools, authority, and confidence to lead pivotal enterprise initiatives.

Zaira Gaudio: Creating Your Own Table at Curious Cann Co. (30:12)

Zaira Gaudio Says: Waiting for permission to enter the executive suite is rarely effective. In emerging industries, women frequently have to build their own tables, which is exactly why I founded Curious Cann Co. Mentorship is vital, but it doesn’t have to come exclusively from other women or follow conventional templates—some of my greatest advocates in cannabis have been male colleagues.

Zaira Gaudio Says: True inclusivity requires looking beyond rigid gender divisions to cultivate community founded on mutual competence and respect. The primary roadblock facing independent retail isn’t gender alone—it is an inflexible regulatory and distribution architecture that places immense burdens on independent operators. Reforming those frameworks creates an equitable playing field for all entrepreneurs.

Zaira Gaudio Says: Coming from tech, I enter every professional environment focused strictly on execution and commercial results. Show up to industry gatherings, establish broad networks, and support fellow operators. Cannabis possesses a passionate community of women and male allies dedicated to creating an equitable marketplace.

Jen Lockwood: Mitigating Volatility & Building Sustainable Careers (34:34)

Jen Lockwood Says: The executive disparity in cannabis stems from the sector’s historical volatility. Early market instability, frequent restructuring, and unpredictable valuations created an environment of heightened professional risk. Attracting top-tier female talent requires competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and operational stability.

Jen Lockwood Says: Mentorship from bold leaders taught me to advocate decisively and approach enterprise challenges with unwavering confidence. Furthermore, conference organizers must commit to gender-balanced panels. Seeing four men on an industry panel sends an exclusionary signal to emerging professionals, regardless of individual qualifications.

Jen Lockwood Says: At Green Monké, our executive leadership maintains a 50/50 gender balance. We also emphasize practical safety and operational care—ensuring field staff have safe transportation and never work late activations isolated. Cannabis is fundamentally rooted in community wellness, and women will continue driving breakthrough innovation across functional formulations, wellness categories, and sustainable brand building.