The first time I emerged from COVID lockdowns was at MJBizCon 2021 in Las Vegas. It was just a few short months after the first round of vaccines and I was excited but nervous to be around people. It didn’t feel like we were back to “normal” by any stretch of the imagination — after all, people were still wearing masks and social distancing — but at least we were in person after many months of Zooms.
This past year, I’ve had an opportunity to attend many excellent in-person cannabis industry events, including ones hosted by Green Market Report, Benzinga, MJBizCon, Luxury Meets Cannabis and Green Entrepreneur. As we plan for 2023, I’m thinking about what cannabis conferences make the most sense for me as a small business owner and for my clients. We’re all grappling with tight budgets and limited bandwidth, so being selective is important.
There are so many conferences and events, and more are cropping up each day. Frankly, it can be overwhelming to pick those that deliver the biggest bang for the buck, especially if you are new to the industry. From my perspective, I consider the quality of the programming, ticket cost, the size of the conference (just like Goldie Locks, I want something not too small and not too big, but just right), who is speaking (do they have new and diverse voices or are they stuck on repeat?), networking opportunities and ROI for our clients.
As we continue to face macroeconomic challenges, a recession, layoffs and other challenges in the industry, it’s more important than ever to be strategic about how to spend marketing and business travel budgets. We don’t have the luxury of saying yes to every event that pops up, so I’m offering my list of suggested events for 2023 based on years of cannabis conference experience — both as an attendee and speaker. Of course, you’ll want to base your list on your goals and interests, budget and other factors like location and timing.
Whatever you decide, one thing is certain: It feels good to be back out there, connecting with colleagues in this vibrant and ever-changing and evolving industry and seeing how far the industry has come in just a few short years.
The cannabis events on my shortlist for 2023 based on my personal experience and professional experience booking clients to speak include:
Lift Events & Experiences
This event takes place in Vancouver in mid-January. This year, I’m looking forward to meeting more of our cannabis colleagues in the North at Lift Vancouver, the only event that gathers the full cannabis industry and community in Western Canada. After a three-year hiatus, this event has a renewed vision and focuses on the unique needs of audiences across the full cannabis ecosystem. I’m looking forward to checking out Lift’s unique offerings which I’m told by the Lift organizers (disclosure: Lift is a client of Maverick) will include several “ah-ha” moments, such as live music, prize giveaways, unique activations and special appearances.
Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference
This conference in Miami happens in mid-April and the tagline for this event is “where deals are done” — which is right on the money. If you’re an investor or an entrepreneur looking for investors, this is the place to be. With just over 2,000 expected attendees, this is one of the smaller events on my list, which means that it will be highly targeted and a good chance to connect with the people driving the future of the cannabis industry.
MJ Unpacked
MJ Unpacked in New York City at the end of April is designed exclusively for cannabis retail and brand executives and showcases hundreds of cannabis CPG brands from around the country. With all the growth happening on the East Coast right now, and especially in New York, I’m definitely putting this on my top-five list.
Lift San Francisco
Lift’s premiere U.S. event will be hosted at the Moscone Center in San Francisco in August and I’m particularly excited that exhibitors will be able to have live products on the show floor that attendees can see, touch and smell. There will also be plenty of advocacy-oriented content, inclusive networking and irresistible activations.
MJBizCon 2023
Launched in 2011, this is the OG cannabis event. It takes place in Las Vegas at the end of November. I’ve been going since 2016 and wouldn’t miss it. Yes, it can be overwhelming (they are expecting around 35,000 attendees), but if you’re in the industry, it’s a must.
I don’t know about you, but I’m excited about what’s ahead in 2023. See you out there.
