Deep Dive: The Woman Behind the Scenes at Cannabis' Biggest Private Equity Fund
Image: Green Entrepreneur
Private equity can sometimes feel like a dirty word in the cannabis industry, but the inclusion of this traditional investment practice into the cannabis has helped to catalyse sustainable growth for many outstanding companies and products.
A great example of this is Merida Capital, which is considered to be the largest private equity fund focused on cannabis. It has funded numerous cannabis and cannabis adjacent companies, like KushCo Holdings, which sells all kinds of packaging and products for the cannabis industry, science, equipment and information supplier Emerald Scientific, GrowGeneration, which does commercial equipment sales, & ultra-premium cannabis company Canndescent.
Green Entrepreneur recently posted an interview with Daisy Mellet of Merida Capital, and she had quite a few interesting insights from her journey in the industry.
The entire interview is worth a read, but three of the most interesting points we saw are below.
1: The Cannabis Industry is Hard, but Full of Excitement
A validation for anyone who experiences these two facets of the industry every day, Mellet accurately describes the operational challenges; "it’s taken a lot of bandwidth and a tremendous amount of energy -- much more than it would have in most other sectors." and the energy; "On a daily basis, I’m introduced to new and amazing products and ideas that could help usher in positive changes -- medical and environmental to name two -- in so many other industries that shape our lives."
2: Personalizing Cannabis Experiences is the Newest Trend
Of the many pitches Mellet sees for exciting new products and companies in the industry, she seems to think that the most interesting are those that tailor the cannabis experience to each users.
She says, "For example, on the plant-touching side of the industry, it’s no longer about inconsistencies in flower or strains. Rather, it’s about personalization and honing in on what exactly people want and need from cannabis."
3: The Impact of Women in The Industry Can Keep Growing
Mellet works in cannabis and in finance, which have struggled with low percentages of women in leadership. However, Mellet sees continued growth in women's impact in cannabis, and sees women as having a unique way to impact the industry.
She says, "Given that women dominate consumer market share I can’t fathom that more women won’t endeavor to tap into what they gain from the legalization or even destigmatization of cannabis and to find a way to sell it. One of our portfolio companies has presented some ideas to us that a man could never come up with because it’s so unique to the female experience. I don’t want to share what that is yet because it hasn’t hit the market, but when you think about it, it’s so obvious — it’s genius."
Read More:
The Woman Behind the Scenes at Cannabis' Biggest Private Equity Fund [GREEN ENTREPRENEUR]
