We recently connected with Jessica Cadmus and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the decision of whether to donate a percentage of sales to an organization or cause – we’d love to hear the backstory of how you thought through this.

At Rogue Paq we believe that being in business can be a force for good. We want to connect to the outside world and be an active part of movements bigger than ourselves. To do this, we’ve created a Give Back program as well as a Climate Control Commitment. Here’s a snapshot of how those things are structured:
1) Black Lives Matter Bundle – 100% of the proceeds from the sale of our Black Lives Matter Bundle are donated to organizations like Last Prisoner Project and National Bail Out. We understand that the cannabis industry continues to grow and flourish while many suffer in prison for non-violent cannabis-related crimes. We also understand how the Black community is disproportionately and adversely affected. We support these organizations in their dedicated approach to intervention, advocacy, and awareness.
2) Bootyful Bundle – 100% of the proceeds from the sale of our Bootyful Bundle are donated to organizations like The Trevor Project and National Action Alliance. We believe all humans are beautiful, not in spite of our differences, but because of our differences. We also believe deeply that the youth are our future and that it is imperative to protect their well being. We have created this bundle as an ongoing effort to fuel important organizations who are working steadfastly toward this same goal.
3) Climate Control Commitment – on every order we receive, a formula is used to calculate the estimated shipping emissions. Based on those estimates, a portion of our revenue goes to carbon removal companies that have been vetted by scientists from Carbon Direct. Those companies use that money to remove however much carbon our shipments created. Any extra funds go toward the further development of carbon removal technologies.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Rogue Paq® (pronounced “pack”) is a design-forward brand of cannabis carriers, tools, and accessories for those who value aesthetics and ritual in equal measure. We believe that good design is not only instrumental in breaking down the stigma around cannabis, but it also enhances the user’s experience. We are therefore committed to designing, creating, and sourcing premium quality, thoughtfully designed, beautiful products with which to raise your ritual.

Rogue Paq (Patent Issued) was founded by (me!) NY wardrobe stylist and Goldman Sachs alumna, Jessica Cadmus (AKA the Wardrobe Whisperer), who thinks non-stop about how people present themselves. My style advice and commentary has been featured on CBS This Morning, Bloomberg TV, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, The Atlantic and many more. I’ve worked for small as well as leading media companies, such as HBO, to get stars red-carpet ready. I’ve been a featured stylist at major events like NY’s Fashion’s Night Out and I’ve been a guest stylist for international brands like Hugo Boss, Reiss, and Alexis Bittar. I have spent the last 18 years dressing power brokers and influencers and ensuring their aesthetic is highly cultivated. When I discovered that my clients were carrying their ritual in vessels like old pencil cases and baggies, a problem defined itself: the need for a refined carrying case. It was from that need that Rogue Paq was born.

Because I am keenly aware that everything a person puts on and carries reflects who they are, I’ve designed each version of the Rogue Paq ritual case with a sleek, sophisticated, and polished aesthetic. I hand-select premium materials and hardware and compose them in harmonious combinations. The results are elevated and luxurious yet remain subtle and discreet.

Form may follow function, but we believe that the two are not mutually exclusive. Rogue Paq cannabis carriers are also highly functional and exceptionally well made. Their thoughtful design includes details like easy-to-wipe, water-resistant interior pockets for simple maintenance and scent suppression, and quick-access internal elastics for scissors, hemostats, cleaners, pens and chords.

Gone are the days when you have to root in the depths of your bag or pockets to locate the various articles of your ritual. With Rogue Paq, your tools and accessories will be neatly organized and safely guarded — while preserving, and elevating your core style.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Rogue Paq is self-funded. I know this is an unpopular strategy but I am the type of person that bets on herself. I did this for a few reasons – I know that I will not stop until I’ve succeeded. I also am aware of the typical business trajectory when you take on investors. An investor’s objective is for you to scale quickly so that they can get at least 10x on their initial investment. This didn’t appeal to me because I’ve always been more interested in creating something intentionally and methodically and that type of business usually takes time as well.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Growing a clientele is definitely challenging in an industry that is suppressed because cannabis is not legal at the federal level. For us in the industry, this means we can’t do traditional advertising or traditional marketing. It’s very difficult to get the word out when you hit road blocks at every turn. It does force you to become creative, though.

A big strategy for growth has been cross-promotion with other like-minded brands in the industry – most often with women-owned brands. This can come in the form of a joint giveaway or in the form of a collaboration on a product to name two examples.

I also believe that the fundamentals of the brand have to be solid for these strategies to work. So, for instance, Customer Service needs to be a 10/10 every time and also, the products themselves have to be of the highest quality, useful, and a good value.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.roguepaq.com
• Instagram: @roguepaq
• Facebook: @roguepaq
• Linkedin: Rogue Paq
• Twitter: @roguepaq

Image Credits

Ryan Hulvat
Joseph Saraceno
Willym Brown