Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brooke Westlake. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Brooke, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
WOMEN IN CANNABIS EXPO MISSION STATEMENT
Providing a place for women to come together to network to their fullest potential in the cannabis industry.
Let’s connect, inspire and learn together.
Brooke led a successful 20-year professional career in healthcare in both the public and private sector. The last 10 years of her healthcare career included business development/management, leadership, client retention, regulation, compliance, contract creation, negotiations, new product development, implementation, marketing, social media, and spokesperson/ambassador. Her career path then shifted into the cannabis industry after she completed her master’s degree later in life while pregnant with her second child.
While in the process of business planning and development for a cannabis testing lab, Brooke realized the need for a national expo for women in the cannabis industry. Putting movement into action, the Women in Cannabis Expo was developed and launched in January of 2020. WICE provides the event space for women to connect, inspire and learn together. The first event was schedule for September 2020, but due to COVID was moved to September of 2021. After its success and completion, Brooke began planning four expos around the United States for 2022. Brooke’s 2023, 2024 and 2025 mission for WICE includes two events scheduled for 2023, three events scheduled for 2024 & 2025 with an internationally event.
Brooke is a first-generation college graduate. She holds 3 educational degrees. Associates of Arts, from Truckee Meadows Community College. A Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Nevada, Reno. She was appointed by two former State of Nevada Governors for State government boards (Former State of Nevada Governor, Brian Sandoval and Steve Sisolak. Nevada Commission for Women. Completed all terms and termed out. She currently is appointed and serves on the Board of Examiners for Long-Term Care Facility Administrator and the Northern Nevada Disciplinary Board. She has held 17 pageant titles, as a teen, Miss, Ms., & Mrs. These titles include representing city, state, and nationals. She is excited to complete and gain a real estate brokers license with her main focus being on cannabis properties and multi-family rentals. She gave her first TEDx talk in 2021 titled “40 is the New 40!” and has also run for local office in her town. She plans on running for office again.
Brooke is also the owner, founder, and creator of Legally Blonde & Blunt. Inspired by the movie. Brooke is the real-life Elle Wood’s but with a more realistic story of life struggles and overcoming them on her own. This company is an e-commerce brand non cannabis touching, that showcases bling, pink, purple and glitter combined accessories for cannabis consumption & enjoyment. This company is providing accessory items and apparel for the LBB women. Dispensaries and other stores can reach out directly to the company to get wholesale pricing on products, apparel and other items developed by Brooke, herself. www.legallyblondeandblunt.com While she is prideful in growing this brand, she is excited for some of the products being launched in over 60,000 stores. LBB will maintain most of its products through the e-commerce.
Brooke has overcome many obstacles. She is dyslexic and has mild OCD. She had a very strong bond with her Grandma Bev. The loss of her late grandma was a profound life changing moment. She accredits many things to her late Grandma Bev being a pillar of support, strength, and love to her upbringing. Brooke came close to losing her life twice. She is a survivor of pre stomach and colon cancer. She was diagnosed with diabetes type II in 2015. She suffered an emergency volvulus bowel obstruction in 2020. Taken by ambulance, immediate care, emergency surgery and treatment were performed to save her life. A section of her colon was removed along with her nutrition valve. Her hospital stay was long. She has since been on the road to recovery and cannabis has played a critical role into her staying alive. She counts her blessings every day with gratitude for her life and her children’s lives.
Brooke attributes her success to her extreme appetite to never give up along with her obsession to get things done. She also believes that surrounding yourself with the right people can help you achieve your goals. She has a lifelong mentor, Chuck whose role has been an irreversible one. Showing her, she can truly achieve all the things she wishes to. Whenever in doubt, Chuck is the first person she reaches out too. Brooke’s mother, stepfather and grandfather and lifelong best friend Amber were extremely supportive and excited to watch Brooke transition from healthcare to having her own businesses within the cannabis industry.
When Brooke is not creating new entities as a business engineer, she enjoys spending time with her two boys, her golden retriever, Sarah, her phat cat Earl, and loves to create art. She is passionate about finding a cure for Alzheimer’s. She extremely active, getting in 4-6 miles daily and is an advent experienced ice skater. She has called Nevada home since 1989. She plans on scooping up more real estate in the future but will always maintain her homebase in Nevada.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I was referred to the industry after I was ready to purchase a fingerprint drug testing franchise. I felt that paired nicely with my healthcare background and my education with my Master’s degree in Criminal Justice. I phoned my mentor to seek advice and mentorship. He said something to me that blew my mind. “Don’t get a franchise. That will make someone else a lot of money. You should open a cannabis testing lab.” I was totally caught off guard by that answer. So, I said “I know nothing about cannabis.” He then said, “Do the research and call me back.”. I began doing just that and found that labs were desperately needed in this industry. I then went to one of the largest cannabis trade shows to you meet my vendors. There I discovered a lady’s night. I thought that was really cool, and I said to myself “What are all these women doing in the industry?” We were placed in a large room with drinks for a 2-hour mixer. No keynote speaker or dinner, which I thought was odd. I was used to that from the healthcare side. Women networked but it was the end of a very long day. Most people were exhausted by this point. A few weeks later while on family vacation I decided I would invest in myself and go to some Women in Cannabis events, expos, tradeshows. I found NONE! I was totally shocked. I called my mentor back and said I wanted to launch the cannabis testing lab and an expo for women. Of course, his first question was, there isn’t one for women? I said “NOPE!” he immediately said “You have to do it!” I launched both companies in January of 2020. Little did we all know what was about to hit us all in March. COVID-19. We pushed through. Unfortunately, even to this day, I have a building with no lab (yet). The State of Nevada was sued for how they distributed the licenses in 2019. That has put a giant hold on my lab. But thankfully even after we all survived COVID, I had my first event in 2021! It was successful. We hosted 4 events in 2022 all over the United States. We are now building out this year, 2024 and 2025!
My expo then led me to realize the lack of woman owned and funded companies within the cannabis industry. I also noticed the lack of products for and geared towards women such as myself. In 2022 I launched my e-commerce, Legally Blonde & Blunt. (You can get all your pink and bling things for cannabis consumption, cannabis accessories, and cannabis inspired apparel and jewelry). We are constantly vetting new products and will continue to expand. Because, number one, I am a creative thinker, I like a challenge and I love being a part of a new emerging industry that has plenty of space to grown.
The type of product and services that the expo provides is amazing speaker, fantastic exhibitors (majority are women led) BUT we do allow, accept and encourage men to come to our shows, be a part of our shows and tell them to help support the women in their life, or work life!
Our expos are 1-day events, held around the country. They provide networking opportunities for women from around the country. We wrap up our event with a network mixer where we give out awards, raffle prizes and (soon hopefully scholarship money for a woman/women cannabis startup). Our day starts with both speakers and exhibitors. We conclude our event with a network mixer with 3 level of awards. Crystals awards are for on online nominations and online voted winners. Plaques awards are chosen by our panels. Recognition awards are reserved for women who have spoken on a panel and also chosen by our panel.
In addition, with our expos for 2023, we launched and will be releasing 4 online digital publications. These will feature women within the cannabis industry, our sponsors, our speakers and our exhibitors. We were also asked to have our own podcast live show, Women & Cannabis that is set to be released in 2-3 with on camera interviews. And we are adding on a monthly networking class for women to attended. With their investment they will gain access to women in the industry where we come together to network, problem solve and grow.
I am most proud of creating a company for women, by a woman. I am proud of bringing women together in the cannabis space whereby we have continued to expand upon the needs of women in the industry. The data shows us that right now 8%-10% of women are in c-level positions. That number used to be a little over 20% in 2019. It’s concerning because of high turnover and the fact that women are not returning to the cannabis industry. This industry needs more women, after all the plant in female.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
As mentioned previously I entered this industry with the idea and concept of opening a cannabis testing lab. The first hurdle. Funding, check the box. Next hurdle, building, check the box. Next hurdle licensing. BOX not checked due to State being sued for how they distributed the licenses in 2019. I had 2 choices. Walk away from my goal and vision or create other opportunities and wait it out. The most resilience thing that any person can do, is when there is red tape, pivot. Construction roadblock, pivot. Traffic accident ahead, pivot. With all the metaphors you get the idea. But I will say this to anyone in business at all. If you can pivot, or think analytical, problem solving, then anything you do will be bound to fail. It’s okay to have a vision one way, or a road map of how you think you will get to that location. However, remind yourself that the journey to get there will look vastly different. If you can accept that, then you are already starting with resilience in your heart and brain. I would also say, in any kind of business but especially in the cannabis space, to not get “emotionally attached”. Handle issues and work like a business. And that is something the industry as a whole need to learn and grow on moving forward.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Consistency, consistency, consistency. Call that the 3’c, which are better than any diamond ring, bracelet, necklace or earrings. You want your company to shine, be consistent. You want to keep your clients and gain new ones, be consistent. You want to rise to the top when haters try to pull you down. Be C-O-N-S-I-S-T-E-N-T. (I guess I am really trying to drive home the message of consistency, in case you missed that). The tortoise won the race because the tortoise was consistent. The hare will always loose due to ego, lack of consistency, and lack of focusing on itself. I tell people all the time. There is space in any industry for new companies and ideas and there is definitely space especially in the cannabis industry. Don’t be bullied, don’t doubt yourself, don’t listen to someone tell you, what you want to do will never happen. PROVE them all wrong. Light the fire within yourself and go for the goal you set out for. I also tell people, if anyone thinks they can do what I do or better, then be my guest. I don’t have a problem with that, because I run my company in my own way and I can promise you there isn’t another Brooke Westlake out there that I have met that looks like me, runs companies like me and see the vision like me. Someone else will never run my company the way I do, and I will never run someone else’s company the way they do. I don’t worry about what other people are doing, or what they think. I focus on market goals, my goals and being consistent as I build my brands. That has helped building my reputation and my bottom line.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.womenincannabisexpo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WICExpo
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-in-cannabis-expo/?viewAsMember=true
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/WomenInCannabi1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WomenCannabis-tk5mb/channels
- Other: https://legallyblondeandblunt.com/ https://twitter.com/PhotographyBMW https://www.facebook.com/bmwestlake/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-m-westlake-4a192753/
Image Credits
Joy Washington-Canna Vibez Photography LLC Deborah Lopez-Deborah Lopez Photography