We were lucky to catch up with Jamila Hogan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jamila , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

After years of working in cannabis spaces where education was treated like an afterthought, I realized in 2016 the industry needed something different — a bridge between knowledge, culture, and access. I started sketching what that bridge could look like. I spent nights studying compliance laws, learning branding basics, and mapping out how my background in cultivation and community organizing could merge. I started building relationships with the people I wanted to serve. By the first year, I hosted my first cannabis-inclusive educational networking event. It wasn’t perfect — I was juggling vendors, sponsors, and city regulations — but it proved my concept had legs. People showed up, connected, and left inspired. That moment turned an idea into a movement.

Jamila , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Jamila “Jay Mills” Hogan, and my relationship with cannabis started long before it became a career path. For me, the plant has always represented healing, creativity, and cultural restoration. I didn’t just want to be part of the industry — I wanted to help shape it.

I became the first Black woman to manage a cultivation center on the East Coast in 2013, which gave me a deep understanding of the plant from seed to sale. Later, I managed a medical dispensary, where I saw how education could transform patient experiences. Those roles inspired me to start writing The Cannabis Reference Manual series — a collection of books that break down the science, spirit, and business of cannabis. Two are out, and the third is on the way.

Over the years, I realized that cannabis isn’t just an industry; it’s a culture — one that deserves to be celebrated and represented properly. I’ve been hosting canna-friendly events since 2005, creating spaces where thousands of guests have connected through music, wellness, and cannabis. Eventually, I began coordinating national events and realized there was a huge need for spaces that felt both elevated and inclusive.

That’s how Ebony Green was born. I formally incorporated it in 2019 as a cannabis event and consulting company that merges culture with compliance. I help new licensees navigate the business side of cannabis — and I’m proud to say every single one of my consulting clients has received their license. I also design luxury, cannabis-inclusive experiences and retreats that engage all five senses.

What sets me apart is that I see cannabis as a tool for empowerment. I’m not just helping people join the industry — I’m helping them understand their power within it. Right now, my focus is global: exploring how Black canna culture connects with communities worldwide through tourism, education, and cultural exchange.

At the end of the day, Ebony Green isn’t just a company — it’s Black in Green: a movement rooted in culture, wellness, and liberation.

Any advice for managing a team?

I live by the mantra “As above, so below.” To me, leadership is about reflection — the energy at the top sets the tone for everything beneath it. As a leader, you can’t just tell people what to do; you have to show them how it’s done.

When your team sees you take out the trash because it needs to be done, instead of walking past it and delegating, it hits differently. When you step in to help someone swamped at registration, or step between a tense moment with a guest, or jump in to manage a long line — it shows you’re not above the work. That kind of leadership builds trust, respect, and unbreakable morale.

People don’t just work for a paycheck; they work for purpose and belonging. When they feel seen, supported, and valued by their leaders, they naturally give their best. Loving where you work and being passionate about what you do isn’t just good for business — it’s contagious. That’s how you build teams that thrive, not just survive.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

At first, my side hustle wasn’t something I looked at as a career — it was simply what I loved doing, and what needed to be done. I started writing my Cannabis Reference Manuals and hosting canna-friendly events while I was still working full-time in the industry. During the day, I was managing cultivation or dispensary operations. On evenings and weekends, I was creating spaces where people could learn, connect, and celebrate cannabis in an elevated, intentional way.

For a long time, I thought of those events and writings as extensions of my creativity — something that fulfilled me outside of work. But when I started working with a national cannabis event company, I had a realization: what I was doing on the side wasn’t just a passion project. It was a professional need in the industry. There was a gap between compliance and culture — and I was already bridging it.

That’s when I made the decision to go all in. I formally incorporated Ebony Green in 2019, transforming what started as community gatherings and educational writing into a full-service cannabis event and consulting company. Since then, more than 5,000 guests have experienced events I’ve hosted, I’ve helped 100% of my consulting clients secure their cannabis licenses, and expanded my focus to global cannabis tourism and cultural exchange.

Looking back, the shift happened the moment I stopped treating my gift like a side hustle and started treating it like my calling. Once I did, everything aligned — the clients, the opportunities, and the clarity of purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.onlyebonygreen.com
• Instagram: TheRealJayMills
• Facebook: TheRealJayMills
• Linkedin: Jamila Hogan
• Twitter: @TheRealJayMills
• Youtube: TheRealJayMills
• Soundcloud: TheRealJayMills
• Other: https://www.TheRealJayMills.com

Image Credits

Keep Still Photography
TheRealJayMills