We recently connected with Kei Castillo and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kei thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?

Working in the cannabis industry, even adjacently, is interesting. Since our business started in Denver, we have had a unique perspective of seeing the evolution of the American 420 industry play out in front of our eyes. As other major cities in the US acclimate to recent legalization (Las Vegas, New York City, etc), we’re seeing similar patterns emerge. Patterns of grassroots movements, especially those focusing on marginalized communities, being used as pawns to grease slow-moving governmental wheels into action, only for them to be forgotten or an afterthought after being used to gain funding or support for their platform.

We’ve seen this play out in Denver where previously community-centric cannabis industries are overtaken by “corporate” operations mass-producing weed as quickly as possible with little reciprocation to the communities or employees who support them. A close friend of mine worked as a grower in one of these major Colorado grows and he talked about the abhorrent working conditions and constant employee turnover.

We see similar vies for control of the industry in New York City and Las Vegas, with varying degrees of success (depending on your perspective). In Las Vegas, local 420 business owners have banded together within organizations such as the Chamber of Cannabis to help bridge the gap between legislators and their 420 constituents and ensure that community interests are still being taken into consideration as the legal landscape evolves. In NYC, grassroots organizations such as The Black Institute and The New York Cannabis Times are helping to keep the Big Apple’s 420 constituents and minority groups informed and educated on how to navigate the constantly changing legistation.

Across the board there are other organizations such as Latinas de Cannabis and Latina Cannapreneurs (recently recognized by the International Cannabis Business Women’s Association (ICBWA)!!) who are helping to educate their niche communities on national and international levels and helping to foster local hubs to ensure a cannabis future that is more “by the community, for the community” than just for profit.

Because marijuana and hemp are used by so many as medicine, it’s imperative that we in this industry advocate for patient- and consumer-minded business practices and organizations, otherwise we run the risk of yet another industry run by people who are not active participants in its multiple facets. That invariably leads to ruin for the sake of profit.

Kei, 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?

I started in the cannabis industry in Denver after a career in non-420 adult art events (Paint Nite). When moving to Denver, it just seemed logical to combine two of the city’s large passions, art and cannabis, into one growth-centric creative venture. Thus, Creatively Cannabis was born with the mission to show the world that “We can all create beautiful art that we’re proud of.” Since it’s inception in 2018, Creatively Cannabis has advocated for fair pay for artists and strongly emphasized local community collaborations, having co-branded numerous events with local dispensaries and 420 brands. Our events offer participants a space to explore their cannabis creativity with as much (or as little) guidance as they’d like during our artist-led, step-by-step painting events. Painters are able to create in an environment that encourages deviation from the instruction and many find that they’re pleasantly surprised by the art they ultimately create. We truly celebrate the discovery of the artistic self–some of my most humbling moments in this business have been when I’m met with the emotion of someone having a real moment of creative catharsis–letting go of whatever bs they were carrying and putting it onto a canvas with some (optional, BYOB) herbal assistance.

Since starting Creatively Cannabis, I’ve been able to work with other amazing cannabis brands such as Latinas de Cannabis, who strives to break stigmas against 420 mothers and women, especially in the Latine community by helping to build and support local communities in the cities where we and our constituents live. I’m a firm believer in vocal advocacy and am proud to be doing my part to help shape the future of our industry.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I know it might not be the first book someone thinks of for “entrepreneurship,” but the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo was influential on such a deep level of just being receptive to the ebb and flow of life and the unexpected–as happens more than one might want, especially in the early stages of a startup. The book touches on learning to hear “the Voice of the World”–the intangible, guiding force that hopes for all of our self-actualization. As we cultivate a stronger confidence in our own perspicacity–our own ability to discern clearly–we are able to see and let go without previous attachments to things that are no longer part of our own story moving forward.

The book is actually a really lovely story without all of the analysis of its themes, but the inherent truth buried within it is something that any aspiring entrepreneur or artist would relate to, and is often a source of solace when I doubt my choices or direction

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Honestly, a well-thought out, internally-executable marketing plan has been our best strategy. We utilize a mix of proprietary SEO practices to gain top organic exposure that is consistently replicable with an unforgettable in-person experience. Consistency of our efforts has proven to be one of the most determining factors in the success of a campaign or not.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.creativelycannabis.com
• Instagram: @creativelycannabis
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/creativelydenver

Image Credits
Kei Castillo