This week’s Trailblazer is Tabitha Fritz, CEO of Fritz’s Cannabis, a company that creates with the goal of offering the best tasting gummies on the market.
Questions with a Cannabis Industry Trailblazer
When did you first become involved in the cannabis industry and why?
I first got started in the cannabis industry in 2015/2016 when my husband and I started making edibles in our kitchen and trading them for raw ingredients to make more edibles. In 2016, we started selling our products at the Green Market in Toronto, an underground farmer’s market for edibles, concentrates, and topicals.
I’ve always had a passion for entrepreneurship and running a small business, and cannabis has been an important part of my own spiritual journey towards my healthiest self, so it felt like a natural next step in my life for me to start a cannabis-focused business.
What has been the biggest marketing challenge you have faced when working with cannabis companies/brands?
It’s hard to pick just one, but one thing I find challenging is how guarded companies have to be in using their packaging to communicate with their customer. If you think about it, we learn about new products all the time by reading their packaging. Packaging tells us about the company, their values, the way they make their products, what’s special about their ingredients, and so on. The strict packaging guidelines in Canada make it very difficult to put this kind of information on cannabis packaging. This limits brands’ ability to educate their consumer about the company and product, which ultimately would lead to a well-informed consumer who makes the best purchasing decisions for themselves.
If you could change one of the current Canadian or American marketing restrictions on cannabis, which would it be?
It’s not a legislative issue, but I’d love to see Instagram and Facebook stop censoring cannabis content.
In your observation, what marketing techniques or channels have been most effective for cannabis companies looking to connect with consumers?
Because these interactions are so limited, I think the best way to connect with consumers is right in a retail store. Whether that’s through an in-store activation or pop-up, through a POP display, or by meeting with and training budtenders, the best ways to connect with consumers is in stores.
Are there any other Trailblazers in the cannabis industry that you follow?
I love what Christina Michael is doing by regularly connecting with consumers on Clubhouse. Also, I think that Mimi Lam is always doing interesting things and I like to pay attention to what she thinks. Ashleigh Brown is one of my favourite people, and one of my favourite trailblazers. She always puts people and the plant first, and I love to watch the way she brings truth and courage to all of her interactions. The women at Prairie Grass are also an inspiration for bringing suppositories to the regulated market despite the challenges! This is a product that we’ve known at least half the population will find useful, but many producers have been uncertain about its marketability. I’m so excited that people will now be able to access suppositories and improve the quality of their life!
What is one tip or piece of advice you would give to people looking to enter the cannabis industry?
Be like water. Yes, there are incredible obstacles, and there are big barriers to getting your message out. Don’t waste your energy fighting them or being angry about them. Instead, conserve your energy, and flow around them. Go with the flow, accept the regs for what they are, and then find the best way to get your message out among them.
A big thank you to Tabitha for participating as this week’s Trailblazer! Stay tuned for another interview with a cannabis marketing Trailblazer next Thursday in the ADCANN blog.
Interested in working with one of these talented cannabis marketers? Check out our Agency Directory for a list of all the agencies that specialize in working with cannabis companies.
Last Updated on February 7, 2022 by ADCANN
