The second annual Meadowlands retreat, hosted by Meadow, the Y-Combinator startup building point-of-sale software for California dispensaries, took place earlier this month in Mendocino and attracted a who’s who of over 500 of the state’s cannabis business leaders, stakeholders, decision-makers, and regulators. Who wouldn’t want to discuss the future of cannabis over an intimate fireside chat under the stars, with s’mores?
The retreat’s mission: “To create a space where the California cannabis industry can convene, recharge, connect, and share ideas to move the industry forward in a spirit of cooperation.” And it couldn’t have taken place at a more amenable venue than Camp Navarro, a 200-acre former Boy Scout camp in the Mendocino redwoods outfitted with small cabins, “glamping” teepees, and tents.
Highlights of the program included an opening address by Nicole Elliott, senior cannabis advisor to Governor Newsom at the outdoor amphitheater; a keynote Q&A with Bureau of Cannabis Control chief Lori Ajax and David Hua, Meadow co-founder and CEO; a local compliance panel featuring the cannabis czars for Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento; and a feminine leadership round table. Topics discussed ran the gamut from the need to streamline the three licensing agencies involved in California regulation to equity and diversity, taxes along the supply chain, and the need to reduce plastic waste in the industry.
But Meadowlands wasn’t all (net)work and no play. Between educational panels and workshops, there were plenty of opportunities to recharge the body and mind. Outdoor activities ranged from hiking, rock climbing, and archery to yoga, breathwork, and sound meditation. The Green Goddess Village featured reiki, a tea lounge, and a storyteller’s den where industry tales were captured on video. All in all, the retreat was the perfect…hybrid.
See all the pics by Mike Rosati, below…
