When Stacy Pope attended her first cannabis entrepreneurship meet-up in Atlanta last September, she didn’t know at all what to expect. “I was surprised that so many other business owners were interested in the industry. That really sparked my curiosity,” says the beauty salon owner.
But her decision to enter the legal cannabis market was solidified just days later when she saw a viral clip featuring the head of the Alaska Cannabis Club (ACC) and KTVA-TV reporter Charlo Greene quit her on-air position—during a live broadcast—to focus on her passion. “I was captivated by it. From that point on, I jumped in,” says Pope.
After months of research, the Atlanta resident is now considering a move to Colorado, where she can not only do hair but also work in a cannabis dispensary to learn more about the field. Obstacles, however, abound: Pope lacks the funds to make a seamless transition, and the stigma against the formerly illegal industry has prevented her family from being supportive. “I’m sad that it’s so difficult, but I believe this is part of my legacy,” she shares. Pope, who wants to have her new business operating by the end of 2015, is motivated to enter the legal marijuana trade while the fire is hot and as a way for her to possibility create intergenerational wealth.
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