Minority Owners and Operators Building and Scaling in the Market

Building a cannabis business in Ohio comes with unique challenges — and for minority owners and operators, those challenges are often compounded by access to capital, licensing barriers, and limited visibility. This session focuses on how minority founders and operators are building, scaling, and sustaining businesses within the regulated cannabis market. Panelists share how they have navigated licensing, built operational infrastructure, secured shelf space, and grown their presence in a competitive environment. Attendees will take away: how minority operators are entering and growing within the U.S. cannabis market; real-world challenges around licensing, capital, and market access; strategies for building brand presence and securing retail placement; lessons learned from operating in a regulated, competitive environment; and where opportunities exist as the Ohio market matures.