Spotlight Series: Educator and Influencer Cait Curley
Cait Curley is an educator, entrepreneur, social media influencer, marketing specialist, and content creator with a passion for all things hemp and cannabis. She stays informed and up to date with the industry’s most heart-wrenching stories, as well as the progress of the biggest movers and shakers.
Cait was so intent on pursuing her work within the cannabis arena, that she uprooted her life and moved from New York to cannabis-centric Denver. After obtaining a health sciences degree and spending years of dedication in healthcare and client relations, she has navigated the underground cannabis world, while seeking to utilize her connections to educate the masses, represent a shift in culture and motivate continued progress within the community.
Living in the forefront of the movement to end cannabis prohibition, fostering both B2B and B2C partnerships and connections inside the industry, Cait's passion also extends to developing her own entrepreneurial investments and pursuits.
Photo credit: Christian Bull
How did you get involved in the cannabis industry?
My entrance to the legal cannabis industry was quite simple. I moved to Colorado from New York with the intention to join, did some research online, went to a cannabis meetup five days after my move, and immediately connected with the community. From there, the rest was history.
Tell us a little bit about your product or service
My main service to the industry at this point in time is education and advocacy. Through my social media platforms, I discuss the plant as a whole and its many benefits to the human body and Earth. I will also soon be releasing an e-commerce resource shop, from hemp doggy clothes to mushroom face masks. It will be a place where you can find all of my recommended and trusted brands. As a side hustle, I also manage social media for cannabis/ hemp brands.
What time does your day typically start and what does a normal day look like to you?
My day typically starts around 6 am. Ideally, I head straight to the gym, come home for a fruit breakfast and shower. After that, I either work from home or head to meetings. Throughout most of the day, I’m either working on my brands or the brands that I work for. I like to eat dinner around 6 and begin a 12 hour fast after that. During this time, I also somewhat prep my meals for the next day if that hasn’t been done yet. The day ends with a book in bed. Lights out.
What is your vision for your company going forward?
I really enjoy the entertainment side of education. It’s so empowering to create content that touches someone's soul and gives them insight on a topic they didn’t have before. I intend to build out that side of my brand where I’m putting more energy into videos. I’m also working on another project that I will soon talk about more openly. I have been in R & D for over three years and I’m super excited about it.
What would an ideal post-prohibition society look like to you?
Where cannabis is fully legal, completely decriminalized and destigmatized, and anyone ever convicted of a cannabis crime is exonerated and that record expunged.
Tell us about some of the challenges you face working in the cannabis industry
With the industry being so nascent, there are of course lots and lots of startups. When I first entered the industry, these were the companies that were most open-armed with working positions and I was, therefore, employed by. For any startup, there are challenges all across the board and they can definitely weigh on you. It’s not easy being an entrepreneur especially in an industry that is federally illegal. You’re pushing against a force and that can also weigh on you.
What are some solutions you've found?
Stay focused and true to the mission of ending cannabis prohibition. Concentrate on things you can change and have an impact on and don’t worry about things out of your control.
What is one thing you wish everyone knew about cannabis?
One thing I wish everyone knew about cannabis is that Hemp and Marijuana are both cannabis. Based on the level of THC, which is currently the arbitrary number .3%, we call it Hemp or Marijuana. This means that Marijuana can be used for byproducts just like Hemp, it’s that simple.
If you could go back in time and do it all over again, what (if anything) would you do differently?
I wouldn’t change a thing.
What is your favorite way to consume cannabis?
I prefer to smoke flower rolled in a blunt wrap.
Concentrate or flower? Why?
Flower because it’s how I started consuming and have continued to enjoy it that way. I think there’s a piece of the oral fixation factor, the smell of the burning blunt/joint and the ability to pass it around and share with friends.
Do you think cannabis legalization will change the world for the better? Why?
Yes, of course, it will change the world for the better. Nobody should be locked up or fired from a job because of nature and a God-given plant that provides virtually endless opportunities to improve human and planetary health.
What advice would you offer to another woman who is looking to get into the industry?
My advice would be to jump in without fear or questioning your connection to the plant. Stay true to your values and passion. Remember that you’re honoring the plant, don’t feel that you need to bow to anyone else. Respect and honor those that have come before/ paved the paths for you, show them gratitude and connect with their stories, you’ll learn invaluable lessons from them.