Spotlight Series: Pam Pho, Marketing Manager at Confident Cannabis

Pam Pho is Marketing Manager at Confident Cannabis. Pam leads the company’s communications across all marketing channels. Pam draws from her 10 years of experience as a leading literary agent who’s launched the careers of several authors, including that of writer Dan Gemeinhart, whose Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise was optioned by Walden Media for a book to film deal. Pam’s interests in equity, basic human rights, storytelling and their intersection with commerce and public affairs inform her day-to-day at Confident Cannabis. Pam also enjoys Korean Dramas and lives in San Jose with her husband, two children, three cats, one puppy, and two newly adopted rat babies.

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How did you get involved in the cannabis industry?

The best things that happen are often magical. I was working in book publishing and quite a few of my colleagues were doing these lovely books about how cannabis isn’t what you think it is, that cannabis is actually this beautiful plant that does so many great things for so many people. I saw a marketing position was open at Confident Cannabis and the rest is history!

Tell us a little bit about your product or service

Confident Cannabis brings trust and transparency to the industry. Our mission is to build tools that help every ethical cannabis business thrive. It’s actually really important to me to work with companies that do good things. Our lab software provides free QR codes for packaging that allows consumers to verify what they’re ingesting. Our Wholesale software is the place to source and sell B2B cannabis. Buyers know what they’re purchasing for consumers is legit and backed up by trusted lab data.

What time does your day typically start and what does a normal day look like to you? 

I wake up at six every morning, even when I don’t want to. I take my 9-month-old Pit Bull / Great Dane mix for a walk so that he won’t eat my couch while I’m at work. I do the whole coffee thing and use a CBD tincture and then I walk to the train. When I get in, I read the news in the cannabis space, check all of our social accounts, and then get to work creating content that hopefully helps our users run the best version of their business.

What is your vision for your company going forward?

I can’t wait to see what Confident Cannabis will do in 2020. I know we will be opening Wholesale in new states (looking at you, California!). We will begin our corporate social good efforts. We will continue to grow our team to be larger and more diverse, so all voices are heard.

What would an ideal post-prohibition society look like to you?

It’s a world where my mother in Virginia can buy a THC and CBD salve to help with her body pain, my brother in Tennessee doesn’t have to worry about toking a pre-roll in public, and I get to continue finding ways to manage my anxiety without utilizing Big Pharma.

What was your first experience with cannabis like?

Oh man, I was in the deep south, the Appalachian mountains in a small farming town named Saltville. I was in the back of a truck riding around on a dirt road and to make this experience as basic as possible. “Don’t Fear the Reaper” was blaring from the speakers in the cab. We smoked, parked, and went skinny dipping in a quarry lake. I loved cannabis from that moment forward.

Tell us about some of the challenges you face working in the cannabis industry

On the marketing side, it’s always ads. Even though we only make software, we come up against the same problems that plant-touching folk do. It’s really ridiculous that you can’t talk about a plant on social media and then pay to boost that ad, especially when I see ads for alcohol all of the time.

What are some solutions you've found?

While ads are great, the solution really is just investing the time in talking to people on social media and really learning about their business and what they do. B2B marketing in the cannabis space is rough, especially when what you’re building is so new. We really want to talk to more folks and learn the struggles so we can solve them. Social media has been great for that.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about cannabis?

How to verify that what you’re putting in your body is lab tested and safe. Especially with the CBD craze. Not all CBD products are created equal. Sure, lab-tested cannabis may cost more but I want to know what’s going into my system.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about your product or service?

We want to save you time. We’re not trying to replace your sales team. We are here to make them more efficient and get everyone back to that new grow.

If you could go back in time and do it all over again, what (if anything) would you do differently?

Not a thing. I’ve learned so much under my VP Brad Bogus and Founder Steve Albarran. I have been super lucky to land in a team that cares about women in cannabis and diversity and giving everyone an opportunity to thrive.

What is your favorite way to consume cannabis?

Gosh, that’s like picking which one of my appendages is my favorite. I enjoy cannabis drinks, edibles, tinctures, and sublingual. I like to vape a lot, too. I LOVE beauty products as well.

Concentrate or flower? Why?

Concentrates forever! Just for the convenience and also the ability to be subtle. I adore my Hanu Stone. It feels super good in my hand and hits perfectly.

Do you think cannabis legalization will change the world for the better? Why?

100%, it has changed the world for the better and will continue to do so. When you can grab medicine that can help with so many ailments from cancer to ADHD for a lower cost than Big Pharma on your insurance card, that’s amazing. Also, being ‘stoned’ doesn’t give me a hangover, and that’s already the best thing ever.

What advice would you offer to another woman who is looking to get into the industry?

Find a team that truly respects women and their opinions and is not put off by strong opinions. Be tough, be weird, be genuine.