Women Grow: Skills for the Modern Business Woman Recap

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We kicked off Women’s History Month at our Social Media Unicorn headquarters with our monthly Women Grow event. This month we focused on ‘Skills for the Modern Business Woman: Taxes, Staffing and Power Brows. The intimate affair led to great conversation between the guest and the speakers, while the power brows tutorial was a huge hit amongst everyone in the crowd!

What We Learned

Our first speaker was Natalie Rasmussen, tax senior manager at California Cannabis CPA. She provided us with a brief and informative discussion about the new tax code for cannabis companies and even reminded all of us about the upcoming filing deadline. Thanks for the reminder, Natalie! Next, we dived into the world of staffing with Valery Godina, owner of Full Moon Harvest. She gave us a breakdown on licensing, and knowing how to pick the right candidate. (Hint, it’s not always about looking good on paper.)

Finally, makeup artist Angel Bello treated us to a tutorial on how to create the perfect “power brows’ for your face. Altitude Products Director of Nevada, Melissa Romero volunteered to be the eyebrow model. Angel also answered numerous questions from the audience and taught us that our eyebrows were sisters, not twins. As the tutorial came to end, members of the audience were also able to get their eyebrows done by the magical makeup unicorn.

Similar to every Women Grow event, the evening included light mingling and snacks. In addition to networking opportunities and crudités, guests were treated to a complimentary gift from Bella’s ultra premium CBD infused bath line. We hope our visitors ended the night with their relaxing Bella bath bomb, bath salts and body cream.

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Krista’s Weedsday Playlist

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Krista Whitley, aka The Head Unicorn in Charge sat down with our friends over at MagneticMag.com to share some of her “Weedsday” playlist. These are songs that are great for a smoke session.

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Lunch with Whoopi Goldberg

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The Social Media Unicorns sat down with Whoopi Goldberg for lunch at Echo & Rig to celebrate the star’s 62nd birthday, talk cannabis, and why she loves the fabulous city of Las Vegas. And boy, was it magical!

The lunch kicked off with our very own CEO, Krista Whitley interviewing The View personality, Whoopi, who got candid about the cannabis industry.

Whoopi founded Whoopi and Maya, a medical cannabis brand that focuses on relieving the pain associated with menstrual cramps, which is pretty boss. She spoke about the need for this kind of medicine, as well as how half of the world’s population can benefit from it (and even more because she has re-branded the same product for men, too!).

She also dropped some knowledge on the group of cannabis industry professionals in the room, by reminding them that they should have patience when explaining the advantages of cannabis. Often times, naysayers simply do not understand and are from a time when cannabis was deemed bad.

The superstar also recanted stories about her time in the neon-lit city of Las Vegas and remarked how the city has always been good to her. She was later surprised with a gorgeous (uninfused!) cake made by the edibles company Glacé, as the crowd sang and presented her with another surprise! Unicorn Polly Weinstein, gifted Whoopi a gold-plated pot leaf necklace that was custom-made just for her.

“I AM 62 YEARS OLD TODAY!” screamed Whoopi, “You have to celebrate every birthday for your loved ones who didn’t get the chance to!”

Whoopi posed for pictures with excited industry fans while laughing and joking with lunch guests as if they were all old friends. She was incredibly gracious while answering questions and enjoying her time at lunch before heading out to perform later that evening.

Growing Knowledge: Ask a Grower

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Are you curious about where your weed comes from? Who is growing this cannabis? What is their experience cultivating my medicine from seed? It has always intrigued me, but it never occurred to me to talk to my master grower father until I got into the cannabis industry. My dad, Duane Cattanach, owns Eagle Green Farm, a Southern Oregon craft cannabis grow. I had way too many questions to include in this post, but here are some of the questions I asked my dad! 


What is growing cannabis like?


A lot of work! A serious challenge, constant changes.

Why is it hard to grow weed?


Nature controls the rules and keeping up with the state’s regulations is hard. You can’t control nature and regulations are constantly changing. 

Soil vs. Hydroponics— what do you think is better?


Soil! It’s natural! I don’t use any chemicals to make it do what it does naturally, but I have never grown in hydroponics, I am a sun and soil kind of guy. I try and keep it as simple as I can.

What are the greatest challenges of an outdoor grow?


The weather constantly changing. Hot, rainy, plants get cold in the ground and sometimes their growth is stunted. Sometimes you have to start over if they are stunted too bad. Temperature is a big challenge, but it’s a double edged sword because it is a great climate for weed, yet you cannot control it.

How do you avoid pests/mold outdoors?


We use all natural products. Right now we are using an oil that combines cinnamon, thyme, and a couple other natural oils.

 

I thought that you could use some chemicals on weed and it won’t affect when you smoke it? 

 
You never know with those chemicals. They say some are safe, but then when further research is done they pull those products and come out with another chemical blend. There’s no sense in using chemicals when it could be ingested into somebody’s system if we can produce it using natural products. 
 

What’s your advice to consumer’s buying weed?


Use it in proper proportions, abuse with any substance is not good. Too much of anything is not good. I think the concentrates are way too over the top.

 

Thank you to Eagle Green Farm and my father for letting me take my Unicorn friend Blessings for a photo shoot and showing me your amazing plants! CANNOT WAIT FOR CROPTOBER! 

How Cannabis Helped Relieve my IBS Symptoms

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A lot of people have asked me recently how cannabis specifically helps my IBS symptoms. I’m happy to share, because cannabis is medicine and cannabis promotes unity and community in a way that’s unlike any other medication!  
 

 

Let’s start with a little background.

I have had tummy troubles for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until high school that I finally saw a gastroenterologist, had my first colonoscopy, and was diagnosed with IBS. After that, it was a seemingly never-ending parade of different medications: one for the nausea, one for appetite, one for the cramping, one to help “move things along”…. so many medications with so many side effects that I felt sick, bloated, and uncomfortable whether I took them or didn’t. My sophomore year in college, my hair broke off in my hand, because the meds made it weak and brittle. That’s when I really understood the havoc I was wreaking on my body through the prescription meds. And that’s when I decided to stop taking them. 
 

Enter: Cannabis 

What then, would I do for the cramps? The nausea? The inability to eat? Enter: cannabis. I have always been a cannabis user, but it wasn’t until 2012 that I found myself a cannabis patient as well. Instead of using it recreationally, I used it medicinally. It soothed my cramps, eased the nausea, and gave me an appetite when I had none. My hair grew back, I lost a bunch of weight (60 lbs!), I wasn’t tired and I didn’t feel sick all the time. I haven’t looked back since. 
 

Let’s talk Treatment

Now let’s talk treatment. Every body is different, and not everything works for everyone. I have found success with indica-dominant strains. I’ve also utilized CBD-only strains, which are wonderful for pain and spasms. If you’re like me, you like a little THC, so I would suggest grinding up both the CBD-only strain, and your favorite strain that contains THC in your grinder together. The bud tenders at the dispensaries are an invaluable resource- use them! Ask them about strains that help with pain, cramping, and nausea. They can point you to specific terpenes, like myrcene, linalool, and limonene, which all have a variety of properties that help with a variety of symptoms. 
 
 
I’m not symptom-free, but my quality of life has improved ten-fold! My symptoms are managed and my life is in control. I give a lot of credit to cannabis. I hope that I’ve been of some help to you, and that you find relief and peace. 

VaporSlide Product Review

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As a human, I came ready-made with a whole host of physical ailments – including anxiety and IBS. Because of this, I have turned to medicinal cannabis to manage my symptoms, rather than a host of prescription drugs that have unwanted side effects and can interact negatively with each other. I have always been a hardcore cannabis flower fangirl. If given the choice, I would always prefer to use my waterpipe than almost any edible, vape, or transdermal product out there. So when I challenged myself to use only my VaporSlide for an entire week, I was admittedly a little nervous that I’d miss out on all my favorite aspects of smoking flower. Instead, I had an awesome experience! 
 
For the last week, I’ve used my VaporSlide as my primary vape pen on the go, and with my bong when at home. I discovered some definite upsides to choosing the vapelife over flower.
 

1. My bong was never dirty! 

 
I don’t know about you, but I hate cleaning my bong. I hate the smell of isopropyl alcohol, I hate how the little bits of flower get stuck in the down stem, I hate the whole thing. Because I bought a bong thats a massive pain in the ass to clean, the whole production takes about half an hour and I end up smelling like a noxious combination of old flower and cleaning products (sexy 😘). With the VaporSlide, you’re vaping concentrates through your water pipe, so the whole thing stays gleaming and clean and odor-free. This aspect alone makes using the VaporSlide an awesome addition to your cannabis repertoire. 
 

2. It’s super convenient 

 
I didn’t reload my bong with flower once this whole week. I didn’t have to go to my stash and grind up herb every time I wanted to light up. Because I have anxiety, sometimes that process is harder for me than it sounds, and can be overwhelming when you’re fending off a panic attack. Whenever I needed to medicate, I just grabbed the VaporSlide either by itself or with my bong, and relief was close at hand! If I had to leave the house, I just grabbed the pen out of the waterpipe and hit the road. It was so easy to go from dabbing to vaping, and the adjustable heat settings on the battery ensured a perfect cloud every time. 
 

3. You can choose your own adventure in terms of oil 

 
Often times, I find that the taste or quality of preloaded vape pens can be lacking. I also prefer to spend some time with my bud tender discussing the THC and CBD content of each oil, along with any added or natural terpenes contained. I’m relatively picky when it comes to my vape experience, and the VaporSlide comes with an empty cartridge so you can load it with any oil that suits your fancy. I prefer cannabis distillates, and have even dabbled with pure CBD oils for all the aches and pains associated with my IBS. It was surprisingly stress free to be able to choose exactly the syringe oil that I wanted to use, and the process of loading the VaporSlide takes way less time than loading and cleaning my bong. 
 
 
 
I’m still a flower fangirl, and will always appreciate cannabis in it’s natural form. That being said, the benefits of using the VaporSlide were not lost on me, and I’ll definitely be adding it to my cannabis regiment for convenient, discrete, and easy medication. This experience shifted my perspective on vaping, and I’ve found a product that lets me utilize the convenience of vaping with my favorite piece. I’d definitely recommend including the VaporSlide in your daily life. 
 

Reclaiming the “Stoner” Image

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As I get older and grow further as a cannabis professional I find myself cringing at words like “pothead” or “burnout” because it paints this picture of lazy good for nothings smoking copious amounts of bong bowls on their couch. Being a “stoner” is about more than just being a cannabis consumer it’s about integrating cannabis into your routine as a way of bettering your overall quality of life.

 

 In over 4 years of interacting with patients and consumers I find a majority of toking enthusiasts would describe themselves as a “functional stoner” because simply put cannabis allows them to function better.  That could mean cannabis facilitates the anxiety relief they need to get through a challenging presentation.  It could mean treating their chronic headaches that used to keep them bedridden they’re now able to go about the tasks they need to accomplish. Not only do I find most herb lovers use cannabis to alleviate symptoms but also to fuel their ambitious goals in life.  I’ve met teachers, doctors, lawyers, former police officers, social workers, CEOs, professional athletes – the list could go on endlessly because my point is the “functional stoners” are all around us.

 

The “stoner” usually has a full-time job, engages with their family, and strives to educate on cannabis rather than to proselytize. Sure, on the other end of the spectrum you might have an overindulgent consumer that isn’t productive aka the “pothead”. It’s a critical time be a “stoner” and not a “pothead” because this will be the image of cannabis future generations will be exposed to.

5 Ways Cannabis Changed My Life

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5 Ways Cannabis Changed My Life 

1. Cannabis improved my grades.

It was never my intention to get high before doing homework. But one day I forgot to do a discussion post and had already indulged in my nightly toke, so I had to write it high since it was due that hour. It was the first discussion post that scored 100%! I thought this could not be a coincidence. Cannabis got me an A! I realized it was not hard to do my homework high, it was actually easier! It killed my writing anxiety and replaced it with curiosity and enjoyment. I stopped procrastinating. If I was high, I was working on something. Cannabis inspired me to figure out what I could achieve. 

2. Cannabis made me more creative in school and at home.

I became interested in classes I never thought I would like before. Philosophy class was truly inspiring. I never liked English, but somehow I enjoyed reading and writing about the often lame required subject. I found that I wanted to express myself with art, something I had not liked since elementary school. Cannabis enabled me to fill my room with hand painted canvases.  

3. Cannabis helps me connect with myself and others.

I’ve never wanted to spend more time with myself than when I started smoking cannabis. When I started spending more time with myself, I found it easier to be around others as well. I have more patience and more understanding for people. Cannabis helps me honor my time with myself and with others. It slows time down and makes me appreciate the time we have here.

4. Cannabis makes boring life chores fun.

No one likes washing the dishes or doing laundry, but I smoke and enjoy myself while doing all my chores. It makes me curious like a kid again. Cannabis keeps me present and helps me focus. I am more productive at home and cannabis gives me the desire to live life more efficiently. 

5. Cannabis gave me a career.

I studied psychology and social work in college so I knew I always wanted to help people. Cannabis became a passion of mine throughout college, but I never thought I would make a career of it. After I graduated University and I found out a lot of jobs drug test their potential employees. I would never pass a drug test and I refused to give up my cannabis. Soon I was exclusively applying to jobs in the cannabis industry. Getting involved in the industry has inspired me tremendously, I never thought I would love working so much. I work with cannabis brands and talk about cannabis all day. It is a dream come true that I get to help connect people with cannabis daily. 

I believe everyone is a patient of the earth and this is our medicine. Cannabis changed my life, has it changed yours?  

A Medical Patient’s Experience in a Recreational Cannabis Market

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When the State of Nevada announced it’s plans to implement recreational cannabis sales on July 1st of this year, I was elated. Cannabis has not only been proven to have medicinal benefits for a wide variety of health issues, but it can also induce relaxation, creativity, an elevated mindset, and even can help you lose weight! Plus, the war on drugs has been an overt failure, and making a substance that is less dangerous than alcohol or cigarettes illegal is asinine. But, I digress.

 

After my initial excitement about what recreational cannabis could mean for the progress of the cannabis industry in Nevada, I started thinking about the number of individuals that consume cannabis. I also started thinking about the number of tourists from all over America and the world that visit Vegas per year. Then I started to get nervous. I’m a medical patient, and I use cannabis to treat a variety of symptoms from depression, anxiety, and IBS. I rely on access to cannabis to feel better. I started wondering, amidst distribution disputes, if getting medical cannabis would be more difficult. (After about a month of recreational sales, we have heard these fears were unfounded). I went to a few different dispensaries to see for myself.

 

Luckily, my experience overall was pleasant. There were a TON of people lined up to buy cannabis, at all hours of the day, but most dispensaries have implemented separate lines for medical patients so that your wait time is shorter. I timed myself, and I spent under 30 minutes in most dispensaries, from check in to cash out. I was also worried about pricing. We’ve all heard rumors that 8ths were going to jump from $25 to $80! In reality, the price hike was modest – about a $10 – $15 increase across the board. But what about a cannabis shortage?! I will admit, dispensaries were running out of my favorite strains a bit quicker than usual, but there was still a wide selection to choose from, and some dispensaries have even reserved particular strains for medical patients only!

 

After all was said and done, I found that my anxiety over the issue was largely unnecessary. I ended up with concentrates, flower, edibles, and even a transdermal patch, paid a moderate amount, and spent way less time that I was anticipating waiting in line. The cannabis industry in Nevada is stepping up to meet the demand of both recreational and medical patients. As distribution licenses are awarded and dispensaries fine-tune their processes, I think the entire experience will remain positive for everyone.

Vegas Cannabis Summit Breaksdown the Ins and Outs of Advertising

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The newly launched adult use market in Nevada has opened its doors for a variety of opportunities in the cannabis industry without ever touching the plant. 

Social Media Unicorn’s CEO Krista Whitley is among the panelists slated to support the leading cannabis professionals operating in the emerging Nevada, California and national marketplace.

The Vegas Cannabis Summit presents leaders of this new frontier and welcomes this exciting entrepreneurial community for a 2-day, 2-night event, featuring panels and educational seminars from industry experts, a vendor trade show, VIP events and concerts.

This two day conference will cover topics ranging from regulation and compliance, to advertising and media and the continued transition of the legal cannabis market, its entrepreneurs, investors and creatives, to be taken safely and seriously into mainstream culture.

We welcome artists, executives, lifestyle brands, technology professionals, investors, college students (21+) entrepreneurs and visionaries to present, educate and share.

We provide the opportunity for individuals from diverse backgrounds to engage in an environment that’s conducive to sharing information & creative collaborations.

The conference organizers and creators have an established track record as a curator of talent and experience with another successful conference, Vegas Music Summit.

Panels include:

  • Cannabis Budtenders, Chefs, Extractors & Growers: The New Celebrity Chef?
  • Building Cannabis Brands, Traditional & Social Media Marketing & Entertainment 
  • Media, Journalism & Content
  • Professional Sports & Cannabis
  • How To Get A Job In The Cannabis Industry
This year’s event will be held at :
 
Backstage Bar & Billiards
601 E Fremont St
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Phone number(702) 382-2227