The Cannabis World Congress Business Expo (CWCBE) is holding their virtual conference this week and has many New Jersey cannabis leaders and ties.
“We’ve been in Paramus in New Jersey for a very long time,” said CWC CEO Greg Marco regarding the company. He noted their company previously hosted franchising and computer tradeshows.
“It’s been a long journey,” Marco noted.
“It’s not been an easy journey for us,” he added regarding the negative impact of COVID on the industry.
Because the Cannabis World Congress invested in virtual trade show software early, Marco said they had an advantage in hosting this week’s virtual conference that will ideally benefit vendors and attendees.
They began investigating getting into cannabis in 2012 and 2013 and meeting with trade association leaders. On a business trip to the West Coast, they saw events were mostly consumer-driven.
“We realized cannabis is going to be a big business. Let’s really start getting serious about this industry. It’s coming fast,” Marco said.
He said that the CWC began as a little show in New York with about 15 booths. Last year they had 150 plus booths in Jacob Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan.
“I think the vision is coming to fruition now with New Jersey passing it now,” Marco said. He noted Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut are looking to pass adult-use cannabis soon.
Cannabis World Congress Features Leaders
Marco is excited about their extensive virtual lineup this week.
Bruce Linton, CEO Collective Growth Corp formerly of Canopy, is their keynote speaker along with Calvin Frye, the Founder of Cloneville and Compassionate Caregivers Studio City.
CWC’s featured speakers include NORML founder and Legal Counsel Keith Stroup, Minorities 4 Medical Marijuana CEO Roz McCarthy, Women Grow President Gia Moron, Celeste Miranda of MACE Media, National Hemp Association Chair Geoff Whaling, and former NFL player Leonard Marshall of the NY Giants, prominent cannabis attorney Joseph A. Bondi, Debra Borchardt Green Market, among others, will speak.
“We have really good content on future business opportunities in New York City,” Marco said.
Along with focusing on adult-use and medical cannabis, there will be sessions highlighting CBD, hemp, the upcoming legalization of cannabis in Mexico, and an after-party hosted by Happy Monkey and Tribe Tokes.
The show will also feature Assistant Commissioner of Health Jeff Brown and Leo Bridgewater, who’s on the Cannabis World Congress board.
“We love Leo,” Marco said.
Booming Industry Reflected at Conference
In addition, New York and Connecticut cannabis policymakers will also be speaking on panels.
“It’s a great lineup!” Marco said.
It’s also notable that there will be a psychedelics health and wellness panel.
“Two days is a pretty good time to ask people,” he said about the conference length. The normal Cannabis World Congress convention is usually longer.
Many people noted they had a great after-party on a boat in the Hudson River overlooking the city.
“We’ll definitely rekindle that in 2021,” Marco said regarding their entertaining after-party. The CWC New York City conference is scheduled for the end of May 2021.
“By that time … policies will be full-steam ahead,” Marco said. “It’s good timing for everybody.”
Before COVID struck, their show scheduled for the spring was scheduled to surpass the size of their 2019 show, which took up a humongous hall in the Javits Center.
Marco lamented the negative effect COVID has had on business in general. Without trade shows, airlines, hotels, restaurants, and taxis, among others, are suffering immensely.
Nonetheless, he was excited about their show next May.
One of the few silver linings of COVID is that the virtual conference is recording all the sessions. So, if you miss one, you can watch the recording afterward.