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This week, Jess Tyler, chief revenue officer of MJBiz, joins a bonus episode of the Cannabis Equipment News podcast to discuss how MJBizCon has changed this year, expectations for the future and how the show promotes diversity in an evolving industry.
Jess Tyler has been in the media event business her entire career. In 2018, she jumped into cannabis and never looked back. Tyler was drawn to an industry of resilient risk-takers developing a new business model.
As we approach the 12th annual MJBizCon, held from November 28 through December 1, 2023, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Tyler says her team shifted the focus inward, shining a spotlight on industry leaders who have worked to continue growing the industry despite a rather turbulent year. The show's slogan this year is "Dare to Grow" to highlight the leaders who have set the industry up for a more prosperous 2024.
Some logistical challenges remain, particularly the inability to consume cannabis at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), but Tyler suggests that changes to the current policy could be coming. The show has also partnered with The Lexi, the first consumption-friendly hotel in the city, as well as Thrive Dispensary, which will have mobile ordering from the show floor.
The tradeshow, which has moved back to the North and Central Halls of the LVCC, is also heavily promoting diversity, including a Women in Leadership forum and a social equity and diversity track that includes guest speaker Martin Luther King III.
Jump around:
- How cannabis events differ from other industries. (1:11)
- Expectations for MJBizCon 2023. (3:09)
- Changes from last year's show. (4:43)
- Why attendees can't consume on the MJBizCon tradeshow floor. (6:34)
- Why Tyler plans the show from scratch each year. (7:19)
- Can't-miss speakers, sessions and events. (10:31)
- The cannabis equipment footprint at the show. (16:02)
- How MJBizCon has evolved over the years. (17:51)
- The tradeshow's economic impact in Las Vegas. (21:58)
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