Trendsetters

TURNING A NEW LEAF

Here are five of the most influential women who are leading Arizona’s cannabis industry

Laura Bianchi

Partner // Bianchi & Brandt Cannabis, like many industries, tends to be male-dominated. Bianchi, however, is one of the nation’s foremost experts in cannabis law, business, compliance and operations. Having begun her work in the discipline with the 2010 passage of Arizona’s medical marijuana law, she was among the first business/corporate transaction attorneys in the country to specialize in the nascent legal cannabis market and has represented clients in more than $100 million in transactions in the industry.

LILACH MAZOR POWER

Founder and managing director Giving Tree Dispensary Power, a former sergeant in the Israeli military, owns Giving Tree, which has locations in Mesa and Phoenix. Giving Tree is also Arizona’s sole dispensary that features majority female ownership. But Power takes girl power a step further as her team includes several women who grow cannabis for the 8-year-old cannabis company and Giving Tree also supports local, women-owned companies.

GRETA BRANDT // President The Flower Shop Brandt is pioneering the cannabis industry with her brands and breaking glass ceilings for women who want to be in the industry as well. She serves as president of The Flower Shop AZ and True North of Utah, which collectively operates five medical marijuana dispensaries, four cultivation sites and processing facilities in Arizona and Utah. Brandt interfaces with all Arizona and Utah regulators, serving as an advocate for the industry.

MARVINA THOMAS // CEO 420 Skincare and 420 Medibles The former registered nurse has spent the past several years self-educating herself on the many health benefits of cannabis. Thomas began her canna-business journey learning to make soap by blending CBD oil with beautifying Egyptian ingredients. Later, Thomas created THC treats to help others heal naturally without opioids. The social entrepreneur channels a percentage of her profits to help fight addiction and homelessness and is the founder and CEO of Start Living Recovery Home.

SARA GULLICKSON // CEO and founder The Cannabis Business Advisors Gullickson is an entrepreneur, investor and corporate dealmaker with a decade of experience building and scaling businesses. At 27, she founded her first cannabis consulting group — Dispensary Permits in Phoenix — and eight years later sold it to a publicly traded company. She has consulted internationally and across over a dozen state cannabis markets receiving numerous awards. Gullickson thrives in an unconventional business landscape and is passionate about inspiring women to pursue leadership.

20 MOST-PROFITABLE

PUBLIC COMPANIES IN ARIZONA

There is no debating the fact that 2020 was a tough year for business. Jobs were lost. Industries were shuttered. Some companies were forced to pivot, then pivot again, and then pivot again. Even with the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presented, some Arizona-based public companies were still able to have a banner year in 2020. Here are 2020’s 20 most-profitable companies in Arizona, based on corporate financial statements.

COMPANY INDUSTRY HEADQUARTERS 2020 REVENUE 2020 PROFIT

ALIGN TECHNOLOGY REPUBLIC SERVICES AMERCO

Teeth aligners Tempe Waste collection Phoenix Rental trucks Phoenix

FREEPORT-MCMORAN NORTONLIFELOCK PINNACLE WEST CAPITAL

Copper mining Phoenix Cybersecurity Tempe Electric utility Phoenix WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORP Banking Phoenix

MERITAGE HOMES

Homebuilding Scottsdale KNIGHT-SWIFT TRANSPORTATION Trucking Phoenix

FIRST SOLAR

Solar energy Tempe

MAGELLAN HEALTH

Health benefits Phoenix

AMKOR TECHNOLOGY MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY

Semiconductors Tempe Semiconductors Chandler

CARLISLE CABLE ONE

Plastics, rubber Scottsdale Cable TV Phoenix SPROUTS FARMERS MARKET Grocery stores Phoenix GRAND CANYON EDUCATION Higher education Phoenix

TAYLOR MORRISON HOME

Homebuilding Scottsdale

ON SEMICONDUCTOR

Semiconductors Phoenix

STORE CAPITAL

Retail REIT Scottsdale $2,472,000,000 $1,776,000,000 $10,154,000,000 $967,000,000 $4,304,000,000 $659,000,000 $14,198,000,000 $599,000,000 $2,493,000,000 $591,000,000 $3,587,000,000 $551,000,000 $1,206,000,000 $507,000,000 $4,506,000,000 $423,000,000 $4,674,000,000 $410,000,000 $2,711,000,000 $398,000,000 $4,578,000,000 $382,000,000 $5,051,000,000 $338,000,000 $5,298,000,000 $333,000,000 $4,245,000,000 $320,000,000 $1,325,000,000 $304,000,000 $6,469,000,000 $287,000,000 $846,000,000 $257,000,000 $6,129,000,000 $243,000,000 $5,255,000,000 $236,000,000 $694,000,000 $213,000,000

HERE’S HOW TO DECODE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS

Between TikTok, Twitter, Clubhouse and more, it can be challenging for a company to choose what platform will benefit their business model the best. According to Oberlo, there are 3.78 billion users on social media in 2021, which equates to about 48% of the population.

Here are some tips from Justin Lee at Commit Agency:

• TikTok: The power of the influencer and user-generated content on full display. TikTok is not about editorialized feeds or polished ad campaigns — it’s about leveraging the power of authentic, approachable content and voices that add value to your brand. • Clubhouse: The buzziest new kid on the block, Clubhouse can be thought of as an interactive and audio-only take on a Facebook Live or your favorite podcast. The catch? Getting your audience on the still-new app. • Twitter: This legacy microblogging platform remains relevant for quick and digestible news items, online reputation management and audience listening. Twitter can also support your organic search (SEO) strategy. • Instagram: Still a proven heavyweight in terms of both your ad and content strategy, with Instagram’s ever-growing features like stories, reels, IGTV and a soon-to-launch Clubhouse rival, there’s little doubt the visual-first platform will continue to be a priority for many brands.

Phoenix homebuyers seek futuristic smart tech for homes

Original research conducted by Cox Communications to find out how Phoenix home buyers across generations view the importance of smart tech built into their homes has revealed a new, blended group of “homebodies” who expect smart tech to make their lives easier. Cox’s survey of Phoenix residents found: • 47 percent want automatic laundry machines that wash, dry and fold clothes • 30 percent want a robot home chef • 38 percent want a refrigerator that automatically restocks itself • 18 percent want a smart wardrobe that selects outfits itself

LEAGUE OF her own

Molly Miller, the women’s basketball coach at Grand Canyon University, is on another level when it comes to winning.

Her combined high school and college record as a player was 221-27 — an .891-win percentage. In her first season at GCU, Miller led the ’Lopes to an 18-7 record, giving her a career coaching record of 198-24 — an .891 winning percentage, which is No. 1 among active men’s or women’s basketball coaches with at least five years of experience. To put Miller’s staggering numbers into perspective, Geno Auriemma, famed women’s basketball coach at UConn, has an .885 career winning percentage. Mark Few of Gonzaga has the best record among men’s coaches with a .834 mark.

To learn more about Miller, visit azbigmedia.com.

CHIC CHEF COMPANY BREAKS NEW GROUND

With the launch of Chic Chef Company, Chef Nik Fields — also known as Nik The Chic Chef — became the first Black chef with her own brand of olive oils and

vinegars. Fields also founded Chic Chef Company Cafe & Marketplace in Phoenix, where foodies can sample Fields’ most requested meals. Fields is also known for her philanthropic efforts to provide food and clean water to villages in the Dominican Republic and her nonprofit organization Waste Not Want Not, which encourages households and restaurants to limit food waste.

PHOENIX GETS FIRST SELF-POUR TAPROOM

Phoenix’s new self-serve taproom, Tap That Downtown, offers a rotating selection of 35 draft beverages in the heart of the blossoming Roosevelt Row Arts District. Guests can explore and pour their own using iPourIt self-pour RFID technology to activate taps and track their tab. Roshiem Austin, co-owner and Cicerone Programs Certified Beer Server, curates the revolving list of 30 craft beers and five wines. “If you’re a beer person, this is your dream scenario,” he says. “You can explore and have your own experience, and our guests are super excited about that.”

Babyish helps kids stay stylish

Since its launch in February, Babyish has quickly become one of Phoenix’s most popular children’s boutique among parents who want to style their children with high-quality, hand-

made designs. Founder Katie Danzer discovered her passion for sewing after the birth of her premature daughter, Paige, in 2020, who was too small for regular baby clothes but too tall for preemie apparel. Danzer learned to tailor clothes and eventually started sewing items from scratch. After massive success selling head wraps, dummies and clips online, Danzer launched a brick-and-mortar store in the middle of a pandemic to sell her own handcrafted designs along with other locally sourced items from Phoenix vendors, to help bring small business awareness and community support.