Part Time Hustlers, Part Time Humanitarians, Full Time Cannabis Lovers

Tina Ulman and Dani Baranowski are staples in the Nevada cannabis industry. They work for the industry as well as within the industry and I recently had the opportunity to sit down with them to find out what drives their passion and what new ventures they have embarked on.

STEPHANIE SHEHAN: Hey ladies, I’m curious about your backgrounds. Where did you amazing ladies come from?

DANI BARANOWSKI: After receiving two felonies for sparking a doobie in a national park in my hometown at age 18, I knew Utah couldn’t contain my zesty energy for life and I pursued careers in sales, hospitality, and tourism: from high-end consultative sales bartending, to sharing my love for the ocean internationally as a scuba diving instructor.

TINA ULMAN: I graduated from UNLV in hospitality management and was a sales and marketing executive with Wyndham Resorts for thirteen years. I developed numerous teams in five different major markets and after accomplishing all my goals with the organization, I knew I wanted to build and develop the cannabis industry in Nevada. Two of my family members and my high school boyfriend were both greatly affected by the failed “war on drugs” policies. My family members were sentenced to 30 years combined in prison for non-violent drug charges. Being a part of changing the system was never a question, I knew I wanted to do that since I was six years old.

STEPHANIE: And, what brought you to the cannabis industry?

DANI: After surviving a catastrophic category 5+ hurricane, I took the hint to change careers and saw the cannabis industry exploding. I initially wanted to start a CBD business with my sister so we devised a plan for me to get my foot in the door in Las Vegas. I had street cred (with my felonious past) and bright eyes for the opportunity to build the industry. A fellow former-Mormon-turned-cannabis-executive offered me a job and the rest is history.

TINA: I have been a consumer for 18 years and I love and respect the healing powers of the plant. I knew immediately I wanted to build my career in cannabis. Luckily my best friend of 25 years, Jenn T, owner of Cannect Hospitality attended a Woman Grow event and found out a company was hiring from someone in the buffet line. Been rolling deep ever since.

STEPHANIE: You two started the Chamber of Cannabis. Whose idea was that and how did it come to fruition?

DANI: After meeting through advocacy and spending time volunteering together, we immediately bonded over our undeniable passion for developing the space, and respecting each other’s professional talents and finding creative ways to implement those in the nonprofit world. We connected over our shared experience with failed cannabis policy affecting our lives, and we realized the importance and power of changing cannabis stigmas by building relationships with local legislators and community stakeholders. We also love working hard coupled with enjoying life.

TINA: During the pandemic businesses and people were segmented, but the industry continued to grow and we happened to be neighbors and quarantine buddies. Assemblyman Steve Yeager let us know he was ready to pass sensible cannabis policy with AB341 for consumption venue legalization, and put out a call to action for organizations to propose potential business models. We quickly realized there was not a group for leaders working in the industry who loved the plant, focused on moving commerce and justice forward, and impacting the community. On a drive through Utah I thought, “this industry needs a Chamber of Commerce…a Chamber of Cannabis!” Dani and I put our heads together and assembled a group of fellow visionaries and without fully knowing how much work it would take or how much of a difference it would make, we started a 501(c)(6) that has grown into Nevada’s largest business trade organization.

>>By stephanie shehan

STEPHANIE: Recently, you came together and started your own company, The Grow Up Co-op. Tell me more about that.

DANI & TINA: We spend a lot of time thinking about the industry and how we can play a role in its growth. We entered the cannabis industry within months of each other and have watched it grow from <$100 million to driving revenue for the state to the tune of over $1 billion in revenue. We love the ever-evolving energy and challenge of building an industry. Working for different brands in sales and marketing we gained massive insight into what works and what doesn’t. We were always scheming fun ways that we could bring the industry and we’re able to do that successfully by building relationships with the entire community from budtenders to legislators.

Companies are experiencing new hurdles as the novelty of cannabis has shifted and the plant is becoming commoditized. We saw the need to revitalize the traditional model of one sales rep for one brand. One role often overlooked is sales enablement and effective programming. We create revenue driving ideas to help the retailer move our brands off the shelves, meanwhile nurturing relationships with our budtender friends and investing in our community through service. Brands in our co-operative win together as we resource share and collaborate for winning through our combined sales efforts, field and trade marketing, intentional events, and lastly we help brands expand into new markets - whether that be incoming to Nevada or the reverse.

With our insight on lounges, our co-operative is preparing brands for success through product development and connections for the next revolution and innovation of our industry. Categorically we touch flower, pre-rolls, vapes, extracts, tinctures, patches, cannabis cocktails, chocolates, and cannabis pouches. Our portfolio is stacked with brands positioned to win, currently in the Co-op is Matrix, Mary’s, Dixie, Voon, Pamos, and ZenCo.

STEPHANIE: You’ve witnessed a ton of change in the Nevada cannabis industry. What do you like best about working in cannabis?

DANI: The concept that anyone who has passion for the plant, recognizes the opportunity to create an industry as it is developing, and through hard work, can become a respected leader and direct the future of the industry. This does not exist in traditional and established industries. Cream rises to the top, and all ships can rise with the tide; our collective energy is impactful.

TINA: Providing alternative plant medicine for the mind, body, and soul to people who might not have found it if it wasn't legalized. And, the opportunity to create history and build an inclusive and thriving industry with some pretty phenomenal people.

STEPHANIE: What things do you think we need to work on within the industry as a whole?

DANI: Coming together to resource share and empower the direction of the industry. There is a piece of the pie for everyone, and if we all put our pieces together, there’s more for all of us to eat.

TINA: Improving regulation and legislation that will support a viable, sustainable, and inclusive industry.

STEPHANIE: Anything new you have coming up in the future?

DANI: Through our work and good nature we have been able to amass a network of other hustlers and stoned professionals across the country and world. We are creating opportunities for ourselves and our friends to offer our talents and expertise to the cannabis industry, worldwide. We have some exciting partnerships we can’t wait to announce!