Between surging sales, increased support for legalization, and more widespread adoption, 2020 was a defining year for cannabis.
Now, as America’s fastest-growing industry looks to 2021, experts view technology as a key driver for keeping cannabis’ momentum going.
Leafwire is doing its part by creating an online platform dedicated to the cannabis and hemp industries.
This platform serves as a Facebook/LinkedIn hybrid. On it, members can create a personal profile, share cannabis industry news, connect with industry professionals, promote events, and look for jobs within the cannabis market.
To date, those working in the cannabis market haven’t had a platform to do all of these things. Despite the industry’s growth, there’s still a stigma around being involved with marijuana. As a result, nearly 70% of cannabis industry professionals don’t include complete detailed information about their cannabis jobs or experience. And many social media platforms regularly delete or cancel cannabis company accounts.
Leafwire is a safe, inclusive space for these professionals. While other platforms offer one or two features (reporting on industry news or posting jobs), Leafwire is the only one to offer everything in one place.
Said Robert Funk, a Leafwire member, “Leafwire is becoming my go-to networking crossroads!”
Leafwire uses a freemium business model. Members can join for free, and then choose to pay for some of the platform’s premium features. These include the ability to purchase ads in Leafwire-related e-mails, ads posted on the platform, marketplace listings, job posts, and premium monthly subscriptions.
Advertising packages can range from $500 to $10,000. Marketplace postings cost $50 per month per post. And job placement postings cost $5,000.
Said a co-founder of a cannabis company that advertised on Leafwire, “We had a 6x return on our investment with Leafwire in 2 days. It was a no-brainer for us.”
Leafwire launched in early 2019. Since then, its member base has grown by 700%. The platform has facilitated more than 700,000 connections within the cannabis industry. And its 2020 revenues as of October were $200,000 — a 75% increase from 2019.
With funds raised, Leafwire plans to implement a ticketing functionality to its Events section. It also aims to build a mobile version of its platform.