#101 - From Music to Marijuana: Building Iconic Brands in Cannabis w/ Rama Mayo of Hall of Flowers

Rama Mayo, co-founder of Hall of Flowers, shares how he transformed his experience in music, art, and fashion into creating one of cannabis's most respected trade shows focused on high-quality brand and buyer connections.• Building successful cannabis brands requires clear mission, vision, and values as foundation• The tension between "money people" and "cannabis operators" creates challenges that require mutual respect to overcome• Cannabis companies need both business expertise and plant knowledge to succeed long-term• Mentorship from industry leaders like Shep Gordon provided the confidence to become a cannabis thought leader• Hall of Flowers expanded from California to Toronto and now to New York, adapting to each market's unique challenges• Cannabis events need careful curation to maintain value—Hall of Flowers deliberately limits exhibitors to ensure quality• Daily operations in cannabis are like "The Walking Dead"—new unexpected challenges arise constantly• The East Coast cannabis market resembles California's market from 6-7 years ago• For cannabis events to create real value, they must focus on facilitating meaningful business connections• Perseverance is the essential quality for anyone looking to succeed in the cannabis industryHave a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!--High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover? Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations. Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.