Meet Sarah and Madison

Team Member Spotlight

Sarah Barrett and Madison Stratford are our first two 2019 team member additions, and we’ve enjoyed getting to know these wonderful women! As Champions of Change, we love bringing women into the industry to add their unique voices and power to the cannabis community. Check out their personal stories and learn more about the two newest Canna women.

Sarah Barrett, Executive Assistant

What inspired you to work in the cannabis industry?
Cannabis helped my dad get off of narcotics for his autoimmune disease and improved his quality of life. It also played a key role in his hospice care.

What job(s) were you doing before joining Canna Advisors?
For the past 12 years I was an Executive Assistant/Sales Coordinator for a business solutions company.

What’s the best thing about working at Canna Advisors?
The people! The vast amount of industry knowledge here is second-to-none. Everybody is so friendly, welcoming, and happy to lend a hand!

Describe a really big accomplishment:
I was a key player in the development of a sales playbook. That was a fun, complicated project. I learned a ton about emotional intelligence, sales, and sales methodology.

Where are you from? If not from Colorado, what brought you here?
3rd Generation Colorado Native!

Tell us a little about your family.
One husband, one sassy 10-year-old, 2 wiener dogs (neither of which like me best even though I’m the one who feeds them most of the time).

Travel memories/trips of note / travel “wish list”
Two of my fave cities: San Diego & New Orleans. Japan is tops on my bucket list!

What are you watching right now?
Umbrella Academy with my kiddo
Game of Thrones with the hubbs (4/14/19 can’t get here quick enough!)
Mindless Bravo TV for myself

Interesting/little-known/unique fact(s) about you?
My first-ever concert was MC Hammer tickets that I won in a raffle at work.

Favorites
Favorite quote(s):
“Here’s to our veterans, past, present, and future. Home of the free, because of the brave. God Bless America!” Art Nelson

“If the sun refused to shine,
I would still be loving you.
When mountains crumble to the sea,
there will still be you and me.” Led Zepplin

“Rice is great when you’re hungry and you want 2,000 of something.” Mitch Hedberg

“60% of the time, it works every time” Brian Fantana

Favorite smell(s): Grandma’s homemade soup, BBQ on the smoker, Popcorn at the movies (maybe I shouldn’t have skipped lunch). Oh, and puppy breath.
Favorite sound(s): Dogs eating chips
Favorite place(s): Colorado mountains in the summer
Favorite way to consume cannabis: Loving my vaporizer, cannabis bath bombs, and Ripple. Still love my bong on occasion though.

What do you order at a bar or coffee shop?
At a bar, I typically order a craft beer of some sort. Really great tequila with a splash of soda and lime is a summer staple.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Travelling makes me anxious, teleportation for sure.

If you were a MLB player, what would your walkout song be?
Spirit in the Sky- Norman Greenbaum

Madison Stratford, Sales Support Specialist

What is your role at Canna Advisors?
I support our Business Development team by educating our clients about the industry and how we can help bring their vision to life. I am usually the first voice you hear when you call our office and the first face you see when you walk in.

What inspired you to work in the cannabis industry?
My introduction to the industry was back in 2009 when my parents opened one of Colorado’s first dispensaries. I was inspired by my mother who was a caregiver to many patients with life-threatening conditions, struggling to access their medicine. I watched her fight for their quality of life and often times play a major role in the remission of their symptoms. She showed me what it means to stay resilient and fight for what you believe in. I am honored to play my small part in making cannabis accessible to those who need it.

What job(s) were you doing before joining Canna Advisors?
I was a personal assistant and career nanny for many years. It has been interesting to discover all the ways in which those skills translate to this job.

What’s the best thing about working at Canna Advisors?
I’ve never had the same day twice! There is always something new and fascinating happening in the world of cannabis. I love that I have the freedom to use my creative thinking and adapt with the industry.

Tell us something you do every day, without fail:
Sing. All…the…time.

Describe a really big accomplishment:
When I was 17, I had the distinct honor of performing with a friend of mine before one of my favorite artists Amos Lee at the Lyons Folks Festival. We were so nervous! I definitely messed up a lot, but I was proud that I had the guts to sing my heart out in front of thousands of people, no matter what happened.

Where are you from? If not from Colorado, what brought you here?
I was born in Kansas City but moved to Denver when I was very little. I am still allowed to call myself a Native though, right?

What do you do in your spare time?
I have decided that it is my goal in life to acquire all the skills of an international spy (like James Bond or the younger, female version of the Dos Equis guy). My hobbies include boxing, acting, singing, songwriting, indoor skydiving and traveling internationally. I am also an aspiring Hyperpolyglot (I had to Google it too). One day I aim to speak 5 languages at least conversationally. I’m 90% with English. One down, 4 to go…

Tell us about your family:
I am the 2nd oldest of five hilarious, creative, and musical siblings. They are the best. My boyfriend and I are dog parents to the squishiest English Bulldog named Tank, who does nothing but sleep all day. We love to box together (boyfriend, not dog), learn new skills, and travel somewhere new in the world to ring in every new year!

Travel memory of note:
One of the best days of my life was when my boyfriend and I got lost in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil without a car or a map. We walked for miles exploring the city and accidentally got swept up into a samba parade in honor of the Chilean Artist Jorge Selaron, who is an icon of that region.

Interesting/little-known/unique fact(s) about you?
My family loves Prince. I think we all feel a unique and special connection to him and his music. When I was little, we sat front row at his concert in Denver. I had a habit of falling asleep at concerts, because it was usually past my bedtime. During the song “House Quake”, Prince started to select people from the audience to dance with him. My mom decided to lift me up Simba-style (while I was asleep) and pass me to him. When I found my footing, I opened my eyes to a sea of people screaming. I turned to my right, and there was Prince chanting: “I don’t see you shakin’!” I was too shocked to shake anything…

What are you watching right now?
The 2nd season of OA on Netflix just came out. It has an incredible storyline with amazing actors! You’ll like it if you enjoy shows like Stranger Things or Black Mirror.

Favorites
Favorite quote(s):“There are three classes of people: people who see, people who see when shown, and people who will never see.” – Leonardo da Vinci

“Don’t worry about the horse being blind, just load the wagon.” -John Madden

“Be willing to look outside your confirmation bias bubble. Whatever your beliefs are…where did they come from?” – James Cameron

“In the water where I center my emotion, all the world can pass me by.” – Red Hot Chilli Peppers

“In a day, do you give yourself a million pats on the back or a million paper cuts? There is enough room for both.” – A.J Jacobs

“Life punishes the vague wish and rewards the specific ask. If you want confusion and heartache ask vague questions. If you want an uncommon clarity and results ask uncommon and clear questions.” – Unknown (by me)

Favorite author(s): Yaa Gyasi and F. Scott Fitzgerald
Favorite smell(s): Fresh-baked bread and the smell of the fresh waffle cones in an ice cream shop.
Favorite sound(s): Babies laughing hysterically and Nat King Cole’s voice.
Favorite place(s): Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans, and my bed.
Favorite food(s): Cheeseburgers, truffle fries, beets, and anything noodle-y (not necessarily pasta, that’s a different category.) I also recently discovered I really like octopus when it’s cooked just right. Who knew!
Favorite way to consume cannabis: Tinctures, oils and edibles before bed or before playing music.

Will you name a few items on your bucket list?
-Play a character in a movie that requires intense stunt training (Black Widow-style fight choreography)
-Meet, sing with and write a song with Dave Grohl
-Become fluent in Spanish
-Live abroad for at least 1 year
-Become a USA Boxing-certified coach and open my own boxing gym, ideally on the beach.

What do you order at a bar or coffee shop?
At a bar, if I’m feeling indulgent, I will go for an Old Fashioned. At a coffee shop a matcha latte with oat/almond milk and a little honey. 🙂

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Being able to read, write and speak any language in the world fluently without studying.

If you were a MLB player, what would your walkout song be?
I actually think about this more often than I would like to admit…
“Make Some Noise” by The Beastie Boys or “Icky Thump” by The White Stripes. That song makes me feel like I’m going into battle.

Learn more about our team of expert cannabis consultants and contact us today if you need help with your cannabis business!