Pitch Deck: Winner!

Brooklyn Dispensary Team Takes Top Prize

After hearing well-honed final presentations in NYC, the judges in the first-ever Canna Advisors Pitch Deck competition selected a Brooklyn dispensary team as the top prize. The team is led by Cherish Baker, who immersed herself in business planning and cannabis industry knowledge while on stopovers during her full-time career as a flight attendant. “While other flight attendants were out exploring the cities on our stops, I was hunkered down in my hotel room doing my research and building my dream plan to open a dispensary,” Cherish explained.

About the Winner

As a woman of color, Cherish built her business model around giving priority to suppliers who are minority-, veteran-, and women-owned businesses. She sees the client base as first-time cannabis users, professional women, and discerning clientele who want to know the origin of their products.

“All of the finalists brought compelling reasons why their business would be the best choice for investment,” explained Canna Advisors Founding Partner Diane Czarkowski. “It really was a hard call to make. And, there’s always a chance that our paths will cross with the other finalists for investment as their businesses get farther along in development. Each team was strong and we were delighted to get to know each member of the team and provide introductions and insights that can help them take their next steps toward licensing and bringing their vision to life.”

What’s Next

The Pitch Deck prize includes a sizeable investment and invaluable consulting services to help Cherish and her business partner and spouse Dwayne take their next steps. The specific investment range between $50,000 and $500,000 will be finalized following the due diligence phase that includes a deeper dive into financial data, use of funds, and real estate review, The consulting prize package has already kicked off with the Canna Advisors team of experts and will include brand development, business planning and financial modeling, and license application services. One element that will be explored is adapting the working name/brand ChiGrow to fit the New York market. 

More Details & Next Rounds

Hear more about the finalist presentations, selecting the winner, and potential next rounds of Pitch Deck in an interview with Lisa Jordan, Canna Advisors VP of Marketing on the Mary Jane Society Podcast by Stuido420.

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