How a Jewish Business School Drop-Out Created a Marijuana Empire

It’s just an ordinary afternoon at Weedmaps headquarters, and Justin Hartfield, the company’s clean-cut CEO, is waiting for another potential investor to arrive.

Hartfield is 31 and boyish with black glasses, close-cropped dark hair and an easy smile. He could be a management consultant or a CPA if he weren’t sitting in his office in a black leather armchair, wearing khaki shorts and bright turquoise flip-flops.

He is drinking a porter beer from a custom-made tankard, and as he explains more about today’s billionaire visitor, the dark liquid empties to reveal the head of a bright-green alien poking up from the glass.

Hartfield says VIP guests are a regular occurrence these days, as politicians, venture capitalists, private equity types and entrepreneurs drop by to kick the tires on the cannabis industry, which in California alone was estimated last year to be worth about $1.2 billion.

Hartfield launched Weedmaps in 2007...

Rate this article: 
Region: 

This marijuana news is brought to you by 420 Intel. For the latest breaking cannabis industry news, subscribe to the 420 Intel newsletter. If you'd like to promote your product or service in this area after every article, contact us.