Since the market is young, traditional barriers to women haven’t been established. Instead of fighting to get a foot in the door, the door is wide open. Nancy Whiteman, co-owner and founder of Colorado-based cannabis company Wana Brands said, “When Colorado really opened up, there were low barriers to entry. It didn’t cost a lot to get a license and there weren’t limitations on the number of licenses.” She also noted that the financial requirements weren’t as stringent back then making the investment more accessible for women. Whiteman has been very successful and Wana Brands’ infused gummies are the best selling edible product in Colorado. She is already in three states with plans to enter several more over the next 18 months.

“I call it breaking the grass ceiling,” said Giadha Aguirre De Carcer, Chief Executive Officer of New Frontier Data. “I came from male dominated industries like banking, tech and government and they were all difficult to navigate career wise.”She said when she used to enter a room for a meeting in the old days, the room was filled with older men in grey suits looking down at an immigrant woman. Now when she enters a meeting, she is recognized as a cannabis entrepreneur. “There is much less resistance,” DeCarcer said.

Diane Czarkowski is the co-founder of Canna Advisors, a cannabis consulting firm and she too has found support within the industry. “Big business is still standing on the sidelines,” she said. Czarkowski thinks that this opens up great opportunity for women to get in on the ground floor. “This is not just a new industry, it’s a new kind of industry. It is rooted in advocacy, community, and diversity.”

She also believes that the industry has the potential to be heavily influenced by women, specifically as it relates to health, helping people, social justice, and natural products, which are all areas that women excel at and are passionate about. For example, Amy Andrle is one half of L’Eagle Services, an all-natural and sustainable recreational dispensary and cultivation facility located in Denver, Colorado that specializes in clean cannabis. She has been championing organic cultivation methods, responsible pesticide use, sustainable business practice, and strict industry compliance.

All these women seem to recognize that the time is ripe to pounce on this new industry. They also expressed concern that as the industry matures and more traditional players enter the market, there could be a shift back to more traditional male business roles. In the meantime, these cannabis ladies are indeed breaking the grass ceiling and changing the look of the executive C-suite.