12:30 PM – Marketing

Speaker: Brittany Ruth & Jason Paredes

Topic: “Brands & Marketing That Matter:”

In a crowded market, your brand can be the most powerful asset you own. It creates trust, differentiation, and loyalty, turning first-time shoppers into lifelong advocates.

·       What makes a strong brand identity and why is it essential?

·       How can new licensees uncover and articulate their unique brand story from day one?

·       Which community partnerships have you found most effective for building local credibility? Are there unique opportunities you see for strategies like this in MD?

·       How do you balance regulatory compliance with creative marketing tactics? Do you have any examples from your experience?

·       Branding should be measures, what key metrics should operators monitor to assess brand health and growth? 

1:20 PM – Leadership: From Maryland to Multi-State, Retail to Vertical

Speaker: Kalpesh “Kal” Shah (Summit Wellness Dispensary, Catonsville)

Summary: Growing from a single Maryland shop into multi-state operations, and evolving from retail to vertical integration. This requires key leadership lessons, operational pivots, funding strategies, and culture-building tips for sustainable scale.

·       What was the single biggest operational pivot you made moving from your first shop to a scalable business model?

·       What advice do you have for licensees seeking capital in today’s market (timing, capital stack, investor fit)?

·       What cultural principles and management practices did you establish to ensure consistency and quality as you grew your operations?

2:10 PM – OGs & Future

Speakers: Brandon (BLVCK MRKT) & Tracey (Peake ReLeaf)

Topic: “Honoring Our Roots, Shaping Tomorrow”

Join founders from BLVCK MRKT and Peake ReLeaf as they bridge Maryland’s cannabis legacy with its next generation, discussing mentorship, product innovation, and how social equity entrepreneurs can carry forward the industry’s pioneering spirit.

·       How have your founding values influenced the product innovations you’re pursuing today?

·       In what ways can established operators mentor social equity entrepreneurs to accelerate Maryland’s next generation of leaders?

·       What product or business model trends do you see as the future “hallmarks” of Maryland-grown cannabis?

3:00 PM – Medical Program with Adult-Use Benefits

Speakers: Tabatha Robinson (MCA) & Rahsaan Peake (OSE)

Topic: “Synergies Between Maryland’s Medical & Adult-Use Markets”

In this fireside, we'll unpack how Maryland’s medical program adds value and dovetails with adult-use legalization. Covering recent policy updates, patient care enhancements, and social equity initiatives that open new doors for all licensees.

·       Which recent policy change has most improved patient access, and how can adult-use operators leverage those learnings?

·       What/Are there social equity initiatives we can merge from the medical and adult-use programs, that licensees should support or emulate?

·       How can medical-focused growers adapt their product lines to succeed in the adult-use market without losing their core patient base?

3:50 PM – Tech

Speaker: Colin Fraser (Upling) and Ed Kelenchuk (Sweed POS)

Topic: “The Future of Cannabis Retail”

Dive into the technologies driving Maryland’s cannabis future and learn how to leverage them for strategic advantage and scalable growth. Walk away with practical frameworks for selecting the right tools, integrating them into your business, and using technology as a catalyst for long-term success.

·       What data actually moves the needle for a dispensary/brand today, and how do you turn it into pricing, inventory, and marketing decisions at the counter and online?

·       If tech is doing its job, what workflows does it simplify for staff and customers, and what’s one tool or feature that visibly boosted conversion or basket size?

·       Over the next 12–24 months, which shifts (AI personalization, compliant messaging, payments/fintech, true omnichannel) will reshape cannabis retail, and how should operators prepare now?