How did Wana Brands build the largest footprint of all Cannabis brands in North America?

DeepRoots is a free, monthly, webcast series featuring some of the foremost operators and brands in the Cannabis Industry. This collaborative venture between CBE & Ott Growth Advisors provides best practices and strategic insights for cannabis brands and operators to position their businesses for market expansion and growth.

About This Event:

Wana Brands CMO, Joe Hodas, joins DeepRoots to share how Wana has built  the largest multi-state brand footprint in the US and in Canada. Wana Brands was one of the very first brands to expand outside of their core Colorado market dating back to 2015.

Fast forward eight years later and Wana branded products can be found in fifteen states, Puerto Rico and nine Canadian provinces. The company has implemented a number of different approaches since their inception and Joe will discuss the evolution of the expansion strategy and how they have proven their model over the last eight years of development. Hear from Joe whose experience and know-how has helped guide Wana to the number one position of multi-state brands.

Our Guest: Joe Hodas, Chief Marketing Officer of Wana Brands

Joe Hodas serves as Chief Marketing Officer for Wana Brands, where he is responsible for generating revenue by creating innovative and refined marketing campaigns for the organization while helping to grow Wana’s brand, market share and customer loyalty. Since joining Wana in 2020, Hodas has been on the team that launched new innovative lines–including Quick, Optimals and Live Rosin Gummies–while expanding Wana’s North American footprint to become a top international cannabis brand. An early professional marketer in the cannabis industry, Hodas drove the marketing strategy for Dixie Elixirs as its first CMO, helping build it into one of the most recognized national marijuana brands. Prior to joining Wana, Hodas was CEO at Gofire, an innovator of hardware and software IP designed to change the face of plant-based medicine and mainstream healthcare. As CEO, he guided Gofire’s marketing, product development, software and sales, helping to bring the company’s first metered-dose inhaler to market, while developing the company’s next-generation products intended to redefine how mainstream medicine could be delivered and monitored for adherence and efficacy. Previously, Hodas served as COO for General Cannabis Corporation, a publicly-traded company consisting of several ancillary businesses. Hodas’ experience also includes positions as Sr. Director of Corporate Communications for Frontier Airlines, as well as agency experience at Vladimir Jones where he was a partner and Ogilvy Public Relations. Hodas has also taught as an adjunct marketing professor at the University of Denver Daniels College of Business. He graduated from the University of Denver, receiving his master’s degree in mass communications and public relations after earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas. Hodas serves on the Boards of organizations including Colorado Leads, Volunteers of America and The Global Livingston Institute.

DeepRoots Host: Erik Ott, Founder, Ott Growth Advisors

Erik Ott is the founder of Ott Growth Advisors (OTA), a boutique investment bank specializing in Corporate Development and M&A. Ott serves on the Board of Directors of BGP Acquisitions Corp, a $115m cannabis SPAC trading on the NEO exchange. Before OTA, Ott was a founding partner at KO Acquisitions, Inc. and investment bank specializing in M&A in the State of California.