Life and Work with Patty Roe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Patty Roe.

Patty, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Before co-founding Pink Sesh Society, I co-founded a marketing firm that grew to over $4M in annual revenues, spent eight years in Washington, D.C. serving as Chief of Staff to two members of Congress and a decade in the securities industry marketing global investment products to institutional clients, working in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and San Diego. In 2015, I was nominated one of San Diego Magazine’s “Women of Year.” In 2016, I decided to follow a long lost dream and enter the cannabis industry.

Originally, a neighbor friend and I applied for a dispensary license. During the licensing process we ran a medical cannabis delivery, which collected four hundred patients, eighty percent of which were women. After nine months we withdrew our application due to zoning issues. We also closed the delivery.

Soon after, Pink Haze and Pink Sesh Society were formed to provide a community for modern like-minded women in a very testosterone-heavy industry. This society generally enjoys cannabis over martinis.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Like all good things, it’s been a struggle along the way. Everything takes longer than you think. In an industry that is still being defined, it’s a challenge to navigate changing regulations. We’ve scrapped expensive projects we’ve spent a lot of time on due to amended regulations and laws. The cannabis industry is an entrepreneurial maze right now.

Other challenges include dealing with people in the cannabis industry that are in their own start-up situation. It’s a domino effect. We need something quickly but have to wait for a start-up company who is waiting for another start-up company and so on.

My advice to anyone starting in any new business endeavor is to do your research. Decide what your best roadmap is and focus focus focus. Don’t get distracted by shiny objects. I’ve watched a few people go through more than five business start-ups in one year. It seems fun and exciting but by the end of you have exactly what you started with. If you stay the course even on the days that you want to jump off a building, you will start to see something develop before your eyes.

Please tell us about Pink Sesh Society.
Pink Sesh Society (PSS) started on the basis of women gathering monthly to create content for Instagram for our various businesses, but it turned into much more. We found a community of women who hadn’t found their “tribe”. These women are moms, wives, executives, entrepreneurs, cannabis industry businesses, bosses, nurses, and everything in between. From the early twenties to sixties, the more mature members learn from the younger members and vice versa.

PSS gathers at least once a month for a private invite-only get-together. Sometimes, it’s as simple as a lunch reception and other times it’s more involved like yoga, meditation, and journaling. PSS practices love and acceptance for each other and through that comes laughter, fun, and contentment.

PSS women are involved in more than monthly meetings. We have group outings to many events around town supporting the local community. PSS has become known and is often invited to participate in special events because when there is one Pink Sesh woman there is usually a handful or more to follow.

Lastly, Pink Sesh Society gives back and started to do that by raising money for special causes such as breast cancer, hunger, and homelessness. Perhaps Pink Sesh Society will be the modern Junior League.

The Pink Sesh Society pledge: Together as the Pink Sesh Society, we pledge to live exceptionally, accept no judgment, be our beautiful selves, live by our own rules, and empower ourselves to empower others.

Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
I read a lot of articles about “women in weed”. The articles that come out today celebrate the same women as three years ago. I’m hopeful these women have good public relation teams rather than the industry not continuing to advance executive women.

Women in cannabis have fought for their fair share of the industry and while many are successful, it’s tough in general being involved in testosterone-dominated industries. I’m not sure what the barriers are to women though. I don’t focus on that. I spend a good amount of time with female leaders in the industry and, like any industry, it takes time and perseverance.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pinksesh.com
• Instagram: @thepinksesh
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepinksesh

Image Credit:
Patrick Kilcoyne, Five Wand Studio, Leighlani Wiglitton

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