Building the leading Mid-Western craft cannabis retail brand & portfolio.
Pleasantrees is one of the original vertically integrated operators in Michigan and had just expanded to Massachusetts in Q4, 2021. As CMO after a period of initial insights gathering, I created a plan with two main objectives, firstly to expand the retail business through opening new stores, customer acquisition, and retention. Secondly, to grow the wholesale portfolio through a “good, better, best” approach. To assist in the implementation, the marketing team was re-structured with accountability for revenue and provided with KPIs to clarify expectations, roles and responsibilities. Data and analytics are at the core to the plan with regular sessions on results, including KPIs, CAC, ROAS, lessons learned, and industry best practices. 4 new REC/21+ storefronts were opened in 2022. Pleasantrees was named one of the top 5 brands to watch in Michigan by BDSA in May 2022. It was also #3 Hottest Cannabis brand in the US, in the Pioneer Heat Index. The portfolio of brands is the leading craft cannabis portfolio in Michigan and includes Pleasantrees (#1 solventless brand), Gud Nuff (top value brand) 8th by White Boy Rick (leading social equity brand), Clout King/Terdz (#1 hype brand).
Ranked third brand on the Pioneer Index
Fatty Cakes, new strain drop and partnership with Rose’s Cake Shop
Portfolio of Good, Better, Best brands
Social Equity Brand
Pleasantrees East Lansing Store, Michigan
Clout King’s Terdz - Hype Brand
““I had the pleasure of working with Jim for roughly a year during his time as Pleasantrees’ fractional CMO. Jim brought an incredibly useful perspective to the company’s marketing strategies and campaigns. His ability to understand the behaviors of a given sub-set of cannabis consumers and then develop catered strategies based upon that understanding is invaluable in a rapidly expanding and highly competitive market. Aside from all that, Jim is a really cool dude. I thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent together. If you get to work with Jim, and/or be his friend, consider yourself lucky.””