I Am Sirita Wright, a Cannabis Entrepreneur and This Is How I Work.
Sirita Wright is on a mission. Cannabis laws are changing rapidly, which means entrepreneurs are turning their attention to a booming industry. However, the majority of cannabis business owners are now white – the fact that Sirita wants to help change. Through their media company EstroHaze, Sirita and her co-founders are offering women of color the opportunity to learn about the many lifestyle and business opportunities that the cannabis industry has to offer. As she said in an interview with NBC , “I’m not sorry. Cannabis saves lives, creates jobs and [is] a tremendous opportunity for people of color to gain intergenerational well-being. ” This is how it works.
Name: Sirita Wright
Location: Brooklyn, New York.
Current Position : Co-Founder & Marketing Director, EstroHaze | Marketing Strategist | Actor
Current computer: MacBook Air and iMAC
Current mobile device: iPhone X
One word that best describes how you work: charged.
First of all, tell us a little about your past and how you got where you are now.
I moved to New York in 2005 when I was completing my undergraduate studies at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. I studied fashion merchandising and moved to New York to do an internship in the fashion department at VIBE magazine. After completing internships and working in various positions in the fashion industry, as well as after the financial collapse in 2008, I changed and took up acting, working as a freelancer on social media. In 2014, I became Social Media Manager at Black Enterprise . There I met my co-founders Cali Wilder and Safon Floyd, and we started a cannabis-themed podcast called EstroHaze .
At the end of 2016, we applied for a seed stage cannabis accelerator called Canopy Boulder. We are spring 2017 cohort alumni and EstroHaze is a full-fledged media company and consulting agency creating cannabis and lifestyle content with women of color.
Tell us about a recent work day.
Last Tuesday, after waking up and completing my morning routine (brushing my teeth, washing my face, bathing / dressing, walking my dog, drinking water, drinking coffee), I looked through my emails and calendar for the day and prepared to meet a colleague. founder of Safon for a partner meeting in the city. On our way to the meeting, I received a call from one of the casting agencies I work with to confirm that the next day I can work as a stunt double for the photo. After meeting, we headed downtown to visit Come Back Daily, an amazing CBD shop / coworking space in Tribeca. After that, we returned to Brooklyn to call our co-founder and CEO Cali to talk about our meeting and discuss the next steps. From there snacks and tea and then I headed home – it’s about a six minute walk from Safon’s. I walked the dog and then checked for emails that might need my attention. I checked our social media profiles to make sure there weren’t any comments to look at, checked my calendar for the next day, made any changes, and started the minimizing procedure.
What apps, gadgets or tools, besides your phone, can’t you live without?
I can’t live without backup phone chargers, marketing books and podcasts like Neil Patel and Eric Su’s School of Marketing, my FENTY Beauty lip gloss, and my (partner) vape PuffCo Peak.
How is your workplace arranged?
The wall in front of my desk is my wall of inspiration, full of trendy photographs, a physical calendar, moving words and other images that inspire me and make me smile as I walk into my office. I spent a lot of time there, so it should give me a great feeling. I use folders and clipboards to keep my projects separate, file folders for financial and personal files, and stacks of coloring books, including one unauthorized Drake book.
How have changed cannabis laws affect your business?
They allowed us to have more open conversations about cannabis propaganda and how cannabis and wellness go hand in hand. As the discussion becomes more popular, [we can] help overcome the stigma surrounding cannabis and the people who use the plant, especially communities that have been stigmatized. This allows us to talk about social justice and find ways to repair the damage caused by the war on drugs.
Who are the people who help you achieve results, and how do you rely on them?
My co-founders are amazing women who are so cool and can do shit. When we get into the flow and begin to bring our ideas to life, our business thrives. We continue to learn, grow and develop when needed. Entrepreneurship is not an easy task and you need a strong team around you; my co-founders and I not only worked together before, we lived together and we really had to dig deep to lay the foundation for our business.
How do you keep track of what you need to do?
I put on tools to help me stay on track. I have weekly and monthly Trello boards and all my calendars sync to one main calendar. I set my schedule weekly and look at my calendar daily. I believe in time lock, group tasks and use tools enhance productivity, such as the extension of the chrome the Pomodoro .
How to recharge or relax?
I really enjoy being in nature. Maybe it’s because I’m a Girl Scout or a Virgo, but there’s something about a park or a walk that helps me recharge. One of my favorite places to visit is the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. I think this is a magical place. Everyone there is happy and smiling. Children are playing, everyone is learning about plants, the energy circulating in space is really special and it doesn’t feel like you are in New York.
What’s your favorite side project?
My favorite side project right now is my Savage Media marketing podcast. This is really smart marketing for entrepreneurs and creatives. The tactics and strategies I have provided can be implemented quickly and produce quick results, helping you understand and optimize your overall marketing efforts.
What are you reading now or what do you recommend?
I am currently reading Seth Godin’s Goat Marketing and rereading Value in the Valley by Iyanla Vanzant.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Make it cute or turn off the sound.