Grön’s founder and CEO is Christine Smith. Once upon a time, she was an architect. She’s also a mom.
She created Grön in 2015 in her kitchen to empower people to change the way they feel by making world-class cannabis edibles. What started as one dark chocolate bar has since expanded to multiple product lines, available internationally, serving millions of happy customers.
To celebrate women in cannabis on National Women’s Day, we asked Christine a few questions about her journey in hopes that other women will find inspiration from her example.
- What do you love about cannabis?
I fell in love with the plant but realized quickly that I’m not much of a smoker. I was looking for an alternative to alcohol that was microdosed, and I couldn’t find a product like that on the market at the time, so I created one myself!
- What do you wish people knew about Grön as a brand and business? Any exciting announcements?
The first thing to know is that the word Grön means “green” in Swedish, and it’s pronounced “grewn.” We’ve been expanding rapidly to new markets including New Jersey, and we’ll be able to announce other new markets soon!
- Could you share insights for women looking to enter the cannabis industry?
My advice to other women seeking to enter the cannabis industry is to not be afraid to fail, be decisive and take action. Be honest and share your hard-earned wisdom gained from your experiences. Women naturally build and cultivate relationships. Female leaders show up differently than male leaders in terms of building caring connections, mentoring, developing others, and a sincere connection to community. In today’s world, I think this is a real ‘superpower’.
Find a niche in the market that’s something you really love and are truly passionate about, and go for it! Don’t doubt yourself.
- We’d love to hear about your path into the cannabis industry and the key moments that have led you here.
I started this company in 2015 as a side gig, and created the first products in my basement. I took $50k and bought a chocolate tempering machine, leased space, paid for a license and got started. I had one delivery driver who was selling a hard-wrapped chocolate bar to dispensaries out of a shoebox! That was ten years ago before adult use was anywhere in the US…a lifetime ago in cannabis years.
Since then, we’ve focused on growing organically and building a great team that enabled the brand to expand to new states.
- Is there anything else you’d like the community to know?
By focusing on minor cannabinoids, we’ve been able to create products with effects that are appropriate for either daytime or nighttime. Our new Tangelo Pearls use a 2:1:1 ratio of THC to CBC to CBG, and this formulation creates an effect that’s very energizing and uplifting. Our bestselling sleepy Indica product is the Blackberry Lemonade, which combines an equal amount of THC, CBN and CBD, creating very relaxing and soothing effects.
Rest assured, you can feel proud to support an authentic, woman-founded and independently run cannabis company when you buy Grön.
Learn more about Grön founder Christine Smith:
The Dime Podcast: How Grön Sold Millions of Edibles and Disrupted the Market
Forbes Interview: Meet Christine Smith, Former Architect Turned Top Cannabis Edibles CEO