>>>
>>> CANNABIS HAS SECURED ITS PLACE AS A MAJOR INDUSTRY IN
OREGON.
OREGON.
OREGON. FOR A LONG TIME, THE NUMBER OF
WOMEN EXECUTIVES WAS WAY ABOVE
AVERAGE.
AVERAGE.
AVERAGE. >> BUT AS POT GETS MORE AND
MORE MAINSTREAM, THOSE NUMBERS
HAVE STARTED TO FALL,
SIGNIFICANTLY.
SIGNIFICANTLY. MORGAN ROMERO IS HERE WITH A
POSSIBLE LOOK AT WHY, AND WHAT
IS MAYBE BEING DONE TO FLIP
THIS TREND.
THIS TREND. >> A LOT OF CANNABIS BUSINESSES
ESPECIALLY HERE IN OREGON ARE
MAKING A CONCERTED EFFORT TO
FOCUS ON WOMEN AS EMPLOYEES,
AND AS CONSUMERS.
YET THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN
LEADERSHIP IS FALLING.
AT THE ROOT ARE TRADITIONAL
BUSINESS STRUCTURES.
BUSINESS STRUCTURES. ONE PORTLAND BASED PROGRAM IS
DEDICATED TO ENSURING WOMEN
LOCKDOWN THE DOLLARS THEY NEED.
>> Reporter: CARRIE COLEMAN
COFOUNDED TOPICAL AND EDIBLE
COMPANY LEAF GOODS IN 2014.
>> YOU CAN INVENT THE WAY THAT
YOU WANT TO OPERATE, IN MANY
WAYS.
WAYS.
WAYS. >>
WAYS. >> Reporter: TODAY THEY'RE
POISED FOR EVEN MORE SUCCESS.
>> OUR LEAF GOODS CHOCOLATE
BARS.
BARS.
BARS. >>
BARS. >> WE ARE PREPARING TO PITCH TO
VERY MUCHERS.
VERY MUCHERS. >> Reporter: BARBARY HERBAL
BLENDS IS EXPANDING THIS YEAR.
>> HI, HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY?
>> Reporter: AS IS HOME GROWN
DISPENSARY, OWNED BY JILL AND
ALICIA SMITH.
ALICIA SMITH. >> I THINK THERE IS STILL
PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY, I THINK
ANY INDUSTRY THAT'S VERY
CREATIVE, I THINK YOU'RE GOING
TO GET A LOT OF WOMEN
INTERESTED.
INTERESTED. >> YEAH, IT'S WONDERFUL.
>> Reporter: THESE ARE SOME OF
THE WOMEN WHO MAKE UP THE
EVOLVING FACE OF CANNABIS.
>> IT'S AMAZING THAT WOMEN HAVE
AN ACTUAL OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN
ON THE GROUND LEVEL AND HAVE
EQUITY IN COMPANIES.
>> Reporter: GENDER PARITY IS
NOT THE REALITY.
WHEN MARIJUANA FIRST BECAME
LEGAL, MEDICALLY IN A FEW
STATES, EQUITY WAS IN REACH.
FAST FORWARD TO 2019.
>> THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY,
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY BARRIERS
WOMEN STILL FACE.
>> Reporter: THE GRASSY
LANDSCAPE LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN
IT ONCE DID.
A MARIJUANA BUSINESS DAILY
SURVEY FOUND IN 2015, ABOUT 36%
OF EXECUTIVES IN CANNABIS WERE
WOMEN.
WOMEN.
WOMEN. BUT THAT DROPPED DOWN TO 27% IN
2017.
2017.
2017. A
2017. A MAKEUP SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN
THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 23%.
>> WHAT HAPPENS TO WOMEN IS
WHAT HAPPENS TO WOMEN IN EVERY
SPACE.
SPACE.
SPACE. IS
SPACE. IS THAT WE GET PUSHED OUT.
>> A FEW FACTORS ARE AT PLAY.
RISING SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE OF
WEED AND HEMP COMES MAINSTREAM
MONEY.
MONEY.
MONEY. >>
MONEY. >> NOW WE HAVE A MULTIBILLION
DOLLAR COMPANIES.
DOLLAR COMPANIES. WE HAVE COMPANIES THAT ARE
PUBLICLY TRADED.
PUBLICLY TRADED. WHAT WE'RE REALLY SEEING IS
THOSE COMPANIES ARE GROWING
WITHOUT FEMALE LEADERSHIP.
>> Reporter: NEW BUSINESSES AND
MARKETS ARE RUSHING TO DOMINATE
A SATURATED FIELD.
COMPETITION IS FIERCE.
>> I THINK THINGS ARE JUST
GETTING BRUTALLY HARD.
HARDER.
HARDER.
HARDER. AND IT'S JUST MAKING A DECISION
IF YOU WANT TO LIVE THIS KIND
OF LIFE, OR IF YOU DO NOT WANT
TO LIVE THIS KIND OF LIFE.
>> WE'RE IN THE PROCESS.
>> Reporter: SINCE IT'S NOT
LEGAL FEDERALLY, MOST CANNABIS
BUSINESS OWNERS CANNOT GET
TRADITIONAL BUSINESS LOANS.
SO THEY'RE RACING TO LOCK IN
CAPITAL DOLLARS, CONTROLLED
PREDOMINANTLY BY MEN.
FEMALE FOUNDERS ACROSS THE
BOARD ONLY GOT 2% OF VC DOLLARS
IN 2017.
IN 2017.
IN 2017. JUST BARELY UP FROM THE YEAR
BEFORE.
BEFORE.
BEFORE. WOMEN IN CANNABIS FEEL THOSE
TRADITIONAL STRUCTURES ARE NOW
SEEPING INTO THIS SPACE.
>> WE KNOW THAT MEN FUND OTHER
MEN.
MEN.
MEN. >>
MEN. >> Reporter: PAIR THAT WITH A
FIELD MEN ARE CLAMORING TO JUMP
INTO.
INTO.
INTO. >>
INTO. >> YOU SEE HOW WOMEN ARE
STRUGGLING TO GET FUNDED.
>> Reporter: AMY IS WORKING TO
FIX THAT.
FIX THAT.
FIX THAT. SHE KICK STARTED THE
INITIATIVE.
INITIATIVE. AN ACCELERATOR PROGRAM.
>> WE TAKE FEMALE FOUNDED
COMPANIES THAT ARE ALREADY IN
EXISTENCE.
EXISTENCE. WE BRING THEM ON FOR 12 WEEKS.
WE HELP SUPPORT THEM, AND THEN
WE HELP THEM FIND FUNDING AT
THE END OF THE PROGRAM.
>> GOING INTO A WEED EVENT.
>> Reporter: SHE'S HOPEFUL
PROGRAMS LIKE THIS WILL HIM
WOMEN STAND AT THE FOREFRONT,
SO COMPANIES IN THE INCUBATOR,
LIKE LEAF GOODS AND BARBERRY.
>> IT'S GETTING ATTENTION.
>> EVENTUALLY, WE'RE GOING TO
SEE A VALUE SHIFT IN THIS
SPACE, AND INSTEAD, WE'RE GOING
TO BE LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE
REVENUE OF THESE COMPANIES, AND
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE KNOW
WOMEN ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL.
>> OH, FOR SURE.
>> Reporter: ONE THING WE
TOUCHED ON THAT WE DIDN'T GET
THE CHANCE TO ELABORATE TOO
MUCH ON THIS STORY, THAT WE DID
IN A FACEBOOK LIVE EARLIER
TODAY IS CONSOLLIZATION.
>> IT FEELS LIKE THE ROOT ISSUE
HERE IS FUNDING.
ONE WOMAN IN THERE SAID MEN
FUND MEN.
FUND MEN.
FUND MEN. WHY IS THAT?
WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR
WOMEN TO GET THE MONEY THEY
NEED TO START THESE BUSINESSES?
>> Reporter: THAT STAT, 2% GOES
TO WOMEN.
TO WOMEN.
TO WOMEN. BUT THE MORE MAINSTREAM THE
MARIJUANA INDUSTRY GETS, THE
MORE IT FOLLOWS A TRADITIONAL
ECONOMIC BUSINESS STRUCTURE, AS
LONG AS MEN DOMINATE VENTURE
CAPITAL, MEN WILL GET MOST OF
THE MONEY, BECAUSE MEN TEND TO
FUND PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THEIR
INNER CIRCLES, WHICH IS
TRADITIONALLY, MORE MEN.
>> EYE OPENING TO SEE HOW THAT
WORKS.
WORKS.
WORKS. HOPEFULLY WE CAN CHANGE THAT
OVER TIME.
OVER TIME. >> Reporter: IT IS HOPEFUL.
THAT'S THE SILVER LINING HERE.
THE INITIATIVE IS KIND OF THAT
SOLUTION, BUT THE WOMEN THAT
I'VE SPOKEN WITH, FOR THIS
STORY, AND EVEN TODAY IN THE
FACEBOOK LIVE SAY IT'S NOT
HOPELESS, SO WOMEN KEEP
FIGHTING.
FIGHTING.
FIGHTING. >> MORGAN, THANK YOU.
>> IF YOU HAVE A STORY FOR OUR
INVESTIGATIVE TEAM TO LOOK
INTO,