Tag Archives: trade show

January 4, 2022

Emerald Holding Acquires MJBiz for $120 Million

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff

In a press release sent out today, Emerald Holding, Inc. announced they have completed their acquisition of MJBiz for $120 million.

Emerald Holding, Inc. is a large, publicly traded business-to-business events producer and content conglomerate with a number of publications and events in industries like design, equipment, retail, safety & security and technology. Founded in 2013, the company has become a leading operator of B2B trade shows in the US, with their largest shareholder being the Toronto-based investment group called Onex Corporation.

MJBiz, founded in 2011, is known in the cannabis industry for their content platform, MJBizDaily, as well as the world’s largest cannabis trade show, MJBizCon.

As part of the agreement to acquire MJBiz, Emerald Holding will retain senior management in the company for day-to-day operations. The agreement also includes the potential for future payments, depending on the company’s performance through the end of this year.

Hervé Sedky, President and CEO of Emerald Holding, says they have been big fans of the MJBiz brand for a long time. “We have long admired MJBiz’s sterling reputation for being the most trusted event and content producer serving the business side of the cannabis and hemp industries and their respective participants,” says Sedky. “This is a transformational acquisition for Emerald as it represents an important next step in the implementation of our strategic initiatives and underscores our commitment to evolve and grow our customers’ businesses 365 days a year.”

The two founders of MJBiz, Cassandra Farrington and Anne Holland, will stay on with the company in a consulting capacity. According to Farrington, who is also chair of the MJBiz Board, says they went with Emerald because they value the company’s uniqueness. “Our organization has experienced massive growth since its inception, initially as a how-to resource to help dispensary owners run their businesses better, into our position today as the leading commercial resource for the cannabis sector,” says Farrington. “Integrating with a larger organization provides the additional resources and channels to unlock the next phase of MJBiz’s growth and is the right next step in our evolution as a business.”

June 3, 2020

Cannabis Quality Conference & Expo Goes Virtual

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff

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The prospect of large events with 50 or more people in Illinois taking place in 2020 seems highly unlikely. Illinois released a plan called Restore Illinois that consists of five phases for reopening the economy. Illinois entered into Phase 2 in early May; it is not until Phase 5 that gatherings of 50 or more people are allowed, and only if there is a vaccine, or a highly effective treatment that is widely is available, or the elimination of new cases over a sustained period of time.

Regardless of federal and state guidance, we feel it would be irresponsible and premature to host a large gathering of people in a confined meeting space this year. That is why, instead of a three-day, in-person event, we will host a series of webcasts over the course of eight weeks in the Fall.

Every Tuesday, starting on September 8 and through Election Day, we will host two presentations and two Tech Talks, followed by a panel discussion. The Cannabis Quality Virtual Conference Series will culminate with a post-election analysis to take place November 10.

This will still be an interactive virtual conference, where attendees can ask questions and get in touch with speakers. We look forward to seeing everyone virtually there.

We are now accepting abstract submissions for the Cannabis Quality Virtual Conference Series. Below you’ll find a list of topic areas we are looking for abstract submissions on:

Government Policy, Reform & Legalization Efforts
This will still be an interactive virtual conference, where attendees can ask questions and get in touch with speakers.
State Regulations, Licensing & Requirements
USDA Hemp Programs
Laboratory Testing
Quality & Safety in Manufacturing
Cultivation Best Practices
Marketing, Branding & Communications
Legal, Insurance & Data Analysis
Extraction & Infused Products Best Practices
Standards, Certifications & Accreditations
International Market Analysis

If you’d like to submit an abstract, click here. If you’re interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact RJ Palermo at Rj@innovativepublishing.net. If you’re planning on attending, stay tuned for announcements to come when registration opens.

We will continue to monitor the situation, but in 2021 we are planning on bringing this event back to Illinois for a face-to-face conference. Until then, we look forward to joining everyone virtually.

August 6, 2018

Soapbox

Getting Higher Results at Cannabis Trade Shows

By Ken Epstein

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Two weeks ago, the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) hosted the Cannabis Summit and Expo in San Jose, California. At the opening keynote, NCIA leaders spoke to the explosive growth in the cannabis industry to a sold-out audience of more than 7,500 attendees and more than 400 exhibitors. Five years ago, NCIA hosted its first trade show and barely had 1,000 people show up.

When you design your booth think about the key graphic elements that will allow you to visually claim your spaceIf you’re in the cannabis industry, you know that trade shows have become a critical part of the industry with events happening all year long and all over the country. You also know that trade show environments are tough. Leaving a lasting impression and gaining more than your fair share of contacts and leads isn’t easy. Here are a few tips to help you raise your trade show game:

Set Objectives

Start with the basic questions- why are you exhibiting at this trade show and what does success look like when it is over? Be as specific as possible. The clearer you are on what you want to achieve, the more effective you can be in preparing for the show and designing your booth. Or based on your objectives, do you need a booth at the show or is there another sponsorship, event or activity that can accomplish what you need?

Getting your brand to stand out on a crowded expo floor can be tough

Plan Ahead

The earlier you book and plan for the show the better your chances for securing premium locations in the exhibit hall. More time allows you to avoid rush fees and get to a booth design that will support your objectives. If you want to generate quality leads perhaps having some cocktail tables where you can have a meeting with a prospect or visiting customer would be a valuable addition to the booth. If you want to collect email addresses showcasing a game or raffle could attract people into the booth and provide a means for data capture. Most importantly, figure out how to have meaningful interaction with potential customers not just collect cards.

Graphics Matter

Many of the booths in San Jose last week looked pretty dismal. Company names or logos were hard to find or read. Understanding the product and services offered or the point of differentiation was often unclear. When you design your booth think about the key graphic elements that will allow you to visually claim your space; make sure people walking by or up to the booth can actually see them! A simple animation of your logo, tagline and relevant imagery on a quick loop could help separate you from the pack. When you commit to exhibiting, your budget should include the cost of the sponsorship plus enough funds to create a booth experience and graphics that are a strong representation of your brand.

Scenes from the expo floor at the Cannabis Business Summit

Beyond the Booth

Many trade shows offer other sponsorship opportunities in addition to or instead of exhibitor space such as opportunities for visibility in programs, social media, attendee bags or on-site displays as well as special branding at receptions or premium booth space. These can be great ways to stand out from other show sponsors if activated and leveraged effectively. But, before spending money on any sponsorship, go back to your objectives and determine if the execution will get the results you need.

Follow Up

Be prepared to quickly follow up with everyone you met at the show. Capitalize on all the excitement coming out of the show by being in position to immediately communicate with them not waiting months and months for the next touchpoint. Having your follow up plan in place before the show will allow you to more effectively turn a trade show attendee into an actual customer.

If you spend time thinking through your trade show plans, you can put your company in a position to walk away from the next trade show a winner.

Ken Epstein is a partner and brand strategist at WYD, a marketing accelerator for trailblazers in the cannabis industry interested in rapid growth and branding. He has built a career in connecting brands with powerful ideas and has deep experience in advertising, branding, social media and public relations. Ken can be reached at ken@wyd.agency.

February 7, 2018

RJ Palermo Joins Innovative Publishing Company Team

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff

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RJ Palermo has joined Innovative Publishing Co. (IPC) as Director of Sales – Events. In this newly created position at IPC, RJ will be managing the business development activities of the company’s food safety medical device and cannabis industries, working on both conference sponsorships and booth sales.

RJ will work side by side with Marc Spector, Director of Sales – Publishing. Marc had been responsible for all events and publishing sales, as well as for the year-after-year growth in these areas. The addition of RJ to the IPC team will support the company’s growth in sponsorship and exhibit sales, and allows Marc to continue supporting growth in digital advertising sales across all three of IPC’s digital publications, Food Safety Tech, MedTech Intelligence and Cannabis Industry Journal.

For many of IPC’s customers who leverage IPC’s unique position of conference sponsorships and digital advertising, they will be serviced in tandem by Marc and RJ.

“We saw a 25% growth in total revenue in 2017 and see tremendous growth potential in the three industries that we serve. Bringing RJ onto the team provides us the bandwidth to capitalize on the opportunities facing us,” said Rick Biros, president and co-founder of IPC. “Plus, RJ’s years of B2B conference and trade show management experience complements the IPC team’s current skill sets.”

RJ has more than 20 years of media, conference and agency experience. He was most recently a biopharmaceutical equipment contributor for the Pharma’s Almanac publication, and delivered several branding and research projects for pharmaceutical and medical device contract manufacturers. For 17 years RJ served as vice president of Interphex, the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing event in North America and was a key contributor of a successful launch of Medical Device Puerto Rico, which created the largest life sciences event in the Caribbean. RJ is an avid NY sports fan, and enjoys working out and spending time with his family and friends. RJ is married to his wife Beth, has a daughter Nora and dog Beau, and resides in Norwalk, CT.