California remains the world’s most important cannabis market. On October 8, 2025, the people shaping its future will gather in Anaheim for IgniteIt’s Market Spotlight: California, a one-day event built for business, connection, and strategy. After selling out its first two Spotlights in 2024, IgniteIt returns with a high-level program designed to deliver clarity in a time of uncertainty.
Get tickets here. Use code HIGHTIMES20 for 20% off.
Why It Matters
California’s cannabis industry has been through cycles of growth, contraction, and reinvention. Market Spotlight puts operators, regulators, investors, and cultural leaders in the same room to address the challenges and opportunities ahead. Panels will explore the impact of federal rescheduling, strategies for staying profitable in a compressed economy, and how brands can expand beyond California without losing authenticity.
“IgniteIt events are the most valuable networking experiences I’ve encountered in cannabis,” said Lauren Carpenter, CEO of Embarc. “The educational discussions provide actionable insights from other operators, and the relationships formed have led to strategic partnerships.”
Speakers Who Define the Market
The lineup features decision-makers from across the industry, including:
- Fiona Ma, Treasurer, State of California
- Rachel Wright, CEO, Verdant Strategies
- Chris Ball, CEO, Ball Family Farms
- Micah Anderson, CEO, LEEF Brands
- Lauren Carpenter, CEO, Embarc
- Ron Gershoni, CEO, Jetty Extracts
- Jun Lee, Co-CEO, Nabis
- Kyle Jaeger, Managing Editor, Marijuana Moment
- Tak Soto, President, Stiiizy
- Casey Ly, Co-CEO, Bloom
- Wes Hein, Co-Founder, Mammoth Distribution
- Angela Pih, Founder, Point Brand
- Los Arias, CEO, Green Horizons
- Dana Cisneros, Attorney, Cannabis Corporate Law Firm
- Annie Fleshman, VP of Marketing, Flowhub
- Tiffany Richardson, Cannabis Managing Partner, Crowe LLP
- Joseph Lustberg, CEO, Upwise Capital
- Meilad Rafiei, CEO, WeCann
- Dennis O’Malley, Founder, Echtrai Corp
- Steven Ernest, Director, Chicago Atlantic
- Hirsh Jain, Founder, Ananda Strategy
- Genine Coleman, Executive Director, Origins Council
High Times in the House!
High Times will play a key role at Market Spotlight, serving as an official media partner and bringing the conversations in Anaheim to a global audience.
Javier Hasse, Editor-in-Chief of High Times, will MC the program, guiding discussions throughout the day and framing the key moments that matter most for operators, investors, and the broader cannabis community.
High Times leadership will also take the stage in two of the event’s most anticipated sessions:
Exclusive Fireside Discussion: Department of California Cannabis Control
A rare sit-down with state regulators to talk about oversight, compliance, and the path forward for California’s industry.
- Christina Dempsey, California Department of Cannabis Control
- Matt Stang, Partner, High Times
Selling Your Product Without Selling Your Soul: Authenticity, Culture & Profit in Cannabis
In a market where consumer trust is everything, culture is the real currency. This panel brings together some of cannabis’ most influential creators and brand builders to explore how staying true to your voice can drive real revenue.
- Thomas “Dope As Yola” Araujo, Push Trees
- Lance, First Smoke of the Day
- Josh Kesselman, RAW & High Times
- Lance Lambert, Grove Bags
- Jared Mirsky, Wick & Mortar
By leading conversations on both regulation and culture, High Times will ensure that the perspectives shaping California cannabis today reach our readers and the global cannabis audience tomorrow.
The Agenda
The full-day program blends panels, fireside chats, and case studies. Highlights include:
- Profit by the Pallet: Building smarter supply chains with data
- Second Chance at 15%: Navigating California’s tax reset
- Quiet Momentum: Can standout operators reignite investor confidence
- Rooted and Rising: Expanding beyond California while staying true to your brand
- The Strategic Reset: Receiverships, asset realignment, and distressed business strategies
- Selling Your Product Without Selling Your Soul: How authenticity and culture drive lasting brands
The day ends with a cocktail reception and private Buyers’ Dinner, giving attendees space to turn ideas into action.
A Room That Matters
Market Spotlight is not a trade show. It is a concentrated gathering of operators, investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs who are directly shaping the state’s cannabis landscape. For California, where every policy shift and business decision reverberates across the global market, this event offers a rare chance to connect with the people moving the industry forward.
Full details, speaker lineup, and registration are available at www.cannabismarketspotlight.com.
