Meet Ashley Hill of Green Light Project in Ladera Heights Area

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Hill.

Ashley, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Post-graduation from Cal State East Bay, working in the industry I earned my degree of concentration in—Hospitality—at a hotel in San Jose CA, I just wasn’t happy. More importantly, my goal was to never be included in the 95% of people who got up every morning, got dressed and prepared to drive to a job they hated or made them miserable. Knowing that made me want more out of life, but I wasn’t really sure what route to take.

While battling myself and what others may think about me, I took a chance on what I thought would be a better opportunity for the short term and applied at a cannabis collective nearby.

Little did I know it would spark a fueled passion and new career field. I never would have imagined that six years later I would have managed and cultivated over 1000 pounds of cannabis, produced a product entered into the High Times Award Cup, co-founded a culinary infused company, and co-authored the cannabis-infused cookbook Smoke from the Pot.

It all started with attending a free grow class that the collective offered. They had a couple of plants growing in a closet in the classroom and week by week would teach you how to grow the plant from seed to smoke. I fell so in love with the value of knowing how to cultivate cannabis in such an emerging market that I would do anything to be around the plants or other growers. I would even trim the plants for free on my breaks.

Soon after that the owner and general manager recognized my passion, interest, and consistency of the cultivating process and I was presented with multiple management opportunities for different indoor facilities. One of these opportunities even offered me the chance to start a couple of my own projects.

I have since taken a break from the cultivation aspect, which is my true first love. But, I still manage to keep my passion burning, while now dabbling in the culinary and fitness side of the cannabis industry.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
“If it were easy, everyone would do it.”

Cannabis consumption and involvement as a career choice has only recently become more widely accepted and sought after. For me, six years ago, having to tell my family that I quit my job and that I started working at a cannabis collective was less than ideal. Thankfully, I am now at a point where I can educate and bring to light the benefits of the plant and assist in breaking the negative stigma society has conditioned them and many others to believe.

Because the cannabis industry is evolving and continuously developing, there is an abundance of opportunities to create. However, because the industry is so new and still federally illegal, there is also a lack of resources and protection when looking to start a legitimate business. This includes, but are not limited to, lack of access to capital, banking basics, health benefits, 401k/retirement plans, etc.; where typical businesses have access to these resources.

In addition, being a young African American woman in a “White male” dominated industry, the odds of ownership and success are not tilted in my favor. Regardless, I have and will continue to achieve phenomenal success to break barriers and stigmas associated with cannabis. I continue to strive, not only for myself but for the many others who look like me too.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Green Light Project story. Tell us more about the business.
Green Light Project is a cannabis-infused company specializing in the creation of cookbooks, infused catering, and events. The idea for our first cookbook came back in December of 2017, during a casual conversation between myself and my kindergarten classmate, and now co-author, Dennis Haynes.

Since then, we have published our first cannabis-infused cookbook, Smoke from the Pot: A Simple Guide to Cooking with Cannabis & 40 Recipes to Create at Home. We have also branched out and started to cater multiple infused dinners/events and hosted our own cannabis tasting events to showcase the recipes from the cookbook. Some of our fan favorites have consisted of the Ganja Guacamole, Smoky Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Fire Buffalo Wings, Medicated Mac & Cheese, and Super Sweet Potato Pie.

As a company, we are most proud of being able to create our own lane and dominate in it. Creating events that allow us to educate and expose people to a healthier alternative of consumption is something we value. What sets us apart is that we are not just trying to get people extremely faded, or throw parties with food you experience just once. We are intentional about providing a tool that can teach you how to create your own infusion, educate you about dosage, and provide simple recipes to enjoy at home.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
None, I don’t believe in luck. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. Positive or negative there is always an opportunity to learn and grow. My faith in God, along with hard work, sacrifice, and cultivating a mentality of problem-solving and execution is the reason I am where I am today. You are either prepared for the opportunity when it arrives or you are not. In life and business, it can take time to get to where you want to be, but if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.

Pricing:

• Cookbook: “Smoke from the Pot: A Simple Guide to Cooking With Cannabis” $24.99

Contact Info:

• Website: SmokefromthePot.com
• Phone: 562-253-1334
• Email: smokefromthepot@gmail.com
• Instagram: @smokefromthepot
• Facebook: @smokefromthepot

Image Credit:
Cevana Palmer, James Baxter, Morgan Hirzel

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.