Today we’d like to introduce you to JC Coats.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I moved to Las Vegas from Oklahoma City with a few hundred bucks and a dream to become a top event marketer in Sin City. I started working in the nightlife industry in Las Vegas in 2008 as a promoter. This wasn’t glamorous at all. Being a promoter back then meant you literally walked up and down Las Vegas Blvd passing out club flyers and putting groups of girls on your guest list. Looking back on it you could compare the job to doing door to door sales because 90% of the people you talked to would say no. I learned not to take the no’s personal and went on to become a leading promoter opening just about every night club in Vegas including, Vanity, Marquee, Hakkasan, Life night club & more. After working in the nigh life industry for eight years & being laid off from the SLS along with the entire nightlife department I decided id had enough and wanted to do what I originally moved to Vegas for and that was to create my own event concepts.
In 2016, I started a marketing agency called Strip Side Solutions, our main focus was selling services such as social media management & event marketing services to restaurants, bars & cannabis dispensaries. In 2018, I landed my first cannabis client & we were hired to create an event concept for them in effort to drive more sales to their store. The event I created for them was called Culture & Cannabis. The event concept proved to be a hit as the event had close to 900 people in attendance. Right away, I fell in love with the cannabis community and saw so much potential in this particular event concept that I made it a main focus of mine. Fast forward over three years later and my team and I have been able to produce this event on a monthly basis, win awards for the #1 cannabis event in Las Vegas & solidifying our selves as a staple community-driven art, music & cannabis experience in Nevada.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been very fulfilling but it definitely hasn’t come without some major struggles. The stigma is still a real thing and having to navigate all the laws & regulations has been quite the process to say the least. We started Culture & Cannabis before adult-use was passed by Nevada & venues for the most part did not want our event experience at their space. Finding proper venues was always a struggle we have event had our events canceled or even shut down by the city event though we are a 100% compliant event. In fact one of the things we celebrate the most now is the fact that Culture & Cannabis is now held at one of the most coveted event spaces in Las Vegas, The rooftop of the Down Town Grand Hotel & Casino.
Please tell us about Culture & Cannabis Las Vegas.
We now look at our selves as a contemporary media company creating value for cannabis brands & ancillary brands through event experiences & podcasts. Culture & Cannabis is more than just an event. This year we added a monthly speaker event series that gives companies the chance to not only participate as vendors but the chance to tell their brand story through a live talk or as a guest on our podcast.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Some of my favorite memories from childhood in catching crawdads in the creeks next to my house or climbing trees fro mistletoe in December, bagging it up and selling it to my neighbors for 25 cents a bag.
Pricing:
- Vendor booths are just $350 and that get you access to our main event and our speaker event series as a speaker.
Contact Info:
- Website: Cultureandcannabislv.com
- Phone: 7025178242
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultureandcannabislasvegas/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CandCLasVegas/
Image Credit:
Stoner Rob, DJ OG Serg 1200, JC Coats, Asia Jade
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