Jennifer Whetzel

Jennifer Whetzel is elevating the cannabis industry by demystifying the branding process, shining a light on the nuances of the consumer landscape and industry complexity through archetypal storytelling rooted in data, and sharing industry research and insights to drive social change.

Jennifer is a branding expert, medical cannabis patient advocate, community builder, and dynamic voice for inclusion and diversity.

She entered the cannabis industry after more than 25 years in marketing and advertising.

Jennifer got her medical marijuana card the day she moved to Maine in 2017 to help manage symptoms from multiple immune disorders and mental health conditions. A trauma survivor, she found significant symptom relief thanks to medical cannabis and emotional support from community members.

Inspired by her life-changing experiences, Jennifer dedicated herself to using her expertise to elevate small businesses within the cannabis industry.

In 2018, she founded Ladyjane Branding to help make branding accessible for entrepreneurs and startups using a suite of data-driven proprietary tools – providing unparalleled industry, brand and people intelligence to the cannabis industry.

Ladyjane’s custom Archetypes, Brand Archetype Quiz, proprietary Brand Inspiration Model and revolutionary Multiple-choice Brand Identity Builder help companies develop unique brands that lead to deep emotional connections with customers.

With Ladyjane, Jennifer has exhibited at events around the country, published 7 articles, 35 interviews and podcasts, and was invited to speak at over 20 conferences.

She also developed an online course teaching FDA-compliant messaging for CBD and cannabis brands called Sell Joy!

A self-proclaimed data nerd, Jennifer initiated the Women in Cannabis Study in 2019 after noticing the lack of comprehensive data on the topic of women in the industry. She was inspired to study women’s experiences working in cannabis after hearing too many stories and anecdotes about harassment in the industry.

Her goal with the Women in Cannabis Study is to capture these stories, transform the anecdotes into data, and create a living history that will be the foundation for a cannabis industry that is safe, equitable, and just.

In 2020, Jennifer co-founded Independent Diamond Brokers and the Maine Grower’s Marketplace – providing exclusive, B2B networking events to connect licensed Maine medical retailers, craft growers & processors.

To help facilitate wholesale trade connections for the local medical caregiver community between events, Jennifer built and launched a free Private Buyer’s Club App – available on the iOS and Google App stores – now with over 200 members.

Jennifer is also on the Board of Directors for #thisisjaneproject, a non-profit focused on providing education and access to plant medicine for trauma survivors.

After five years of daily medicinal cannabis consumption, Jennifer is now free from opiates, side-effects from multiple pharmaceuticals, and the debilitating physical symptoms she dealt with for decades. She spends her spare time reading, collecting treasures, creating art, and building trails on 40 acres of Maine woods.