Marlo Richardson Created An ‘Instacart For Cannabis’ Through Her Company Just Mary

The origin story of how marijuana became associated with April 20th supposedly dates back to a group of high schoolers who called themselves “the Waldos.” One group member began hanging out with the Grateful Dead, then 4/20, a numerical code for Mary Jane spread like a weed and entered the zeitgeist. Presently, “21 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational use for adults 21 years and older, while 37 states have legal medical marijuana programs.” In addition, 11 states have granted the use of goods that include CBD and small traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the substance found in marijuana that causes individuals to get “baked,” reports Forbes.

The African-American community is the largest segment of the American population that was most affected by cannabis prohibition sanctions, and President Joe Biden recently publicized he would pardon all U.S. citizens convicted of federal marijuana possession.

With the continued legalization of marijuana, many African-Americans are laying claim to the blooming industry, projected to have a market size of $33.6 billion by the end of 2023, increasing to $53.5 billion by 2027, according to analysis from the MJBiz Factbook.

Meet Marlo Richardson, a cannabis mogul who debuted her company, Just Mary Delivery, a same-day cannabis delivery app. Richardson is one of a handful of Black women who obtained all four required licenses for indoor cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and retail. She currently services areas such as San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, Beach Cities, Culver City, Inglewood, and surrounding areas.

Yolanda Baruch: Tell me about your professional background and what led you into the cannabis industry.

Marlo Richardson: My professional background [includes] 20 years in law enforcement, and then I retired as a lieutenant in the police department. During that period, I’ve always been an entrepreneur. I have owned several restaurants and my wine brand and invested in a ton of real estate. What got me into the cannabis industry was my mother, who was having some trouble with her hip. A friend gave me some pain creams for her that had cannabis in them, and it was the only thing that helped her alleviate all of her pain without making her suffer all of the other side effects that come with taking prescription drugs; that is how I became interested in the cannabis industry. After learning about all the different medicinal benefits of it, and then it became legal, I had a friend who started a grove in the Palm Desert area, and I asked him to let me know when L.A. opened up. I helped him to get approved for his cultivation, and he called and told me L.A. was opening up. I had about 20 minutes to put together a business and apply for this licensing for Los Angeles. So I did it, and I was approved.

Baruch: Was the process difficult for you as a Black woman because it’s difficult for Black people to enter this industry?

Richardson: I am going to say it was tough. But a lot of my previous experience with regulatory entities and creating businesses and plans and structures, I think that helped me a lot. I realized that that’s not something many people, especially Black women or people in general, have much experience with, so it was an unfair advantage. For me to say it was easy, it wasn’t. I just had a different experience than a lot of other people.

Baruch: Talk about your brand and how it redefines the cannabis industry through convenience and quality.

Richardson: Just Mary Delivery started in the San Gabriel Valley area. We deliver retail products directly to consumers through Greenwood & Company, my distribution and manufacturing company. I am in the cannabis industry, what they call vertically integrated, and that means I can do every single aspect of cannabis with the exception of testing because the testing licensing prohibits you from having any other licenses. Still, you can have all the additional licenses except testing, which I have. So we grow most of our products and some of those we manufacture into different types of concentrates, whether it’s a distillate to make edibles, a butter to make baked goods or just a batter to do vaping. We also create and package products. When we have some products, I have several other brands that I do their business for in terms of sourcing the cannabis products, having it packaged, and then putting it out for retail. My distribution company takes the finished goods once packaged and third-party tested and then sells them to various retail outlets. Any place in California is where we will either distribute or deliver products.

Baruch: What are your customers’ reactions from the retail standpoint and your other vendors?

Richardson: They’re usually pretty surprised. I am trying to remember the percentage, but I know it’s very low in terms of Black people in the cannabis industry. But even more so, being a Black woman. In any meeting I attend, I am always the only one that looks like me, at least in California. I have yet to sit in a room with someone who looks like me and does what I do; I know there are a couple of Black female retail store owners. But even those ladies, while blessed to be in that position, still have to source their products from someplace. The reaction is always very interesting; I know they don’t expect to see me or have to sit down and talk to me to get an answer, a price point, or approval for something they want to do. As far as the other brands that I work with, to be completely honest with you, I do my best to try to work with people that look like me, whether it’s women, whether it’s a minority, or a person of color because I know there are people in my position that are not women or persons of color, giving [others] that opportunity. I finished a meeting, for example, with a cannabis cookie company; it’s a husband and wife, a Black man, Black woman, and they are extremely excited to work with me. Again, having their product and trying to get it into retail stores, they know how difficult it is to have people that want to work with them or give them a chance, which is unfortunate. I go out of my way to put people that should have a fair chance and opportunity in a position.

Baruch: How did Just Mary develop, and how are you changing the industry’s narrative regarding minority-female representation?

Richardson: For me, the backstory for Just Mary came from a place where cannabis was taboo, but now seeing that it helps people. It’s annoying for people to say it’s a gateway drug. That is not the case; many people can benefit from cannabis, anything from anxiety to sleep to pain. People like to focus on the [getting] high part; well, not all cannabis will get you high; some of it has a medical component. I think it’s important to change the narrative. For Just Mary, we’re trying to do that through delivery by ensuring that all of our products are quality and are getting to consumers who need them. Our price point is better than what you would see in most cannabis delivery companies. Again, we can keep our margins low because we’re doing everything internally. People are dying from cannabis that they’re buying from people, and they don’t know where they purchased it, and this fentanyl stuff is getting out of hand. People must understand to go to a legitimate licensed store or delivery service like Just Mary.

Baruch: What are the challenges faced as a minority woman in the cannabis space as you try to brand yourself and your business,

Richardson: Access to capital would be number, and, as a Black woman, it’s very difficult to convince people or companies that I know what I’m doing, that I’m experienced, and if you invest with us, your money is going to turn a profit. Unfortunately, they’re not used to seeing Black people or women in these positions. At the end of the day, if we look, historically, women are running households, and it’s no different than we operate businesses and we’re very efficient at what we do; we need people to give us an opportunity. So that has been my experience, and then seeing other cannabis companies that get funding, they never look like me.

Baruch: What are your plans for your brand for the five years? Where do you want to see your brand grow?

Richardson: We want to become multi-state operators at some point. It’s easy to get into other states when you’re killing it in California, and that’s what we’re working on right now; we’ve got a great marketing strategy. I’ve just got a couple of additions to my team that we are working with and doing well.

For more information visit JustMaryDelivery.com