From Music to Cannabis: Building Ohio’s Largest Cannabis Conference: Profile: Lenny Berry

Lenny Berry is the Founder and CEO of the Ohio Cannabis Health & Business Summit (OCHBS), one of the Midwest’s leading Cannabis conferences. A longtime entrepreneur and former music industry executive, he founded OCHBS in 2019 to bring together patients, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders to advance Cannabis education, business, and innovation. He is also the co-founder of the Cannabis brands Tom & Berry and A Dose of Hope.

CLEVELAND, OHIO – I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. My journey into Cannabis didn’t start in a dispensary or a grow facility. It started in culture — in music.

I began my career at Virgin Records, where I had the privilege of working with legends like Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, Shaggy, The Smashing Pumpkins, and The Rolling Stones.

Later, I launched my own marketing company and worked with icons including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, 50 Cent, Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Usher, and Beyoncé — along with major brands like Nike, Warner Bros., and Anheuser-Busch.

For 13 years, I was a DJ and air-Personality on two radio stations in the market. I helped shape culture through music before stepping into a new frontier.

The OCHBS event founder: Lenny Berry. Image courtesy of Mr. Berry.

Why I Entered Cannabis

In 2017, I entered the Cannabis industry in Ohio because I believed in the opportunity, not just for business, but for impact.

I believed the promise of legalization meant inclusion. I believed the people most harmed by prohibition would finally have a seat at the table.

What I quickly saw was that ownership was overwhelmingly white, male, and middle-aged. Capital was concentrated. Licensing was expensive. Access to funding was tight. Social equity was discussed often, but in many cases, it didn’t translate into ownership or operational control for Black entrepreneurs.

That reality could have discouraged me.

Instead, it sharpened my focus.

I opened two medical clinics. I studied the regulations. I built relationships across the ecosystem. I decided that if access wasn’t being created fast enough, I would create platforms myself.

Building the Ohio Cannabis Health & Business Summit

In 2019, I founded the Ohio Cannabis Health & Business Summit (OCHBS). Today, it has grown into Ohio’s largest Cannabis conference and will be held September 23–24 in Columbus, Ohio.

I created OCHBS because I wanted a space where advocates, business professionals, policy makers, and the community could meet under one roof.

This event is personal. It’s a family affair. My wife is involved. My children see the work firsthand. My 102-year-old grandfather, who has lived with me for the past nine years — reminds me daily what resilience looks like. He lived through eras when opportunities were intentionally restricted. Now he watches me build in an industry that once criminalized people who looked like us.

That perspective keeps me grounded.

At OCHBS, I focus on:

• Education for patients and business professionals
• Real conversations about ownership and brand building
• Policy discussions that go beyond slogans
• Access and networking for entrepreneurs

I didn’t want to wait for change. I wanted to help drive it.

The Highs and the Headwinds

There have been wins.

I am the co-founder of the Cannabis brands Tom & Berry and A Dose of Hope under Standard Wellness. Building brands in a regulated market takes strategy, compliance, discipline, and tons of patience.

There have also been headwinds.

Capital gaps. Regulatory shifts. Watching well-funded operators scale quickly while minority founders fight to stay competitive. Seeing social equity commitments diluted over time.

But I understand long-term building. I’ve done it before in music and marketing.

Cannabis is no different — it rewards endurance, relationships, and vision.

Why I Keep Going

For me, this journey has never been just about building a business. It’s about building forward.

I know the promise of social equity hasn’t fully materialized in many markets. I’ve seen the structural barriers firsthand. But I’ve also seen some momentum.

More Black entrepreneurs are launching ancillary businesses.

More Black leaders are forming strategic partnerships.

More Black families are stepping into ownership roles.

More platforms are emerging that center education and empowerment.

My journey is about legacy, leadership, and generational impact.

From Cleveland to global music stages.

From radio to regulated Cannabis.

From clinics to Ohio’s largest Cannabis summit.

I am building not just for myself, but for the next generation watching.

Despite the odds, despite the barriers, we are pushing forward.

The real work starts now.

The next Ohio Cannabis Health & Business Summit (OCHBS) takes place September 23–24, 2026, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. Buy tickets here.