Here, in A LIFE IN A DAY, a person shares with Highly Capitalized, what life’s like for them outside their busy working week. This week’s Life In A Day features Wendy Campbell. Wendy is the Vice President of Sales for Jage Media.  Jage Media is the producer of the popular conference, MJ Unpacked, which features brands, retailers and investors in cannabis. MJ Unpacked returns to New York City on April 26-28th.

Wendy has over 20+ years of experience in sales, marketing, and product management, primarily for CPG and retail brands. In cannabis, Wendy has found herself becoming a change agent as she helps brands and retailers come together to create profit-making solutions in cannabis.

Wendy Campbell: A Life In A Day

What’s your morning routine, and what do you think about in the mornings?

My alarm goes off at 5:45 am PST and I reach for my phone and head to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea, before sitting down to catch up on the latest industry news.  I’m always looking for new THC CPG brands and first, best, or different ancillary companies to participate in MJ Unpacked.

From there I jump into my inbox, look at my calendar to see what prospect and client meetings I have on tap for the day, and start thinking about how I’ll navigate all the other must-do tasks on the day’s agenda.  Being the VP of Sales at MJ Unpacked, means I’m also looking at the latest KPIs and evaluating how our Sales team can do more, better, and faster.  It’s like chasing the carrot from one event to the next.

I wake up in the Stadium District of Tacoma, WA.  70% of the time it’s cold, wet, and a bit gray, but occasionally I’ll catch a spectacular sunrise as I look at the waterfront. I live for July – September when there is less rain, SUN, and the beauty of the green trees.

What’s the first thing you do each day, and what do you eat and drink in the morning?

Push snooze! Grab my phone and start my work day as I make a cup of tea.  Industry news, obeying the demands of my furbaby, Thea, the Frenchton of Tacoma, and watching the sun rise over the Puget Sound.

I work out in the morning to clear my brain, practice self-love, and shake off any stress from the previous day before heading to my home office to officially kick-start my day.

Do you exercise or meditate, and what do you think about when exercising, meditating?

I’m devoted to taking care of myself – fitness, nutrition, and sleep all take time and focus.  I like to cross-train and utilize my Peloton for Powerzone rides and free weights for strength training, I’m still a lover of P90x Yoga, and since having a total hip replacement in October 2022, I’m back to running again.

Currently training for a 5k in Central Park with my sales team members while we are in NYC for MJ Unpacked in April.

Lots of things cross my mind during a workout.  I’m thinking about how good it feels to make my health a priority, walking through the conversations I’ll have while meeting with potential exhibitors and sponsors during the day, and already planning what I’ll make for dinner.

What do you wear these days? 

90% of the time, I still get dressed for success working from home.  Our team has been remote from the beginning; we’ve never had an office.

I refuse to allow myself to get too comfortable because it can lead to weight gain, which for me leads to a lack of self-confidence, and leading our small and mighty sales team has no time or space for that scenario. Plus, I believe first impressions are critical in Sales, and people notice confidence before they notice how you’re wearing your hair, or your fashion.

However, 10% of the time, I’ll grab a baseball cap and wear my PJs for the day. It’s worth noting that these days, I typically skip my morning fitness routine and go straight to my home office with my cup of tea. There is never enough time in the day to get it all done.

What’s for lunch and describe the rest of your day, like up to dinner time? 

I focus on fueling my body with protein and produce to keep me feeling good and my energy levels on point.  Today I had cottage cheese, avocado, a hard-boiled egg, pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of OLA Savor Finishing Oil. YUM!

What are some thoughts you might have about your cannabis job–compared to previous jobs?

I did not think I’d be working this much 30  years into my career.  The cannabis industry is a growth industry. There never seems to be enough time to connect with all the THC CPG brands and best-in-class ancillary services, products, and technology companies.

I love it because there is no shortage of learning opportunities, potential for strategic relationship development, and businesses we can support via MJ Unpacked.

What’s your evening routine like after work? What’s your commute like? 

I work late – depending on where we are in the event cycle.  I enjoy cooking and published a cookbook, “Eat Your Way to SUCCESS And Learn How To Control Hunger,” in 2017.  I do my best to pause work mode and step into the kitchen to make a healthy meal of protein and produce.

It’s like having a glass of wine or smoking a joint, the kitchen and meal creation is my “zone of relaxation and creativity” and something I look forward to.  Thankfully, I WFH and eliminated commute time – which I love!

When do you consume–during the day or at night? 

It depends! I joke with my husband and say, “I’m probably the only person working in cannabis that has not touched any form of the plant this week yet!” I’m a recreational cannabis user, who has learned that I benefit from the plant’s medicinal properties.

In front of my laptop, responding to emails and tackling a to-do list is not a good mix with cannabis.  I’ll often enjoy an infused pre-roll in the evening after I’ve closed my home office and I’m sharing time with my husband.  Occasionally, if my day is stacked with Zoom meetings, I’ll hit my PAX at my desk throughout the day, but that is rare.

What’s your bedtime routine, and what are your thoughts as you drift off to sleep? 

I wind down by watching TV shows and catching up on life with my husband, family, and friends.  I often grab an edible as my “nightcap” and tend to crawl into bed around 11 pm.

My days are long, stacked with professional and personal tasks, and by the time I am ready to drift off to sleep, I’m exhausted…sometimes I fall asleep before my head hits the pillow!

MJ Unpacked’s next event is April 26-28th in Hilton Midtown Manhattan. Register here at MJUnpacked.com. Highly Capitalized 2022 © All Rights Reserved. Highly Capitalized thank Wendy for her LIFE IN A DAY. Be sure to follow Highly Capitalized for people news and moves in the cannabis and psychedelics industry.