What’s it Like Being a Black Entrepreneur in Cannabis?

COLUMBUS, OHIO- Although I was born and raised in Cleveland, my journey as a black entrepreneur in Cannabis didn’t start in a dispensary or at a grow facility.  It actually started in culture, in music.  I began my career at Virgin Records, where I had the privilege of working with amazing 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 an award-winning DJ on two radio stations. I helped shape culture through sound before stepping into a new frontier.

All of this gave me the skills set and business experience that would later come in useful later, when I started up the biggest cannabis business conference in Ohio.

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.

Lenny Berry Center with OCHBS Event Guests.

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

Fast-forward to 2019, when I founded the Ohio Cannabis Health & Business Summit (OCHBS). Only a few years later, OCHBS has grown into Ohio’s largest Cannabis conference and will be held September 23–24 in Columbus, Ohio. Click This Link To Get Tickets.

I created OCHBS because I wanted a space where health, business, policy, and 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 physicians
• Real conversations about business ownership
• 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’m also fortunate to be 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 patience.

But there has been headwinds too. 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 am in it for the long haul. 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

Black History Month, was for me, not just about looking back. 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 something else: 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.cFrom 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 succeeding.

And we are just getting started.

The Editorial Team at HCN thanks Mr. Berry for his insights in his article © 2026 Copyright Lenny Berry and Highly Capitalized Network. All rights reserved. Lenny Berry is a Cleveland-born entrepreneur, cultural strategist, and founder of the Ohio Cannabis Health & Business Summit (OCHBS), the largest Cannabis conference in Ohio. With a career that began at Virgin Records and expanded into music marketing, radio broadcasting, and brand development, Lenny has worked alongside some of the most influential artists and global brands of the past three decades.  Since entering the Cannabis industry in 2017, he has opened medical clinics, co-founded regulated product brands, and built platforms focused on education, ownership, and community advancement. Through OCHBS, Lenny brings together patients, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to elevate dialogue, expand access, and create pathways for long-term impact in Ohio’s evolving Cannabis market.