Cannabis Leaders To Convene At Exclusive Mountain Retreat

Trailblazers is returning to Eden, Utah, next week, for its third edition. This one-of-a-kind, invite-only event series brings world leaders from cannabis, hemp and psychedelics spaces together for an intimate few days at a private property in the mountains.

While many destination events promise a lot of networking and one-on-one time, few actually deliver on that. In reality, one often ends up just wearing a suit and tie by the beach, and contemplating the ocean from inside a conference room.

In that sense, Trailblazers is completely different. The organizers like to think of it more like a community than an event.

“The Trailblazers community is rooted in conscious capitalism and our fellowship program brings attendees from diverse backgrounds and practice areas," co-founder David Denberg told Benzinga. "We are committed to creating a lasting impact and make sure that every conversation that is sparked at our events has an action plan.”

The 2020 Event

Trailblazers will bring 150 cannabis leaders together, incentivizing discussions around innovation, social justice, sustainability and more.

Panel discussions will touch on topics like new tech in cannabis, political advocacy, supply chain challenges and more. Beyond these activities, Trailblazers will offer attendees a bunch of fun things to do, from skiing with a pro, to unique dining experiences, to yoga, massages and live music.

“We’re all about maintaining a non-transactional nature, where all attendees learn, enjoy and grow,” the organizers explained. “Nature is the great facilitator for all of this.”

Co-founder Tyler Wakstein told Benzinga, “We started Trailblazers because we genuinely believe cannabis is on the precipice of transforming the human experience. There are still many archaic misconceptions about the plant, despite broad social acceptance for its social and medical uses. We believe in the power of cannabis as a tool to drive positive social change as we work to support the growth of new markets and opportunities.”

Testimonials

Amy Margolis, founder of The Initiative and event attendee, said Trailblazers represented “a great opportunity to bring our founders to a space dedicated to forging strong relationships in the industry.”

For Pelin Thorogood, co-founder and president of Wholistic Research and Education Foundation, “a key takeaway from Trailblazers in March 2019 was the community’s genuine desire to support clinical research and evidence-based education in medical cannabis. Given the synergies in our mission, it was only natural for us to establish a meaningful partnership with them shortly thereafter.

"Our participation in Trailblazers was incredibly valuable not only in terms of forging key relationships with responsible cannabis businesses, but also served to kick off our Cannabis Research Alliance with the support of those companies who want to give back to establish trust and credibility in the sector.”
Author's note: the Trailblazers event, originally scheduled for March 13, has been postponed until further notice due to public health concerns.

Images courtesy of Trailblazers.