This Cannabis Event Series Has What Big Trade Shows Don’t, Embarc’s CEO Says

For Embarc co-founder and CEO Lauren Carpenter, the value of a cannabis industry event comes down to one thing: whether real operators are genuinely part of the conversation. That is why she has become a fan of IgniteIt’s curated gatherings, where cannabis retailers and creators sit at the center of candid, solutions-driven discussions instead of getting lost in the noise of massive trade shows.

Carpenter, the daughter of an attorney and a nonprofit professional, was introduced to government and policy at a young age, often through conversations at the family dinner table. This upbringing led to an early career in government, public policy and government affairs, where she acted as a bridge between government and the businesses and communities it represents.

After California legalized recreational marijuana in 2018, Carpenter realized that the cannabis community and state regulators would need professionals who could bring them together as the new regulated market took shape. After serving as chief strategy officer for Sweet Flower and director of government affairs for western states at MedMen, she launched Embarc with her husband. Carpenter said the new venture faced challenges from the beginning, including a global pandemic.

“We opened our first store in June of 2020,” she explains in a virtual interview with IgniteIt. “What a time to be alive, what a time to be starting a retail business when you’re not sure you can have customers.”

Today, Embarc has 17 stores in communities across California, with a focus on areas outside the state’s largest cities.

“We pretty much span the state, with a focus on secondary and tertiary communities,” Carpenter says. “We aren’t in LA, we aren’t in San Francisco. We’re really, in a lot of ways, focused on being like your neighborhood market or bodega.”

IgniteIt Events Offer Rare Insight into the Cannabis Industry

As a founder and CEO, Carpenter still values bringing people together to collaborate and share insights, a mindset that led her to participate in IgniteIt events, including the recent Cannabis Capital & Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.

“I think these are really important spaces,” she says. “They’re carving out a really special place for important conversations, obviously with the thing they just did in D.C. for timely conversations, which is critical.”

Carpenter credits IgniteIt CEO Patrick Lane and the company’s president and chief revenue officer, Elliot Lane, for bringing leading cannabis thought leaders together to share insights and expertise.

“I don’t think they try to be everything for everyone. I think they’re really focused on curation, which is important, because we do have so many events in our industry,” Carpenter says. “As our industry continues to evolve and mature, they’re carving out a really special place for important conversations.”

Carpenter also credits IgniteIt for bringing representatives from licensed cannabis companies into the room to speak and participate in panel discussions that help their peers grow their businesses.

“They do a very good job of focusing on bringing actual operators into the room to have, because of the curated nature of these events, more honest conversations, and I think that that’s where true insights can be gleaned.”

She notes that many cannabis trade events are massive and unwieldy, while IgniteIt’s more focused Market Spotlight events allow for more forthright discussion.

“As a speaker, you’re mindful of your audience, and sometimes maybe not as forthcoming. And I have certainly found, in the spotlight events in particular, a certain level of raw honesty and camaraderie comes out of that room and comes out of those conversations that ultimately provides value.”

Carpenter also appreciates how ancillary businesses are integrated into IgniteIt programming. She says organizers “do a good job of facilitating conversations around tech and tech stacks that don’t feel overly sales pitchy from the tech companies.”

“I think it’s an opportunity for those tech companies to gain insights into what operators need,” she adds, “and also for operators to gain insights into the roadmaps and overarching visions of the various players in tech.”

Join Us at Upcoming IgniteIt Events

IgniteIt’s Market Spotlight events and flagship Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago offer exclusive insight from thought leaders with their fingers on the pulse of the cannabis industry. As federal cannabis policy enters a pivotal phase, IgniteIt will continue to convene operators, investors, regulators and policymakers shaping the industry’s future.

We invite you to join us at our upcoming national and regional events:

New Jersey Policy & Capital Forum
February 10, 2026 — Jersey City, NJ

Missouri Policy Roundtable
April 2026 — Kansas City, MO

Chicago Cannabis Capital Conference ‘26
June 14–16, 2026 — Chicago, IL

For agenda details, registration and scholarship information for minority- and women-owned businesses, visit https://events.igniteit.com/

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