Potcast 190: WeedTube and Cannabis Pride
I started my colorful journey as a cannabis content creator five years ago. As a professional marketer and corporate storyteller, I felt highly equipped to create and build my own brand. But when it came to growing and promoting Casually Baked, there were suddenly hurdles I’d never had to jump as a mainstream marketer. Those no-brainer ways to gain traction weren’t available and the path of least resistance - ha! Is that even a thing for cannabis content creators?!
As with most things in life, money talks so the folks with the fattest wallets have the share of voice - on stage at conferences, or through big activations at the cannabis trade shows, and point of sale marketing in dispensaries, and pricey billboards along busy freeways. Without a budget or a team, I gave myself the mother of all breaks and decided to create this show as an act of service to my community. If I tried to compete I’d wake up feeling like a failure most days and I probably wouldn’t still be passionate about this potcast.
So today, I’m pulling back the current on cannabis content with my new friend and fellow creator, Arend Richard. Arend is the co-founder and creative director of WeedTube, a sensor-free social site for cannabis enthusiasts. WeedTube advocates for both the cannabis industry and community. And has become one of the largest and fastest-growing platforms in cannabis.
This potcast is for creators and the fans that love their content. Arend, formerly “The Gay Stoner” on YouTube, shares his experience of being deleted at 190K subscribers during the “YouTube cannabis marketing purge” in March of 2018. We discuss cannabis censorship and the toxicity of social and the hurdles of the pay-to-play model. We also share best practices for creators and ways to support the growth of WeedTube and cannabis’ creative community.
I’m happy to be your cannabis lifestyle guide and share what I know and learn with you. So if you feel inspired, please take a beat to rate and review Casually Baked on iTunes or Apple Podcasts. That simple action helps other canna-curious folks find this highly responsible cannabis content.
Kumbaya and cannabis, -Jo 💚
This Potcast Is Covered By MJ Relief
MJ Relief is the muscle rub for what aches and pains you. As a writer and content creator, I spend hours every day pounding away on a keyboard and maneuvering the mouse. On a bad day, I’ll get what my motocross friends call arm pump. My forearms tighten to the point where I can’t control my fingers. My arms feel heavy and tingly and while the pain is manageable it’s an extremely uncomfortable feeling. The technical name for arm pump is Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome. It is an ‘exercise-induced muscle and nerve condition that causes pain, swelling and sometimes disability in the affected muscles of the legs or arms.’
When this happens to me, my right arm is typically worse because of the keyboard and mouse combination. So I use my left hand to massage in some MJ Relief. And then I just lay it down for about 15 minutes and give my body a break and let the muscle rub have time to do its thing. When I get some movement back in my right hand, I massage MJ Relief into my left arm and vow to only get on my phone or computer in case of emergency for the rest of that day. MJ Relief is such a gift in my life, but so is listening to my body. If you want a CBD-infused, herbaceous, Ph.D. formulated topical that really works for muscle and joint relief, MJ Relief has got you covered. And when you pair that with work/life balance, it’s relief on an eleven.
If you’re feelin’ my arm pump and want some muscle and joint relief of your own, head over to MJ Skin Relief dot com.
‘After the Show’ Notes
If you’re a cannabis content creator, be an early adopter and support the community by starting a WeedTube channel. I did. And I already have my first nine subscribers. 😊 If you're a content consumer, I look forward to connecting with you on WeedTube. And be sure to tell your favorite cannabis podcasters, brands, and names in cannabis that you want to see them on the WeedTube.
✌️💚, -Jo
Connect with Arend Richard, co-founder and creative director of WeedTube on Instagram and, obviously, his WeedTube channel.
Above: Arend pictured at Avalon Hollywood in L.A during the App Launch Event in 2019. More info on the day can be found here.
Arend cleaning up a section along the Platte River in Denver for Canna4Climate Day. Photo Credit: Josh @twistedfallacies
More info about Canna4Climate Day can be found here.
Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.
The Sustainability Roll-up is presented by OCB Rolling Papers. In perfect harmony with natural, sustainable practices, it’s always been the OCB signature to provide the highest quality, responsibly sourced, and sustainably crafted rolling papers.
In the age of knowing everyone’s business on social, I find it interesting to follow the journey of important concepts such as meditation, mindfulness, and sustainability. What starts out as fringe ideas, creep into culture and community and into dinner conversation and finally marketing messages.
And when that happens - when the advertising community gets ahold of ‘em, the concepts soon after get labeled buzz words. But in reality, that just means they’ve reached critical mass. It’s laughable to think someone might consider themselves too cool for mindfulness or sustainability. They’re likely more uninformed than cool. What IS cool though, is that mindfulness and sustainability go hand in hand.
I’ve never met a mindful human that didn’t believe in sustainability.
Imagine when everyone in the world understands the core concepts of mindfulness and sustainability and recognizes that change always starts first within and then at home and in our local community. Perspectives will shift, and solutions will materialize. It’s inevitable. But first, you gotta practice what you preach. Make time to meditate this week and evaluate your home practice.
Notice little ways you can live more sustainably.
In my own example, I recently purchased bamboo fruit and veggie bags so I could start saying no to the plastic bags at the farmers’ market. I also stopped purchasing the cotton wipes I use when cleaning my face every day and replaced them with a pack of 12 washable bamboo rounds that come in a little mesh laundry bag.
It feels good finding ways to limit the amount of trash I’m creating while also saving myself money in the long run.
But I do draw the line at my toilet paper. And I have tried bamboo toilet paper. Never again. And when I saw washable toilet paper I threw up a little bit in my mouth. 🤢 Hard pass. It’s okay to have limits. I get it.
And just like toilet paper, not all rolling papers are created equal. That’s why I only roll my joints using OCB rolling papers. Unlike most other brands that buy their paper from a third-party, OCB oversees the entire paper-making process ensuring a century of quality straight to your hands. OCB offers a full line of papers made with sustainable fibers including Flax, Wood, Organic Hemp, and Virgin natural wood fibers. And last year, OCB rolled out America’s first, ultra-thin, slow-burning BAMBOO rolling paper and cones. The 100% French-milled bamboo is unbleached and harvested responsibly. OCB rolling papers are chlorine-free, dye-free, bleach-free, GMO-free and vegan. You’ll love OCB even more because they make no tear, even-burning, rolling papers with natural always-sticks acacia gum grown in African fields that OCB has been re-foresting for decades.
Roll With Me, a new video series launched on the Casually Baked YouTube channel in April 2021, is a collaboration with OCB Rolling Papers. Get lessons and insights on the craft of rolling while chatting about all things hemp and cannabis culture.
Complete This Form to Roll With Me On An Upcoming Episode
We all know practice makes perfectly smokeable joints so I’m engaging my cannabis industry friends to coach me. And if you’ve got some rolling tricks up your sleeve, perhaps you, too, can school me on an episode of Roll With Me.
If you too are a joint rolling novice and want to learn the craft alongside me, go ahead and get your supplies ready. Visit ocbusa.com/BAKED to get 4 booklets of OCB and a rolling tray for only $4.99! This bundle is worth 20 bucks and is around for a limited time. But the rolling skills and street cred we’re going to earn together, my friend, makes this bundle priceless as far as I’m concerned. As for you OG’s who can roll a joint one-handed, I challenge you to sample the entire line of OCB products and let me know your favorite.
Get 4 booklets of OCB and a rolling tray for only $4.99! This bundle is worth 20 bucks and is around for a limited time. But the rolling skills and street cred we’re going to earn together, my friend, makes this bundle priceless as far as I’m concerned. ✌️💚