draws more entrepreneurs every week.” data-reactid=”28″>Journalist Heather Cabot’s latest book, The New Chardonnay: The Unlikely Story of How Marijuana Went Mainstream, is definitely not about expanding your ability to choose a new white wine. It’s actually a detailed look at how cannabis has gone from an illicit substance, listed as a federally prohibited Schedule 1 drug, to the basis of a multimillion-dollar industry that seemingly draws more entrepreneurs every week.
How did we get here?
These characters build the chapters of the book and show the divergent yet similar paths they’ve taken toward becoming members of the very exclusive club of legal cannabis business owners. Some of the stories intertwine, which, given the way Cabot sets up the narrative, almost seems inevitable. One through line between the characters is that they are all either former entrepreneurs or businesspeople with money to invest into this new marketplace.
There are situations that involve alleged underground business ties, as experienced by Stavola (spoiler alert: no guns were used, but the mob may or may not have been involved). Her entrepreneurial spirit, as well as the tenacity she developed as one of the few women investment bank VPs on Wall Street, keeps her focused on her next move and building her farm and distribution business from the ground up. The way Cabot details the businesswoman’s many ups and downs illustrates Stavola’s resolve and gut instincts not to give up on her dream in a way that is both informative and entertaining.
On the other end of the spectrum is Chung. Working with someone like Snoop, who is synonymous with cannabis culture, gives him a unique perspective on the industry. Chung explores ways he can use the rapper’s profile to spotlight social equity work in the cannabis space and make money from it. While Chung’s interest in the emerging cannabis business may come as no surprise, Cabot lays out how he has invested in ways most would not have expected.
Another aspect of the cannabis industry the book addresses is the amount of trial and error that goes into creating a profitable business. Being an entrepreneur, there technically is no rule book to follow. Each of the characters essentially built the plane as they were flying. Danzer is a former fashion marketing exec who decided after 9/11 that he no longer wanted to live a lie. He came out as a gay man, got divorced, moved to the city, and found his way back to his childhood love of cooking. He also discovered an appreciation for cannabis. Finding his purpose led Danzer to realize his two passions could be combined. His “elevated” cooking style helped friends with chronic pain, and his experiments created a new way of enjoying infused food.
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