Dina Rollman, CEO of StrainBrain – Interview Series

Dina Rollman is the CEO of StrainBrain, the leading AI-powered technology company revolutionizing legal cannabis shopping experiences through personalized product recommendations. She is also a Board Member of its parent company, PowrPlant, and Co-founder of KND Group, a law and consulting firm specializing in highly-regulated industries, including cannabis.

A cannabis industry pioneer for over a decade, Dina was part of Green Thumb Industries’ founding team, eventually serving as Senior Vice President. She helped the company grow from an idea on paper in 2014, to a publicly traded company, to an industry leader with $1B in annual revenue. Dina created and led the company’s regulatory affairs department, provided diverse legal counsel, secured numerous licenses, established its social impact program, and assisted  in listing Green Thumb on the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Her leadership in cannabis law and her successes helping businesses thrive have been marked by roles as a government affairs executive, in-house counsel, chief compliance officer, regulatory advisor and liaison, trade association board member, adjunct professor and creator of a law school cannabis course, and co-founder and president of Illinois Women in Cannabis, the leading Illinois not-for-profit networking organization. Dina’s significant industry impact has been recognized by the likes of The American Lawyer, Crain’s Chicago Business, Chicago Sun-Times, and South by Southwest.

Your career in cannabis has spanned over a decade, from Green Thumb Industries to StrainBrain. What inspired you to shift from regulatory affairs and compliance to leading an AI-powered technology company?

I always want to keep learning and expanding my skills and experience. Joining StrainBrain was a great opportunity to do just that. Transitioning into a leadership role in business operations, and working for an ancillary business rather than plant touching is a lot to learn on its own, and I get to learn about AI and technology, hone my sales skills, and lead a team. It’s a lot of exciting new territory.

How has your legal and compliance background influenced your approach to leadership at StrainBrain?

Fortunately, there is a much lower legal and compliance element needed for a non-plant touching business! But knowing the burden that retailers face – doing millions of dollars of transactions every year under often very demanding regulatory requirements – helps me know how StrainBrain can partner with them to increase revenue and decrease costs without adding to the legal/regulatory burden.

As a pioneer in the cannabis industry, how do you envision AI shaping the future of cannabis retail?

For the last 10 years, the cannabis industry has been trying to catch up from a technology perspective. Now, cannabis is at the same starting line as other industries. Everyone working in cannabis is used to constant change and unpredictable markets. We’re adapted to adapting.

StrainBrain’s AI Budtender is revolutionizing how consumers shop for cannabis. Can you walk us through how the platform works and what sets it apart from other cannabis retail technologies?

StrainBrain offers users the option to have an AI Budtender® provide personalized product recommendations directly from the menu’s home page. It guides users through a brief survey, asking about form factor, effects, flavor profiles, and product strength, then identifies the top three matches from the retailer’s current inventory. This provides a more advanced and personalized shopping experience compared to traditional online menu filters.

What were the biggest challenges in integrating AI into cannabis retail, a space traditionally driven by in-person recommendations?

The AI Budtender® isn’t supposed to replace human budtenders but, rather, help customers inform themselves about products before they come face to face with real budtenders. At StrainBrain, we partner with human budtenders to amplify their product knowledge. This gives these budtenders the ability to provide recommendations for consumer profiles that they aren’t familiar with or products they aren’t familiar with. This collaboration enhances the customer experience and makes the purchasing process smoother and more efficient.

How does StrainBrain ensure its personalized product recommendations cater to the diverse needs of cannabis consumers, from first-time buyers to connoisseurs?

StrainBrain ensures its personalized product recommendations cater to the diverse needs of cannabis consumers – whether first-time buyers or experienced connoisseurs – by focusing on the universal goal of achieving the desired effect. The questions posed to consumers are designed to apply to everyone, regardless of experience level, by focusing on preferences such as effects, flavors, form factors, and product strength. By centering the experience around the outcome consumers are seeking, StrainBrain helps each individual find the product that best aligns with their needs and preferences.

The cannabis industry has seen rapid growth and change. What trends do you believe are most important for cannabis businesses to watch in 2025 and beyond?

2025 is poised to be the year that cannabis industry technology advances to match non-cannabis industries. As consumer expectations for personalized shopping experiences grow, the cannabis industry is embracing sophisticated technologies such as AI-driven recommendations, integrated e-commerce platforms, and data analytics. These advancements not only enhance the customer journey, but also streamline operations for retailers, setting a new standard for efficiency and user engagement within the cannabis market.

With AI being a growing focus across industries, do you see regulatory challenges specific to AI-powered cannabis solutions?

Yes, there are likely to be regulatory challenges specific to AI-powered cannabis solutions as state and federal governments are working on finding the right balance of having regulations that ensure consumer safety without stifling innovation. The cannabis industry must stay informed about evolving legislation and policies related to AI and actively advocate for reasonable regulations.

How can cannabis retailers use data and analytics from platforms like StrainBrain to maintain loyal customer relationships in such a competitive market?

Cannabis retailers can leverage data and analytics from platforms like StrainBrain to strengthen customer loyalty in several ways. StrainBrain seamlessly integrates with existing loyalty programs, allowing customers to earn points for receiving recommendations and additional points for purchasing recommended products, incentivizing repeat interactions and purchases. The AI Budtender® also prompts customers to join loyalty programs during their interaction, significantly increasing enrollment rates, with some retailers reporting that StrainBrain drives up to 30% of new sign-ups. Additionally, StrainBrain provides valuable consumer insights by analyzing preferences and behaviors, enabling retailers to tailor communications, promotions, and inventory to meet customer needs. By delivering personalized recommendations that align with individual preferences, StrainBrain enhances customer satisfaction and encourages loyalty, helping retailers stand out in a competitive market.

How has the acquisition by Powr Plant enabled StrainBrain to scale its vision and expand its reach?

At PowrPlant, we believe that providing top-performing cannabis retailers and growers with highly qualified services and advanced technologies is the most effective way to elevate the market, increase profitability, and de-commoditize cannabis. By empowering high performers to achieve even greater success, we help drive industry growth and innovation.

Here’s how our team does it: we bring extensive experience in the cannabis industry and other specialty retail, along with deep expertise in e-commerce, UX design, and AI-driven innovation. These strategies have proven to be successful, shaped by traditional companies like IBM. We have further demonstrated a track record of driving top- and bottom-line growth. Overall, the core of our approach is starting with the best consumer-facing AI in the industry, which allows us to deliver tailored solutions that elevate customer experiences and drive results.

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit StrainBrain.