Julie Power, VP of Retail at Ethos Cannabis – Interview Series

The strength of professional talent working within the cannabis industry is evident in the number of Fortune 500 companies that industry professionals have previously worked for. One example of an individual whose resume includes management and operations roles with juggernaut companies such as Walmart (WMT ) and Google is Julie Power, the Vice President of Retail for Ethos Cannabis.

What were the subjects you mainly studied while completing your Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies at Franklin University? Funny enough, I also received my Bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies, so it’s nice to interview someone with a similar degree who’s so established.

My studies at Franklin focused heavily on Communication Arts. I was especially interested in how people process information and how communication shapes decision-making skills that have been fundamental to every step of my career, especially in patient education and retail engagement at Ethos Cannabis. 

What topics and methods did you discuss in your Capstone Projec,t and why are the themes discussed important for online higher education?

My Capstone centered around the increasingly critical nature of creativity skills in higher education and in the global marketplace. I explored strategies for higher learning institutions to recognize creative potential, remove barriers to creativity, and further develop creative skills to prepare students to tackle complex problems in the workplace. This work directly translates to my role in cannabis retail today where an interdisciplinary approach is essential and the ability to adapt and innovate are vital to an organization’s success.

While serving in the various management roles you held with massive companies such as Walmart and HCL America, what were the most vital lessons you learned in proper management and HR? And how did your management styles have to change based on the company and employees that you worked with?

I learned that great leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all – it’s about adapting to the needs of your team while holding true to your values. At Walmart, it was about operational consistency at scale. I also had a six-year tenure at Google where I was Senior Operations Manager on a Google Shopping Metadata project, and led global teams across Pittsburgh, PA, Krakow, Poland, and Gurgaon, India. At HCL, it was about agile, global collaboration. Across all of these roles, I gained a deep appreciation for process improvement and data-informed decision-making. Today at Ethos Cannabis, I apply those lessons to cannabis retail: balancing consistency with innovation, and leading with empathy and clarity.

What initially caught your professional interest about working in the cannabis industry? And after working for such large and established companies and retailers that certainly have no immediate plans of expanding into the cannabis industry, did you have any early concerns or uncertainties about working in an industry that is still very young?

As a medical cannabis patient, I was already personally aware of the plant’s potential. What drew me in professionally was the opportunity to shape a new kind of retail experience – one rooted in science, service, and trust. Yes, I had questions—especially about regulation and public perception—but the mission at Ethos Cannabis to combine patient-first care with education and research made the leap feel purposeful. It’s rare to find an industry where you can help build the playbook from the ground up.

What were your regular duties as the first Manager of Retail Development and then Director of Retail for Pennsylvania and Ohio? Despite very different federally legal statuses, what were some ways that retail in cannabis was similar to retail in the other industries you’ve previously worked in?

In both roles, I was deeply involved in building systems and teams from scratch. That included store openings, staff hiring and training, standardizing patient education protocols, and adapting operations to meet regulatory compliance across different states. Even as the laws varied, we stayed consistent in our values: lead with education, prioritize access, and empower patients to make informed choices.

When it came to the state cannabis industries in both Pennsylvania and Ohio, what were some common retail and operational issues that both Ethos’ stores and other cannabis businesses in the respective state industries dealt with? Did one state have more widespread industry issues than another state, or were the problems evenly occurring?

Pennsylvania, being medical-only, had tighter education requirements but also a more stable regulatory environment. Ohio’s shift to adult-use introduced rapid volume changes and evolving customer expectations. Each state had unique hurdles but what they shared was a need for strong internal training, clear communication, and flexible systems, which is what Ethos Cannabis stores prioritize.

Although Pennsylvania is still a medical-only industry, while Ohio has a recreationally legal marketplace, do you believe that Pennsylvania still has certain advantages over the Ohio industry?

The focus on medical education and patient care in Pennsylvania has cultivated a deeply engaged customer base. Ethos Cannabis’ partnership with Thomas Jefferson University in PA also allows us to introduce research-backed products, like our Huny Ratio Troches, directly to patients who can benefit from them. That kind of clinical rigor is a strong foundation, and I believe it positions Pennsylvania well for a thoughtful transition to adult-use when the time comes.

In the nine or so months since recreational sales first began in Ohio, how would you summarize the overall state of the Ohio cannabis industry? Does sharing borders with several states that have either medical-only markets or outright cannabis prohibition positively impact sales for the legal state industry? What are some expansion plans that Ethos has in both Ohio and the nearby states? And how do you hope that these plans strengthen their respective state industries?

The energy in Ohio is exciting – it’s a rapidly growing market with strong demand. At our New Lexington location, for example, we’ve seen firsthand how important access and education are in emerging communities. Ohio’s border with multiple prohibition or medical-only states creates opportunity, but it also requires careful inventory and staff planning. As we expand in Ohio and explore adjacent markets, we’re focused on building responsibly with the right people, infrastructure, and community partnerships.

If a federal rescheduling of cannabis were to occur eventually, how would that impact the state markets you’ve overseen and your role as Vice President of Retail Operations?

Federal rescheduling would be a game-changer. It could unlock access to banking, simplify product transportation, and accelerate research – all of which would streamline operations and benefit patients. For retail, it would likely require updates to compliance and training programs, but it would also open the door to even greater consistency and innovation across states. At Ethos Cannabis, we’re already building the foundation – through data, education, and partnerships – in order to be ready for that next chapter.

Thank you for joining us, Julie! For more information on Ethos Cannabis, please visit its website.