Whitney Beatty, CEO of Apothecarry Brands & Josephine & Billies – Interview Series

Throughout the history of cannabis and musical artistry, few genres have been as deeply influenced by the plant as jazz. Many iconic Black jazz musicians and singers in the first half of the 20th century—from Louis Armstrong to Billie Holiday—were known to enjoy cannabis for both artistic and personal reasons. During the Prohibition era of the 1920s, common meeting places for these artists and other Black creatives to share their work and consume cannabis were known as “tea pads.”

To gain a greater understanding of the importance of these spaces and how a Los Angeles-based dispensary is honoring their legacy, mycannabis.com spoke with Whitney Beatty, CEO of Apothecarry Brands and Josephine & Billie’s.

While attending Michigan State University, what courses in broadcast journalism were the most interesting? And which courses became the most useful throughout your career in both media and cannabis?

Oddly enough, the class that ended up being the most useful in my career was my intro to reporting course. One of the assignments required us to attend local city council and committee meetings and report on what was happening in local government. At the time it felt like a pretty dry assignment for college students who mostly wanted to focus on storytelling and production.

But it forced me to learn how local policy actually works — how decisions get made, how public comment works, and how regulations move through committees before they become law. Fast forward to today, and I spend a lot of time at city hall giving public comment on cannabis policy. Because of that class, those environments don’t intimidate me. I understand the process and the importance of engaging at the local level.

It’s funny how something that felt mundane in college ended up being one of the most practical skills I still use today.

What student organizations were you involved in while attending Michigan State, and what did your time in those organizations teach you about leadership and team building?

I was involved in several student organizations that ended up shaping my professional life in unexpected ways. I was active in the Wilson Black Student Union, where I learned how to organize events and bring people together around shared experiences. That experience definitely influenced the type of community programming we do today at Josephine & Billie’s.

I was also part of MSU Telecasters, which fueled my love of television and storytelling and ultimately led me to pursue my MFA and build a career in media development.

I was also a member of Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc., which had a huge impact on me personally. The organization emphasized cultural awareness and understanding, which really opened my eyes to the value of learning from people with different backgrounds and perspectives. To this day some of my closest friends are my sorority sisters. That curiosity about culture also sparked a lifelong love of travel — I’ve now visited more than 25 countries, and those experiences have shaped how I approach both business and community.

While serving in your role with Warner Bros., what were some of your regular duties, and which popular shows did you serve as a development executive for? What were the most valuable lessons you learned from that role and the role with Voyage Media as well?

At Warner Bros., my role focused on creative development — identifying promising ideas and helping shape them into shows that networks would ultimately buy.

That involved working closely with producers, writers, and talent to develop concepts, build pitch materials, oversee sizzle reels, and pitch projects directly to networks and buyers. I also managed development budgets and provided feedback on demos, scripts, and sales reels to help projects move toward production.

During that time I helped develop projects including “Just Keke,” the Keke Palmer talk show, and “The Mathis Project,” both of which secured series deals with BET. I was also involved in development related to “The Judge Mathis Show” scripted comedy project that was acquired by FOX.

One of the things I’m most proud of was leading a team that successfully developed five internally picked-up shows, which significantly increased our department’s success rate and ultimately led to my promotion from Vice President to Senior Vice President.

Later, at Voyage Media, I had the opportunity to work closely with creators to help them refine their ideas into pitch-ready projects. That experience required really immersing myself in other people’s worlds — understanding their stories and helping translate them into something that could work commercially.

Both roles reinforced something I still use every day as an entrepreneur: great ideas are only the beginning. The real work is shaping the story, building the vision, and convincing other people to believe in it.

What were some films that you served as a developer, director/producer for, and why are those films so important?

My most notable film was actually my graduate thesis film “Last Chair.” While I ultimately built my career in television development, that project played a pivotal role in opening doors for me in the industry.

“Last Chair” won the Directors Guild of America Student Film Award, which was an incredible honor and helped establish my credibility early in my career. It gave me my first real entry point into the entertainment industry and validated that I could tell stories that resonated with audiences.

That experience reinforced something that has stayed with me throughout my career: storytelling is incredibly powerful. Whether in film, television, or entrepreneurship, the ability to shape a narrative and connect with people is what ultimately moves ideas forward.

What would you say inspired you to enter the cannabis industry? Prior to founding Apothecarry Brands & eventually Josephine & Billie’s, did you have any professional concerns about joining the industry?

My entry into the cannabis industry was actually very personal.

Years ago I experienced severe anxiety and ended up in the emergency room thinking something was seriously wrong with my heart. During that visit, my doctor suggested cannabis as a possible tool to help manage my anxiety.

I was shocked. I grew up in the “Just Say No” generation, and like many people I took those messages very seriously.

But once I started researching the plant, I realized there was a huge gap between the stigma surrounding cannabis and the actual information people needed to make informed decisions. What frustrated me most was how difficult it was to find reliable education about cannabis, especially for people who didn’t come from cannabis culture.

That realization ultimately led me to create Apothecarry, a design-forward cannabis storage company, and eventually Josephine & Billie’s, a dispensary focused on education, comfort, and community.

Of course there were professional concerns at the time. Cannabis was still highly stigmatized and federally illegal. But I also saw a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help shape a new industry — and to make sure women of color had a place in it.

How would you describe the process of creating and opening Josephine & Billie’s? How arduous was the licensing process as a social equity dispensary, and did the social equity distinction truly make the California licensing process easier?

Opening Josephine & Billie’s was one of the most challenging professional journeys I’ve ever taken.

The licensing process in Los Angeles was extremely complex and slow, particularly for social equity applicants. It involved securing compliant real estate, navigating zoning requirements, raising capital, building out a regulated retail space, and meeting both city and state regulatory requirements.

While the social equity program was designed to create opportunities for people from communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition, the process still came with enormous hurdles.

In my case, licensing delays alone added more than a quarter of a million dollars in holding costs while waiting for approvals. During that time you’re still paying rent, legal fees, consultants, and other operational expenses while being unable to generate revenue.

So while the equity designation created a pathway into the licensing process, it didn’t necessarily make the process easier. Many operators had licenses but lacked the capital and regulatory stability needed to actually open their businesses.

Josephine & Billie’s opened because of persistence and belief in the mission, but the experience highlighted how much more structural support equity entrepreneurs truly need.

As someone who’s quite familiar with the current California market, how effective and successful have social equity inclusions been for the state industry? Have social equity businesses, overall, had adequate chances of success in the California industry?

California deserves credit for attempting to address the harms of prohibition through social equity programs, but the reality is that the challenges have been significant.

We’re essentially talking about a new program operating within a new industry, so there have inevitably been growing pains. Many equity applicants were able to obtain licenses, but far fewer received the financial support, infrastructure, and policy stability needed to build sustainable businesses.

That doesn’t mean equity programs aren’t worth pursuing — it means they need to be continuously evaluated, strengthened, and revised.

Advocacy has become an important part of my work for that reason. Through organizations like Supernova Women, I’ve supported efforts that helped shape some of the earliest equity initiatives in the country, including early equity frameworks, workforce development initiatives, and some of the first deep-dive analyses examining how these programs are performing.

Today I’m also working directly in cannabis education and technical assistance. Through my work with 4Leaf Consulting and the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, we’re helping develop training programs that provide real-world insights from licensed operators so that new entrepreneurs entering the industry have a clearer path forward.

Social equity shouldn’t just create licenses — it should create real opportunities for people to build lasting businesses.

How does Josephine & Billie’s include the themes of a “cannabis speakeasy” and the iconic jazz clubs of the 1920s and 1930s into their interior design and operations?

Josephine & Billie’s was inspired by the historic concept of a “tea pad.”

Tea pads were underground social spaces during the early 20th century where people — particularly within Black communities — gathered to enjoy cannabis, music, and conversation. These spaces became cultural hubs where artists, musicians, and community members connected and shared ideas.

That history felt incredibly important to acknowledge because cannabis culture has deep roots in communities of color that are often overlooked in modern retail spaces.

The interior design draws inspiration from the jazz clubs and lounges of the 1920s and 1930s, incorporating Art Deco elements, warm lighting, and an intimate atmosphere.

In many ways, Josephine & Billie’s is a modern interpretation of a tea pad — a welcoming space where people can gather, learn about the plant, and experience cannabis culture in a thoughtful and community-centered way.

With Josephine & Billie’s, how does the dispensary focus on women of and their accomplishments? In particular, who is the dispensary named after?

Josephine & Billie’s pays homage to two legendary Black women — Josephine Baker and Billie Holiday.

Both women were cultural icons whose artistry shaped music and entertainment history. At the same time, they lived during an era when cannabis use was heavily stigmatized and criminalized, particularly within Black communities.

Naming the dispensary after them was a way of honoring their legacy while also acknowledging the complicated history of cannabis prohibition.

Josephine & Billie’s also places a strong emphasis on cannabis education, particularly for people who may feel intimidated by traditional dispensary environments. Our goal is to create a welcoming space where guests — especially women of color — can ask questions, explore products, and build their own relationship with cannabis.

What are some exciting plans for the future of Josephine & Billie’s? What exciting partnerships and promotions do you have in the near future?

Looking ahead, we’re continuing to expand the education and cultural programming that Josephine & Billie’s has become known for.

We’re also developing new media and lifestyle projects that connect cannabis culture with conversations about motherhood, relationships, and modern womanhood. One of those projects is a podcast and video series that brings women together for candid conversations about life, culture, and cannabis.

On the retail side, we’re exploring new product collaborations and partnerships that align with our mission of empowerment, education, and community.

Ultimately, the goal is to continue building Josephine & Billie’s not just as a dispensary, but as a cultural and educational platform within the cannabis industry.

Moving forward, what are some notable ways that the California cannabis industry can continue to include and possibly expand social equity inclusion?

For social equity programs to truly succeed, they have to move beyond licensing alone.

The industry needs policies that support long-term sustainability for small operators, including tax reform, improved access to capital, technical assistance programs, and stronger enforcement against illegal operators who undermine the legal market.

Equity should be about more than participation — it should be about creating real opportunities for people from communities impacted by prohibition to build lasting businesses.

If policymakers remain committed to listening to operators and refining these programs over time, California still has the potential to build one of the most meaningful cannabis equity models in the country.

Thank you for joining us, Whitney! For more information on Josephine & Billie’s, please visit its website.