Executive interview with Courtney Zalewski, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Embarc
This episode of the Wiser Loyalty podcast, a series produced in partnership between Let’s Talk Loyalty and The Wise Marketer™ breaks new ground as we explore the retail Cannabis industry.
Marketing to consumers in a regulated industry has complexities, and our guest Courtney Zalewski - Chief Brand and Marketing Officer at Embarc - is one of the most accomplished persons navigating this challenging retail landscape.
Embarc is a modern, community-focused cannabis retailer in California with locations across the entire state. It made history by bringing legal cannabis to the California State Fair in 2023 and partners with the popular music festival Outside Lands. They have also donated over seven figures to help local organizations in the communities they serve.
Courtney brings marketing innovation to the Cannabis business and pioneered the launch of the Embarc Passport Club two years ago. In this conversation, we talk about the intersection of regulations in Cannabis retail with the most stringent consumer protection laws in the US (the CCPA), all of which means that creating customer loyalty in the Cannabis industry might be the biggest challenge in all of retail.
Courtney shares her top concerns operating in a regulated industry and explains how they impacted her planning for the chain’s loyalty program. We also talk about the community building efforts at Embarc and the greater good the firm is creating in the communities in which it operates. You’ll be interested to hear about her “epiphany moment” in loyalty as well.