Beard Bros Pharms Friday Sesh: LIVE Cannabis Culture Flourishes In The Heart Of California
Photos Courtesy of Author
One of the best-selling items in the Beard Bros Pharms online store is a black T-shirt with white typewriter print that states, “There is no SOP for culture.”
As a cultural anthropologist and the cultural director at Fat Nugs Magazine, I find this sentiment particularly endearing. The Beard Bros, also known as Bill and Jeff Levers, are creating the SOP for cannabis culture as we speak, and I can't wait to see the positivity their intentions manifest.
Beard Bros Culture
Beard Bros Pharms is a multi-national cannabis brand, the brainchild of Bill and Jeff Levers, the bros with their hands in a little bit of everything.
They are easily two of the most intelligent stoners I've ever met, and comfortably draw on their past experiences to overcome obstacles, jovially sharing past experiences and lessons they've learned. They are quick to call out injustices and shed light on marketplace fuckery through their grassroots media channels. They draw from a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise and are able to converse on a number of different topics with keen observation and humorous wit. Hanging out with Bill and Jeff is a highly enjoyable experience. June Blankin and I had the pleasure of getting to know the Beard Bros when we attended their Friday Sesh: LIVE this past January.
Friday Sesh LIVE
Over the past few years, stoners have gotten lonely. We all tend to live in our bubbles, and the isolation has become bearable, even comfortable. There's a sense of nostalgia for true gatherings, meetings of the mind, and places where we can converse, become educated, and work together for a good cause. The Beard Bros have been publishing a Friday Sesh Newsletter since 2018 and are continually asked where the sesh is. Hence the Friday Sesh LIVE!
The guest list for this event was curated by the Beard Bros to include brand owners, operational partners, industry thought leaders, decision-makers, influencers, associations driving industry maturity, celebrity guests, and journalists.
“This event truly was a meeting of the minds,” Bill Levers said. “We wanted to come together and talk about things and we wanted to do it in a current-events style, almost like when you had a social studies class, you keep up with current events throughout the week, and on Friday, you discuss them.”
One of the goals is unity within the industry. A sunset sesh is never a bad way to end the day. I truly did not know what to expect at this event, but I was overjoyed to get to meet some of the industry’s best and brightest.
June and I were happy to be visiting the Los Angeles Cannabis ‘scene’, which is unlike any other. Most of my California cannabis experience has taken place in Northern California in The Emerald Triangle, which truly feels like another country. This event took place at the new Greenstreet HQ, formerly The Thelma Todd Mansion, at a beautiful multi-level estate on the beach. Due to parking constraints, the guest list was limited and intimate. I never felt crowded or uncomfortable.
The featured guest speakers for the Event were Elliot Lewis, the Founder and CEO of Catalyst Cannabis, and Maha Haq, Head Coach at Oaksterdam University providing service and coaching to the City of Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation. Elliot gave an unfiltered presentation about the California market, the unfair excise tax situation, and how it drives the rest of the country. Indeed, California serves as ground zero for the rest of the country and the cannabis industry should be paying close attention. It is a naive attitude to assume regulations will not be guided by past experiences when federal regulations are lifted.
Maha Haq stated, “The Beard Bros always know how to bring the community together for insightful discussions and productive networking. Their inaugural, or rather, the return of the live format seshes is what LA needs. It was an honor to be invited to share some pertinent information for LA operators and perspectives at this sesh, and I look forward to catching the next one!”
The Beard Bros Friday Sesh Live was sponsored and attended by Catalyst, AE Global, Encore Labs, the National Association of Cannabis Businesses, Label My Bud, Dablicator, Viscous Vapes Venice, Rockstar, Blinc Group, Biothera Technologies, Flav, Finished Goods, 40 Tons, Los Angeles NORML, and many others. The swanky atmosphere overlooking the California coast, with a magnificent view of the sunset, chill vibes, music performed by a live DJ, and the aroma of shish kabobs and cannabis in the air, was completed by incredible conversation and freshly rolled joints by Bruno J Roller with Luxe Roll Bar.
The Beard Bros Media Reach
Beard Bros Pharms has rapidly expanded its media reach and coverage over the past few years while simultaneously developing their own line of products. They have lived in Pennsylvania, and Florida, and have been embedded in the California cannabis scene for well over a decade. They have expanded their products to Massachusetts in 2023, with Missouri and Canada up next in late March.
They have true care for the plant, the legacy market, and the quality of their products. Bill and Jeff’s ability to view worldwide cannabis trends, recognize patterns, and predict outcomes gives them a visionary ideology. Coupled with steadfast integrity and a keen sense of humor, their media brand has become a reliable source of cannabis news information.
Cannabis culture welcomes us all. There is no set demographic for a cannabis consumer. Through the different layers of culture, globally, nationally, regionally, across genders and generations, social classes, and corporate levels, the Beard Bros are setting the standard for an intentionally positive culture of cannabis consumption. If the first Beard Bros Friday Sesh: LIVE of 2024 is any indication of things to come, cannabis culture is poised to permeate the globe.