Meet the Women Redefining the Cannabis Industry: Whitney Beatty & Ebony Andersen

Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who've made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode gives you a direct line to women who are game changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.

There is no denying that Whitney Beatty and Ebony Andersen, the pair behind the L.A.-based dispensary Josephine & Billie's, are completely shifting the cannabis narrative. Founding their business with the mission to bring first-in-class cannabis education, access, and community to women of color through an elevated retail experience, Beatty and Andersen are setting a new industry precedent. The two have coined the term "cannabis speakeasy" through their callback to the jazz age and the days of "tea pads" in Black communities of the '20s and '30s—where folks would go to relax, listen to jazz, and safely consume cannabis—as an homage to Josephine Baker and Billie Holiday. 

With Beatty as the CEO and Andersen as the COO, the business has become a true first-of-its-kind environment for the community, offering extensive product information and an emphasis on POC, queer, and women-owned brands. Josephine & Billie's has impressively garnered the attention of Jay-Z and The Parent Company, where he serves as chief visionary officer, and he has invested in their vision. 

Yet before Beatty and Andersen set out to transform the cannabis industry, their careers looked exponentially different. Beatty had a highly successful career within entertainment, leading the development of projects in the unscripted space, including a role at Telepictures, where she was the SVP of development. Andersen served as an urban planner for Riverside and Ventura counties in California. However, their shared passion for cannabis lingered throughout their careers. Beatty's first foray into the industry was an ancillary business called Apothecary, which provides high-end storage solutions for cannabis. Andersen eventually created her own land-use consulting firm and began using her extensive knowledge to manage projects within the cannabis industry. 

Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Beatty's and Anderson's past career lives and knowledge led them to create a cannabis experience that is driving community and making a real impact in the space.

Next: Meet the Woman Behind Our Favorite Online Luxury Retailers: Alison Loehnis