Jasmine Johnson leads GŪD Essence as one of the few Black women running a large-scale cannabis operation in Florida. The entrepreneur operates in a state serving over 900,000 registered cannabis patients. Moreover, she positions her dispensary as the “Whole Foods of weed” while prioritizing community equity over rapid expansion.
Johnson frames her business as more than a typical dispensary operation. “We’re here to educate, guide, and build trust,” she explains about her mission. Additionally, she emphasizes creating spaces where customers “feel like they’re stepping into a place that values quality, transparency, and connection.”
Black Woman Cannabis Leader Challenges Industry Standards Through Community Focus
Johnson’s approach differs significantly from typical cannabis business models focused on fast money and expansion. She describes GŪD Essence as a cultural hub that blends education, trust, and community care. Furthermore, her mission centers on ensuring communities harmed by prohibition benefit from cannabis legalization.
The entrepreneur measures success differently than her competitors in Florida’s cannabis gold rush. “It’s not just about how many dispensaries we open in year one,” she states. Instead, she focuses on “how many lives we touch, how many people we train, and how many doors we open for equity.”
Her leadership carries additional significance as representation for Black women in cannabis business. “When people see me in this role, they’re not just seeing Jasmine,” she acknowledges. Moreover, she recognizes being “proof that Black women can lead in cannabis, build multimillion-dollar businesses, and shift culture.”
Diverse Background in Agriculture and Real Estate Shapes Cannabis Vision
Johnson’s path to cannabis leadership built upon experience in agriculture, hospitality, and real estate sectors. Her family background taught her “respect for the land and the value of cultivation.” Additionally, her Tourism & Hospitality Management degree from FIU shaped her customer experience approach.
Her entrepreneurial experience began during college when she opened Crescendo Jazz and Blues Lounge. The venue represented her ability to turn dreams into reality through strategic planning. Furthermore, this early success demonstrated her capacity for creating community-centered businesses.
Real estate experience provided crucial business foundation through her mother’s pioneering work as one of Florida’s first Black Century 21 brokers. Johnson grew their family holdings into a multi-million-dollar portfolio. Consequently, this experience gave her the “ownership mindset” she applies to cannabis business operations.
Medical and Scientific Background Influences Wellness-Centered Approach
Johnson’s educational foundation at Booker T. Washington High School in Historic Overtown exposed her to science and medicine. She completed internships in vascular pathology research at the University of Miami. Additionally, her pharmacy work experience shaped her understanding of cannabis through wellness and business lenses.
These medical experiences inform her rejection of conversations that reduce cannabis to recreational use only. “She’s tired of conversations that reduce cannabis to people ‘just wanting to get high,'” the article notes. Instead, she positions cannabis as a tool for addressing stress, trauma, insomnia, and unlocking creativity.
GŪD Essence operations reflect this wellness philosophy through educational programming and intentional product curation. Johnson emphasizes showing customers that “cannabis can be wellness, not just stigma.” Therefore, her approach prioritizes medical understanding over recreational stereotypes.
Overtown Research Facility Plans Address Community Restoration Goals
Johnson plans to build a seed-to-sale research facility in Overtown, a neighborhood significantly impacted by prohibition policies. This vision aims to create local jobs and train community members in cannabis industry skills. Moreover, the project would demonstrate “cannabis can be a platform for healing, learning, and opportunity.”
Her restoration focus connects to broader historical context about cannabis in Black communities. “Cannabis has always been part of our story,” she explains, referencing traditional herbal medicine practices. Additionally, she emphasizes “reclaiming those traditions openly and with dignity” through legitimate business operations.
The Overtown facility represents her commitment to ensuring Black communities benefit from cannabis legalization. Many areas disproportionately affected by prohibition now lack access to industry opportunities. Consequently, Johnson’s approach prioritizes community investment over external profit extraction.
Creative Financing Strategy Overcomes Capital Access Barriers
Access to capital remains challenging for Black women entrepreneurs, particularly in cannabis business. Johnson addressed this barrier through creative financing involving her parents as initial backers. They provided collateral from the family real estate portfolio to support her venture.
“My name may be free on paper, but this is a very real debt I carry,” she acknowledges. The family investment creates additional motivation for success because “my family’s sacrifices are tied to this business.” Furthermore, this arrangement demonstrates the importance of community-based funding for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
Johnson structured GŪD Essence as employee-owned to extend equity beyond executive leadership. This approach ensures that “equity isn’t just about who sits in the C-suite but also who shares in the growth.” Therefore, her business model creates wealth-building opportunities for workers throughout the organization.
Policy Reform Advocacy Addresses Systemic Cannabis Inequities
Johnson actively advocates for policy reforms that address ongoing injustices in cannabis criminalization. She calls for rewriting laws that continue punishing people with past cannabis convictions. “No one should be barred from opportunity twice for the same plant,” she insists.
Her policy work includes pushing for unified cannabis terminology across legal frameworks. Johnson advocates for consistent language rather than confusing distinctions between hemp and marijuana. Moreover, she believes “clarity creates room for research, science, and smarter policy” development.
The entrepreneur remains vigilant about predatory deals that promise diversity while removing ownership from Black entrepreneurs. Her visibility creates responsibility to protect other minority business owners from exploitative partnerships. Consequently, she uses her platform to educate others about maintaining authentic equity in business relationships.
