Sacramento 40 Under 40: How Embarc’s CEO Lauren Carpenter Is Redefining Cannabis Leadership
Our CEO Just Made Sacramento’s 40 Under 40 List. And It Means More Than You Think.
Everyone at embarc is incredibly proud to share that our CEO and founder, Lauren Carpenter, has been named one of the Sacramento Business Journal’s 40 Under 40.
Each year, the local business journal honors rising stars in the business world who have distinguished themselves in their companies, communities, and industries.
Sacramento is the center of political power in California: the city where cannabis policy gets made, debated, and fought over. It’s also Lauren’s hometown, where she honed her skills as a “policy nerd” working in and around government before making a sharp pivot into an industry that often clashes with it.
For years, cannabis has been dismissed as the “unruly outcast” of the business community…the kid who can’t sit at the big kids’ table yet. There’s rarely appreciation for the fact that building a business in this space is one of the most grueling entrepreneurial challenges you could take on.
What people don’t often hear are the stories behind our growth: the countless times Lauren and Dustin were laughed out of rooms when they first started pitching this idea: That won’t work… You can’t… You’re crazy…
And yet, Lauren refused to listen to the naysayers. She believed in the power of community, in doing things differently, and in building something meaningful.
That belief (backed by an incredible team!) has shaped embarc into one of California’s leading cannabis companies. With 17 locations (opens in new tab) and growing, we’ve pioneered cannabis concessions and experiences at the State Fair and major music festivals. We’ve given back over $1.5 million to local communities. And we’ve changed hearts and minds, one conversation at a time.
Lauren put it best: “Getting recognized within my hometown business community for building a business in an industry that still faces so much stigma feels full circle. But more than anything else, it validates that cannabis is finally being accepted in circles we’ve been outside of for too long.”
Congratulations, Lauren!