On Wednesday, March 6, the McDermond Center for Management and Entrepreneurship hosted Sarah O’Leary ‘86 in the Union Building Ballroom for their Speaker Series. O’Leary, owner of cannabis branding and marketing company Immortal Jellyfish (Jelly Brands), shared her journey in marketing and realizing her destiny in entrepreneurship, where she has founded and created a community in the cannabis industry.

O’Leary first stepped foot in the banking industry but found it boring and described it as “where creative minds die.” However, a shift in mindset prompted her to view the ordinary as an “adventure,” thus launching herself into a thriving marketing career. 

After creating a successful promotion for Jack in the Box, O’Leary was encouraged to open her agency Methods & Madness, which Omnicom Holdings Group purchased just over a year after its opening. O’Leary also authored the book, “Brainwashed: Why the Shopper Matters More Than What You’re Selling,” and has contributed to the business section of The Huffington Post. 

“Bliss jettisoned me up the corporate ladder, but I was meant to be an entrepreneur,” O’Leary said. When her good friend’s son was diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome, a genetic epilepsy disorder, she learned the positive effects of cannabis on his seizures. Furthermore, O’Leary struggled with “putting [her] creative mind to bed at night” but saw improvements in her sleep because of cannabis. 

From knowing nothing about cannabis, O’Leary paired her understanding of branding, retail, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) marketing with her passion for making consumers feel seen and launched Wacky Weed Tours, the nation’s only weekly cannabis tour. Since then, O’Leary has developed Gal Pals Minis and several other brands to create a place of connection and give cannabis consumers an experience free of judgment. 

Gal Pals Minis, whose target market is women, has served to permit women to have fun with cannabis. To make the experience more welcoming, O’Leary has renamed cannabis strains–almost like nail polish colors–and included an activity card in each box to build community and enhance consumers’ experience. 

However, the lack of federal legalization of cannabis has posed challenges for companies in the cannabis industry. O’Leary explained how she overcame the marketing obstacle of her inability to advertise the products due to social media taking down their content, as per social media’s community standards guidelines against the advertisement of the consumption of drugs Therefore, O’Leary has made women and the point of sale her main focus in Gal Pals Minis’s content. 

“Always know the audience’s wants, needs, and desires,” O'Leary said. “[Your audience] defines you and your success.” 

O’Leary has continued her work in the cannabis industry out of happiness. “That happiness translates to everyone I work with,” O'Leary said.