By Neasha Hodge
Giadha Aguirre de Carcer has broken through barriers as a female, minority and immigrant.
Over the past seven years Giadha has solidified her place in the male-dominated field of data science as the founder and CEO of New Frontier Data, the leading cannabis big data and analytics reporting provider in over 80 countries around the world.
With the help of technology, I had the chance to connect with Giadha while she was in the south of Italy.
Tell us about some of the challenges you’ve faced as a female entrepreneur.
Giadha: Believe it or not, while data and technology are male-dominated, when I first entered the cannabis industry in 2014, it was surprisingly female-dominated. Women were attracted by an industry that was an open field, a clear canvas. Some of us had already met that glass ceiling in other sectors and felt that while the risk may have been relatively high to our male counterparts, for us
it was less of a risk and a loss, because at least here we had more of an opportunity.
My biggest challenge, however, was acquiring data and the need for
me to be trusted in order to ask others to share their very delicate information with us. Because the cannabis industry was born of a movement, and a lot of the stakeholders at the time were transitioning from illegal to legal, there was a lot of resistance in sharing data or trusting someone that came from Wall Street, and not believing that I would go report them to my former employers. The other side of the challenge was from an investor perspective. It was less of the cannabis factor, but more of that value proposition. When you think of the profile of a big data technology company, people picture a Zuckerberg, not a Latina with an accent, often wearing a pink suit! It was a bit of a shock for many. But, eventually they were all overcome. We have some of the most sophisticated and trusted investors in the sector, and have raised over 20 million dollars to date.
20 million dollars! That is impressive. What are some ways you went about building that trust with industry stakeholders?
Giadha: Talk data! It is no accident I ended up in the data field. I’ve been a religious student of facts and data. Every single one of my careers to date have been about unveiling the facts and reporting them as objectively as possible. It’s the same thing in front of an investor. You must stick to the facts and present them clearly and succinctly. Show them you know what you are talking about. Be very confident and firm. As a female minority, we must appear and be more confident than anyone else in the room. That confidence is born of knowledge, studying, being prepared, and having all of the answers for all of the questions. Always be three or four steps ahead of them!
So, let’s pretend I am a genie and you were granted three wishes that would help to move the cannabis industry forward, what would they be?
- Federal legalization and opening the financial market. The opening up of banking, including lending, small business loans, credit lines, and financial support, all of which is lacking in the cannabis industry, is critical for small and medium businesses and enterprises to grow.
2. True standardization across states and ideally across the world! In the U.S., there are many areas that require more visibility, not just from a medical or investor perspective, but from a consumer perspective. Standards are needed across packaging, labeling, testing, and dosing. If we can cross that milestone, it will help us expedite the research and understanding of the plant and its benefits on the global scale. The U.S. is still the epicenter of the industry, so it has to start with us.
3. More attention to equality and social justice. I am a woman, a minority and an immigrant who has been very fortunate. But, despite my degrees and all that I have overcome, I’ve found myself in uncomfortable situations in my prior career, both personally and professionally. One of the things that initially attracted me to the cannabis industry is it was a new industry, and it didn’t have the traditional boys club. There was openness and transparency, a horizon…which is why I also chose the horse as our logo. There was no glass ceiling, just a horizon. I feel now that has been lost. So, I would ask for is more attention to equality and social justice. This is still a new and emerging market; we can do it right here! There is a lot of talent that needs a home, and this could be that home. Find out more about cannabis from a data perspective at newfrontierdata.com.
