STIIIZY lights up Missouri: A deep dive with Darren Blair on the company’s latest expansion
STIIIZY, one of the leading cannabis brands in the country has recently marked its expansion into Missouri, making it the sixth state to host their offerings.
Darren Blair, Vice President of Business Development at STIIIZY, recently spoke to Greenway to share his insights on this strategic move, detailing the brand’s vision and approach to navigating entry and expansion in the Missouri market.
STIIIZY’s entry into Missouri is characterized by a significant emphasis on community and consumer relationships.
“I believe first and foremost in consumers. I believe in our customers and I believe in our relationships,” Blair stated, reinforcing the core philosophy that drives STIIIZY’s operations. This belief underpins their entire strategy, focusing on building strong, meaningful connections in Missouri. “We’ve been watching the state of Missouri for a really long time. We’re like a day trader; we’re always watching, always looking,” Blair said.
The state’s growing demand for quality cannabis and its openness to new business opportunities caught the team’s attention early on.
“Over the last year or so, we’ve been really encouraged by the pulse of Missouri. And I think the commitment to excellence, the commitment to quality, it just seemed like a right fit for us.”
The launch in Missouri was celebrated with grandeur, featuring high-profile events at local dispensaries around the state. These events were not just about promoting their products but were integral to STIIIZY’s strategy of ingraining themselves within the local community. Blair explains, “We are always trying to be on offense, but we always want to enter a state through the right way,” he continued.
“What do I mean by the right ways? The industry, our customers, our consumers, our partners – we felt really good about the culture and how we could enter the market. So we wanted to make all of the right moves.
“What does that look like? We wanted to execute against some takeovers so that consumers had the opportunity to see our brand and the lifestyle behind it.
“We wanted to enter the market not like the big, bold, loud California brand, we really took the approach with Missouri that we were invited to the barbecue.”
Marketing Strategy
STIIIZY’s approach to entering the Missouri market was meticulously planned to resonate with the local community while maintaining the essence of its brand identity. Blair explained, “We were focused on showing up as if we had always been part of the community.” This involved extensive preparation, including numerous discussions with retail partners to ensure alignment with local expectations.
Prior to the official launch, STIIIZY established a comprehensive digital presence and orchestrated event planning. Blair elaborated on the rollout day, saying, “On the 27th, we flipped the switch on. All digital, billboards, and events turned on simultaneously.” Emphasizing personal connections, he added, “What meant the most to me was tapping in with the budtenders. We hosted two launch parties beyond the retail takeovers, creating environments where they could enjoy our products, ask questions in a safe space, and really get to know who we are because we’re so much bigger than a product.”
Creating Grass Roots
An essential aspect of their strategy became the emphasis on local hiring. Blair sees this as crucial to understanding and integrating into Missouri.
“Full transparency, we were thinking about potentially bringing in some key players that are currently in other markets within our infrastructure. But we did a lot of thinking. We did a lot of due diligence. And what we really believed was we gotta work within the market and we’ve gotta partner with people that are already a part of the market. We have amazing talent within our organization as is, and we historically promote from within. But based on the current climate, based on our relationships in Missouri, we had the opportunity to have conversations with some core individuals that have been a part of Missouri for a really long time, and we were really, really comfortable and confident with the way that they responded to our questions. And at the end of the day, people buy from people. People work with people. And, honestly, what better way to put our trust and faith into the market than to work with specific individuals that have come from other companies within the Missouri market?
“And to me, that just shows our confidence in the people of Missouri and the confidence in our relationships that we have within the market. So we’re extremely excited with the individuals that are currently representing our product and are part of our team. And we couldn’t be more thrilled with the connection to the pulse and the culture of the market through these individuals. You know, we are a company that are really big feelers. We like to think we have pretty good emotional intelligence. And each state has its own individual rhythm and has its own individual heartbeat. The individuals that we’ve partnered with to take this brand to the next level in Missouri couldn’t have been any better, and they really help us keep a strong pulse on the market. And, man, I’m stoked.”
In addition to the drive to create local roots, STIIIZY, as a brand, is renowned for its commitment to quality, and Blair shared how they adapted their offerings to meet the specific needs of the Missouri market.
Looking forward, Blair is optimistic about STIIIZY’s future in Missouri, focusing on deepening the brand’s engagement through continuous community involvement. “We’re super excited about Missouri to say the least. We’re pumped. We believe you only get to be new once, so we wanted to make all the right moves,” he enthuses. “We wanted to bring every single thing that our customers were asking for and our consumers were asking for. I think at the end of the day, we wanna listen to our consumers and let our consumers guide our strategy. Based on what the consumers were asking for, we knew we could execute against that. We’ve been really encouraged about the first 30 to 45 days of our launch.”
STIIIZY’s product rollout strategy is as deliberate as their market entry, focusing heavily on aligning with consumer expectations and ensuring a high-quality experience. “We’re truly a brand focused on lifestyle, making sure that people actually got to meet Steezy folks in market during launch was crucial,” Blair mentioned. The goal was to create authentic engagements, sharing not just products but experiences – from appetizers and cocktails to showcasing their all-in-one disposable vapes and pods, the first products to rollout in the state.
Looking forward to new product introductions, Blair expressed, “We’re hyper-focused on the STIIIZY brand and are extremely excited to bring the full STIIIZY lineup to the Missouri market.” This new product line includes the Forties infused pre-rolls, available in multipack farms and single-gram forms, as well as gummies and other smokables. He highlighted the anticipation for these products, noting the active engagement with consumers online, “We read all our DMs on Instagram, all our LinkedIns. We respond, we acknowledge. We want our consumers to be heard.”
Blair reassured the commitment to quality and consumer satisfaction, “We don’t want to put the cart in front of the horse. Our commitment to excellence and quality is paramount. We’re making sure our process is tight from a manufacturing perspective and that our procurement is extremely tight because we want our consumers to have consistency and an experience they can bank on.”
Blair also highlighted the importance of STIIIZY’s social impact, pointing out that their business strategy goes beyond just selling products.
“I think wherever we’re at, we’re always looking to provide some type of social impact into what we’re doing, whether it’s creating jobs, whether it’s our commitment to making a positive impact on local communities, you know, particularly those that have been historically marginalized or underrepresented. You know, we’re always trying to invest capital into our into the states that we support. So I think creating jobs is one is one avenue, but I think most importantly, really investing capital to improve parks, and schools, providing assistance and resources to veterans. Those are really big things for us. So I know a lot of times we talk about the business, but the most important thing to us is what we do within the state, within the community, and within each region of the community. Because every state is different and every state needs something at some level. We always wanna make sure we’re doing our part and jobs are great, but social impact is even more important to us.”
As STIIIZY continues to adapt and evolve within Missouri, Blair revealed a strategic, thoughtful approach aimed at not just growing the brand but nurturing a deep, enduring connection with the community and market dynamics. With their commitment to quality, community, and innovation, STIIIZY is poised to shape a promising future for both the brand and Missouri’s cannabis industry.
