The Beard Bros have created their own wave in California’s legal cannabis industry. While waiting for their cultivation licensed approval in 2018, they dove head first into the world of cannabis driven media.
The two brothers began consistently publishing informative news pieces and sharing cannabis-community centered content on Instagram. Gaining support from many of the most popular California cannabis influencers as well as consumers all over the West Coast, Bill and Jeff Levers, have built one of the most respected cannabis media brands and an Instagram account with over 100,000 followers.
Many of the people in the Beard Bros community are veterans, current and former victims of the war on drugs, as well as consumers like you and I. Because the brothers haven’t stopped creating and sharing content since that very first day, countless people have been able to discover and learn about cannabis at their own pace. The Beard Bros have built a powerful community that is all about helping other people.
Beard Bros Pharms Exclusive Interview
*This interview was edited for clarity*
RMR: Can you guys describe who the Beard Bros are?
Beard Bros: Bill and Jeff Levers are two brothers with a neverending love for the cannabis plant and all the benefits that it brings to people.
From our youth, we knew it was misunderstood on so many levels, and we set out to change people’s minds and alter their preconceived notions.
We’ve spent the past two decades sharing that with everyone on our journey from the east coast to the west coast — we ended up in Cali in 2011.
RMR: How did you build a media platform as well as a cannabis growing operation?
Beard Bros: Some of the reason for forming a media entity was born out of necessity. It became an alternative way to gain traction in the cannabis industry when Los Angeles wasn’t handing out nearly enough cannabis licenses in 2018.
The other driving force revealed itself during our search for information regarding the licensing process. We realized a lot of people were either misinformed or unable to keep up to date with the rapidly changing landscape.
We realized there was an opportunity with the reach of our platform to vett and aggregate credible information and that eventually led to curating our own content.
RMR: Can you describe a day in the life of a Beard Bros Pharms employee?
Beard Bros: We run a pretty lean operation despite all the different areas of the industry that we touch. Anyone that works for us needs to be able to multitask and be ready for anything to be on the agenda on a given day. Whether that’s packaging up eighths and pre-rolls, creating content, or handling distribution sales duties — no two days are the same.
RMR: Is there any crossover between growing and running the media platform?
Beard Bros: Absolutely. As both sides of the industry have come out of the shadows to become more open and acceptable they have played off each other in big ways.
Cultivators use to hide out in private grower forums to ask questions and share tips and info. Now everyone promotes everything from their product, to merchandise, to their very growing methods all over Instagram, Facebook, and even LinkedIn.
Both growing and the media around it are fast-moving, unforgiving spaces and the ability to stay at the forefront of either one requires dedication, consistency, and a relentless drive that few possess.
RMR: What is your perspective on the industry and where it currently sits?
Beard Bros: The industry is in a very unique position right now because so many states are in varying stages of legalization. It makes for a hodgepodge of regulations and differing business models depending on the state, and sometimes the locality within the state.
These “second mover” states have looked to California as a guide, but it is really an anomaly that shouldn’t be followed due to the robust traditional market that existed for decades before legalization that no other state can compare to.
The recent passing of the MORE Act in the House (unlikely to pass in the Senate) gives some hope of standardization for operators, but that’s what we were told that state regulations would provide as well.
RMR: What do you have coming down the pipeline? (2021 plans)
Beard Bros: We’re just glad we’re making it to next year with the way that 2020 has gone. But seriously, we hope to expand our footprint further beyond the West Coast on the cultivation side.
We’ve kicked that off already working with a partner at an existing facility in the greater Phoenix area and have a few opportunities in other states in the works as well.
On the media side, we plan to film the remainder of the first season of “Pharm to Table,” our show that highlights some of the best brands in California and gives viewers an inside look at the supply chain from beginning to end.
We also have an online app in the works that will free cannabis brands from the censorship experienced by social media channels and allow them to directly connect and sell to their customers in a revolutionary new way. We can’t really say anymore just yet, but keep your eyes out for it in early 2021.
Go follow the Beard Bros on IG @beardbros_pharms and visit their website beardbrospharms.com for relevant cannabis news updates.
