Jordan Mackenzie Whittaker
Age: 35
Company: The Weedaker Group
Title: CEO
Michael Whittaker
Age: 35
Company: The Weedaker Group
Title: Chief Operating Officer
At 23, Michael Whittaker was living a double life. He was working as a police cadet, studying criminal justice and, at the same time, secretly participating in the illicit cannabis market with his wife, Jordan Mackenzie Whittaker.
“When it came down to it, I was like, ‘This ain’t for me,” he says of his short-lived career in law enforcement. “I’m going all in with the plant and see where it takes me.”
That decision led to the couple forming The Weedaker Group, a company that has taken on so many roles that it defies being summarized into a simple category.
With Jordan as CEO and Michael as chief operating officer, The Weedaker Group helps other cannabis businesses focus on strategic operations, ranging from compliance, training and human resources to marketing, branding and events.
“We look at it as more of ‘business development,’” Michael says.
“It’s been changing so much over the last couple of years,” Jordan says. “We have found ourselves behind the scenes directly supporting all of the milestones, getting through licensing, opening the doors, launching brands with retail, manufacturing, cultivation and delivery operators.”
As the market moved out of its startup days, The Weedaker Group began leaning into events that help people celebrate and build the culture.
During NECann, The Weedaker Group hosted Frolic in the Park, bringing in more than 600 cannabis professionals from across the country together for an unforgettable night at Fenway Park in Boston.
“My arts background is what encouraged me that I had the innovation to bring people together,” says Jordan, who has a master’s degree in theater and performance. “Everybody plays a part. Everyone has a role. And we’ve got an audience, so we’ve got to give them a show.”
Now, as consumption lounges are taking shape in Massachusetts, the Whittakers are preparing for another evolution.
“We really are thinking outside the box and challenging ourselves,” Jordan says. “I think ‘lounge’ indicates the Amsterdam vibe, where we’re really talking about social consumption being something that’s transformative into entertainment, healing and wellness.”