IgniteHer adds training lounge for women in cannabis at Chicago event

The Mycelia Group and IgniteIt are expanding their IgniteHer campaign with a new training lounge at IgniteHer Chicago, set for June 14-16 at the Marriott Magnificent Mile. The program is designed to help women in cannabis sharpen executive presence, branding and investor readiness while building industry connections. Why it matters: - IgniteHer Chicago adds a hands-on layer to a national visibility campaign aimed at giving women leaders more access to capital, partnerships and decision-makers in cannabis. - The new lounge is meant to move women from attendance to influence by pairing event access with training and networking. - The initiative also broadens scholarship and underwritten access at a time when women remain underrepresented in rooms where deals and industry strategy are shaped. What happened: - The Mycelia Group and IgniteIt announced the next phase of IgniteHer on June 12, 2026. - IgniteHer Chicago will run June 14-16, 2026, at the Marriott Magnificent Mile in Chicago. - The event will debut the IgniteHer Lounge, a bookable training space for women executives in cannabis. - Complimentary sessions will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, June 15, and Tuesday, June 16. - Women attendees can reserve sessions focused on pitch decks, speaking opportunities, elevator pitches, executive presence and personal branding. The details: - The pitch deck session will cover what investors expect and how to present a business opportunity clearly. - The speaking engagement session will focus on finding industry opportunities and maximizing visibility on stage. - The elevator pitch session will help attendees build a concise narrative for investors, partners and customers. - The executive presence session will cover confidence, room-commanding communication and intentional leadership. - The personal branding session will focus on defining and amplifying a professional identity. - Sessions will be led by Jessica Ferranti, founder of The Mycelia Group; Jeanne Sullivan, founder of Sullivan Adventures and partner at Arcview Ventures; and Anthony Coniglio, president and CEO of NewLake Capital Partners. - The training lineup brings experience in leadership, investing, fundraising and business growth directly to attendees. - IgniteHer is also offering underwritten event access as part of its scholarship and access model. - IgniteIt is supporting the effort with complimentary event access and promotional support across its national event portfolio. - Community and industry support comes from Emerald Lane Recruitment, NewLake Capital, Ashley Mosby of Dope CFO, Blue Sky Bank, Valley Bank, Pharos THC Beverages, Proteus420, Panacea Payroll, Embarc and Crativ Packaging. - Media support is provided by Proven Media, Smoke Show Co., Fat Nugs Magazine and Beard Bros. - More information, scholarship applications and training reservations are available at myceliagroup.com/events . - Jessica Ferranti is the contact for training registration at hello@themyceliagroup.com. Between the lines: - The Chicago activation builds on prior launches in D.C., New Jersey and Ohio, showing the campaign is scaling market by market. - The “Visibility Is the New Currency” theme signals a focus on public profile as a business tool, not just a branding exercise. - The mix of training, scholarships and media amplification suggests IgniteHer is trying to connect personal development with measurable business opportunity. - Ferranti said the effort is designed to change who gets heard and recognized in cannabis leadership rooms. What’s next: - IgniteHer will continue scaling across multiple markets through 2026. - The Chicago sessions will give attendees direct access to training, networking and investor-focused programming during the June 14-16 event window. - The campaign will keep linking women leaders to capital, partnerships and visibility through upcoming events. The bottom line: - IgniteHer Chicago is turning an industry event into a targeted platform for women in cannabis to build credibility, prepare for investors and expand influence.