media & PRESS
Ashley Picillo is a seasoned cannabis industry professional, speaker, and author with 10 years of experience advising both legacy and licensed operators. Ashley’s experience spans 44 states, 6 countries, and more than 100 cities and counties — each with their own rules and regulations governing the nascent cannabis industry.
Adaptability is key for any startup, but it is the most important trait for a company that wants to be in cannabis for the long haul. In an environment where regulations can change overnight, there is zero room for ego. You have to be willing to reexamine and critique your vision, and be comfortable admitting when that vision needs to be reimagined. While this exercise can be challenging, you will undoubtedly end up with a stronger roadmap for your company if you are willing to rip your own ideas apart and start over, as maddening as that can be sometimes.
Ashley Picillo
experience & KNOWLEDGE
LICENSING | OPERATIONS | FUNDRAISING | BOARD & ADVISORY | PHILANTHROPY | MENTORSHIP
Throughout her nearly 10 years working in regulated cannabis, Ashley has supported more than 300 cannabis operators with business plans, fundraising endeavors, staffing and training, brand building and operational excellence.
Regarded as a thought leader in the cannabis space, Ashley has been a frequent speaker for the last 8 years, taking the stage at world-renowned events, such as SXSW, as well as cannabis industry conferences.
In 2016, Ashley founded Point Seven Group (Point7), a 100% women owned management consulting firm dedicated to the commercial cannabis industry. The award winning firm has supported teams with a variety of operational & business strategy needs, including the development of competitive applications. To date, under Ashley's leadership, Point7's clients have been awarded cannabis business permits in merit-based application processes from coast-to-coast including: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, & West Virginia.
In 2019, Ashley made the decision to enroll Point7 in 1% for the Planet — requiring all joining companies to contribute 1% of top line revenue to nonprofits dedicated to sustainability. Point7 has proudly contributed hundreds of community service hours, as well as tens of thousands of dollars in giving.
Each year Ashley & her team select small diverse businesses & individuals to support with various cannabis business activities — entirely pro bono. In this capacity, Point7 provides valuable mentorship, free deliverables and resources & works with each partner team to help them prepare for licensure &, if applicable, fundraising.
In 2017, Ashley co-authored Breaking the Grass Ceiling: Women, Weed and Business, which debuted at SXSW in Austin, TX. The book describes the stories of 21 pioneering women in cannabis and their journeys navigating the nascent marijuana industry.
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“The Point Seven Group team has provided stellar performance when consulted for a complex project that needed to be completed in a timely manner. Despite tight deadlines and the proximity of the holiday season, the precision, attention to detail, professionalism, and supreme knowledge of the subject not only did not cease to amaze my team but far exceeded our already high expectations. Ashley and her tea are simply the top best in the industry. Each person on their team is perfectly selected to execute their task and together they achieve the most favorable results. We would highly recommend Point Seven Group and would not hesitate to work with them on our future projects.”
Yuliya Habib, Consulting Client
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"Ashley is among the hardest working and most tenacious leaders in the cannabis space. Ashley's pragmatic approach and results oriented mindset set her apart from the pack. I am grateful for the opportunities I've had to work with Ashely over the years."
Alex Valvassori, Cofounder, Complia
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"Ashley is a force of nature in all of the positive ways. She is extraordinarily meticulous and calculating when it comes to strategy and then executes with flawless grace. She has developed the scalable equation for success in anything she puts her mind to."
Jace Levine, Founder, Field of Light
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"From the moment I connected with Ashley initially after she published Breaking the Grass Ceiling it was clear that her thought leadership and kindness would help shape many of the cannabis industry standards that we call best practices today. As Founder and CEO of Point Seven Group, Ashley has used her platform to connect and mentor many cannabis professionals over the years — including myself. Her genuine care and tenacity in everything that she does is extremely special, and our industry is better as a result."
Anne Forkutza, Head of Market Expansion and Industry Relations, Dutchie
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"Ashley and the Point Seven team are a world class operation. I am grateful for the opportunity to partner with them so we could accomplish our goals together!"
Zach Weprin, Certified Cultivators
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“They were voted the best consultant in Missouri by far. Highest percentage of winning applications versus any other consultant. Ashley is an excellent public speaker including the ability to testify with conviction and incredibly thorough preparation.”
Chip Sheppard, Consulting Client
let’s ENGAGE
Board & Advisory
Ashley is passionate about advising cannabis companies as well as nonprofits and academic institutions and has supported teams in paid, pro-bono and equity-only capacities.
Joint Venture
Interested in exploring a new or existing market pursuit together? Ashley is actively evaluating joint venture opportunities, as well as strategic partnerships, in key cannabis markets throughout the U.S. — and beyond.
Referrals
For nearly 10 years, Ashley has forged relationships with top talent across the cannabis industry. From product formulators to exceptional designers, horticulturists and staffing agencies — Ashley's curated rolodex includes the industry's very best.
Consulting
From start-up, plant-touching cannabis companies to ancillary businesses and existing operators, Ashley provides consulting services spanning business development, marketing strategy, fundraising, operational excellence, staff optimization, new market expansion and competitive application submissions.
