Nicole Hanratty, Vice President of Marketing at MWG Holdings Group, Inc., will participate as a featured panelist at MJ Unpacked in St. Louis, Missouri, addressing critical marketing challenges facing cannabis companies. The panel discussion titled "Brand Awareness vs. Performance: Finding the Right Balance on a Budget" will explore how industry leaders deploy high-return tactics while managing tight budget constraints.
The event, taking place at the historic Union Station Hotel, represents the premier national cannabis gathering exclusively for license holders and accredited investors. Hanratty's participation highlights the ongoing struggle vertically integrated cannabis companies face in optimizing marketing budgets between immediate revenue generation and long-term brand equity development.
"Vertically integrated companies face a constant challenge: optimizing marketing budgets between demand-generation initiatives that deliver immediate topline revenue and strategic brand-building campaigns that strengthen long-term equity," Hanratty stated. Her perspective comes from practical experience growing MWG Holdings' retail chain revenue while maintaining financial discipline in a capital-constrained environment.
The discussion will focus on achieving quarterly revenue and EBITDA targets while simultaneously cultivating brand affinity, sustaining same-store sales growth, and managing cash flow. Hanratty emphasized that "finding the balance between brand building and performance means getting laser-focused on the effectiveness of spend," suggesting that even community outreach and creative campaigns can be achieved on limited budgets with proper strategy.
Hanratty brings substantial industry credibility to the discussion, having previously spoken at MJ Unpacked in 2024 and mainstream business forums such as the VIBE Conference. Her experience at MWG Holdings, which operates nine retail locations including eight Perfect Union stores and one Wild Seed Wellness store, provides real-world insights into successful marketing strategies.
The company's retail operations have demonstrated significant growth, with a 32.2% year-over-year increase in transaction count and a 26.7% revenue increase during the first half of 2025. This performance underscores the effectiveness of MWG's marketing approach, making Hanratty's insights particularly valuable for industry peers seeking similar results.
For additional information about the conference agenda and scheduling, interested parties can visit https://www.mjunpacked.com. The panel discussion is scheduled for Wednesday, September 3, from 2:20 PM to 3:00 PM CDT, offering cannabis industry professionals practical strategies for marketing optimization in challenging financial conditions.
