Miguel Lozano: My420Mate.com
Scrawled across the whiteboard hanging above his desk, circled in a bold red, are three telltale words: Decide. Commit. Succeed. And as powerful as this mantra is, what makes it that much more impactful are the plans and strategies tacked up around it.
We are sitting at the desk of Miguel Lozano, founder and CEO of My420Mate.com, a man who put these words into action and has caught the eye of entrepreneurs and investors alike. His passion for the legal cannabis industry and what it can bring to the table in terms of business and entrepreneurship is undoubtedly inspiring. We could definitely learn a thing or two.
What was the deciding factor for you to join this particular industry?
To be honest with you, it was the plant itself, not the industry. I fell in love with what it had to offer early on in my life and I quickly realized it had a lot to give back. I wanted to become a part of the culture and therefore built my businesses to be part of my lifestyle.
I wanted to become a part of the culture and therefore built my businesses to be part of my lifestyle.
What were you doing before?
My420Mate.com was definitely not my first cannabis related business. Before that, I owned the clothing line Resin Brand as well as another line of products that were made out of recycled cannabis magazines such as High Times, Nugget-ry, and 420 Times, among others. We distributed our products internationally through a company called Lifted Distribution.
Tell me about the point in time you realized the coming of the ‘green rush’?
I caught onto the green rush fairly early on; I would say the mid-90s even, when California passed Prop 215. That was the turning point at which I knew this industry was really going somewhere and would inevitably keep growing.
Right now, what are you guiding your passion and energy towards?
My passion and energy are focused on continuing to spread the word of legalization and helping people find love through cannabis on my site, My420Mate.com.
My420Mate.com on the Jimmy Kimmel Show (watch)
Describe your work ethic in one word.
Driven
Tell me about a time in your career that didn’t go as planned and what you did about that? How did you handle it?
You’re always going to find that there will always be boundaries and things that come up. Things don’t always go as planned. Persevere and work through them.
What book have you read that you’ve been inspired by? Any particular read we should put on our list?
An inspiration of mine is Russell Simmons. I read a book of his called, Do You. He’s very motivational and I have been able to apply what I have learned from him business-wise and spiritual-wise. He is very involved in yoga, which is something I have also recently taken up.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
“Never give up.” You must have confidence that you can overcome any boundaries that are put in front of you. There are so many people in this industry who have already overcome plenty of the obstacles put before them—men like Marc Emery, Ken Estes, and Ed Rosenthal… to name a few.
What is the most important thing for us to know now about the legal marijuana industry?
That it’s getting bigger and bigger every day. It is the number one investment industry to be involved in right now, and will be for the next decade or so.
If we are sitting across from each other a year from now, how will our conversation about the green rush be going?
It will be similar to what it is now, but on a much bigger level. The industry is growing every single day. The opportunities are expansive; there are more dispensaries, more growers, and even more products. The size of it is already large and it has yet to even touch the foundation of the pedestal it will soon be on. It has just begun. Give it time.
