Change MakeHERS: Spotlighting Sarah Seale
Why Women in Cannabis Matter
As the cannabis industry continues its rapid expansion, an increasing number of dynamic women are emerging as influential leaders within the field. These women not only shape the trajectory of their businesses but also pave the way for future generations of female leaders. At White Ash Group, we believe in celebrating the triumphs of women in the cannabis sector by highlighting their accomplishments. That's why we initiated the Change MakeHERs series – a collection of interviews and spotlight articles where women who embody strength, integrity, and hard work share their insights and advice on navigating the cannabis landscape.
Sarah Seale, Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Seale Inc.
Introducing Sarah Seale, this month's Change MakeHER, the dynamic CEO and founder of two successful People Strategy, HR, and Recruitment companies specializing in the cannabis industry. Seale brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to leadership in this rapidly evolving field.
With over 15 years of experience in the international market and 8 years serving the Canadian market, Seale is a distinguished business strategist and proven leader passionate about driving change. She has a track record of providing scalable solutions to both small and large companies across various business management platforms. Her expertise spans key areas such as Business Strategy, Organizational Strategy and Development, Operations, Human Resources, Strategic Partnerships, and Recruitment. Seale holds an MBA and the CHRP (Certified Human Resources Professional) designation, underscoring her comprehensive knowledge and commitment to excellence in her field.
Seale’s leadership and expertise have earned her a seat on three international strategic advisory boards, and she continues to work actively with several emerging markets. Her reputation as an expert speaker at business conferences around the world is well-established, and she has been recognized with numerous awards and features in esteemed publications, including Forbes. Some of her notable accolades include:
Nominated for the Positive Leadership Awards - Canada, 2023
Top Ten Most Inspiring Business Leaders to Watch, 2022
Corporate Excellence Award for Best Small Specialist HR & Recruitment Consultancy – Canada, 2021
Recognized as one of the Top 100 Business Professionals in Canada, 2020
Seale’s journey and accomplishments highlight her unwavering dedication to fostering growth and innovation in the business world. Her insights and experiences make her an exemplary leader and a source of inspiration for many in the cannabis industry and beyond.
Direct Advice For Women In Cannabis
Q: Sarah, as the CEO and founder of two successful People Strategy, HR, and Recruitment companies specializing in the cannabis industry, what inspired you to focus your expertise in this particular field, and how has your journey shaped your perspective on leadership?
I was born in Canada but grew up in Barbados. I moved back to Canada in 2016 and before I moved back a friend in Montreal told me to take a look at the cannabis industry and where it was going. He knew of my love for business strategy and developing markets and that my background revolved around setting up companies for business success so thought this would be a good area for me to focus on. I tried but could not land a role within an LP so took on a role at a recruitment company in the meantime where I started building a cannabis portfolio.
The very first role I landed was a recruitment contract for a CMO. When I went in to visit the HR manager to discuss the contract and see the site it was in a state of panic with people literally running around the office yelling at each other. I sat the manager down and said ok let’s bench the CMO role for a moment, what are the issues here. She quickly laid out a business overview of what the core problems, if they had 50 problems I could solve 45 of them and I knew people who could solve the rest so our recruitment meeting turned into a whiteboard session which she brought the CEO into. I went back to my current boss and told him that there was a real opportunity to help these companies strategically set up and I wanted to open a department around it. He was not supportive of the strategy for his business model, so I left the company and set up my first consulting practice for the industry and I’ve never looked back.
My perception of leadership, especially as it aligns with this industry has definitely changed. It truly takes a village and leadership happens at every level of the company. For cannabis companies to be successful they need to have a culture that revolves around accountability and problem-solving where everyone is taking responsibility for their part in the organization, pushing themselves and motivating others to do the same.
Q: With your extensive experience working with companies internationally, what unique insights have you gained about the role of women in the cannabis industry, and how do you leverage these insights to support and empower female professionals?
It is hard to be a woman in this industry, point blank. You need a thick skin and a very diplomatic approach to get to that leadership level. Big egos and aggressive Alpha female personalities tend not to work effectively, I have seen that approach fail time and time again when a female feels she needs to push her way to the top and shout from the rooftops that she is there and demand a seat. The females that I have seen successful and that are still around are ones with a more collaborative and diplomatic approach to problem-solving, so people are stopping to listen to them when they talk versus them having to shout to be heard.
I won’t lie, it’s not an easy approach and requires a lot of tongue-biting and some deep breaths as it’s so different to what the men in the industry are doing but that’s unfortunately our reality. For the women who can get that seat at the table, however, respect is given to that approach very quickly and people do stop and listen and see the value in what we are bringing to the table.
In terms of supporting and empowering women, I think we all need to stand up for each other and build each other up. I take the diplomatic tone, but I do stand up vocally in meetings and publicly on social media if I feel someone is not being treated fairly (men or women) or if there is a sexist undertone or practice that should be discussed as well as congratulating or making sure that successes and hustle are seen and appreciated.
Q: Building and maintaining effective teams is crucial in any industry. What strategies do you employ to ensure diversity and inclusion within the teams you help build, and how do you advocate for gender equality in your recruitment practices?
Diversity and Inclusion as a culture must come from the top, if the leaders of the company don’t understand the value that having different backgrounds, cultures and values in a company and at the leadership table then it’s impossible to set up good practices. So, I start there by really showing the value of different experiences and backgrounds brought to the table with data and stats.
Once there is buy-in then it’s easy to incorporate equality in the recruitment practices as a company, but the challenge comes when we still are seeing an 80% male application to 20% female application to roles. At the end of the day the best person for the role needs to be chosen (both culturally fit-wise and experience-wise) and it’s hard to create an equal practice with an unequal applicant pool. I do a lot of advocate work and the work that a lot of us are doing towards destigmatisation I hope is something that will help encourage more women to apply for roles in this industry.
Q: Mentorship and support networks are essential for professional growth. Can you share any experiences where mentorship has played a pivotal role in your career, and how you now mentor and support other women in the cannabis industry?
I have been privileged throughout my career to have been mentored by some exceptional leaders and that is not a trend that stops when you reach the executive level. True leaders never stop being open to learning new things and are continuously looking to improve their offerings professionally and to grow and develop personally as the scope of their responsibilities increases.
One of the best mentors I have ever had is a CEO who came from a completely different manufacturing industry in Europe. The European style of management and the focus that they place on the efficiency of time spent on tasks so that people can have a work-life balance is one of the most important lessons as an executive I have learned. The challenge set out by this gentleman who was at the VP level of a 25-year-old company grossing over 500 million euros per year and ranked as one of the best workplaces in the world to me was “ Remember that in our country, the day begins when everyone comes home from work and spends time with their family, it does not end there, and that’s how it should be worldwide” changed the way I approached both culture creation professionally with my clients and my own approach to work.
I have played the role of both as a formal mentor and an informal mentor to women in this industry. It mostly starts with my internal team and being a resource, they can come to and learn how to grow their careers. There is a group of us that also supports each other informally, you will see us hanging out together at conferences.
Q: The cannabis industry is rapidly evolving. How do you stay informed about industry trends, and how do these trends influence your approach to HR and recruitment within the cannabis sector?
I go to all the conferences I can and I have a few leadership mastermind groups that I am a part of to help keep on top of trends in the industry and what changes may be coming.
On the HR side, I keep up to date with provincial and federal changes and I am almost always taking some form of course to help better my knowledge. I have the privilege of having some great colleagues in and out of the industry and we keep each other updated and provide guidance and advice.
Q: Lastly, to share the spotlight with other female leaders in the cannabis space, who would you nominate for our next Change MakeHER feature?
Pauline Hyde - Pauline is one of the most incredible women I know personally and to see how she has flourished professionally has been really inspiring to watch over the last few years. Watching her step forward into a more visible role and setting up her own successful company with Cannabis Marketplace has had me cheering from the sidelines! She is also one of the kindest people I have ever met and really takes care of people in this industry. I watched her at Growup do things like give up her seat at a presentation so other people could be closer to the speakers and really give time and energy taking some people who are new and trying to get their foot into the industry around and introducing them to as many people as she could and offering an open door for advice.
