MJBiz Con & ReMind 2024: Where Energy Is Spent and Meaning Is Made
Matt Ritchey
MJBiz Con & ReMind 2024: Where Energy Is Spent and Meaning Is Made
Fifty-four hours in Las Vegas has a way of telling the truth. By the end of MJBiz Con & ReMind 2024, I was tired, noticeably so. Even my Oura ring confirmed it. Resiliency was low. But beneath the fatigue was something more lasting: momentum. The kind that comes not from constant stimulation, but from the right conversations, at the right moments, with the right people.This year’s MJBiz Con felt different. The expo floor was lighter than in years past, fewer exhibitors, fewer bodies moving between booths, yet the energy among those who were present felt open and engaged. People weren’t rushing past one another. They were stopping. Listening. Making room for connection.
Quality Over Quantity on the Expo Floor
What stood out most wasn’t what was missing, but what remained. Attendees were curious, approachable, and genuinely interested in new relationships. Over the course of the trip, I made 25+ new connections and rekindled dozens more, not by accident, but by intention.
Vegas has a way of compressing time. You arrive with a list of people you hope to see, knowing full well you won’t get to all of them. But the ones you do meet often end up being exactly the ones you needed to. This trip was no exception.
The Grasslands Effect: When Environment Does the Work
The highlight of the week came on Wednesday night at the Grasslands event, a gathering that perfectly balanced energy and ease. Hosted by Ricardo Baca, the evening brought together some of the best people of the entire trip in a setting that felt relaxed, welcoming, and human.
There were no hard pitches. No forced networking. Just conversations that flowed naturally, helped along by a thoughtful environment designed to let people be themselves. These are the moments that stick not because they’re loud, but because they’re real.
Connecting with people like Seibo Shen during this time reinforced something many leaders already know but don’t always prioritize: the strongest relationships are built when there’s space to simply show up.
International Perspectives, Familiar Challenges
Las Vegas is also an international crossroads, and this year brought meaningful conversations with leaders doing business across borders, particularly from Canada. Among them, Mike Elkin stood out for his clarity, experience, and grounded approach to navigating complex markets.
Different geographies, similar challenges. Different regulations, familiar pressure points. These exchanges were a reminder that while the industry evolves, the need for trusted relationships remains constant.
What Lingers After the Lights Go Down
MJBiz Con & ReMind 2024 wasn’t about spectacle. It was about recalibration. About recognizing where energy is best spent and where it isn’t. Fewer booths. Fewer distractions. More intentional conversations.
The seeds planted during those 54 hours will take time to grow, but that’s how meaningful progress works. Quietly. Incrementally. Built on trust.
Inner Circle exists in this space not to maximize exposure, but to deepen connection. Because when the noise fades, it’s the people you met, the conversations you had, and the moments you remember that ultimately shape what comes next.
Is Inner Circle Right For You?
Matt Ritchey
Matt Ritchey is the Co-Founder of Inner Circle and CEO of Mr. Cannabis. He is committed to bettering the plant medicine industry through high-integrity leadership and better business building. He has worked with over 500 plant medicine leaders since 2012 and has a track record of helping teams grow from idea to scaled solution.
