Iliad Epic Grow
Executive Summary Engineered the social media foundation and engagement protocols for a Class C cannabis cultivator entering Michigan's newly regulated adult-use market. Translated an elevated, classically-rooted brand identity (named after Homer's Iliad, with visual language drawn from Thomas Cole's Course of Empire) into a B2B-credible social presence serving dispensaries, processors, and end consumers.
Brand Context Iliad Epic Grow positioned itself as a premium, B2B-first cultivator with the tagline Epic Products. Exceptional Process. Visit the brand: iliadgrow.com
Launch market: Michigan adult-use cannabis (Class C cultivator license)
Target audiences: Dispensaries, cultivators, processing facilities, and informed end consumers
Brand identity: Classical mythology, fine art references, premium craft positioning
Engagement period: June 2020 – April 2021
Strategic Initiatives
Brand Voice & Standards
Developed social media voice guidelines that protected the classical, premium brand DNA across platforms
Created engagement protocols defining what to post, what to escalate, and how to respond consistently across team members
Built decision-making frameworks for cannabis-specific compliance scenarios (platform restrictions, claims language, age-gating)
Platform Strategy
Established Instagram presence as the primary brand-building channel within cannabis advertising restrictions
Developed B2B-facing content for dispensary and processor audiences
Built foundational content cadence designed to scale beyond the consultant engagement
Strategic Implementation
Worked within evolving Michigan cannabis advertising regulations and platform-specific compliance rules
Coordinated brand voice across owned channels (website, Instagram, Facebook) to maintain consistency between intellectual brand identity and social presence
Documented engagement protocols for handoff and continuity beyond consultant tenure
Technical Expertise
Cannabis industry compliance and platform policy navigation
B2B social media strategy for regulated markets
Brand voice development for premium-positioned consumer brands
Engagement protocol design for distributed teams
Market entry communications during launch phase
Professional Growth
First paid consulting engagement, completed alongside finishing a Communications degree at Illinois State University
Built foundational expertise in regulated-industry marketing that informed later work in library and nonprofit contexts
Developed early systems-thinking discipline: building protocols that outlast the person who built them
