Legacy Builders: Creating a Business That Lasts

By Marie Saloum

Founder and CEO of GreenPharms Dispensary

When I think about the legacy I’m building, I don’t picture a statue or a plaque. I see a dispensary floor filled with customers who feel safe, informed, and empowered. I see employees who feel valued, respected, and heard. And I see my children growing up knowing that their mother built something not just for profit, but for purpose.

My journey into the cannabis industry wasn’t planned. I studied criminal justice at Cal State Northridge and imagined a career in forensic medicine. Owning a dispensary? That was never part of the dream. But life has a way of redirecting us with moments that demand our attention and action. For me, that moment came after my husband survived a horrific car accident. Watching him navigate a long, painful recovery while facing a growing list of prescription medications was heartbreaking. It was cannabis that brought him relief, not just physically, but emotionally. That experience opened my eyes to the plant’s potential and ignited a fire in me to create access, education, and community around it.

In 2010, before dispensaries were legal in Arizona, we opened one of the state’s first medical-marijuana certification clinics and helped fund the ballot initiative to legalize medical cannabis. When the initiative passed, starting GreenPharms was a natural next step. We weren’t just opening a store. We were laying the groundwork for a new kind of healthcare access point rooted in compassion, education, and advocacy.

GreenPharms has since grown into more than a dispensary. It’s a space built by patients, for patients. I’m proud that we’re still 100 percent family-owned, and you’ll still find me on the sales floor, connecting with our guests. That visibility matters. It reminds our team and our customers that this work is personal. It started with my husband, but it continues with every person who walks through our doors seeking relief, support, or simply a sense of belonging.

I never set out to build a brand portfolio, but I did set out to meet needs that others ignored. That’s how Cigaweeds was born, a cannabis product that looks and feels like a cigarette, designed to help people transition off nicotine. And Mad Terps, our concentrates brand, has developed a loyal following by focusing on consistency, quality, and innovation. These brands are more than just products. They’re extensions of a vision: to offer cannabis in forms that are familiar, accessible, and trustworthy.

But legacy isn’t just about what we create. It’s about who we uplift along the way. I take mentorship seriously because I remember how lonely it felt breaking into a male-dominated industry as a Hispanic woman. I often had to assert my credibility twice as hard, all while balancing motherhood, marriage, and the pressure to prove I belonged. 

That experience taught me to lead with empathy and to create a company culture that celebrates diversity, supports growth, and meets people where they are. From our hiring practices to our monthly team-building events, GreenPharms is designed to foster connection. We’ve held everything from escape room contests to houseboat sleepovers to build trust among our staff, because when people feel seen and supported, they show up with pride and purpose.

Community engagement is a pillar of my legacy. We partner with causes that align with our values, from LGBTQ+ youth shelters to breast cancer support groups to local food drives. Many mainstream charities still turn away cannabis donations, so we work harder to find the ones that won’t. Every month, we pick a new cause and raise money through sticker sales or raffles. This is about showing that cannabis businesses can be model neighbors, invested in the communities we serve.

I also want my legacy to include education. Whether it’s through our Marijuana Doctors clinic, one-on-one conversations on the dispensary floor, or speaking at events, I’m constantly working to debunk myths and replace stigma with science. Everyone deserves to understand how cannabis works, what it can offer, and how to use it safely. That’s why education isn’t a side project for me; it’s baked into everything we do.

Looking ahead, we’re breaking ground on a new two-story flagship dispensary with a drive-through and expanding into new markets like Michigan. 

But even as we grow, our mission remains the same: to lead with integrity, to advocate for patients, and to ensure that the next generation inherits an industry that is more inclusive, transparent, and compassionate than the one we started with.

Legacy isn’t a finish line. It’s a path. And if I can use that path to create opportunity, spark healing, and lift others, then I know I’m building something that will outlast me, and that’s the most meaningful success of all.

Connect With Marie

www.linkedin.com/in/marie-saloum-21972b5