AACE INTERVIEW: Marion Mariathasan / CEO and CO-founder of Simplifya
It is an honor to have Marion Mariathasan of Simplifya here on AACE. He is a serial entrepreneur who has founded, invested, or advised over a dozen start-ups. He heads a leading cannabis regulatory and operational compliance company, alongside being the Founder and Chairman of Ceylon Solutions, a software development company that he founded in 2005 which now primarily focuses on developing applications for the cannabis industry. He is a regular guest speaker at events such as Denver Startup Week, CU Denver's program on social entrepreneurship, and the United Nations Global Accelerator Initiative. Marion is currently an investor, board member and advisor to over a handful of cannabis and non-cannabis companies.
Marion is of Sri Lankan descent and can talk about how cannabis is viewed in his community here and in Sri Lanka (where one of his companies, Ceylon Solutions is based).
Marion Mariathasan, Co-founder & CEO, Simplifya
Simplifya is the leading provider of regulatory and operational compliance software for the cannabis industry, empowering small and large businesses to proactively manage compliance tasks across all facilities and license types. Simplifya’s web-based self-auditing system distills complex state and local regulations into a series of simple yes-or-no questions to facilitate self-audits, identify areas of non-compliance, manage remediation efforts, and generate management and audit reports.
How have your views on cannabis changed?
Like most people, I grew up with the view that cannabis is a drug and that it’s bad for you. I tried it a few times in college and that was the extent of my exposure to it prior to getting into the industry. So I wasn’t really against it but didn’t view it in the most positive light. Over time, my view on it evolved and I began to see its benefits as medicine and as a recreational tool to enhance life’s experiences.
What was the impetus of that change?
Education. Education. Education. When I decided I wanted to get involved in the industry as an investor, I wanted to understand more about the plant. The more I learned about the plant and its medicinal properties, the clearer it became that cannabis has been demonized by those who didn’t understand it for political, cultural and financial reasons.
How did you enter the cannabis industry?
My initial interest in the industry was as a potential investor and advisor for a company called ebbu. Following that, I decided to invest in Simplifya and ultimately ended up running it as the CEO.
Did you do research into cannabis before entering?
I was fortunate enough to be good friends with the founding partners of one of the leading cannabis law firms in the country, Vicente Sederberg. As a result, I spent a lot of time simply talking to him about the plant; its unique history all the way up to legalization and where the industry was headed.
How does your family feel about your cannabis businesses?
Like many South Asian families, my parents were surprised about my decision to enter the cannabis industry. Luckily, they were never against it. This was partly because I once owned a tequila company and so they were already desensitized to the fact that I was in what they deemed to be a “vice” industry.
What is the most frequent question you are asked about cannabis?
People are most frequently curious about whether I consume cannabis since I’m on the compliance side of the business. My answer is that I do, but only for special occasions or when friends or family visit Colorado and want to partake because they are in a state where it has been legal for many years. For those visiting from states where it’s not yet legal, consuming cannabis without stigma is a very appealing proposition.
What is your favorite way of ingesting cannabis?
Smoking flower or vaping.
Where do you see the cannabis industry in five years?
In the next five years, I am confident that cannabis will be federally legal in the U.S. and just about every democratic country in the world will be on the path to legalization if they already haven’t legalized it at that point. In the U.S. it will be one of the most vibrant and innovative industries on the recreational side. On the medical side, I expect to see major breakthroughs in treatments and preventative care.
Why do you think some Asians are against cannabis?
Misinformation and propaganda are the main reasons why anyone is against cannabis, whether it’s in the west or the east. In the west, however, due to more liberal cultures, it has been somewhat easier for society as a whole to be open to cannabis. Asian and South Asian cultures tend to be more traditional and not as individualistic as the west, so naturally, change happens at a much slower pace. However, I strongly believe that with more education and awareness, the perceptions of cannabis are changing quickly within the Asian communities as well.
Marion Mariathasan
In the next five years, I am confident that cannabis will be federally legal in the U.S. and just about every democratic country in the world will be on the path to legalization if they already haven’t legalized it at that point. In the U.S. it will be one of the most vibrant and innovative industries on the recreational side. On the medical side, I expect to see major breakthroughs in treatments and preventative care.