When I joined the cannabis community, there weren't many Asians in the forefront; however, there was a substantial number quietly working behind the scenes, content with remaining working and creating. It's a diverse landscape, and not all of us possess the innate desire to stand in the spotlight, announcing our presence with a flourish like, "Hello, I am here to play and help you; my name is Dave." I had the pleasure of meeting such a "Dave" who introduced me to the world of crafting the most captivating, astonishing, mind-bending, and intelligence-enhancing experiences. Dave, a natural-born entrepreneur, and showman, he reminds me of the leader of the Three Ring Circus with a black cane and a top hat, enticing you to "step inside and witness the mysteries of the universe!"
Asian Americans for Cannabis Education is honored to have the dynamic duo of David Tran and James Zachodni today on AACE. - Ophelia Chong
From Cowgirls to Dancing Cannabis Leaves on stage, Dave, you’ve gone from one career to the next, each one building on the next and ever increasingly spectacular and “mind-changing.” Let’s zoom ahead 40 years into the future; AI is like breathing, VR is how we will see, and personalization of experiences via mind-changing medicines and rocket travel is possible; what super spectacular Farechild party would you give on Mars?
“In the year 2063, Farechild, a leading pioneer in AI and immersive technology, hosts a grand celebration on Mars. The event, known as "Martian Dreamscape," is set at Farechild's state-of-the-art Martian Dome, a breathtaking structure blending seamlessly with the Martian terrain. The event is a dazzling showcase of technology, art, and human innovation where guests from all corners of the solar system gather. Guests are provided with specially formulated mind-changing medicines tailored to their preferences, create euphoria and wonder.
The centerpiece of the event is the AI-driven "Orbit of Time" VR experience allowing guests to explore Mars in their chosen way, from navigating ancient Martian ruins to soaring through the canyon-like valleys.
The grand finale of the celebration is a Farechild designed rocket launch, symbolizing the limitless possibilities of human exploration. As it soars into the Martian sky, fireworks light up the Martian Dome in a breathtaking spectacle that merges with the beauty of the cosmos.
As the event comes to a close, guests leave with a profound sense of unity, hope, and an unwavering belief in the endless potential of humanity.
The End.” - David Tran
We’ve seen High Times go from cannabis community stalwart to having aspirations of being a global presence; DOPE was before 2017; Dope was THE cannabis magazine everyone wanted to be in; it was the new millennial POV of cannabis. Some of us have seen our children fly the nest and hoped for the best for them; how do you see preserving the DOPE legacy staying relevant after High Times?
“Our relevance will live in the people that we were able to help and connect. More than ever, the message of Dope which stood for Defending our Plant Everywhere is more relevant as we see a global shift this conversation. Back then we couldn’t imagine that we were able to document the history of cannabis legalization and for a moment we got to share something special with the most amazing community I’ve ever been a part of. Our legacy will always lie in the stories of people and how we connected those people. We hope that Hightimes finds a way to preserve the history and continue to defend the plant, people and planet.” - David Tran
As we all know, working in Cannabis is like having all your limbs except the arm you don’t favor zipped tied behind you; for those who are not in cannabis, marketing is different, we have to use a surgical scalpel to advertise publicly without being shut down on social media. How has built your own ticketing platform helped Farechild?
“The ticketing platform was and is the foundation of Farechild as we try to offer a suite of tools for event producers in the cannabis space to use. We built this platform from scratch in order to avoid using standard credit card processors like Stripe or Square who have rules against cannabis related transactions. We also have been curating a very loyal and engaged email list of cannabis enthusiasts that we can direct market events within their specific interests and geographic location to. These tools are all things we wish we had back in the day.” - James Zochodni
Dave, you were born an outlier, but I am sure you still surprise your parents with your new forays. What was their favorite of your journeys and which ones did they cover their eyes on?
“My mom has witnessed my journey, from selling Christmas trees in our front yard to dabbling in Amway during my teenage years. I've ventured into building bars, restaurants, and even Cannabis Media companies. She's been my unwavering supporter, seeing me through the highs and lows. As a typical Asian mother I am sure she would say that her favorite part is watching me actually make some money and I’m sure she prayed hard to Jesus when I looked like a hippie and sold lots of weed.” - David Tran
James, you made a great choice to partner with Dave (and being Asian, he’s probably really good at texting on three phones while juggling a child and on a Zoom call); what are the differences between you and Dave? What are the strengths you both bring to DOPE and Farechild? And what food choice do you always “groan” at when Dave says “I want _____ for lunch!”
“Dave and I have been working together for over 20 years and it's really rare to find someone to work with for that long and still kind of like them haha. The "ying-yang'' has to be leaned into and each person needs to bring a special skill set to the table for it to work. Dave does not fit the stereotypical "Asian" role of being a tech savvy numbers guy, I still don't think he quite understands Google Drive. However, the intangibles Dave does bring to the table are the ones that I lack which is being a fearless people-person that can light up a room and get everyone excited to work with us.
Dave has a weird fascination with gas station fried chicken. I think that is really the only food choice we don't agree on. Choosing a lunch spot is usually an easy task for us as we enjoy many of the same things.” - James Zachodni
James, if you could throw the party of this decade, where would it be, and what would be the theme?
“That's a tough question as there are so many possibilities. After seeing the new "Sphere" in Las Vegas, I would love to produce an MJBizCon after party there. Maybe The Emjays in 2024! My long time dream has been to produce a "Solstice" event at the Great Pyramids of Egypt. I think that would be one of those bucket list type of events that would be incredible.” - James Zachodni
Dave and James, what are your most common + favorite comebacks to each other?
“We don't have any "clap-backs" that we commonly use. I think we are just comfortable enough with each other to call each other out when something is funny. There are definitely things we commonly do that we always seem to laugh about. Dave, being the giving person he is, likes to give away a lot of personal product he brings to events. Then, like clockwork at the end of the event, he has this confused moment where he has nothing left in his fanny-pack. I always have to remind him he gave it all away. It's like Groundhog Day at every party.” - James Zachodni
Links:
The Emjays Awards - at the Pearl Theater inside the Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada. (November 30th, 2023 during MJBizCon Week)