{"id":42084,"date":"2023-07-29T19:32:56","date_gmt":"2023-07-29T23:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/investing\/raw-rolling-papers-founder-looks-to-further-elevate-cannabis-name-celebrated-in-wiz-khalifa-song\/"},"modified":"2023-07-29T19:32:58","modified_gmt":"2023-07-29T23:32:58","slug":"raw-rolling-papers-founder-looks-to-further-elevate-cannabis-name-celebrated-in-wiz-khalifa-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/?p=42084","title":{"rendered":"Raw rolling papers founder looks to further elevate cannabis name celebrated in Wiz Khalifa song"},"content":{"rendered":"

Josh Kesselman was hanging out with a friend one day and talking about how difficult it is to roll and smoke cannabis cigarettes in the rain. <\/p>\n

So he invented an umbrella with a special slot for holding a joint and a mouthpiece so you can smoke while walking in a downpour.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI believe I have created the world\u2019s first smoker\u2019s umbrella,\u201d Kesseleman told MarketWatch. \u201cI made a prototype, and the hilarity it caused among my friends led me to create the real product. It\u2019s a fun experiment meant to spark joy in my community.\u201d <\/p>\n

It\u2019s part of the overall philosophy Kesselman said he has when it comes to product innovation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not like we\u2019re selling ketchup or garbage bags,\u201d Kesselman said. \u201cThis business should be fun and it should uplift people in every possible way, because that\u2019s what rolling papers are all about!\u201d<\/p>\n

Kesselman said that he doesn\u2019t expect to make a profit on the umbrella, which retails for $50, but wants it to be part of his playbook of fun brand extensions to elevate his company, Raw, one of the United States\u2019 most popular makers of rolling papers for cannabis and tobacco.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s exciting for us smokers to create these eccentric inventions,\u201d he said. \u201cMost of the ideas for\u00a0Raw\u2019s creations are born during smoke circles with friends. \u2018What about a skateboard that looks like a burning cone?\u2019 \u2014 This is the sort of innovative thinking that fuels our creative process.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

For Kesselman, it\u2019s all about creating more buzz around the brand and the company he founded after opening up a head shop in the 1990s, when he was a college student.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy goal is to make products that resonate with our core business \u2014 selling rolling papers,\u201d he said. \u201cEven if it\u2019s a t-shirt, it should feature elements like a built-in pocket or rolling tray, or hoodie laces that can be used to pack a smoke. I\u2019d love to create a flying disk with a holder in the center and a built-in ashtray, making it a flying rolling tray. My aim is always to amplify the fun factor and creativity of our products.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n \"\"\n <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

Today, Raw is one of the leading rolling paper brands in the U.S. with more than $100 million in U.S. sales as it faces off against rivals such as Tuning Point Brands Inc.
\n TPB,
\n +0.51%<\/bg-quote>,<\/span>
\n maker of Zig-Zag rolling papers. Raw sells its papers in an estimated 10,000 stores around the country.<\/p>\n

Raw could also be called a cultural icon, having been mentioned by celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Lil Wayne. In 2014, multi-platinum rapper Wiz Khalifa featured the brand prominently in the song \u201cRaw,\u201d which included the lyric, \u201cTake that OG Kush and put it in a Raw.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now after building up his privately held company with no outside capital, Kesselman said is looking to take Raw to the next level by bringing in a potential partner or possibly an investor. But it\u2019ll take a lot more than a big check before he signs off on any deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I think about my legacy, I\u2019m looking for organizations or individuals who can elevate this company to the next level,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve done incredibly well, but there\u2019s so much more to achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kesselman told MarketWatch that he has admired Ben & Jerry\u2019s ice cream \u2014 which was sold by the two founders to Unilever
\n ULVR,
\n +1.03%<\/bg-quote>
\n in 2000, but still maintains most or all of its ideals around product quality and innovation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve demonstrated how a company can become a powerhouse without giving up on their core beliefs. To me, that\u2019s the Holy Grail,\u201d he said. \u201cThey sold to Unilever but they didn\u2019t sell out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rolling papers as magic<\/h2>\n

Kesselman said traces his love of rolling papers to his childhood, when his dad used Marfil brand rolling papers to create flashes of light and flames in illusions and magic tricks to impress kids. <\/p>\n

He started collecting rolling papers and amassed a large collection by the time he attended the University of Florida, in Gainesville, where he had a class assignment to open up a hypothetical business in his senior year. <\/p>\n

He saw a market opportunity in Gainesville, which lacked a place just to buy quality clove cigarettes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 1993, while still in school, I opened my store. I sold everything I owned, held on to a $500 van, and maxed out my credit cards,\u201d he said. \u201cI created a community-based store that catered to customers\u2019 needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n

\n \u201c<\/span> \u201cMy personal goal is to live like a rolling paper,\u201d Kesslman said. \u201cA rolling paper\u2019s job is to provide a positive, uplifting experience. I smoke because I enjoy it, because it\u2019s something I want to do. I often ask myself, \u2018what would a rolling paper do?\u2019 and use that as a form of guidance.\u201d \u201d<\/span>\n <\/p>\n


\n \u2014 Josh Kesselman, founder of Raw<\/span>
\n <\/small><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

A customer introduced him to a brand of natural American cigarettes, but the product wasn\u2019t what he had in mind. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe paper didn\u2019t match my expectation of a natural smoking experience,\u201d he said. \u201cThis sparked the idea for\u00a0Raw\u00a0rolling papers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kesselman said that, between 1993 and 2005 he launched many rolling paper brands. This eventually led to Raw paper, which has a natural brown color. <\/p>\n

\u201cRaw was unique because it did not have any chalk (calcium carbonate), which is common in many rolling papers,\u201d he said. \u201cIt provided a different, more natural smoking experience that my friends loved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also read:<\/strong> Mike Tyson\u2019s cannabis includes edibles shaped like Evander Holyfield\u2019s ear after 1997 fight and a strain inspired by toad licking<\/p>\n

Raw grew organically through smoke circles where people would pass around blunts or joints and talk about life, Kesselman said.<\/p>\n

Also read:<\/strong> How Seth Rogen and Ricky Williams are aiming to succeed in cannabis: \u2018People view [Rogen] as an authority\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kesselman has faced some challenges such as a seven-year legal battle over trademark and copyright issues with rival rolling paper maker Republic Brands. The suit ended in June with a $1.5 million payment to Raw. Kesselman declined to comment on the matter. In a statement at the time, he said he donated the money to charity.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy personal goal is to live like a rolling paper,\u201d Kesslman said. \u201cA rolling paper\u2019s job is to provide a positive, uplifting experience. I smoke because I enjoy it, because it\u2019s something I want to do. I often ask myself, \u2018what would a rolling paper do?\u2019 and use that as a form of guidance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also read:<\/strong> Once-mighty Canopy Growth loses billions as dream of pot riches runs into reality of oversupply and overspending<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Read the full article here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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So he invented an umbrella with a special slot for holding a joint and a mouthpiece so you can smoke while walking in a downpour. \u201cI believe I have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42085,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[239],"tags":[83],"class_list":["post-42084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-investing","tag-featured","post_format-post-format-video"],"yoast_head":"\nRaw rolling papers founder looks to further elevate cannabis name celebrated in Wiz Khalifa song | iFintechWorld<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Josh Kesselman was hanging out with a friend one day and talking about how difficult it is to roll and smoke cannabis cigarettes in the rain. 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