Evan Hilton is a Chicago based entrepreneur, as well as the president and founder of Mon Chéri, LLC, the parent company of GreenMCMeds, MonChériMeds, and GreenTechSolutionGroup.
For the past six years, Hilton has been focused on providing innovative tools and services that improve healthcare outcomes. As a healthcare professional, he noticed several disparities in the ability to treat patients effectively due to the inaccessibility of affordable testing, care, and cannabis resources.
Hilton’s goal in delivering comprehensive solutions across the industry began from his belief that the future of healthcare should be focused on prevention, early diagnosis, and holistic health through medical cannabis. His vision has now become part of Mon Chéri’s mission to ensure that patients from every socioeconomic background are educated about their access to preventative services and medical cannabis to improve the quality of their lives.
As a result, Mon Chéri has since grown to offer a wide range of services, including preventative screenings, research, cannabis consulting, and holistic health education. Hilton took time out to share why cannabis is a great investment for African Americans.
Why is it important for African Americans to get into the cannabis industry?
In a lot of ways, the cannabis industry, just like this country, has been built on the backs of minorities. I think the lack of participation by people of color in the cannabis business comes from the fear of it. The current racial wealth gap is the consequence of many decades of racial inequality that imposed barriers to wealth accumulation either through explicit prohibition during slavery or unequal treatment after emancipation based on American history.
Which aspects of cannabis entrepreneurship are most critical?
Getting into the ancillary space, defined as providing the necessary support to the primary activities of the cannabis industry or operations of a cannabis organization, institution or system.
What are African-Americans missing out on if they do not involve themselves in the industry?
It’s projected that the cannabis industry will be worth $70 billion by 2025. As Jay-Z says, “What more can I say?”
What are the top three aspects of the cannabis industry that our community should consider?
Ancillary, technology, and licenses [meaning] dispensaries, processing, infusion, cultivation and education.
Which aspect of the business are you focused on and why?
Ancillary, because there will always be a need for supportive products in the cannabis industry. [I am] positioning my company to truly own a piece of the industry without [the] risk of being pushed out at any given time as a dispensary, processing or cultivation owner by the “Big Dogs” investing upon deregulation. My team and I can 100 percent control the pilgrimage of the ancillary products, services and technology we develop to make the best decision for the future of MonChériMeds.
