
Cannabis Exec Ericka Pittman Talks Disrupting The Space, Self-Care & Power Of Sisterhood

Ericka Pittman is a woman whose career gives true meaning to the power of black girl magic and the ultimate career glow up. With a resume that includes leadership positions at companies including Vibe Media Group, AQUAhydrate, and Combs Enterprises (the brainchild of Sean "Diddy" Combs and powerhouse umbrella to the Ciroc empire, among others), she has shown enough business tenacity to join the ranks of the fashion, entertainment, and beverage industries' top executives.
In her latest boss move, she has landed a gig as CMO of Viola, becoming the first black female CMO of a cannabis brand. The company offers cannabis flowers (or weed, as we all know it), ready-made joints (called pre-rolls), vapes, and concentrates.
"While cannabis is a consumer packaged good, we want to make sure that we are brand-forward. We want to do that through purpose, product, process, and people," Pittman explained during an interview with xoNecole. "The purpose is our social equity initiatives around the war on drugs' [affect on] nonviolent crime offenders. It's important for Viola to establish a platform for education and opportunity within the cannabis space---entrepreneurship and expungement of their records so they can have a clean slate and start a new record for themselves in the new landscape of the cannabis industry."
In terms of product and process, Pittman said, the brand approaches creation very meticulously, taking "painstaking time" to ensure an end-result that is top-notch. So, this isn't just your regular marijuana shop. "We want to make sure that people understand that when they engage and interact with Viola, they are receiving a quality premium product," she added. "The people side of it are the brand and lifestyle [aspects including] interacting in spaces that are similar to other brands---you know, fashion, art, music. These are all key areas that we want to figure out ways to partner and expand the Viola imprint above and beyond the [cannabis] flower."
We talked further about the impact Pittman would like to make on the industry, how she finds balance, and how she advocates for women in business:
What piqued your interest in the cannabis industry?
I'd say over the last 10 years, working with Combs Enterprises, [my career has been about] representing brands in the spirits industry, fragrance, fashion, even with the media platform---the television network Revolt---and water companies. This was a natural progression being that I have had innovative opportunities over the years with developing new products and bringing unique messaging to the marketplace--engaging consumers in a different way. Those elements, I think, were the parts that really got me excited about working in marketing and getting up every day to come to do the work I was doing. As I thought about expanding my career, cannabis was sort-of the next frontier.
I love the idea of being one of the pioneers in this industry potentially. Being able to define the narrative around how to communicate with consumers in this space was really compelling for me.
What does an average day look like in this new role?
We start work sometimes as early as 8 a.m., and it's pretty aggressive hours. We work from 8 until [the work is] done. I think the environment is really inspiring. I work with a group of really curious, dedicated, passionate people that are committed to making this brand excellent. There's a whole host of team members who are working behind the scenes to make sure that this brand is consistent and that it lives up to the premium product that we're evangelizing in the marketplace. So there are a lot of meetings, calls... I mean, it's a usual workplace---it's nothing fundamentally different from, you know, working at a bank, except you may [see] a celebrity rapper come in to play ping pong with [Viola founder] Al Harrington. That could easily happen. But other than that, it's a typical work day.
What challenges have you faced as a female executive?
[One is] being heard without being perceived as a steamroller or know-it-all. It's figuring out how to be heard in a room where, perhaps, the woman's voice is not always appreciated in the same way without being offensive.
There are these preconceived notions about a woman's place---when and how she should speak, what tone she should use. There are all these different rules and guidelines around being a woman in a business environment. I think the biggest struggle for me... is figuring out a balance between having my voice heard and taken seriously without alienating my constituency.
What advice do you have for other aspiring female executives to advance in the workplace?
First and foremost, people do business with people that they like. So, while you can have every skill set in the world and be experienced, if you're not well-received and well-liked, you may have a harder time getting buy-in from your peer group and your superiors around whatever your goals or initiatives are. Make sure you have the right attitude and the right mindset. Put the brand and the goals of the business first.
[Second, you must be] OK with doing the work. Put your ideas out there in real life. Being someone who can actually execute the ideas is a unique talent and is a skill set.
Third, don't just come to the table with a problem. Come with some recommended solutions on how you might achieve a goal. Know where your value lies, and understand the value you're providing the organization. Make sure that everyone around you understands that as well, and that they are aligned. A win only matters if it achieves the objectives of the greater good.
As a busy exec, how does self-care play into finding balance in your life?
Self-care and balance is a huge part of success in this day and age, particularly for women. In more recent years, people are starting to respect and appreciate the balance of self-care, mental health, and wellness with ambition and striving to be your best self. I started to [wake up] earlier---about 5:30 a.m.---so that I could have more time at the front half of my day to calibrate how I want my day to go. So that includes meditation, journaling, or [listening to] a positive audio book. I think that helps me to get myself in a frame of mind of positive intention and really thinking through my day---the personal things that I need to achieve, the professional things I need to achieve---and being able to eat healthy and work out a bit before I go to work.
I really like to hike. I'm actually bi-coastal, but I spend the majority of my time in California these days, so being able to go outdoors and hike is really inspiring for me---just the scenery and the fresh air. It gives me a good energy boost.
[After work], I'll go home and sit in silence, quite frankly. There's just me with my thoughts to decompress. This role means a lot of decisions that need to be strategic so we need to think about things six steps out, and it requires a tremendous amount of cognitive functioning. By the end of the day, my brain tends to get a little foggy. So it's easier for me to just be quiet. But then there are times when I want to kind of connect with friends and detach a bit. So, you know, goingout to dinner and those sorts of things tend to help.
Speaking of friends, how do you find time for a social life and for family?
I am very family-oriented. There's literally only five of us in my entire [immediate] family, so we're all very close. They are mostly on the East Coast, so when I do get back East, I try to spend as much time with them as possible. I also have five godchildren, and I have a slew of best friends who have children.
My whole journey is about how do I navigate and how do I help other females navigate their success in their lives, whatever that is. And so there's no judgment on what it is you want for your life, but it is helping you to maximize getting there as quickly as possible.
I am a girl's girl. I have very strong female friend network, and I am a loyal friend. I have friendships that are literally 40 years old, so I happen to really, really appreciate the female dynamic--being a woman. I think that we as women tend to have very similar experiences. They may be different scenarios, but I feel like there are a lot of things that we think are just happening to us that are actually happening across the board. So it's important for me to express those things and connect with dynamic women who I view as peers to gain perspective and encouragement. I think over the years in doing that, I have created a bit of a tribe of my own---women lifting women up and that's very important to me. It's completely the ethos of what I do.
Find out more about Ericka Pittman and her latest book via her Instagram here.
Featured Image by Jack Manning, courtesy of Ericka Pittman
Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney & Jill Marie Jones On 'Games Women Play' & Dating Over 40
What do you get when you mix unfiltered truths, high-stakes romance, and a few well-timed one-liners? You get Games Women Play—the sizzling new stage play by Je’Caryous Johnson that’s part relationship rollercoaster, part grown-woman group chat.
With a powerhouse cast that includes Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney, Jill Marie Jones, Carl Payne, Chico Bean, and Brian J. White, the play dives headfirst into the messy, hilarious, and heart-wrenching games people play for love, power, and peace of mind. And the women leading this story? They’re bringing their whole selves to the stage—and leaving nothing behind.
From Script to Spotlight
The road to Games Women Play started over 20 years ago—literally.
“This script was written 20 years ago,” Jill Marie Jones said with a smile. “It was originally called Men, Money & Gold Diggers, and I was in the film version. So when Je’Caryous called me to bring it to the stage, I was like, ‘Let’s go.’” Now reimagined for 2025, the play is updated with sharp dialogue and modern relationship dynamics that feel all too real.
Demetria McKinney, no stranger to Je’Caryous Johnson’s productions, jumped at the opportunity to join the cast once again. “This is my third time working with him,” she shared. “It was an opportunity to stretch. I’d never been directed by Carl Payne before, and the chance to work with talent I admire—Jill, Claudia, Chico—it was a no-brainer.”
Claudia Jordan joked that she originally saw the role as just another check. “I didn’t take it that seriously at first,” she admitted. “But this is my first full-on tour—and now I’ve got a whole new respect for how hard people work in theater. This ain’t easy.”
Modern Love, Stage Left
The play doesn’t hold back when it comes to the messier parts of love. One jaw-dropping moment comes when a live podcast proposal flips into a prenup bombshell—leaving the audience (and the characters) gasping.
Demetria broke it down with honesty. “People don’t ask the real questions when they date. Like, ‘Do you want kids? How do you feel about money?’ These convos aren’t happening, and then everyone’s confused. That moment in the play—it’s real. That happens all the time.”
Jill chimed in, noting how the play speaks to emotional disconnect. “We’re giving each other different tokens of love. Men might offer security and money. Women, we’re giving our hearts. But there’s a disconnect—and that’s where things fall apart.”
And then Claudia, of course, took it all the way there. “These men don’t even want to sign our prenups now!” she laughed. “They want to live the soft life, too. Wearing units, gloss, getting their brows done. We can’t have nothing! Y’all want to be like us? Then get a damn period and go through menopause.”
Dating Over 40: “You Better Come Correct”
When the conversation turned to real-life relationships, all three women lit up. Their experiences dating in their 40s and 50s have given them both clarity—and zero tolerance for games.
“I feel sexier than I’ve ever felt,” said Jill, who proudly turned 50 in January. “I say what I want. I mean what I say. I’m inside my woman, and I’m not apologizing for it.”
Demetria added that dating now comes with deeper self-awareness. “Anybody in my life is there because I want them there. I’ve worked hard to need nobody. But I’m open to love—as long as you keep doing what got me there in the first place.”
For Claudia, the bar is high—and the peace is priceless. “I’ve worked hard for my peace,” she said. “I’m not dating for food. I’m dating because I want to spend time with you. And honestly, if being with you isn’t better than being alone with my candles and fountains and cats? Then no thanks.”
Channeling Strength & Icon Status
Each actress brings something different to the play—but all of them deliver.
“I actually wish I could be messier on stage,” Claudia joked. “But I think about my grandmother—she was born in 1929, couldn’t even vote or buy a house without a man, and didn’t give a damn. She was fearless. That’s where my strength comes from.”
For Jill, the comparisons to her iconic Girlfriends character Toni Childs aren’t far off—but this role gave her a chance to dig deeper. “If you really understood Toni, you’d see how layered she was. And Paisley is the same—misunderstood, but strong. There’s more to her than people see at first glance.”
Demetria, who juggles singing and acting seamlessly, shared that live theater pushes her in a new way. “Every moment on stage counts. You can’t redo anything. It’s a different kind of love and discipline. You have to give the performance away—live, in the moment—and trust that it lands.”
Laughter, Lessons & Black Girl Gems
The show has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments—and the cast isn’t shy about who steals scenes.
“Chico Bean gets a lot of gasps and laughs,” Claudia said. “And Naomi Booker? Every scene she’s in—she’s hilarious.”
But the play isn’t just about humor. It leaves space for reflection—especially for Black women.
“I hope we get back to the foundation of love and communication,” said Demetria. “A lot of us are in protector mode. But that’s turned into survival mode. We’ve lost softness. We’ve lost connection.”
Claudia agreed. “We’re doing it all—but it’s not because we want to be strong all the time. It’s because we have to be. And I just want women to know: You can have peace, you can be soft. But stop bringing your old pain into new love. Don’t let past heartbreak build walls so high that the right person can’t climb over.”
Final Act: Pack the House
If there’s one thing this cast agrees on, it’s that this play isn’t just entertainment—it’s necessary.
“Atlanta is the Black entertainment hub,” Claudia said. “We need y’all to show up for this play. Support the arts. Support each other. Because when we pack the house, we make space for more stories like this.”
Games Women Play is more than a play—it’s a mirror. You’ll see yourself, your friends, your exes, and maybe even your next chapter. So get ready to laugh, reflect, and maybe even heal—because the games are on.
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Be Careful. Those Casual Friendships Can Be Red Flags Too.
A couple of weeks ago, I was listening to someone vent about an area of frustration that they couldn’t seem to get to the root of — why they keep getting taken advantage of by certain individuals. When you’ve been a life coach for as long as I have (and you were a journalist before that), you learn how to ask certain questions that can cause people to consider things that they may never have before.
So, when I asked her, “What is the common thread with all of those folks? And sit still for two minutes before answering,” when she finally heard her own self speak, her eyes got wide and her mouth dropped open: “They’re all people who I’m not really sure what they are in my life.”
Ding. Ding. DING.
A life coach by the name of Thomas Leonard once said that “Clarity affords focus” and, believe you me, when it comes to dealing with other human beings, if you don’t get clear on where you stand when it comes to your interactions with them, you can very easily find yourself “focusing too much” on those who don’t deserve it and too little on those who absolutely do. And y’all, this lil’ PSA couldn’t be more relevant than when it comes to what I call “casual friendships.”
Let’s dig — and for some of us, dig our way out of — what it means to have a casual friend, so that you can get clear on if you really need those in your life…and if so…why?
Article continues after the video.
It Can’t Be Said Enough: Always Remember What “Casual” Means
There’s a reason why I decided to share two videos by mental health coach Isaiah Frizzle at the top and bottom of this article. It’s because a lot of what he shares in both of them complements a piece that I wrote for the platform last year entitled, “This Is Just What Purposeful Relationships Look Like.”
It’s the author M. Scott Peck who once said, “Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it” and please believe that the older (and hopefully more mature) you get, the more you tend to see just how valuable — and fleeting — time is; and that is what plays a huge role in motivating you want to only involve yourself with people, places, things and ideas that will honor your time — and when something is casual? In my opinion, it’s highly debatable that it’s worth much of your months, days, hours, or even too many of your minutes.
The main reason why is addressed in an article that I wrote back in the day entitled, “We Should Really Rethink The Term 'Casual Sex.'” The gist? When it comes to relationships, “casual” is certainly not a favorite word of mine because I know what it means. Have mercy — why would you want to invest your time, energy, and emotions into something that is, by definition, apathetic, indifferent, careless, lacking emotional intimacy, and/or is without purpose?
I don’t know about y’all but that sounds like a complete and total crap shoot to me — especially if you are going to go so far as to consider this type of dynamic a true friendship (check out “Ever Wonder If A Friend Is Just...Not That Into You?,” “6 Signs You're About To Make A Huge Mistake In Making Them A Close Friend,” “5 Signs Of A Toxic Friendship That Is Secretly Poisoning Your Life,” “12 Friend Facts That Might Cause You To Rethink (Some Of) Your Own,” and “Less & Less Of Us Have Close Friends These Days. Why Is That?” ).
To me, when you decide to call someone “friend,” it means that they are loyal, reliable, consistent, trustworthy and willing to be there to support you to the very best of their ability — even if it’s inconvenient to do so sometimes (check out “Life Taught Me That True Friendships Are 'Inconvenient'”). How in the world can you expect that from something that has the word “casual” in it?
And you know what? That actually segues into my next point about casual friendships pretty darn well.
Ponder the Purpose “Casual Friends” Serve in Your Life
A couple of years ago, Verywell Mind published an article entitled, “How the 4 Types of Friendship Fit Into Your Life.” The four that it listed were acquaintances (which I actually don’t consider to be friends; check out “6 Differences Between A Close Acquaintance And An Actual Friend”), casual friends, close friends, and lifelong friends. After reading the piece, I think they consider casual friends to be the “pleasure” friends that I mentioned in the article, “According To Aristotle, We Need ‘Utility’, ‘Pleasure’ & ‘Good’ Friends.”
And although I certainly get that, I think my “cause for pause” is calling those people “friends” when they probably should be called something like an associate or possibly even a buddy instead. Why do I feel this way? Well, I’ve shared in other articles that I think social media has jacked up vocabulary words and their true meaning on a billion different levels.
Take “friend,” for example. Facebook had us out here calling everyone we connected to on their platform “friends” when some of them, we’ve never even spoken to before — and I personally think that influenced, affected and perhaps even infected our psyche to the point where we will call folks, both online and off, “friend” even when they haven’t earned it and/or who possibly don’t deserve it.
That said, do I think that we all could use lighthearted interactions that don’t go very deep and are filled with not much more than fun? Sure. However, if we were to move this over into a sexual thing — those types of people would probably be called a sneaky link, and there is nothing significant or substantial about ‘em. In fact, if anything pretty much automatically comes with an expiration date, sneaky links would have to be it.
And that’s kind of the point that I’m trying to make about a casual friend — so long as you know that the word “casual” is being used to describe them, while you may enjoy the people who fit that bill, they aren’t really anything that you can or even should fully rely on. Instead, take them for what they are and don’t really expect much more than that. Otherwise, you could be in for some profound levels of disappointment. And who wants that?
Final point.
How a Casual Friend Can Become a Huge Red Flag
I’m telling you, y’all gonna quit clowning Tubi. LOL. To me, the best way to describe it is it’s the Cricket of current streaming apps. What I mean by that is, back when Cricket (the cell phone service) first came out, people, like me, who used it service got incessantly clowned because it was seen as a bootleg provider. Now it’s owned by AT&T, and as someone who has rocked with them since I was in my 20s, I don’t have one regret for doing so. Cricket has always been good to me, chile.
And Tubi? Well, when you get a chance, check out CNBC’s article, “CEO at 33, Tubi’s Anjali Sud on success hacks she learned at Amazon, IAC on way to top of Fox streaming” — take note of the moves the streaming app is making and the quality of programming that is transpiring in real time.
Anyway, I find myself bringing up Tubi more and more in my content because it helps to amplify some of the points that I like to make. This time, it’s a movie that’s (currently) on there calledRight Man, Wrong Woman. If you haven’t seen it before, I don’t want to give too much of the film away. What I will say is that the main female character, she had a casual friend and then she had a close friend.
That casual friend—the one who liked to kick it all of the time—was a lot of fun; however, dealing with her came with a ton of semi-unforeseen consequences. Meanwhile, the close friend? She’s what the Aristotle article (that I mentioned earlier) would call the “good friend” because she tried her best to hold her friend accountable.
And really, it shouldn’t be a shock that the casual friend turned out to be a plum trip because if someone is loads of entertainment and pleasure and yet they are indifferent towards you, they make careless decisions around you and/or they don’t really make known the purpose for you being in their life other than to pass some time — where really do you and that person have to go past drinks after work or dinner on a rooftop restaurant from time to time? And if that is all that the two of you are doing, again, why are they deserving of the word “friend”?
Hmph and don’t get me started on the lack of reciprocity that typically transpires when it comes to dealing with people like this because, while they won’t mind you spending your coins on them, taking their calls in the middle of the night or listening to all of their issues — when it comes time for them to show up for you, they very well may gaslight you into thinking that you are being dramatic, clingy or “doing the most.” Why? Well, it’s mostly because the two of you never really established what the hell the both of you are to one another.
And so, while you’re somewhere taking them seriously, they are out here seeing you casually, and as much as it might hurt to hear, that doesn’t automatically or necessarily make them a bad person. You shouldn’t expect much where no clarity is involved. After all, casual is just that: CASUAL.
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I’m hoping that you can now see why I entitled this piece in the way that I did. It’s because a red flag is pretty much a warning, and to me, a casual friend is about as big of an oxymoron (again, to me) as casual sex is. Friends and sex are both too intimate to be seen or treated casually. Oh, but if you step out and take that risk, you could find yourself getting far more involved than the other individual ever wanted to go, because casual is how things have always been. “Friend” was simply to get you more mentally and emotionally invested. SMDH.
American columnist Walter Winchell once said, “A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” A wise person once said, “One good friendship will outlive forty average loves." Former President Ulysses S. Grant once said, “The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.” Does any of this sound casual to you? Yeah, me neither.
Again, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have people in your life who aren’t on deep levels. I’m just saying that you might want to consider putting them into another category than friend, because what friends do for people? There ain’t nothin’ even remotely casual about it, sis. Not even a lil’ bit.
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