Breaking Barriers: Making an Impact Starts with Putting Yourself First _ Joline Rivera

Joline Rivera knew from an early age that she wanted something more and wanted to give something more. On her own, she put herself through college, becoming the first member of her Mexican-American family to earn a BA in Graphic Design. 

While she achieved success at one of the world's largest publishing houses, she knew true fulfillment would only come by feeding her entrepreneurial spirit. Joline left the comfort of corporate life to become one of the most sought-after independent creative directors and trend-spotters in the food industry, creating content and publications for Meredith Publishing, Food Network, KOHLS, USFoods, and more.

Joline noticed America’s shifting stance on cannabis during the early stages of legalization, but was convinced that most were looking for alternatives to smoking. She then changed the trajectory of the male-dominated, fast-growing $10 billion cannabis industry in 2017 as the only minority woman to launch a media brand, beginning with the launch of Kitchen Toke, a visually driven print and digital property reporting on culinary cannabis for health and wellness.

Dominating that space, she became the go-to for creating and curating culinary cannabis events in the lodging, retail, and music arena; she created the first infused dinner for NY, Fashion designer, Prabal Gurung and Bloomingdale’s, Hoxton Hotel, and Lyrical Lemonade, a three daylong hip-hop festival on Chicago’s southside. 

In this episode, Joline shares that putting herself first has allowed her to make a difference in the lives of so many. Joline's key to success? Always trusting her gut! 

Learn more about Joline and Kitchen Toke here.