Bridging Science and Demand: Jacob Tell Shares District216’s Vision at MJBizCon 2025

Last week in Las Vegas, MJBizCon brought together innovators, researchers, and cultural leaders shaping the next era of psychedelic medicine. Among them was our Chief Dreamer, Jacob Tell, who spoke on the panel “Bridging Science and Demand: Marketing Psychedelic Therapy in a New Era.”

He joined an inspiring lineup of voices:

• Gina Vensel – Marketing & Events Producer, Plant Media Project & SSDP

• Stephen Silvius – CEO, Interwoven

• Kevin Cranford – Communications Officer, MAPS

Together, they explored one of the most pressing questions in the field today: How do we communicate the promise of psychedelic therapies while honoring safety, ethics, intention, and community?

Jacob brought the spirit of District216 straight to the heart of the convention — blending practical realities with a vision rooted in conscious culture, connection, and care.

Navigating a Restricted Industry With Integrity

Jacob opened with a story many in the room had experienced:
District216 was unexpectedly removed from Stripe, forcing us to rebuild our payment infrastructure with PayRio, a processor aligned with cannabis and psychedelic-adjacent businesses.

The lesson? In our industry, platforms can change the rules overnight.
Businesses must stay mindful of how they present their work online and build resilient systems that can’t be undone by a single algorithmic decision.

This challenge is part of operating in a landscape where stigma still shapes policy — and why community-based organizations like D216 matter so profoundly.

Psychedelics as a Framework for Living With Intention

One of Jacob’s central messages was that psychedelics teach us how to live — not just how to heal.

These substances are powerful teachers of:

• intention

• preparation

• integration

• emotional honesty

• deep listening

• surrender

• alignment

District216 is built on the belief that these principles extend far beyond the ceremony.
They are valuable in every area of life — business, relationships, creativity, leadership, and personal growth.

Jacob shared how D216 uses psychedelic frameworks to design experiences, cultivate community, and model intentional culture.

A Community for Everyone — Including the Sober Community

Jacob made it clear: You do not need to use psychedelics to belong at District216.

Our community includes people who are:

• sober

• sober-curious

• psychedelic-curious

• experienced journeyers

• integration-focused

• spiritual seekers

• creatives and healers

• or simply longing for connection

Healing doesn’t require substances.
Belonging is not conditional.
Community itself is medicine — and everyone is welcome.

Vetting, Safety, and Trust: The Foundation of D216

Jacob shared our internal approach to protecting the community through:

✔ Speaker & facilitator vetting

We confirm lineage, training, philosophy, and ethical grounding.

✔ Sponsor screening

We prioritize education-first brands that uphold safety, transparency, and harm reduction.

✔ Manufacturing awareness

We encourage members to understand who makes their products, how they’re made, and why quality matters — especially as commercialization accelerates.

✔ Ethical boundaries and community guidelines

From how we host events to how we interact in the space, everything is shaped by intention and shared values.

In a field where standards vary widely, District216 chooses to lead with responsibility, not hype.

Marketing Conscious Community in a Post-Pandemic World

Jacob spoke about a truth many feel but struggle to name: We are living in an epidemic of isolation and loneliness.

District216 was designed as an antidote.

Marketing for us isn’t about transactions, it’s about transformation. It’s about creating spaces where people:

• feel seen

• feel safe

• feel connected

• feel inspired

• remember who they are

This is the heart of our Concsious Connections roundtable series, structured containers where community members gather to explore themes like safety, synergy, neuroplasticity, integration, and the evolving landscape of psychedelics.

These frameworks give people an anchor in a disorienting world, and they cultivate the kind of relational intelligence that psychedelic experiences often awaken.

Carrying the Mission Forward

Jacob closed his time on the panel with a message that captured the essence of District216:

We are building more than a brand. We are building a culture.
A community where intention matters.
Where safety matters.
Where people matter.
Where psychedelics are understood not just as tools for healing, but as teachers that help us become more human.

MJBizCon made one thing clear: the psychedelic future isn’t just about science or demand. It’s about connection, ethics, culture, and community.

And District216 will continue to stand at that intersection, helping people change their lens, one gathering at a time. 💜