She Hits Different: The Story Behind Cake's Explosive Growth ft. Chloe Kaleiokalani

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Chloe Kaleiokalani: This does look very niche — it looks very hyper-feminine — like, oh, that would detract other people. It has seemingly had the opposite effect where it attracts a lot of people, just a full spectrum of walks of life. Bryan Fields: What's up guys, welcome back to another episode of The Dime. I'm Bryan Fields, and with me as always, Kellen Fenny. This week we've got a very special guest, Chloe Kaleiokalani, co-founder of Cake. Chloe, thanks for taking the time — how are you doing today? Kellen Fenny: You crushed that. Chloe Kaleiokalani: I'm great, yeah, happy to be here. Thank you for having me, excited to dive in. Bryan Fields: Kellen, how are you doing? Kellen Fenny: I'm doing really well, really excited to talk to Chloe and dive into the brand Cake. I know it's exploding out in California, West Coast vibes, so really excited to have a West Coaster on. How are you doing, Bryan? Bryan Fields: Yeah, I'm stoked. I'm gonna talk about some of my favorite topics today — marketing, brand building, product placement. Kellen and I do have a little East Coast/West Coast battle, and I think it's important, when we come around the holiday time, to talk about family and best friends and loyalties. So if you had to choose a coast, East Coast or West Coast, where would you go? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Oh, my heart's in Hawaii forever. But my best friend is from Long Island, and I just love the New Yorkers — honestly, we always get down and get stuff done together, so I love it. I got a lot of love to go around everywhere. Bryan Fields: We got her done, Kellen. Kellen Fenny: Cool. So Chloe, for our listeners, can you give a little background about yourself and how you found your way into the cannabis space? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Of course. I was born and raised in Hawaii, I'm Native Hawaiian and grew up really deep in those roots. I actually went to a Native Hawaiian school, so that's a big part of who I am. My dad is a DJ, he DJed a lot of reggae and hip-hop, so I grew up a lot in that Rastafarian culture — lots of cannabis around me my whole life. I always feel the cannabis plant has provided for me my whole life, making sure I had clothes and food on the table, and as an adult it's done the same thing for me. About ten years ago I met my partner Jason, and ever since then he's taken me under his wing and taught me everything he knows. He's been in the industry about 25 years, so we're really deep in this — we've been through Prop 215 all the way through the transition to recreational, and all the fun challenges that have tested our sanity. All of that experience has gone into Cake. This is a culmination of everything we've learned along the way, and I've gotten to really be playful with the pink branding and the neon, and shine as a bright light after going through so much. Bryan Fields: I love it. So let's talk about the origin — in the early days of Cake, was the original name or product concept different? Take us through the first moments where you're like, this is what I want to start. Chloe Kaleiokalani: We started as growers. Jason has been growing since he was really young, he never stopped. He got very deep into genetics, learning how to evolve them and produce the best genetics possible. We submitted our flower to different awards and won some pretty big ones here in California — Chalice, Cannabis Cup, HempCon, all those fun events back in the day. Then it got tough to be farmers, hard to make a living. Extraction into vape pens was coming out, so we said, let's learn what this is about. We learned the whole process — extraction, hardware (a really tough one), supply chain (probably one of the biggest dramas at first), vaping and formulations. Then we started producing for other people, white-label manufacturing. This was around 2016 when it went recreational, a huge evolution in the industry, and we did everything we could to survive. It wasn't until about 2020 that we started thinking about our own brand. Jason popped into the office and said, 'Chloe, we're going to start our own brand, we're going to call it Cake.' I said okay, and then I said, 'She Hits Different,' and that was it. We had no intention of it being some big grand thing, it was just fun. At first Jason wasn't sold on 'She Hits Different,' but I said we have to have it. I said Cake could be dessert, could be booty, could be whatever you wanted it to be, and I wanted that cheeky flair. From there we launched a disposable with the revolutionary feature of a charging port to recharge it — that's really what took off. It kept evolving — we learned to design our entire hardware, which is now all ours and patented, our exclusive hardware. Every aspect is designed to express the oil as best as possible — best flavor, best experience — to be discreet, to make it into festivals, to look like a nicotine vape, so people can smoke it and no one will know it's weed. Along the way we tried to stay authentic to ourselves while bringing the industry into the next generation. Bryan Fields: How much did growing impact your ability to learn extraction quickly? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Everything. Jason's like a weed genius from my perspective — he'll cringe hearing that, but he really is. He understands the plant so well, and all those years of growing intensely at a large scale fed into the extraction and formulation process. Sometimes people think it needs to always be one way, but it doesn't — we like to think outside the box, use the traditional education we got, and bring it into the future. Bryan Fields: Was it hard marrying the brand vision — Cake, She Hits Different — with the product, since sometimes a product fits a certain demographic? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Not really, it worked right away. But the branding was very different at first — super basic, like a cigarette pack, just a color. Last year is when I went hardcore on the pink. Jason said, 'I don't know about this, that's a lot of pink,' and I said, screw it, let's do it. It's been working really well, it's true to who I am. My background is in art, design, and photography, and I'd designed a lot of black-and-gold, white-and-gold for other brands, so I wanted to do something different, not so serious — the plant is playful, so I wanted our marketing to match that. Bryan Fields: It's really authentic, fits your personality. Especially in California, where it's so cutthroat, you need to communicate directly with your audience. When you released the new packaging and flavor, did your demographic instantly pick up on it? Chloe Kaleiokalani: I'm grateful to say yes — it was a smash hit right away. I did hold back on the pink a little at first, keeping the packaging white as a compromise, even though the hardware was pink. With two of our main partners in NorCal and San Diego, we launched a one-gram version color-coded pink, blue, and white for sativa, hybrid, indica. People went crazy for the colored boxes, so we moved everything over — now we're loud and proud with our pink. We're also OG ravers, deep in the EDM community, so the pink matches that — everyone loves pink and neon lights at a rave. Bryan Fields: Was there any doubt when you first went all pink that maybe Jason was right? Chloe Kaleiokalani: For sure. You'd think after years as a creator you'd doubt yourself less — no, I doubt everything, then I get over it. You take a risk or there's no reward. Bryan Fields: That's the important part — even when you think something will succeed, there's always self-doubt. The market ultimately decides whether it works. Chloe Kaleiokalani: Absolutely. As an artist it's important to learn to navigate that, because it never goes away. You have to have a good relationship with your doubt, use it as feedback — is this true to me, do I love this — and if you feel strongly, give it a chance, or else what are we doing here. Bryan Fields: Who's the brand demographic for Cake? Chloe Kaleiokalani: When I envision who's smoking this, I envision myself — at a festival, listening to a favorite DJ, a Cake vape in hand, vibes high. Most people think about age and gender, but I feel an energy and tap into that. Even though this looks very niche and hyper-feminine, which you'd think would detract people, it's had the opposite effect — it attracts a full spectrum of people from all walks of life. I love hearing their stories at events. Bryan Fields: That's the best part of a brand — it takes on its own persona. Have you seen competitors try to replicate the branding style, the fur, the pink? Chloe Kaleiokalani: I've noticed a little more pink in the industry, maybe it has something to do with us, but I keep my blinders on and just try to be better than yesterday. I don't worry about competition — there's room for everyone, I want everyone to succeed. We need to remember who the enemy is and not be crabs in a bucket. Bryan Fields: In an environment as cutthroat as California, with your products flying off shelves, competitors might add pink and fur too. Chloe Kaleiokalani: I haven't seen the fur yet, but definitely a lot of pink. Bryan Fields: Talk to us about the product portfolio. Chloe Kaleiokalani: Our flagship is the Designer Distillate, which was a controversial name at first — we got a lot of laughs — but it's now number one in California and one of the top vapes in America. California has a 1000 mg THC limit, so we formulated right up to that. We also have a one-gram mini version, super small and adorable. We have our 510 all-ceramic glass cartridge and a battery line with three styles: the Secret Stash, which hides the cart completely and looks like a nicotine vape with no cannabis symbol; a flip battery; and the classic stick battery. Our All Chrome vape is a cryo live resin that tastes like flower — we work with an amazing single-source farm in Santa Barbara, and I love visiting the crops. That's our higher-end line. We also just launched a budget SKU, the OG Classics, a one-gram at our lowest price point, to make sure there's something for everyone. On the horizon: a rosin product line, some new technology launching soon, our broader concentrate line, a pre-roll line, and affordable flower. Bryan Fields: Have you talked about going into flower or edibles? Chloe Kaleiokalani: We used to make cake pops, really yummy — those would be fire, except one time we made them too strong and it got intense. 'She Hits Different' is a disclaimer as much as a motto. Edibles will likely be last if at all, though I'd love to do a gummy someday. We're focusing on vapes and concentrates first, then flower — we wanted to make sure we could handle flower's shelf-life differences after being so set up for vape manufacturing. But it is coming. Bryan Fields: What was the pushback on calling it 'Designer Distillate'? Chloe Kaleiokalani: To me everything about it is designer. You have to start with the hardware — bad hardware ruins even great oil. We work with big farms that understand the quality we need, and we have our cryo-terp process, our proprietary method for preserving the full terpene profile, which is key for flavor. The packaging is beautiful with fun artwork. People say we shouldn't call it designer, but it's thriving, so I went with it. Bryan Fields: That's pushing boundaries — in a market with a thousand products, like walking through a CVS, how do you stand out? 'Designer' communicates that upper tier. Chloe Kaleiokalani: People read 'designer' and assume it's better than something that doesn't say that — it's about the psychology of words. Connoisseurs may disagree, but my intention is to reach as many people as possible in terms they understand. It's okay if some people don't like it — they can buy our Cryo Live Resin instead. Also, connoisseurs have to try it to validate it's not just designed that way. Bryan Fields: Tell me I'm wrong — they try it and end up buying it anyway, even if just 'for their girlfriend.' Chloe Kaleiokalani: Of course. Bryan Fields: What do the stars on the packaging illustrate? Chloe Kaleiokalani: I found it hard to express flavor simply, so I reduced it to sweet and gas, the two major flavor profiles people look for. A five-star sweet rating or five-star gas rating lets people know instantly what to expect, so they're not let down by not understanding the flavor profile. Bryan Fields: Was that based on a specific experience? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Yes — I'm a real ground-and-pounder, I was holding pads at the shops, going shop to shop, hearing from customers. I kept explaining the same thing to them, so I thought, why not put it on the packaging so we don't have to worry about, say, someone who doesn't like sweet getting the watermelon — not a good match. I wanted to solve that problem. Bryan Fields: Boots on the ground, hearing the same question, then solving it on the packaging. Chloe Kaleiokalani: Right — and you'd think 'watermelon' is obviously sweet, but you never know these days with such a full spectrum of products. We have to communicate clearly so customers can navigate the sea of products. Bryan Fields: Talk to us about the limited edition drops. Chloe Kaleiokalani: Our Chrome Live Resin is a limited drop because we work with farms up to a year or more ahead of time — we only get one batch before shifting to a new crop. The All Chrome is actually about to sell out, maybe a month's worth left, then we'll shift to a new iteration in our minis. We also have a cheeky Valentine's Day drop coming in February — a very 'Cake' drop that's not afraid to ruffle feathers. I don't want to say too much, but keep an eye out. Bryan Fields: It's just the three of us, in case you want to share more. Chloe Kaleiokalani: I'll tell you off camera. Bryan Fields: How did you decide on the hardware for the next Chrome iteration going into the minis? Chloe Kaleiokalani: The Chrome was special but costly, so I couldn't hit the price point needed for higher volume. I also wanted to showcase our one-gram minis, which fit in the palm of your hand and haven't gotten the coverage I wish they had. Next to our larger 1.25-gram product, the mini looks even smaller and has a wow factor. I map out our whole product family's price points to make sure there are no gaps, and I saw a gap at the Chrome's price point, so I wanted everything even for a solid foundation. Bryan Fields: Any thoughts on a male version of the brand? Chloe Kaleiokalani: There have been rumblings. We have blue for the indica line, so sometimes we lean into that. There's one name I won't say yet, but definitely some rumblings. Bryan Fields: Would that be another intuitive click, like the original Cake/She Hits Different moment? Chloe Kaleiokalani: It has to feel right. Men actually aren't as averse to Cake as you'd think, even with a lot of 'booties' and female-form designs — men are into it. If the fit's right I may launch it, but it's doing pretty well as is. Bryan Fields: That leads into expanding the brand to other states — have you considered testing new iterations in new markets, since what works in California might not work elsewhere? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Absolutely — we're currently in Arizona doing a full overhaul in the new year, analyzing the market for what's best there, and we're launching in Nevada too. Not everything that works in California works elsewhere — different regulations, different market wants. In Arizona we're leaning more connoisseur and heady, true-to-strain products, and keeping our branding present through events with Relentless Beats. In Nevada, Vegas loves this, but oil prices are four to five times higher than California, and the THC limit is 800 mg, so we had to adjust — we're launching the Designer Distillate in mini form with a 0.9-gram tank (others use 0.8), and the All Chrome as well, leaning into a glitzy Vegas vibe. Bryan Fields: When you enter a new state, what research do you do? Chloe Kaleiokalani: We run sales models to see if it makes financial sense, then find a trusted partner who'll honor our quality and represent the brand well. It's a long process — slow is smooth, smooth is fast, that's a model I instill in our team, because it's exciting and easy to get wrapped up and put the business in a bad spot. We look regionally — California, Arizona, Nevada are close together, and we're looking at New York and Florida too, but only when it feels right and won't be a huge financial burden. Bryan Fields: If you're listening in New York or Florida and you're the right partner, Chloe is open. Chloe Kaleiokalani: Only to the right people, always. Bryan Fields: That balance is tricky — momentum builds, then you realize hardware, product quality, and packaging all have to shift for a new market, which can be disheartening. Chloe Kaleiokalani: 100%, we're in the middle of it right now — Arizona last week, Nevada the week before, and hitting it hard here in California. It's tough, but the passion driving me and my team keeps us excited, and it's the right time with the right people, so it's pedal to the metal. Bryan Fields: Is there an underappreciated technique for handling that challenge? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Not losing your sanity — it tests your grit, your team, your ability to trust people, and your team's ability to communicate when something isn't working. As a leader, I keep an eye on that and ask, are you good, what do you need, how can I support you. Investing in your people is the most important thing — branding and packaging matter, but if your team isn't inspired and doesn't feel heard, it's going to be tough. Bryan Fields: Has there been a time a product didn't meet your standards after it got to you? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Jason and I are hands-on with everything, and if something doesn't feel right — even after going all the way to final proofs — I'll say no, we're going back to the drawing board. That happened just a month ago. It's important to listen to that feeling and make the change, even if it costs time. Bryan Fields: Does your team do internal testing with outside groups for feedback? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Yes — Jason and I get an idea, bounce it to our sales team, who check with confidants in the industry for a retailer's perspective. We create first-draft formulations, get feedback, make a second draft, then produce actual samples and get broader feedback before fine-tuning. Some lines, like our upcoming rosin, take a lot of R&D — it's not just using the highest quality product, you have to make sure it's expressed well in the vape and stays consistent on shelf. Our team is extremely collaborative, and I want to hear everyone's feedback, good or bad — many of them come from more corporate companies where they didn't have that opportunity. Bryan Fields: People forget that pushing innovation requires constant iteration and testing, even when the market isn't ready yet. Chloe Kaleiokalani: 100%. Nothing's as simple as it seems — people say all distillate is the same and low quality, but that's not true. You can have low-quality rosin or live resin and amazing distillate. How you do one thing is how you do everything, and I want to put our best foot forward at every step. Bryan Fields: Talk to us about the dab device. Chloe Kaleiokalani: We just submitted our patent for it — I'm calling it 'The Dab Buddy.' It's launching around March or the first week of April, delayed a bit due to Chinese New Year, but we needed the patent and IP protected first. It's a small, approachable device aimed at people without much dabbing experience, matching our family form factor, similar to our Designer Distillate but slightly bigger. We developed two different atomizers for two different experiences. It'll launch alongside our concentrate line. Bryan Fields: How long did it take to design? Chloe Kaleiokalani: This was really Jason's creation, in the works about a year and a half — he's wanted to launch it sooner, but there's perfect timing, and we're excited the patent is finally in. Engineering your own hardware with overseas partners is time-consuming and challenging, but I'm proud of what we've built — simple but effective, still expressing the product deliciously. Bryan Fields: All right, switching to the hard questions. Dream smoking session, three people, dead or alive? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Oh my gosh, that's a good one. I want to smoke with Jimi Hendrix, I was a huge Janis Joplin fan as a kid, and alive — my dad popped into my head. Bryan Fields: Perfect, not a cop-out answer — family is a constant, especially since the third person wouldn't want to miss out. He'd be pissed if you were with Jimi and Janis and didn't invite him. Chloe Kaleiokalani: Fair enough. Bryan Fields: What question do you wish more people asked you? Chloe Kaleiokalani: What drives me, because that's everything. It might not seem like it with the pink and ravey branding, but I genuinely feel this plant is part of a greater movement of sovereignty, medicine, and freedom — to grow a plant and make a living outside a society I never really felt part of growing up as a black-sheep rebel soul. This plant can offer freedom to grow, to create textiles, food — it's a miracle plant, and it being federally illegal is unacceptable to me. I'm a bit of a tinfoil-hat girl, and I believe that's intentional, to keep people from having access. Everything we do is to serve the plant, serve the people, get it to as many people as possible, and bring in childlike joy. Bryan Fields: Last question — a year from now, what's changed for Cake? Chloe Kaleiokalani: A lot. I'd love to be on the East Coast in a year, and potentially international. Our community will be bigger, with amazing events, more merch and apparel, all our product lines out including flower — I'm so excited to finally have flower. We're just thriving, I want my team happy, my customers happy, and maybe we'll be number one in America. Bryan Fields: I love it. Chloe, where can people find you and buy Cake? Chloe Kaleiokalani: Our website is shehitsdifferent.com. We're available in California — you can find a Cake map on our website or use Weedmaps. We're also in Arizona and soon to be in Nevada. Our Instagram is @cakehitsdifferent, and our X account is @sheshmokescake. Bryan Fields: Love it, we'll link it all up. Chloe, thanks for taking the time, this was a lot of fun. Chloe Kaleiokalani: Thank you.