Lucia Cifonelli has the kind of energy that makes people lean in. Maybe it’s the Jersey-born honesty. Maybe it’s the disco ball aesthetic of her brand, Smoke Show. Or maybe it’s because after spending years inside Cannabis, hospitality and fashion, she still talks about the plant with the same reverence she had at 15 years old, when weed first became less of a rebellion and more of a relief.
Raised in a loud, creative Italian family in New Jersey, Cifonelli grew up surrounded by personality. Her mother worked in fashion. Her father was a teacher and former wrestler. Her sisters became artists. One now tattoos in Las Vegas and recently tattooed “Smoke Show” across Lucia’s hand; a permanent reminder that the company she built is deeply tied to family, identity and creative expression.
“My family’s always been very expressive and creative,” Cifonelli said. “Everybody had their own thing, but we all inspired each other.”
Cannabis was openly discussed inside her immediate family, even when the broader culture still stigmatized it. For Cifonelli, the plant became grounding early in life.
“I was always kind of anxious and overstimulated,” she said. “Cannabis slowed everything down for me in a positive way. It helped me feel calm and present.”
That culture of openness and creativity eventually became the foundation for Smoke Show, the Las Vegas-based creative agency and apparel brand Cifonelli launched during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Equal parts experiential marketing company, staffing agency, fashion project and creative playground, Smoke Show exists in the overlap between Cannabis, nightlife, hospitality and counterculture. Think pink branding, mirrored disco balls, custom bomber jackets, women-led events and Cannabis ambassadors trained with the precision of luxury hospitality staff.
But before Smoke Show became a recognizable name in Cannabis event culture, Cifonelli was building her career the old-school way — through travel, hustle and hospitality.
After studying hospitality management with a concentration in beverage at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, she graduated into the chaos of the 2008 recession and spent years working throughout Prague, the Caribbean and eventually San Francisco. Hospitality taught her how to create memorable experiences and make people feel welcomed. Cannabis taught her something else entirely: authenticity matters.
“I learned that people remember how you make them feel,” she said. “Whether it’s hospitality or Cannabis, people can tell when something’s genuine.”
By 2018, Cifonelli entered the legal Cannabis industry through a packaging company, managing national accounts and quickly learning how difficult it was for brands to stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace. While working at Kush Supply Co., she helped drive millions in sales, but she also noticed a gap. Many Cannabis companies had products, but very few had an identity.
So she built one.
Originally launched as Cannabis USA before evolving into Smoke Show, the company started with a simple mission: help Cannabis brands connect with people in a real way. During COVID, when traditional events disappeared overnight, Cifonelli pivoted into brand ambassadors, field marketing and experiential retail strategy. Instead of waiting for the industry to stabilize, she adapted alongside it.
“We became an extension of the brands,” she explained. “I wanted people representing these companies to actually understand the products, understand the culture and care about the experience.”
That philosophy helped Smoke Show scale quickly. At one point, Cifonelli managed teams of more than 40 ambassadors across eight states, building programs for brands entering emerging East Coast markets like New York and New Jersey. California clients followed her east, trusting her ability to translate Cannabis culture into something elevated, stylish and accessible without losing authenticity.
And authenticity is everything to Cifonelli.
While Cannabis increasingly chases corporate polish, she remains protective of the plant’s counterculture roots. During conversation, she lights up talking about independent publications, old-school events in Hudson, New York, and moments of genuine human connection that still cut through the noise of an industry dominated by networking culture and performative branding.
“I don’t want Cannabis to lose its soul,” she said. “The community aspect is what made people fall in love with this industry in the first place.”
That same mindset shaped the apparel side of Smoke Show, a project heavily influenced by her mother’s fashion background. Together, they developed athleisure pieces featuring Cannabis florals, mushroom prints and bold feminine aesthetics that feel more editorial than novelty. The clothing became another extension of the brand’s identity: playful, stylish, confident and unapologetically weed-positive.
“My mom has incredible taste and experience from working in fashion,” Cifonelli said. “Being able to build something creative with her has been really special.”
The company’s visual identity also stays close to home. Smoke Show’s logo was designed by her sister, reinforcing the idea that this isn’t some detached agency assembled by investors — it’s personal. Every detail carries fingerprints from the people around her.
“My sister tattooing ‘Smoke Show’ on my hand felt full circle,” she said. “This company is such a huge part of who I am now.”
That creative collaboration continues today through projects with artists and photographers, including a bomber jacket collaboration benefiting Freedom Grow and ongoing work with photographer Jojo Snaps. Whether she’s producing executive networking events at MJBizCon, planning immersive activations or coordinating photoshoot concepts for future gatherings, Cifonelli approaches Cannabis branding less like marketing and more like storytelling.
One of Smoke Show’s standout moments came during MJBizCon, where the company hosted a Women’s Day event for nearly 90 executive women in Cannabis. For Cifonelli, events aren’t just photo opportunities – they’re opportunities to create community in an industry that can often feel fragmented and transactional.
“There’s room for everybody here,” she said. “If people operate with integrity, we all grow.”
That optimism feels increasingly rare in Cannabis. But it’s also what makes Cifonelli compelling. She understands the burnout, the volatility and the endless cycle of hype. Still, she believes deeply in the plant and the people who genuinely care about it.
“You can’t survive in Cannabis if you’re only here for money,” she said. “You have to actually love this plant and love the people around it.”
That belief is visible everywhere in Smoke Show’s orbit, from custom apparel drops to ambassador trainings to the tattoo on her hand.
For Cifonelli, Cannabis was never just business. It was family. It was fashion. It was hospitality. It was healing. And now, through Smoke Show, it’s become a platform to bring all those worlds together under one glittering, smoke-filled roof.
smokeshowco.com | smokeshowcreative.com | @smoke_show_co | @shop_smokeshow | @highimsweetlu
