Highly Kosher Professionals: John Shute, CEO, PufCreativ

JIW: While studying at Norwich University, what topics and courses ended up becoming the most useful when starting and operating PufCreativ?

John: My Project Management MBA from Norwich was critical to starting PufCreativ and still is today. Understanding how to manage budgets, timelines, tasks, deliverables, and expectations is essential on the agency side. The program was fully online, so I went from using project management systems and async communication in my classes to applying that same experience directly to building the agency. I managed most of our projects myself on top of running the business until just a few years ago, and that only worked because I knew how to prioritize, keep things on time and under budget, and communicate clearly throughout the whole process.

JIW: What inspired you to create PufCreativ? What were the moments that made you realize the necessity for such a business?

John: Right after my masters, I took a marketing and operations role at a mega nightclub in South Florida. I saw real success applying my project management background to creative, disruptive ideas in a setting I wasn't naturally in. 

But the opiate crisis is what got me into cannabis and ultimately led to PufCreativ. That same year I was in Florida, I lost a handful of friends and family to drug overdose. That's what pushed me to lean into my gifts and point them toward cannabis, which I knew had real potential for addiction support and broader medical benefits.

The following year, I became Marketing Director for a cannabis contract manufacturer in California, where I learned everything that happens from seed-to-sale. That's where I saw massive gaps in how cannabis companies approached branding, websites, and performance marketing. The owners of that company eventually had a falling out, which pushed me to start my own agency.

PufCreativ became the place where everything I'd learned came together, and the more I've been in this industry, the more I've come to understand how much cannabis can help the world beyond just addiction.

JIW: How does your Jewish identity play a role in your personal and professional life?

John: I was criticized for being Jewish by peers most of my life. Growing up in Southern New Jersey, there weren't many Jewish folks around, so I dealt with jokes and judgment pretty regularly. When I became a teenager and started consuming cannabis, that came with its own set of criticism too. Despite being a good student and athlete, I felt like an outsider in my town going into college. Instead of letting that beat me down, I used it as fuel.

For me, my Jewish identity has always been more cultural and ethical than religious. My mom was Jewish, so we celebrated all the holidays growing up, Jewish and non-Jewish. What she and my grandparents really instilled in me was that being Jewish meant showing up for your family, your friends, and your community. It meant being equitable and asking questions when something didn't seem right.

I carry that into both my personal and professional life. I teach my kids the same values, and I run PufCreativ the same way. If you know us, you know we're always looking to help people, communities, and organizations trying to make a positive difference. It's just how we operate.

JIW: In your own words, what is so special about the team at PufCreativ? Why is it advantageous to have team members with experience across many different sectors of the industry?

John: Each person on our team is what makes it special. Everyone genuinely believes in what we're doing here. We're trying to have some kind of positive impact despite feeling helpless in this wild world. Every person brings their own skills, hobbies, personality, and style, and that's what makes every day here feel different.

On the industry knowledge side, having people with experience across different sectors is what actually moves the needle for cannabis businesses. When branding, website, and performance marketing are aligned, that's what makes a business revenue-positive. It's also what search engines and AI overviews are now rewarding.

Everything needs to come together and be relevant to the end user. That alignment fuels customer acquisition, and that data can then be used to segment and retain those customers. Retention is cheaper than acquisition, so the goal is always to keep all the channels working together.

JIW: What are some easy but meaningful ways cannabis companies can increase their community engagement and social impact? Why is it important for cannabis companies to be philanthropically involved?

John: The easiest way to start is to just ask. Identify issues in the community or go directly to the community and find out what they need. We have a retail client in Southern New Jersey where I'm from, located in a town that constantly complained about litter. We organized a gamified trash pickup that rewarded whoever collected the most with loyalty points. Simple, zero ad spend, and it grew their entire loyalty list at the same time.

Another client opened in a town with a serious overdose problem. We helped them put together educational forums on drug use and Narcan, and partnered them with a local addiction nonprofit. A lot of operators are scared to engage the community because they assume it costs money, but you can have a real impact without spending a dollar.

It also matters for visibility. Community engagement is what we're seeing make a measurable difference in search and AI rankings, and it helps cannabis retailers and brands stand out in crowded markets. But beyond strategy, we're in this industry to help people. Cannabis companies tend to have all eyes on them, so lead with that, break the stigma, and give back to the communities you're entering.

JIW: Do you think federal reforms will change the rules and regulations surrounding cannabis advertising and marketing?

John: I do think federal reforms will change things. I can only hope they'll be more favorable for cannabis businesses, but I don't have a ton of faith in our government, so who knows.

What I do know is that our approach to branding, websites, and performance marketing will stay the same regardless. We've always been risk-averse in how we structure projects, and we'll always push cannabis businesses toward building a brand the right way, full spectrum, A to Z. The rules can change around us, the fundamentals don't.

John Shute is the CEO of PufCreativ, an award-winning, community-focused cannabis marketing agency. With over a decade of experience as a leading marketer in the cannabis industry, John specializes in developing creative, revenue-driven strategies for cannabis retailers, brands, and fully integrated organizations, both nationally and internationally.