espite legalization and decriminalization of marijuana, a plant containing CBD and THC both, in a handful of states across the country, the Food and Drug Administration hasn't approved any CBD-based or containing products as of now. 

Understandably, for many CBD-centric businesses it’s a huge complication to their operations: they can’t sell their products at most venues, nor can they advertise on such social media platforms as Instagram or Facebook. But for Paradigm Media and its co-founders, Lior Root and Sophia Trunzo, the FDA’s sluggishness in approving CBD was the ultimate key to success. Having to navigate a complicated legal system, the pair found their unique approach to be the one everyone on the market wanted: they could maneuver well enough to promote their clients’ products without getting into themselves or the promoters into legal trouble.

Root and Trunzo aren’t just colleagues — they’re friends, a self-described dreamteam and big time hustlers. The pair met working in unrelated to CBD digital marketing positions and immediately realized their workplace ethics matched perfectly. Root and Trunzo were friends before they co-founded Paradigm Media and knew of each other’s passions, assertiveness and determination. So it only made sense that they decided to start a business together.

“We’re relentless and we like the challenge. We know how to get shit done!” Root laughed. 

Both Root and Trunzo wanted to dedicate their time to working and pushing for success (preferably, on something they genuinely believed in), which’s how they found their current niche: CBD. As for success, all they wanted was to a) be good at what they do and b) become recognized for it on the market. The two already used CBD and THC in their own lives so they trusted in the benefits of cannabis-derived products and could work in the field with full dedication to their integrity — which isn’t particularly common in the advertisement industry. In fact, Root and Trunzo even use the products their clients make. 

Founded in late 2019, Paradigm Media took the young and fast-growing CBD market by storm.

“We [were] onto something as entrepreneurs,” Trunzo said. “We knew CBD was going to be something that was going to stick around. And we were right.”

And they were indeed right. Given that a ‘paradigm’ means a typical example or pattern, Paradigm Media broke through this definition, being the pioneers in their field, and established said ‘pattern’ for agencies to follow. 

Over the course of the past year and a half, Trunzo and Root managed to work with such prominent brands as Chicago-based Half Day CBD, and Original Hemp and Funky Farms and many more. 

A lot of the companies Paradigm Media works with can’t even be listed on their website: according to Root, they’re bigger than most on the market and want to keep any information about their advertisers close to the nest, unwilling to share the secret of their success. But, while larger sellers might be keeping their secrecy, the newer-to-the-industry companies often share their satisfaction with Paradigm Media even with their direct competitors. 

“We position ourselves as the CBD advertising agency,” Root shared. “And a lot of [our success] happens through word of mouth.”

Of course, to position themselves as the CBD marketing company they need to be able to deliver the results — a challenge Root and Trunzo tackle head on. The pair has several rules they follow to achieve the results Paradigm Media’s clients are after, including increased sales and surplus in social media followers. 

Firstly, Root and Trunzo make an effort to be extremely communicative with their clients. They have individual chats with each company and provide regular, if not daily, updates on the progress made.

Secondly, the two of them are pros at finding loopholes in the social media advertising rules (otherwise, it would be extremely difficult to promote non-FDA-approved products). For example, they collaborate with media publications and independent platforms, who garner a mainstream social media following and can offer visibility to their clients. 

Thirdly (and, arguably, most importantly), they rely on one another in times of burnout and pressure, ensure the delegation of tasks goes smoothly and support each other not just as colleagues but as friends, too.

While it’s a difficult task — to encapsulate everything Root and Trunzo created into an article — you can learn much more about Paradigm Media from the co-founders themselves. Going live on 04/20 (yes, indeed!) will be Paradigm Media’s seminar. Created in collaboration with PULP Public School, it will revolve around their work and CBD industry as a whole. Make sure to tune in!