Leading Through Challenge: Lehua House of Brands CEO Sierra Elaina on Legacy, Loss, and Leadership

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Running a cannabis company in California is not for the faint of heart. For Lehua House of Brands CEO Sierra Elaina, the past week underscored the weight of leadership in one of the most volatile industries in America: a regulatory recall, the sudden death of her best childhood friend, and multiple ongoing legacy challenges. This is all while preparing for an annual general meeting, overseeing licensing deals, and keeping production and retail operations on track.

“It was a week that tested me in every way imaginable,” Elaina said. “But this is the reality of being a CEO in cannabis. You don’t get to pause. You don’t get to grieve. You keep showing up for your team, your partners, and your customers.”

The recall, issued by the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), was prompted by compliance gaps in paperwork and process documentation, not by any consumer safety risk.

An external consulting scientist with a Ph.D., CFS, PCQI, and PA certification has confirmed that the products in question never posed a threat to consumers. The combination of carbonation, oxygen presence, and hermetic sealing prevented any conditions for toxin formation.

“We acknowledge the deviation from the validated Process Authority Letter (PAL) and the compliance labeling gaps that triggered the recall, and we own that,” Elaina said. “But the science is clear: consumer safety was never compromised. As required, we reached out personally to every retail partner, and the response and support have been overwhelmingly positive. We’re working closely with the DCC to correct the issue in a matter of days.”

Even as Lehua navigates these operational challenges, Elaina is balancing personal loss and legal battles tied to legacy claims in the cannabis industry. “It’s not just about fighting for my company’s survival,” she said. “It’s about defending the work of my team. They are excellent at what they do, and extremely dedicated. It’s my role to protect the vision we’ve built.”

Meanwhile, Lehua continues to push forward on licensing agreements, co-manufacturing partnerships, and white-label projects, all while expanding its award-winning portfolio, which includes Olala, Voila!, Live Oro, Smoking Seccion, the gold medal-winning Reefresh, and soon a new brand called OUI’d Chef.

“People shouldn’t feel limited or labeled as just one thing. I always say you can be many different things at once. That’s the beautiful part of life: every day is a new opportunity to show up differently,” Elaina explains. “I’m a CEO, but I’m also a parent, an aspiring author, a dog mom, and a woman rediscovering my talents. I’m even learning to fly to get my pilot’s license.”

“What this week reminded me is that resilience isn’t about perfection. It’s about being real and persistent. And in cannabis, persistence is survival.”

Sierra Elaina, CEO of the Lehua House of Brands

About Lehua Brands

Lehua Brands is an award-winning house of brands crafting an award-winning portfolio of beverages for adult-use markets. Known for bold flavors, clean formulations, and function-forward innovation, Lehua Brands—which include Olala, Voila!, Reefresh, Live Oro, Smoking Seccion, and Oui’d Chef—meets cannabis consumers wherever they are in their journey. With zero debt and a lean, low-risk model, Lehua owns and operates its own canning facility and produces branded and white-labeled products in-house. Founded in 2015, Lehua products are available in more than 250 dispensaries across California and in Canada, with expansion into additional North American markets underway. Learn more at lehuabrands.com.