Many small cannabis companies dream about being acquired by a multi-million-dollar public company, but what if that dream becomes a nightmare? Hayley Dineen and Lana Van Brunt lived through that harrowing experience, but rather than back down they took matters into their own hands. They are the Brooklyn-based duo behind Sackville & Co., a design-focused contemporary cannabis lifestyle brand. What happened to them offers valuable lessons into how to M&As in your own business.

Jones Soda is a well-known quirky craft soda company with drinks like Blue Bubblegum Cane Sugar Soda. Last April, the company launched Mary Jones in California, which includes cannabis-infused product lines of soda, syrup, and gummies. Bohb Blair, Chief Marketing Officer at Jones Soda, joins the pod to talk about why Jones got into the weed market, how they plan to stand out from the pack, and the state of cannabis-infused beverage industry

Pilgrim Soul is a purpose-driven cannabis company focused on creative performance. As part of their marketing effort, the company publishes Creative Thinking Journals to use when you’re high that have become runaway bestsellers on Amazon. Pilgrim Soul CEO and Co-founder Shawn Gold talks about how his unique purpose-driven approach to marketing, and how it can help other cannabis companies carve out a unique lane in an overcrowded industry.

Economists Robin Goldstein and Daniel Sumner have a fascinating new book out called CAN LEGAL WEED WIN?: The Blunt Realities of Cannabis Economics. Though extensive research, they argue that the legal weed business presents an economic conundrum—while nearly 40% of Americans can walk into a dispensary and purchase weed legally, many still buy it illegally. On the show, they talk about why legal weed is a mess, what we can do to save the legal weed industry, and how small business owners can survive.

Since its launch in 2019 in California, Jeeter has grown into bestselling preroll company in the U.S, with a $400 million revenue projected this year. Co-founders Lukasz Tracz and Sebastian Solano join the show to talk about the five strategies they used to break through the pack and stand out.

Kim Myles is host of the lively new show High Design on Discovery Plus, in which she makes over dispensaries that could really use some freshening up. On the episode, she talks about her entrepreneurial journey from hair stylist to reality TV show winner to TV show and personality. She also shares her tips on how to transform your retail business to better serve your customers.

Almost a quarter of parents who have consumed cannabis in the past year haven’t talked to their kids about their cannabis use, according to a new Harris poll. Can you blame them? It’s a hard conversation. To give some pointers we’re joined by Danielle Simone Brand, the author of the book Weed Mom, and Rabbi James Kahn, who along with being Executive Director at Holistic Industries has written much about helping to normalize cannabis,

Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson Jr (aka Megatron played wide receiver for 9 illustrious years on the Detroit Lions. Now he’s embarked onon a new journey as a cannabis executive. Johnson is co-founder, along with Detroit Lions teammate Rob Sims, of Primitiv, a Michigan-based cannabis company that offers cannabis-based products, a branded line of merch, their first dispensary in Niles, Michigan.

Ketamine has been shown to treat depression, PTSD, and anxiety. In recent years, clinics have been popping up in cities across America and Canada. Guest Matt Stang is co-founder and CEO of Delic Corp, the largest infrastructure of psychedelic wellness clinics in the U.S. Matt started his career as an intern at High Times and rose up the ranks to be its owner. Now he’s embarking on a new journey in psychedelics such as ketamine. Here’s why he think ketamine is so powerful and his predictions for the future of the psychedelics industry.

Andreas “Dre” Neumann is Chief Creative Officer of Jushi, a publicly-traded MSO that includes retails locations, brands, and grow facilities. He is also a photographer who has shot such artists as the Foo Fighters, Iggy Pop, and the Queens of the Stone Age. In fact, it was the latter that led him into the cannabis business. We talk to Dre about why this big advertising exec got into the cannabis business, and what advice he has to other creatives about branding.

As the cannabis market grows, so have the number of data technology companies offering brands business intelligence. Our guest today is Jeffrey Graham Co-Founder and CEO of Pistil Data. The company has built applications for salespeople at brands to that helps them identify the best-selling opportunities. Pistil recently closed a $6.5 million seed round led by Snoop Dogg’s Casa Verde.

Warren Bobrow is a mixologist, chef, and writer known as the Cocktail Whisperer. He has written 6 books, including Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonics: The Art of Spirited Drinks and Buzz-Worthy Libations. His latest venture is Klaus, which he calls “the finest terpene forward Craft cannabis cocktail in the world.” Bold words for sure, but Warren knows his cocktails and he uses only the finest ingredients. Here’s his take on the future of infused cannabis beverages.

Despite stigmas, Asian American and Pacific Islanders are making a big difference in the cannabis industry. On this episode, we’re joined by Eunice Kim, founder and CEO of HiVi, a digital cannabis product that matches people to the right cannabis products, and Judy Yee co-founder and CEO of K-Zen, a cannabis beverage company. They talk about why they got into cannabis and the challenges they’ve had to overcome.

Many executives in the cannabis industry will be heading to New York City this month for the MJ Unpacked conference from May 18 to 20—and not just to see Ghost Face Killah in concert. The event, only in its second year, offers a chance for cannabis CPG brands, retailers, and investors to make deals, network, and get excited about the NYC market. Guests George and Kim Jage are the founders of MJ Unpacked. They talk about why they started the event, what to expect, and their predictions for the legal cannabis biz on the east coast.

Guest Ben Larson is CEO of Vertosa, a cannabis company that creates active ingredients for infused products including its patented and patent-pending emulsion systems. Ben is also an outspoken critic of delta 8 and says he would never work with a delta 8 client.

Grassdoor is a leading cannabis delivery service in California. Despite fierce competition, they’ve managed to be successful thanks to a proprietary tech platform that enables brands to white label their services. We talk to CEO Zack Ein about how he went from being the company’s first delivery driver to overseeing a team of 450 full-time drivers. He also talks about the challenges and costs for DTC services and where the business is going.

Canopy Growth is an international, publicly traded cannabis MSO. Their offerings include Martha Stewart’s CBD line. Our guest is Sol Clahane VP & General Manager of the Canopy Growth Corporation in the U.S.. She talks about what Canopy does, how their relationship with Martha Stewart came to be, the biggest challenges CBD companies like theirs face, and why you shouldn’t be scared of MSO operators gobbling up the little guys.

There are 13.5 million Christians in the state California, 6.8 million of which have used a cannabis product. My guest Craig Gross wants to shine a light on this topic and invite the Christian community to to explore cannabis without shame or judgment. Craig is a well-known pastor and founder of XXXChurch.com. He recently launched Christian Cannabis, which offers high-CBD, low-THC cannabis strains cultivated specifically for Christian consumers.

We’re all busier than ever. And we need help. But a dwindling number of job applicants and great need for efficiency has led many to consider new solutions to getting the help they need. Guest TaJanna Mallory says she has a solution: Virtual assistants. Guest TaJanna is Founder and Chief Executive Officer at CannAssistants, a virtual assistant (VA) agency that provides administrative support to mid-size cannabis companies, founders, and business executives. Here’s what VAs do and why you may need on ASAP.

While a large majority of Americans support the legalization of cannabis, many get squeamish when a dispensary tries to open its doors in their neighborhood. The phenomena is known as NIMBY – not in my backyard. Guests Lauren Carpenter and Dustin Moore are co-founders of Embarc, a northern California cannabis retailer that has a unique and community-friendly approach to cannabis sales.

Walking into a dispensary today is a completely different experience than it was just five years ago, thanks to legalization and the mainstreaming of cannabis retail. Some dispensaries are taking a nod from chains such as Nordstrom, Apple, and Sephora, to make the shopping experience a boutique, full-sensory experience. Guests Danielle Marzarella and Holly Cottrell of SevenPoint Interiors are part of the new revolution in cannabis retail space design. They talk about where dispensaries are now and where they’re going.

We talk a lot about the Green Rush, but few actually strike gold in this industry. Our guest, Cameron Forni, did after Curaleaf bought his company Select for an estimated $948 million. creating the world’s largest legal cannabis company by revenue. Cameron recently launched Hypescale Ventures, focused on investing in forward-thinking founders and technology. On the podcast, Forni talks about some of the investments he’s most excited about, including cannabis consumption lounges.

Raj Grover is the founder and CEO of High Tide, the largest Canadian retailer of recreational cannabis as measured by revenue. This is the story of how he grew his 500-square foot smoke shop of 2 employees into a cannabis empire with other 1000 employees spanning North America and Europe.

Chris Ball is the founder of Ball Family Farms—the first vertically-integrated social equity brand in Los Angeles. The company is Black-owned and Black led, in an industry that could certainly use more people of color. Chris’s long and winding journey into the business is fascinating. A former star linebacker for Cal State, who did pro stints in the CFL and European NFL, Chris was convicted of a cannabis crime and had his life turned upside down. This how he turned everything around.

If you’ve got $4k, you can book an exclusive vacation to Jamaica for a 5-day psylocibin “trip.” The travel trend has become all the rage for psychonauts looking for a safe and legal experience with shrooms. Guest Douglas K. Gordan is the CEO of Silo Wellness, a multinational psychedelics company that hosts some the most luxurious retreats. Silo Wellness is also partners with the Marley family (as in Bob) in the first global mushroom company.

You probably know Anthony Sullivan from starring in those OxiClean ads with his friend the late Billy Mays. But more recently Sullivan has turned his sites to CBD. He is CEO of MontKush that uses organic CBD rosin from Vermont. Mont Kush also contains the compound CBDA, which made news recently after it was discovered that it may prevent the virus that causes Covid-19. On the show, he shares tips on how to pitch your product in a crowded market.

As any woman of a certain age can tell you, menopause can be very unpleasant. Symptoms associated with it include hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, irritability, and changes sex drive. California entrepreneurs Carrie Mapes and Patty Pappas have created a cannabis-infused vaginal suppository called Hello Again that provides relief from these physical and emotional challenges. The two talk about why they created the product, how it works, and the challenges they’ve had to overcome bringing Hello Again to market.

Andrew De Angelo is cannabis advocate and entrepreneur. He is co-founder and advisor to pioneering cannabis company. Andrew has also worked on a variety of voter initiatives which legalized medical and adult use cannabis. I caught up with Andrew at the NCIA Cannabis Business Summit in San Francisco to find out about his latest business venture as a consultant to cannabis companies. Companies come to him to figure out how to get liscensed, raise money, and grow their business. Here’s what he tells them.

Jim Belushi is an actor, musician, and cannabis entrepreneur. His journey into the Green Rush is chronicled in in the docuseries Growing Belushi on the Discovery, which is back for a second season. Jim joins the show to talk about his mission to rebrand and rebuild his boutique brand for the masses, the challenges he’s faced, and how he uses weed his daily life.

One of the toughest challenges facing cannabis entrepreneurs today is how to advertise and market their products when go-to options, such as Facebook and Google, are strictly limited. Rosie Mattio, founder of Mattio Communications, is one of the most...