Today our guest is Thanisorn Boonsoong, the young CEO of Eastern Spectrum Group. He is from a family of manufacturers at the helm of one of Thailand's few integrated hemp cultivation and manufacturing facilities. They plan to lead the world in producing industrialized hemp and to be Thailand's top-producing seed-to-sale CBD manufacturer. Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch...
Feb 06, 2023•47 min•Ep. 56
Nohtal Partansky is a former NASA engineer turned cannabis entrepreneur who raised a few million dollars to start his company, Sorting Robotics. He invented a patent-pending infused pre-roll machine and recently introduced automated robot machines that can fill and cap vape pens. My favorite part of the conversation was when he explained how infusing pre-rolls changes the physics when it burns, and how he sees the market moving toward rosins and why you get the most out of rosin when infused in ...
Jan 29, 2023•36 min•Ep. 55
Today our guest is Tanya Griffin, CEO of OhYess, a CBD sex product, and Uh Huh Honey, a patented process that produces CBD honey by feeding cannabis to bees. Before she started the two CPG brands, she opened and sold multiple dispensaries in Illinois and other states. She also heads Water and Trees Cannabis Consulting based in Denver. And finally, she recently found time to launch a nonprofit that distributes free Narcan, a life-saving Fentanyl overdose treatment. Wow, lots of experience and adv...
Jan 24, 2023•44 min•Ep. 54
Our guest today is Sarah Hashkes, head of scientific research into psychedelics at Red Light Holland and CEO of Radix Motion, a technology company advancing psychedelic research. Sarah talks about her research into how VR and psychedelics can increase plasticity in the brain. Her and her team at Red Light Holland are ahead of science in understanding psychedelics. Listen to the latest episode to take a deep dive into the newest tech in psychedelic research. Tune into a fascinating conversation! ...
Jan 18, 2023•38 min•Ep. 53
Today we meet Ryan Douglas, a sought-out expert on cannabis cultivation. Before launching Canopy Growth's cultivation program, he spent 15 years cultivating flowers and hydroponic vegetables. He started his own consulting company, advising others on building and operating cannabis cultivation facilities. We talk about how to get clean, quality genetics, costs to build out a cultivation facility, how to make your grow stand out, and the importance of automating post-harvest production, to name a ...
Jan 14, 2023•40 min•Ep. 52
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylesherman/ https://flowhub.com/product 12 Innovating Cannabis is produced and hosted by Pam Chmiel, a journalist, freelance writer, and marketing and PR specialist in the cannabis industry. Get in touch to discuss your business strategy or explore working together at pam@TheMaryJaneSociety.com. LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Please like the show to help us reach more listeners🙏🏻...
Jan 09, 2023•28 min•Ep. 51
today we meet Beer, a legacy grower in Thailand who is a leader and hero for cannabis farmers. When he became tired of the underground hustle and decided to become a Monk, it wasn't long before the Minister of Health recruited him to help the government usher in the cannabis industry. He is given the authority to license farmers and train them in cultivating cannabis. Beers operates his own grow facility and dispensary in Bangkok and is on a mission to keep foreigners and illegal imports at bay ...
Dec 22, 2022•34 min•Ep. 50
Today we meet Kate Miller, CEO of the popular Miss Grass pre-roll brand which is now in 5 states and moving across the country as they continue to build national brand awareness. I talk to Kate about their recent move to NJ. She tells us you need to be boots on the ground developing relationships in the store with budtenders, buyers, the community, and the end customer to build a brand successfully. She believes in-person and digital marketing needs to be part of the overall strategy to build a ...
Dec 15, 2022•24 min•Ep. 49
Lisa Weser had a long career in the alcohol industry as a public relations professional. She transitioned into the cannabis industry and is making a name for herself as the CEO of TrailBlaze Public Relations. Lisa and I talk about the different PR tactics working for her clients, tips on working with reporters, and how psychedelics are outpacing cannabis in media interest. Lisa gave us great insights on how to use public relations to build a brand and get noticed. https://trailblaze.co/ https://...
Dec 01, 2022•41 min•Ep. 48
Our guest today is a contributing writer to the very popular HighThailand.com and goes by the pen name Mendel Menachem. High Thailand is quickly becoming the go-to for reviews of dispensaries and strains in the country. We talk about the government's position on cannabis, how the first legal harvest produced great weed, how legacy farmers are flourishing LEGALLY, the cannabis culture in Thailand and the opportunities for foreigners to enter the marketplace. www.highthailand.com Instagram: @mende...
Nov 28, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 47
Today we talk to Terry Buffalo from Buffalo Cannabis Advisors to discuss the serious issue of debt financing and how it may cause widespread consolidation if the Safe Banking Act doesn't pass to provide refinancing solutions. Terry has over seven years of hands-on experience in the cannabis industry and a long career as a Wall Street junk bond trader in his previous life. Terry believes cannabis companies can utilize corporate bonds to avoid industry consolidation and manage funding and debt iss...
Nov 24, 2022•44 min•Ep. 46
Consumption lounges are emerging as the next step in normalizing the cannabis industry. Entrepreneurs and innovators are trying to figure out the concept based on vague and unwritten laws governing the lounges. But, one company is forging ahead to set the standard for how you consume cannabis in a lounge. Today we meet Wendy Forwell, CEO of Zenco, to find out why consumption lounges around the WORLD are knocking down their door to buy ZENCO. And they haven't even been in business for a year yet....
Nov 07, 2022•32 min•Ep. 45
Seattle-based vape company HEYLO was recently named one of the top cannabis brands in the country by data company Pioneer Intelligence. Heylo is led by chemist Lo Friesen who started the company when she was 25. Heylo specializes in high-terpene, full-spectrum cannabis extracts for their well-known vapes. Lo and I talked about Extraction, chemistry, the dangers of vapes, how to start an extraction business, and Heylo's expansion plans. https://www.heylocannabis.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/l...
Oct 28, 2022•37 min•Ep. 44
Our guest is Mike Zaytsev. He is the Director of Cannabis Degree Programs At LIM College in NYC. Mike is at the helm of one of the country's first cannabis college degree programs, and he recently published a book called How to Succeed in Weed According to 50 Industry Insiders. And his wildly popular networking event, High New York, draws a huge crowd in the NYC cannabis scene. Meet one of NY's cannabis movers and shakers, Mike Z. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelzaytsev/ Innovating Cannabis i...
Oct 25, 2022•27 min•Ep. 43
Our guest today is Elana Cohen, she is a 13-year public relations practitioner who worked for various agencies and is starting her own PR firm specializing in the cannabis industry called Tree Of Life PR. Today, Elana gives us great insights into how she approaches working with clients and the different public relations strategies available. Let's meet Elana to learn the ins and outs of launching a PR campaign. https://www.treeolifepr.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/elana-naomi-cohen/ Innovatin...
Oct 14, 2022•56 min•Ep. 42
Michael Sassano, CEO of Somai Pharmaceuticals, a European pharmaceutical, and biotech company centered on manufacturing in Lisbon, Portugal says the data is clear. The US may have more research funds, but they are stymied by the lack of legalization and Europe is about to take the lead on testing and clinical trials. Michael is one of the most respected executives in the pharmaceutical cannabis space today. And he is celebrated in mainstream business and biopharma media as an international autho...
Sep 22, 2022•43 min•Ep. 41
If you are following cannabis news in NY, you probably have heard of Brad Racino, he is the editor for NY Cannabis Insider, It's the go-to publication to learn what's happening in NY. With a background as an investigative reporter, he covers everything and everyone that has to do with the launch of the industry in NY. Brad is an early mover in the state and has his finger on the pulse. Not only is he reporting on the state's progress, but he is also leading the charge by organizing informational...
Sep 12, 2022•31 min•Ep. 40
Today we meet Lara Fordis, a cannabis market research expert and CEO of Fordis Consulting. Lara explains how cannabis companies rely on retail data alone for market research, but it doesn't tell the whole story. She tells us the additional market research you need to make informed decisions about your product development. Lara claims bad research is worse than no research because it gives you a false sense of security. She talks about the "invisible shopper" and how they influence the retail dat...
Sep 06, 2022•41 min•Ep. 39
Are you a cultivator or extractor looking to build brand awareness? Consider launching a pre-roll brand. According to Harrison Bard, CEO of Custom Cones USA, it's easier than you think and pre-rolls are the most customizable product categories in cannabis. Harrison gives us many tips and tricks on how to turn a simple pre-roll into a brand-building catalyst by adding a unique type of filter or shape or size or a multi-pack format. Custom Cones is always innovating and was the first to release a ...
Aug 30, 2022•42 min•Ep. 38
Dre Neumann is a Grammy-winning photographer and the Chief Creative Director for multi-state operator Jushi Holdings. Dre uses his experience as a photographer, filmmaker, and collaborator in the rock n roll industry to influence his creative approach at Jushi. He likes to mix cannabis with art, performance, and curated designer products to make Jushi dispensaries the heart of the cannabis culture. He's handled partnerships with actors like Colin Hanks and is about to launch a new art exhibit in...
Aug 23, 2022•48 min•Ep. 37
According to Interpol, South Africa is the 4th largest illegal cannabis exporter in the world. And if the country can get it together, they have the potential to legally supply the world with high-quality cannabis AND save its crumbling economy. Helping the country get in the game is Trenton Birch, a former music and advertising executive who, aside from Oaksterdam, has started one of the first full-on cannabis academies called Cheeba Africa. Trenton talks about the challenges and opportunities ...
Aug 14, 2022•44 min•Ep. 36
You may have heard about the “The North American Weed Tour" put on by the marketing agency, Respect My Region. I interviewed its co-founder, Mitch Pfeifer, to find out how they assembled a network of judges to review hundreds of cannabis products across the country to help consumers connect with brands. Respect My Region has worked with clients in both the music and cannabis industry including the likes of STIIIZY, Jungle Boys, Cookies, Weedmaps, Xzibit, The Cure Company, Wyclef Jean, and countl...
Aug 09, 2022•44 min•Ep. 35
As the government lags behind on regulating consumption lounges, infused cannabis events are quietly becoming the hottest ticket in town. Chef Jordan Wagman is a James Beard nominee who is using his professional talent to experiment with cannabis as an ingredient. He curates and creates infused food and drinks experiences for brand activations and other events. Jordon also has a sixth book on the way, and just returned from Europe speaking at events and advising others on the nuances of cooking ...
Aug 02, 2022•30 min•Ep. 34
Cash was the most common way to buy weed before Covid hit...then everything changed. Stores closed and we were forced to buy online. We went from no one wanting to shop online for weed to everyone HAVING to shop online. Dispensaries were not technologically capable of seamlessly merging retail and eCommerce sales because of issues specific to the industry like compliance and inventory. Today we meet Jeremy Johnson, head of business development at Dispense, a B2B software company that offers a wa...
Jul 25, 2022•43 min•Ep. 33
Are You Looking to Fund Your Cannabis Business? I speak to Scott Jordan, founder of the Alternative Finance Network for the low-down on who is loaning money and investing in the mom-and-pop cannabis entrepreneurs. Spoiler alert- not many. Scott has been brokering finance deals for the cannabis industry since 2013 and has relationships with all types of lenders, public and private. He has witnessed the industry's growth from the start of legalization in Colorado and knows how to navigate the mine...
Jul 12, 2022•42 min•Ep. 32
Today we meet Corey Burchman, Chief Medical Officer at Acreage Holdings, a multi-state operator acquired by Canopy Growth in 2019. Corey is a nationally recognized expert on clinical cannabinoid therapeutics and has chaired multiple national conferences on the use of medical cannabis. He is an anesthesiologist and pain management physician with a career that spans over 35 years. We talk about everything from Corey's role in educating lawmakers and the medical community on the health benefit of c...
Jul 04, 2022•42 min•Ep. 31
Jordan Lams, CEO of the popular brand Moxie, became aware of cannabis as an alternative medicine when his younger sister fought for her life battling Leukemia as a child and ultimately succumbed to the disease. Later, Jordan began to work in the medical side of the industry in California during the early days when he became an advocate for the plant and its medicinal powers. Today Moxie is winning licensing deals, has had a couple of successful exits, and has a partnership with a big MSO. Jordan...
Jul 01, 2022•26 min•Ep. 30
Polly Lieberman and Liz Wald have impressive backgrounds in the technology world and are using their expertise to create a cannabis community at the intersection of cannabis 2.0 and web 3.0. They are the founders of thric3.io and are on a mission to normalize and help everyone navigate this new world of legalized cannabis. Let's meet Polly and Liz to learn how they are actively taking on the challenge to build a cannabis community on Discord and in the Metaverse, to name a few. witter @thric3off...
Jun 20, 2022•44 min•Ep. 29
Merideth Mahoney is the CEO and co-founder of Lantern, a startup cannabis marketplace with an order-on-demand delivery service that was first launched in Boston and is quickly expanding to other cities across the country. She partners with local dispensaries and delivery services to offer a wide selection of cannabis products available for purchase and delivery from the Lantern marketplace. Merideth shares how she built Lantern from scratch and the tactics they use to drive brand awareness. Her ...
Jun 16, 2022•26 min•Ep. 28
Today we are talking to social media expert Amy Donohue. She co-founded Hybrid Social in 2015 to help cannabis entrepreneurs build their brands on social media. She has been a guest speaker at MJBizCon, Emerge, and Imperious Expo trade shows, sharing her passion and expertise in building brands through social media. Today Amy and I talk about how social media is the place to build brand recognition, community, and authenticity through storytelling ...not sales. Tune in to get insights on what it...
Jun 14, 2022•48 min•Ep. 27
