Seed to CEO: Stories from Cannabis Businesses

Justin Dye was brought into to Schwazze to help pivot it to a plant-touching business. In this final episode of Seed to CEO, learn: How and why Dye chenged the focus of the company How he decides which companies to acquire Why Schwazze remains focused on mature markets, like Colorado, instead of newer markets Who is Justin Dye? Justin Dye is chairman and CEO at Schwazze. He cut his management teeth at Albertsons, the grocer, leaving as chief adminstrative officer. He went on to advise the PJ Solomon on investments in food, retail and restaurants. He also ran his own private equity firm.

Gary Allen has leveraged lessons from the high-tech and advertiisng industries to lead New Frontier Data as it provides the booming cannabis industry with accurate data on trends and insights. The company now serves over 30 markets. In this episode: Discover the vision behind how big data can help in cannabis Learn how lessons from the tech boom and bust should inform your cannabis strategy Who is Gary Allen? Gary Allen is CEO New Frontier Data, a data, analytics and technology firm specializing in the global cannabis industry. Gary's expertise in operations, marketing and technology, applied to a high growth company in a fast-moving, emerging market, is perfectly aligned with this evolution of his 24-year career as an executive. His career is founded in advertising technology. By the end of 2015, some of his former colleagues were entering cannabis, and he made the leap to join them.  

Chad Bronstein started his first businesses in high school. He built an agency working with major brands, but things had gotten too corporate. So he took the leap to build Fyllo, helping cannabis companies market. Over time, he has built a method to segment and target audiences, while educating brands on regulatory constraints. In this episode, find out: The mindset needed to jump into a high-risk, new role How he used networking to speed up his education in the industry The importance of building a strong team How his businesses provides a crossover opportunity with mainstream companies How he makes decisions about acquisitions Who is Chad Bronstein? Chad Bronstein is the Founder and CEO of Fyllo and Co-Founder/President and Chairman of Tyson 2.0. He entered cannabis after noticing how many cannabis clients were approaching his social media agency.

During his twenties, Ryan Smith had already started and sold two companies before he broke into cannabis in 2015 with the launch of his B2B technology platform Leaflink. One year later, he made Forbes' 30 Under 30 list highlighting software technology entrepreneurs, buttressing his wunderkind reputation. Seven years on, Leaflink operates in some 30 markets and has some 12,000 business customers. In this episode of "Seed to CEO," you'll hear what Smith did to get this far, including: Spotting opportunity in the cannabis industry landscape Conducting market research Picking winning markets in which to operate Keeping a fresh perspective Who is Ryan Smith? Ryan G. Smith is the CEO and co-founder of LeafLink, a B2P platform catering to the wholesale cannabis supply chain for brands, distributors, and retailers in 30 markets. In 2011 Smith founded his first business, a green office supply company named EcoCampus. And in 2013 he founded Trupoly, ant investor management relationship software business. Smith and his partner Zach Silverman founded LeafLink in 2015. Smith was listed on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in 2016 and LeafLink was named on Fast Company's 2018 list of Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Enterprise. In 2021, LeafLink was named one of Inc's Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies in America.

Greenlight, led by John Mueller, is one of the fastest growing multi-state operators in the United States, with operations in Missouri, Arkansas, West Virginia, Illinois and South Dakota. Mueller is executing an unusual strategy, buying licenses in "undiscovered" locations.  In this episode, learn: The logic behind his strategy Why he operates in off-the-radar locations How to adjust to changing conditions How he scores licenses Who is John Mueller? John Mueller is CEO of Greenlight,  John has previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Acres Cannabis and Acres Cultivation, and currently serves as Principal of Mid America Capital. John brings extensive experience with state regulations and compliance in all areas of cannabis cultivation and dispensing. John has two successful decades of working with Federal and State regulatory agencies including USDA and FDA. John has served in all levels of executive management primarily in the cannabis, food, manufacturing, and construction industries.

Rebecca Colett spent most of her professional career in analytical and leadership positions at some of the best-known financial and tech companies in America, including Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, GE Capital, IBM, and Red Hat. But that didn't quench Colett's professional passion, so the Detroit entrepreneur and her business partner started a caregiving business, teaching themselves the craft of cultivation and product manufacturing. They learned it well enough that in 2019 they expanded that caregiving business into a licensed grower and product manufacturer – Calyxeum - that grows flower and creates edibles, concentrates, topicals, and other products, and employs 20 people.  In this episode, Colett will share:  -How she used her finance, tech and analytics background in cannabis   -How she bootstrapped her business after an unsuccessful capital raise attempt  -How to bounce back and raise capital successfully after not succeeding to raise capital the first time  - How to scale a caregiving operation into a thriving business  - How small businesses can use the power of branding to compete with big businesses  Who is Rebecca Colett? Rebecca Colett is the co-founder and CEO of Calyxeum, a cultivation and product manufacturing business headquartered in Detroit. Colett and her business partner LaToyia Rucker launched Calyxeum in 2019 after several years as registered Michigan caregivers. Colett has also served on the national board of National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws, and as Committee Chair for the National Cannabis Industry Association. Before cannabis, she launched a successful gym franchise, and held analytical and leadership posts at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, GE Capital, IBM, Red Hat and other well-known American companies.   

Jim Cacioppo cut his teeth in the financial world in the early 1990s with investment bank Wasserstein Perella. The bank was co-founded by Bruce Wasserstein, the hostile takeover pioneer portrayed in Barbarians at the Gate, the book about his 31 billion dollar takeover bid for RJR Nabisco. Cacioppo, after working at some of New York's most storied hedge funds, broke into the cannabis industry in 2018, and co-founded Jushi Holdings, a growing MSO. He brought a "buy big" strategy with him into cannabis, spending tens of millions of dollars on licenses and acquisitions in states like Illinois and Virginia. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Cacioppo will share: How his finance experience helped him in cannabis How to identify lucrative acquisition opportunities in an ever-changing economic environment How to pick markets for new launches How expand and scale Who is Jim Cacioppo? Jim Cacioppo is the CEO, Chairman and Founder of Jushi, one of the biggest MSOs in the nation. Before breaking into cannabis in 2018, Cacioppo spent more than 20 years with some of the most successful hedge funds in finance. Cacioppo is also Co-Founder and Managing Partner of One East Partners, and previously served as President and Co-Portfolio Manager of Sandell Asset Management and Head of Distressed Debt for Halcyon Management, a global investment firm with over US$9 billion in assets. Cacioppo earned his BA from Colgate University and his MBA from Harvard University.  

Fife Symington IV is the CEO and Managing Director of Copperstate Farms, a vertically integrated cannabis operation he launched in 2016. This year,  Copperstate Farms was named to the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Private Companies in the U.S. Copperstate started as a 40-acre greenhouse; today it's a 1.7 million square foot canopy colossus. In 2019, Copperstate launched dispensary brand, Sol Flower, which now has five locations, including one that features a café and wellness classroom open to the public. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Symington will share:  Expertise from commercial agriculture that can be applied in cannabis  Developing a long-term business vision  How to upgrade, update, and expand your greenhouse grow  Keys to low cost production  The importance of community involvement, especially when you are getting your business started  Who is Fife Symington? Fife Symington IV is the CEO and Managing Director of Copperstate Farms, a vertically integrated cannabis operation he co-founded in 2016. In the 1990s, Symington co-founded and developed several commercial scale greenhouse operations in Mexico, including International Greenhouse Produce in Culiacan, Sinaloa; Nueva Agronomia de Nayarit in Jala, Nayarit; and Apache Produce in Nogales, Arizona. Collectively, these greenhouses covered 850 acres and shipped more than 175 million pounds of vegetables to the U.S. each year. In 2016, he transitioned his vegetable growing expertise to medical cannabis with the purchase of a 40-acre glass greenhouse in Snowflake, Arizona that became Copperstate. Today, Copperstate's greenhouse operations cover 1.7 million square-feet of canopy, and it employs more than 700 people. 

Oregon entrepreneur Arron Morris and his partners launched Wyld, an infused cannabis edibles brand, in 2016. Morris admits their first cannabis-infused candies were terrible. But he and his team persisted, pairing a winning recipe with a bold business plan that's made them one of the top edibles brands in America. In this episode of Seed to CEO, hear Morris talk about:  Bootstrapping your business  Branding your business  Efficient distribution  Expansion in other states and other countries  Who is Aaron Morris? Aaron Morris the co-founder and CEO of Wyld, a multi-state edibles brand that is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Morris graduated in 2011 from the University of Oregon where he triple-majored in economics, history, and political science and had plans to be an academic. But entrepreneurship called, and in 2013 he founded Cascade Spirits – where he still also works. That experience led him to found Wyld, which is now one of the leading edibles brands in America. 

Barbara Fox planned on becoming a doctor, but then the cannabis industry came calling. In 2016, when Fox was 20 years old and still in college, majoring in biology and public health at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, her plan was to go to medical school. But her father and brother needed help coming up with packaging for their Nevada medical marijuana cultivation business, so Fox chipped in, and the Cannabiz Supply Co was born. Today, the company generates millions of dollars annually, and has a second office in Oklahoma. Fox will share how she got there, including:  Identifying the opportunity  Educating herself about packaging, accounting, and other skills necessary to succeed  Expanding into new markets  Creating new product lines    Who is Barbara Fox? Barbara Fox is the co-founder and operations director of CannaBiz Supply, a Nevada-based company that bills itself as a one-stop shop for cannabis packaging. Before launching CannaBiz Supply, Fox was in college majoring in biology and health policy and planned to attend medical school. But her father and brother asked her to help them come up with packaging solutions for their own Nevada cannabis cultivation business. Her packaging solutions solved some critical packaging issues for her father and brother, and soon after, other cannabis businesses started calling Fox for packaging solutions, and CannaBiz Supply was born.    

Being a small business in the cannabis industry is tough and getting tougher, especially with all the advantages that multi-state operators and other big businesses have over independent shops. But a small number of small cannabis businesses have succeeded, writing their own David and Goliath stories.   One such entrepreneur is Hope Wiseman, founder and CEO of Mary and Main, a medical cannabis dispensary in Prince Georges County, Maryland. One of the youngest entrepreneurs in the business, Wiseman bootstrapped Mary and Main – in operation for four years now.  Wiseman shares:  How she educated herself about the industry and mastered the application process How she funded her business plan, selected real estate, and found personnel to open her dispensary Why leaning into your base is the best way to survive tough economic environments Inventory management advice How to prepare for a possible recreational market  Who is Hope Wiseman? Hope Wiseman is the founder and CEO of Mary and Main, an independent medical marijuana dispensary in Prince Georges County, Maryland, that she opened in 2018 when she was 25. Wiseman is a graduate of Spelman College, where she founded the school's Habitat for Humanity chapter and from where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. Before cannabis, she worked as an equity institutional sales analyst at SunTrust Bank (now Truist), and was also a cheerleader for the Atlanta Falcons.   

Arkansas wasn't on many people's radars a few years ago when it came to cannabis legalization. But since legal sales started there in May 2019, Arkansas has proven to be a robust market, albeit with its challenges. One canna-entrepreneur making a go at it is Matt Shansky, who was climbing the corporate latter in the fitness space when his family queried him about breaking into the industry. Before long, he was converting a barn in Bentonville, which became The Releaf Center, the dispensary that Shansky runs today. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Shansky will talk about:  How he and his team educated themselves about this new industry  Why he and his team chose to pursue retail business instead of a cultivation or manufacturing business  Choosing the right location for your store  How to compete against MSOs.  Serving a rural community      Who is Matt Shansky? Matt Shansky is a cofounder and CEO of The Releaf Center, a medical cannabis dispensary in Bentonville, Arkansas, near the Missouri and Oklahoma borders. A personal trainer by profession, Shansky once lived in Memphis, Tennessee and was climbing the corporate latter at a nationally known fitness company where there was “room to grow.” When family members came to him with the idea of breaking into the cannabis industry, he initially had reservations, but was intrigued by the opportunity and motivated by the mission to provide medicine. He and his team scouted other markets, hired consultants, and submitted a successful application that helped them launch The Releaf Center.  

Vanessa Gabriel is only 30 but has already launched three highly successful software companies, with the two most recent being in the cannabis industry. Gabriel sold her first cannabis business, an order-ahead platform called Greenlight Technologies, about a year after launching it, for a high nine-digit figure. Well capitalized, she launched her current company Drop Delivery in 2018. But Gabriel, a proud Filipina who's also built a diverse company, also encountered plenty of rough patches and “No's” on her road to success. In this episode, Gabriel shares:  -How she identified the opportunity for both her cannabis software companies  -How she navigated the sale of her first company  -How she and her executive team keep operations lean at the ancillary company  -Why a “slow and steady” growth philosophy has served her well.  Who is Vanessa Gabriel? Vanessa Gabriel is the founder and CEO of Drop Delivery, a delivery technology software business serving cannabis delivery companies and retailers in seven states. Gabriel founded her first company aSociete, a fashion shopping platform for millennials, out of her college dorm-room, in 2011. In 2017, she founded her first cannabis company, Greenlight Technologies, an order-ahead and digital loyalty software platform. Gabriel sold that business for a high nine-digit figure, which gave her the capital to launch Drop Delivery. And she's still only 30.  

Keith Villa's jump from craft beer to cannabis infused beer  Keith Villa created Blue Moon in 1995 while working at Coors Brewing Company. Blue Moon became a massive success and changed the brewing landscape forever. After three decades of brewing, Villa and his wife, who has a background in civil engineering, leveraged their knowledge to create Ceria Brewing, a Colorado-based cannabis infused beer company, in 2017. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Villa shares:  How he and his wife came up with the idea for Ceria  How they conducted market research  Complying with trademarks  How they developed formulations   Why they partnered with a co-packer.  Who is Keith Villa? Keith Villa is the co-founder of and brew-master at CERIA Beverages Company, which makes cannabis infused non-alcoholic beers, as well as non-alcoholic. Before launching CERIA in 2017, Villa spent more than 20 years as the master brewer at Blue Moon Brewing Company, which he founded in 1995. Blue Moon became a pioneer in the craft beer world. Villa got his start with Coors after getting doctorate in brewing from Vrije Universiteit Brussel.  

Matt Walstatter and his wife Meghan were among the first cannabis retailers in Portland, Oregon and enjoyed early mover advantages for a few years. But Portland grew into one of the most saturated retail markets in the country, so the couple instead decided to focus on their nascent craft cultivation business. The problem? It also happens to be in one of the most saturated cultivation markets in the country. The Walstatters not only survived but thrived. This episode of Seed to CEO is a must-listen for anyone competing in uber-competitive markets, and covers topics that include: • Raising capital • Selling your business • Contingency planning • Building efficiency into your cultivation facility • Branding • Being politically connected

Chris Beals landed unexpectedly at Weedmaps in 2015 but since then has taken the famed ancillary business public and grown it into one of the most recognizable brands in cannabis. Beals spent his pre-cannabis life advising start-ups and deal-making in highly regulated industries such as healthcare and technology, but it took some tough on-the-job experience to prepare Beals for cannabis' realities. In this episode, Beals talks about:    The importance of due diligence How Weedmaps handles the problem of unlicensed operators Taking a boots-on-ground approach to learning about the industry Expanding Preparing for federal legalization Who is Chris Beals? Chris Beals is the CEO of WM Technology, the parent company of Weedmaps, one of the best known ancillary brands in the cannabis industry. An attorney by profession, Beals joined Weedmaps in 2015 as president and general counsel and took over as CEO in 2019. Before cannabis, Beals was a senior vice president with Colbeck Capital Management, where he focused on deal origination in the technology and health sectors; Deutsche Telecom, where was senior corporate counsel and data privacy officer who managed and advised deal teams involved in acquisitions and partnerships; and the law firm Covington & Burling, where he advised startup and technology companies on deal structuring.

Brett Heyman had led PR efforts at Gucci and Dolce and Gabbana before launching a line of clutches in 2010, named Edie Parker, after her daughter, that quickly took off thanks to vocal fans such as Lady Gaga, Solange Knowles, and Kate Hudson. Heyman followed-up with a successful line of home accessories but for her third act pivoted to cannabis, launching Flower by Edie Parker in 2019. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Heyman takes listeners on her fashion to flower journey, discussing: How she leveraged fashion experience to break into cannabis The importance of partnerships to the company's overall strategy. The challenges of operating in California How to assess new markets  Who is Brett Heyman? Brett Heyman is founder and CEO of Flower by Edie Parker, a three-year-old cannabis brand specializing in pre-rolls, prepacked flower, glass pipes and stash boxes. Before cannabis, Heyman led PR efforts at fashion houses such as Gucci and Dolce and Gabbana before launching her own very successful fashion label, Edie Parker. She's also got a pretty killer country home in Connecticut that's appears in magazine's like Architectural Digest and Habitually Chic.  

This former tech entrepreneur is shaking up the cannabis ingestible market, licensing fast-acting ingestible formulations to premium cannabis brands.  Learn how: Her interest in wellness led her to cannabis Azuca is using science to improve the cannabis experience Azuca's focus on quality runs through its brand How Rael thinks about scale 

Tim Schuler spent 15 years with Anheuser-Busch, “moving product from the manufacturer into consumer hands in another regulated market.” He sold 48M cases of beer a year.  When Michigan offered medical licenses in 2015, he applied. “I knew where the market was going.”  His company now focuses on concentrates and edibles, with a new drink mix.  Learn how he is tackling key obstacles, including: Increasing costs Winning over retailers and budtenders Direct to consumer marketing Who is Tim Schuler? Tim built a career in Anheuser-Busch marketing and sales and invested in Detriot in a role building parternships for Palace Sports and Entertainment. Now president and COO of Detroit Edible Company/Cannalicious Labs, he supplies the growing Michigan market with innovative edibles and infused beverages.

Keith Cooper spent 20 years launching or rescuing businesses, mostly in the tech sector, before becoming CEO of Revolutionary Industries, a vertically integrated cannabis business in Massachusetts, in 2017. Cooper stepped into cannabis figuring he'd build Revolutionary into a popular retail brand. But regulatory and other delays scuttled that plan and forced Cooper into a new strategy: wholesaling. That move helped place Revolutionary No. 4 on Inc. Magazine's 2021 list of fastest growing privately held companies in any industry. In this episode of "Seed to CEO", Cooper shares: How he built his wholesale model. How the company managed the evolution of its brand. Tips for successful product development and inventory management. The importance of building and creating a team that works well together.   Who is Keith Cooper? Keith Cooper is a start-up and turnaround specialist who's been leading new and in-need-of-help companies for 20 years, primarily in the tech sector. Cooper typically spent two or three years at each company before going off to the next one. In 2017, Cooper was recruited to become CEO of Revolutionary Industries, a vertically integrated cannabis business in Massachusetts. The five years that Cooper has spent at Revolutionary is longer than any other company he's led, except for his own consultancy. Cooper also served as president of the Harvard University Rugby Club.

Mechanical engineer Ace Shelander teamed-up with chemist Lilibel de la Puente to launch Beaker and Wrench, a company in Santa Monica, Calif. that makes specialty equipment for the cannabis industry. They began with a dosing pump for wiped film distillation and solving other problems that were “right in front” of them before moving into complete distillation systems. Their products were niche but had high value-adds and following that model has served the company well. Insights that Shelander shares include: -Growing a company slowly but methodically can allow your team to really dial-in a product and make it first in class in its category. -The downside of growing a company slowly and not taking on more problems is “leaving a lot on the table.” -It's better to resist taking outside capital in turbulent times and wait for economic stability. -Planning a supply chain timeline and for supply chain issues will help your company being caught without necessary inputs. -Success rests on three things: Quality control, quality control, and quality control. -Successful hires are hires who are self-motivated and take pride in their work.  Who is Ace Shelander? Ace Shelander is CEO of Beaker and Wrench, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based company that he cofounded in 2016 and that develops and manufactures specialty equipment for the cannabis industry. A mechanical engineer by profession, Shelander has worked at Aperia Technologies focusing on tire inflation systems, and Ace Machine Design working on biotech sector filling machines and where he later served as CEO. He also built a robot for the TV series BattleBots.

Andrew DeAngelo and his brother Steve were legacy cannabis market entrepreneurs and “reluctant activists” before founding one of America's most iconic cannabis businesses, Harborside Health Center Oakland in 2006. The DeAngelo's helped pave the way for today's legal cannabis industry, and in its heyday, Harborside was the “largest medical cannabis retailer in the world.” But when Harborside tried to expand into other states, Steve's cannabis felony proved too big a barrier. The DeAngelo's retreated to California, but needed investor capital to survive that difficult market, precipitating a less-than-desirable exit. Some takeaways from DeAngelo's story: When a locale or state doesn't want your business in them, don't fight to stay. Leave. Leaders need to create a family environment amongst the team while ensuring discipline and professionalism.   Being an activist company is good for business Expanding brings unexpected costs that could either sink your business or require to you to seek outside capital. When negotiating your exit, you need to know advocate for yourself and know how to horse trade. Who is Andrew DeAngelo? Andrew DeAngelo is a cannabis industry consultant in Oakland, California, and co-founder of one of America's most iconic cannabis businesses, Harborside Health Center Oakland. DeAngelo served as Harborside's general manager, director of operations, and chief revenue officer until departing the company in 2018. He cofounded the Last Prisoner Project in 2019 and currently chairs its board of directors. DeAngelo launched Andrew DeAngelo Consulting out of Oakland in 2020 to provide strategic advice to cannabis businesses. Before cannabis, DeAngelo was a professional actor who aspired to be Jack Nicholson, and does a convincing Joker laugh.

Brett Novey was recruited in 2016 by two pals from his accounting days to join them at a small start-up called PharmaCann, which had just won medical marijuana business licenses in Illinois and New York. The company was comprised of accountants, financial specialists and lawyers who were trying to learn to grow cannabis at scale.  “There was a big learning curve,” recalled Novey, who did everything from development and sales to cultivation and manufacturing before becoming CEO in 2019. Today, PharmaCann has more than 50 dispensaries and 10 cultivation and processing facilities in eight states, mainly in the Midwest and Northeast. In this episode, listen to the tactics Novey and his team used to create a canna-empire, including:   Focusing on limited license states with big populations. Participating in day-to-day operations to learn about the plant and building and running cannabis facilities. Finding the right acquisition to take your company to the next level. Building trust with patients and regulators. Understanding how to reduce production costs. Communicating with employees   Who is Brett Novey? Brett Novey is the CEO of Illinois-based PharmaCann, a multi-state operator currently present in eight states, primarily in the Midwest and North East. In early 2016, Novey started with PharmaCann  wearing two hats — chief financial officer and chief operating office — before becoming CEO in 2019. Novey joined PharmaCann from KCG Holdings (a NYSE-listed corporation), where he was the global head of financial planning and analysis, responsible for capital management, forecasting and budgeting, among other responsibilities. Before that, he worked in the restructuring practices of accounting firms KPMG and Arthur Andersen.

Hillary Peckham initially had zero interest when her mother called to see if she'd consider starting a medical marijuana company together. But the younger Peckham changed her mind after researching cannabis and learning the benefits it provides to people across the country. In 2015, Etain Health was born in New York state. As COO – a post she still holds today - Hillary helped steer Etain through the New York market's lean early days when there was a dearth of patients. But the company survived and in March was acquired by RIV Capital for $250 million. In this episode, you'll learn Etain's keys to success including: Establishing a strong narrative and team. Partnering with area institutions and offering philanthropic giveback to garner respect and loyalty in local communities. Tips for financing and launching a vertical operation in a short period of time. How to get unique products to customers before your competitors. What a medical business should do to prepare for a recreational market. Navigating a successful exit.   Who is Hillary Peckman? Hillary Peckham is the co-founder and chief operating officer of Etain Health, a vertically integrated cannabis company in New York state that was recently acquired for $250 million. Before getting into the cannabis industry eight years ago, Peckham worked at her family's construction business, helping with marketing operations. She is also a piano teacher who still accompanies bands and Broadway vocal coaches.  

Christine De La Rosa, the co-founder and CEO of The People's Ecosystem, a Bay Area cannabis company, started out in the legacy market where she built a community of cannabis customers and talent. De La Rosa also started and ran restaurants, galleries and other “mainstream businesses,” gathering executive experience. But that mainstream experience didn't prepare De La Rosa for the unique challenges of being in cannabis, such as 280E and raising capital for a federally illegal venture. De La Rosa and The People's Ecosystem overcame those challenges and now she's gifting her insights to fellow cannabis entrepreneurs. In this episode of Seed to CEO, De La Rosa shares: How she leveraged her legacy experience – including building a team of legacy talent – in the licensed market. How small businesses can partner with each other to reduce costs. The importance of finding and learning from trusted mentors. Networking to score off-market real estate deals and other deals. Capital-raising strategies for small businesses.   Who is Christine De La Rosa? Christina De La Rosa started The People's Ecosystem, a California-based cannabis company in 2016, but her cannabis business experience extends another 20 years before that in the legacy market. De La Rosa has also started a restaurant and a gallery and worked as a technology and database consultant both independently and for major corporations such as Verizon. De La Rosa is also a member of the National Cannabis Business Industry Association, where she chairs the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. She also graces the cover of MJBiz Magazine's May-June 2022 issue.  

Ruben Lindo spent more than 20 years in the legacy cannabis market before a bounced check landed him in federal prison for 14 months. After getting out, Lindo briefly worked at a small construction start-up in upstate New York but in 2015 entered the cannabis industry as an advisor to an aspiring cannabis investor. Together, they founded CBD-focused Phoenix Nutraceuticals in 2018, and Lindo founded his THC-focused cultivation company, Black Mar Farms in 2019.   To make his cannabis companies successful, Lindo mined his own diverse business experience that includes launching his own businesses, working in the technology sector, construction management, and M&A sectors, as well as 10 years playing professional football. Lindo shares his insights on this episode of Seed to CEO, including:  -New businesses that go for “low-hanging” fruit cost less to launch and have a better chance of succeeding.  -When your business faces price pressure, focus on your best products  -Customer service is what gains traction with customers.  -How to partner with a caregiver to create a successful recreational business.  -How to identify and target a consumer segment and create brands that resonate with those consumers. Who is Ruben Lindo? Ruben Lindo is a serial entrepreneur, financier, and former professional football player who broke into the cannabis industry in 2015 as a consultant and then launched a national CBD company, Phoenix Nutraceuticals, in 2018. The following year, Lindo launched Blak Mar Farms, which today is present in three states and going for more. Lindo spent 10 years playing professional football and is a member of Athletes for Care, a cannabis advocacy group. He has also launched coffee and cigar companies, restaurants, tech companies, worked in construction management, and at nonprofits.

MJBizCon conference organizer Stacy Putt gives the inside scoop on how to score a coveted speaking role at MJBizCon. Plus, a rebroadcast of our conversation with  actor-turned-cannabis business owner Jim Belushi. Belushi shares his story on how he pivoted from stage and screen to farm and field. He'll share insights about launching a cannabis operation, converting an outdoor grow into a greenhouse grow, and switching from conventional lights to LED lights, as well as farming mistakes, firing growers, selecting strains and branding.   Who is Jim Belushi? Jim Belushi is best known as an actor and comedian but nowadays spends at least half his time at Belushi's Farm, his cannabis cultivation site in southern Oregon. He bought 93 acres land because he thought the area was beautiful, and when Oregon legalized recreational cannabis, he jumped into it. Today, Belushi's farm sells flower, pre-rolls, cartridges, and soon edibles, and has also expanded into or looking to expand into other states, including California, Massachusetts, and Maryland.   

Papa & Barkley CEO Guy Rocourt is out to right the “outright wrongs” in cannabis, he tells host Chris Walsh in this episode of Seed to CEO.   The legacy market grower and processor has leveraged this ethos to build one of the cannabis industry's most respected and successful companies. But it also took acquiring and implementing new business skills, something that Rocourt learned the hard way. Rocourt, a U.S. Navy veteran who did submarine duty, takes listeners on a deep dive to explore:  How to leverage experimentation and observation for more effective cannabis therapy  Why whole-plant and solventless medicine are superior when it comes to cannabis formulations  Why you should be wary when investors throw money at you  Why great products need branding and marketing to reach the public  The importance of having first-mover advantage  Taking a long-term view to your company's success in the cannabis industry  Who is Guy Rocourt? Guy Rocourt is the co-founder and CEO of Papa & Barkley, a Los Angeles-based cannabis company specializing in topicals, edibles, ingesitbles, and transdermal products. The seven-year-old company sells CBD products nationwide and THC products in California. A former legacy operator, Rocourt in 2009 started Black Diamond Vapes, a vape cartridge company he is still president of today, and in 2012 he co-founded and built NEOS, on of Denver's first light hydrocarbon extraction facilities. The extraction pioneer is also a U.S. Navy veteran and erstwhile filmmaker whose passion and insight makes him one of the cannabis industry's most sought-after speakers. 

Scott Kenyon brought decades of tech company and board experience when he joined the board of Würk, a Denver-based payroll and human resources software company serving the cannabis industry. But when Kenyon was suddenly thrust into the CEO role a year-and-a-half ago, he had to switch gears from being an interested advisor to the company pilot. Being a tech industry veteran, Kenyon was somewhat in familiar territory, but this was cannabis, unlike any other industry he'd been in. What did Scott do? Recognized that Würk could longer act like a growing company that could outgrow its problems and had to become a company that confronted its problems. Changed processes so the company could go from fighting fires to preventing fires before they happen in the first place. Improved documentation and record keeping. Don't hesitate to let go of employees who don't fit. Who is Scott Kenyon? Since February 2021, Scott Kenyon has been the CEO of Würk, a Denver-based payroll and human resources company focused on the cannabis industry. Kenyon broke into the cannabis industry by joining Würk's board in 2018 and serving as its executive chairman. Before cannabis, Kenyon was a tech industry veteran who spent nearly 14 years in senior managerial positions at Dell, and as COO of Phunware Inc., a mobile device screen company. Kenyon also launched and ran his own sports apparel and footwear business.

When Ankur Rungta wanted to break into the cannabis industry, he didn't study cultivation or extraction. Instead, Rungta joined a top tier corporate law firm and later a Wall Street investment boutique where he sharpened his legal, finance and M&A chops. That gave him the expertise to launch Michigan-based C3 Industries, a vertically integrated cannabis company now in four states and going for more. But how did Rungta survive the challenges that finance and law couldn't prepare him for in the cannabis industry?: Surrounded himself with top talent, including the former chief cultivator of Green Thumb Industries. Made quick decisions rather than dawdling when new opportunities arose. Focused on premium brands and found they did well even in saturated markets. Respected local cannabis cultures.

Joe Bayern wants to make Curaleaf the “first truly national cannabis company in the U.S.” and with operations in 23 states, Curaleaf is getting there.   What did it take?   Bayern leveraged decades of experience in the beverage sector and other industries. Once at Curaleaf, he executed, taking it from 2,000 employees when he joined in 2019 to 5,500 today.   Key insights he's learned along the way include:   Don't underestimate the amount of change and the pace of the industry; be ready to make decisions very quickly.  Maintain a start-up mindset.  The greatest opportunities in cannabis are with brands.  Create competitive advantage by investing in research and development to create great brands and products.  Build a broad distribution platform to get those products to consumers.  Allocate your resources scrupulously.  Guest  Joe Bayern has been the CEO of Curaleaf, one of the biggest multistate operators in the cannabis industry, since 2019. Bayern is a beverage industry player specializing in business transformations. He spent six years in three C-suite posts at Snapple Beverage Group, four-plus years at Cadbury Schweppes in two C-suite posts, and eight years at Voss of Norway, where he was chief operating officer and group CEO. Bayern left Voss in 2019 to break into cannabis with Indus Holdings, from where he joined Curaleaf. He also played for lacrosse for his alma mater, Adelphi University, where he met his wife.  

Katie Stem's journey to a career in cannabis started with traditional Western medicine studies in college. That path took a left turn, however, when she was introduced to natural remedies while researching at Oregon Heath & Science University. She switched gears and completed a master's degree in Chinese medicine instead. She decided to ply her entrepreneurial skills and medicinal expertise to launch Peak Extracts. Katie's expertise, however, didn't shield her from sexism and homophobia in the cannabis industry, nor the challenges of Oregon's saturated market. Katie positioned Peak to thrive by: Intelligently introducing automation into her extraction facility. Recognizing and creatively maneuvering around barriers that others tried to place in front of her. Operating leanly in a saturated marketplace. Taking a hands-on approach to bringing innovative products to market. Who is Katie Stem? Katie Stem is the co-founder and CEO of Peak Extracts, a Portland, Oregon-based company that manufactures vape cartridges, edibles, tinctures and topicals. The Washington state native was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in the early 2000s, which led her to use cannabis as a personal treatment and become her own test subject for developing strain-specific products.

When wildfires struck Northern California a few years ago, much of Erin Gore's life literally went up in smoke. The CEO of the Garden Society, a vertically integrated craft cannabis company in Sonoma County, came dangerously close to taking a finance deal that could have led to professional and financial disaster. But an astute and supportive business coach suggested another path for Erin, and today the Garden Society is on the cusp of going multistate. In this episode of “Seed to CEO,” Erin shares: How her experience in winemaking helped her navigate the cannabis industry – and how it didn't. Why turning away money with the wrong terms can be a boon for your business. Why saying “no” is a critical skill for executives – and how to hold yourself accountable for it. Why you can't be afraid to fire someone who isn't doing your company right. Who is Erin Gore? Erin Gore began using cannabis to deal with pain earned from a college basketball career at the University of Wisconsin. Before long, however, she was baking edibles and hosting marijuana parties for her girlfriends. Her professional career includes 10 years at Henkel, an international adhesives company, where she became the first woman to lead a business unit at the company, all while moonlighting as the co-founder of her husband's successful wine business. Erin left Henkel to launch the Garden Society in 2016. Since then, she's also become a passionate advocate and ambassador for women. In 2021, she was a winner of the North Bay Business Journal's Women in Business awards.

In 2014, Sundie Seefried was six months from retiring as CEO of Partner Colorado Credit Union when she learned about the banking barriers for the cannabis industry. She postponed retirement to create a program that would provide safer, better banking options for operators. The result was Safe Harbor Financial, which has since processed more than $12 billion in cannabis-related funds and plans to go public on the Nasdaq soon. In this episode, Sundie shares: How she got dragged into the taboo conversation of marijuana banking. Why transparency is a key to making lives easier for regulators and marijuana business owners alike. How she overcame the compliance challenge by embracing it. How the marijuana industry can educate regulators and improve industry interactions with authorities at the same time. Who is Sundie Seefried? Cannabis banking pioneer Sundie Seefried is the president and CEO of Safe Harbor Financial, a cannabis banking program she developed in 2014. Sundie entered the credit union industry in Germany in the 1980s and joined Denver-based Partner Colorado Credit Union in 1995. In 2001, she took on the mantle of CEO and held that role until 2021, when she decided to turn her attention to Safe Harbor full time. She is also the author of the book “Navigating Safe Harbor: Cannabis Banking in a Time of Uncertainty,” published in 2016.

When Washington DC and Louisiana launched their respective medical cannabis markets, many entrepreneurs questioned whether the restrictive frameworks could be viable for businesses. But Chanda Macias saw opportunities to help shape those markets into communities focused on helping patients. Now, Chanda operates a dispensary in Washington DC and one of two licensed cultivation and manufacturing operations in Louisiana. Her deep roots and efforts at community-building led to one of the oldest Mardi Gras parade krewes anointing her Queen Zulu in 2020. Chanda shares: How having a keen patient focus helped her become a market leader in Washington DC. Why relationships are critical for maintaining reliable supply in restrictive markets. How a business owner can actively effect regulatory changes in developing markets. How her science background shaped her approach to cannabis as medicine. Who is Chanda Macias? At her core, Chanda is a wife, mother, biomedical researcher, entrepreneur and mentor to many in the marijuana and hemp industries. For more than 15 years, Chanda has focused on advancing the careers of women and minorities while improving the quality of life for patients suffering from various ailments. She now serves as CEO of National Holistic Healing Center, an MMJ dispensary in Washington DC; Ilera Holistic Healthcare, a cultivation and manufacturing facility in Louisiana; and Women Grow, an advocacy group focused on empowering women in cannabis.

On a trip to India in the late 2000s, Raj Grover walked by a paraphernalia store selling glass pipes for pennies, accessories that would retail in Canada for $20. While he wasn't a cannabis user at the time, Raj saw an opportunity. He parlayed that New Delhi encounter into a 500-square-foot head shop in Calgary with two employees. That lone outlet has grown into High Tide, a Canadian retail powerhouse with more than 100 cannabis stores. In this episode of “Seed to CEO,” Raj shares: How he grew from an accessories shop to a vertically integrated chain. How to find and seize opportunities before others do. Why the best plan isn't always the winner – and how “fast hands” helped build High Tide. The role franchising played in funding High Tide's expansion. How he adapted to an ever-changing competitive landscape. Who is Raj Grover? Raj Grover cut his business teeth at the knee of his father, who still operates an import-export business in India. As a teen, Raj had more interest in learning the ins and outs of that business than in playing Nintendo, leading him to becoming a serial entrepreneur at 22. Today, he oversees Canadian cannabis retail chain High Tide, which trades on both the TSX Venture exchange and Nasdaq. Raj also leads High Tide's partnership with World Vision, sponsoring more than 200 children in 2021, and is also a longtime supporter of Operation Smile, an organization that works to deliver free, safe cleft surgery to children in need.

When Tripp Keber co-founded Denver-based Dixie Elixirs, he didn't fully understand the ride he was stepping onto. Dixie quickly became one of the best-known brands in the market, and Tripp became a face of the industry, appearing on several mainstream documentaries about the newly legal product. After years in the limelight, Tripp realized that he preferred starting new businesses than managing established ones and made a graceful exit to remake himself – as a cannabis advisor via his new venture, Right Side Advisory Services. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Tripp shares: Why it's important to control the narrative rather than letting it control you. The importance of humility and collaboration to success in the cannabis industry. How to leverage your talents, experience and relationships for new ventures. Why its critical to set aside your ego and personal desires to ensure your clients succeed. Who is Tripp Keber? Tripp co-founded Dixie Elixirs in 2010 and became CEO in 2014, a position he held until 2017. Tripp's professional life started in the communications industry where he held sales executive roles with companies such as eLink Communications and Winstar Communications, before pivoting into realty and a five-year stint as COO of Bella Terra Realty Holdings. After Dixie, Tripp launched Right Side Advisory Services, a consulting business that advises cannabis executives on exits. He also returned to the hospitality industry via his newest venture, Etc. Eatery in Denver.

Meg Sanders has been paving the way for cannabis industry pioneers for more than a dozen years. As an early advocate for Colorado's medical market and CEO of Mindful, one of the state's first cannabusiness, Meg possesses a rare institutional knowledge of what one of the nation's first marijuana markets looked like and what it took to survive. She then brought her Western U.S. sensibilities to Massachusetts' red-tape heavy rec market, establishing Canna Provisions. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Meg explores the differences in doing business in these vastly different times and places, sharing insights that include: How raising capital has changed over the past decade and what it requires today. Why developing relationships with regulators and being involved in the rule-making process is critical. How consumer preferences can vary in different markets and how to adapt your business to prepare for additional trend shifts. Who is Meg Sanders? Meg Sanders is the CEO of Canna Provisions, a vertically integrated cannabis business in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, which she launched in 2018 with her partner, Erik Williams. But her cannabis career started back in 2010 when she launched Colorado-based Mindful. She is also co-founder and partner at the cannabis consulting firm Will & Way. Before cannabis, Meg held high-level positions in the retail, finance and nonprofit worlds.

Ricardo Baca made his cannabis industry name as the first marijuana editor at The Denver Post. The skills and connections he garnered in that career gave him the confidence to launch his own public relations venture, Grasslands, in 2016, but journalism didn't provide him the business acumen required for success. In this episode of “Seed to CEO,” Ricardo talks with MJBiz CEO Chris Walsh about learning the ropes to create a successful firm. Ricardo shares: The critical role mentors played in the learning process. What it really means to differentiate your offerings. How to survive having your bank accounts closed – and how to find a new bank. How to make smart and transformational hires. Who is Ricardo Baca? Ricardo Baca is the co-founder and CEO of Denver-based Grasslands: A Journalism-Minded Agency, which represents cannabusinesses such as Cookies and Wana Brands. He spent more than 20 years as a journalist, including 12 years with The Denver Post, before launching Grasslands. Ricardo was chosen one of Fortune magazine's “7 Most Powerful People in America's Marijuana Industry” and has been a Clio Awards juror and TEDx speaker. Grasslands was awarded the Denver Business Journal's 2020 Small Business Award and today has 26 employees.

Jessica Billingsley's first foray into the cannabis industry was a direct investment in one of the first licensed marijuana companies in Colorado. But when she was tasked with identifying software to support the endeavor, she failed to find anything. So Jessica turned that vacuum into an opportunity and developed a seed-to-sale software, known as MJ Freeway, for the new industry. In this episode, Jessica talks about her journey from interested investor to CEO of a publicly traded cannabis firm, Akerna. Jessica shares: Why she left her own IT services company to work with cannabis. The differences between heading a private firm and a publicly traded one. How the cannabis industry has evolved over the past decade. Where the next opportunities for the market might be. Who is Jessica Billingsley? Jessica Billingsley is an accomplished innovator, executive and board member in public and private international technology with more than 20 years of experience. She co-founded MJ Freeway in 2010, where she served as president until April 2018 and CEO until the company was acquired by MTech Acquisition Corp. to form Akerna. Shortly after that acquisition, Jessica led Akerna to become the first cannabis technology company listed on Nasdaq.

An eviction notice on 4/20. That's how Jesce Horton's first foray into state-licensed cannabis cultivation ended in 2017. Part of it had to do with a one-in-a-million regulatory quirk that forced him to shut down a successful grow, and part of it was not being “passionate” about a not-so-successful retail arm. But Jesce remained confident in his process and product while never losing his love for the craft, so he tried again. The result is Lowd, Horton's “dream company” that “embodies the art of urban craft cultivation.” In this episode of Seed to CEO, Jesce shares: How his education and experience in industrial engineering helped elevate his operations. The importance of authenticity in creating loyalty and differentiating your brand in saturated markets. Lessons he learned from his first foray into the regulated cannabis market. How to raise capital for a second company after your first one fails. Who is Jesce Horton? Jesce Horton, CEO at Portland, Oregon-based Lowd, is a professional engineer specializing in automation and energy management. He started his cannabis cultivation journey growing medical marijuana in his basement for two elderly cancer patients. Jesce is the co-founder of the Minority Cannabis Business Association and a former chair and current member of the board of directors at the Resource Innovation Institute. He also sits on the Oregon Cannabis Association's board and is an advisory board member for MJBizDaily. Jesce and his wife, Jeannette Ward Horton, founded the nonprofit organization Nu Project, which supports Black and brown cannabis entrepreneurs.

When Ricky Williams retired from the NFL in 2004, the headlines were overwhelmingly negative: “Famous football player gives up everything for pot.” But instead of becoming a story of downfall, the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner went on to study herbology and create his opportunity in the cannabis industry – after returning to terrorize NFL defenses for six more seasons. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Ricky and CEO Eric Hammond share insights on how they're building a community with their Highsman brand. Ricky and Eric talk about: How they tap the intersection of sports and cannabis. How sentiment in professional sports is changing. Why building a strong team with varied skill sets is critical. How to pitch your story without pitching. Who are Ricky Williams and Eric Hammond? In the sports world, Ricky Williams is perhaps best known as a bruising running back who tore through NFL defenses for a dozen years. But in the cannabis industry, he's known as the longtime advocate who put his professional sports career on the line for the plant. Ricky has founded an herbal medicine company and a software business, and today he's busy running his newest cannabis venture, Highsman, which he founded with Eric Hammond, a brand specialist. Eric cut his teeth on cannabis while at Greenlane Holdings, a cannabis distribution and supply company. Before cannabis, Eric specialized in business development in the audio industry as well as having founded his own scrap-metal recycling company.

Amber Littlejohn cut her teeth helping craft policy for an industry built around “a regulated herbal product that the government doesn't like” with the American Herbal Products Association. But when she began consulting for the Minority Cannabis Business Association in 2019, she found herself in love with a new challenge. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Amber talks about how she's helped evolve the organization around its core mission of helping entrepreneurs access and thrive in cannabis markets across the U.S. She shares: How systemic problems for everyone impede equity. Why partnerships – even some that might seem strange to outsiders – are critical to achieving success in cannabis policy. How the association is working to change the trajectory of the industry. Where she sees successes and failures in U.S. cannabis business. Who is Amber Littlejohn? As an attorney and advocate for emerging and embattled industries, Amber has developed and implemented creative strategies for industry, associations, nonprofits and other stakeholder groups. As senior policy adviser at the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), she helped develop and implement the group's federal policy program. Through her advocacy work, she has developed creative strategies to expand and stabilize emerging markets by engaging and supporting underrepresented business interests and communities. Amber became “employee No. 1” at the MCBA when she took on the mantle of executive director in 2020.

Simon Nankervis led some of the biggest names in retail - American Eagle, DSW, Aldo Canada - before joining The Source in Nevada. But it took a dressing down from a subordinate before he really started to understand cannabis consumers. “In this business, you impact people's lives every single day,” he told Seed to CEO. In this episode, Simon shares what led to that epiphany, as well as: Why it's important to immerse yourself in the cannabis business culture before making big changes. How cannabis and its consumers are different from other products and consumers. How to thrive in increasingly competitive relationships by building customers relationships. Tips to manage supply-chain squeezes, such as employing better analytics. Who is Simon Nankervis? Simon Nankervis became CEO of The Source, a vertically integrated cannabis business based in Nevada, in April 2020, a few months after becoming a consultant for the company during its restructuring. The Australia native started his career as a lawyer, then jumped into fashion retail, including C-suite appointments with American Eagle Outfitters, DSW and the Camuto Group. The wealthy Schottenstein family, which owns some of those businesses, is also an investor in The Source and asked Simon for advice on rebuilding the brand. He fell in love with the work, and the rest is history.

For Hope Jones' first cannabis job, she served as chief science officer for a grower in Arizona. But as a newbie to the industry, she lacked the confidence to speak out against veterans making easy-to-avoid mistakes, despite her expertise. As frustration built, she saw an opportunity to bring clean-tissue culture to an industry struggling to get solid genetics. Today, the plant biologist operates two companies – a consulting firm focused on plant health and an R&D company that develops tissue-culture genetics. In this episode, Hope shares: How she realized the need for better genetics in cannabis. How her experience as a staff scientist at NASA helped her build her self-confidence. Why good business partners need more than common goals to succeed. Why tissue culture is a solid starting point for quality biomass to support the entire cannabis supply chain. Who is Hope Jones? Hope Jones is a veteran plant scientist who immersed herself in the plant world long before jumping into cannabis. Her experience includes staff scientist at NASA, where she helped grow plants in outer space; a tenure at the University of Arizona's world-renowned Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, where she used her extensive micropropagation skills and knowledge to rescue endangered plant species; and a stint as a bartender, which she credits for her ability to connect with people. She launched her first cannabis company, Phoenix-based Emergent Cannabis Sciences, in 2016, and her second, Superior Phenos, in 2020.

The cannabis industry wasn't front of mind when Cassandra Farrington set out to launch a resource for entrepreneurs. But as she and her business partner were looking for the right segment to provide their skill sets to back in 2010, the cannabis industry found them. Eventually the two set aside their other business endeavors to focus on building MJBiz into the brand you see today. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Cassandra shares: What she saw as the opportunity in the cannabis industry in those early days. How and why they bootstrapped the company rather than seeking outside funding. Why in-person events were critical for the developing industry. Why now was the right time to sell MJBiz.

When John Lord, a former head of a child-safety-seat manufacturer, started in the cannabis industry, he was viewed with suspicion by legacy operators because he was an outsider. But the CEO of Denver-based LivWell Enlightened Health quickly became a believer in the product. Cannabis was unlike any other product John had sold, but he realized that to successfully sell it, he still needed standard business practices. In this season finale of Seed to CEO, Lord dishes on the early days of building a cannabis company as well as: How technology and standard operating procedures can vastly improve your operations. Why looking beyond today's ecosystem is critical for long-term growth. How changing regulations set the stage for LivWell's acquisition strategy. Why now was the right time for LivWell to be the acquired rather than the acquirer. Who is John Lord? John Lord is the CEO of LivWell, a vertically integrated cannabis company operating in Colorado and Michigan. LivWell was acquired by Chicago-based multistate operator PharmaCann in October. New Zealand “born and raised,” John started in dairy farming before building one of the most successful child products companies in the world, selling in major retailers such as Walmart, Toys R Us and Montgomery Ward. John sold that company and retired at 49, but boredom quickly set in and the cannabis industry was just getting started. So he unretired to launch the company that would become LivWell.

Jeannette Ward Horton loved her time in corporate America, working for such mainstream giants as Coca-Cola, but the experience ultimately left her wanting to do something more meaningful. Enter: cannabis. From her early days in the industry, Jeannette noticed a gap in participation between white owners and others, so she decided to change it. She founded NuProject with her husband, Jesce Horton, to give minority entrepreneurs a way to get their piece of the cannabis industry pie. In this episode, Jeannette shares: How she identified what BIPOC communities needed to benefit from the burgeoning industry. What it took to launch a program such as NuProject. How she hopes her program and work will change the face of cannabis. Where the industry can do better. Who is Jeannette Ward Horton? Before entering the cannabis industry, Jeannette had a 15-year career in marketing and communications at companies such as Coca-Cola, The Home Depot and UPS. She switched to the cannabis industry in 2015 to lead marketing and public relations for Denver-based technology company Akerna. Her drive to do more to make her new industry a better place for “Black and brown” entrepreneurs took her to the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), where she helped develop policy plans. She founded NuProject to help put those theories and policies into play and provide underrepresented communities with a way to benefit from the cannabis industry.

Sara Gullickson didn't have much business experience of any sort when she got the chance to buy DispensaryPermits.com. She jumped at the opportunity, working and learning furiously to build it into a successful cannabis consultancy. But when an industry big shot told her no one would want to buy what she had built, she doubted herself - but only briefly. She ultimately sold that firm for an enviable sum. Today, she's back in the cannabis industry with a new boutique consulting firm, The Cannabis Business Advisors, and as a license holder herself. In this episode of Seed to CEO, Sara shares insights into:  Aligning your company's strengths with your market's needs. Why having the right team around you is critical. How “telling stories” can make your application stand out in competitive markets. How to prepare your company for sale. Who is Sara Gullickson? Sara Gullickson is a marketer-turned-cannabis success story. At 27, she broke into cannabis even though she knew little about business. She led DispensaryPermits.com for nine years before selling it to a publicly traded company in 2019. Sara then took some time off to have children but realized she had a passion for the cannabis industry and the opportunities it provided. Then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she launched her second firm, The Cannabis Business Advisors.

When Jill Ellsworth, founder and CEO of Willow Industries in Denver, looked to bring her food and beverage safety knowledge to this new industry, she noticed a huge gap in the process of getting safe, clean cannabis to consumers: a “kill step” to eradicate pathogens. Legalization might be spreading rapidly, but testing is still trying to catch up – and the lack of regulations at the time Jill launched Willow required the creation of such a step. In this episode, Jill talks about how initial process failure eventually led to a product and process with global aspirations. She shares: The steps she took to figure out the best mechanism to meet a broad industry need. How she blended bootstrapping, outside investors and debt to finance her startup. Why consumer safety should be front of mind for any cannabis entrepreneur – and how it helped her land investors. How she figured out the best operating model for her company. Who is Jill Ellsworth? Before getting into cannabis, Jill founded and ran Vibrant Earth Juices, a producer of cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices. That experience in nutrition was critical to Willow's formulation. She also founded and led Vibrant Earth Distribution, whose alcoholic kombucha was sold in Whole Foods Market and Kroger before she decided that driving a truck just wasn't for her and sold the business to Sunrise Beverage.