Latest CannaInsider episodes

Despite a global pandemic, cannabis is one of the few industries that has grown throughout 2020 and 2021 — and that’s nothing compared to the gangbuster growth expected through 2025. Here to tell us more is Chris Walsh, President and CEO of Marijuana Business Daily. Learn more at https://mjbizdaily.com  Key Takeaways: [1:05] An inside look at Marijuana Business Daily, the most trusted business news outlet for professionals in the cannabis industry [1:41] Chris’ background in business journalism and how he came to be CEO of Marijuana Business Daily [4:04] How cannabis regulations have changed over the last five years and what that could mean for the industry going forward [7:36] Surprising reasons cannabis managed to survive and adapt during Covid-19 [10:51] Why cannabis retail sales could double to put the industry at a 38 to 45 billion valuation by 2025 [13:23] Aspects of the market Chris believes investors and business owners might be underestimating [17:14] Surprising new trends that are quietly taking hold in cannabis right now  [23:43] How more legalization for recreational cannabis could diminish the medical cannabis market [30:24] The last states standing between the US and full cannabis acceptance [34:59] How job growth in cannabis doubled from 2019 to 2021 despite Covid-19’s economic recession and spiking unemployment rates

How do you stand out as a CBD company in a crowded and noisy market? Here to help us answer that question is Josh Haupt of Plant Love Naturals. Learn more at https://plantlovenaturals.com  Key Takeaways: [1:17] An inside look at Plant Love, a USDA certified organic full spectrum hemp extract company based in Denver, Colorado [1:31] Josh’s decorated background in cannabis, including his popular cannabis growing guide “Three A Light” [4:36] The unique growing process behind Josh’s top-shelf cannabis flower that sets it apart from others on the market [7:18] Why the price of CBD has dropped significantly over the last five years [8:30] Common mistakes CBD companies make when trying to gain traction in today’s noisy industry [9:35] Why Plant Love only sources its hemp from USDA certified organic farms [11:04] How Plant Love’s subcritical extraction method preserves cannabinoids and terpenes better than the popular supercritical methods [12:23] The increasing interest in minor cannabinoids including THCV, CBG, and CBN [13:36] How Josh uses CBD to successfully treat his epilepsy

We hear a lot about what’s going on in the west coast cannabis market, but what about the midwest? Here to fill us in is Tim Schuler of Cannalicious and Detroit Edible Company. Learn more at: www.cannaliciouslabs.com  www.detroitediblecompany.com  Key Takeaways: [1:09] An inside look at Cannalicious and Detroit Edible Company, two of Michigan’s most successful cannabis businesses [2:00] Tim’s background working for Anheuser Busch and how he got into the cannabis space [3:42] How the cannabis market in Michigan has evolved over the last ten years [8:35] How Tim and his team decide the best cannabis extracts to produce at Cannalicious [11:23] The types of products sold at Detroit Edible Company, from gummies to brownies [17:44] Detroit Edible’s latest partnership with Eaze and why the California-based delivery app is expanding into Michigan [21:31] How Tim manages his inventory using LeafLink, cannabis’ largest wholesale management platform [25:51] Where Tim sees the cannabis market in Michigan heading over the next 3-5 years

The products being purchased in cannabis retail stores are changing, and this leaves cannabis companies with two options: adapt and look ahead...or get left behind. Here to help us stay on the right side of that equation is Cy Scott of Headset. Learn more at https://www.headset.io  Key Takeaways: [00:55] An inside look at Headset, the leading cannabis data analytics company [1:34] Cy’s background as a co-founder of Leafly and how that led him to start Headset [3:43] The fast-evolving cannabis beverage market [11:16] Cross-category attachment rates for cannabis drinks and the product categories that sell most frequently with beverages [14:59] Why the California vapor pen market is becoming more and more popular among younger generations [20:24] How new celebrity-led cannabis brands could influence the industry [25:44] Cy’s advice to new brands trying to get shelf space in an increasingly competitive market [30:26] How Headset helps businesses leverage real-time cannabis market data to grow and stay ahead of the curve

With extracted cannabis-derived products making up about 50 percent of all cannabis products sold, extraction equipment is in high demand. Here to tell us more is Nick Tennant of Precision Extraction. Learn more at https://precisionextraction.com  Key Takeaways: [00:52] An inside look at Precision Extraction, the industry leader in cannabis extraction equipment, C1D1 lab planning, and extraction training [1:40] Nick’s background in cannabis and what led him to start Precision Extraction [4:28] Biomass and why it’s a critical component of cannabis extraction [9:04] How Precision Extraction’s diverse line of equipment is designed to accommodate different production needs [13:14] Shifting consumer trends in cannabis-derived products and how Precision Extraction’s clients are able to adapt more quickly  [22:34] Why Precision Extraction freezes biomass before the extraction process [25:09] The most common mistakes Nick sees new business owners make when trying to develop cannabis-derived products  [27:32] How Precision Extraction’s premade C1D1 lab containers known as “Extraction Pods” are saving businesses time and money [29:35] How Nick sees the cannabis extraction market evolving over the next 3-5 years

The Congo Club is one of the only places that carry the Red Congolese, an heirloom strain of cannabis that provides an electrifying, thought-provoking, and optimistic high. Here to tell us more about it is Amber Senter, founder of The Congo Club and Breeze Distro. Learn more at https://www.breezedistro.com  Key Takeaways: [1:11] An inside look at The Congo Club and Breeze Distro, a distributor of high-quality cannabis products in California [2:31] Amber’s background and how she got into the cannabis space [5:18] Unique characteristics of the Red Congolese strain and why it’s gained so much popularity [11:04] Why California’s regulated market is struggling to compete with the unregulated market and what it will take to change that [15:04] Amber’s latest venture EquityWorks! Incubator, one of Oakland’s first publicly-funded social equity manufacturing facilities [19:23] The many different cannabis licenses required in California and the challenges they pose to everyone from cultivators to distributors [25:40] How Amber sees the California cannabis landscape evolving over the next 3-5 years

If you have a business serving cannabis growers, it can be hard to get funding. Here to walk us through her nontraditional path to funding is Liz Wald of Good Earth Organics. Learn more at goodearthorganics.com Seedinvest: https://www.seedinvest.com/goodearthorganics/series.a Email: liz@goodearthorganics.com Key Takeaways: [00:46] An inside look at Good Earth Organics, one of the nation’s leading organic soil brands [1:05] Liz’s background and how she got into the cannabis space [2:33] What today’s cannabis cultivators are looking for when purchasing soil [7:59] Difficulties in shipping soil across the country and how Good Earth Organics is working to minimize these challenges [12:15] Good Earth Organics’ history serving cannabis growers and why the company is the go-to choice for so many cultivators [15:22] Lessons Liz learned during her time working for IndieGoGo and her advice to those interested in crowd-funding [24:21] How Good Earth Organics is raising capital through crowd-funding for both product development and national expansion [25:49] How inflation is affecting cannabis and why Liz believes “the upside opportunity is 10x the expected increase in cost”  

How do you take the fragmented cannabis retail supply business and consolidate it to provide both commercial and home-growers with everything they want under one roof? Here to help us answer that is Michael Salaman, president and co-founder of GrowGeneration.  Learn more at https://growgeneration.com  Key Takeaways: [00:50] An inside look at GrowGeneration, the nation's largest chain of specialty hydroponic and organic garden centers [1:33] Michael’s background and how he got into the cannabis space [6:48] How GrowGeneration which states and cities to place their grow stores [15:10] The difference in purchasing patterns between average customers and MSOs (multi-state operators) [20:13] How GrowGeneration has created a resilient supply chain that can withstand market disruptions [26:26] The fastest-evolving product categories at GrowGeneration and why Michael believes their gaining traction [32:24] How former Home Depot CEO Bob Nardelli has helped GrowGeneration as a strategic advisor [34:48] What cannabis banking could mean for the industry over the next few years

For cannabis cultivators, failing microbial and pesticide testing can be a death sentence. Here to show us how to pass these tests with flying colors is Shawn Grey of Gard’nClean. Learn more at https://gardnclean.com  Key Takeaways: [00:47] An inside look at Gard’nClean, the world’s most user-friendly, point-of-use biocide for environmental sanitation [1:18] Shawn’s background and how he got into the cannabis space [4:33] The different government tests cannabis cultivators are required to pass [6:53] Why so many cultivators fail these tests [8:16] The most common mistakes cultivators make when trying to create a clean growing environment [13:21] Chlorine dioxide and how it’s different from other cleaning agents [16:10] How Gard’nClean yields pure chlorine dioxide to safely protect a grow environment with their just-add-water sachet technology [21:46] The step-by-step process of cleaning a grow with Gard’nClean [29:51] Shawn’s biggest takeaways for business owners and cultivators on how to keep grows clean and pass tests every time

How do you take lessons learned from Silicon Valley and apply them to cannabis POS software to help retailers save time and money? Here to help us answer that question is Barry Saik, CEO of Greenbits. Learn more at https://www.greenbits.com  Key Takeaways: [00:53] An inside look at Greenbits, a cannabis retail POS software solution that provides compliance and marijuana inventory management [1:07] Barry’s background working for Intuit and how he got into the cannabis space [2:19] Greenbits versus other POS systems for cannabis retailers [5:54] How Greenbits automates different workflows within a cannabis dispensary [8:26] The types of platforms Greenbits integrates with, from online menu companies to delivery services [9:31] Intuit’s “follow me home” strategy and how Barry is using it to optimize user experience at Greenbits [15:18] Scaling challenges POS systems often face on 420 and how Greenbits has overcome those challenges [19:42] How Covid-19 has changed how cannabis retailers use tech

Covid-19 has not only accelerated advancements in technology but also the types of jobs needed to support the cannabis industry. Here to tell us more is Yoko Miyashita, CEO of Leafly. Learn more at https://www.leafly.com  Key Takeaways: [48:11] An inside look at Leafly, the world’s largest cannabis information resource [1:41] Yoko Miyashita’s background as a lawyer and how she got into the cannabis space [4:20] How consumer behavior has shifted in cannabis over the last five years and where Yoko sees it heading [5:37] How dispensaries leverage Leafly to increase foot traffic and drive sales [9:41] Leafly’s partnership with Jane Technologies to create the most comprehensive and customizable product catalog in cannabis [13:20] Leafly’s annual jobs report and how it’s making jobs in cannabis more accessible [15:39] How cannabis jobs have exploded over the last few years to outstrip professions in dentistry, electrical engineering, and more [23:04] The most hirable skills in cannabis right now and Yoko’s advice for those looking to enter the space