Latest CannaInsider episodes

Some investors are seeing big opportunities in post-seed stage investing. Here to tell us about it is Patrick Rea of the Poseidon Garden Fund.  Learn more at https://www.poseidonassetmanagement.com Key Takeaways: [00:44] An inside look at the Poseidon Garden Fund, a $50 million fund supporting post-seed stage cannabis businesses [1:39] Patrick’s background in cannabis, including his popular business-accelerator and venture capital fund, CanopyBoulder [2:49] The current cannabis investing landscape and Patrick’s advice to investors looking to enter the space [7:02] The benefits of post-seed stage investing versus earlier stages [10:08] How the Poseidon Garden Fund helps springboard companies through its mastermind groups and large network of industry leaders [13:53] The Garden Fund’s process for follow-on investments [15:08] Parallels between the cannabis and supplements industries, including a new trend in product technology [16:40] The Garden Fund investments Patrick is most excited about right now [21:19] Patrick’s advice to entrepreneurs on the dos and don’ts of pitching your company

The Michigan cannabis market isn’t on everyone’s radar, but it’s large and growing faster than you might think. Here to tell us about it is Fabian Monaco of Gage Cannabis. Learn more at https://gageusa.com  Key Takeaways: [1:17] An inside look at Gage Cannabis, one of the largest vertically-integrated cannabis companies in Michigan [1:45] Fabian’s background in investment banking and how he came to be president and CEO of Gage Cannabis [3:01] Michigan’s history in medical marijuana and how the state’s cannabis market has evolved over recent years [5:18] Why Fabian believes every cannabis brand needs to be vertically integrated right now [7:05] The pros and cons of contract growing versus buying wholesale [11:05] The most popular cannabis products in Michigan right now and surprising new trends to look out for [17:49] How Gage Cannabis has successfully employed curbside pickup to gross almost 99 percent of their profit [21:29] The importance of brand continuity and how this has helped Gage grow so quickly [24:38] Cookies aka the “Coca-Cola of cannabis,” a popular California-based cannabis brand that has partnered with Gage to expand into Michigan  

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