Investing In Cannabis

On this week’s iC News episode, Brandon has a wonderful conversation with our good friend, Sam Edwards. Sam is a cannabis expert who has judged Emerald Cups for years, advised + consulted on large-scale grower operations, and now works for a cannabis-focused investment firm. Or in his words, "I've judged the Emerald Cup for 4 years, I've grown acres of cannabis, thousands of pounds, and smoked hundreds of pounds." This week, Sam and Brandon dive into how the coronavirus has impacted the cannabis industry and specifically how it’s led to increased sales amid the stay-at-home orders. They also touch on auto-flowering and why 2020 crop and election predictions are so crazy right now. Get your cannabis news fix and learn more this week from Sam Edwards! Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted! Want to Support Independent Cannabis Media? Want to promote your product or service to our audience of decision makers? Email hi@investingincannabis.tv

On this week’s brand new episode, Brandon chats with CEO George Mancheril of Bespoke Financial about the world of cannabis finance, debt, and business loans. The cannabis landscape has shifted immensely of late with the enormous impact of coronavirus on all aspects of the supply chain, massive companies having serious issues, widespread industry layoffs, and a continued lack of federal legalization and banking support. George and his team help cannabis companies weather the storm by providing debt and lending options for companies of all sizes in the cannabis industry. With a wide range of services, including invoice financing, inventory financing, and PO financing, Bespoke is well positioned to help companies get cash quickly without giving up any equity in the process. Founders can learn what it’s like working with Bespoke, and why having this option can make investor and supply chain negotiations easier to manage. Learn why Bespoke’s services are even more valued in the current environment, the reasons why

On this week’s awesome new episode, Brandon heads to Cann to sit down and interview co-founder Jake Bullock in their office in Venice, CA. Cann is one of the coolest cannabis beverages in the market today. They are low-dose, very high in flavor, and they have some of the best packaging + branding in the industry. Jake and his co-founder Luke completed a $5 million raise in early 2020 to start building their team, machine, and vision for a cannabis social tonic. With only 2mg of THC and 4mg of CBD per drink, customers can drink a 6 pack of Cann and still be functional at an event or party. Since the beverage wars are just getting started in cannabis, Brandon and Jake dove into the myriad of issues building distribution, the struggles of gaining shelf space, and how to assemble a sales + marketing team to support growth. Brandon and Jake also dive into some big industry topics like: the continued presence of the black market, the rise of CBD, and why beverages may be the best choice for the new cannabis consume

On this week’s iC News episode, Brandon welcomes Matt Gray, CEO + founder of HERB to the show! HERB is one of the leading digital platforms in the cannabis industry, allowing customers to find cannabis products, educate themselves, and engage with all of their awesome, original content. Matt has been in the cannabis industry a long time, and we’re very grateful he made the trip down to Venice to come on our show. Brandon and Matt also dive into other big topics in the industry, including: capital raising in this constrained environment, the continued presence of the black market, and how Matt keeps his finger on the pulse of American cannabis while running a Canadian based company. Learn about the HERB story, Matt’s biggest challenges recently, and why he’s staying so zen during the worldwide upheaval of 2020. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with another episode of iC News with Matt Gray! Want to Support Independent Cannabis Media? Want to promote your product or service to our audience of decision ma

On this week’s brand new episode, Brandon chats with CRO Michael Piermont of Leaftrade about the world of wholesale cannabis. Leaftrade helps buyers and sellers facilitate their transactions of wholesale cannabis and hemp. This is a classic two-sided marketplace, and Michael and his team have built a simple, smart process that works. With increasing competition in the cannabis supply chain software space, Leaftrade has had to scale quickly and steadily increase their service offerings. But with a round of fundraising from the Hyde Park Angels last December, they are well positioned to continue to gain market share across the country. Learn about Michael’s B2B SaaS experience, why Leaftrade focused on MSO’s to start, and why integrations are so valuable to their long-term success. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Michael and Leaftrade! Want to Support Independent Cannabis Media? Want to promote your product or service to our audience of decision makers? Email hi@investingincannabis.tv

On this week’s awesome new episode, Brandon gets a visit from Christian Patino of Day One CBD! Day One is one of the best functional CBD beverage brands on the market today, and Christian brings a wealth of CPG knowledge from his past experiences at Red Bull, Johnson & Johnson, and Proctor & Gamble to the team. Day One is in the midst of building a brand to win the CBD beverage market, but it’s full of headaches. Christian and Brandon dive into Day One’s expanding product lineup, the pitfalls of distribution and reaching scale in CPG, and how tactics he learned at previous CPG roles will help Day One build a winning strategy in cannabis. Also learn about Christian’s past growing up in Mexico City and why Mexico might be the next big growth market for cannabis and CBD! Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Christian and Day One! Want to Support Independent Cannabis Media? Want to promote your product or service to our audience of decision makers? Email hi@investingincannabis.tv

On this week’s new episode, Brandon gets a visit from Jonas Lalehzadeh of the premium cannabis brand, Herbes! Jonas and his family have built one of the most high-end, beautiful products in the cannabis industry. Their main SKU is a 2 gram cannagar called “The Trophy” that is wrapped in a delicious hemp paper dipped in kief. Jonas dives into Herbes as well as his own unique experience getting back from Iran, where he was playing professional basketball this year. Learn how Herbes is attacking the premium cannabis market, the current state of basketball and coronavirus in Iran, and why it’s so vital to be giving back in this time of global crisis. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Jonas and Herbes! Support for this episode comes from Newfront Insurance. Newfront is a modern insurance brokerage that leverages technology to vastly simplify the buying process for clients and the selling process for brokers. Our experienced brokers help cannabis clients save money and find the right coverage for their

On this week’s awesome episode, Brandon visits the Autumn Brands farm in Carpinteria to interview Hanna! Autumn is a family run business that was shaped by 6 generations of farming. They started as cut flower growers, but quickly morphed into cannabis growing once California legalization hit. Hanna and her family have built a decent sized enterprise now with 75+ employees, multiple greenhouses, and presence in over 120 dispensaries across the state. They have some of the most beautiful, disease-free, and delicious cannabis on the market. Learn how Hanna and her team grow cannabis with care, how they transitioned from flowers to cannabis, and why ladybugs and other unique solutions can control pests. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Hanna and Autumn Brands! Support for this episode comes from Bespoke Financial. Bespoke Financial is the first licensed commercial lender providing short-term working capital loans exclusively to cannabis and hemp businesses. Operators often deal with long cashflow coll

On this week’s iC News episode, Brandon welcomes Roger Obando, founder + former CTO of Baker Technologies and author of “The Highest Common Denominator”. Roger has incredible insights into how to build, scale, and operate a successful cannabis software business and he’s now consulting, writing, and sharing that knowledge with others. Brandon and Roger dive into some of the biggest topics in the industry, including: the Black Market, raising capital in this environment, hiring minorities, equity applicants, and his work with the 4thMVMT. Learn more from Roger and Brandon as they share their opinions on #VapeGate, recent cannabis CEO departures, and the public cannabis meltdown. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with another episode of iC News with Roger Obando! Support for this episode comes from Bespoke Financial. Bespoke Financial is the first licensed commercial lender providing short-term working capital loans exclusively to cannabis and hemp businesses. Operators often deal with long cashflow colle

On this week’s new episode, Brandon visits CEO Maggie Connors of Besito at her awesome Santa Monica office for an interview! Maggie has built one of the coolest vape companies in the space, with a very unique design and more approachable dosing for a new class of cannabis consumers. Maggie’s team has raised some capital and created a beautiful brand with amazing packaging that has resonated well in the LA cannabis scene. Brandon and Maggie dive into how to differentiate your brand in a crowded vape market, why disposable vapes are easier for consumers, and what made Maggie take the leap of faith and jump into cannabis full-time. Also, learn how Maggie took her experiences as a Stanford MBA and multiple roles in the CPG world to create Besito. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Maggie and Besito! Support for this episode comes from Bespoke Financial. Bespoke Financial is the first licensed commercial lender providing short-term working capital loans exclusively to cannabis and hemp businesses. Operat

On this week’s episode, Brandon has CEO Devin Alvarez of Straight Hemp join the show! Devin is another founder who’s part of the Canopy Boulder accelerator and he’s attacking the world of hemp in a new, quality-driven way. We all know hemp is fast growing industry, but this week you’ll learn what hemp products are really selling well, why some consumers still like shopping in-person, and how to really compete and win in the crowded hemp market. Devin isn’t alone in trying to build a business in hemp, but with the resources and support of Canopy, he’s taken massive leaps very quickly with his business. Brandon and Devin dive into the founder experience at Canopy, raising capital in this environment, and why quality will win in the end. Learn what it’s like being a young founder in cannabis; and tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Devin and Straight Hemp! Support for this episode comes from Balanced Advisor. Whether you’re a founder struggling to raise capital + run your business efficiently, or you’re

On this week’s new episode, Brandon welcomes CEO Robert Kenny of Royal Supply to the show! Robert is part of the Canopy Boulder accelerator and is building one of the top packaging companies in the cannabis space. While it is not a sexy business, it does make money!! Learn how Robert saw this need in cannabis and started building deep partnerships with overseas suppliers. Brandon and Robert also discuss his experience at Canopy, the perils of early-stage fundraising, and why the industry needs to rethink how it packages and brands it’s products. Learn what it’s like being a young founder in cannabis; and tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Robert of Royal Supply! Support for this episode comes from Balanced Advisor. Whether you’re a founder struggling to raise capital + run your business efficiently, or you’re an investor looking where to place capital, we’re here to help. Reach out to us with your problems, and we’ll help you find a solution! www.BalancedAdvisor.com Want to Support Independent Cann

On iC News this week, we welcome Patrick Rea of Canopy Boulder to the show to share his thoughts on all of today’s hottest topics the trends and in the cannabis industry. Patrick and his team run the best startup incubator in the cannabis industry. They’ve put dozens of companies through their program including, BDS Analytics, Wurk, Leaf, Peak Beyond, and more! Patrick brings a wealth of knowledge on building companies, raising capital, and how legal cannabis should work. Brandon and Patrick dive into some exciting topics this week; including the long tail effects of Vapegate, the dearth of debt options available to companies, industry layoffs, capital constraint, and why the 2020 election could create a sizable shift in the cannabis industry. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Patrick and some more iC News topics + opinion! Support for this episode comes from Bespoke Financial. Bespoke Financial is the first licensed commercial lender providing short-term working capital loans exclusively to canna

On this week’s new episode, Brandon welcomes our good friend Joyce Cenali, COO + Partner at Big Rock to the show! Big Rock Partners is one of the top investors in the cannabis space with investments in brands such as Cannacraft, Henry’s Original, Sava, Vertosa, and High Times. With their extensive list of high level brands they’ve invested in, we’ve dubbed them the “Brand Hunters”. Joyce is an industry veteran herself and has been instrumental in building the Big Rock portfolio into the powerhouse it is today. You’ll learn a ton as Brandon and Joyce dive deep into the continuing shift of VC to PE in the cannabis industry, why distressed assets are becoming big business, and how the public cannabis market meltdown + widespread layoffs have shifted risk appetites across the space. Learn from one of the coolest people + top investors in the space, Joyce of Big Rock! Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted! Support for this episode comes from Balanced Advisor. Whether you’re a founder struggling to raise capital

On iC News this week, we welcome back Matt Nordgren of Arcadian Fund to the show to share his thoughts on all of today’s hottest topics the trends and in the cannabis industry. Matt and his team have invested in many of the top companies in the cannabis industry including; BDS Analytics, Treez, Jane, and Wurk. Matt brings a wealth of knowledge on building companies, pitching to investors, and understanding market forces in public and private capital. Brandon and Matt dive into some fun topics this week, including the death of cannabis angel investors, industry layoffs and lingering effects of the black market, and why the 2020 election could be a huge win for the cannabis industry. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Matt and some more iC News topics + opinion! And since it’s Super Bowl week, it’s also nice having a former football player on! Go Niners!

On this week’s new episode, Brandon welcomes CEO Jeffrey Harris of SpringBig to the show! SpringBig is one of the biggest dispensary marketing and loyalty platforms in the cannabis industry. While their main competitor, Baker, joined TILT recently; Jeff and his team have stayed lean and continued to execute and build out their vision. SpringBig was originally built to help pizza parlors and ice cream shops with marketing back in 2014, but by 2017 Jeff and his team had completely shifted to cannabis. Over the last 2+ years, they’ve served over 10 million customers and they’ve gained 23% national market share while raising over $11 million in capital. Jeff and his team are crushing it, and the next 3-5 years will determine whether they can scale and win the cannabis market nationally. Learn how Jeff handles his daily stress, why POS integrations + partnerships are paramount to their success, and where he thinks the cannabis market is headed in 2020 + beyond. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Jeff and

On this week’s episode, Brandon welcomes CEO Steve Albarran of Confident Cannabis to the show! Steve and his team bring trust, transparency, and simplification to the wholesale testing and purchasing side of the cannabis market. They are in 26 markets around the US currently, and in California 40% of all legal cannabis is already on their lab platform. Steve and his team launched their wholesale marketplace a year ago in Oregon, and they are launching in California early this year. With $18 million raised in total, and $12 million raised in a Series A last April from Poseidon + other investors, Confident Cannabis is in great position to continue gaining market share across the country. Learn how Steve tripled the size of his team in 2019, how they built partnerships and integrations across the industry, and why their initial experience in YC set them up for their success today. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Steve Albarran and Confident Cannabis! Support for this episode comes from NorCal Cannab

On iC News this week, we welcome back FlowerHire CEO David Belsky to the show to share his thoughts on all of today’s hottest topics the trends and in the cannabis industry. Dave and the FH team continue to help build incredible teams for some of the biggest companies in cannabis including, Eaze, Connected, Papa & Barkley, and Flow Kana. While hiring in all industries is difficult, it’s particularly hard in cannabis. This week, Dave and Brandon dive into MJ Biz conference wrap-up, another review of “Vapegate”, continued layoffs and stock crashes in cannabis, and what they are most excited for in 2020. Learn more from Dave, who’s on the ground floor everyday and hear more of his thoughts on the biggest topics in cannabis! Tune in, listen up, and get reacquainted with Dave and another episode of iC News! Support for this episode comes from Balanced Advisor. Whether you’re a founder struggling to raise capital + run your business efficiently, or you’re an investor looking where to place capital, we’re here to

On this week’s episode, Brandon welcomes the amazing Andrea Brooks of Sava to the show! Andrea is the CEO of Sava, one of the best run delivery companies in the cannabis industry. Andrea came from the nonprofit world and had experience with a personal injury that also led her on the path to cannabis. Based in SF, Andrea and her team have built an awesome customer experience on very little capital from investors like Big Rock and Founders Fund. Sava is now raising a new $2.5 million round to expand across California! Andrea and Brandon also dive into the continued impact of the black market, widespread industry layoffs, and what it’s like raising money as a women in cannabis. Learn how Andrea and her team built a sustainable, successful delivery business in one of the most difficult business climates, California cannabis. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Andrea of Sava! Support for this episode comes from Balanced Advisor. Whether you’re a founder struggling to raise capital + run your business eff

On iC this week, Ophelia Chong of StockPot Images and Green Sky Strategy joins iC news to discuss all the major topics in cannabis. With a deep marketing + design background, Ophelia is a wealth of knowledge with years of experience in the cannabis space. She’s worked with brands across the board including Cannadips, Wildflower, Joynt, and many more. Not only is Ophelia extremely knowledgeable, she’s also pretty hilarious. Brandon and Ophelia dive deep into sobriety in cannabis, what it’s like being an Asian woman in the industry, the effects of the black market, and why the cannabis soccer mom demographic is a myth. Learn from an expert who’s helping turn around cannabis companies daily. We hope you all enjoy and learn something from this episode while you’re at MJ Biz in Vegas this week. Tune in, listen up, and get acquainted with Ophelia and another episode of iC News! Support for this episode comes from Balanced Advisor. Whether you’re a founder struggling to raise capital + run your business efficient