We are one week away from dropping some serious knowledge that can impact your business and entrepreneurial journey in cannabis and hemp on Cannabis Business Minds. As we’re quickly approaching this live series, I want to make sure that your questions are asked so we can get them answered by our experts. Here are some of the topics we’ll be discussing:   Retail Strategies and the future of E-commerce  Best practices in leading and building a retail chain  Best practices in scaling multiple businesses Leadership and Mindset and Wellbeing  Finance Best practices when it comes to running your Business    What questions do you have on these topics? Make sure to get them asked in our Facebook Group Roadmap to Success.  

Cannabis Business Minds

Invite to Cannabis Business Week

We dive deep into how Mills McQueen built Mineral, a whole plant nutrition company, how to get started building your own brand and community, and why whole plant-based nutrition is the way to go from both a health and wellness perspective as well as a way to lead in consumer education.    Trivia: Do you know how many compounds the cannabis plant has?

Building a Whole Plant Based Nutrition Brand

A great episode with industry veteran, entrepreneur, and game-changer Dr. Lakisha Jenkins. Dr. Lakisha Jenkins is paving the way for international cannabis reform and regulation and teaches us the importance of your message.     Find out more information on  www.cannabisbusinessminds.com 

Defining your Message and Leading through constant change

In this episode, we talk with Windy Borman, about her work as an award-winning documentarian and we uncover what she discovered in her film Women of Weed. We talk about some pretty deep subjects that are pertinent today. We talk about harassment, bias, bullying  equity, parity, and equality How this can impact a business     THE FILM Women are changing the face of today’s fastest-growing industry - cannabis. Join filmmaker Windy Borman as she discovers how they’re also changing the world in “Mary Janes: The Women of Weed.” The film features a powerful interview from Grammy®-award-winning singer/songwriter Melissa Etheridge. “Mary Janes” has garnered “Best Documentary” and “Visionary” awards on the festival circuit and been featured in The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Forbes, NBC, and ABC. THE MOVEMENT The first new industry to emerge in the 21st century is led by women. According to a 2015 Marijuana Business Daily study, women hold 36% of leadership positions across the marijuana industry. The national average is 23%. This means marijuana has the highest amount of gender parity in any industry in the United States. In fact, Newsweek predicts that marijuana could be the first billion-dollar industry not dominated by men. The people of North America have spoken. Oklahoma began the 30th state to legalize cannabis in the United States, and legal sales start in October 2018 throughout Canada. Clearly, we’re at a tipping point and “The Women of Weed” could make marijuana legal nationwide, reform the criminal justice system, empower disenfranchised communities, and give life-saving medicine to children and veterans, all while building gender equality into a billion-dollar industry. We call this the Puffragette® Movement. Question: What do you get when you combine gender parity, social justice, environmental sustainability and cannabis? Answer: A Puffragette® [pronounced puff-ruh-jet].   https://maryjanesfilm.com/

Do you have an Equity Plan?

Your customer engagement and experience strategy is a strategy that allows you to stay competitive in today's market when new competitors and products are emerging daily. In this episode, we talk about the importance of customer engagement and building a strategy that will help you whether you are just starting your business or leading a team. Things to think about: How can you solidify your competitive advantage and stay stronger, remain or become a leader in your market, and expand your brand Defining who your customer is both in demographics and psychographics. Building an experience from marketing to sales that will leave the customer WOWed, empowered, and coming back for more.  Customers are the center of our businesses - without them, we wouldn't exist. A huge part of this is your customer engagement strategy. Want to improve your customer engagement, sales, and marketing strategy? Our mentorship program will build an effective strategy that leaves you, your team, and your customers feeling empowered!

Customer Engagement

Listen to Part 2 of the Consumer Trends Podcast!

Cannabis Consumer Insights amid Uncertainty from MJ Freeway - Part 2

As cannabis business minds, it's our duty to stand up for social justice and equity. Here are some resources that I wanted to share with you this week. #amplifymelanatedvoices Please check out these resources: Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=272134207491609 https://guidetoallyship.com/ https://medium.com/@BarackObama/how-to-make-this-moment-the-turning-point-for-real-change-9fa209806067 https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/

Anti-racism, allyship, and #amplifymelanatedvoices resources

Are you ready to take your leadership to the next level and find a little more purpose in your day to day? Join me in a leadership challenge and a challenge of being a true cannabis professional. Head on over to challenge.cannabisbusinessminds.com for more information.

I am a Cannabis Professional - Challenge

Get the insight from the first Marijuana / Hemp specialist in the world on what it takes to run a compliant cannabis business and how to build a consulting agency in cannabis.   About our Expert: Kim Stuck was the first Marijuana/Hemp specialist for a public health authority in the nation in Denver CO. She has a bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition/Biochem and is a Certified Professional in Food Safety (CPFS), a Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), and a leading expert in Cannabis food safety and compliance.   She is the Founder of Allay Consulting LLC, a consulting firm that helps the Cannabis industry over-come compliance pitfalls in State Regulations, FDA, OSHA, and Fire code. Allay now assists with cGMP and ISO Certification in the cannabis industry.  She helps influence regulations and requirements in the cannabis industry by participating in these groups and speaking on behalf of the cannabis industry regularly. She was also a judge for the Colorado Manufacturing Awards put on by Company Week Magazine who has recently added a Cannabis manufacturing product award. She was also honored to present the award to the winners during the award ceremony in 2019 and will do so again in 2020.

What will cannabis look like when it's federally legal?

On this episode we talk about actionable steps you can take in your business while dealing with uncertainty with Jonathan Teeters, MBA and Head of Business Development at Azuca.  We cover the subjects of  team management in these times, adjustments being made as capital markets disappear, supply chains, and strategy needs to steer. We discuss how to address customers in a time of uncertainty and why leadership, business development, and content are key focus points during this time.   Jonathan has more than 20 years leading teams, building strategy, and developing relations. He has more than 6 years as a leader in the emerging cannabis and hemp industries, I've cultivated a deep set of relationships that I now use to effectively develop business opportunities, influence policy, support innovation, and increase access for underrepresented voices.  Jonathan utilizes a broad set of technical and interpersonal skills to help stakeholders and customers meet their challenges and capitalize on an opportunity.       Behind the Scenes Interview What is the best thing that is going on in your career right now?  Well, our company/brand is relatively well-positioned to come out of this CV thing in good shape. Strong partnerships emerging... otherwise it’s kinda weird these days.    Why are you part of the cannabis industry?  I like doing things that haven’t been done. I want to be able to look back in 20 years and say I helped build that. I love cannabis and what it can do for people, their physical and mental health, and Mother Earth.    What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a business owner that you can share with our audience?  How to have a positive outlook in uncertainty. Being nimble is a real thing now. Managing cash. Positioning in a changing landscape.

The importance of Business Development in building your brand

On this episode of Cannabis Business Minds, we hear from Matt Markiewicz about cannabis stocks and insider tips for business owners. Matt brings 22 years of financial industry experience to his current role in running Innovation Shares, the firm behind The Cannabis ETF (NYSE: THCX). Most recently he spent over six years spent at BlackRock as a Director within the iShares ETF business.  During his tenure at iShares, the firm launched 150 ETFs in the US supporting a global ETF franchise with AUM that exceeded $1 trillion. Prior positions involved various roles in equity research and institutional sales with VDM Specialists, a NYSE market- making firm, as well as with the global investment bank, UBS Warburg. Matt is a graduate of Boston College’s Wallace E. Carroll School of Management. THCX holdings and portfolios are listed and current every day and weights are updated daily. The fund isn't just plant-touching businesses but also includes ancillary and hemp companies.   What we talk about on the show:   If cannabis stocks make a worthy investment for investors The breakdown of institutional investors in the cannabis industry The traits investors look for in businesses   The advantage of going public for a cannabis business (The costs of maintaining a public company are high) The investment landscape in Canada What businesses should be preparing for during a time of crisis   Behind the Scenes Interview   What is the best thing that is going on in your career right now?  The opportunity to speak with financial advisors in order to educate them about the investment opportunity in the global legal cannabis industry. There is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding out there and it feels good to bring some clarity to the cannabis investment landscape. Why are you part of the cannabis industry?  It is exciting to be part of something that is emerging from legal and regulatory shadows and be able to promote the industry through a New York Stock Exchange-listed portfolio.    What is one entrepreneurial story or experience you'd like to share?  When we were going through the registration process of our cannabis ETF, THCX, there was a lack of understanding at the SEC as to what made hemp and marijuana different and why it mattered and how the products were used. It was quite shocking actually.    What is one piece of insight you'd like to share with the listeners  Not all publicly-traded cannabis companies are created equally so do your homework when investing.    What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a business owner that you can share with our audience?  Cannabis stocks have crashed since we launched THCX in July 2019. This unfortunate timing has made it very tough to market a fund with a negative performance especially in the face of a stronger broader US stock market. However, financial advisors are still interested in hearing "why cannabis and why now?"

The Cannabis Stock Marketing during the COVID Crisis

We talk with Kate Manson, founder of Tarot CBD about how she's applied creative marketing and negotiation techniques to get the first cannabis advertisement in the sky and to get her own products on the shelves of Saks 5th Avenue.    Kate Manson has had cannabis in her cards for many years. As the founder of Capsule and Tarot CBD, her 11-year journey in the cannabis industry has allowed her to share her passion for cannabis and CBD with a myriad of audiences. Before pursuing her own brand, Kate served as the VP of Experiential Marketing at Wikileaf where she learned the intricacies of effective cannabis marketing – her work has been featured in AD Age, Merry Jane, Herb.co, Seattle Met & Bloom Farms.   What is the best thing that is going on in your career right now?  I launched a new company, Tarot CBD and am fully emerged in building the brand and driving sales.     Why are you part of the cannabis industry?  I always have been. My parents are cannabis users and I started using and selling cannabis at a young age. I've always taken a less-traveled path and enjoy the challenges I face both personally and professionally working in a heavily regulated and stigmatized industry.     What is one entrepreneurial story or experience you'd like to share? I shared the Facebook landing page workaround with the CEO of a CBD brand and a week later Facebook was announcing that they would allow CBD topical companies to run ads. At this moment, I am not able to run ads for Tarot CBD and believe Facebook is approaching and denying based on ad budget and audience. I'd love to connect with businesses in similar situations to see how we can approach Facebook as a united front and get results.    What is one piece of insight you'd like to share with the listeners  In cannabis marketing we often get told no more than yes. I believe that no is negotiable and that with enough education and persistence we have the power to shape the cannabis conversation.    What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a business owner that you can share with our audience?  The biggest challenge I face currently is driving B2C sales in a saturated market and creating a unique and consistent brand story.

Cannabis and CBD Advertising

The road of entrepreneurship is damn windy. There are ups, there are downs, there are curves, bumps, plateaus, crazy growth, and what can feel like long-lasting ebbs to the flow. In this episode, we chat about the importance of finding your why as an entrepreneur and a bit about my entrepreneurial journey. We hear it all the time...WHY.  We hear it in boardrooms, we hear it with curious kids, we hear during that positive affirmation time at yoga class. Why. Why. Why. The road of entrepreneurship is damn windy, and knowing your why is the way to stay grounded and focused during the ups, downs,  curves, bumps, plateaus, crazy growth, and ebbs to the flow. The benefits of having a clear WHY are numerous and the effects tremendous, and entrepreneurs with a clear why are setting themselves up for success.  With a clear WHY you've got more clarity on business vision, purpose, and goals. With a clear why you can easily assess if something is not aligned such as business ventures and partners, business goals, and business partners. 

Do you have a why? Finding your Why as a Cannabis Entrepreneur

Cannabis entertainment is still in the early stages but is something that every brand in cannabis should consider when defining their engagement strategy. Cannabis entertainment is more than cannabis lounges and cafes. Cannabis entertainment extends to immersive and location-based experiences. On this episode of CBM we talk with the managing partner of Nolan Heimann, Wendy Heimann-Nunes, and Bryan Bergman, the cannabis leading and partner, about the intersection of cannabis and entertainment.    Show notes: http://www.cannabisbusinessminds.com/podcast/the-intersection-of-entertainment-and-cannabis. Special thanks to Wendy's band, Crinoline, for the intro and outro music:   https://crinolinetheband.com/

The intersection of cannabis and entertainment

On this episode we get back to the basics with Toni Forge from 4 Leaf Consulting about the current environment for cannabis operators. We talk about the inevitable shakeout and what businesses should be focused on to survive in California.   You can read more on kalogia.com/p/blog

​What’s happened in California? The answer, a whole lot of smoke.

On Cannabis Business Minds, Simone Cimiluca-Radzins and Kristen Yoder interview today's most successful Cannabis entrepreneurs and professionals. If you’re looking for quick, easy, and value added information about doing business in the cannabis industry, then look no more. Each episode of Cannabis Business Minds will provide you valuable tips and insight from industry leaders that you can apply to your own business or career.

hubhopper

Cannabis Business Minds

hubhopper