Everything is Personal Podcast

Everything is Personal

Len May
Cannabis, music, business, some sciencey stuff (and a touch of ADD) all come together in one amazing ride.
Succeeding in a Highly Regulated Industry with Michael Johnson, CEO, Metrc
We get really, really personal on this one. Michael Johnson is the CEO of Metrc, the most trusted and experienced provider of cannabis regulatory tech in the United States. The company's solution combines advanced software, radio-frequency identification (RFID), a dedicated customer-support team, and a secure database to track cannabis from growth, harvest, and processing to testing, transport, and sale. Metrc is engaged in 23 government contracts and serves more than 300,000 users, including growers, testing facilities, dispensaries, state regulators, and law enforcement officials. Johnson’s experience managing highly effective teams, integrating business units, and building out enterprise-wide processes has consistently led to the harmonization of customer experience and profitability. During his time as Metrc’s president and CFO, he transformed its organizational infrastructure, hired top leadership across all phases, and led year-over-year growth of nearly 50%. Prior to joining Metrc, Johnson spent his career scaling hyper-growth tech businesses, working with investors and overseeing financial operations. Most recently, he served as the CFO of InformedDNA, the largest provider of genetics services, where he led the company to consecutive years of high growth, eventually selling the company to private equity investors. Prior to InformedDNA, Johnson served as the CFO of CM Group, a family of global marketing technology brands, where he drove cost efficiencies and increased margins through corporate acquisitions, financing, and restructuring. He is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
Jun 23, 2023
1 hr 8 min
Go-To-Market Strategies and Success Secrets with Petalfast's CEO, Jason Vegotsky
Jason Vegotsky founded Petalfast in August 2020. He was previously President at KushCo, after the company he co-founded, Summit Innovations, a leading distributor of hydrocarbons to the legal cannabis industry, was acquired by KushCo ($3.2M cash, up to 2,560,000 in shares) in April 2018. Plus, he's an ex-basketball player who moved to California and had to learn the business on the fly, the hard way. Petalfast is a Cannabis Growth Agency (sales, marketing) helping cannabis brands scale in California, Arizona and Massachusetts with plans to expand to additional markets. The platform is focused on Field Marketing, Distribution, Delivery and Market Research.
Jun 8, 2023
59 min
A CEO Makes Tough Business Decisions to Turn an MSO Around - Robert Beasley
Robert Beasley is the chief executive officer of Fluent, a vertically integrated MSO in the regulated markets of Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas offering premium cannabis products and publicly traded as Cansortium Inc. ("Cansortium" or the "Company") (CSE: TIUM.U) (OTCQX: CNTMF). Before officially joining in 2020, Robert served on Fluent’s board of directors as a consultant and played a key role in driving the revitalization of the company as one of Florida’s largest medical cannabis brands. As CEO, he drives Fluent’s strategic growth initiatives, providing deep cannabis law and business development expertise to the multistate operator. Robert is a native Floridian with experience in all aspects of the cannabis industry. In 2001, Robert co-founded the law firm of Litvak Beasley Wilson & Ball LLP, where he served as counsel for multiple parties seeking to obtain cannabis licenses in Florida, Oregon, California, and Washington, D.C. Robert also participated in the legislative and rule-making process related to Florida's Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act and contributed to the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Amendment 2, in 2016. As one of the leading consultants in the industry, Robert has participated in the design and construction of five cannabis cultivation and processing facilities in multiple emerging cannabis marketplaces across the U.S. Additionally, he has held several board roles at prominent cannabis companies, including Chestnut Hill Tree Farm, one of Florida's initial seven cannabis licensees; FLA Extractions, which operates a hemp cultivation facility, a hemp drying facility, and recreational cannabis cultivation and processing facility in Oregon; and Montana Apothecary, LLC (d/b/a Alternative Solutions), the leading cannabis grower in Washington D.C.
Jun 1, 2023
1 hr 4 min
Investment Strategies with Matt Hawkins of Entourage Effect Capital
Matt Hawkins Founder & Managing Principal of Entourage Effect Capital (EEC) Matt Hawkins is the founder and managing principal of Entourage Effect Capital (EEC), formerly known as Cresco Capital Partners, a venture capital firm focused specifically on investing in the legalized cannabis industry. Since 2014, the firm has made close to 70 investments out of three funds, co-investment vehicles and special purpose entities. Matt is known and respected in the cannabis industry as having the vision to become one of the first investors in the industry. He brings long standing relationships in the industry that compare to very few others in cannabis. He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Harborside Inc. (CSE:HBOR) and a board member of Sunderstorm. He has helped orchestrate numerous exits for the firm’s investments. He has spoken on countless industry panels and has appeared on CNBC, Fox News, Cheddar, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg among others discussing the industry. As a result, he is widely considered to be a thought leader in the legalized cannabis industry. Prior to the founding of EEC, he was a partner and President of a private real estate investment company which acquired REO and NPL from banks and financial institutions across the country, with particular interest in multifamily residential and self-storage assets. The company completed more than 55 bank-direct acquisitions, deploying over $500MM of capital since Q4 2008. In 2013 alone, the company bought close to 10,000 Class B and Class C value-add multifamily units across the Sunbelt of the United States. At the end of 2013, Matt and his partners sold their interest. Prior to this, Matt was a Principal/ Co-founder of San Jacinto Partners, a fund focused on the bulk acquisition of single family residential assets and the Managing General Partner of Adjacent Capital, L.P., a private equity/specialty lending fund. He was earlier affiliated with Treadstone Partners, L.L.C., a distressed debt and equity fund. He has an extensive background in both turnaround management and private equity. Prior to joining Treadstone and forming Adjacent Capital and San Jacinto Partners, was associated with Hull & Associates, a regional turnaround management firm. Matt is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin.
May 25, 2023
59 min
How Endurance Athletes are Using Botanicals for Performance with Don McLaughlin
Don, CEO of PurePower is a father of three, author, wellness advocate and ultra endurance athlete. A former trial lawyer of nearly 20 years, Don’s legal career included service as an Assistant District Attorney, litigator at a prominent Colorado law firm, and in-house corporate lawyer at a Fortune 500. As a corporate lawyer, Don became a nationally recognized expert in the areas of electronic data retrieval, analysis and management. Subsequently Don founded and served as CEO of Falcon Discovery, a legal consulting and tech services firm serving the Fortune 500. As CEO of a rapidly growing, multi-million dollar firm that handled some of the highest profile legal cases in the country, he experienced intense pressure and stress 24/7. Following years of prolonged burnout, Don finally hit the wall in 2012. After what he can only describe as divine intervention and a newfound inspiration to become a better father and leader, Don overhauled his diet and began running ultra endurance trail races in the Colorado Rockies. He incorporated hemp and other plant extracts into his new health regime, and developed a series of performance practices to advance his recovery, regain balance and sustain high performance. With these changes nearly everything in his life turned around, and Don’s business and personal life flourished. Within months his running distances doubled and tripled, and he completed his first 36 hour, 100 mile race on the Continental Divide in Colorado in 2016. Likewise his business blossomed like never before, and he subsequently sold Falcon Discovery and stepped down in 2017 to inspire and support others with the lessons that he learned. To this end Don is finishing work on his first book, which will be published in early 2019.
May 10, 2023
1 hr 1 min
An Iconic Brand Gets Acquired with Brandon Mills
Brandon Mills, the EVP of 4Front Ventures and Co-founder of Island Flower Cannabis. As EVP of 4Front, Brandon oversees the company’s expansion in key markets like California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan and Washington. He has implemented a low-cost CPG production and distribution strategy and is charged with building wholesale relationships at each of the company’s state-of-the-art facilities – including the 170,000 sq. ft. facility in Commerce, California, which is now what we believe to be the largest cannabis manufacturing facility in the world and has been referred to as a unicorn in cannabis manufacturing. Before 4Front Prior to joining 4Front, Brandon Mills co-founded Island Cannabis and served as president and chief operating officer of the Company. With his strong entrepreneurial and C-Suite background, Mills brings expertise in corporate strategy, operations, technology, product and data in both public and private operating environments. Island >>> 4Front After operating Island Cannabis for nearly seven years, Brandon and co-founder Ray Landgraf – now the president of operations for 4Front’s California operations – were looking to scale the Company’s operations. With more than 20 brands, 1800 products, and the vision, platform and team to execute strategy in key markets across the U.S., 4Front was a perfect fit. Island was ultimately acquired by 4Front in Q2 of 2022. Brandon’s experience with Island and other C-suite roles position 4Front for success as the cannabis market continues to mature and evolve. Commerce Manufacturing Facility 4Front Ventures’ 170,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, located outside of the City of Los Angeles, is now what we believe to be the largest, most efficient processing facility in the world. Through the facility's fully automated machinery, it can produce approximately 100,000 edibles, 12,000 pre-rolls and 9,000 vape cartridges per shift – a level of scale no other manufacturer has been able to achieve. This allows brands to get in front of California consumers without a huge CAPEX bill hanging around their neck. 4Front also has a distribution partnership with Nabis, a fully-licensed cannabis wholesale platform with the largest portfolio of cannabis brands in the world, which supplies 100% of California’s dispensaries and delivery services.
Apr 26, 2023
1 hr 1 min
How Efficiency can help a Business with Profitability - Matt Mayberry
Matt Mayberry is the CEO and co-founder of Trym, farm management software that helps cultivators run more efficient and profitable businesses. Prior to founding Trym, he was Director of Product Management at SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR), a leading U.S. solar manufacturer. Throughout his career, Matt has repeatedly conceptualized, designed, and launched market-disrupting products that have set world records and exceeded $700M in sales.
Apr 14, 2023
1 hr
Getting Personal with "America's Combat Nurse" Cherissa Jackson on her Mission to help Veterans with PTSD
After 23 years of active-duty military service, including 10 years as a nurse in the US Air Force and three combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, our CEO is committed to helping eliminate the stigma associated with PTSD. She shares what she learned about her own health with the We Decode DNA Kit and how her new mission is to help veterans understand what they personally need to begin their healing journey.
Apr 10, 2023
1 hr 15 min
Epigenetics are Personal with Hanna Went
On this episode we geek out with a true Epigentic expert, Hanna Went. Hannah Went is epigenetics enthusiast and the Director of Operations at TruDiagnostic. She has helped implement large-scale methylation testing for clinical practices and is a co-author of several upcoming studies about interventions to address biological aging. We go into DNA Methylation, Exosomes, Peptides, Stem Cell, nutrients and supplements to name a few. This one is super geeky but very informative.
Apr 7, 2023
1 hr 10 min
What Should You Look For When Walking into a Restaurant with Chef Matthew Petersen
Former Bravo’s Top Chef: Just Desserts finalist who has gone from Top Chef to Pot Chef, after joining forces with national cannabis company Jushi Holdings to launch some next-level delicious THC infused chocolate bars and fruit chews for both experienced and experimenting consumers alike. Matthew Petersen, Director of Manufacturing for Jushi Holdings As the former second runner up and Fan Favorite on Bravo’s Top Chef: Just Desserts’ (‘11), Matthew Petersen has an extensive background in the Culinary Arts. He served as an Executive Pastry Chef at CityZen, working with James Beard Award Winner Eric Ziebold, at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C., and holds an Associate Degree in Baking & Pastry Arts from Johnson and Wales University. Petersen brings a unique, fine-dining touch to Jushi’s new infused product lines via his baking and pastry education which explored both traditional and contemporary techniques in the production of breads, pastries, cakes and desserts. Prior to his tenure at CityZen working with James Beard Award Winner Eric Ziebold, Matthew worked for Daniel Boulud in New York City at the contemporary French restaurant, db Bistro Moderne, and also served as Executive Pastry Chef at Café Boulud in Palm Beach for two years. Before that, Matthew was the Pastry Chef at two of Philadelphia’s most coveted dining destinations – LaCroix and Morimoto.
Apr 3, 2023
1 hr 1 min
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