For a large part of his early life, today's guest lived in the shadow of his very popular, but very different, older brother. It wasn't until he found his passion for technology in high school, something he found an immediate aptitude for, did he start to come into his own identity, and gain the confidence to pursue his own path in life. Entering t…

Being an entrepreneur is tough! Start that same business in Cannabis and it’s at least 10x more difficult. What about starting a business with your spouse as a co-founder and business partner? Maybe try to start an in-person events company a month before a global pandemic? Yeah… George & Kim Jage have done all that. Still love each other! And after…

For those of you looking to start, and scale, a cannabis brand, this episode is for you. This one is also for all of you that follow your passion and run! The details… well, they’ll just figure themselves out later. I love this guy, and this episode! Serendipity is a funny thing. The Universe has a way of presenting in front of you exactly what you…

You're about to hear the story of two co-founders; one a social equity applicant from the legacy market, the other, a trader from New York who found the plant through the end of life care for his mother. From their love of early morning walks, complementary skillsets, and not freaking out on the same day, they have become the first vertically integ…

Today's guest started building a strong work ethic at the age of 12, and never stopped. Understanding she learned through work, it was fundamental that her choice in University had an emphasis on learning through action. She followed her interest in event production to a premier events company in Boston, producing high-end events like a Super Bowl …

One of the hardest things for driven people to do, is to learn when to adapt and persevere and when to move on. Today’s guest shares a few stories about how he learned those lessons. As a young kid, he found an early passion for Soccer. It wasn’t tallent alone though, he put in the work; hours on the field in practice. Through the sport, he learned…

Taking full advantage of every opportunity; both the apparent and the hidden, is the best way I can sum up our guest’s founder's Journey. Growing up in rural Tennessee, he enjoyed all the nature, and freedom, country life had to offer. At the age of 14, he was identified by a teacher for a life changing opportunity, nominating him for a scholarship…

During Kevin’s Eagle Scout project, he learned a great deal about communicating effectively. As an able bodied person at the age of 14, he led and mentored deaf and blind scouts for a year. It was then, and continues to be, a very impactful experience in his life. It was in a programming class in college that Kevin found a passion and love for tech…

As a kid who grew up with the D.A.R.E program, to becoming co-founder of a first mover in the cannabis investment space, Emily Paxhia has had quite a life and Founders Journey. Growing up, she found an early passion in the rough sport of sailing. Predominantly a “boys sport”, her father reassured her that gender was a false barrier in pursuing her …

The ability to step away and see the big picture is essential as a leader. It’s what allows you to work on the business so you can then then work in the business. As a leader, you have to be able to see the broad view, to formulate a theory, develop strategies, and finally assemble and inspire your team to get there; time & time again.Today’s guest…

Our guest today is a 3rd generation female entrepreneur. Gregarious by nature, nurtured by her her entrepreneurial parents, she confirmed her calling when High School C's turned into University A's in Public Relations courses.Rosie Mattio took the initiative. To step up when her boss moved on, to step out on her own to support family moves, to step…

My guest today is a recent founder of not one, but two companies focusing on Intellectual Property related Cannabis....Dr Hunt shares a tremendous amount of insight and knowledge on plant IP and Cannabis in this episode. What I loved most about Dr Hunt's Founder's Journey is that there are many times where he identified what he found interesting, a…

Builders are masters at process. They see the big picture, they deconstruct, they learn, they rebuild it better. From his childhood playing with Legos, to building service businesses as a young adult, and huge pivot to Wall Street building deals; Christopher Galvin loves to learn and build. A very successful early career earned him retirement in Sc…

One of the most important rules in business is to know your numbers. Numbers are part of nearly every business school case study as they help tell the story: Where is money coming from? Where is it going? Those are the basics. Today’s story is about how one entrepreneur, searching for clues to steer a stalled business, was able to read the numbers …

It’s so refreshing when you meet someone who understands what fulfills them and is actually doing it! It’s their calling. They’re mission driven. That is especially true for today’s guest: Mara Gordon, Co-Founder of Aunt Zelda’s. The drive to care for a loved one is a very powerful force. Mara, confronted with the challenge of helping her husband, …

Before Eric Schnell was actually Eric, he attended Woodstock… in utero. Raised by his hippie parents in the Boston area; his early years were in an Ashram. The respect for our bodies, animals, and the Earth, were values embedded early, and consistently, in his life. Seeds for becoming an entrepreneur were planted early on too: Once, as a punishment…

Growing up in suburban Georgia, Kat Merryfield took early influence from her entrepreneurial father and nurturing mother. Personality traits of studiousness, curiosity, and drive came to accompany her introverted tendencies. As a young Mother with a sick child, the accepted western therapy for her daughter left her at a disadvantage. Seeking out al…

For many business owners, Payroll & Benefits management are a common core part of starting a business. Employees & Taxes need to be paid, laws need to be followed; those are the basics. There are any number of vendors offering those services who will come knocking at your door the moment you register a new business. That's just not the case in the …

What does reselling used golf balls, organizing weekend trips for college students, and fundraising for alumni relations have in common? They are just some of the things Entrepreneur Karson Humiston did before founding the go-to recruiting platform in Cannabis; Vangst. Joining us from Denver in March of 2020, Karson shares her founder's journey of …

Catching the entrepreneurial drive early, Cy Scott's first venture was selling Jolly Ranchers on the school bus back in 5th grade. This funded his love of playing video games at his family's store, seeding an early interest in Entrepreneurship and Technology.In the nascent days of the Modern Cannabis Industry, Cy Co-Founded Cannabis Education Site …

Socrates Rosenfeld, Co-Founder & CEO of Jane Technologies, shares with us how Grape Jolly Ranchers, The Allman Brothers Band, and Love, all inspired him. This West Point Graduate, Apache Pilot, and MIT Graduate made a big pivot in creating Cannabis Tech startup Jane Technologies. Today they are the Largest Retail eCommerce Platform in Cannabis, cre…

Today we welcome Beryl Solomon, who shares her candid journey of the challenges she faced in researching natural remedies to improve her health and wellness. This journey inspired her to create the experience she wanted, but didn't exist. Applying her skills from a 15 year career in fashion, leaving her position as CEO of a fashion startup, to crea…

When you’re assembling the team for your next Cannabis project, often you’ll need to bring in qualified people with industry experience, on a project or freelance basis. But who to trust? Where to find them? Enter Mary’s List. Since 2018, Mary’s List, at maryslist.co, has run an active Newsletter connecting those in need, with those that can, for t…

"It's challenging for Cannabis Brands to efficiently connect with Dispensaries. This is especially true for smaller and startup brands with limited resources to spend on the traditional sales and fulfillment process. Getting the brand message and product benefits to store associates can make or break a Products, and potentially a Brands success. In…

Likely, the first technology choice of a dispensary is the POS system. It’s the hub of your inventory, processes all revenue, and source for all reporting. Many of these systems have integration partners that further extend their capabilities. The Cannabis industry now has many POS providers, but, how to choose the right one for your Dispensary? We…

Technology plays a big roll in running a dispensary. Inventory Management, Compliance Reporting, and the Actual Selling, amongst others, all rely on the technology the owners choose. Making the right decision can have a big impact on the success of the dispensary. Those decisions can be very daunting, especially for those who are not techies. In th…

"Because it’s too hard for two highly regulated industries — legal cannabis-related businesses and financial institutions — to connect. A volatile mix of local, state, federal and banking laws and regulations make relationships difficult. Compliance and reporting can be overwhelming for both parties. Many financial institutions have steered clear o…