Canna Connect Show

Recorded live at Canna Connect’s Cannabis & Community gathering in Duluth, Episode 57 brings together Caleb Dunlap of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Tim Gordon of Gordon Cannabis Group, and Spencer Ploessl of Canna Connect for a Minnesota Market Update grounded in community, sovereignty, and the future of cannabis in the state.

Caleb opens by welcoming the room to Fond du Lac homelands and sharing why Native nations are not simply participants in cannabis, but foundational to it. He speaks about stewardship, sovereignty, self-reliance, and the values guiding ANANG Native Cannabis Co.

Tim builds on that message with a people-first perspective centered on the plant, community responsibility, and ANANG’s approach to building a cannabis enterprise with purpose.

Spencer helps frame the broader Minnesota market conversation and the importance of bringing operators, partners, and community voices into the same room.

This episode is about more than market growth. It is about how Minnesota cannabis is being built, who is helping shape it, and why place, culture, and community matter along the way.

Recorded live at Clyde Iron Works in Duluth, Minnesota.

The Canna Connect Show brings you into the conversations shaping Minnesota cannabis.

#CannaConnectMN

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Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

Brian Bartley came into Minnesota cannabis with plans to build Green Lane Express as a vertically integrated microbusiness in Brooklyn Park.

Then financing became the problem.

Brian joins Stephen Eigenmann to share his experience pursuing a loan intended to support Minnesota cannabis microbusinesses. He walks through the timeline, the months he says he spent providing documentation and waiting for his application to move forward, and how those delays affected his original plans.

They also discuss social equity, access to capital, transparency, the complexity of Minnesota’s cannabis funding programs, contractor pricing, and why time can become one of the biggest threats to an emerging cannabis business.

Despite everything Brian describes, Green Lane Express is still moving forward.

This episode reflects Brian’s personal experience and perspective. 

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Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

"I never asked for a handout. I just wanted the hand up that Minnesota promised."

Brian Bartley, founder and CEO of Green Lane Express, joins Stephen Eigenmann on The Canna Connect Show for a candid conversation about the realities of building a cannabis business in Minnesota.

A U.S. Army combat veteran and social equity applicant, Brian has spent years developing his vision for a vertically integrated cannabis operation in Brooklyn Park. But his journey took an unexpected turn when he applied for financing through Minnesota's CanStartUp program.

In this episode, Brian shares his account of a 222-day application process involving Propagate CDC, the challenges he faced securing funding, and the consequences for his business. With his original cultivation and manufacturing plans delayed, Brian explains why he's moving forward with a smaller, retail-focused launch.

Stephen and Brian explore the roles of DEED and the Office of Cannabis Management, the importance of transparent lending practices, and why Minnesota must consider simplifying financial assistance programs for cannabis entrepreneurs.

Despite the setbacks, Brian's determination remains. He shares his vision for a deli-style dispensary, his commitment to craft cannabis, and his hopes for opening Green Lane Express.

It's a conversation about perseverance, accountability, and the difference between creating opportunities on paper and delivering them in practice.

Recorded September 2026.

Learn more about Canna Connect at cannaconnectmn.com.

The experiences and allegations discussed reflect the guest's personal account and have not been independently verified by Canna Connect.

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community Network

Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

Minnesota's cannabis market is moving from licensing into something bigger: building businesses, creating jobs, investing in communities, and figuring out what support operators actually need.

Jess Jackson, Director of Community and Economic Development at the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management, joins Stephen Eigenmann on The Canna Connect Show to unpack what that work looks like from inside OCM.

Jess shares what OCM has learned through its Social Equity Mixer series, including the finding that 33% of social equity verified participants surveyed were pursuing their first business venture. That reality has helped shape a broader conversation around business readiness, cannabis compliance, access to resources, and what entrepreneurs need beyond simply receiving a license.

Stephen and Jess also dig into Minnesota's cannabis grant programs, including CanRenew and CanGrow, and why funding doesn't always flow directly from OCM to an individual business or farmer. They discuss the challenges surrounding cannabis financing, the role of intermediary organizations and CDFIs, and where changes to state law may require the industry to organize and advocate for itself.

The conversation expands into social equity eligibility, workforce development, labor, community engagement, expungement resources, tribal sovereignty, and the challenge of serving Minnesotans who have very different perspectives on cannabis.

It's an inside look at a side of OCM that doesn't always get as much attention, and a reminder that building Minnesota's cannabis industry involves more than getting businesses licensed.

Learn more about Canna Connect, subscribe to The Cannaverse, and find upcoming community events at CannaConnectMN.com.

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community Network

Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

What does it actually take to build a cannabis brand once the product leaves the warehouse?

For this episode of The Canna Connect Show, we're reaching back to a conversation recorded in November 2025 with Tara Falk, founder of Aim and Fire.

Tara has built her career around experiential and trade marketing, working across industries including tech, beauty, consumer products, beverages, and cannabis. Her work has taken her from retail activations and field teams to major events and festivals, giving her a perspective on what strong brands look like when they meet customers face to face.

In cannabis, Tara saw an opportunity to bring some of those same systems, expectations, and professionalism into an industry that was still figuring out how brands should show up.

Stephen and Tara get into trade marketing, retail activations, distribution relationships, field teams, compliance, and the importance of building a consistent brand experience beyond social media and advertising.

They also talk about Tara's early work with infused beverage brands, how cannabis beverages can change the way people experience the plant, and what Minnesota operators can learn from more developed cannabis markets like California.

The conversation is especially relevant for anyone launching a product, entering retail, planning an event activation, or trying to figure out how to turn a cannabis company into a recognizable brand.

Recorded in November 2025, this one still feels timely as more Minnesota brands begin moving from licensing and product development into the much harder question:

How do you actually get people to notice, understand, and remember what you've built?

Come meet Tara Falk at Cannabis & Community on October 15th in Duluth, MN!

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community Network

Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

Open your window and come on in to the Canna Connect Show for a Cannabis & Community update! 

We are hosting a cultivation celebration, brand showcase, and market update on October 15th at Clyde Iron Works. 

Thank you to our sponsors:

• ANANG Native Cannabis Company
• Cannasure
• Comcast Business
• Green Goods
• Moxie Creative 
• NECANN
• NorthStar Cultivation Supply 
• Park State Bank 
• SAX, LLP 
• What Rebates

Listen for more information about the Official After Party hosted by ANANG and Thrive Agritech. We'll be giving away a Volcano by Storz & Bickel during the event. 

Tickets on sale now:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cannabis-community-a-cultivation-celebration-tickets-1991495727330

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community Network

Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

Some conversations are worth coming back to.

For Season 2, Episode 15 of The Canna Connect Show, we're reaching into the vault for a conversation originally recorded in October 2025 with Brad Obermueller of the Center for Energy and Environment.

A lot has changed in Minnesota cannabis since we recorded it. But listening back, we were struck by how much of this conversation still matters.

Brad and Stephen Eigenmann talk about one of the less glamorous, but incredibly important, pieces of building a cannabis business: energy.

From LED cultivation lighting and utility costs to rebates and facility planning, Brad explains why operators should be thinking about efficiency early and how available resources can help businesses reduce the long-term cost of operating.

The conversation also goes well beyond cultivation.

Brad talks about energy assessments and efficiency opportunities for retailers and other businesses, why he wants CEE to become part of the checklist for Minnesota cannabis entrepreneurs, and what it means to build an energy-intensive new industry while thinking about the demands being placed on the electrical grid. 

Then the conversation gets personal.

Brad shares his experience being diagnosed with blood cancer, undergoing treatment, and having a physician at Mayo Clinic suggest he explore cannabis for symptom relief. He describes how cannabis became part of his experience navigating treatment and eventually helped shape his passion for supporting Minnesota's emerging cannabis industry. 

Stephen and Brad also get into the changing stigma around cannabis, Minnesota's unique relationship with hemp-derived THC beverages, home growers, small businesses, and a bigger question that feels just as relevant today:

What can we do now to make Minnesota cannabis better five years from now?

This one may be from the vault, but the conversation is far from outdated.

🎙️ The Canna Connect Show | Season 2, Episode 15

Recorded October 2025.

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community Network

Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

Cannabis businesses face marketing challenges that most industries don't.

Accounts get restricted. Content can disappear. Advertising options are limited. And now AI is changing how people discover businesses and information online.

So what do you do?

Kyle Sattler, co-founder of So Good, joins Stephen Eigenmann on The Canna Connect Show at CannaCon Midwest to talk about building visibility in a restricted industry.

Kyle shares the story of working with a Texas dispensary that couldn't initially afford his company's services. He gave the owner four things to change on the business's Google Business Profile. Kyle says that three months later, foot traffic had increased 94.6%.

From there, the conversation gets practical.

Kyle shares four areas cannabis businesses should pay attention to on Google: choosing the right category, consistently asking for reviews, adding new images, and posting updates.

Stephen and Kyle also explore educational YouTube content, blogs and FAQs, AI-driven search, AEO/GEO/AIO, website crawlability, and why answering real customer questions can help businesses build authority over time.

Kyle is equally clear that his approach isn't designed to produce customers overnight. He talks about the six-month to one-year mindset he asks businesses to consider when investing in long-term brand visibility, and why he'll refer a company elsewhere when what they actually need is immediate lead generation.

It's a conversation about marketing, but also about something we see constantly at Canna Connect: bringing what you know into an emerging industry while staying curious enough to learn what you don't.

Connect

Explore the free AI Visibility Check and learn more about Kyle's work:

https://sogoodteam.com/

 Follow more conversations from Minnesota cannabis, subscribe to The Cannaverse, and find upcoming Canna Connect events: 

https://cannaverse-newsletter.beehiiv.com/

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community Network

Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

Minnesota cannabis is being built one relationship at a time.

In this episode of The Canna Connect Show, Stephen Eigenmann sits down with Shawn Worth of Paragon Payroll for a conversation about cannabis, business, relationships, and finding your place inside an industry that's still taking shape.

Paragon Payroll specializes in payroll, HR, compliance, and workforce solutions for cannabis businesses. That puts Shawn in a unique position to work alongside companies navigating the operational realities that come with building in a highly regulated industry.

But the conversation is bigger than payroll.

It's about understanding the people you're working with, building relationships, solving problems, and recognizing that a successful cannabis industry requires an entire ecosystem behind the businesses consumers see.

Minnesota's market is still young. Cultivators are coming online. Dispensaries are opening. New employees are entering the industry. Service providers are learning the market. And relationships being formed today may continue shaping the industry for years to come.

That's why we're documenting these conversations now.

The Canna Connect Network

Paragon Payroll provides payroll, HR, compliance, and workforce support for cannabis businesses.

Paragon Payroll

Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) works with qualifying Minnesota indoor agriculture businesses in Xcel Energy territory to explore LED grow-lighting rebates and energy-efficiency opportunities. 

CEE Grow Lighting Rebates

Trailhead Cannabis Company is a family-owned Minnesota cannabis company connecting cultivation, manufacturing, and retail under one roof in Brainerd. 

Trailhead Cannabis Company

World Insurance works with businesses navigating insurance, risk, and the evolving needs of the cannabis industry.

World Insurance

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community

Every episode, Community Spotlight, partner profile, and event helps connect another piece of Minnesota's cannabis industry.

Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, The Cannaverse, and the organizations helping shape Minnesota cannabis.

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community Network

Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.

Packaging is more than a container. It influences perceived value, protects product quality and can determine whether a cannabis brand is prepared when harvest or production arrives.

Davis Tiburzi, Founder and CEO of CannaZip Packaging, joins Stephen Eigenmann to explain when operators should begin planning their packaging, why CannaZip emphasizes U.S.-made products and short lead times, and how emerging brands can balance compliance, creativity and cost.

Davis also shares how nearly a decade in commercial printing led him to identify gaps in the packaging industry and launch Custom Flex Packaging and its cannabis-focused brand, CannaZip. The conversation explores Minnesota’s developing market, low minimum order quantities, the importance of customer service, and how federal legalization could reshape cannabis culture and competition.

CannaZip is the official packaging partner of Canna Connect.

Learn more at https://www.cannazip.com or contact [email protected].

Become Part of the Canna Connect Community Network

Every episode, Community Spotlight, and partner profile helps connect Minnesota's cannabis industry. Visit CannaConnectMN.com to explore interviews, resources, events, and the trusted organizations helping shape the future of cannabis in Minnesota.