First Smoke of The Day

Hustlers of the world need to unite for this reunion episode with one of California’s most iconic brands that have taken their IP to a global scale in ways that trappers can only dream about.

Packgods and Blackleaf are joined by the mastermind breeder behind Gelato 33, Sunset Sherb, Bacio Gelato, and so many more, Mario Guzman aka Sherbinskis, for a follow-up conversation to see how far he’s come since we last connected on episode 25 back in 2021.

Mario truly pulls back the curtain on the global weed market in this episode, dropping gem after gem after gem after gem of insider knowledge on how to effectively scale your brand to the highest level. We’re talking big-boy mergers, preserving genetic libraries before the viroid hit, moving WEIGHT in and out of Canada, elevating your IP, and connecting with some of the true originators of the culture across Europe.

Along the way, you’ll get to hear Mario talk about his business endeavors and close calls with scammers and snakes with his significant other, some adventures in Milan that turned Mario off to the high fashion and fragrance world forever, as well as his exclusive seed activation with MJ BizCon happening in Las Vegas this year. He might even make some crazy announcements before the end…we’ll give you a hint, it has to do with the oldest seed bank in the world, Sensi Seeds.

Also, if you’ve been curious at all about weed events in places like Berlin, Barcelona, and more, you can’t miss a second of this pod. Mario weighs in heavily on why Spain is still gaining momentum, how Europe still hasn’t figured out how to move rosin properly, and how Canada is currently the global hub for indoor cultivation.

On a mental health note, you’ll also hear a lot of refreshing realizations from Mario on this episode since we last spoke with him in 2021. He details what it was like having “fame” and quickly growing tired of celebrities and Hollywood parties, losing his 200k+ IG account, finding happiness away from social media, and putting his heart and soul into his newest project, Voice of the Plant.

This episode is nothing short of inspiring, and we encourage everyone with a passion for weed to take a moment to hear Mario impart some of his wisdom, experience, and vast knowledge of the plant.

Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with tastemakers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.

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Try not to lose your lunch when you hear some of these crazy stories from one of the most globetrotting stoners we’ve ever met who’s lowkey building a food empire.

BlackLeaf and PackGods manage to catch Jerry Chu aka @vibewithchu between his insane personal content schedule and worldwide traveling efforts in support of @TFIL, a YouTube channel focused on travel and helping others with over 4 million subscribers.

Sit tight as Jerry deep dives into spending time between Bangkok and LA, soaking up the blossoming canna culture across Thailand while supporting Elton Castee’s channels on global scale. Learn how he’s been able to hop on countless flights and capture magic while still building his own social media empire off of cooking dank food, blowing big tree, and bumping incredible tunes.

You might want to take notes while @vibewithchu delves into how he found his content niche, got un-shadowbanned, and made the algorithm work in his favor to accrue over 100k new subscribers in a month. And this is just free game not even accounting for the crazy stories he has from working with Elton.

It all began with Jerry taking a PA job on Elton’s other channel, Haunted Homies, where he literally hunted ghosts with this guy until he brought him onto the @TFIL project. Your jaw will drop countless times during some of his travel stories like when they got a private tour of Afghanistan from the Taliban themselves, including an inside look into the caves Osama Bin Laden hid in.

You might even catch a little relationship advice from Jerry along the way about how to maintain a solid connection when you’re traveling almost non-stop. There’s a little bit of something relatable for everyone in this podcast alongside some of the fantastic things Jerry’s been able to experience and achieve at a young age.

Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with tastemakers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.

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If you feel like you know the real story of the cannabis scene exploding in Europe in the early 90s and 2000s, prepare to rewrite your history books with this episode with one of the true godfathers of herb.

Blackleaf is joined by international cannabis icon and lore keeper, Julian of TH Seeds, to hear his first-hand accounts of trapping indoor grows in Paris, moving packs to Amsterdam during its hay day, learning under Scott Blakey aka Shantibaba himself, and winning over 18 cannabis cups over his career since the early 1990s.

Julian dives deep into the formation of the famous Greenhouse Seeds, arguably the most successful cannabis business in the world, and winner of over 42 High Times Cannabis Cups since 1985. Along the way, you’ll hear never-before-heard origin stories of other legendary seed banks like Mr. Nice and Archive Seed Bank, and the relationship that Mr. Nice, Julian, Arjan, and Neville all shared during those times.

Blackleaf comes swinging with some huge questions during this episode such as whether or not Skunk is dead and whether good weed needs to even be over 15-18% THC. Julian responds with his in-depth opinion on the European weed market, highlighting the booming Barcelona market, and reassuring Blackleaf that iconic cultivars like Skunk, Haze, G13, White Widow, and White Rhino all still have original cuts floating around Europe from the OGs that are either still on shelves or could be revived.

Throughout this pod, Julian weighs in heavily on his opinions on the state of the American weed market, claiming it moves too quickly and doesn’t pay enough homage to the time-honored commercial genetics that has spawned the designer hybrids we see come and go so quickly today, as well as why Barcelona has become the new hub for all of the seasoned Dutch growers.

This is hands-down one of the most interesting guests we’ve ever had on FSOTD in terms of stake in the culture. Julian easily has over 30 years of experience hunting genetics, feminizing seeds, cultivating fire weed, and is now working with his partners to help enormous commercial grows around Europe hunt their own proprietary genetics and maximize their systems.

Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with originators of the culture you can’t find anywhere else.

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Get out your notepad for this pod because there are some serious GEMS being dropped for any creatives or entrepreneurs out there to scoop up.

BlackLeaf and PackGods sit down with the ultimate power couple taking the streetwear industry by storm, Jason and Mandee Bence, founders of Broken Promises. Jason and Mandee take us on their own wildly interesting journeys to finding each other, falling in love, and creating Broken Promises from the ground up together while also modeling on the side, because why not?

Jason (@jasonpromises), Broken Promises co-founder, dives deep into his sordid criminal history, background in cooking with legends like Guy Fieri and Michael Voltaggio, creating a rap duo with his twin brother, Sean (co-founder of Your Highness,) as well as trying his hand at the weed industry before ultimately stumbling into fashion.

Mandee Bence (@mandeebence) is the real secret weapon of this episode, y’all. You’re going to be on the edge of your seat the entire time Mandee recollects her beginnings at art school to landing her first job at a skate shop with THE Dom DeLuca aka @brooklyndom, and then moving on to higher-level creative roles at places like Vans, and NuEra.

Beyond their crazy stories, these two get into the nitty-gritty of how exactly they created Broken Promises, got it into Zumiez, and onto the backs of celebrities like Post Malone and Rubi Rose. They also give vital advice on building your first portfolio, establishing connections via LinkedIn and social with buyers, and faking it until you make it in the most masterful way possible.

Jason and Mandee are the perfect yin and yang of the most extroverted guy in the room combined with the quiet killer in the corner; both making moves at an alarming rate. Together, they’ve been able to scale Broken Promises to the level that they just did a collab with Mattel’s Hot Wheels. A feat that seems nearly impossible considering they’re a couple who run the entire operation without any other internal members. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to own and operate a company that rakes in millions with a staff of two—sit down and tune the f*ck in.

Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with tastemakers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.

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If you’ve seen any of the headlines about Michigan’s legal weed market surpassing California’s, you’d be crazy not to soak up the game from this pod.

PackGods and Blackleaf get an insider’s look at the booming market in the midwest from Hytek founders and cultivators, Chocolate and Tyler (@hytekdetroit.) From inside Hytek’s cushy creative space, you’ll get to hear some of the wildest stories you’ve never heard about what’s going down right now in Detroit and the surrounding areas.

Hytek co-founder, Chocolate, goes in with a full clip of hot takes on the current state of the Michigan market from the beginning of the episode and throughout. You’ll hear him make bold claims like Michigan only getting connoisseur-grade flower within the last three years. Or that live resin carts will always be better than live rosin carts.

Throughout the episode, Chocolate and Tyler provide invaluable intel on the booming border town dispensaries in Michigan that are essentially moving millions monthly to out-of-state trappers. Tyler affirms these numbers by highlighting Michigan’s extremely low taxation on recreational products right now, also bringing up that there is no cap on purchase quantities. Blackleaf jokes that he go in and accidentally buy five pounds of five different flavors.

If you’ve been wondering about the profitability of pre-packaged flower versus bulk flower in Michigan’s market, Chocolate and Tyler drop immense game on what’s been working for them with their cultivation space and distro. According to these two, the deli-style dispensaries we remember in California from back in the Prop 215 days are the current wave in the Midwest.

Midwest customers are apparently eating up the ability to look at fresh jars of bulk flower and see each nug weighed out for their bags. And this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of all the secrets these two let out about Detroit’s market…we didn’t even get into the cheap land they’ve been able to scoop up.

You’d be a fool not to absorb every tidbit possible from this interview with one of the biggest cultivators currently selling out of hype strains like Popz 41 across countless Michigan retailers.

Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with tastemakers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.

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Every hustler and designer needs to sit down and power through this hourlong podcast with the co-founder of one of the most prominent weed brands in the world if they want to truly “lock-in.”

PackGods and Blackleaf were finally able to corner elusive hustler from San Jose, @Gerry, co-founder of The TenCo, to walk us through his incredible entrepreneurial journey that’s now led The TenCo overseas to places like Thailand to continue spreading their iconic cultivars like the Blue Zushi strain you’ll often see smoked by No Jumper podcast hosts.

The guys jam-pack every question possible for @Gerry into this episode, learning how he cut his teeth as a 21-year-old creative director for World Star Hip-Hop during its medioric rise into the mainstream along with advice he got from WSHH founder Q himself on how to grow his craft as a designer and reach success. With the entire universes and original IP that The TenCo creates for each of their Zushi characters, it’s safe to say he’s putting Q’s advice to good use.

You’ll find out how @Gerry linked up with his partner who incepted the Zushi brand and cultivates the iconic fire people around the world smoke today. Gerry goes in on how he came up with the original characters and custom packaging for each of their Zushi strains which currently reign supreme over flavor-hunters everywhere.

If you’ve ever wondered how some of these celebrity collabs come about, Gerry elaborates on how The TenCo has gone on to form fluid and organic partnerships with multiple celebrities and entities including Coi Leray, ComplexCon, as well as an upcoming collab with Sexyy Red.

For all of the aspiring creatives out there, Blackleaf asks @Gerry point-blank how he got more into Illustrator, to which he eventually expresses that The TenCo is actually looking to hire new designers right now. If you have fire work to show off, @Gerry is the man to hit up in the DMs ASAP.

Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with tastemakers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get ready to feel inspired when you hear the story of Jesse and Ty from Exotic Matter founded in Michigan back in 2009.

The Exotic Matter (@_exotic_matter) story is one of pure discovery and unbridled passion for the plant. Today, they are dominating the rec market across Michigan, recently opening their own storefront, The Trap, in Muskegon, boasting the cheapest prices in the city.

It all began with Jesse’s dream and uncontrollable urge to start growing a few plants wherever he could stash them. When he met local underground growers online and was able to gain entry to their private forums, Jesse found himself exchanging seeds in the mail while he was simultaneously learning how to clone and find his way.

Jesse was always hungry to take the next big step and move away from his residential trap 4-lighters to a bigger commercial situation with staff. To get the knowledge he needed, Jessie spent time earning his stripes helping other cultivators run upwards of 150 lights until he and his partner found their sweet spot. He chronicles the growing pains of having to go from his various garage grows to a full-fledged commercial facility with 20 staff members.

It all paid off when Jesse’s family gave him the green light to build a massive outdoor grow on their 300-year-old family land that sits on an ancient glacial riverbed and empties into the Great Lakes of Michigan within the past several years. They’ve been cranking flower for fresh frozen and rosin pressing like gangbusters with no intention of stopping. BlackLeaf & PackGods remark on the impressive HQ they host the episode in as well as the flower presented to them.

BlackLeaf & PackGods can’t get enough of their Blue Yuzu strain in this pod, it doesn’t take long for them to start complimenting the smoke. Jesse even comments on Michigan’s lack of enforcement on how much product you can buy at their shop in Muskegon legally. There is no limit! BlackLeaf postulates picking up 5 P’s of his favorite flavors and walking out the door with a big smile.

If you’re curious about what exactly is going on in Michigan’s recreational market and who’s pumping out the most cutting-edge genetics and grabbing the best from Cali, you need to tap in with this conversation. Exotic Matter is sitting at the center of the culture in the Great Lakes State and steadily getting louder. They call themselves the “Keepers of the Fire” for a reason.

Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with new content and conversations with tastemakers and pioneers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.

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Try not to choke on your smoke between all the wild takes and unbelievable stories during this episode.

Our team is still reeling from the hilarious honor of hosting the notoriously disruptive kings of cannabis comedy, the Black Market Vikings, in our studio. The guys sit down with OG jokesters Jack Rawson (@CJ_Humboldt) and Jeremy Sanders (@JayHumboldt) for a tell-all that takes more twists and gut-busting turns than you can even imagine.

The Black Market Vikings have been shaking up the California cannabis scene from the jump, and it all began with CJ Humboldt trapping and scrounging for primo bag seeds around Humboldt County in 1996. We’ve all heard the legends about how pumping and jumping the Emerald Triangle was during the beginning of the Prop 215 era. If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to be a young buck back then with something to prove and plenty of good smoke in your lungs—you can’t miss this part of the pod.

CJ and Jay chronicle the beginning of Black Market Vikings in the wake of legalization and California’s rapidly shifting market and finding their niche in outlandish cannabis comedy. You’ll hear CJ drop gems about everything from going viral for their “That Weed Is Trash” skit to narrowly surviving a nasty car crash while simultaneously getting roadhead. Yes, you read that right. And that’s just scraping the surface of the strange stories and success these two have seen despite facing countless obstacles and rough situations while growing up.

Following the success of their YouTube channel and overall social media presence, Black Market Vikings further got their foothold in the culture when they began dropping crazy genetics that they didn’t even grow! Find out how CJ and Jay have built a weed brand without having to do any of the growing themselves. Learn the origin story of hype cultivars like White Lobster and their hilariously popular “Yamagucci Coochie” strain.

We highkey recommend not skipping a single second of this conversation not only for the comedic relief, but the sheer audacity that some unique individuals have to stake their claim in the cannabis industry by literally any means necessary. Follow Black Market Vikings on YouTube and social media for daily laughs and strains that sound funny, but seriously SMOKE.

Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with tastemakers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.

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All Hail: An Audience With The Duke of Doja

Get ready for an exclusive look at the man behind the curtain!

We're extremely excited to bring you a wildly decorated guest for this episode of First Smoke of the Day - breeder extraordinaire Duke of Doja. Join us and special guest Doja Pak for a dive into the Willie Wonka cannabis factory of the Duke's mind.

Duke of Doja refers to himself as a humble steward of fine cannabis, but don't let his modesty fool you. He's a modern-day alchemist, a mad scientist dealing in chromosomes and alleles to bring new and exciting strains to life.

Discovering his love for cannabis in Georgia, the Duke first came to California to compete in martial arts tournaments and immediately felt at home. After a smokey road trip across the country, a young Duke first dipped his toe into breeding, crossing strains and growing plants for personal use out of his small apartment in Humboldt.

Over twenty years later, the Duke has established himself as one of the most dedicated and creative breeders in the game. His award-winning strains have kept Doja at the top of the list of most sought-after brands and enthusiasts hungry for his next mind-blowing experiment.

The Duke's passion and curiosity have never waned, and we're here to soak up all the knowledge he has to throw at us and share it with you!

Pack a fatty and pull up a chair as we talk flower, genetics, and martial arts - everything our guest loves. The Duke shares some of his favorite deep-cut strains that you should be smoking, including Peach Tree and the famous Coffin Candy.

We hope you enjoy our talk with the Duke as much as we did. Hit up Doja for a look at his latest concoctions, and subscribe to our channel and our website FSOTD.com to keep up to date with other key players and tastemakers!

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