Grassroots Marketing

We speak with Robert Hoban, leader of Clark Hill’s AmLaw-leading Cannabis Industry Group about his 2023 NoCo Hemp Expo presentations on "Align The Message & Align The Industry" and "Like it or not, ESG is not going anywhere. And Hemp can lead the way."

ESG means “environmental, social and governance,” and represents a more stakeholder-centric approach to doing business. ESG is set on the principle that the environment is only one factor in determining an organization's commitment to sustainability. As ESG increasingly becomes top of mind for directors, it’s essential to consider the global nuances that drive focus region by region. Companies that adhere to environmental, social and governance standards agree to conduct themselves ethically in those three areas, and can draw on a range of strategies, tactics and ESG solutions.

Robert is a corporate and M&A attorney sitting at the center of the world’s largest commercial cannabis industry network. I am a leader of Clark Hill’s AmLaw-leading Cannabis Industry Group. As the cannabis industry commercialized, he has been widely credited for creating the class of lawyers now known as “cannabis attorneys.”     

He also hosts The Hoban Minute, where my weekly guests and I explore the history, policy, legal issues, and newest developments shaping the global cannabis industry.    

Texas Lawmakers Vote To Allow Medical Marijuana As Opioid Alternative While Replacing THC Limit. We talk about this and more with Richard Cheng - Member Attorney at Weaver Johnston Nelson, PLLC as part of our 2023 NoCo Hemp Expo coverage. We also discuss his presentation on Raising Capital, M&A and Deal Flow

Richard Y. Cheng’s practice focuses on corporate transactions and advises clients on cannabis regulatory matters. Richard developed a cannabis regulatory and corporate practice in 2013 and grew his practice by representing a variety of cannabis related clients at a national law firm. Subsequently, Richard was an equity partner and chair of the hemp/hemp cannabinoid products practice at a global AmLaw 100 law firm, leading multiple initiatives in building the firm’s reputation in cannabis. As a leading cannabis attorney, Richard represents cannabis businesses, investors, private equity groups, healthcare providers in medical marijuana programs and cannabis ancillary providers.

Richard has represented the Texas Cannabis Industry Association (TCIA) as its external general counsel, served as a board member for a hemp cannabinoid bio-pharmaceutical company, co-authored multiple cannabis publications and has been named a top 250 cannabis legal expert by Databird Research Journal. Lastly, Richard teaches cannabis law as an adjunct faculty at UNT Dallas College of Law.

We speak with Scott Vasterling, the founder of Humboldt Family Farms. Scott blends decades of leadership in health and wellness with his family’s thriving Humboldt farming, distribution and restaurant businesses. Vasterling guides the vision and daily business operations of the Humboldt-based entity that supports regional farms, including his own.

All its partner growers are small farms in Humboldt County, including the legendary Amaranth Farms (whose seeds were brought to California from Afghanistan by its founders in the late 1960s and early 1970s) and Arcata Fire, which produces high-quality cannabis concentrates. In other words: This herb is the real deal.

Part of the brand’s allure includes Humboldt Family Farms’ focus on so-called legacy cannabis varieties—cultivars like Maui Waui, OG, Train Wreck, and Blue Dream, which have been grown and sold for decades before cannabis became legal even for medical use. Thanks to its relationships with deep-rooted local growers, Humboldt Family Farms sells those strains today as whole cannabis flowers, pre-rolled joints, and vape cartridges.

Liz Geiselman, CEO of Rocky Mountain Reagents, joined the Noco Hemp Expo for a preshow interview. Her company has been in operation since 1951 and she has been intimately involved in the cannabis industry since it was legalized in Colorado over a decade ago. She has worked to shape, advise, and educate the industry to mirror what traditional food and dietary markets might require. Rocky Mountain Reagents is an OEM manufacturer producing custom product lines for several companies, everything from custom labeling, and current inventory, to custom product development, formulation, packaging, and labeling. Liz is helping cannabis companies pioneer forensics and scientific solutions with trusted outcomes.

Rocky Mountain Regions has been active in the cannabis industry since the beginning of legalization 15 years ago. They focus on providing clean chemistry and educating the market on the importance of using safe products. They have two brands, 710 Spirits, and Cannabis Kitchen Supplies, and their products provide extraction chemistry, testing laboratory supplies, and kitchen equipment for cannabis products.

On Thursday, March 30, they will be speaking at the Business and Investment Conference Track, advocating for the importance of buying from ancillary companies that support the industry through education and advocacy. Rocky Mountain Regions aims to help the industry understand the regulations and standards that products must meet in order to ensure safety and quality.

James Granger, Chief Political Officer of Clintel Capital Group, is one of the featured speakers at the NoCo hemp expo for 2023. He is part of a panel that will be discussing the cannabis industry's take on the hemp industry. He believes that bridging the gap between the cannabis and hemp industries, as well as educating lawmakers on the regulations and standards of the two industries, will be beneficial in the effort to legalize cannabis. He believes that compounds from both the hemp and cannabis plants need to be used together to create new products, with specific effects, in the future.

This conversation discusses bridging the gap between cannabis and policymakers, and how to do this effectively. The individual highlights their experience, including designing and building extraction and processing facilities for cannabis companies, as well as creating a lab designed for tours to demystify the hash creation process. They suggest that going to regulators with a unified voice and providing the details of what is going on, it will help create a safe and regulated cannabis environment.

James talks about how, when they opened their lab, they wanted to demystify the process and explain to regulators and lawmakers how useful this industry can be. They emphasize the need for safety and proper planning and procedures, and how they have helped develop regulations. Additionally, they stress the importance of providing jobs and educating regulators on the potential benefits of cannabinoids like CBN and CBG. Lastly, they talk about how they have the knowledge to translate complex scientific information into a form that regulators can understand.

Finn Murphy is a bestselling author, engaging speaker, and sought-after guest on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, NPR, and the PBS NewsHour. He has written a book called Rocky Mountain High: A Tale of Boom and Bust in the New Wild West which is available for preorder on Amazon. Finn Murphy recently joined Grassroots Marketing to discuss the upcoming 2023 No Cohab Expo. Finn expressed his enthusiasm for being on cannabis radio and discussed his book and its themes. His book is a great example of the boom and bust experienced by the cannabis industry and will provide readers with a unique insight into the industry.

Finn is a Colorado resident who tells the story of his journey as a long-haul trucker and hemp farmer. After the 2018 Farm Bill passed, the speaker decided to pivot away from hemp farming and become a middleman. He started building drying sheds on the side of football fields and assembled an eclectic crew of workers to help him. He faced challenges such as freezing temperatures and dealing with bankers but managed to overcome them. The speaker discusses the hype surrounding hemp at the time and how it was thought to be a panacea by many. He himself joined in with the hopes of making a living as a small farmer but struggled due to the climate and other farm problems.

In this conversation, Finn talks about his experience working with a hemp farm before the pandemic hit. He had done about ten startups before this venture, and he was a poster boy for many of the people that entered the hemp industry with little experience. Unfortunately, due to an oversupply of hemp biomass and flour, the market collapsed, forcing many businesses to close. Fin wrote a book, The Long Haul of Truckers Tales, detailing his experience and the hardships he faced while running the business. He emphasizes that it is a tragedy-comedy, as he recounts his mistakes as a business owner and investor and the difficulties of managing a business in an unstable market. He also mentions that even with the right knowledge and effort, it's not always possible to succeed in the industry.

Darwin Manila, Chief Scientific Officer for Final Bill Corporation and regular attendee of NCIA's cannabis industry, joined the Cannabis Radio show to discuss the cannabis industry's take on hemp and the upcoming 2023 Noco Hemp Expo. Manila is set to speak twice at the event, once on day one to discuss the cannabis industry's perspective on hemp, and again on day three to provide an update on hemp for the year 2023. Manila discussed the current implementation of the FDA Hemp Bill and the need for further guidance from the FDA. He also previewed his upcoming talks on the same topics and expressed his excitement to be a part of the expo.

The conversation is about two talks the speaker is having on standards and minor novel and synthetic cannabinoids. Jorge highlights the fact that cannabinoids have made hemp investable and people are trying to ride that wave. They discuss the difference between THC from marijuana and hemp and CBD from marijuana and hemp. Jorge also talks about the regulations on marijuana versus hemp, and advocates for a different context when talking about marijuana and hemp. They advocate for a whole-plant approach rather than blurring the lines between marijuana and hemp.

 Nick Weeks, VP of Sales, Service, and Operations at N2 Packaging System, a sustainable packaging company that provides packaging solutions for the legal cannabis sector.

He discusses how brands in emerging markets can profit from being early adopters of sustainable cannabis packaging principles when regulators integrate sustainable packaging standards into licenses that businesses will need to open by this year.

Before joining N2, Nicholas worked as an independent cannabis and hemp consultant. When big retailers like Jacksons Food Stores, Tobacco Connection, and Big Smoke introduced new CBD and hemp SKUs, he worked with them to ensure the product assortment was successful. In addition, he held educational seminars and in-store training sessions with retail level staff to cover the ins and outs of these relatively unknown product lines. Nick also collaborated with CBD producers on brand building and product development plans.



Grassroots Marketing discusses Wandering Bud ceramic smoking accessories with the founder Riley Brain.

Wandering Bud is a line of ceramic smoking accessories handmade in Kansas City, Missouri. Wandering Bud pipes, trays, bongs, and other accessories are designed to be beautifully displayed on your coffee table or alongside your best art and home decor.

 At the core, Wandering Bud solves problems. Gone are the days of hiding away grimey bongs or pipes creating an eyesore. Wandering Bud pieces offer a smooth hit, high design, and easy cleaning every time.

Wandering Bud’s products are elevated above what you might find at a local head shop. These handmade slip-cast ceramic creations start conversations and elevate your smoke sesh.

 Wandering Bud lives at the intersection of what the ever-conscious consumer cares about: quality, equity, and investing in our communities.

 In 2016, founder Riley Brain left her career in teaching to start making functional art for cannabis consumers out of her basement. Today Wandering Bud employs a team full of women, many of whom are graduates of the local art institute, in their home-grown studio in Kansas City.

 Wandering Bud is a leader in the space by paying their employees a living wage with benefits, participating in profit sharing with employees, donating a portion of their profits to equity-oriented organizations Kansas City GIFT and Floret Coalition.

 With hundreds of thousands of followers across social media, Riley and the Wandering Bud team are experts in growing a brand, hacking the anti-cannabis algorithm, and cultivating a faithful community willing to fight for them amid increasing censorship online.

Grassroots Marketing talks about Creating Vape Technology With Design Luxury with Drew Henson, Founder/CEO of TOQi.

Drew is a Formula 1, Red Dot and iF Design Award-Winner, CLIO Cannabis Award Recipient and SXSW Interactive Innovation Award Finalist who recently started a fellowship dedicated to advocating for the pardoning Canadians with cannabis possession charges and helping them retake their lives. 

Drew entered the market with a goal to design luxury cannabis accessories equivalent to being the "Dyson of the cannabis industry," and since then has gone on to build a million dollar business.

Founded by award-winning designers, TOQi creates premium industry leading cannabis consumption technology from their headquarters in Toronto, Ontario. Inspired by the intersection of design and culture, TOQi believes that attention to detail and user experience are of the utmost importance.