In this special episode of Inside Cultivation, the script is flipped — BigMike sits in the hot seat for the first time.
Interviewed by ACT specialist Eljay, BigMike reveals the raw, unfiltered truth behind the journey that built Advanced Nutrients, the world’s most trusted cannabis nutrient company.

From a childhood shaped by pain…
…to scientific breakthroughs that changed the industry…
…to life on the run under multiple aliases…
…to founding a global powerhouse…

This is the full story — told with zero filters.

In this episode, BigMike opens up about:
🔥 The childhood trauma that forged his relentless drive
🌱 The cloning breakthrough in 1983 that started everything
🕵️‍♂️ What life was really like as a fugitive
⛓️ The prison sentence that nearly ended it all
🌿 How the industry’s “Good Ol’ Boys” tried to shut him down
💰 Why they dodged his million-dollar head-to-head grow-off challenge
🧠 The self-awareness journey that turned an outlaw into a leader
🚀 What young entrepreneurs must understand about building something real

This isn’t your typical success story.
It’s the truth about building a legacy when the world bets against you.

Watch the interview now — and discover the story only BigMike could tell.
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Welcome to Inside Cultivation, the #1 destination for all things cannabis! 🌿
Join our host, BigMike, as we explore the latest industry news, cutting-edge technology, and in-depth insights into cannabis cultivation. Whether you're a seasoned grower or just curious about the world of cannabis, we've got you covered. Don't miss out—subscribe and stay informed with the best in the industry!

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Listen / Follow The Podcast:
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Instagram:   / insidecultivation 
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How did Texas build a $10 billion recreational market — without legalization?

In this eye-opening episode of Inside Cultivation, host BigMike sits down with Colton Luther, commercial cultivator and host of the Texas Growers Podcast, to uncover how the Lone Star State quietly turned hemp into a booming cannabis economy.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Texas transformed hemp into a $10B industry
• The political chess game behind repeated hemp bans
• Why Governor Abbott extended his private meeting with Colton
• How 200,000+ sq. ft. of indoor cultivation and hundreds of outdoor acres operate legally
• The truth behind the “8,000 dispensaries” claim
• What’s fueling growth projections to $20B by 2030
• Key lessons for cultivators nationwide

🔥 Discover how Texas bypassed traditional legalization to create America’s most surprising cannabis success story.

Watch now and join the conversation — we want to hear your take!
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Welcome to Inside Cultivation, the #1 destination for all things cannabis! 🌿
Join our host, BigMike, as we explore the latest industry news, cutting-edge technology, and in-depth insights into cannabis cultivation. Whether you're a seasoned grower or just curious about the world of cannabis, we've got you covered. Don't miss out—subscribe and stay informed with the best in the industry!

🎙️
Listen / Follow The Podcast:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeartRadio

Instagram:   / insidecultivation 
Tiktok:   / insidecultivationpodcast 
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In this episode of Inside Cultivation, BigMike sits down with Bobby Forde, Terrral Mapp, Candy Fraser, and Kevvian Black to explore why St. Vincent and the Grenadines is fast becoming cannabis cultivation’s next frontier—and the host of the epic CannaBliss SVG Festival, October 2–5, 2025.

🌋 What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How volcanic soil gives St. Vincent a unique edge over other islands
  
  
• How Advanced Nutrients helped rebuild the industry after the 2021 eruption
  
  
• Festival highlights: Beenie Man & Spragga Benz headlining the Grand Reggae Concert
  
  
• The Traditional Cultivators Village honoring 50+ years of heritage
  
  
• Why 100+ traditional Rastafari cultivators now hold licenses
  
  
• Exclusive facility tours of world-class cannabis operations & testing labs
  
  
• Direct export pathways to Europe fueling global opportunity
  
  
• How to attend the full conference for as little as $20 USD, including catamaran cruises through 32 pristine islands
  
  

✨ Backed by SVG’s Ministry of Agriculture, Bureau of Standards, and Tourism Authority, CannaBliss SVG Festival 2025 showcases how cannabis is driving cultural pride and economic growth.

👉 Watch now and see why St. Vincent offers the perfect blend of growing conditions, supportive regulations, and unforgettable hospitality.

🔗 Explore the full schedule & register here: https://cannablisssvg.gov.vc/

💬 Drop your questions, takeaways, or feedback in the comments—we’d love to hear from you!
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Welcome to Inside Cultivation, the #1 destination for all things cannabis! 🌿
Join our host, BigMike, as we explore the latest industry news, cutting-edge technology, and in-depth insights into cannabis cultivation. Whether you're a seasoned grower or just curious about the world of cannabis, we've got you covered. Don't miss out—subscribe and stay informed with the best in the industry!

🎙️
Listen / Follow The Podcast:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeartRadio

Instagram:   / insidecultivation 
Tiktok:   / insidecultivationpodcast 
🎙️

From underground roots to a legal cannabis empire—this week BigMike sits down with Ben Green of Grow Motion, one of Europe’s leading cultivators. With over 4,000 growers in his community, Ben is reshaping the future of cannabis cultivation across the continent.

🌍 In this episode, you’ll discover:
✔️ Ben’s journey from black market beginnings to running one of Europe’s most advanced facilities
✔️ Why the “We Grow Together” kit is changing how European cultivators approach growing
✔️ A first-of-its-kind contest with 100 growers competing for pharmacy distribution
✔️ How salts + additives = maximum terpenes & industrial-scale yields
✔️ Market insights: Why Germany is leading—and which countries are next
✔️ How a grassroots super-pheno hunt could uncover the next legendary strain
✔️ The mindset shift from basement growing to facility leadership
✔️ Why crop steering and high EC feeding separate elite cultivators from the rest

🎧 Watch now and get insider access to the future of cannabis cultivation.
💬 Comment below: What’s your biggest takeaway from this episode?

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Welcome to Inside Cultivation, the #1 destination for all things cannabis! 🌿
Join our host, BigMike, as we explore the latest industry news, cutting-edge technology, and in-depth insights into cannabis cultivation. Whether you're a seasoned grower or just curious about the world of cannabis, we've got you covered. Don't miss out—subscribe and stay informed with the best in the industry!

🎙️
Listen / Follow The Podcast:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeartRadio

Instagram:   / insidecultivation 
Tiktok:   / insidecultivationpodcast 
🎙️

The success of your grow starts with your ability to lead.

In this game-changing episode of Inside Cultivation, BigMike sits down with renowned business fixer Chris Collins to break down exactly how to turn a struggling cannabis facility into a profitable, high-performance operation.

You’ll learn:
✅ How to reset a burned-out, dramatic, or disengaged team
✅ Why most leadership advice keeps you stuck
✅ The key mindset shift that drives reliable returns
✅ How to set boundaries that transform team dynamics instantly
✅ What separates scaling cultures from ones that crumble under pressure
✅ The “shadow integration” process used by elite leaders

Whether you manage a large-scale grow or lead a tight-knit cultivation crew, this episode will redefine how you lead, communicate, and scale.

Watch now and take the first step toward a stronger, more resilient team.

📱 Follow @InsideCultivation on Instagram for exclusive clips, bonus content, and leadership insights.

👇 Drop a comment with your leadership wins or challenges — we might feature your question in a future episode.
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Welcome to Inside Cultivation, the #1 destination for all things cannabis! 🌿
Join our host, BigMike, as we explore the latest industry news, cutting-edge technology, and in-depth insights into cannabis cultivation. Whether you're a seasoned grower or just curious about the world of cannabis, we've got you covered. Don't miss out—subscribe and stay informed with the best in the industry!

🎙️
Listen / Follow The Podcast:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeartRadio

Instagram:   / insidecultivation 
Tiktok:   / insidecultivationpodcast 
🎙️

What separates top-tier cultivators from those just getting by? In this game-changing episode, BigMike sits down with Matt Roseman—aka Michigan Matt—a seasoned cultivation consultant who’s helped dial in commercial grows across the country.

Together, they unpack what actually works in today’s high-pressure cultivation environment and how to turn chaotic operations into smooth, scalable systems.

In this episode, you'll learn:
🌱 Why the veg stage is your grow’s make-or-break foundation
⏱ How Matt consistently cuts 7 days off flower without sacrificing quality
💡 The efficiency hacks that save hours of labor every cycle
💰 What makes branded flower command $200–$300 more per pound
🔁 How to build systems that run without constant oversight

Whether you're running a multi-room facility or planning your next expansion, this is the insight you’ve been waiting for.

👉 Watch now and drop a comment with your biggest takeaway!
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Welcome to Inside Cultivation, the #1 destination for all things cannabis! 🌿
Join our host, BigMike, as we explore the latest industry news, cutting-edge technology, and in-depth insights into cannabis cultivation. Whether you're a seasoned grower or just curious about the world of cannabis, we've got you covered. Don't miss out—subscribe and stay informed with the best in the industry!

🎙️
Listen / Follow The Podcast:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeartRadio

Instagram:   / insidecultivation 
Tiktok:   / insidecultivationpodcast 
🎙️

In this episode of Inside Cultivation, BigMike sits down with Kevin and Brendan McKernan of Medicinal Genomics to unpack what the cannabis industry is still getting wrong about genetics—and what that means for your grow, your business, and the future of plant science.

From CannMed breakthroughs to the hemp loophole, AI-driven research, and the myth-filled cannabis-schizophrenia debate, this is the ultimate deep-dive for anyone serious about staying ahead in the cannabis space.

💥 What you'll learn:

• Why CannMed is the #1 conference for cannabis science
  
  
• How the hemp loophole is creating chaos—and risk
  
  
• The real risks of feminized seeds to genetic diversity
  
  
• What AI and emerging tech mean for cannabis cultivation
  
  
• How microbiomes could supercharge yield and plant health
  
  
• Why IP protection is a must for your genetic data
  
  
• The truth behind the cannabis and schizophrenia debate
  
  
• Why it’s time to align hemp and cannabis regulations
  
  
• Whether you're a grower, geneticist, policymaker, or curious consumer—this conversation will change the way you think about cannabis science.
  
  

🔬 Watch now to discover YOUR secret weapon in cannabis genetics.
👇 Drop a comment below with your biggest “aha!” moment.
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Welcome to Inside Cultivation, the #1 destination for all things cannabis! 🌿
Join our host, BigMike, as we explore the latest industry news, cutting-edge technology, and in-depth insights into cannabis cultivation. Whether you're a seasoned grower or just curious about the world of cannabis, we've got you covered. Don't miss out—subscribe and stay informed with the best in the industry!

🎙️
Listen / Follow The Podcast:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeartRadio

Instagram:   / insidecultivation 
Tiktok:   / insidecultivationpodcast  

On this episode of Inside Cultivation, BigMike sits down with Dr. Riley Kirk — cannabis scientist, TikTok phenom, and author of Reefer Wellness — for one of our most revealing conversations yet.

As the lead researcher behind the largest cannabis study in the world (30 million+ data points!), Riley breaks down groundbreaking insights on terpene delivery, tolerance, brain chemistry, and why so many people are getting edibles totally wrong.

🔥 In this episode, you’ll discover:
• Why 1 in 5 people feel nothing from edibles — and how to fix it
• How daily cannabis use reshapes your CB1 receptors, anxiety, and focus
• What the Science of Smokability study revealed about terpene loss, ash color & drying
• How tolerance can benefit ADHD, PTSD & neurodivergent brains
• The truth behind skunky aroma (spoiler: it’s not terpenes)
• What’s really causing CHS, and the overlooked role of vape carts
• How to build deeper brand loyalty by treating every user like a patient

Whether you're growing at scale or building a brand, this is a must-listen for marketers, cultivators, and conscious consumers alike.

👉 Follow Riley’s content here:
   / @cannabichem 

📘 Grab Dr. Riley Kirk’s book Reefer Wellness – a must-read guide to cannabis, chemistry, and conscious use:
https://www.amazon.com/Reefer-Wellnes...

💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we want to hear from you!

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Welcome to Inside Cultivation, the #1 destination for all things cannabis! 🌿
Join our host, BigMike, as we explore the latest industry news, cutting-edge technology, and in-depth insights into cannabis cultivation. Whether you're a seasoned grower or just curious about the world of cannabis, we've got you covered. Don't miss out—subscribe and stay informed with the best in the industry!

🎙️
Listen / Follow The Podcast:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeartRadio

Instagram:   / insidecultivation 
Tiktok:   / insidecultivationpodcast  

Before legalization.
Before tech.
Before anyone dared to say craft cannabis out loud…

There was Bob Cain and BigMike — two outlaw growers rewriting the rules from deep in the shadows.

In this never-before-told conversation, BigMike reunites with his original grow partner from 37+ years ago to reveal the wild, risky, and brilliant roots of what would become a global cannabis empire.

💥 From backwoods busts to brilliant breakthroughs — this episode is packed with real-deal stories every grower should hear.

🔥 Inside This Epic Episode:

• How they cracked the super soil code for explosive outdoor yields
  
  
• The counter-surveillance tricks that kept them steps ahead of the DEA
  
  
• Why cheap nutes = pretty buds with no punch — and what they used instead
  
  
• The “aha” moment BigMike discovered bioavailable nutrition = true potency
  
  
• How they used planes to find perfect, hidden grow spots
  
  
• Surviving multiple busts — and how those lessons shaped Advanced Nutrients
  
  
• The birth of “ooey gooey” flower and top-shelf standards
  
  
• Why loyalty, grit, and vision were more important than laws
  
  

🎯 BONUS: Bob Cain’s new novel The Keeper: Part 1 is out now on Amazon
This powerful story follows Mariano Giovanelli, a rising NHL goaltender who walks away from the game to raise his son after losing his wife during childbirth. Seventeen years later, a tragic accident forces Mariano to consider an impossible comeback—both on the ice and in life.
📘 Get your copy here →
https://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Part-1-...

If you’ve ever wondered what it really took to grow elite cannabis when the stakes were highest — this is the blueprint.
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Welcome to Inside Cultivation, the #1 destination for all things cannabis! 🌿
Join our host, BigMike, as we explore the latest industry news, cutting-edge technology, and in-depth insights into cannabis cultivation. Whether you're a seasoned grower or just curious about the world of cannabis, we've got you covered. Don't miss out—subscribe and stay informed with the best in the industry!

🎙️
Listen / Follow The Podcast:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeartRadio

Instagram:   / insidecultivation 
Tiktok:   / insidecultivationpodcast 
🎙️

This week, BigMike sits down with cannabis industry OG and 818 Brands mastermind Rami Vardi—an innovator who’s been pushing boundaries and setting standards for nearly two decades.

In this power-packed episode, Rami shares how he scaled 818 from 550 lights to 4,500+ while maintaining true craft quality—all without falling for industry hype.

🌱 Here’s what you’ll learn:
How 818 scaled without selling out in a race-to-the-bottom market
The real truth behind LED lighting—and why your lighting guy might be sweating
Why “deep red LED” is mostly hype, not harvest
Under-canopy lighting tips that actually trigger top-tier trichomes
The art and science behind one of the most beautiful cannabis packages in the game
What 99.9% of U.S. growers are missing when it comes to global exports

🔥 Plus: Lighting myths busted, legal fallacies exposed, and big-picture strategy from one of the best to ever do it.

🎧 Watch now and hear how Rami Vardi is building a global cannabis empire—without cutting corners.

👇 Drop a comment, hit like, and subscribe for more deep dives into high-level cultivation.

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Welcome to Inside Cultivation, the #1 destination for all things cannabis! 🌿
Join our host, BigMike, as we explore the latest industry news, cutting-edge technology, and in-depth insights into cannabis cultivation. Whether you're a seasoned grower or just curious about the world of cannabis, we've got you covered. Don't miss out—subscribe and stay informed with the best in the industry!

🎙️
Listen / Follow The Podcast:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeartRadio

Instagram:   / insidecultivation 
Tiktok:   / insidecultivationpodcast 
🎙️