Profiles by Cannabiz Social

This week we speak to Cyo Ray Nystrom, Co-Founder and CEO of Quim Rock. Before joining the cannabis sector in 2015, Cyo worked in tech sales and decided to bring her knowledge and expertise into the cannabis industry after California Governor, Jerry Brown, changed the cannabis legislation. When she started, she worked as the Head of Sales for Meadow Care and eventually founded Quim Rock with Rachel Washtien. The idea behind the business emerged when Cyo realized the need for a proactive vaginal health supplement. She then began to do further research into personal health and the benefits that cannabis can have on the human body. This led to Quim Rock which provides personal care products for vaginas that uses the natural elements of cannabis.

This week we speak to Jake Levin and Andrew Duffy, founders of Best in Grow. Jake and Andrew met at Harvard University and became interested in the cannabis industry when they realized the importance that psychology and behavioural economics had within the cannabis sphere. They noticed several problems within the industry and wanted to solve them by having every cannabis operation on the same page. This led to the creation of Best in Grow, a web and mobile platform that helps retail and dispensary operators to maximize their efficiency and effectiveness in the cannabis environment. Their company provides scheduling, task management, product information, feedback surveys, sales strategies, and more. Their organization’s goal is to help cannabis businesses do the best work that they can through the use of their software.

This week we speak to Brittany Carbone, Founder and CEO of TONIC, which is a US based company that creates handcrafted CBD + botanical blends to help calm your mind, heal your body and #FixYourVibe.

Brittany worked in the health and wellness sector as a personal trainer and health coach for six years. During this time, she was an avid cannabis user, both medicinally and recreationally. Brittany’s anxiety and depression were reduced when using cannabis, but she needed to find a consumption method that would allow her to focus on her personal training clients. Brittany learned about the benefits of CBD and realized that it worked well and provided the essential benefits that she needed.

This created the vision for TONIC. She took her knowledge of supplements and wellness and combined CBD with purposeful, plant-based ingredients to create elevated wellness products. She began by sharing her knowledge and her homemade samples with her clients to enhance their workouts and lifestyles. Today, TONIC provides CBD blends using herbs and superfoods that can help individuals in different aspects of their lives.

This week we speak with Tom Doran, Founder and CEO of Pattern Micro. Tom was introduced into the industry when his family created a local smoke shop brand. This experience has provided Tom with a strong background in the legal cannabis retail experience. Tom then founded Pattern Micro which assists independent growers’ transition into the legal cannabis ecosystem. Pattern’s experienced staff provide consulting from A to Z which includes government, facility, equipment, branding, and business logistics. Through this work, Pattern has the vision to create Canada’s largest legal independent collective of world-class micro cultivators.

This week we speak with Vincent Ning, Owner and CEO of Nabis. Vince’s work in the cannabis industry began after his success in the Silicon Valley. After his work in the tech industry, he began helping a friend distribute cannabis products across California making connections within the cannabis community. Vincent realized that he solved a need within the industry and created his cannabis distribution company. Today, Nabis is one of the largest cannabis distribution services within the state of California and has plans for expansion in the future.

This week we speak with Doug Sommerville, Chief Executive Officer at PlantEXT. Doug has spent the last 30 years in the medical and pharmaceutical industries allowing him to gain incredible industry experience. After retiring for one month, Doug quickly returned to work in the cannabis industry where he is focused on the development of cannabis medications that are targeted to specific diseases. This interest began when he had a personal experience with cannabis and the effects it had on a relative’s health. It became clear that cannabis treatment worked extremely well and made a huge difference in that individuals’ life when the traditional medication was ineffective. PlantEXT will help provide a better quality of life for patients across the globe by providing medical cannabis prescriptions.

This week we speak with Victoria Dekker. Victoria is the Communications Manager with Organigram, Atlantic Canada’s original licensed producer of high-quality medical cannabis. Victoria’s passion for cannabis started when her father was prescribed medical cannabis. Since then, she began researching and wanted to know everything about its medical potential. As she moved into the developing industry, she brought an extensive background in communications from her previous work as content creator, journalist, editor, researcher, and strategist.

We apologize for a few choppy spots in the recording – While slightly annoying, they don’t take away from the awesome interview in any way which we hope you enjoy!

This week we speak with Mike, the creator of Green Grow Spaces. Mike has over 20 years of experience in cannabis cultivation and began his journey when he was 18 years old. Mike began growing cannabis in his basement where he developed the knowledge and expertise for cultivation by experimenting with different cannabis mediums. Mike then created a YouTube channel that allowed him to share his passion. In his videos, he discusses growing cannabis at home and the importance of genetics, lighting and ventilation. To this day, his channel has helped his viewers maximize their yields growth potential.

This week we speak with Matt Durrant, the General Manager at Medigrow Inc. Medigrow opened its doors in 2016 in Edmonton. The company provides multiple services to aid in the cannabis cultivation process in both residential and commercial operations. Medigrow facilitates cultivation knowledge to cannabis patients who are interested in growing their own cannabis as well as the average recreational user. Throughout the process, they will assist their customer through training and equipment to ensure that the client gets the best experience with at-home cultivation.

Alison McMahon is a human resource professional and consultant. In Fall of 2015, Alison became interested in the legalization of cannabis and the industry that came with it. That October, Alison founded Cannabis at Work which focused on training and advice on impairment in the workplace. Today, the organization is concentrated on recruitment services for cannabis companies. They help fill the jobs with experienced and well-rounded individuals.