In this second episode of the Flourishin’ in Cannabis Podcast, host Vien sits down with Dr. CJ Segal-Isaacson founder of Growing Renaissance and Ruth Randall Co-Owner at Green Sugar Leaf Farms to explore the real struggles of cannabis microbusinesses in New York. From the devastating impact of “inversion” — where up to 80% of products on dispensary shelves come from out-of-state instead of New York growers, to the delayed seed-to-sale rollout, the 25-mile dispensary rule, and the broken promises of social equity and grant funding, the guests reveal how small farmers are fighting to survive. Both women share their deep roots in cannabis culture and science — Ruth as a lifelong grower and herbalist, CJ as a medical academic turned cultivator — while warning of the looming threat that rescheduling could hand the industry to Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, and Big Beverage. Packed with candid insights and authentic stories, this episode bridges culture, compliance, and innovation while spotlighting the resilience of New York’s first wave of licensed farmers.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Welcome to Flourishin' in cannabis Podcast
• 00:00:52 - Meet Dr. CJ Segal-Isaacson and Ruth Randall
• 00:01:23 - From Medical Academia to Cannabis Farming
• 00:01:58 - A Look at High-Tech, Organic Cultivation
• 00:02:59 - Starting an Herbal Company to Fund a Cannabis Venture
• 00:04:23 - A Debt-Free Cannabis Business Model
• 00:06:45 - Challenges for NY Microbusinesses
• 00:07:55 - Illegal Out-of-State Competition ("Inversion")
• 00:08:48 - Farms Opened Before Dispensaries
• 00:09:44 - The Risk of Destroying Unsellable Crops
• 00:10:35 - Unexpected MSO Competition
• 00:12:09 - Proposing Solutions to State Regulators
• 00:12:41 - The High Cost of Packaging
• 00:13:51 - The Restrictive "25-Mile Rule"
• 00:15:28 - Broken Promises on Direct-to-Consumer Sales
• 00:17:12 - Lack of Promised Grants and Funding
• 00:17:30 - The Failure of Social Equity Promises
• 00:20:08 - Impact of Delays on Tech Companies
• 00:27:19 - A Theory on the State's System Delay
• 00:28:13 - Challenge: The High Burden of a "Micro" License
• 00:30:08 - A Lifelong Passion for the Plant
• 00:31:06 - A Scientific Approach to Cannabis
• 00:34:06 - A Pharmaceutical Takeover
• 00:35:58 - Where to find Dr. CJ Segal-Isaacson and Ruth Randall online

Links and Resources:

• Flourish Software
• Vien Trinh on LinkedIn
• Growing Renaissance
• Green Sugar Leaf Farms
• Ruth Randall on LinkedIn

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Flourishin' in Cannabis? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!