Selling Weed

Guests: Luigi Troche - Duke of Purchasing, Mary Mart / Jena Kelly - Cannabis Sales Consultant

After we recap Jena's work vacation, Ari addresses the big news that he's leaving Washington and announces where he's heading. (Vegas, Baby!!!)

We then spend some time getting to know Luigi Troche who has been Mary Mart's buyer for 6 years. As fellow experienced cannabis buyers, Ari and Luigi compare notes on their favorite vendors and the various things that makes their job challenging.

TOPICS:

• What buyers are looking for when deciding which vendors to work with.
• Vendor behavior or practices that get you dropped from a store.
• Are unsolicited vendor samples a waste of everyone's time? (Yes!)
• Ari visited a consumption lounge, bought some oil, and got ripped off in Vegas
• The Red Army can't defeat Soulshine
• Retail shops in WA are being robbed and burglarized at an alarming rate
• You'll Soon Be Able To Pay For Weed With Crypto

Visit Mary Mart in Tacoma, WA

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Guest: Chef Jeremy Cooper - Cannabis Crusader ("Some Dude")

Chef Jeremy Cooper is a man on a mission. A mission to make the future a better place--and using cannabis to make it happen!  In one of the most interesting and mind-blowing discussions we've had, Chef Jeremy Cooper discusses how cannabis saved his life and what he's doing to pay that forward. 

Just some of the topics discussed:

• Chasing DaVinci
• Formulating cannabis concoctions to heal
• Seattle's Hempfest--Is a "protestival" still relevant?
• Are edibles for everyone? What to do when someone is freaking out on THC.
• Making cannabis-infused shampoo
• Psilocybin is the past, present, and the future
• Growing cannabis in outer space for the future of man

We then check in with Jena who is on vacation and recently visited NYC for CannaCon. She calls in with a full report on the state of cannabis in The Big Apple!

We discuss the Oregon State University study everyone was sharing this week regarding Cannabis "blocking" Covid 19, with a reality check for everyone (sorry!)
No, Smoking Marijuana Does Not Protect You From Covid 19

Lastly, Ari has MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT regarding the future of this show and his job...

Get in touch with Chef Jeremy Cooper on Instagram OR 1 (833) 420-CHEF

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Happy New Year! We're celebrating with a live episode recording from Legal Smoke Consulting's New Years Smokin Eve in Seattle! Numerous cannabis industry guests stop by to say hello and tell us about the weed they're selling. We're also calling a few guests from the past year to say Happy New Year and see what's coming from them in 2022.

Watch the full episode on YouTube

In-Studio Guests:

• Mama T - Legal Smoke Consulting
• Aaron Pelley - Cultiva Law
• Brennan - Puget Power
• Rudy - Terpene Transit
• Allen Yates - Buddies Brand
• Marina Bridenbaugh - CannaCamperWA

Call-In Guests:

• Josh Sepulveda - Higher Leaf/Green-Theory
• Dr. Jordan Zager - Dewey Scientific
• Josh Kilburn & Tera Martin - NWCS/4Front
• Steve Schechterle - Skord

For reference, our "Bad Strain Names" List:

• OLD PURPLE PUSSY
• GRANDMA'S FOOT
• LEMON ALIEN PUKE
• ACTUAL PAIN
• SHEFF JESSIONS
• BANDAIDS FIX TEARS
• PLUMBER'S CRACK
• GRANDPA'S HOE
• TRUCKER'S FART
• STRAWBERRY DOGSHIT

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Intro Guests: Evan Anderson & Mike Gallegos from Green-Theory BelRed
Interview Guests: Matt & Brandon from Kured Extracts

After a short intro with Evan & Mike hanging out in the break room at GT-BelRed; Ari sits down with Matt and Brandon from Kured, takes a lot of dabs, and tries to power through this episode.

Kured Extracts are producing some of the finest hash rosin in existence today. Grown with the utmost care in organic living soil, with the sole purpose of harvesting for hash. It's truly a small-batch grow that focuses on one thing--producing the best rosin possible. Although Kured is gaining popularity on the west coast with every fresh drop, you won't find them in recreational stores. What's the reason for remaining a small-batch, patient-to-patient operation as opposed to taking it to the recreational market? Is a product like this feasible or even profitable with the current state of the market? We discuss all of this over a Terp Slurper and some big fucking dabs.

Follow Kured Extracts on Instagram (and if you're in WA follow Kured Drops WA)

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Guests: Micah Sherman - Co-Owner, Raven Grass / Ryan Sevigny - President, Landrace Labs
and Co-Host Jena Kelly - Cannabis Sales Consultant

What is craft cannabis? Micah Sherman has been working hard for the past several years on legislation in Washington State that not only defines craft cannabis, but creates a framework for direct sale to the public. He's joined by Ryan Sevigny to discuss with Ari & Jena the benefits this legislation will have for small growers, as well as the potential positive impact on the market as a whole.

Find more info: Washington Sun & Craft Growers Association

Find Raven Grass and Landrace Labs products at select retailers across Washington State!

NEWS:

• Producing Cannabis Biomass Without Growing A Cannabis Plant: How One Company Is Doing It

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Guests: Mama T - Owner, Legal Smoke Consulting & GM @ Puff N Chill Lynnwood / Jena Kelly - Cannabis Sales Consultant

For Mama T, cannabis wasn't just a career choice, it was a life-saver. She stopped by to share with Ari and Jena her story of discovering the power of the plant, while making it her mission to normalize the industry and destigmatize users. Mama T shares her philosophy and strategies for selling weed in a highly saturated part of town referred to as "The Green Mile." From farmer's markets, to arts & crafts events, to cannabis-themed MMA events--Mama T is all about bringing the community together and using our collective power for good. One Love.

Contact Mama T:
[email protected]
IG - Mama.T.Endeavors

TOPICS:

• Are you honest with your medical provider about your cannabis use?
• The director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse says weed is no big deal, so why are there still so many contradictory studies in the media?
• Cannabis is among the nation's most valuable crops, and has been since 1998?
• Listener comments & Bad Strain Names

NEWS:

• Top Federal Drug Official Says There's 'No Evidence' That Occasional Marijuana Use Is Harmful For Adults
• More and more Americans are smoking pot. What does that mean for their health?
• Report: Legal Cannabis Among Nation's Most Valuable Crops

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Guests: Jena Kelly - Cannabis Sales Consultant / Evan Anderson - Cannabis Industry Expert / Dr. Jordan Zager - Dewey Scientific

Our two most frequent guests at the same time, we covered a lot and had ton of fun in this one!

TOPICS:

• Adding terpenes in alcoholic beverages. Yes or No?
• Ari talks about breaking up with vendors and playing hard to get as a buyer
• The DEA is openly saying that Delta-8 THC derived from CBD is NOT Federally illegal
• Can edibles really be indica or sativa or is effects-based marketing fake news?
• A Touchet, WA farm had to burn $3M worth of weed because the competition snitched
• For some reason all the cannabis grown for Federal research is coming from a boof farm in Mississippi
• We check in with Dr. Jordan Zager to weigh in on the indica/sativa edible discussion
• Listener feedback, previewing the next show, and Happy Thanksgiving!

NEWS:

• DEA emboldens Delta-8 Hemp Businesses By Signaling That The Cannabinoid Is Federally Legal
• Can Edibles Really Be Strain-Specific Or Is That Just Hype?
• $3 Million Worth Of Cannabis Grown By Touchet Farms Destroyed By State Agents
• Analysis: ‘Government-Grade’ Marijuana More Closely Resembles Hemp, Has Little in Common with Commercially Available Cannabis

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Guests: Kalani Martin - Business Development Manager, Free Rain Farms / Jena Kelly - Cannabis Sales Consultant   

As wholesale growers, Free Rain Farms has been supplying flower to brands in WA state to sell under their own labels for several years. Now they want to go straight to market themselves. Creating and growing a successful cannabis brand out of thin air isn't a small feat. It takes in-depth market research,  careful planning, and supreme confidence in your team and the product they're putting out. Kalani Martin from Free Rain is relatively new to the industry but he's learned at lightspeed, and is ready to bring the Viking Cannabis brand to market to compete with the some of the same vendors they use to supply.

What goes into the decision to start a new cannabis brand? In a highly saturated market, how does Viking plan to differentiate themselves and their products from the competition? Why focus on selling rosin to start? What is a rune? We discuss all of this and more!

Find Viking Cannabis at select retailers in Washington State

ALSO:

• Jena's Bay Area Trip and visit to Berner's On Haight
• Ari's Vegas Trip recap
• Green Wednesday is coming! Why is the day before Thanksgiving the biggest day of the year for weed sales?
• New merch giveaway featuring Fire Bros! (follow @arierrl on IG for info)

NEWS:

• Weed Tonic Company Fined $100,000 by Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission After Two-Year Battle
• Washington Issues Emergency Cannabis License Suspension
• New York Cannabis Board Calls Free Marijuana Samples Illegal

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Guests: Chris Bradley Founder & CEO - Noble Farms / Jena Kelly - Cannabis Sales Consultant   

Noble Farms was among the first wave of WA State growers to claim space in the market in 2015. Hit with multiple administrative violations, among other issues, Noble Farms was forced to close a few years later. What happens when a grow operation with a  well-known brand name goes south?

Chris came by to share the story of resurrecting the defunct grow operation and bringing Noble Farms back to the market. Coming from the corporate world, what lessons has Chris learned along the way that others looking to get into the business should know? Everything from being properly capitalized, building a bond with the grow and the staff, being good stewards of the brand, and staying relevant with the consumers and cannabis culture.

ALSO:

• Ari's headed to Vegas but refuses to buy weed there
• We're moving to 3 episodes a month moving forward
• We're looking for guests and budtenders to interview!

NOBLE FARMS: We are an i502 indoor urban farm in Tacoma, WA. We are "old school" in our values, how we treat our crew, our retail partners and consumers of our products. And we are "old school" in how we grow.  We carefully hand water, hand tend, hand stake every single plant in our 15 isolated sterilized grow rooms. Our master grower, Chad Koeppe, maniacally obsessed with the art, craft & science of cannabis production, is respected throughout the industry from the medical days. We respect agriculture and so we are committed to staying PESTICIDE FREE! At Noble Farms we strive to "be noble" in everything we do!

Find Noble Farms across retailers in Washington State
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Guests: Justin Tacy, Co-Founder - Burnwell / Dre Williams, Head of Sales - Burnwell

At the core of Burnwell is a steadfast commitment to people, planet, and the plant. Our founders hail from seemingly divergent industries—one from tech, another from agriculture. What they shared was friendship and an ethos of environmental conscientiousness. With that groundwork, they created Burnwell from twin goals: produce world-class cannabis and lead the sustainable cannabis movement in practice and through education.

Ari invited Justin and Dre from Burnwell by to share their story of coming to market with a vision, and the challenges faced along the way. We learn what Burnwell has done to lower their environmental impact without compromising quality, PLUS:

•  What makes the green sales pitch so difficult to cannabis consumers, and how to overcome it.
• Defining "craft cannabis" and how to scale up.
• How collaborating with other cannabis companies can help build your brand.
• The strategy behind creating a lifestyle brand to promote your cannabis.
• More Bad Strain Names!

Find Burnwell across retailers in Washington State

The Elusive Green Consumer - Harvard Business Review
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