The Brown Man Podcast

Part 3 - Find a place to sell Marijuana from.

We join Rocky Goyal for a third installment of the series in this fully remote episode about the legal cannabis industry in and around San Diego, California. This time we are visiting three separate locations, and listening to Rocky narrate the story behind each shop. First up is a brand new store that is about to open, with a well-planned layout that will be the flagship store for the brand. Then we head to a modest sized, active location which features a buzzy atmosphere and happy customers. Rocky's ideas and aesthetic are clearly on display here.  Lastly, we visit a newly acquired location that is going through a remodel.  It used to be a Chinese restaurant, so it will take some work to bring it to Rocky's standard.

Part 2 - How It's Done

This three-part series explores one man's journey into the legal cannabis industry in and around San Diego, California. 

Rakesh "Rocky" Goyal, a commercial real estate businessman by trade, wanted to figure out how to acquire a hard-to-come-by permit to sell weed to an older, sophisticated demographic.  His mother, an Indian immigrant, was one of the key people that gave him the idea to go into this crazy business. He developed a concept of creating a weed shop that resembled a boutique drugstore, instead of a dusty pawn shop. Once he started the process, it took Rocky almost two years to bring his idea to fruition.

Just a handful of years later, Rocky has sold his first operation for a nice profit and now owns and operates multiple cannabis businesses in Southern California. In this rare interview, he breaks down the steps it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in the weed industry. 

In Part 1, we visit Rocky at his home atop a hill in a posh suburban San Diego neighborhood. He explains how the city of San Diego jumped head first into the regulated weed industry, making licenses available to a small, eclectic group of investors. As California transitioned into full legalization, forward-thinking moguls like Rocky were already putting pieces into play, figuring out how to profit while others failed. Beyond getting a license to sell, you need to also look at diversifying your offerings with grow operations, products, branding and a whole lot more.

In Part 2, we will hear how he sold his first shop and then wrap up the conversation about making money in the weed industry with a look into the future. Rocky tells us about how a good idea isn't enough to be successful anymore. Cannabis is a fast growing market that requires a bit of expertise to navigate correctly. One of the hot button topics that a lot of industry insiders is the idea of Social Equity and what it will look like going forward. It's no mystery why the war on drugs has disproportionately affected low-income, minority families more than anyone else in California. What can be done to give access to the permits so that legitimate operators can be found in every community in the state?

During Part 3, we get a chance to see the inside of Rocky's operation and look under the hood of a successful recreational cannabis shop that stays true to his original intent.  It's a striking boutique operation where the products are not hiding behind locked glass cabinets or counters. You can actually pick up jars of bud, read the label and take it to the cashier. All kinds of products line the shelves from edible to medical to stuff for your dog.  After visiting a working store, we check out two more shops he's about to open up. The first one is ready to go with all the fixings, while the second is a former Chinese restaurant that needs to be gutted.  

After all three parts are complete, the listener will have a really good idea of what it takes to make it in California's legal marijuana industry. It's a growing business with a lot of potential but plenty of pitfalls. Not everyone makes it out unscathed.  I hope you enjoy this discussion.  Be sure to reach out to us on our website, TheBrownmanPodcast.com.  We would love to hear your feedback.

Part 1 - Weed and Money

This three-part series explores one man's journey into the legal cannabis industry in and around San Diego, California. 

Rakesh "Rocky" Goyal, a commercial real estate businessman by trade, wanted to figure out how to acquire a hard-to-come-by permit to sell weed to an older, sophisticated demographic.  His mother, an Indian immigrant, was one of the key people that gave him the idea to go into this crazy business. He developed a concept of creating a weed shop that resembled a boutique drugstore, instead of a dusty pawn shop. Once he started the process, it took Rocky almost two years to bring his idea to fruition.

Just a handful of years later, Rocky has sold his first operation for a nice profit and now owns and operates multiple cannabis businesses in Southern California. In this rare interview, he breaks down the steps it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in the weed industry. 

In Part 1, we visit Rocky at his home atop a hill in a posh suburban San Diego neighborhood. He explains how the city of San Diego jumped head first into the regulated weed industry, making licenses available to a small, eclectic group of investors. As California transitioned into full legalization, forward-thinking moguls like Rocky were already putting pieces into play, figuring out how to profit while others failed. Beyond getting a license to sell, you need to also look at diversifying your offerings with grow operations, products, branding and a whole lot more.

In Part 2, we will hear how he sold his first shop and then wrap up the conversation about making money in the weed industry with a look into the future. Rocky tells us about how a good idea isn't enough to be successful anymore. Cannabis is a fast growing market that requires a bit of expertise to navigate correctly. One of the hot button topics that a lot of industry insiders is the idea of Social Equity and what it will look like going forward. It's no mystery why the war on drugs has disproportionately affected low-income, minority families more than anyone else in California. What can be done to give access to the permits so that legitimate operators can be found in every community in the state?

During Part 3, we get a chance to see the inside of Rocky's operation and look under the hood of a successful recreational cannabis shop that stays true to his original intent.  It's a striking boutique operation where the products are not hiding behind locked glass cabinets or counters. You can actually pick up jars of bud, read the label and take it to the cashier. All kinds of products line the shelves from edible to medical to stuff for your dog.  After visiting a working store, we check out two more shops he's about to open up. The first one is ready to go with all the fixings, while the second is a former Chinese restaurant that needs to be gutted.  

After all three parts are complete, the listener will have a really good idea of what it takes to make it in California's legal marijuana industry. It's a growing business with a lot of potential but plenty of pitfalls. Not everyone makes it out unscathed.  I hope you enjoy this discussion.  Be sure to reach out to us on our website, TheBrownmanPodcast.com.  We would love to hear your feedback.

Manu Narayan is an American Broadway, Film and TV actor, singer, and songwriter. A true renaissance man, currently living and working on the East Coast. Over the last few years Manu has been a regular on the Broadway scene, performing in multiple shows. Manu  recently joined us from his home in New Jersey, to discuss the current political situation, his career path and the hurdles he's had to overcome as a South Asian actor.

I hope you enjoy this discussion.  Be sure to reach out to us on our website, TheBrownmanPodcast.com.  We would love to hear your feedback.

Our topic today is the current political climate during the summer of 2020.  Specifically the activities around the Black Lives Matter movement.  We are joined today by Rajiv Satyal, a stand up comedian who has been using his time off-stage, during the pandemic shut down, to speak out about activism through social media channels and networks.  

I hope you enjoy this discussion.  Be sure to reach out to us on our website, TheBrownmanPodcast.com.  We would love to hear your feedback.

Hello, thank you for checking out The Brown Man Podcast, an unfiltered take on American politics from a different point of view. 

I am your host, Snehal Patel. Let me tell you a bit about myself and why I started this podcast. I'm based in Los Angeles and have a day job in the entertainment industry, but have always wanted to contribute to society and build a better world for the next generation. 

Due to recent events, I've been motivated to use my voice to explore politics, and its effects on people, government, entertainment and business.  Every other week, I will be diving into hot button topics with some very special guests.  They are smart, they are influential and they have something to say. 

My hope is to scrutinize political issues and policies so that listeners, like you, can be made aware of a different perspective. 

Be sure to listen to the latest episode and feel free to reach out to us on our website, TheBrownmanPodcast.com

We would love to hear from you.

Take care, stay healthy and happy.