The CannaBS Detector

Every type of battle an industry can face has occurred in the cannabis industry. From insane taxes and regulations, to rampant corruption and shady business practices. However, NOTHING compares to the challenges Covid 19 poses.

The publicly traded cannabis industry ended 2019 with a capital crash. Now, thanks to Covid-19, cannabis has entered into yet another unknown territory. Early investors and small business owners are now finding themselves with very few options, leaving all of us to wonder - who will survive, who will sell out, and who will close permanently?

The philosopher, Heraclitus, comes to mind when describing the cannabis industry - "the only constant is change".

There is one thing we can be sure of, our industry and our world will never be the same again.

3 Lessons Learned

• There is a playbook to weathering financial crises:

1. Fiscal Response
2. Monetary response
3. Health response

• Take this time to get your game plan straight and start seeking investment again – it may sound counter-intuitive, but the goal is to be top of mind when the spigot turns on
• As the old adage goes: When everyone is greedy, be fearful, when everyone is fearful, be greedy

Guest Bio and Social Media Links

Colby is a 22 year veteran of the financial services industry working with many of the largest institutional and private investors. As CEO of Quiver Holdings LLC Colby has provided strategic guidance to private companies throughout their capital raising campaigns. Colby has been educating and managing investors and entrepreneurs on all subjects related to finance and investing. Prior to Colby's focus on investment banking and corporate structure he was a top producing branch manager for some of the largest regional and independent broker dealers with an emphasis on branch expansion and post merger integration.

Colby Mcfadden Linkedin

Credits:

Audio Editing - Seth Cross - Frontal Lobe Productions

Intro/Outro - Jef Judin

Music - The Master by Flashing Lights

Podcast Links:

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Too many people are taken advantage of in the cannabis industry. The more driven they are by compassion, the easier they are to target. Why? Because you don't hear about it in the news. You don't hear about it from the victims of such circumstances, be it pride, or a feeling of humiliation/embarrassment, or a lack of substantial proof. All people hear about is the millions made in tax revenue, the billions of dollars the industry is valued at, etc.

Jean Everson isn't unique in her circumstances, but what makes her unique is twofold. First, she had the smarts to keep records of everything and took this company court - and WON. Secondly, despite winning the settlement and receiving nothing, she wants you to know her story so that you don't find yourself in the same position. It truly seems like no one escapes this industry unscathed, but there is hope! Listen in to learn how to recognize the signs and why you need to CYA (cover your ass)!

FACT: Silence is how bad people and companies continue to get away with shit. We will not be silenced! How about you?

3 Lessons Learned

• If it sounds too good to be true… It's not true.
• When discussing money, time spent working, benefits, with your (potential) employer - always do it through email vs phone calls. Print the emails. Screenshot emails and texts. Forward the emails to your personal email account so as not to lose them if communicating through a business account
• "Sweat equity" in someone else's dream is free labor. You might as well focus on pursuing your own dream - the pay is the same, but the payoff is all yours!

Guest Bio and Social Media Links:

Jean Everson Facebook

High Integrity Tees Twitter

High Integrity Tees Facebook

To fully get back up on our feet, continue to successfully grow my brand in order to give back and most importantly be an inspiration to others thinking of ever giving up or have been taken advantage of.

Go fund me has been set up to raise money to purchase printing equipment, supplies and a website and booth rental at upcoming events. Any donations, products or monetary would be greatly appreciated.

High Integrity Tees Gofundme

[email protected]

Credits:

Audio Editing - Seth Cross - Frontal Lobe Productions

Intro/Outro - Jef Judin

Music - The Master by Flashing Lights

Podcast Links:

Click on the podcast hosting site you use below to subscribe to this podcast!

Please leave a review if you enjoyed the show, it helps bring in more listeners!

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Last year was brutal for the cannabis industry in general, but nowhere as much as the publicly traded cannabis companies in Canada. What started out as a booming industry where there seemed to be no ceiling to the amount of money being poured into, and spent by Canadian cannabis companies, ended with a swift dose of reality that growth for the sake of growth, might not have been the best path forward! As the giants continue to eat the promises they made to their investors, Colby McFadden and I discuss the next phases these companies will be going through.

3 Important Takeaways:

• As we have spoken about in the past, there is healthy skepticism to be had in companies that go public before they have established a solid operational foundation, quality products and a dedicated customer base

• As is on the outside, so is the inside - did the executives know anything about cannabis? Did they have a solid track record in a highly regulated industry(OUTSIDE OF FINANCE)? Did they have cannabis advisors with solid track records?

• As the publicly traded companies shed the cowboy CEO's, it's time to call in the cleaners with strong operational backgrounds, to clean things up and restructure before it's too late.

Guest Bio and Social Media Links:

Colby is a 22 year veteran of the financial services industry working with many of the largest institutional and private investors. As CEO of Quiver Holdings LLC Colby has provided strategic guidance to private companies throughout their capital raising campaigns. Colby has been educating and managing investors and entrepreneurs on all subjects related to finance and investing. Prior to Colby's focus on investment banking and corporate structure he was a top producing branch manager for some of the largest regional and independent broker dealers with an emphasis on branch expansion and post merger integration.

Colby Mcfadden LinkedIn

Credits:

Audio Editing - Seth Cross - Frontal Lobe Productions

Intro/Outro - Jef Judin

Music - The Master by Flashing Lights

Podcast Links:

Click on the podcast hosting site you use below to subscribe to this podcast!

Please leave a review if you enjoyed the show, it helps bring in more listeners!

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With the amount of big money flowing into the cannabis industry, inclusion is becoming a larger topic for those advocates and the people whose livelihoods were made from this plant long before it was "safe" to operate. It is becoming clearer that indeed, the playing field is NOT EVEN. Many in the industry are finding that despite having been in the industry for years, even decades, they are losing jobs to those with formal degrees and coming from conventional industries. Inclusion goes beyond social equity, where the focus is righting the wrongs of the drug war and giving those that served time for doing what former politicians and police officers are now profiting off of. Inclusion is about keeping everyone that got the industry to where it is now IN the industry, instead of being left behind by those with deep pockets and a focus on profit.

Topics covered

• Social equity
• Inclusion from an investors perspective
• The importance of data in the bigger scheme of things
• Are industry lobby groups lobbying for inclusion or the interests of businesses
• How can investors and bankers impact inclusion
• What we, the original cannabis advocates and activists, can do to remain relevant in the face of big money with opposing interests
• Strategies we can learn from traditional industries to employ in our favor
• Ways we can play the game like the politicians and big money/big businesses do through utilizing things like opportunity zones to further our cause and lift our people up
• The importance of staying in the game, despite the challenges
• How a unified voice and a strong community is the only way to fight money and outside influence

3 important takeaways:

• Stop trying to reinvent the wheel. Learn from other industries and use their tactics to our advantage
• We need to learn to deploy institutional money in a positive way. Doing good is not mutually exclusive from making a profit.
• Be wary of what data you're sharing, and who you're giving your data to. Before signing up for a cultivation app - think of how that data can be used if big AG were to purchase it. Sometimes something that seems easy and efficient in the short term may not be helpful in the long run

Guest Bio and Social Media Links: Colby is a 22 year veteran of the financial services industry working with many of the largest institutional and private investors. As CEO of Quiver Holdings, LLC Colby has provided strategic guidance to private companies throughout their capital raising campaigns. Colby has been educating and managing investors and entrepreneurs on all subjects related to finance and investing. Prior to Colby's focus on investment banking and corporate structure he was a top producing branch manager for some of the largest regional and independent broker dealers with an emphasis on branch expansion and post merger integration. Colby is also the Director of Partnerships for Green Flower Media the leader in trusted education in the cannabis industry.

Colby McFadden is President of Quiver Financial and Director of Partnerships for Green Flower Media.

Colby Mcfadden LinkedIn

Quiver Financial

Green Flower Media

Credits:

Audio Editing - Seth Cross - Frontal Lobe Productions

Intro/Outro - Jef Judin

Music - The Master by Flashing Lights

Podcast Links:

Click on the podcast hosting site you use below to subscribe to this podcast!

Please leave a review if you enjoyed the show, it helps bring in more listeners!

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Spreaker

Google Play

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Tunein

Note: These episodes were recorded earlier this year and some news has come out about several of the companies mentioned in this episode. We will be releasing a follow-up episode soon to address the updates. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss it!

Given my astute ability at sniffing out BS, people often reach out to me asking me for recommendations on which companies to invest in. I decided to call upon my favorite, and most trusted wealth advisor, Colby Mcfadden of Quiver Financial and Green Flower Media, to make a series about investing in the cannabis industry to better educate myself, and the masses alike. Let me know what you think!

List of Topics/subjects discussed

• How national legalization will lead to globalization
• How globalization will impact the US industry
• Why would an individual investor prefer cannabis to be rescheduled when funds like Acreage Holdings are pushing for legalization
• What types of investments should people go for keeping national legalization in mind
• When you have a short time to invest - spend the time doing due diligence
• Signs you should be aware of, ie CEO pressuring to close, etc
• What will happen when hemp is globalized now that it has been removed from the CSA(Controlled Substances Act)
• Should you be concerned about investing in companies that use 3rd world labor
• What's going to happen to the culture of the industry

3 Lessons Learned

• Globalization will make the hemp costs go down due to competition and lower costs in 3rd world companies and consolidated businesses
• Invest in large facilities because size is going to matter to the big corporations that eat them up. Invest in front of the consolidation, ie who's best for being merged/rolled up
• Question the motives of CEO's and hedge fund managers when they are preaching for national legalization - who really benefits?

Links to Articles Mentioned in This Episode:

Instadose Pharma

Guest Bio and Social Media Links:

Colby is a 22 year veteran of the financial services industry working with many of the largest institutional and private investors. As CEO of Quiver Holdings LLC Colby has provided strategic guidance to private companies throughout their capital raising campaigns. Colby has been educating and managing investors and entrepreneurs on all subjects related to finance and investing. Prior to Colby's focus on investment banking and corporate structure he was a top producing branch manager for some of the largest regional and independent broker-dealers with an emphasis on branch expansion and post-merger integration. Colby is also the Director of Partnerships for Green Flower Media the leader in trusted education in the cannabis industry.

Colby McFadden is the President of Quiver Financial and Director of Partnerships for Green Flower Media.

Colby Mcfadden LinkedIn

Quiver Financial

Green Flower Media

Credits:

Audio Editing - Seth Cross - Frontal Lobe Productions

Intro/Outro - Jef Judin -

Music - The Master by Flashing Lights

Links: Click on the podcast hosting site you use below to subscribe to this podcast! Reviews really help bring in more listeners!

Please leave a review if you enjoyed the show!

Itunes

Spreaker

Google Play

Stitcher

Tunein

Note: This episode was recorded earlier this year and some news has come out about several of the companies mentioned in this episode. We will be releasing a follow-up episode soon to address the updates. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss it!

Given my astute ability at sniffing out BS, people often reach out to me asking me for recommendations on which companies to invest in. I decided to call upon my favorite, and most trusted wealth advisor, Colby Mcfadden of Quiver Financial and Green Flower Media, to make a series about investing in the cannabis industry to better educate myself, and the masses alike. Let me know what you think!

List of Topics/subjects discussed

• Private vs Public
• Why do private companies go public?
• What kind of Investor do you want to be?
• Investment stages - where do you fit in?
• Beware of the bankers telling private companies to go public - they have ulterior motives!
• What are some of the ancillary sectors adjacent to the cannabis industry looking for investment?
• Why you need to create a due diligence team to avoid the snakes and vipers in the private industry

3 Lessons Learned

• Only invest in private deals where you can AFFORD the risk. If you're not an accredited investor, you better do your homework!
• If you're going to invest your hard-earned money into a venture, spend the money on someone with expertise to vet it.
• Always remember "As is the inside, so is the outside"

Guest Bio and Social Media Links:

Colby is a 22 year veteran of the financial services industry working with many of the largest institutional and private investors. As CEO of Quiver Holdings LLC Colby has provided strategic guidance to private companies throughout their capital raising campaigns. Colby has been educating and managing investors and entrepreneurs on all subjects related to finance and investing. Prior to Colby's focus on investment banking and corporate structure he was a top producing branch manager for some of the largest regional and independent broker-dealers with an emphasis on branch expansion and post-merger integration. Colby is also the Director of Partnerships for Green Flower Media the leader in trusted education in the cannabis industry.

Colby McFadden is the President of Quiver Financial and Director of Partnerships for Green Flower Media.

Colby Mcfadden LinkedIn

Quiver Financial

Green Flower Media

Audio Editing - Seth Cross - Frontal Lobe Productions

Intro/Outro - Jef Judin

Music - The Master by Flashing Lights

Podcast Links: Click on the podcast hosting site you use below to subscribe to this podcast! Reviews really help bring in more listeners! Please leave a review if you enjoyed the show!

Itunes

Spreaker

Google Play

Stitcher

Tunein

Note: These episodes were recorded earlier this year and some news has come out about several of the companies mentioned in this episode. We will be releasing a follow-up episode soon to address the updates. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss it!

Investing in publicly traded cannabis companies has been on an upward trend for a few years now, and more and more money is being invested by the day. Given my abilities at sniffing out BS, people often reach out to me asking me for recommendations on which companies to invest in. I decided to call upon my favorite, and most trusted wealth advisor, Colby Mcfadden of Quiver Financial and Green Flower Media, to make a series about investing in the cannabis industry to better educate myself, and the masses alike. Let me know what you think!

List of Topics/subjects discussed

• What is an RTO(Reverse Take Over) and why are there so many RTO's happening in Canada by US companies?
• Why are Canadian companies listed on the NYSE?
• Can US cannabis companies be traded on the NYSE?
• Press Releases - Does it have anything of substance or is it an "ad" dressed up like a press release to pump the stock value up?
• How to approach investing for the best results

3 Lessons Learned

• Beware of FOMO "Greed has lost more money than fear" Fish upstream if you're cynical
• "Buy on the rumor, sell on the news" Smart money is there BEFORE the press release
• Investing is like online dating - once you get into bed - the ugliness comes out - TAKE IT SLOW

Links to Referenced News Articles In This Episode

• Aphria
• MedMen REIT

Guest Bio and Social Media Links:

Colby is a 22 year veteran of the financial services industry working with many of the largest institutional and private investors. As CEO of Quiver Holdings LLC Colby has provided strategic guidance to private companies throughout their capital raising campaigns. Colby has been educating and managing investors and entrepreneurs on all subjects related to finance and investing. Prior to Colby's focus on investment banking and corporate structure he was a top producing branch manager for some of the largest regional and independent broker-dealers with an emphasis on branch expansion and post-merger integration. Colby is also the Director of Partnerships for Green Flower Media the leader in trusted education in the cannabis industry.

Colby McFadden is the President of Quiver Financial and Director of Partnerships for Green Flower Media.

• Colby Mcfadden LinkedIn
• Quiver Financial
• Green Flower Media

Credits:

Audio Editing - Seth Cross - Frontal Lobe Productions

Intro/Outro - Jef Judin

Music - The Master by Flashing Lights

Click on the podcast hosting site you use below to subscribe to this podcast! Reviews really help bring in more listeners! Please leave a review if you enjoyed the show!

• Itunes
• Spreaker
• Google Play
• Stitcher
• Tunein

On this episode, I speak to Kelly Mauro about her pursuit of starting a retail cannabis store in Calgary. If you have been paying attention to the rollout of legalization in Canada, you are probably aware that they are in the middle of a huge supply shortage and are having implementation difficulties. What started out as the pursuit of the Canadian cannabis dream, quickly unfolded into the all too familiar cannabis quagmire we see in the states. Sometimes dreams can become nightmares...

Kelly Mauro has over 20 years Sales and Customer Service experience in both Vancouvers' Hospitality Industry and Calgary's Home Building Industry. She has a proven sales track record in everything from estate homes to commercial window coverings, and also hold certifications in Interior Design and Home Inspection.

In 2017 she switched career paths to pursue her dream to open a Retail Cannabis Store in Calgary and became one of the first people in Canada to receive bank support to do so. With current brick and mortar challenges, Kelly has been consulting in various areas of the industry including technology development for growers in both small and large scale operations across Canada.

http://canadagrowspot.ca/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-mauro-40879179/

Producer: Barry Krauss

Sponsor: Soil to the Oil Advisory and Media

I have decided to change the name of these episodes to "That's Some Bullsh**" because the effects of the BS I cover lasts far beyond the week they occur in. On this episode:

1. Harborside and the IRS - UPDATE! While Harborside lost the case on their 280E obligations, they were allowed to get away from paying the penalties

2. Aphria and short sellers - Who do you believe - the short sellers and their research or the publically traded company and their press releases?

3. Sequoia Labs faked pesticide results - the repercussions are massive

Links to articles mentioned in this episode:

Harborside Ruling:

http://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/harborside-tax-court-ruling-280e/

https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2016/06/04/846107/10163270/en/Fighting-the-Feds-Round-Two-Harborside-vs-the-IRS.html

Aphria:

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4225817-aphria-shell-game-cannabis-business-side

https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/12/06/1663360/0/en/Aphria-Class-Action-Lawsuit-Bernstein-Liebhard-LLP-Announces-That-a-Securities-Class-Action-Lawsuit-Has-Been-Filed-Against-Aphria-Inc-APHA.html

Sequoia Labs:

https://www.cannabisbusinesstimes.com/article/sequoia-labs-testing-california-falsified-reports/

Until I did this interview, I was afraid of being pulled over by the police. I used to joke that I would fail a sobriety test even if I was sober because cops scare me that much. Admittedly, when I was young, I would wear the smell of a fresh smoked bowl with pride. Eyes half closed, mouth dry and funny as hell, my hairdresser told me she'd catch a buzz while washing my hair, I was so saturated in cannabis. Although times have changed and I no longer value smelling and looking like a stoner(did I mention cannabis DUI's became a thing this year?), I was still afraid of being pulled over by the cops lest I be tired or my eyes were dry thereby making me look high when I'm not. At least I WAS afraid, but not any longer.

I discovered the Pot Brothers at Law on social media. They post clips featuring one or both of them getting high followed by an impassioned statement to learn the script and SHUT THE F*** UP when the police pull you over. If you have ever seen Law and Order, you should know the drill. The less you say, the less police have to go on, the better chance your lawyer has to get you out. The more you say, the bigger hole you dig, the harder it is for your lawyer to get you out. Lesson: Memorize the script and shut the f*** up!

The Pot Brothers created a 25-word script that EVERYONE should memorize should you find yourself being pulled over. The police are trained in various tactics to get you to incriminate yourself. These tactics have been developed over the years and are generally incredibly successful... Unless you know your rights and use the script.

Guest Bio: Craig & Marc Wasserman, have a combined 50 years of experience practicing law. Handling Criminal Defense (DUI's, Felonies and Misdemeanors), Family Law (Child Custody/Visitation, Divorce), Restraining Orders, Business Litigation, Workers Compensation, Collections, and Debt Protection. As Cannabis patients, they have been compelled to stand up and fight for its decriminalization as well as fighting for the civil rights of all Cannabis Patients. Through the wonders of social media (Instagram), the POT BROTHERS AT LAW have arrived on the scene with their 15 SECOND & ONE MINUTE TIPS OF THE DAY which have helped numerous people either avoid arrest or be in the best position possible to defend charges, by teaching and preaching THE SCRIPT. The Script, the only 25 words you ever say to the Police, is a simple way to utilize ones constitutional right to remain silent and not incriminate oneself. They teach people how to calmly and politely deal with law enforcement and to simply STFU when the cops ask questions.

Pot Brothers at Law Website - You can find their script on their website!

Credits:

Producer: Barry Krauss

Sponsor: Soil to the Oil Advisory and Media