John McLeod is the co-founder of Michigan-based Cloud Cannabis Co. — which operates brick-and-mortar cannabis retailers in Ann Arbor, Muskegon, and Traverse City — and a former police officer for the city of Detroit.

In this podcast interview, John discusses how an on-duty leg injury ultimately opened his eyes to the effectiveness of cannabis medicine, how cannabis saved him from a plummet into opioid dependency, and the fateful founding of Cloud Cannabis Co., whose motto "Live Higher" embodies the company's vision of prioritizing patients over profits. John also talks about the need for more balanced representation in the cannabis industry, his former colleagues' reactions to him having launched a cannabis business, Michigan's rather recent transition into an adult-use marketplace, and more!

Topics covered in this podcast:

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/detroit/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/entrepreneurs/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/law-enforcement/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/michigan/

For a full transcript: www.ganjapreneur.com/john-mcleod-from-law-enforcement-to-cannabis-proponent/

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Alvin Edwards is the founder of Fruits of Our Labor, which hires former prisoners to provide professional services; David Moss is the chief development officer for cannabis dispensary From the Earth. Together, they have created an equity-building partnership in the cannabis space. In this podcast interview, Alvin and David join our host TG Branfalt to discuss the strategic partnership between their organizations, wherein From the Earth dispensaries purchase and retail glassware made by Fruits of Our Labor; the project's social equity-driven goals; and the importance of driving the industry to focus on giving back to disenfranchised communities that were most heavily affected by the destructive drug war. Their interview covers Alvin's journey as a young entrepreneur, David's insistence on centering philanthropy as a core value for his business, and more!

Topics covered in this podcast:

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/california/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/entrepreneurs/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/maryland/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/michigan/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/social-equity/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/social-justice/

For a full transcript:

www.ganjapreneur.com/alvin-edwards-david-moss-equity-building-partnerships-in-cannabis/

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Elliot Lewis is the owner and founder of Catalyst Cannabis Co., a competitive chain of cannabis retailers in Southern California.

As an entrepreneur, Elliot lives for — and loves — the competition of business. For the latest Ganjapreneur.com Podcast episode, he joins our host TG Branfalt to discuss the business philosophy that drives Catalyst Cannabis Co. and the exhilaration of pursuing and winning a new retail license in So-Cal's limited, competitive marketplace. This interview also covers the company's history, their industry "bad boy" reputation, how they manage to compete with MSOs and other brands with major investor backing despite having a significantly smaller war chest, and more.

Topics covered in this podcast:

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/california/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/retail

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/dispensaries

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/entrepreneurs

For a full transcript:

www.ganjapreneur.com/elliot-lewis-competing-against-cannabis-venture-capital-in-southern-california/

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Zappy Zapolin is the filmmaker and activist behind The Reality of Truth, a documentary that follows Hollywood movie star Michelle Rodriguez and several of her friends through a journey of personal discovery fueled by psychedelics. Before finding success as a filmmaker, Zappy was a pioneering entrepreneur and domain name trader during the 1990s.

In this episode of the Ganjapreneur.com podcast, Zappy joins our host TG Branfalt to discuss the resurgence of psychedelics in American politics and culture, drug decriminalization developments from last November's election, and the latest medicinal discoveries related to psychedelic substances including ketamine, psilocybin, and cannabis. The conversation also covers Zappy's transition from an early digital era pioneer to an activist filmmaker, how psychedelics can help society recover from the collective trauma caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and more!

Topics covered in this podcast:

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/coronavirus/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/education/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/medicine/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/psychedelics/

www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/ptsd/

For a full transcript:

www.ganjapreneur.com/zappy-zapolin-the-american-psychedelic-resurgence/

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Bob Eschino and Derek Cumings are co-founders of Medically Correct, a Colorado-based cannabis edibles firm that was founded in 2010. In this episode of the Ganjapreneur.com Podcast, Bob (who is also the company's president) and Derek join our host TG Branfalt to discuss their various cannabis edibles brands, the early years of Colorado's cannabis industry, and how they helped shape cannabis regulations in Colorado and (as other states came online) beyond. Tune in to hear about the trials and difficulties that led to the company's founding; how a strong work ethic, an ever-present emphasis on compliance, and a continued focus on cannabis as medicine has driven their success; and more!

Topics covered in this podcast:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/colorado/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/cannabis-infused-edibles/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/medicine/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/regulations/

For a full transcript:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/bob-eschino-derek-cumings-building-a-cannabis-edibles-empire/

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Kenny Wright is the co-owner of High Peaks Glassworks, an independently owned smoke shop in Saranac Lake, New York. In this episode of the Ganjapreneur.com podcast, our host TG Branfalt catches up with Kenny to discuss how the smoke shop industry has adapted to changing times, what cannabis business owners can do to maintain good relationships with local authorities, tips for building a helpful and friendly business environment, Kenny's predictions for the smoke shop business model as cannabis prohibition continues to crumble, and more.

Topics covered in this podcast:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/entrepreneurs/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/new-york/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/retail/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/regulations/

For a full transcript:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/kenny-wright-how-smoke-shops-adapt-to-cannabis-reforms/

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In any industry, consumer product testing is a key part of maintaining safe and trustworthy operations. While the cannabis industry is no different, there are often (and unfortunately) big differences between the testing labs that conduct consumer safety tests.

In this podcast interview, Antonio Frazier talks to our host TG Branfalt about the importance of laboratory accreditation — which is when a laboratory and its offerings are evaluated by a highly qualified third party — and what it means for the cannabis industry. Antonio also shares the story of how CannaSafe became the first lab in the country to link vitamin E acetate to last year's vape lung disease crisis, his experience as a Black executive in the predominantly white cannabis industry, and more!

Topics covered in this podcast:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/california/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/testing/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/entrepreneurs

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/regulations/

For a full transcript:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/antonio-frazier-how-consumer-safety-helps-destigmatize-cannabis/

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Will Read is the founder and president of CannaPlanners, a Vermont-based web design and marketing company that specializes in the needs of the cannabis industry.

Between strict regulations that vary from state to state and the long-lasting remnants of anti-cannabis rhetoric and stigmas, cannabis marketing is an inherently tricky job. The challenge, however, has prompted experts like Will to prioritize simple aspects of brand building, such as a professional and inclusive brand experience.

Will recently joined our podcast host TG Branfalt to discuss cannabis marketing strategies, the prospects for an adult-use cannabis market in Vermont and other New England states, Will's advice for what makes a strong cannabis brand, and more!

Topics covered in this podcast:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/marketing/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/vermont/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/normalization/

http://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/entrepreneurs

For a full transcript:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/will-read-normalization-through-smart-cannabis-marketing/

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Tim Fair is the founder of Vermont Cannabis Solutions and an attorney who advises hemp and cannabis businesses in Vermont and defends individuals accused of cannabis-related crimes. In this podcast interview, Tim joins our host TG Branfalt to discuss prospects for a future Vermont cannabis marketplace after the state became the first to legalize cannabis via the legislature (but stopped short of establishing adult-use sales), the state of its medical cannabis and hemp CBD industries, the meddling of federal law enforcement agencies in local cannabis issues, and more.

Topics covered in this podcast:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/legal-issues/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/vermont/

http://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/entrepreneurs

For a full transcript:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/tim-fair-vermonts-path-to-an-adult-use-cannabis-market/

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Shawn Gold is the founder and CEO of Pilgrim Soul Creative, a cannabis lifestyle brand based on using cannabis to encourage creative thinking. For this episode of the Ganjapreneur.com podcast, Shawn joins our host TG Branfalt to discuss the relationship between cannabis and creativity and the recent success of Pilgrim Soul's Creative Thinking Journal, which contains a series of activities and exercises specially designed to encourage creative thinking while under the influence of cannabis. Shawn also shares his experiences transitioning from the corporate tech space to the cannabis industry, offers his advice for entrepreneurs, and more!

Topics covered in this podcast:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/data/

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/marketing/

http://www.ganjapreneur.com/topic/entrepreneurs

For a full transcript:

https://www.ganjapreneur.com/shawn-gold-encouraging-creativity-with-cannabis/

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