The Green Rush

Nishant Reddy, CEO and Co-Founder of Satya Capital, a privately held boutique investment firm that has its hands in just about every touchpoint in the cannabis industry including its distribution arm Vantage Point Distribution and its CPG brand A Golden State, is this week’s special guest on The Green Rush! 

A long time advocate and consumer of cannabis, Our hosts Anne and Nick sat down with Nishant to talk about his jump from Wall Street into the business of cannabis and how his firm has found success in the industry. Nick and Anne also touch on the Company’s plans for expansion, its focus on operating a sustainable and carbon neutral business and how it has been able to weather the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we touch on consumer behavior trends over the last 14 months, the push for federal legalization of cannabis and how the industry will continue to innovate in a post-pandemic world. 

Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy!

Nishant Reddy, CEO and Co-Founder of Satya Capital

Nishant Reddy is a former investment banker and private equity professional, who was an early advocate and visionary on the health and wellness benefits of cannabis. After establishing a successful career on Wall Street, he decided to turn his passion into an entrepreneurial venture and moved to Los Angeles in an effort to be an early adopter pioneering cannabis legalization. Since 2013, Nishant and Satya Capital have built several successful cannabis companies, including a fully vertically integrated operation in CA and CA’s most premier cannabis flower brand, A Golden State.

Links and mentions in the show

Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts

Show Credits:

This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications.

Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther.

You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing [email protected]. You can also connect with us via our social channels:

Twitter: @The_GreenRush 

Instagram: @thegreenrush_podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegreenrushpodcast/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenRushPodcast/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Doug Drysdale, CEO of Cybin Inc., a leading biotechnology company focused on progressing psychedelic therapeutics to treat psychiatric disorders utilizing proprietary drug discovery platforms, innovative delivery systems, and novel formulations and treatment regiments, is this week’s special guest on the Green Rush!

Our hosts Anne and Nick sat down with Doug to talk about all things Cybin including the Company’s recent listing on the NEO exchange, its partnerships with Catalent and Kernel, its expanding IP portfolio as well as its growth and expansion plans for 2021 and beyond. In addition, we look at the future of regulations for the psychedelic space, when clinical data may become available and the similarities and differences between psychedelics and cannabis for investors.  

Cybin is one of the most exciting companies in the nascent psychedelics space and it was a real treat to chat with Doug and get an in-depth look at how the company is differentiating itself from its competitors.

Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy!

Doug Drysdale, CEO of Cybin, Inc. 

Doug Drysldale has chaired the Board of a NASDAQ-listed company and, as CEO for the past 12 years, has built and turned-around 3 pharmaceutical companies. During Doug’s 30 years of experience in the healthcare sector, he has formed cohesive management teams, recruited board members, completed 15 corporate acquisitions across three continents and has raised $4 billion of both public and private capital. Doug holds a bachelor’s degree in Microbial and Molecular Biology from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom and was recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young in 2012. 

Links and mentions in the show

Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts

Show Credits:

This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications.

Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther.

You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing [email protected]. You can also connect with us via our social channels:

Twitter: @The_GreenRush 

Instagram: @thegreenrush_podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegreenrushpodcast/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenRushPodcast/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome to the Green Rush, a podcast at the intersection of cannabis, the capital markets and culture.

On a weekly basis, hosts, Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich speak with the leaders who are moving the industry forward. From politicians to investors, from celebrities to advocates, The Green Rush is the place for people who want to learn about the business, politics, policy and cultural impact of cannabis.

Today, Nick and Anne are talking with Adam Berk, CEO of Driven by Stem, a vertically integrated, farm-to-home, delivery-as-a-service platform redefining the future of the Cannabis industry. Our hosts chat with Adam about the company’s most recent evolution following its acquisition of Driven Deliveries and how its positioning the company to quickly scale and dominate the growing delivery landscape. In addition, Adam provides tremendous insight into the interplay between e-commerce and cannabis, the rise of online delivery as well as hot topics in the industry including the reintroduced SAFE Banking Act.

Now on to our conversation with Adam Berk, of Driven by Stem.

Adam Berk, CEO of Driven by Stem 

Former CEO of Osmio (now GrubHub), the first patented web-online food ordering system.  A founder of HYD for Men, an artisanal men’s grooming company, Adam also founded PPI Co., which patented the first paper water bottle.  A graduate of Cornell University with a degree in finance and hospitality, he also has an MBA from University of Miami.

Links and mentions in the show

Show Credits:

This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. 

Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther.

You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing [email protected]. You can also connect with us via our social channels:

Twitter: @The_GreenRush 

Instagram: @thegreenrush_podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegreenrushpodcast/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenRushPodcast/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

This week on The Green Rush, our hosts Nick and Anne are chatting with David Johnson, CEO of Enveric Biosciences, a patient-first biotechnology company developing rigorously tested, novel cannabinoid medicines to improve quality of life for cancer patients. 

It’s been a while since the Green Rush team has talked about CBD so we used this opportunity to get an update on the state of the space including how CBD is fitting into the existing medical landscape, the ways that technology is progressing the validation of these molecules and what the market could look like in the next several years. We also explore Enveric’s business model and how they compare to other players in the industry as well as key news from the industry including Jazz Pharmaceuticals acquisition of GW Pharma. 

Now on to our conversation with David Johnson of Enveric Biosciences.

David Johnson, Chairman and CEO of Enveric Biosciences

Former CEO of Convatec, oversaw the $4.1B spin out of Convatec from Bristol Myers Squibb; former CEO of Alliqua Biomedical, a developer of wound care technologies.

Links and mentions in the show

Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts

Show Credits:

This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. 

Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther.

You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing [email protected]. You can also connect with us via our social channels:

Twitter: @The_GreenRush 

Instagram: @thegreenrush_podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegreenrushpodcast/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenRushPodcast/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

This week on The Green Rush, our hosts Nick and Anne are talking with Dean Friday, CEO of Lyphe Group, Europe’s largest online cannabis clinic, and direct-to-patient pharmacy ecosystem. Lyphe is one of the better-known names in the UK, with 60% of all active patients. Our hosts dive into the Lyphe business model with Dean and get an idea on how different the UK cannabis market is compared to its North American counterpart..

Since most of our conversations to date have focused on the North American market, we’re excited to explore the growing European cannabis market and the progress being made across the Atlantic. From patient access to supply challenges, the UK and Lyphe are in the beginning stages of tackling some of the greatest issues facing this growing segment and Dean provides some tremendous insight on where the industry is today and where it hopes to go in the near future. 

Now on to our conversation with Dean Friday, of Lyphe Group.

Dean Friday, CEO of Lyphe Group

As CEO, Dean Friday leads Lyphe Group leveraging more than 12 years of experience serving as a senior executive driving growth in start-up businesses and having raised over $19M across four companies. Prior to launching Lyphe, Dean served as CFO & Partner at ECH Limited. In addition he’s held c-suite roles at Saavy Property Tech and the TSX listed Arian Silver as COO & CFO respectively.

Links and mentions in the show

Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts

Show Credits:

This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. 

Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther.

You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing [email protected]. You can also connect with us via our social channels:

Twitter: @The_GreenRush 

Instagram: @thegreenrush_podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegreenrushpodcast/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenRushPodcast/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

This week on The Green Rush, our hosts Nick and Anne are talking with Jeff Stevens, CEO of Psyched Wellness (CSE: PSYC), a Canadian-based health supplements company focused on the production and distribution of artisanal functional and psychedelic mushrooms. At its core, Psyched Wellness is developing a line of Amanita muscaria-derived water-based extracts, teas and capsules designed to help with three health objectives: promote stress relief, relaxation and assist with restful sleeping.

With increased interest in plant-based wellness alternatives to pharmacological treatments for health issues such as insomnia, depression, and anxiety, Psyched Wellness and its work with the Amanita Muscaria mushroom are part of the larger push within the psychedelics space to transform mental healthcare. We chat with Jeff about the unique characteristics of Amanita, what differentiates Psyched from other psychedelics companies and what the company has in store for 2021. 

So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Jeff Stevens of Psyched Wellness.

Jeff Stevens, CEO and Director of Psyched Wellness

Jeff Stevens is the CEO and Director of Psyched Wellness. Jeff has 20+ years of capital markets experience and has been an officer and director with several public companies. He has taken three companies public via reverse takeover, built teams and structured multiple M&A transactions while building successful businesses.

Links and mentions in the show

Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts

Show Credits:

This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. 

Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther.

You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing [email protected]. You can also connect with us via our social channels:

Twitter: @The_GreenRush 

Instagram: @thegreenrush_podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegreenrushpodcast/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenRushPodcast/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

This week on The Green Rush, our hosts are chatting with Amanda Siebert, a freelance journalist covering the psychedelics and cannabis space and the author of “The Little Book of Cannabis: How Marijuana Can Improve Your Life”. She is a co-founder and editor-in-chief at Inside the Jar, a growing independent publication focused on drug culture in Canada and the United States and recently was announced as the new editor of the revamped CannabisHealth.com 

Based in Canada, Amanda is one of the leading journalists covering both cannabis and psychedelics space with her byline regularly appearing in Forbes and having been featured in the New York Times, Vice, Leafly, Calgary Herald, and Georgia Straight. We sat down with her chat about the latest headlines in both industries including drug decriminalization legislation, how much of the investor excitement permeating through these industries is real and what’s just hype, as well as her follow up book, “The Little Book of Psychedelics” which is due out later this year. 

So sit back and enjoy our conversation with journalist Amanda Siebert.

Amanda Siebert, Cannabis and Psychedelics Journalist

Amanda is a freelance multimedia journalist focusing on the intersections of business and culture in the cannabis and psychedelics industries. She is a co-founder and editor-in-chief at Inside the Jar, a growing independent publication focused on drug culture in Canada and the United States. Her first book, “The Little Book of Cannabis: How Marijuana Can Improve Your Life”, was published by Greystone Books in 2018 on the same day cannabis was legalized here. In 2019, the Toronto Star bestseller was also named the #1-selling non-fiction cannabis book in the country. A follow-up, “The Little Book of Psychedelics,” is in the works. Her byline has appeared in the New York Times, Vice, Leafly, Calgary Herald, Georgia Straight (where she received national and regional awards for her work), CannCentral, and Inside the Jar, among others. As an author, I have been featured on CBC and Global News, as well as a wide variety of national radio shows. I endeavour to cover cannabis from an international perspective and hope you enjoy reading my work.

Links and mentions in the show

Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts

Show Credits:

This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. 

Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther.

You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing [email protected]. You can also connect with us via our social channels:

Twitter: @The_GreenRush 

Instagram: @thegreenrush_podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegreenrushpodcast/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenRushPodcast/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

This week on The Green Rush our hosts are chatting with Chris Driessen, the President and Chief Executive Officer of SLANG Worldwide (CSE: SLNG). SLANG Worldwide is a consumer-packaged-goods company that owns, licenses, and markets cannabis brands, serving the flower, concentrates, edibles, and beverage categories. SLANG has 6 brands in 15 different markets (12 states and 2 countries) in 4,000 retail stores. 

Anne and Nick chatted with Chris about the increasingly competitive cannabis marketplace, some of the Company’s partnerships including with Trulieve, Slang’s U.S. expansion plans and entry into the CBD space as well as what’s coming down the pipeline that has Chris excited for 2021. As one of the leading CPG companies in the cannabis space, Chris’ insights on the growth and potential of the space are really interesting and something we are sure our listeners will enjoy.

Now onto our conversation with Chris Driessen of SLANG Worldwide.

Chris Driessen, President and Chief Executive Officer of SLANG Worldwide

Chris Driessen is the President and Chief Executive Officer of SLANG Worldwide (CSE: SLNG). In his role, Driessen is responsible for the overall performance of the organization. His leadership has been instrumental in creating business processes that streamline efficiency, drive dramatic revenue gains and foster lasting, mutually-profitable relationships with the largest names in the marijuana industry. In his professional tenure, Driessen has led sales efforts for Fortune 500 companies including Starwood, Konica Minolta, Marriott, and Intercontinental Hotels Group. Outside the office, Chris can be found spending time with his wife and three children, hoarding airline miles, and cooking what some might call the best BBQ in America.

Links and mentions in the show

Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts

Show Credits:

This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. 

Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther.

You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing [email protected]. You can also connect with us via our social channels:

Twitter: @The_GreenRush 

Instagram: @thegreenrush_podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegreenrushpodcast/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenRushPodcast/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

On this week’s Green Rush, we are sitting down with Jelani Gibson, the Content lead at the NJ Cannabis Insider for NJ Advance Media, which is also home to NJ.com and the Star Ledger.

Having previously covered gun violence and other social equity issues at his previous stops in Kansas City and Texas, Jelani is well-versed on the intersection of public policy and social justice. We sat down with him to look at how issues around social justice and policing have stalled efforts to pass a cannabis legalization bill in New Jersey and what the outlook of that market looks like for both consumers and businesses after voters approved cannabis on the ballot last November.  

This was a tremendously thought-provoking conversation that will provide a ton of insight into how the War on Drugs still plays a heavy role in legislation around cannabis and potential solutions to empower communities that have historically been underserved and underrepresented.

So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Jelani Gibson.

Links and mentions in the show

Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts

Show Credits:

This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. 

Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther.

You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing [email protected]. You can also connect with us via our social channels:

Twitter: @The_GreenRush 

Instagram: @thegreenrush_podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thegreenrushpodcast/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGreenRushPodcast/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true