The Sativa Segment with Richard Y. Cheng

For the first time on The Sativa Segment, Richard Cheng gives up the interviewer’s chair and finds himself in the hot seat.

In Episode 43, Richard’s girlfriend takes over hosting duties to give listeners a different look at the man behind the podcast. The conversation goes beyond cannabis to explore Richard’s upbringing, his path from occupational therapy to law, the career risks that shaped him, and why he has repeatedly chosen opportunities that required him to bet on himself.

Richard shares how his healthcare background influenced the attorney he became, what he learned while serving as general counsel during a period of explosive business growth, and why preparation, infrastructure, and timing are critical when companies begin scaling.

The conversation also dives into Richard’s work in mergers and acquisitions, what business owners should be thinking about years before a potential sale, and how his experience in highly regulated healthcare ultimately prepared him for cannabis law.

He also tells the unlikely story of attending a “Marijuana Law 101” session at a conference, a decision that eventually led to his first cannabis client, involvement with the Texas cannabis industry, and a completely new area of his legal career.

Texas regulations are changing the cannabis and hemp industry — and for retailers like Black Lotus, adapting quickly has become a matter of survival.

In Episode 42 of The Sativa Segment, Richard Cheng sits down with Black Lotus owners Cole and Rick to discuss their journey from working together at a vape shop to taking the risk of launching their own retail business in Rockwall, Texas. They share why they worked seven days a week and went eight months without paying themselves, how they built Black Lotus around education and customer service, and what helped them stand out in a crowded industry.

The conversation then turns to the dramatic changes happening across Texas. Cole and Rick explain how THC products became one of the biggest drivers of revenue for retailers, what recent restrictions have meant for their business, and why some shops have already been forced to close.

With traditional THC revenue disappearing, the pair shares how they are exploring products like Blue Lotus, gummies, beverages, and other alternatives while remaining cautious about simply chasing the next trend. Their strategy: understand the products, listen to customers, stay educated, and continue adapting.

Richard, Cole, and Rick also address the broader impact of regulation on small businesses, employees, and the future of the Texas hemp industry — and offer a message to business owners trying to weather the uncertainty.

Patrick Steptoe shares the inspiring story behind Luther Dryers, a beverage company rooted in a family legacy secret lemonade recipe. From brewing lemonade in his college dorm bathtub to launching both hard lemonade cocktails and innovative THC & CBD-infused drinks, Patrick blends entrepreneurship and creativity with a mission to elevate the beverage experience. In this episode, he opens up about overcoming challenges as an African American business owner and leading in a thriving yet complex market. 

Cody Fisher returns to The Sativa Segment for a unique episode where he candidly shares the story of a $60,000 hemp beverage shipment seized in Arkansas. Joined by host Richard Cheng, Cody walks through the legal challenges they faced, the importance of compliance and clear documentation, and the path to recovering their products, offering crucial insights for anyone navigating hemp distribution in a complex regulatory landscape. 

This episode features John Innes's journey from corporate finance to revolutionizing payments in the cannabis industry. With a deep understanding of ACH processing and compliance, John explains how Redfish offers a secure, innovative alternative to traditional card payments for dispensaries.

This episode explores how a thriving cannabis retail business is standing out as a very profitable business in a competitive cannabis retail market. Also, we will discuss how this single location has grown its brand to become a local favorite in the DFW area.

Join us on this episode of The Sativa Segment with Richard Y. Cheng! In this episode, Richard has a discussion with Jon Bowman of Bluebonnet Labs.

This episode explores how Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) can be used in the cannabis industry, along with the benefits of using ESOPs.

This episode hosts Tony Gallo to discuss security issues and concerns in the cannabis industry. Tony provides insight on challenges his company faces and the common practices by cannabis businesses to protect its assets and operations.

Join us on this episode of The Sativa Segment with Richard Y. Cheng! In this episode, Richard has a discussion with Harrison Jordan of Substance Law about the Canadian cannabis framework and the legal issues with cannabis in Canada.