In this first episode of Flourishin’ in Cannabis, host Vien Trinh welcomes Noomi Rana — founder of Inovysta and helped Zizzle NY establish its seed-to-sale software, Flourish Software. 

Noomi shares his journey from growing up in Queens to going from legacy to licensed in the rapidly evolving New York cannabis market. He opens up about the challenges of navigating regulatory confusion, why compliance isn’t optional, and how technology like seed-to-sale software became essential for operators to survive.

Noomi also introduces his vision for Inovysta, a consulting company helping cannabis brands with packaging, marketing, and compliance solutions, while championing his philosophy of keeping cannabis pure — no sprays, just solventless. 

From comparing East Coast and West Coast cannabis culture to offering hard-earned advice about why entrepreneurs need thick skin, capital, and creativity, Noomi brings honesty and insight to every part of the conversation. And in a deeply personal moment, he recalls how seeing cannabis help a friend’s epilepsy inspired his lifelong love for the plant.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Welcome to Flourishin’ In Cannabis Podcast
• 00:01:06 - Meet Noomi, co-founder of Sizzle New York and founder of Inovysta.
• 00:01:43 - Noomi's Background: Growing up in Germany and moving to Queens, New York.
• 00:03:42 - Transition to the Industry: From legacy involvement in Queens to entering the legal space.
• 00:04:26 - Going Legal: Starting a CBD company in 2020 and navigating New York's sudden legalization.
• 00:06:01 - Compliance and Technology: The initial struggles with regulations and inventory management.
• 00:07:01 - Adopting Software: How Flourish software helped streamline operations and compliance.
• 00:09:30 - NY's Regulatory Tech Shift: Discussing the state's move from BioTrack to Metrc.
• 00:10:09 - A Common Oversight: New licensees often forget the software and compliance aspects of the business.
• 00:12:19 - Inovysta Innovative Solutions: Noomi introduces his new consulting company.
• 00:12:32 - Inovysta's Mission: Bridging the gap for legacy operators in marketing, packaging, and compliance.
• 00:14:58 - Product Purity: Sizzle's focus on pure, unadulterated cannabis products like live solventless extracts.
• 00:17:27 - East Coast vs. West Coast: Comparing the consumer preferences and operator innovation in New York and California.
• 00:18:28 - The Future of the NY Market: Predictions for the industry's growth and innovation over the next 5-10 years.
• 00:19:50 - Noomi's Five-Year Plan: Focusing on packaging, marketing, and global expansion to markets like Germany.
• 00:21:02 - Advice for Newcomers: Emphasizing the need for resilience, capital, and adaptability.
• 00:22:40 - A Personal Story of the Plant’s Healing Powers: When Noomi fell in love with the cannabis plant and it’s treatment of epilepsy
• 00:24:04 - How to Get a Hold of Noomi

Links and Resources:

• Flourish Software
• Vien Trinh on LinkedIn
• Inovysta's Website — Free consultations, packaging, marketing, web design, and compliance solutions
• Inovysta on Instagram
• Noomi on Instagram
• Noomi on LinkedIn

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Flourishin' in Cannabis? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube to leave us a review!