Under the Microscope with Jenny

🎙In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano continues the Cannabis Operator Series with Tucker Holland, Partner and CFO of Entourage Cannabis in Eugene, Oregon. Tucker shares his journey from being a high school chemistry teacher and football coach to cannabis entrepreneur, detailing how they started with a small medical caregiver grow before expanding into extraction and processing. He discusses the challenges of building and licensing a cultivation and extraction facility in the early days of Oregon's regulated market, self-funding growth, and surviving the market crash that forced many operators out of business. Jenny and Tucker explore the evolution of Oregon's cannabis industry, the company's shift from cultivation to concentrates, and the importance of maintaining a quality-first approach in an increasingly price-driven market. They also discuss the science behind the entourage effect, the limitations of traditional indica, hybrid and sativa labels, and Entourage Cannabis's development of  the Entourage Effect Score using cannabinoid and terpene data to help consumers make more informed product choices. This episode delivers practical insight on extraction, product differentiation, market resilience, and building a sustainable cannabis business in a mature market.

🌿𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting

⏰𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀⏰

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcast’s guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.

🎙In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano takes a deep dive into why every cannabis operator should have a compliance audit program and how an important tool like proactive auditing can help reduce risk, improve operations, and strengthen overall compliance.

🌿𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting

🌎 𝗜𝗖𝗦 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: https://www.icsconsultingservice.com

⏰𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀⏰

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcast’s guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.

🎙In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano sits down with Scott Newman, a business consultant at Adaptive HR and OneDigital. Scott shares his journey into the cannabis industry in 2019 after attending NECANN in Boston and becoming Adaptive HR’s first full-time employee, and scaling nationally through acquisitions by Resourcing Edge and then OneDigital. Jenny and Scott explore how strong HR processes help reduce miscommunication, improve accountability, and create a more sustainable operation. The conversation also covers workers' compensation, OSHA resources, the risks of relying on AI for HR decisions, and the growing complexity operators face as they expand across multiple locations and states. They discuss the benefits employees value most beyond pay, including healthcare, retirement plans, mental health resources, pet insurance, and financial wellness programs. They also share practical strategies for building a strong workplace culture without breaking the budget, benchmarking against competitors, and leveraging PEOs to access better employee benefits. This episode delivers practical insight for cannabis operators looking to improve employee retention, strengthen compliance, and build a workplace that supports long-term growth.

🌿𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting

⏰𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀⏰

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcast’s guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.

🎙In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano continues the Cannabis Operator Series with Amanda Terpstra, CEO, and Laura Trujillo, COO and co-founders of BestBüds Dispensary, a women-owned dispensary in New Jersey.

Together, they discuss the realities of launching in New Jersey, including fundraising while applying for licenses, lobbying local officials to opt into cannabis, navigating inspections and delays, and managing the operational challenges that come with opening a regulated cannabis business.

The conversation also covers cannabis marketing restrictions, trademarking, social media limitations, delivery operations, and future plans for vertical integration opportunities. They also share what they are most proud of, including building an all-women team and celebrating their upcoming two-year anniversary this fall. This episode delivers practical insight for cannabis operators on launching a compliant, community-driven dispensary while building a strong brand and long-term business foundation.

🌿𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting

Timestamps:

 01:34 Laura Trujillo Intro

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcast’s guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.

🎙In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano sits down with Darren Gleeman of MBO Ventures to discuss how cannabis founders can potentially scale and transition ownership without selling to MSOs or private equity. Darren shares his background in hedge funds and explains how ESOP-based ownership structures are being used in cannabis as operators face limited exit opportunities, scarce lending, valuation challenges, and ongoing market pressure. Jenny and Darren break down what an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) is, how these structures work, and the potential tax and succession planning advantages they may offer certain cannabis businesses. They also discuss leadership, employee retention benefits, and how operators can potentially use these structures to preserve company culture while positioning themselves for future growth and consolidation. This episode delivers practical insight for cannabis operators exploring alternative paths to scaling, ownership transition, and long-term sustainability in today’s cannabis market.

🌿𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting

⏰𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀⏰

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcast’s guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.

🎙In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano breaks down what it really takes to launch a cannabis business in a mature and saturated market. Jenny explains why licenses alone are no longer the competitive advantage in established markets and why success now comes down to execution, compliance controls, operational discipline, branding, customer experience, and financial sustainability. She covers the hidden realities of launching, including underestimated build-out costs, permitting delays, pre-revenue burn, and the need for more capital than most operators expect. Jenny also walks through the key challenges facing cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries, and cannabis hospitality lounges, from branding and staffing to compliance, customer retention, and operational strategy. Throughout the episode, she highlights the traits successful operators share like clear positioning, realistic timelines, conservative financial planning, and the ability to adapt as markets evolve. This episode delivers practical insight for anyone looking to launch, scale, or survive in today’s competitive cannabis industry.

🌿𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting

⏰𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀⏰

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcast’s guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.

🎙In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano continues the Cannabis Operator Series with Forest Palmer, CEO of Kansas City Cannabis. Forest shares his journey from the service industry and the United States Marine Corps into cannabis, including his early work with American Shaman before joining Kansas City Cannabis during the launch of the Missouri medical market. He walks through the early licensing process, the intense application work behind it, and how his team secured four of five dispensary licenses, later winning an appeal for a Kansas City location. Jenny and Forest discuss building a dispensary-first strategy without vertical integration, navigating early supply constraints, and adapting to Missouri’s transition to adult use in 2023. They also cover compliance, vendor relationships, operational lessons learned, and how systems evolved through real-world challenges. A major focus of the conversation is culture. Forest shares how Kansas City Cannabis built a people-first operating model centered on training, internal promotions, community connection, and performance bonuses tied to customer experience. That approach has helped create strong retention, low turnover, and a workplace culture built for long-term growth. This episode offers practical insight for operators on licensing, scaling, compliance, and building a strong team in a competitive and evolving market.

🌿𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting

⏰𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀⏰

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcast’s guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.

🎙In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano, welcomes Alex Hearding, President and Founder of Red Wolf Risk, to discuss the hidden costs of operating a cannabis facility without a Quality Management System (QMS). Alex explains how a QMS creates accountability, consistency, and continuous improvement while helping operators strengthen compliance, training, and traceability. Jenny and Alex break down why cannabis businesses are especially vulnerable to recalls, contamination, financing challenges, and costly inefficiencies when systems are weak or disconnected. The conversation also covers common warning signs operators should look for, including poor document control, weak equipment maintenance programs, lack of input traceability, missing training systems, unresolved customer complaints, and no formal CAPA process to fix root causes. This episode delivers practical insight for operators looking to reduce risk, improve efficiency, and build a stronger cannabis business.

🌿𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting

⏰𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀⏰

00:53 Intro Alex Hearding

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcast’s guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.

🎙In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano sits down with Will Read, Founder and CEO of CannaPlanners, to break down how cannabis operators should approach marketing in today’s saturated market.

Will shares his journey building CannaPlanners from early hemp and CBD projects into a full-scale agency supporting cannabis brands with websites, SEO and retention marketing. Together, they focus on a key reality that operators are not just selling products, they are selling an experience, and that a brand and digital presence need to be built before launch.

They cover what actually moves the needle, including local SEO, a responsive and mobile friendly website, managing reviews, and using email and SMS for measurable retention. The conversation also highlights common pitfalls, including the real risks operators face when cutting corners, like poor website compliance, copyright issues, fragmented marketing efforts, and over reliance on paid ads in restricted channels.

This episode delivers practical, no fluff insight on building a compliant, effective marketing strategy that drives traffic and keeps customers coming back.

🌿𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting

⏰𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀⏰

 01:13 Will Read Intro

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcast’s guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.

🎙In this episode of Under the Microscope with Jenny, host Jenny Germano, sits down with Founder and of RZA Legal, Rachael Ardanuy to unpack the evolving and highly complex conflict between state-legal cannabis use and federal firearm restrictions. Jenny and Rachael break down how the federal Gun Control Act and ATF firearm purchase forms currently pose real risks for cannabis consumers, including denial of firearm purchases or potential felony exposure for false statements. They walk through how this issue is being challenged in the courts, particularly following the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen decision, which shifted Second Amendment analysis toward historical tradition and opened the door for new legal arguments. The conversation also explores key cases shaping the landscape, including United States v. Hemani and United States v. Daniels, highlighting how courts are increasingly focusing on concepts like “dangerousness” and “temporal nexus” when evaluating firearm restrictions tied to controlled substance use. Jenny and Rachael bring it back to real-world implications for cannabis operators and consumers. They discuss the confidentiality of the state’s medical marijuana registry, the lack of employee protections following Colorado - Coats v. Dish Network, and what cannabis businesses should be thinking about when it comes to workplace firearm policies, security practices, and liability exposure. They also touch on the legacy of the Cole Memo, ongoing federal enforcement priorities, and a current opportunity for public comment on ATF proposed rule changes that could further clarify how “unlawful user” is defined regarding marijuana. This episode is a must-listen for cannabis operators, employees, and consumers looking to better understand the legal risks at the intersection of cannabis and firearms and how to navigate an increasingly shifting regulatory and constitutional landscape.

🌿𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁: Jenny Germano, Founder of ICS Consulting

𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 “𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿"

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/22/2026-01141/revising-definition-of-unlawful-user-of-or-addicted-to-controlled-substance#open-comment

⏰𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀⏰

𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: The content shared on this channel - including all videos, podcasts, interviews, and discussions is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, compliance, or business consulting advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Laws and regulations surrounding cannabis and related industries vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Always consult with a qualified attorney or licensed professional before making decisions that could have legal or regulatory consequences for your business. Listening to or viewing this content does not create a client relationship between you and ICS Consulting, Under the Microscope with Jenny, Jenny Germano, or any of the podcast’s guests. Any opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICS Consulting or its affiliates.