Social Equity-Focused Business Delivery Services In Colorado

Tune in to learn more about social equity-focused business delivery services in Colorado with Better Days Delivery, Michael Diaz-Rivera. Better Days Delivery Service is based in Denver, Colorado. The company collaborates with Colorado’s leading dispensaries and provides a seamless add-on service to both clients and customers. They operate 16 hours a day to provide the most convenient options for service to their client customers. As an official third-party transporter, they can and will also help navigate the delivery permit application process for your business as well.

Michael is involved in NCIA’s DEI Program, including a scholarship membership for your first year, and they do great things like host supportive and information-sharing conference calls, and so on. This is made up of people from across the country. We dive into Michael’s involvement in other social equity-related groups or activities here in Colorado at the state level. We know there are challenges to being a social equity business license holder or applicant, and most often the biggest challenge is access to capital. And also knowledge and know-how. So we hear more about those challenges, but more importantly, how is Michael navigating around them, and what kind of support he is getting from the community along the way.

Tucky Bluny | blunts+moore

Each week Khadijah Adams hosts cannabis industry operators, advocates, and allies to discuss issues related to social equity and highlight their experiences, challenges and success stories as people of color in the cannabis industry. This episode, Khadijah is joined by Tucky Blunt of blunts+moore.

#BlackLivesMatter #StopAsianHate #CannabisIsEssential

Lobbying Congress Virtually as an NCIA Evergreen Member

Hear more about lobbying Congress virtually as an NCIA Evergreen Member with Khurshid Khoja.

Khurshid is founder of Greenbridge Corporate Counsel, P.C., a California business law firm. Khurshid founded the law firm in 2012, which represents clientele from across numerous sectors in the legal cannabinoid industries, on regulatory, start‐up, corporate, intellectual property, finance, and other commercial and transactional matters. Khurshid currently serves as Chair Emeritus of the Board of Directors of the National Cannabis Industry Association, serves as co-chair of NCIA’s Policy Council, and as outside general counsel to Students for Sensible Drug Policy. He has previously served on the Board and Policy Committee of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, California State Treasurer’s Cannabis Banking Working Group, as a Founding Board member and General Counsel of the California Cannabis Industry Association, and as a mentor and member of the Selection Committee for the Arcview Investor Network. Among other honors, Khurshid was profiled in The National Law Journal’s first-ever Cannabis Law Trailblazers’ list, he’s been named to the annual Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars list multiple times, has received SSDP’s Unsung Hero Award multiple times, and Arcview Investor Network’s Outstanding Member Award.

Michael Diaz-Rivera | Better Days Delivery

#BlackLivesMatter #StopAsianHate #CannabisIsEssential

In Studio at #CannaBizSummit: Solonje Burnett and Marc Ross

Bethany Moore interviews two renowned social justice activists in Solonje Burnett (Co-founder at Humble Bloom) and Marc Ross (Head of Impact and ESG for Vicente Sederberg) on the expo floor at NCIA’s Cannabis Business Summit and Expo held December 15-17, 2021, in San Francisco, CA.

Solonje Burnett is a consultant, creator, breathwork guide, speaker and the co-founder and CEO of Humble Bloom. Humble Bloom is the leading NY based cannabis culture brand focused on consciously curating inclusive and intersectional communities with a goal of crafting an equitable and sustainable industry for all.

Marc Ross is the Head of Impact & ESG and co-chair of the Environmental, Health and Safety Practice Group at Vicente Sederberg LLP. He provides counseling and consulting to the cannabis, hemp, and entheogen industries on all things ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance), CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion), community engagement, employee engagement, strategic philanthropy, sustainability, and other associated areas.

DEI in the Cannabis Industry and at NCIA

Learn more about DEI in the cannabis industry and at NCIA with Mike Lomuto today on NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice with Bethany Moore only on Cannabis Radio. Prior to his hire as the DEI Manager, Mike volunteered for two years in leadership of the NCIA’s DEI Committee. In his current role, Mike is tasked with building sustainable DEI at NCIA, supporting Social Equity members, and implementing initiatives to foster greater DEI nationwide. Previously, Mike co-founded Dao Mastery, a business development program to help cannapreneurs thrive and grow generational wealth.

We start by chatting more about Mike’s work here at NCIA working with DEI Scholarship Recipients and finding DEI Program Sponsors to support all the programming. At this point, we’ve offered over 200 membership scholarships to Equity License Holders and Applicants. So we talk more about those individuals and their companies and which we’ve been featuring recently in Equity Member Spotlight blogs on our website.

Even further than that, we thankfully brought back our in-person trade shows in recent months, both the Midwest Cannabis Business Conference we held in Detroit last September, and then our Cannabis Business Summit & Expo in San Francisco in December. Both of which hosted day-long Social Equity Workshops. We talk more about those workshops and what the participants are experiencing at those.

Shaunie Haynes | Clouds XM Inc. & CannaVetLive

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In Studio At #CannaBizSummit: Jade Fire and Hunter + Esquire

Listen to this special episode of NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice, brought to you from the podcast studio on the show floor of the 7th Annual Cannabis Business Summit & Expo held December 15-17, 2021, in San Francisco, CA, with your host, Bethany Moore!

Also, don’t forget about NCIA’s 8th Annual Cannabis Business Summit & Expo in San Francisco this July 20-22!

Jade Fire and Hunter + Esquire today on NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice.

Insights into the Cannabis Extraction Market with Dominick Monaco

Tune in to this episode to learn Insights into the Cannabis Extraction Market with Dominick Monaco, City Trees/CLS Holdings today on NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice. Dominick Monaco, Pharm.D. is Director of Laboratory Operations at CLS Holdings, Inc. He manages City Trees’ production and distribution activities in Nevada. Dr. Monaco oversaw formulating and manufacturing Louisiana’s first-ever Medical Marijuana tinctures in tandem with Louisiana State University’s AgCenter. Dr. Monaco graduated from the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy in 2010 and has been involved in the legal cannabis industry since 2012.

We take a deep dive into extraction technology and the extraction market, and what to do if you’re entering into the cannabis extraction side of the industry. Sounds like you’re going to need a couple of things right off the bat, 1 being the cannabis cultivator, and 2, being the equipment itself. It’s really exciting that every year that goes by, we see more and more states legalizing cannabis either for medical or adult-use sales. We talk about how that plays into the extraction and production side of the cannabis industry, where the market is concerned, such as Northern California’s needs and wants, versus Boston, Massachusetts.

Stories from an Oakland Native Dispensary Owner – Tucky Blunt Jr, Blunts + Moore

Hear from Blunts And Moore with Tucky Blunts today on NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice with Bethany Moore. Alphonso (Tucky) Blunt Jr. is the owner of both Proud Papas clothing and Blunts + Moore dispensary, is a 5th generation Oakland native, that has opened the 1st dispensary under Oakland’s Cannabis Social Equity Program. Blunts + Moore opened its doors on November 24th, 2018 and is proudly driven by the vibrant, hard-working local community, and striving to make cannabis accessible to all of its consumers in a safe and comfortable environment.

The owner of both Blunts + Moore dispensary, and Proud Papas clothing is a fifth-generation Oakland native, that has opened the first dispensary under the City of Oakland’s Equity Program. While growing up in Oakland, California during the war on drugs era, he managed to stay out of trouble and maintain a 4.0 GPA and a full-time job while in high school. He was also using and selling cannabis. Cannabis sales to him was another form of employment. In 1999 while on an errand with his grandmother, she had him go to a dispensary, from that day forward his mission was to own one for himself, so he could sell cannabis legally.

He worked at and was a vendor for multiple bay area dispensaries from 1999-to 2004. In 2003 he attempted to become an owner of a dispensary and was told blacks would never own in this business. In 2004 he was arrested for possession with the intent to sell, and given 10 years of felony probation with a 4-way search clause. Still determined to learn more on the legal side, he attended and graduated from Oaksterdam University in 2008. In true path formation, had he not been arrested, he would not have qualified for the Equity program… Now as the 1st person to open a dispensary under Oakland’s Equity program, he is finally continuing on that path of ownership. His goals and values are still spiritual and family-driven. He is looking to change the face of the cannabis industry, one location at a time. Blunts + Moore opened its doors on November 24th, 2018 to a huge crowd, great food, and lifted spirits. A native-born son, selling cannabis legally in Oakland!

In Studio at #CannaBizSummit: Next Level Edibles and BALCA

Also, don’t forget about NCIA’s 8th Annual Cannabis Business Summit & Expo in San Francisco this July 20-22!

Brothers Anthony Jenkins and Cartier Jenkins share a similar experience with depression and anxiety/PTSD. Anthony was diagnosed with depression and anxiety after hitting a low point during the 2007 recession and Cartier was diagnosed with depression and PTSD after returning from military duty overseas. When they were prescribed medications, both found that the artificially made products made them feel worse and did not provide therapeutic relief. Thus, they felt hopeless about their conditions, that is, until they discovered the healing benefits of cannabis. Drawing from his interest in baking from a young age, Anthony began infusing his gourmet creations, providing a delicious (yes, absolutely drool-worthy) and discreet way to medicate without the stigma of other cannabis vehicles such as a blunt. Cartier, on the other hand, became passionate about the cannabis cultivation/distribution process and entered the industry as a broker, gaining invaluable knowledge and expertise on the plant itself. Thus, the origin of Next Level Edibles and their hand-crafted gourmet edibles infused with high-quality cannabinoids and terpenes, and in the process, the birth of their infused coconut oil. Now, asides from their critically-acclaimed baked goods, their cannabis oil provides the home chef a way to create their own infused delicacies.

Alvaro Portillo has worked in the legal California cannabis industry for the last 6 years. He fell in love with the cannabis industry after seeing all of the benefits and positive impacts that the plants have on the lives of patients, family, and friends. Alvaro has had the opportunity to help set up a company in the California legal market in operations and learn how to grow cannabis from a scientific standpoint. He was involved in the design of the facility and helped with the implementation of standard operating procedures from cloning and propagation to pheno hunting, flowering harvesting, curing, and packaging with compliance. And ensure that only the best products are taken to market time after time. Alvaro is currently working on his own business plan to fill the needs of an ever-changing cannabis market. In his new role as BALCA Latin America Director, he has the opportunity to create relationships in Latin America with like-minded companies and organizations in the cannabis industry.

The Full Spectrum of the Hemp Industry with NCIA’s Hemp Committee

Tune in to this episode to learn more about the full spectrum and gray areas of the hemp industry with NCIA’s Hemp Committee, including Liz Mason and Keith Butler.

Liz Mason is the Director of Operations at Aurum Labs and Aurum Hemp. Both companies focus on compliance testing for Marijuana and Industrial Hemp products. They were one of the first certified cannabis testing labs in Colorado and in the U.S. They are USDA, ISO 17025 accredited, and Colorado state-certified.

Keith was brought into the world of cannabis advocacy in 1979 and in 1987 joined the hemp revolution started by Jack Herer. Beginning his first formulations company in the early 90’s manufacturing supplements Keith has never stopped learning from the natural world. With backgrounds in law, science, manufacturing, and distribution Keith has traveled the world as an ambassador of the plant. In 2019 Keith co-founded OP Innovates which stands for Our Plant, Our Planet to manufacture and distribute products utilizing the natural absorption methods of Naturia+™ an organic Patent-Pending cannabinoid delivery method Keith co-invented.

Anthony Jenkins, Jr. | Next Level Edibles

#BlackLivesMatter #StopAsianHate #CannabisIsEssential

Perspectives on Social Equity in Cannabis and R&D Horizons

Learn more about Perspectives on Social Equity in Cannabis and R&D Horizons with Jim Makoso of Lucid Labs in this episode.

We saw Jim at #MWCannaBizCon in Detroit recently where we hosted a social equity workshop and Jim and I chatted a lot about what’s happening in the industry. NCIA has a DEI Committee as well as a DEI Scholarship Program for licensees. We start by talking about those state-by-state programs that are writing social equity licensing provisions into their state laws at the get-go rather than as an afterthought. Massachusetts was one of the first to do so. That’s an encouraging step in the right direction at the state level. In Jim’s home state in Washington, there are still some struggles there in getting full equity in their cannabis program. With that, we talk more about what Jim is seeing on the ground there.

As far as what else is on the horizon for our industry, I get really excited when we see more sophisticated research and products with various cannabinoids, not just the old CBD and THC “salt and pepper” combo. Now we can buy gummies specifically designed for sleep that features the cannabinoid CBN or CBG. We discuss what Jim is seeing out there as far as new products.

Jim Makos is the CEO of Flowe Technology and Director of Lucid Lab Group. Jim holds board seats in several organizations including serving as Vice-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee with the National Cannabis Industry Association. In Washington State, Jim is an active member of the Technical Assistance & Mentorship Workgroup in the Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force, a working group formed under the Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities Before entering the cannabis industry, Jim cut his teeth on Wall Street as a finance professional. Recognized by industry peers as having expertise in processing and extraction technologies, Jim regularly contributes to printed publications in addition to speaking at some of the largest industry events around the country.

In Studio at #MWCannaBizCon: Hello Manito and Paragon Payroll

Listen to this special episode of NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice brought to you from the podcast studio on the showfloor of the Midwest Cannabis Business Conference and Expo held September 22-23, 2021, in Detroit, MI, with your host, Bethany Moore!

In this series of episodes, we asked attendees how they felt being at the #MWCannaBizCon show after 18 months of not hosting in-person events because of COVID-19, as well as what issues in cannabis policy are most important to them, plus insights into the future of the cannabis industry and policy.

Also, don’t forget about NCIA’s 7th Annual Cannabis Business Summit & Expo in San Francisco this December 15-17!

Chris Cantergiani is a veteran storyteller with more than twenty years of experience producing engaging content in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Boston, Washington D.C., and Cleveland. I’m passionate about collaboration and working with a team to achieve a common goal. Hello Manito is a boutique cannabis marketing and video production studio focused on elevating premier brands to the next level. Our Emmy award-winning team crafts educational, inspirational content, and data-driven strategies. Full-service production services include videography, video editing, drone photography & video, storyboarding, web design, social medial strategies, and media coaching. They are a video production, creative content, and experiential marketing agency that crafts stories, strategies, and movements. Powered by Emmy award-winning journalists and producers, we inform others and inspire them to engage, connect and act.

Melissa Allison with Texas-based Paragon Payroll, Inc., founded in 2007, has been providing full-service payroll and human capital management (HCM) solutions to the cannabis industry since 2016 with the goal of helping legitimize cannabis businesses. They are the premier provider of payroll, workforce management, and talent management solutions to businesses of all sizes, from the single-store dispensary to the multi-state operators. Their solutions are designed and packaged to meet each client’s individualized needs. Since its inception, Paragon has been serving clients in complex and highly regulated industries. This experience translates to a robust understanding of the many challenges cannabis companies face in payroll and HR departments – managing 280e; unions and CBAs; and highly dynamic workforces. Paragon’s MRB-compliant bank enables them to offer the payroll and human capital management services that other industries have easy access to – without the threat of being kicked off just because you are in the cannabis industry.

Moving Toward Earth-Digestible Packaging in Cannabis

Hear from NCIA’s Packaging and Labeling Committee abuot moving toward earth-digestible packaging in cannabis with Nick McCormick and Kelly Williams today on NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice.

There’s a lot of packaging in our industry and our guests are on the Packaging and Labeling Committee at NCIA, and while some of the packagings is really interesting and innovative, what’s also true is that it contributes to waste and there’s an environmental sustainability issue that as an industry we need to address. So we start by talking more in general and about the environmental issues with all the packaging in our industry. Then we dive into the direction they think the cannabis industry should be going, as well as what changes can we make to get fewer plastics and cardboard to hold our products. The challenge here is that we need our products to be CHILD-PROOF, and honestly, sometimes they’re so hard to open, they’re Bethany-proof, and adult-proof, too.

Nick McCormick has over 25 years in the printing industry, ranging from graphic design and production to his current role in business development. Nick specializes in flexible packaging with an emphasis on food & beverage; cannabis, wine & spirits. He serves on NCIA’s Packaging & Labeling Committee helping to mold packaging guidelines for the cannabis industry. Taylor is one of the top five graphic communications companies in North America. Headquartered in North Mankato, Minnesota. Kelly Williams is a supplier for Nick’s company, Taylor, and is a recognized thought leader in the flexible packaging industry. Most recently, he has become a highly sought expert for brands, retailers, packaging manufacturers, and raw material suppliers seeking knowledge and guidance on compostable product development. Kelly has given countless talks, panels, interviews, and webinars throughout his career. He has authored numerous technical papers, marketing articles, and has several patents in polyolefins.

Broderick Randle, Candy Flowers, & Mary Jane Borden | “Courage in Cannabis”

#BlackLivesMatter #StopAsianHate #CannabisIsEssential

Kevin Greene and Charlana McKeithen | “Courage in Cannabis”

#BlackLivesMatter #StopAsianHate #CannabisIsEssential
© 2021 National Cannabis Industry Association and NCIA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee

In Studio At #MWCannaBizCon: The People’s Ecosystem

Also, don’t forget about NCIA’s 7th Annual Cannabis Business Summit & Expo in San Francisco this December 15-17!

Hear from Christine De La Rosa and Frederika Easley from The People’s Dispensary. Now The People’s Ecosystem, it was created to serve the most vulnerable of our population. The People’s Dispensary creates spaces and curates products that enhance the lives of our communities, individually and collectively. They believe that cannabis is an alternative medicine that is a basic human right.

Christine is passionate about the industry that saved her life. At the top of her tech career, she almost died from complications of undiagnosed Lupus. In 2015, she found cannabis as an alternative to treat her lupus. No longer bound to 11 pills a day or monthly infusions, she was inspired by her experience to open Benefit Health Collective in 2016, along with her three co-founders to help those who most need access to cannabis. Together they have grown a profitable multi state dispensary and a fiercely sought after national social equity model and enterprise now known as The People’s Dispensary. Christine sits on the board of the Access and Innovation Project and is a committee member of the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee.

Frederika brings with her over a decade of campaign development and crisis management experience. With a focus on stakeholder engagement, coalition building and inequity work. She is excited to work on addressing harm and proposing equitable solutions in the cannabis industry. “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will”. ~Frederick Douglass Host of weekly podcast and newsletter “The People Are Blunt” Co-Chair of NYCCIA/HVCIA Social Equity Committee and member of Amnesty Committee Member of NYCIA Social Equity and Regulatory Committee. We spoke at the NCIA Midwest Cannabis Business Conference on The Importance of BIPOC in the Supply Chain from Seed to Sale.

The Intersection of Banking Reform and Cannabis Retail

Learn more about the intersection of banking reform and cannabis retail with Alexander Lipnik, AeroPay, and Peter Su, Greencheck Verified.

Alex Lipnik is the Head of Strategic Partnerships at AeroPay, a digital payments platform for the cannabis industry. In his role, he works with ancillary technology companies – including delivery, eCommerce, and POS providers – to create seamless payment experiences for cannabis businesses and consumers alike. He also serves on NCIA’s Retail Committee.

Peter Su, Green Check Verified, Peter Su is a member of NCIA’s Banking and Financial Services Committee and chairs the banking and financial services committee for the New York City Cannabis Industry Assoc. Peter is a certified cannabis banking professional (CCBP) as well as a Certified Commercial Cannabis Expert (CCCE).

We start by talking about the SAFE Banking Act, which passed through the U.S. House a handful of times but always gets stuck in the Senate. Cannabis businesses are still struggling with cash-heavy retail operations. NCIA has pointed to how having so much cash floating around is actually a public safety issue attracting criminals with nefarious intentions. Getting into the nuances of SAFE Banking and how that would actually impact cannabis companies, particularly retailers who are dealing with customer transactions on a daily basis. We talk about if it were to pass and get signed into law by President Biden and the whole nine yards tomorrow, what that would actually mean for cannabis retailers?

Elite Athletes as Cannabis Advocates at #CannaBizSummit

Tune in to hear more from elite athletes as cannabis advocates at #CannaBizSummit. Generally speaking, more and more athletes have been coming forward to help destigmatize, and also advocate for the plant to be used for health issues like chronic pain and injury. It’s a little different than celebrity-like a musician or actor coming forward as an advocate like Melissa Etheridge and Whoopi Goldberg. Athletes bring a bit more story to the game here.

Anna Symonds is a retired Women’s Premier League rugby player with a 20-year rugby career that included a Division I National Championship, national All-Star selection, and a Sydney (Australia) Premiership Championship. She has also won four national championships in Touch Rugby and competed for the USA at the 2015 Touch World Cup. An advocate and educator, Anna speaks regularly about the therapeutic benefits of cannabis for elite athletes and the wider population alike. She served on the Oregon Cannabis Commission’s Research Leadership Subcommittee from 2020-2021. Anna is an Ambassador for various nonprofits including, the Last Prisoner Project.

Rachael Rapinoe won an NCAA national championship with the University of Portland in 2005, played pro soccer in Europe in 2010, and eventually retired to pursue her passion in the health and fitness industry. Leveraging her BS in Life Sciences and MS in Health & Exercise, Rachael went on to build a top performance training company and lifestyle apparel brand with her sister, US Soccer star Megan Rapinoe, both in Portland and nationally. After working for the University of Portland women’s soccer team as the head performance coach, Rachael left to co-found Mendi– an athlete and active consumer-focused cannabis brand helping people thrive naturally.

Joe Brennan, Dr. Jennifer Anderson, Joyce Gerber | “Courage in Cannabis”

#BlackLivesMatter #StopAsianHate #CannabisIsEssential

Harnessing Terpenes, Sensory Effects, and Replacing Opioids

Learn more about harnessing terpenes, sensory effects, and replacing opioids with Eybna CEO and Co-founder Nadav Eyal. Eybna is a pioneering cannabis technology company and terpene manufacturer headquartered in California and R&D center in both Colorado and Israel. Nadav’s professional background is rooted in the field of data science. Nadav has long been passionate about botanical medicine and how it can offer a more effective medicinal treatment than pharmaceutical products.

In 2014, Nadav founded Eybna with a mission to bring the health benefits of cannabis to broader populations worldwide. The mainstream is starting to wrap their heads around cannabinoids, but terpenes are the next level of the science of cannabis. Nadav explains first of all, what terpenes really are and what they can do for human health. For example, lavender has a calming effect on my anxiety, and lemon lifts the mood, and so on and so forth, so as far as harnessing terpenes and their sensory effects, we dive into more about that. Cannabis is really breaking barriers, replacing opioids/narcotics – underscoring an NCIA white paper focusing on how cannabis is a viable solution for replacing opioids.

Insights into National and International Market Trends

Learn more about Insights into National and International Market Trends with Kelly Nielsen. Kelly is the Vice President of Insights and Analytics with BDSA. She leads the Insights and Analytics team and engages with clients to generate insights from a vast quantity of data to make informed business decisions and drive results. Together with her team, she works with manufacturers, retailers, and investors to deliver unmatched insights and analytics to drive their businesses forward. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, BDSA is the premier global cannabis market research firm helping businesses improve revenues, reduce innovation risk, and prioritize market expansion.

We start by talking broadly about the cannabis movement which is beyond national and now global. We dive into who the players are in this global market and what we expect to see in the next five years or so. Here in the U.S., we’ve had a few years to watch what’s happened in the first states to legalize adult-use like Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington. We talk about what trends emerged from that journey and if we expect that to hold true in other emerging markets. Also, what lessons we learned watching these last 6 years. There are also these new emerging markets especially on the east coast as we’re watching Massachusetts and Michigan for example, plus New York and New Jersey. Different demographics, different cultures, different customers, but the same plant. With that, we talk with Kelly about what is she is expecting to see from these markets.

Michael Webster | Exspiravit

Michael Webster, founder of Exspiravit, is an experienced cannabis professional and entrepreneur. Motivated by a desire to operate in a diverse and healthy regulated cannabis market, he has employed his voice to amplify the concerns and needs of social equity cannabis operators across the country. His advocacy for cannabis legalization has led him from the local level to the national stage. In addition to his duties as Founder and Managing Member of Exspiravit LLC, a licensed cannabis company in the state of Michigan

#BlackLivesMatter #StopAsianHate #CannabisIsEssential

In Studio at #MWCannaBizCon: Rocky Mountain Reagents and Sticky

Also, don’t forget about NCIA’s 7th Annual Cannabis Business Summit & Expo in San Francisco this December 15-17!

Tune in to hear from Liz Geisleman, Rocky Mountain Reagents, and Chris Jackson, Sticky.

Liz Geisleman came to Rocky Mountain Reagents, Inc. in 1998 with a move to Colorado. When she was Director of Sales and Marketing, Liz was instrumental in expanding custom manufacturing markets. RMR now manufactures custom product lines for several companies. Custom projects vary from custom labeling current products to custom product development, including formulation, packaging, and labeling. Liz is currently the Vice President and continues to play an active role in all aspects of the business today.

Chris Jackson was previously a candidate for Pontiac City Council and State Representative (29th District). Excited to explore entrepreneurial endeavors in a new & emerging market, Chris partners with the Sticky brand of operations (a cannabis operation) that is rapidly expanding in Michigan. He is the company’s leader of Government & Legislative Affairs, Social Equity, and serves as its Community Benefits Liaison and Social Equity Lead. His efforts were recognized recently when he was selected as a member of Oakland County’s 40 under 40. Chris witnessed how cannabis prohibition directly impacted urban America and is dedicated to reversing the negative damage caused.

Nydia Zamorano-Torres & Ashley Corrado | Noded

Co-Founder & visionary Nydia Zamorano-Torres, born in California and raised by a world-renowned educator, is a 17 year licensed physical therapist, cannabis education consultant, ganja clergy woman, mom, advocate, and activist. Companies include URWellnessLLC, Got Terpenes? Organizations: Cannabis Coalition for Education & Equity, World Cannabis Foundation, Cannabis Spa Association. Ashley Corrado, Noded co-founder, hails from Boston, MA. She owns two creative firms and has a rich background in research and data analytics. She is a cannabis advocate who works to stop stigma by celebrating and encouraging more cannabis-driven clinical research. Her other companies include Fortuna Design, PR by AC, LLC Organizations: Mass CBA, Boston Local Co-op, The Society of Clinical Research Associates, Inc.

#BlackLivesMatter #StopAsianHate #CannabisIsEssential

The Journey From The Illicit Market to Regulated Industry

Learn more aboutt The Journey From The Illicit Market to Regulated Industry with Tony Frischknecht. Tony is the founder of Essential Extraction Corporation, based in Loveland, Colorado, which supplies the necessary tools and knowledge for anyone to be able to extract their own botanical essential oils.

In 2005, Tony got his start in the medical marijuana industry in Fort Collins, Colorado. He founded a small, marijuana caregiving business called Highway to Healing. In the following years, he was involved in a number of cannabis businesses, including O.penvape, Organa Brands, and Ideal Harvest. He is also the author of a book called “From Black Market to The Man”, sharing his experience in the cannabis industry, and has a podcast called, Plant Problems Podcast.

Many of us understand that this legal industry wouldn’t exist without the years and years of advocacy on behalf of hundreds of cannabis activists across the country, from California to Washington, D.C. Bethany was in Maryland in the 2000s and was involved in medical patient advocacy with Americans for Safe Access, when it a much different time for cannabis policy. We dive into some of Tony’s memories on this subject and much much more.

Latoyia Rucker & Rebecca Colett | Calyxeum

CALYXEUM is a female, minority-owned operation located in Detroit, MI which seeks to redefine the myths of the Cannabis consumer. They work to change the perception of Cannabis in the professional world by representing women, community, diversity, opportunity and empowerment. LaToyia is an Experienced Entrepreneur, Educator, Master Gardener and Native Detroiter. One of the first women to own a Medical Marihuana Licensing Clinic she was a featured speaker at Michigan’s First Cannabis Expo. Rebecca has served on the National Board of NORML, Committee Chair for the NCIA and has written community plans for applicants in Los Angeles and Maryland.

#BlackLivesMatter #StopAsianHate #CannabisIsEssential

A Deeper Dive Into Standards Development In Cannabis

Tune in to take a deeper dive into standards development in cannabis with David Vaillencourt, GMP Collective today on NCIA’s Cannabis Industry Voice.

David Vaillencourt, CEO of The GMP Collective, and his team at The GMP Collective bring decades of pharmaceutical and food industry best practices to cannabis and hemp. He also chairs NCIA’s Facilities Design Committee. We’ve talked recently about standards development in other areas, including the ASTM which we just began to scratch the surface of, so let’s dive deeper into the relationship between ASTM Standards and the work going on inside the cannabis industry to align them. We discuss why ASTM is a federally recognized organization. We also talk about the next steps after Federal legalization and global markets coming into play. We look to the north and south of us, Canada and Mexico are nipping at our heels if not surpassing us in legalization efforts. David explains how he sees the ASTM standards playing into this into the future.