The Green Rush (The Green Rush)

Welcome to the Green Rush, a KCSA Strategic Communications Production, a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week our hosts Anne Donohoe and Phil Carlson are joined by David Traylor, Senior Managing Director of Golden Eagle Partners, a Cannabis Investment Bank and trusted advisor to cannabis leaders worldwide. After advising on various transactions in the life science sector, he took an interest in the cannabis sector and started advising cannabis companies in 2013. In 2014, he joined Surna, Inc. (OTC:SRNA) as Chief Business Officer. After a year stint at Surna, Mr. Traylor re-founded Golden Eagle Partners to provide his knowledge to companies across the cannabis sector. In this episode Anne and Phil sat down with David to discuss the shift in finding capital within the cannabis industry over the last decade. David also shares advice for operators in the current climate and with the current state of legislation. He also discusses upcoming cannabis conferences, such as Davos, Benzinga, and CannMed.  So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Senior Managing Director of Golden Eagle Partners, David Traylor.  Links and mentions in the show https://www.goldeneaglepartners.com/https://www.benzinga.com/events/cannabis-conference/https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2023https://cannmedevents.com/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts David Traylor’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-w-traylorGolden Eagle Partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/golden-eagle-partners-llc/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Phil Carlson of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. This episode of The GreenRush is brought to you by Heffernan Insurance Brokers You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 KCSA Strategic Communications Production, a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich are joined by Bethany Gomez, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Brightfield Group, a leading consumer insights and market intelligence SaaS platform for Cannabis, CBD and the emerging wellness industries.  In this episode Anne and Nick sat down with Bethany to discuss the importance of market research in the cannabis space and how to successfully leverage client use data. Bethany also explains how understanding cannabis consumers and aligning with their cultural identity is the key to building a successful cannabis brand. She also discusses Brightfield’s Evergi wellness platform, which combines consumer insights, social listening, expert analysis, and more. So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Managing Director and Co-Founder of Brightfield Group, Bethany Gomez.  Links and mentions in the show https://www.brightfieldgroup.com/https://evergi.com/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Bethany Gomez’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanymurphygomezBrightfield Group’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/brightfieldgrp/status/1047213057619976192Brightfield Group’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brightfield-group Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. This episode of The GreenRush is brought to you by Heffernan Insurance Brokers You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 KCSA Strategic Communications Production, a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week our hosts Anne Donohoe and Phil Carlson are joined by Hillary Lin, Co-Founder & CEO of Curio, a hands-on and complete mental health virtual clinic for ketamine treatment. In this episode Anne and Phil sat down with Hillary to talk about how virtual mental health care is paving the way to make mental health care more accessible. Hillary also discusses the need to reinvent the healthcare landscape by reinvesting entire systems rather than individuals.  So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Hillary Lin of Curio.  Links and mentions in the show https://www.joincurio.com/ https://www.joincurio.com/post/we-are-overmedicated-how-can-we-use-psychedelics-to-heal-not-just-individuals-but-entire-systems Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Hillary Lin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillarylin/Hillary Lin’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/hillarylinmdHillary Lin’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hillarylinmdCurio’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joincurio/Curio’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joincurio Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Phil Carlson of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. This episode of The GreenRush is brought to you by Heffernan Insurance Brokers You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 KCSA Strategic Communications Production, a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week our hosts Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich are joined by Eric Offenberger, CEO of Vext Science (OTCQX: VEXTF; CSE: VEXT), a vertically integrated operator with roots based in the blooming cannabis market of Arizona. In this episode Anne and Nick sat down with Eric to talk about the development of the Arizona market since it instituted adult use cannabis two years ago as well as why Vext sees a great opportunity to grow its footprint in Ohio. Eric also walks our hosts through his outlook regarding the current economic situation facing the industry and how Vext has sustained profitable operations since 2016.  So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Eric Offenberger of Vext Science.  Links and mentions in the show https://www.vextscience.com/ https://www.vextscience.com/events-and-presentations/default.aspx Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Vext Science Twitter: https://twitter.com/Vext_Science Vext Science LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vapen-ltd/Eric Offenberger’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erincoffenbergercpa/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. This episode of The GreenRush is brought to you by Heffernan Insurance Brokers You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 KCSA Strategic Communications Production, a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week our hosts Nick Opich and Phil Carlson are joined by Bill Healy, Co-Founder of Silver Spike Capital (NASDAQ: SSIC), a specialty finance company formed to invest across the cannabis ecosystem through investments in the form of direct loans to cannabis companies.  Bill joined our hosts this week to talk about all things investing in cannabis including Silver Spike’s investing philosophy which isn’t afraid of targeting brands or deploying capital in competitive markets like California. Bill also walked us through his thoughts on 280E vs SAFE Banking reform, what the future holds for the tier 1 and tier 2 MSOs and how he expects the industry to evolve over the next 10-12 months.  So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Bill Healy, Co-Founder of Silver Spike Capital.  Links and mentions in the show https://www.silverspikecap.com/https://www.silverspikecap.com/insights-vol-1-the-case-for-cannabis-private-credit Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Silver Spike Capital LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/silver-spike-capital/ Bill Healy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamhealy1/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Nick Opich and Phil Carlson of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. This episode of The GreenRush is brought to you by Heffernan Insurance Brokers You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 KCSA Strategic Communications Production, a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week our hosts Lewis Goldberg and Phil Carlson are joined by Ken Belotsky and Hayim Raclaw of Negev Capital, an Israeli-based psychedelic medical intervention investment fund that targets companies that are at an early stage of clinical development.  In this conversation Ken and Hayim walk our hosts through Negev’s investing philosophy, their best and worst investment bets and what they learned from them, and how Israeli companies have the unique ability to punch above their weight in the biotech space.  So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Ken Belotsky and Hayim Raclaw, Principals of Negev Capital.  Links and mentions in the show https://negevcap.com/  Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Negev Capital’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/negev-capital  Ken Belotsky’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ibelotsky/  Ken Belotsky’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/ibelotsky  Hayim Raclaw’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayim-raclaw-3393424/  Hayim Raclaw’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/hayimraclaw  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Phil Carlson of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. This episode of The GreenRush is brought to you by Heffernan Insurance Brokers You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 KCSA Strategic Communications Production, a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week our hosts Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich are joined by the incomparable Betty Aldworth, Director of Communications and Marketing for MAPS. An activist and advocate since her first anti-nukes demonstration as a pre-teen, Betty has spent the last two decades as one of the leading voices around restorative justice and drug policy reform advocating for safety, justice and education within the cannabis and psychedelics industries.  In this conversation Anne and Nick sat down with Betty to discuss why advocacy for marginalized groups is a core part of who she is, the important intersection of marketing and messaging that shapes these industries, what types of reform she would implement if she were Biden’s Drug Czar and what’s coming down the pipeline at MAPS.  The group also discussed the Psychedelic Science 2023 conference taking place this June in Denver, CO and what attendees can expect from the world’s largest gathering of the psychedelics community. For those interested in attending, be sure to use our discount code KCSA15 to get an additional 15% discount on your ticket.  And as a special treat, this discussion included our first ever surprise call-in where a special guest phoned into our recording to ask Betty some additional questions about her work!     So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Betty Aldworth, Director of Communications and Marketing at MAPS.  Links and mentions in the show https://maps.org/  https://psychedelicscience.org/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Betty Aldworth’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettyaldworth/  Betty Aldworth’s Website: https://bettyaldworth.com/  Betty Aldworth’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bettyaldworth/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. This episode of The GreenRush is brought to you by Heffernan Insurance Brokers You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 KCSA Strategic Communications Production,a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich are back for a new episode with special guest Jeremy Berke, Cannabis Journalist and the Founder of Cultivated. Jeremy joins us to discuss his new Substack newsletter covering the cannabis industry, talk with us through some of the biggest stories within the space including what’s happening in New York, California and Canada and share some of his stories reporting on the industry.    If you haven’t already - make sure you sign up for Jeremy’s Cultivated newsletter at Cultivated.News - it's a great way to follow all of the important updates within the industry through a more personable and human lens and without the strict focus on big business that some other publications will emphasize.  So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Cultivated Founder Jeremy Berke.  Links and mentions in the show https://www.cultivated.news/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Jeremy Berke’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jfberke  Jeremy Berke’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyberke/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. This episode of The GreenRush is brought to you by Heffernan Insurance Brokers You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 KCSA Strategic Communications Production, a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week Anne Donohoe and Phil Carlson are back for a new episode with special guests Jason Raznick, CEO of Benzinga, and Elliot Lane, Head of Benzinga Cannabis & Psychedelics. Jason and Elliot join us this week to preview the upcoming Benzinga Cannabis and Psychedelics Capital Conferences, taking place in Miami from April 11-13. During the conversation, Jason and Elliot discuss what attendees can expect from this Spring’s conference, the current health of the capital markets and the key stories they think will dominate the cannabis and psychedelic industries over the next couple months.  If you are interested in checking out the content at the Benzinga Capital Conferences, register for the events using the links in our show notes. Also, be sure to follow the Benzinga Cannabis and Psychedelics reporters covering the industry every day led by friend of the podcast Javier Hasse.  So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Jason Raznick and Elliot Lane of Benzinga. Links and mentions in the show https://www.benzinga.com/  https://www.benzinga.com/events/cannabis-conference/  https://www.benzinga.com/events/psychedelics/  Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Jason’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonraznick  Jason’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/JasonRaznick  Elliot’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-lane-64222791/  Elliot’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElliotLane10  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Phil Carlson of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. This episode of The GreenRush is brought to you by Heffernan Insurance Brokers You can learn more about how KCSA can help your cannabis and psychedelic companies by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 KCSA Strategic Communications Production, a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg are back for a new episode with special guest Melissa Lavasani, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Psychedelic Medicine Coalition (PMC) and Founder and President of Psychedelic Medicine Political Action Committee (PM-PAC). Melissa joins us this week to share her psychedelics origin story, discuss her work with PMC, and how her organizations are advocating and lobbying for safe and effective psychedelic medicines in Washington D.C. If you are interested in learning more about the advocacy work that Melissa does with PMC and PM-PAC, check out the links in our show notes. Also, be sure to follow PMC, PM-PAC and Melissa on Instagram and LinkedIn to stay current with the latest initiatives and upcoming events. So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Melissa Lavasani of Psychedelic Medicine Coalition and Psychedelic Medicine Political Action Committee.  Links and mentions in the show https://www.psychedelicmedicinecoalition.org/  https://www.psychedelicmedicinepac.com/  Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts PMC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychedelicmedicinecoalition/  PMC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/70403051/  PM-PAC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychedelicmedicinepac/  PM-PAC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/93310698/  Melissa’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissalavasani?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. This episode of The GreenRush is brought to you by Heffernan Insurance Brokers. You can learn more about how KCSA can help your cannabis and psychedelic companies by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 KCSA Strategic Communications Production, a weekly conversation at the intersection of cannabis, psychedelics, the capital markets and culture.  This week Kris Kane is back in the host seat for a new episode with special guest Laura Bianchi, Founding Partner of Bianchi & Brandt. Laura joins us this week to discuss how her firm helps operators navigate the unique business challenges they face in the cannabis industry, her journey into cannabis law, the evolution of medical and recreational cannabis markets in Arizona, and her perspective on what’s to come for the cannabis industry. If you are interested in learning more about Laura and Bianchi & Brandt, check out the links in our show notes. Also, be sure to follow Bianchi & Brandt and Laura on Instagram and LinkedIn to learn more about cannabis law and the firm’s suite of corporate and business litigation services. So sit back and enjoy our conversation with Laura Bianchi of Bianchi & Brandt.  Links and mentions in the show https://www.bianchibrandt.com/  Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Bianchi & Brandt LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bianchi-brandt  Bianchi & Brandt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bianchibrandt/  Bianchi & Brandt Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BianchiBrandt/  Laura’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurabianchi13   Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Kris Kane of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther. You can learn more about how KCSA can help your cannabis and psychedelic companies by visiting www.kcsa.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 Podcast, Anne, Lewis, and Phil sit down with Danny Moses, Wall Street insider and investor in the cannabis industry. If you don’t know Danny, you should.  He was at the center of the financial meltdown in 2007/08 and his role in the crisis was recaptured in the famous film, “The Big Short”.  As a trader working for Steve Eisman, Danny was a “short” meaning he bet against the housing market and made a ton of money. He’s one of the smartest guys from Wall Street and over the past few years he’s been going “long” on the cannabis sector. Danny speaks to his experience in the 2008 financial crisis, similarities he sees between the financial collapse and the cannabis industry, why he believes investing in cannabis is smart, and the social issues that continue to plague the cannabis industry. 3 Main Takeaways: There’s great risk and reward in cannabis industry Do your homework when investing in cannabis   There are a wide range of health/medicinal uses to cannabis Danny Moses has extensive experience with financial markets having worked on Wall Street since 1991 and holding a variety of positions including municipal bond analyst, institutional sell-side broker, trader, and hedge fund manager. The book and later movie “The Big Short” features the character of Danny Moses and a few others who were able to successfully navigate the volatility of the financial markets during the formation of the housing bubble in 2004. Links to guest’s social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmoses34 Links and Mentions: Bail The Street podcast: https://www.bailstreet.com/ Danny at the Brookings Institute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y2aEJShnUw The Big Short Deleted Scene: https://metro.co.uk/video/the-big-short-deleted-scene-1291428/?ito=vjs-link Investopedia Terms: Credit Default Swaps: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/creditdefaultswap.asp Collateralized Debt Obligation: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cdo.asp Collateralized Mortgage Obligation: https://www.investopedia.com/exam-guide/series-7/debt-securities/collateralized-mortgage-obligation.asp Synthetic: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/synthetic.asp Volcker Rule: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/volcker-rule.asp Dodd-Frank Bill: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dodd-frank-financial-regulatory-reform-bill.asp Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe, Lewis Goldberg, and Phil Carlson of KCSA Strategic Communications Special thanks to Nick Opich, our Producer, and our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

This week on the Green Rush Podcast, Lewis and Anne welcome back Alan Brochstein of 420 Investor and New Cannabis Ventures back into the studio. Alan is a unique voice in the cannabis industry because he was really the first investment professional to make a career out of covering the cannabis space from an investor's perspective publicly. When he speaks, investors listen. In this week’s episode, Alan discusses the latest news on the the cannabis markets in both the United States and Canada including some of the major deals from companies like Aurora and Canopy; offers insight into which IPOs/RTOs he’s most looking forward to in 2018 and touches on the impending legalization day for Canada and what investors should know as we approach October 17th. Alan Brochstein, CFA, was the first investment professional to devote himself to sharing his observations about the cannabis industry from an investor's perspective publicly. He runs 420 Investor, a subscription-based due diligence platform for investors interested in the publicly-traded cannabis stocks and is also the founder of New Cannabis Ventures, a content aggregation site focused on investors and entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry. Alan has worked in the securities industry since 1986, primarily with the responsibility for managing investments in institutional environments until he founded AB Analytical Services in 2007 in order to provide independent research and consulting to registered investment advisors. In addition to advising several different hedge funds and investment managers, including Friedberg Investment Management, where he participated as a member of its investment management committee, Alan was also a senior analyst for the independent research firm Management CV. In 2008, he began providing a first-of-its-kind subscription-based service for individual investors, Invest By Model, which offered two different portfolios that investors could replicate in their own accounts for $20 per month. Alan also offered The Analytical Trader at Marketfy, where he used fundamental and technical analysis in a disciplined process to offer specific trade ideas geared towards swing traders. Alan launched www.420Investor.com in late 2013 as the premier source of information for "Green Rush" investors seeking to capitalize on the proliferation of legalized medical and recreational cannabis. In March 2014, Alan, who is a member of the National Cannabis Industry Association, began to focus solely on the cannabis sector. He launched www.NewCannabisVentures.com in late 2015.   Links and mentions: Alan’s Newsletter: https://marketfy.com/item/420-investor-newsletter/ Alan - New Cannabis Ventures: https://www.newcannabisventures.com/ Links to guest’s social media: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanbrochstein Twitter: https://twitter.com/Invest420?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe. Special thanks to Nick Opich, our Producer, and our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenrushcomms/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome back to another episode of the Green Rush! This week, Anne, & Lewis chat with fellow New Jerseyan Beth Stavola, the Chief Operating Officer of MPX Bioceutical, one of the leading, vertically integrated holding companies in the cannabis industry. Beth began her cannabis journey in 2012, shortly after Arizona voters approved medical cannabis in the state, and opened one of the first dispensaries along Arizona’s southern border in the town of Douglas. Since then, she’s built a cannabis empire that stretches across the U.S. and was most recently acquired by MPX in January 2017 for $25 million. In this week’s conversation, Beth dives in on a number of topics including the differences in running a public cannabis company in Canada vs. being public in the US, the role of women and minorities in the burgeoning cannabis industry and how she was able to convince her younger sister to follow in her footsteps and into the cannabis industry. Beth Stavola is the Chief Operating Officer of MPX Bioceutical, one of the leading, vertically integrated holding companies in the cannabis industry. In addition to her role with MPX, Beth is also the Founder and CEO of Stavola Medical Marijuana Holdings, Health for Life Inc, GreenMart of Nevada, and CBD For Life. Before her career in cannabis, Beth was Senior Vice President of Institutional Equity Sales at Jefferies New York. Like our favorite co-host Anne, Beth is also a proud graduate of Monmouth University.   Links and mentions: https://mpxbioceutical.com/ https://healthforlifedispensaries.com/ https://greenmart-of-nevada.myshopify.com/ https://www.cbdforlife.us/ Links to guest’s social media: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-stavola-a9260025/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethstavola Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe. Special thanks to Nick Opich, our Producer, and our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenrushcomms/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome to another episode of the Green Rush! Anne is off this week enjoying a getaway to Europe so Lewis has employed the help of Nick for this episode’s chat with Deb Borchardt, Co-Founder, CEO, and Editor-In-Chief of Green Market Report, a financial news site focused on covering the biggest news in the cannabis industry. This is Deb’s second appearance on the Green Rush and she’s since her last appearance she’s expanded her duties beyond just publishing. Deb is also the Founder of the Green Market Summit, a new conference series meant to bring together the most respected companies, brands and executives, yielding the most experience and knowledge available in the cannabis industry. In partnership with the TheStreet.com, the inaugural Green Market Summit will take place on September 14 in New York City at the One World Trade Center and will cover the The Advanced Economic State Of Cannabis. In this week’s chat, the Green Rush team and Deb chat about some of the key cannabis ballot initiatives across the country, how the lack of banking access is affecting cannabis businesses and whether its getting to be too late for smaller entrepreneurs to jump into the space and compete against the behemoths in Canopy, Acreage Holdings and Curaleaf. Debra is the Co-Founder, CEO, and Editor-In-Chief of Green Market Report, a financial news site for the cannabis industry. Prior to this, Debra spent more than 15 years working in a variety of jobs in the securities industry before earning her Master's Degree in Journalism at NYU. As a financial journalist, Debra has appeared on The Today Show, CNBC, and Bloomberg TV talking about multiple business topics including the cannabis industry. Her work in the cannabis space has been recognized with an AZBEE award for the video “Where People Want To Buy Pot.” Links and mentions: https://www.greenmarketreport.com/ https://www.greenmarketsummit.com/ Links to guest’s social media: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-borchardt-0860884/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wallandbroad Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Nick Opich Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenrushcomms/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome to another episode of the Green Rush! Anne is back in town and joining Lewis to chat with Adam Orens, the Founding Partner of the Marijuana Policy Group, one of the most respected economic and policy consulting firms, nationally recognized for its role in shaping regulated medical and recreational cannabis markets. Adam and our hosts have a fascinating discussion around some of the recent research coming out of the MPG, including a study on the size of the Canadian market, sponsored by Health Canada (hint: it’s big), and how Colorado is essentially erasing the black market (and what other states can do to take note). Adam also let’s us in on some clients that have surprised him and why.   Adam Orens is a founding partner of the Marijuana Policy Group His areas of expertise include market analysis, public finance, and regional economic analysis. He also has experience in statistical analysis and consumer market research. Adam has completed numerous studies that analyze the relationships between markets, demographics and government policy. Adam received his undergraduate degree in economics from Rutgers University and has a master’s degree in agricultural and resource economics from Colorado State University. Adam’s demographic and economic research related to the emerging cannabis market has been cited by the New York Times, 60 Minutes, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and the Huffington Post. His recent studies in Colorado, Alaska, Illinois, Maryland, and Vermont have examined many facets of medical and recreational cannabis markets, including providing estimates of cannabis market size; annual cannabis consumption by residents, tourists and patients; cannabis tax revenue projections; and market supply channels. Adam was a lead author of the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division 2014 Market Size and Demand report and continues to provide consulting services to the MED and private interests nationwide. Links and mentions: www.mjpolicygroup.com Links to guest’s social media: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marijuana-policy-group/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjpolicygroup Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjpolicygroup Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenrushcomms/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome to another episode of the Green Rush! Nick is sticking around the studio again this week, this time filling in for Lewis as he and Anne chat with Tim Blake, one of the earliest pioneers in the cannabis industry. Tim Blake is most well-known for creating and continuing to produce the The Emerald Cup, Northern California’s premier event for medicinal and recreational marijuana enthusiasts that also advances the concept of sustainable, outdoor farming. Tim has been producing the Emerald Cup for the past fifteen years and history with cannabis goes back even further making him one of the rare entrepreneurs who has been in the industry from it’s black market heights in the 70s and 80s through today. In this week’s conversation, the Green Rush team and Tim chat about how the landscape of cannabis in California has changed since he first started getting involved in the late 70s, Tim’s history of community organizing and his role in helping produce one of the first gatherings of law enforcement and cannabis farmers in the country to openly discuss how they could work together as well as what attendees can expect from this year’s Emerald Cup lineup. Tim Blake created and has continued to produce the The Emerald Cup for the past fourteen years. He sponsored and helped produce the first gathering of law enforcement and cannabis farmers in the country to openly discuss how they could work together. He was the co-founder of the Mendocino Farmers Collective and also Healing Harvest Farms, both local cannabis dispensaries designed to help facilitate getting outdoor cannabis into the dispensaries across the state. He was a founding member of Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform (CCPR), which evolved into ReformCA, and was also a founding member of the Mendocino Cannabis Policy Council (MCPC). Tim was also on the steering committee for the Mendocino Heritage Initiative (Measure AF), which was on the county ballot in 2016, and is on the board of directors of The Mendocino Cannabis Industry Association (MCIA). Tim’s personal goal is to help the world integrate spirituality, cannabis, organic food and living into a holistic lifestyle. Links and mentions: https://theemeraldcup.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Cannabis-Crusader-Dancing-Tim-Blake/dp/1519631847 Links to guest’s social media: https://twitter.com/TheEmeraldCup https://www.instagram.com/theemeraldcup/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-blake-00868582/ https://www.facebook.com/TheEmeraldCup/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenrushcomms/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true  

Welcome back to a very special episode of the Green Rush! Back in early September, Lewis sat down for a conversation with friend of the pod, Danny Moses of “The Big Short” fame while at the Green Market Summit in New York City. For those who may not know, the Green Market Summit is a cannabis investor series put on by Deb Borchardt of the Green Market Report, another recurring guest on the Green Rush Podcast. If you listened to the initial conversation between Anne, Lewis and Danny you know it was a doozy, and this one is no less interesting. In the conversation, Lewis and Danny chat in front of a live audience about where we are today as an economy, Danny’s process for evaluating potential investment targets in the cannabis space, his thoughts on the some of the largest deals in the sector and more. Also, this is our first live recording, so we know that the audio isn’t the best but ask that you give us a little leeway if the sound is a bit wonky at times. Enjoy! Danny Moses has extensive experience with financial markets having worked on Wall Street since 1991 and holding a variety of positions including municipal bond analyst, institutional sell-side broker, trader, and hedge fund manager. The book and later movie “The Big Short” features the character of Danny Moses and a few others who were able to successfully navigate the volatility of the financial markets during the formation of the housing bubble in 2004. Links to guest’s social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmoses34 Links and Mentions: Bail The Street podcast: https://www.bailstreet.com/ Danny at the Brookings Institute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y2aEJShnUw The Big Short Deleted Scene: https://metro.co.uk/video/the-big-short-deleted-scene-1291428/?ito=vjs-link Investopedia Terms: Credit Default Swaps: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/creditdefaultswap.asp Collateralized Debt Obligation: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cdo.asp Collateralized Mortgage Obligation: https://www.investopedia.com/exam-guide/series-7/debt-securities/collateralized-mortgage-obligation.asp Synthetic: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/synthetic.asp Volcker Rule: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/volcker-rule.asp Dodd-Frank Bill: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dodd-frank-financial-regulatory-reform-bill.asp Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg at the Green Market Summit in NYC. Special thanks to Nick Opich, our Producer, and our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome back to the Green Rush, Lewis is back riding solo in the booth for today’s episode with a truly interesting guest, Matt Karnes from Green Wave Advisors. After spending over 20 years gaining diverse finance and accounting experience, Matt shifted his focus to the cannabis industry in 2014 with the founding of GreenWave Advisors. If you're not familiar with GreenWave Advisors you’ll be sure to follow them regularly going forward as they have consistently provided accurate and relevant research and analysis of the cannabis industry and is the only independent firm to bring Wall Street investment research credentials to this emerging sector. In today’s episode, Lewis and Matt cover a range of topics including Matt’s thoughts on the crazy high valuations of Canadian cannabis stocks; some interesting data on the relationship between the US banking industry and the cannabis space; Matt’s thoughts on what may happen over the next few months from an M&A perspective and whether there could be a growing sense of investor fatigue amongst institutional money in Canada. Enojy! Matt Karnes has over 20 years of diverse finance and accounting experience. Prior to founding GreenWave Advisors LLC, Matt worked in equity research focusing on the Radio Broadcasting and Cable Television industries for First Union Securities. Matt also covered Satellite Communication at SG Cowen and in addition, worked with the top ranked Consumer Internet analyst at Bear Stearns & Co – this team was consistently recognized by the Institutional Investor’s “All America Research Team”. As a sellside equity analyst, Matt authored and co-authored numerous emerging industry research reports including such names as Google, Sirius, XM Satellite Radio, DIRECTV and EchoStar Communications. In his most recent role, Matt was Principal and Senior Equity Analyst at Bull Path Capital Management, a New York City based hedge fund, where he was responsible for investment strategies of emerging technologies primarily within the Technology, Media and Telecom sectors. Prior to his career on Wall Street, Matt held various finance and accounting positions at PriceWaterhouse Coopers and Deloitte as well as at Texaco Inc. where he worked throughout the U.S., Europe, The Caribbean and Asia. Additionally at Chase, Matt was responsible for implementing the bank’s corporate accounting policies on commodity, interest rate and foreign currency derivative products. Matt graduated from Fordham University with an MBA in finance and earned a B.S. Business Administration with a double major in accounting and finance from Miami University (OH). Matt is also a Certified Public Accountant. Links to guest’s social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/mkarnes?lang=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/greenwavemj Facebook https://www.facebook.com/greenwaveadvisors/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenwave-advisors/ Links and Mentions: www.greenwaveadvisors.com Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg. Special thanks to Nick Opich, our Producer, and our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome back to the Green Rush, this week’s episode features our old friend Nick Opich subbing in alongside Anne while Lewis was out at the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo in Los Angeles. For this week’s conversation, the Green Rush crew sits down with one of the first reporters to truly “own” the cannabis beat in Alex Halperin of WeedWeek. Alex has been chasing the green rush for over four years and is one of the most accomplished and well respected reporters covering the space. If you have any kind of interest in cannabis and have not yet signed up for the WeedWeek newsletter - do so now! In this week’s conversation, Anne and Nick chat with Alex about the growing acceptance of larger media companies to covering the cannabis industry, what Alex is seeing and anticipating ahead of the upcoming November elections, what Alex believes in one of the most underreported stories in the space and the latest news out of WeedWeek and Recharge 2019. Enjoy! Alex Halperin is a freelance business reporter where he has been covering the green rush for almost four years. Alex founded WeedWeek (WeedWeek.net) and writes the High Time column for the Guardian. In addition, his work as appeared in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Mother Jones, Fast Company and many other publications. Links to guest’s social media: Website: https://www.alexhalperin.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexhalperin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhalperin   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weedweeknews/ Links and Mentions: WeedWeek: https://www.weedweek.net/ WeedWeek Newsletter: https://www.weedweek.net/newsletter/ Alex’s Guardian Calendar: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/alex-halperin Recharge 2019: https://www.weedweek.net/recharge19/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich. Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome back to the Green Rush, this week we have a special treat for our listeners - a live recording from the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo (CWCBE) in Los Angeles. In this week’s conversation we bring you the “Cannabis and The Capital Markets” panel moderated by our very own Lewis Goldberg. Lewis is joined on the panel by a “who’s who” of the cannabis industry in Kris Krane, President of 4Front, Tahira Rehmatullah, CFO at MTech and Beth Stavola, COO and President of MPX Bioceutical Corp. The Cannabis and Capital Markets panel covers the intersection of cannabis and the capital markets and takes a look at how both are evolving quicker than nearly anyone has expected. With more and more companies going public in the US and in Canada and an increasing number of RTOs, IPOs and roadshows dominating the industry, this panel of speakers from companies that either recently went public or are in the process of going public discuss the pitfalls, opportunities, and lessons learned from their experiences. Enjoy! Links to guest’s social media: Tahira’s social Twitter: https://twitter.com/tahirarehm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tahirarehm/?hl=en Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trehmatullah1 Beth’s social Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-stavola-a9260025/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethstavola Kris’s social: Twitter: https://twitter.com/kranewreck LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskrane Links and Mentions: Tahira’s links: https://hypurventures.com/ https://www.marleynatural.com/ https://www.mjfreeway.com Beth’s links: https://mpxbioceutical.com/ https://healthforlifedispensaries.com/ https://greenmart-of-nevada.myshopify.com/ https://www.cbdforlife.us/ Kris’ links: https://4frontventures.com/ https://missiondispensaries.com   Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg at the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo in Los Angeles, CA. Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome back to the Green Rush!  This week we are celebrating our 50TH Episode and wanted to send a quick message of thanks to all of our listeners who have supported our show since our launch nearly one year ago. As a special treat for all of our dedicated listeners, we have a very special guest for this episode, Oregon Congressman, Earl Blumenauer! A lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) has devoted his entire career to public service and has been a staunch advocate for cannabis legalization throughout his time in Congress. Within the conversation, Lewis and Anne discuss the potential for an October cannabis surprise from President Trump, the Congressman’s road map for Democrats to use in the new Congress to move forward on cannabis legalization and a lively debate as to whether the Democrats are in danger of letting the Republicans take the lead on cannabis policy. In addition to the conversation with the Congressman, we also have a new opening for the show that will have some of the top journalists and analysts discussing some of the biggest news stories facing the cannabis industry. This week, we have friend of the show and the 420 Investor Alan Brochstein breaking down what he thinks were the overlooked stories from last week. And if you haven’t already, sign up for the 420 Investor newsletter Alan publishes to stay up to date on all the latest news on the public cannabis market. Link to the newsletter can be found in the show notes. Enjoy! A lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) has devoted his entire career to public service. While still a student at Lewis and Clark College, he spearheaded the effort to lower the voting age both in Oregon and at the national level. He was elected to the Oregon Legislature in 1972, where he served three terms and Chaired the House Education and Revenue Committee in 1977-78. In 1978, he was elected to the Multnomah County Commission, where he served for eight years before being elected to the Portland City Council in 1986. There, his 10-year tenure as the Commissioner of Public Works demonstrated his leadership on the innovative accomplishments in transportation, planning, environmental programs and public participation that have helped Portland earn an international reputation as one of America’s most livable cities. Elected to the US House of Representatives in 1996, Mr. Blumenauer has created a unique role as Congress’ chief spokesperson for Livable Communities: places where people are safe, healthy and economically secure.  From 1996 to 2007, he served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he was a strong advocate for federal policies that address transportation alternatives, provide housing choices, support sustainable economies and improve the environment. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee from 2001 to 2007, and vice-chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming from 2007 to 2010.  He is currently a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the subcommittees on Health, Oversight, and Tax Policy. Congressman Blumenauer’s academic training includes undergraduate and law degrees from Lewis and Clark College in Portland. Links to guest’s social media: Rep. Blumenauer’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/repblumenauer Rep. Blumenauer’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blumenauer/ Alan Brochstein’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Invest420 Links and Mentions: https://blumenauer.house.gov/ http://earlblumenauer.com/ Congressman Blumenauer on Cannabis Reform: https://blumenauer.house.gov/issues/marijuana-and-drug-reform Congressman Blumenauer’s Cannabis Road Map for Democrats: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2018/10/17/congressman-issues-blueprint-to-legalize-marijuana-for-democratic-house-in-2019/#4fc4194e3aaf   https://www.newcannabisventures.com/ 420 Investor’s Newsletter: https://marketfy.

Welcome back to the Green Rush!  This week Lewis is flying solo as he sits down with Joe Lusardi, CEO of Curaleaf which just completed the largest RTO - or reverse take over - in the history of US cannabis companies and carries a $4.5 billion valuation. Within the conversation, Joe and Lewis discuss the historic RTO and the process of raising $400 million. In addition, the two discuss Joe’s introduction to the cannabis industry, the benefits that come with company deciding to go public now, and what Joe’s keeping an eye on as we inch closer and closer to the midterm elections next week. In addition to the conversation with the Curaleaf, we also have Benzinga cannabis reporter Javier Hasse opening this week’s episode covering the biggest news in the cannabis industry and breaking down what he thinks were the overlooked stories from last week. Make sure you check out Javier’s weekly column for Benzinga, “Pot Stocks, ETFs, Top News And Data From The Cannabis Industry This Week” as well! Enjoy! About Joe Lusardi, CEO of Curaleaf Joseph Lusardi has more than 20 years of success in finance and private equity. He held previous executive positions at Affiliated Managers Group, Liberty Mutual Group and Devonshire Investors (Fidelity Investment’s private equity arm). A pioneer in the US cannabis industry, Mr. Lusardi is credited with opening the first vertically integrated cannabis operation on the East Coast and has more than seven years’ experience developing and operating medical cannabis companies in highly regulated states. In 2010 and 2014, Joseph Lusardi developed Maine Organic Therapy and Alternative Therapies Group, the first medical cannabis companies in Maine and Massachusetts. About Javier Hasse Javier Hasse is a young Latinx cannabis focused-writer, author of the book “Start Your Own Cannabis Business,” published via Entrepreneur Media. The book hit the #1 Best Seller spot for cannabis categories on Amazon during the week of its release. In addition, Javier writes for a variety of mass media outlets and serves as the Director of Benzinga's Cannabis Newsdesk. He's had more than 4,500 articles published on CNBC, Playboy, Entrepreneur Mag, The Street, High Times, The Houston Chronicle, Leafly, Benzinga, CNN Money, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, MSN Money, Morningstar, Nasdaq, Apple News, Merry Jane, The Fresh Toast, and many others. Find samples of his written work here. Javier is also a published photographer (High Times, Entrepreneur, Yahoo, etc.), a Billboard-topping artist, and a multimedia content producer and host. Links to guest’s social media: Curaleaf Twitter: https://twitter.com/Curaleaf_Inc Joe Lusardi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-lusardi-1981846/ Javier Hasse Twitter: https://twitter.com/JavierHasse Javier Hasse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/javierhasse/?locale=en_US   Links and Mentions: https://www.curaleaf.com/ https://www.benzinga.com/author/javier-hasse https://www.amazon.com/Javier-Hasse/e/B0798XLDYZ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome back to the Green Rush!  This week we have Lewis and Anne back together again in booth chatting with the CEO of the Canadian Securities Exchange (or as some in the industry have dubbed it the “Cannabis Stock Exchange). Smaller than its more famous cousin, the Toronto Stock Exchange, the CSE got its infamous nickname over the last year as its become home to a lot of cannabis companies looking to capitalize on the public markets. In this week’s conversation, our hosts chat with Richard about why the CSE has become so attractive to cannabis companies, particularly those in the US who are unable to list on Nasdaq and NYSE. In addition, they touch on the early days of the CSE, why RTOs have become much more commonplace in the cannabis sector than traditional IPOs, how Canada legalization is going to impact the CSE and what Richard thinks will happen next as the industry continues to expand - hint hint it’s consolidation!   In addition to the conversation with the CSE, we also have Green Market Report’s founder and friend of the podcast, Deb Borchardt, opening this week’s episode covering the biggest news in the cannabis industry and breaking down what she thinks were the overlooked stories from last week. Make sure you check out Deb’s work over at Green Market Report and follow her for the latest news on the next Green Market Summit. Enjoy!   About Richard Carleton Richard Carleton has been CEO of the Canadian Securities Exchange for seven years. Prior to this appointment, Richard served as Vice-President Corporate Development with responsibility for the CSE’s technology, operations, market data and trading sales teams. Before joining the exchange, Richard worked as a business development consultant in Toronto and New York in the risk management and index product fields after spending twelve years with the Toronto Stock Exchange, serving most recently as a member of the exchange’s senior management team. Active in industry affairs, Richard served two terms as chair of the market data industry’s global trade association in the late 1990's and is a frequent panelist at market structure and trading technology events across North America. Richard also serves as a member of the boards of the Private Capital Markets Association and the Empire Club of Canada. A member of the Law Society of Upper Canada since 1987, Richard is a graduate of the University of Ottawa (B.A. ’81) and the University of Toronto (LL.B. ’85). He has also completed the executive development programme at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. About Deb Borchardt Debra is the Co-Founder, CEO, and Editor-In-Chief of Green Market Report, a financial news site for the cannabis industry. Prior to this, Debra spent more than 15 years working in a variety of jobs in the securities industry before earning her Master's Degree in Journalism at NYU. As a financial journalist, Debra has appeared on The Today Show, CNBC, and Bloomberg TV talking about multiple business topics including the cannabis industry. Her work in the cannabis space has been recognized with an AZBEE award for the video “Where People Want To Buy Pot.” Links to guest’s social media: CSE Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSE_News CSE Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianSecuritiesExchange/ Richard Carleton’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-carleton-3b460416/?originalSubdomain=ca Deb Borchardt Twitter: https://twitter.com/WallandBroad Links and Mentions: https://thecse.com/ https://www.greenmarketreport.com/ https://www.greenmarketsummit.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com.

Welcome back to the Green Rush!  This week is Part One of our special broadcast from the floor of the Marijuana Business Conference in Las Vegas. At the mid-November conference, Lewis and Anne took to Podcaster’s Row to chat with a number of guests to discuss the growth of the conference, the excitement of the industry as a whole and get the low down on what’s coming up next for the burgeoning business of cannabis. For Part One, we first have Lewis and Anne’s conversation with Troy Dayton, Founder and CEO of the ArcView Group - an industry investment and research company, that provides financing for cannabis related businesses and projects through its network of investor members. In addition to leading ArcView, Troy is also an elected board member for the Marijuana Policy Project and a founding board member of the National Cannabis Industry Association and co-founder of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. In the second half of the podcast, Lewis and Anne sit down with Kris Krane, President of 4Front. After initially founding 4Front as an advising firm back in 2011, Kris has transformed the company into a leading retail and brand development company and helped the company develop a national platform that consists of a multi-state footprint, including its Mission branded retail operations. In addition to running 4Front, Kris also serves on the National Cannabis Industry Association board of directors and pens a column about the cannabis industry for Forbes. The conversations with Troy and Kris are slightly shorter than our average episode but are jam packed with information and observations from two of the brightest minds driving the future of the cannabis space. Enjoy! Troy is an elected board member for the Marijuana Policy Project and was formerly their top fundraiser and lead liaison to the legal cannabis industry. He is a founding board member of the National Cannabis Industry Association and co-founder of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, which is now on over 200 campuses. Troy also helped launch and served as the first sales director at Renewable Choice Energy, which was recently named the #1 green power provider by the EPA. He was recently named by Fortune Magazine as one of the top 7 most powerful people in the cannabis industry. In his spare time, Troy enjoys karaoke and the Burning Man festival. Having founded 4Front Advisors in 2011, Kris now serves as president of 4Front. Prior to forming 4Front, Kris served as director of client services for CannBe, a pioneer in developing best practices within the medical cannabis industry. Kris has dedicated his career to reforming the nation’s misguided drug policies, having served as associate director of NORML from 2000 to 2005 and executive director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy from 2006 to 2009. He currently serves on the National Cannabis Industry Association board of directors and pens a column about the cannabis industry for Forbes. Links to guest’s social media: Troy Dayton Twitter: https://twitter.com/tdazzl Troy Dayton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-dayton-850a0a21/ Kris Krane Twitter: https://twitter.com/kranewreck Kris Krane LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriskrane/ Links and Mentions: https://arcviewgroup.com https://4frontfamily.com/   https://mjbizconference.com/ Kris Krane’s Forbes column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kriskrane/#5b4b6ffc9ed1 Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications at MJ Biz Con in Las Vegas. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/

Welcome back for another episode of the Green Rush! In this episode, Lewis and Anne sit down with famed talk show host Ricki Lake and respected indie director Abby Epstein to talk about their emotional documentary Weed the People. The documentary explores how cannabis may just be the most innovative cancer treatment available, yet one that's also fraught with stigma. Released back in March, Weed the People is a work of wonderful storytelling that is sure to tug at your heart strings.   In the episode, Lewis and Anne explore with their guests not only the film making process to develop and produce this deeply introspective piece but also Ricki and Abby’s own introductions to cannabis. If you haven’t had a chance to see the film, check out the link below in our notes to check out when the next screening will happen at a theater near you! Enjoy! From acting and producing, to dancing her way into the hearts of television audiences, Emmy Award-winning television host Ricki Lake is a pop culture icon who has built a career on her graciously candid sensibility and her authentic, relatable nature. The world first met Lake in 1988 as Tracy Turnblad in John Waters’ film “Hairspray.” Lake’s legacy and perhaps her greatest love is her role as independent filmmaker. She has channeled her nurturing spirit and drive for social change into passion projects that are altering the way society views birth, breastfeeding, childhood obesity, birth control and now medical cannabis. Abby made her film directing debut at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival with the documentary, Until the Violence Stops, featuring Jane Fonda, Eve Ensler, Salma Hayek and Rosie Perez. The film played at the Miami, Santa Barbara, Maui and Locarno Film Festivals and won the Audience Award at the Amnesty International Film Festival in Vancouver. Until the Violence Stops premiered on Lifetime Television and received an Emmy and a Gracie Allen Award. Prior to her film work Abby directed theater, helming National Tours and international premieres of RENT and “The Vagina Monologues.” Links to guest’s social media: Weed the People Twitter: https://twitter.com/weedthepplfilm Weed the People Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weedthepeoplefilm/ Ricki Lake Twitter: https://twitter.com/RickiLake Abby Epstein Twitter: https://twitter.com/abbyepstein   Links and Mentions: Main site: https://www.weedthepeoplemovie.com Upcoming screenings: https://www.weedthepeoplemovie.com/screenings/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications at MJ Biz Con in Las Vegas. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome back for another episode of the Green Rush! To celebrate the holidays, we’ve decided to give our listeners a BONUS episode this week with executives over at CordovaCann! CEO Taz Turner and COO Nate Nienhuis join Lewis and Anne in this episode to chat about all things Cordova and cannabis. If you don’t know Cordova, they are a cannabis-focused consumer products company focused on building a leading, diversified cannabis products business. The company is also public on the CSE under the ticker - CDVA. In this episode, Lewis and Anne chat with Taz and Nate about their largely different backgrounds and how the opportunities in the cannabis space brought them together. Noting Taz’s largely financial services background, our hosts explore Taz’s cannabis story and what ultimately lead to him making the leap into the highly regulated industry. Nate’s been a veteran of the cannabis industry for decades having consulted on the Washington D.C. program for legalized medical cannabis and was one of the first people to grow cannabis legally for the U.S. government.   So lean in and enjoy! Taz Turner has over 15 years of experience in the capital markets focused on both debt and equity securities in the technology and consumer industries. Since founding Southshore Capital Partners, LP in 2009, Mr. Turner has guided the growth of Southshore’s long/short global equity hedge fund as General Partner. Through his fund, Mr. Turner has invested in public and private cannabis companies since 2012. Prior to Southshore, Mr. Turner held progressive positions at hedge funds and private equity funds with Tala Investments, Trafelet Delta Funds and ABS Capital Partners, where he specialized in technology and consumer investments. Mr. Turner graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in both Commerce and Mathematics. Nate Nienhuis has extensive experience consulting to both public and private companies on all aspects of cannabis operations; including general operations, facility design, management of production and processing facilities, product development and dispensary oversight. Mr. Nienhuis has served as a consultant to various public and private companies since 1996. Over the course of his career, Mr. Nienhuis has served as head horticulturalist at licensed medical cannabis companies in California, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Washington DC, and Canada. Furthermore, Mr. Nienhuis has developed and sold cutting-edge equipment for the safe extraction of cannabinoids and has been at the forefront of devising new extraction methods for processing at scale. As an extraction expert, Mr. Nienhuis has consulted on facility design for commercial cannabis extraction laboratories across the world, including ensuring compliance with Class 1 Division 1 standards for the use of volatile chemicals. Links to guest’s social media: Cordova Twitter: https://twitter.com/cordovacann   Taz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tazturner/ Nate’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-nienhuis-1b75a3154/ Links and Mentions: Main site: http://www.cordovacann.com/   Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome back to the Green Rush!  This week we have Lewis and Anne go back to their New Jersey roots as they welcome in the legendary Jason Mewes of Jay and Silent Bob fame!  Heralded as one of the most influential cultural cannabis icons in Hollywood over the last 25 years, Mewes got his start in Hollywood with the indie-smash, Clerks and has since starred in a number of films including Mallrats, Chasing Amy and Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Jason has since evolved his career from an actor into a full-fledged entertainer hosting the “Jay and Silent Bob Get Old” podcast and directing his own feature film “Madness in the Method” which is slated to be released in late 2018/early 2019. During the conversation, Lewis and Anne chat with Jay about his relationship with Kevin Smith, when he was finally able to quit his day job and become a working actor, Jay’s struggles with addiction and his views on cannabis exit drug for those working to overcome opioid addiction; how Jay plans to introduce his daughter to his movies and cannabis and what Jay has coming up in the pipeline including his upcoming appearance at The Emerald Cup later this month. In addition to the conversation with Jason, we also have Shea Gunther of Marijuana Today and our magnificent Program Director, opening this week’s episode covering the biggest news in the cannabis industry and breaking down what he thinks were the overlooked stories from last week. If you aren’t already make sure you are checking out all of the great content Shea is helping produce over at Marijuana Today. Enjoy! About Jason Mewes Indie film icon, Jason Mewes, is perhaps best known as the vocal half of the on-screen comedic duo, Jay and Silent Bob. Mewes’ has reprised his role as celebrated character, “Jay,” in a number of hit films. With cult-fans following his controversial antics, Mewes has captured audiences with rebellious banter against his unspoken other half and longtime friend, Kevin Smith (Silent Bob). Since the beginning of the duo’s offbeat work together, Mewes and Smith have continued to build on their beloved character driven roles from the Jay and Silent Bob series.   Links to guest’s social media: Jason Mewes Twitter: https://twitter.com/JayMewes Jason Mewes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaymewes/ Links and Mentions: Jason’s website: http://www.jmewes.com Jay and Silent Bob Get Old Podcast: https://www.smodcast.com/channel/jaysilentbobgetold Madness in the Method: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6038042/ SmodCasts: https://www.smodcast.com The Emerald Cup: https://theemeraldcup.com/   Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Welcome back to the Green Rush!  This week we have Part Two of our special broadcast from the floor of the Marijuana Business Conference in Las Vegas. At the mid-November conference, Lewis and Anne took to Podcaster’s Row to chat with a number of guests to discuss the growth of the conference, the excitement of the industry as a whole and get the low down on what’s coming up next for the burgeoning business of cannabis. For Part Two, we first have Lewis and Anne’s conversation with David Kretzmann, an Analyst/Investor with The Motley Fool - an investment news site designed to educate, amuse and enrich readers and help them make better financial decisions. As cannabis has grown from being a strictly illegal commodity to the fastest growing industry in the U.S., David has been one of the leading financial analysts looking at the space and helping the Motley Fool community of investors understand whether it makes sense for them to jump into the industry and what companies they should be watching. In the second half of the podcast, Lewis and Anne sit down with Bill Peters, reporter for Investor’s Business Daily - a financial news site providing ongoing support, research and news to help investors make more informed decisions. Formerly a general business reporter, Bill’s primary focus in the last year has shifted to cannabis due to the growth of the industry, the legalization of recreational cannabis in California and the way the industry has excited investors across North America. To wrap the episode, Lewis and Anne invite KCSA colleagues Annie Graf and Nick Opich into the booth to talk about what their seeing from the industry and the overall growth of Marijuana Business Conference. Enjoy! David started investing in stocks when he was 12 years old and has been a Fool ever since. He is a graduate of Berea College as well as the Motley Fool's Analyst Development Program, currently serving as an analyst in Rule Breakers and Supernova. Links to guest’s social media: David Kretzmann’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/David_Kretzmann David Kretzmann’s Author Page: https://www.fool.com/author/7893/index.aspx Bill Peter’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/ibd_bpeters Bill Peter’s Author Page: https://www.investors.com/author/petersb/ Links and Mentions: The Motley Fool homepage: https://www.fool.com Investor’s Business Daily homepage: https://www.investors.com Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications at MJ Biz Con in Las Vegas. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true 

Tim Seymour, Co-Host of CNBC’s Fast Money, joins the Green Rush this week to talk about cannabis investing, the cable news networks expanded coverage of the cannabis industry and the unique dichotomy between US and Canadian cannabis companies. In addition, Lewis and Anne chat with Tim about his recent appointment to the advisory board for The Green Organic Dutchman and what he’s looking for when it comes to analyzing cannabis stocks. To kick off the episode this week, we have our very own Shea Gunther of Marijuana Today providing us with his take on what the biggest story in the industry is this week. Enjoy! Tim Seymour is founder and Chief Investment Officer of Seymour Asset Management(SAM). SAM provides both asset management and wealth management services for its clients, including direct investment and allocation to private equity and alternative assets. Tim has over 22 years of investment experience as a portfolio manager, allocator and capital markets professional across multiple asset classes. He also looks at the impact of cyber risks on the global economy. Tim is a recognized voice within the investment community as a trader and market strategist on CNBC. For the past decade,Tim has been a primary investor voice on Fast Money. Tim is often cited as one of the top finance professionals on Twitter, including The Wall Street Journal's "Top Tweets For Your Money". Links to guest’s social media: Tim Seymour Twitter: https://twitter.com/timseymour Tim Seymour LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-seymour-29084818/ Tim Seymour CNBC author page: https://www.cnbc.com/timothy-seymour/ Links and Mentions: https://www.cnbc.com/ https://www.cnbc.com/fast-money/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

As a Christmas gift to you, our loyal Green Rush Podcast listeners, for Christmas week we are republishing our top 5 episodes of the season. These aren’t necessarily the episodes that had the most downloads, rather these are the ones that we all believe were different, impactful, better than others.  Now, don’t get me wrong, Anne, me, Nick, Phil and Shea love each and every episode.  Making us pick one, each was hard.  Not as hard as say, picking between my children, but hard none the less. For our first “fave” Lewis selected his chat with Danny Moses at the Green Market Summit earlier this summer.  It was a great conversation and one of the first times we've take our show on the road so to speak.  If you follow the stock market, Danny is a guru.  He is so damn smart, and just a great guy. This episode was tremendously fun. And the info so valuable.  We talked about the valuations of US companies vs. Canadian companies.  We talked specific stocks (and yes name a few names). Danny will be on again in 2019, and we can’t wait to talk with him again. Enjoy! Danny Moses has extensive experience with financial markets having worked on Wall Street since 1991 and holding a variety of positions including municipal bond analyst, institutional sell-side broker, trader, and hedge fund manager. The book and later movie “The Big Short” features the character of Danny Moses and a few others who were able to successfully navigate the volatility of the financial markets during the formation of the housing bubble in 2004. Links to guest’s social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmoses34 Links and Mentions: Bail The Street podcast: https://www.bailstreet.com/ Danny at the Brookings Institute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y2aEJShnUw The Big Short Deleted Scene: https://metro.co.uk/video/the-big-short-deleted-scene-1291428/?ito=vjs-link Investopedia Terms: Credit Default Swaps: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/creditdefaultswap.asp Collateralized Debt Obligation: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cdo.asp Collateralized Mortgage Obligation: https://www.investopedia.com/exam-guide/series-7/debt-securities/collateralized-mortgage-obligation.asp Synthetic: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/synthetic.asp Volcker Rule: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/volcker-rule.asp Dodd-Frank Bill: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dodd-frank-financial-regulatory-reform-bill.asp Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg at the Green Market Summit in NYC. Special thanks to Nick Opich, our Producer, and our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

We're onto Day 2 of our celebration of Christmas Week where our special gift to our loyal Green Rush listeners are us sharing some of our favorite episodes of the season. Today it's Nick's turn to pick his favortie episode so naturally when it came down to choosing a favorite episode, he picked one that featured him! This episode is a callback to when Anne and Nick got to interview Grammy award winner and a member of one of the most legendary families in music history, Ziggy Marley. The Marley name is practically synonymous with cannabis culture so being able to bring him on to chat with us about his music, his dad and his involvement in the cannabis industry was a real treat and one of the highlights of the year for our team. Ziggy was incredibly grateful with his time for this interview and we think this conversation is one all of our listeners will enjoy all over again. So relax and enjoy our conversation with Ziggy Marley! An eight-time GRAMMY winner, Emmy winner, author, philanthropist, and reggae icon, Ziggy Marley has released thirteen albums to much critical acclaim. Now with his own label, Tuff Gong Worldwide, and publishing company, Ishti Music, Marley has complete control of his master recordings and publishing. His early immersion in music came at age ten when he sat in on recording sessions with his father, Bob Marley. As front man to Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, the group released eight best-selling albums that garnered three GRAMMYs, with such chart-topping hits as "Look Who's Dancing," "Tomorrow People" and "Tumbling Down." Ziggy's first solo album, Dragonfly (RCA Records), was released in 2003. His second solo release, Love is My Religion (Tuff Gong Worldwide), won a GRAMMY in 2006 for "Best Reggae Album." His third solo studio album, Family Time (Tuff Gong Worldwide), scored a 5th GRAMMY award for "Best Children's Album." In 2011, Ziggy released his 4th solo studio album, Wild and Free, as well as his first graphic novel entitled MARIJUANAMAN. His 2012 live album Ziggy Marley In Concert, earned a 6th GRAMMY award for "Best Reggae Album," and released his debut children's book I Love You Too. Ziggy's fifth solo studio album, Fly Rasta was released to mass critical acclaim in 2015, and earned his 7th GRAMMY for "Best Reggae Album." 2016 marked the release of Marley's self-titled album, which garnered his 8th GRAMMY, as well as The Ziggy Marley and Family Cookbook, via Akashic Books. Links and mentions in the show LISTEN to Rebellion Rises, Ziggy’s new single - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhcDEnL_bb0 To purchase Ziggy’s comic book “Marijuana Man” - https://www.amazon.com/Ziggy-Marleys-Marijuanaman-Joe-Casey/dp/1607063700 To preorder Ziggy’s new album, Rebellion Rises, out May 18th - http://ziggymarley.com/rebellion-rises/ To find when Ziggy is coming to a city near you - http://ziggymarley.com/upcoming-shows/ Ziggy’s charity U.R.G.E. which supports education, health and the environment, in efforts to improve the communities of Jamaica, Africa and throughout the world -http://www.urgefoundation.org/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Ziggy Marley Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ZiggyMarley/ Ziggy Marley Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ziggymarley/ Ziggy Marley Twitter - https://twitter.com/ziggymarley Show Credits This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter: https://twitter.com/KCSA_Cannabis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kcsa_cannabis/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/18329588/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

We're onto Day 3 of our greatest hits this week and today's selection is a personal favorite of Anne's. For her episode, Anne chose to highlight our interview with Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer. Representative Blumenauer has been instrumental in the legalization movement and his state has really become a leader and bellwether in figuring how the adult use market works. What Anne loved about this interview is that he took it incredibly seriously – and more importantly – he called Lewis out on his shit. In the interview, Lewis challenged him a bit and said that the Democrats are at risk of ceding control of the issue to the Republicans. Congressman Blumenauer strongly defended his party and reminded us key Democrats have been on the right side of the issue for decades. He also reminded us of all of the good work that they’ve done to date. So without further ado – here is our replay of the interview with Congressman Earl Blumenauer. A lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) has devoted his entire career to public service. While still a student at Lewis and Clark College, he spearheaded the effort to lower the voting age both in Oregon and at the national level. He was elected to the Oregon Legislature in 1972, where he served three terms and Chaired the House Education and Revenue Committee in 1977-78. In 1978, he was elected to the Multnomah County Commission, where he served for eight years before being elected to the Portland City Council in 1986. There, his 10-year tenure as the Commissioner of Public Works demonstrated his leadership on the innovative accomplishments in transportation, planning, environmental programs and public participation that have helped Portland earn an international reputation as one of America’s most livable cities. Elected to the US House of Representatives in 1996, Mr. Blumenauer has created a unique role as Congress’ chief spokesperson for Livable Communities: places where people are safe, healthy and economically secure.  From 1996 to 2007, he served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he was a strong advocate for federal policies that address transportation alternatives, provide housing choices, support sustainable economies and improve the environment. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee from 2001 to 2007, and vice-chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming from 2007 to 2010.  He is currently a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the subcommittees on Health, Oversight, and Tax Policy. Congressman Blumenauer’s academic training includes undergraduate and law degrees from Lewis and Clark College in Portland. Links to guest’s social media: Rep. Blumenauer’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/repblumenauer Rep. Blumenauer’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blumenauer/ Links and Mentions: https://blumenauer.house.gov/ http://earlblumenauer.com/ Congressman Blumenauer on Cannabis Reform: https://blumenauer.house.gov/issues/marijuana-and-drug-reform Congressman Blumenauer’s Cannabis Road Map for Democrats: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2018/10/17/congressman-issues-blueprint-to-legalize-marijuana-for-democratic-house-in-2019/#4fc4194e3aaf Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

We're onto Day 4 of our week long Christmas special! Today's episode was chosen by our outstanding social media team member Tiffany Rutkowski who chose to replay our interview with Leah Heise, Chief Experience and Chief Compliance Officer for 4Front. During this conversation, the GreenRush team and Leah discuss the medicinal side of cannabis and how Leah's diagnosis with chronic pancreatitis led to her foray into medicinal cannabis and ultimately her career in the cannabis industry. Leah also touches on her position as Chief Experience Office for 4Front and how the company is helping medicinal cannabis patients educate themselves on the various strains of the plant and consumption options that would be most effective for treating their specific condition. Leah also provides her predictions on what the cannabis industry would look like if rescheduling, descheduling, or legalization were to happen. Enjoy! Links and Mentions: 4Front: https://4frontfamily.com/ Mission dispensaries: https://missiondispensaries.com/ Links to guest’s social media: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-heise-67093a21 Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications Special thanks to Nick Opich, our Producer, and our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

This week's episode is another Lewis conference special. The discussion features Barron's Reporter Bill Alpert and Acreage Holdings' Chief Communications Officer, Howard Schacter who joined Lewis back in December at the Cannabis Media Summit. The conversation ranged from how to effectively engage with the media, to the language around the cannabis industry. In particular, the Q&A session at the end of the panel got quiet heated, and is well worth listening to. There is no better way to kick off 2019 than with a rousing Green Rush Podcast and this one, well...was a hell of a lot of fun to listen to live and is just as fun and informative recorded...so don't sit back, lean forward. Enjoy! Bill Alpert has been a senior writer at Barron's since 1984. His investigations have inspired stock-fraud prosecutions and reforms in such areas as “backdoor” stock-exchange listings, for-profit colleges, and the Magnitsky Act that sanctions international human-rights violators. Howard Schacter has over 30 years of experience from both agency and in-house public relations, marketing, and communications roles, having supported consumer and business-to-business organizations across several major industries, including cannabis, retail and entertainment. Prior to joining Acreage Holdings, Schacter served as Chief Communications Officer for the National Association of Cannabis Businesses, the cannabis industry's first and only self-regulatory organization. Earlier in his career, he led corporate communications for Live Nation (then SFX/Clear Channel Entertainment). Links and Mentions: https://www.cannabismediasummit.com/ Links to guest’s social media: Bill Alpert's author page: https://www.barrons.com/authors/8520 Bill Alpert's Twitter: https://twitter.com/blalpert Howard Schacter's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hschacter/ Howard Schacter's Twitter: https://twitter.com/hschacter Mannada Events Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mannada_Events Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications Special thanks to Nick Opich, our Producer, and our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Taylor West, Senior Communications Director for the cannabis branding and marketing company COHNNABIS, is our first official guest of 2019 on the Green Rush! As you know, the Green Rush is a part of the fantastic MJ Today media family which includes podcasts like Marijuana Today where Taylor appears as one of the regulars. In this week’s episode, Lewis and Anne chat with Taylor about her deep roots in drug policy reform, her personal background and how she came to join the cannabis space via her work with NCIA and what the future holds for the future of cannabis branding and marketing. To kick off the episode this week, we have friend of the podcast and everyone’s favorite recurring guest, Alan Brochstein of New Cannabis Ventures and 420 Investor providing us with his take on the story we all should be paying attention to. Enjoy!   Taylor West is senior communications director for COHNNABIS, a full-service brand, marketing, digital, and public relations agency dedicated to the unique needs of the cannabis industry. Prior to joining COHNNABIS in August 2017, Taylor spent nearly four years as deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA). At NCIA, she oversaw marketing, communications, and media relations, often serving as a spokesperson for the organization and for the industry as a whole. Before joining the cannabis industry, Taylor spent four years working in Washington, D.C., first as a strategist for a variety of policy and regulatory reform efforts, and then as communications director for National Journal, a highly respected national media organization. She is also a veteran of several high-profile political campaigns and has appeared as a commentator on MSNBC, Fox News, CNBC, PBS, and NPR. Taylor first became involved in drug policy reform 20 years ago with an internship at DRCNet, now known as StoptheDrugWar.org. Links to guest’s social media: Taylor West’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Taylor_West Taylor West’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-west-34736455/ Links and Mentions: COHNNABIS website NCIA website: https://thecannabisindustry.org/ https://www.newcannabisventures.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true  

It’s time for our first hostful episode for 2019! KCSAers Phil Carlson and Nick Opich are back in the booth with our hosts Lewis and Anne to talk about the year that was 2018 and provide their outlook on what they predict we may see from the cannabis industry in 2019. In this week’s episode our guests chat about their favorite episodes from 2018, dream guests for 2019, new predictions on federal legalization and M&A activity and who our team is watching for potential breakout performances in the New Year. Our hosts and guests also answer some listener questions and provide their thoughts on when we may see the NASDAQ and NYSE loosen their stances on cannabis companies. Enjoy! Phil Carlson is a Managing Director of Investor Relations at KCSA. He has developed proactive investor relations and communication strategies for several multi-national, micro and small cap companies in various sectors including technology, healthcare, financial services and natural resources. Phil also leads KCSA’s Cannabis Investor Relations practice. Through his extensive network, Phil has helped position his cannabis clients as thought leaders in the emerging cannabis industry. He has secured speaking engagements at premiere conferences and has organized several cannabis industry panels which have included himself as well as his clients. Phil is a Wall Street and Investor Relations veteran having worked at firms such as JPMorganChase and Merrill Lynch. His experience includes IPOs and reverse mergers, implementing retail and institutional road shows, and providing strategic counsel to clients. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Kent State University. Nick Opich is a Senior Account Executive working in the Public Relations department at KCSA. As part of the Cannabis business team, Nick advises clients on a number of fronts including developing brand messaging, refining and advancing media strategies and securing meaningful print and broadcast media coverage. His clients are involved in all aspects of the cannabis industry including cultivation, extraction, packaging, compliance and branding. Nick holds bachelor's degrees in Political Science and Spanish from Arizona State University. Links to guest’s social media: Phil Carlson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipecarlson   Nick Opich LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-opich-6450218a Nick Opich Twitter: https://twitter.com/nopich Links and Mentions: https://www.kcsa.com/ https://www.kcsa-cannabis.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Jason Raznick, CEO and founder of the financial news outlet Benzinga joins the Green Rush team in the booth today! In addition to talking about the smashing success that was the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference last week, Jason shares his thinking behind his financial news outlets decision to go all in on covering cannabis and what he’s done to build out an impressive team of journalists to cover the space. Also in this week’s conversation, Jason touches on his successes and failures running a media company in the digital age, the trends he’s seeing in how people consume media and what interests him most about the future of the cannabis industry.    To kick off the episode this week, we have friend of the podcast and one of the top financial reporters covering the cannabis space, Bill Peters of Investor’s Business Daily providing us with his take on the story we all should be paying attention to. If you’re not already reading Bill’s daily columns on the cannabis markets, you are missing out! Enjoy! Jason Raznick is the founder of Benzinga, a media and data technology startup empowering a new generation of investors. Raznick launched Benzinga.com in 2010, and it has since grown to become a hub for actionable information on the capital markets with approximately 2 million readers a month. Benzinga.com is supported by a high-speed newswire, Benzinga Pro, which is home to exclusive market-moving news. Raznick is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he started multiple companies. He has been quoted in a variety of financial news publications, such as CNBC, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post. Raznick has been named to the Crain's Detroit Business 40 Under 40 list as well as the DBusiness 30 in Their 30s list. Benzinga is based in Detroit, and Raznick is dedicated to helping rebuild Detroit as a hub of technology and finance. Bill Peters writes breaking news stories and features for Investor’s Business Daily about the stock market and trends in the broader financial world, covering an array of topics, including the big banks, restaurants, airlines, retail and marijuana. Bill also also provides live video news analysis online. Links to guest’s social media: Jason Raznick’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonraznick Jason Raznick’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/JasonRaznick Bill Peter’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/ibd_bpeters Bill Peter’s Author Page: https://www.investors.com/author/petersb/ Links and Mentions: Benzinga homepage: https://www.benzinga.com Benzinga Pro: https://www.pro.benzinga.com  Investor’s Business Daily homepage: https://www.investors.com Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference: https://www.benzingacannabisconference.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true  

Kashif Shan, CEO and founder of Folium Biosciences, the largest vertically integrated producer, manufacturer and distributor of hemp-derived phytocannabinoinds, is this week’s guest on the Green Rush! With the passage of the Farm Bill in 2018, hemp and CBD is now 100% legal so Anne and Lewis sat down with Kashif to get an overview of the current state of the CBD space, the future growth market for hemp derived CBD and when we may see big box retailers take a bigger step into the CBD marketplace. In addition to touching on the overall industry, Kashif provides our listeners an in-depth look at the inception and growth of Folium Biosciences, how the company plans to use the funds it received from a recent investment by Australis Capital, what Folium’s R&D department is working on right now and the story of how Kashif let his conservative parents know he was working in the cannabis industry. This week’s conversation is sure to be a treat for those who are interested in learning more about the CBD space. So sit back and enjoy! Kashif Shan is the Founder and CEO of Folium Biosciences. Kashif has spent over 20 years as a High Technology Executive across a range of fields where he oversaw Finance, Facilities, and HR. Kashif founded Folium Biosciences in 2014 and has helped grow the company to become the global leader in non-psychoactive cannabinoids and employs over 250 people. Prior to entering the cannabis space, Kashif was the Founder of Equus Capital, a real estate investment company. Links to guest’s social media: Kashif Shan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kashif-shan-a8b035169 Links and Mentions: https://foliumbiosciences.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true  

Doug Cortina, CEO, and Jigar Patel, President, of NorCal Cannabis, one of the largest vertically integrated cannabis operators in California, are our guest for this week’s episode of the Green Rush! Subbing in on hosting duties for Lewis this week is our old pal Nick Opich who joins Anne to chat with Doug and Jigar. In case NorCal is a new name for our listeners, it's one that you should get on your radar quick. Currently the company operates state-of-the-art production facilities, including more than 100,000 sq. feet of indoor flower canopy, manufacturing, processing, packaging and distribution assets. In addition, NorCal also operates the leading network of statewide delivery depots, and had a coming out party of sorts this past week when they announced the company raised $27M as part of its Series A round. Anne and Nick chat with Doug and Jigar for a deep dive into the operations of NorCal and discuss what the company has planned for the new financing. In addition, our hosts touch on NorCal’s potential plans to go public, how Doug and Jigar found each other, and the evolving California cannabis delivery landscape. To top things off, Doug and Jigar let us in what they would tell California Governor Gavin Newsom if they get the chance to bend his ear about the California cannabis industry.     Sit back and enjoy! Doug Cortina, CEO, brings a strong background of hands on business and entrepreneurial experience to NorCal Cannabis. Doug has successfully led the planning, development and execution of three cannabis projects in the Bay Area. Douglas has been involved in the real estate development industry in the Bay Area for the past five years. During this time he has structured and administered numerous real estate partnerships and is directly responsible for the acquisition of over $50MM in Bay Area properties. Prior to moving to San Francisco Douglas worked in NYC for the investment bank Brown Brothers Harriman. Jigar Patel, President, has been an instrumental leader in the California cannabis industry.  He is the founder of four state and locally compliant cannabis businesses, playing pivotal roles in real estate sourcing, entitlement, funding, design, build and operations.  He is an industry leader in bringing local regulatory compliance to many jurisdictions including San Francisco, Santa Rosa, and Sonoma County. His depth of knowledge of the rich history of California cannabis, regulation, cultivation, and sales in a compliant marketplace provides a distinct advantage to achieving NCC’s business objectives.  An experienced entrepreneur, Mr. Patel has also been the founder of a successful Sonoma County winery, Jigar Wines. As President of NorCal Cannabis Company, Mr. Patel is responsible for oversight of all operations. Links to guest’s social media: Doug Cortina’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-cortina-19416843/ Jigar Patel’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jigar-patel-94b4b6a2/   Links and Mentions: https://www.norcalcann.com/ Press Release on Series A: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/norcal-cannabis-closes-series-a-financing-300786494.html Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true  

Chanda Macias, widely regarded as one of the most influential women in cannabis, is this week’s guest on the Green Rush! Chanda is the owner and general manager of the National Holistic Healing Center medical marijuana dispensary in Washington DC, a patient advocacy company dedicated to providing individuals with debilitating medical conditions with alternative allopathic medicine. She is an accomplished scientist, has a master's degree in supply chain management, and is also the chair of the Women Grow organization. Anne and Lewis chat with Chanda about ensuring the cannabis industry stays inclusive to people of all colors and backgrounds, Chanda’s personal background and what eventually led to her entry into the cannabis space, the complicated nature of Washington D.C.’s cannabis laws and marketplace, the overall growth of up and coming cannabis markets in states like Virginia and Maryland and why cannabis should be looked at by regulators as both a policy issue and public health issue. The Green Rush team also breaks its first piece of news during this week’s conversation! This was truly a fun conversation, Chanda is one of our favorite people in the industry, and one we think that all of our listeners will enjoy! Chanda Macias, PhD, MBA is the CEO and the owner of National Holistic Healing Center (NHHC), the leading medical marijuana dispensary in Washington DC. Dr. Macias has spent 15+ years developing knowledge of medical marijuana impact on patients. Dr. Macias educates women and minority entrepreneurs and patients through her outreach platform as the Chairwoman of the Board of Managers and acting CEO for Women Grow with a national educational reach impacting over 50,000+ people and patients. Dr. Macias is a proud member of Americans for Safe Access, promoting safe and legal access to medical marijuana for research purposes. In her local market, she serves as the Treasurer and Secretary of DC Medical Cannabis Trade Association that proactively engages in legislation, regulations, and compliance with the Department of Health. Dr. Macias serves on the Advisory Board of Southern University, a state-funded university, which was granted a license to cultivate medical cannabis in Louisiana.  She and her partners at Ilera Healthcare will launch the second cultivation facility in the state, becoming the President of Ilera Holistic Healthcare.  Finally, Dr. Macias serves on the Board of Directors for the Minority Cannabis Business Association focusing on the growth of the industry in existing and emerging markets. Links to guest’s social media: Chanda Macias LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chanda-macias-ab23a973/ Links and Mentions: Women Grow Website: https://womengrow.com/ National Holistic Healing Center Website: https://nationalholistic.com/ Women Grow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenGrow/ Women Grow Twitter: https://twitter.com/womengrow Women Grow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womengrow/ National Holistic Healing Center Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalholistic/ National Holistic Healing Center Twitter: https://twitter.com/nholisticdc National Holistic Healing Center Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalholisticdc/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Dr. Oludare Odumosu,Chief Scientific Officer/EVP Pharmaceutical Division for Pennsylvania-based Ilera Healthcare, is this week’s guest on the Green Rush! Dr. Odumosu has an extensive scientific and medical background with a PhD. in biochemistry as well as having shepherded the development of pharmaceuticals through FDA approval and the marketing that occurs afterwards. A native of Nigeria, it’s worth mentioning that Dr. Odumosu is one of a growing number of African-Americans who are taking on leadership roles to shape the cannabis industry. In this week’s conversation, our hosts and Oludare touch on a number of fascinating subjects including social justice reform; Dr. Odumosu’s introduction to cannabis and why he credits the plant with saving his life; what drove him to make the jump from the world of academia to cannabis; how Dr. Odumosu’s past work developing pain meds has informed his work with cannabis; and what kind of study he would commission on cannabis if he worked at the FDA. We really enjoyed this informative and fun discussion with Dr. Odumosu and this conversation is sure to be of interest to all of our listeners interested in leanring more about the medicinal benefits of cannabis. Enjoy!    Dr. Oludare Odumosu Bio Dr. Odumosu brings 10 years of experience in corporate pharmaceutical business development, operations and strategic alliance management to his role as Ilera Healthcare’s Chief Scientific Officer/EVP Pharmaceutical Division. His background in biochemistry and healthcare entrepreneurship gives him unique qualifications for this role. Dr. Odumosu played a critical role in Iroko Pharmaceutical’s post-clinical development of Zorvolex Tivorbex and Vivlodex through FDA approvals and successful US market commercialization. He also managed the execution of the business development gate processes for the expansion of Iroko’s Solumatrix franchise products through ex-US licensing agreement negotiations. He received a PhD in Biochemistry and a Master’s in Public Health-Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the Loma Linda University School of Medicine and School of Public Health in Loma Linda, California; and a BS in Biology from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Odumosu is a World Bank Institute Certified public health professional with global healthcare translational/clinical/epidemiological research and data management experience. Links to guest’s social media: Oludare Odumosu’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/oludareodumosu Oludare Odumosu’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oludare-odumosu-371125a/ Links and Mentions: Ilera Healthcare Website: https://www.ilerahealthcare.comIlera HealthcareFacebook:  @IlerahealthIlera HealthcareTwitter:  @IleraHealthcareIlera Healthcare Instagram:  @ilerahealthcare Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Live From the National Cannabis Industry Association's Seed-to-Sale Institutional Capital Forum PR Panel we have another Lewis conference special. Hosted by 4Front President Kris Krane and joined by John Lindsay Phillips from RLM PR, Lewis participated in a rollicking conversation about the communications, challenges and media/PR opportunities present in the cannabis industry. The conversation ranged from how working with cannabis companies differs from working with other business clients, the lack of beat reporters at top tier publications dedicated to the cannabis space and how the PR landscape has evolved over the past half decade when it comes to cannabis coverage. The panel also included a Q&A session with members of the audience asking questions of Lewis and John. Lewis had a lot of fun in this discussion and we think our readers will enjoy the spirited conversation as well so don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy!. Links to guest’s social media: KCSA Twitter: https://twitter.com/kcsastrategic KCSA Cannabis Twitter: https://twitter.com/KCSA_Cannabis KCSA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kcsa_cannabis/?hl=en Lewis Goldberg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-goldberg-1839a22/ Lewis Goldberg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lewisdg/ KCSA main site: https://www.kcsa.com   Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Kris Krane of 4Front at the at the National Cannabis Industry Association's Seed-to-Sale Institutional Capital Forum in Boston with Lewis Goldberg and John Lindsay Phillips of RLM PR. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. You can also connect with us via our social channels: Twitter / Instagram: @KCSA_Cannabis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-rush-comms/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KCSACannabiz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true

Jeanne M. Sullivan, General Partner at The Arcview Venture Fund, is this week’s guest on the Green Rush! Jeanne is a fierce advocate for legalization and regulation of the Cannabis industry and works as an adviser to investors for this new high growth industry. An inspiration to entrepreneurs across a host of verticals, Business Insider called Jeanne one of the rising stars in the cannabis investing landscape and she’s been honored by the New York Hall of Sciences for her work inspiring girls and women in science and technology. In this week’s conversation, Lewis and Anne chat with Jeanne about the developments in the cannabis industry that are exciting her the most and what she looks for when it comes to investing in the space. As a long time tech investor, Jeanne offers parallels for the emerging cannabis space and how it is mirroring the innovations she seen in tech. Additionally, Jeanne opens up on what first drew her to invest in the space, why she thinks women are well-positioned to succeed in this industry and how the ending of federal prohibition will impact investing and the future of cannabis. Jeanne is a truly inspirational figure in the cannabis space and we loved discussing her experiences raising capital and investing in cannabiz.   Enjoy!    Jeanne M. Sullivan General Partner – The Arcview Venture Fund Jeanne M. Sullivan is a fierce advocate and for the regulation and legalization of the Cannabis industry. Jeanne is a co-founder of a venture capital firm in NYC and long- time tech investor and now building the Arcview Venture Fund – to invest in the vibrant cannabis sector. Many great Unicorns are being created to serve the cannabis industry – a focused investing target. Ms. Sullivan is a sought-after industry speaker on the subject of “how to get the wallet out of investors’ pocket and what entreprenuers need to do to win.”  Named by Business Insider 2018 as one of the “rising stars” in the cannabis investing landscape, Sullivan is leveraging her tech investing experience in this fast growing cannabis sector about science, wellness, social justice issues and wealth creation. Forbes cited Sullivan as “one of the women VCs changing the world – grooming the next generation of female entrepreneurs”. The New York Angels organization honored Jeanne as the OPEL award winner – Outstanding Professionals for Entrepreneurial Leadership. The New York Hall of Science honored Jeanne for her work inspiring girls and women in science, technology (STEM) sectors.  Jeanne also serves on the Board of Trustees of the New York Hall of Science – a museum that introduces people of all ages to STEM learning. Links to guest’s social media: Jeanne Sullivan’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/gianna212 Jeanne Sullivan’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeannemsullivan Jeanne Sullivan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giannanyc/?hl=en Links and Mentions: Mary’s Medicinals Green Rush episode: https://greenrushpodcast.com/2018/06/27/maximizing-medicinal-cannabis-with-lynn-honderd-co-founder-and-ceo-of-marys-medicinals/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Evan Eneman, CEO of MGO-ELLO Alliance, is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. In case this is the first time you’ve heard of MGO-ELLO Alliance, the company can be considered the “Deloitte of Cannabis”, a leader in the cannabis financial, tax and advisory services space. ELLO has worked with hundreds of businesses to help them solve complex problems in regulatory compliance, capital markets advisory, tax services, operational improvements as well as staffing needs. Evan previously worked at Casa Verde Capital, a venture capital firm focused exclusively on the cannabis industry, which counts Snoop Dogg among its partners. With both Anne and Nick away for this week’s conversation, Lewis solicited the help of Aaron Smith, former CNN cannabis reporter and now a member of the KCSA team, to join him for this interview. Because cannabis finance is extremely complicated and challenging, Lewis and Aaron enlist Evan to help them navigate the banking, security and regulatory issues cannabusinesses face including a deep dive on 280E. Additionally, Evan touches on the growth of the East Coast market and which state he thinks will transition to adult use first - New York or New Jersey? Enjoy!    Evan Eneman – Co-Founder and CEO of MGO-ELLO Alliance Evan Eneman, a serial entrepreneur, advisor, and investor, is the founder of several leading ventures steering the cannabis industry today. He is the co-founder and CEO of ELLO and National Cannabis Practice leader for MGO/ELLO, an alliance of professional services firms providing capital markets and M&A advisory, tax, assurance, consulting, staffing and outsourcing services to a few hundred clients in the cannabis industry.  He is also the founder and CEO of Fiorello, a cannabis branding and marketing agency. After co-founding and running Casa Verde Capital for several years, Eneman launched Sands Lane Capital, a purpose-driven venture capital firm focusing on opportunities in the cannabis and hemp industries. Links to guest’s social media: Evan Eneman’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evaneneman/  MGO LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/macias-gini-&-o%27connell-llp-mgo-/ MGO Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mgocpa MGO Twitter: https://twitter.com/mgocpa Ello Insights LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ello-llc/ Ello Insights Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ELLOInsights/ Ello Insights Twitter: https://twitter.com/elloinsights Links and Mentions: https://www.mgocpa.com/ www.elloinsights.com   Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Aaron Smith and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 we experienced some technical issues so we are revisiting one of our more recent favorite episodes with Representative Earl Blumenauer, a House Democrat from Oregon.  Congressman Blumenauer has represented Oregon as a Congressman for more than 20 years and has been a pivotal player in US legalization since the beginning. He also is one of the founders and co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, a bipartisan Caucus for members of the U.S. House of Representatives to discuss, learn, and work together to establish a better and more rational approach to federal cannabis policy. With 18+ Democrats vying for the Democratic Presidential nomination this primary election cycle, we wanted to revisit this conversation to see how influential leaders like Congressman Blumenauer envision the federal government moving forward with cannabis legalization. Policy wonks, you’re in for a treat - lean in and enjoy! About Congressman Blumenauer A lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) has devoted his entire career to public service. While still a student at Lewis and Clark College, he spearheaded the effort to lower the voting age both in Oregon and at the national level. He was elected to the Oregon Legislature in 1972, where he served three terms and Chaired the House Education and Revenue Committee in 1977-78. In 1978, he was elected to the Multnomah County Commission, where he served for eight years before being elected to the Portland City Council in 1986. There, his 10-year tenure as the Commissioner of Public Works demonstrated his leadership on the innovative accomplishments in transportation, planning, environmental programs and public participation that have helped Portland earn an international reputation as one of America’s most livable cities. Elected to the US House of Representatives in 1996, Mr. Blumenauer has created a unique role as Congress’ chief spokesperson for Livable Communities: places where people are safe, healthy and economically secure.  From 1996 to 2007, he served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he was a strong advocate for federal policies that address transportation alternatives, provide housing choices, support sustainable economies and improve the environment. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee from 2001 to 2007, and vice-chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming from 2007 to 2010.  He is currently a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the subcommittees on Health, Oversight, and Tax Policy. Congressman Blumenauer’s academic training includes undergraduate and law degrees from Lewis and Clark College in Portland. Links to guest’s social media: Rep. Blumenauer’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/repblumenauer Rep. Blumenauer’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blumenauer/ Links and Mentions: https://blumenauer.house.gov/ http://earlblumenauer.com/ Congressman Blumenauer on Cannabis Reform: https://blumenauer.house.gov/issues/marijuana-and-drug-reform Congressman Blumenauer’s Cannabis Road Map for Democrats: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2018/10/17/congressman-issues-blueprint-to-legalize-marijuana-for-democratic-house-in-2019/#4fc4194e3aaf   Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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.

Jane West, Co-Founder and CEO of the cannabis lifestyle brand Jane West and one of the most influential women in the industry, is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. Following her entry into the space in 2014 following legalization in Colorado, Jane quickly went on to help found the cannabis networking organization Women Grow, and in 2016, Inc. magazine named her “the most widely recognized female personality in cannabis." In an industry dominated by major players vying for space in an increasingly crowded marketplace, Jane is unique in that she’s built a well-recognized brand and social following around her name, likeness, and her style. With Lewis and Anne together again back behind the microphone, they chat with Jane about her well-documented transition into the cannabis space, the challenges she faced as an entrepreneur, the time one of her events was raided by a SWAT team, how the US markets differ from the growing European markets and her disappointment in the lack of small business success in cannabis. Enjoy!    Jane West – Co-Founder and CEO of Cannabis Lifestyle Brand Jane West Jane West is the CEO of the cannabis lifestyle brand Jane West. At Jane West, she develops cannabis accessories and home goods that  invite women to experience the benefits of cannabis and take part in the legal lifestyle. West is also the founder of Women Grow, the cannabis industry’s  largest professional networking organization. Since the launch of her consumption-friendly cannabis events company Edible Events in 2014, she has emerged as a prominent figure in mainstream cannabis culture. An experienced executive with a broad management background, West is  committed to changing the face of women in cannabis, both as consumers and as leaders. West is a leading influencer in the cannabis industry, shifting mainstream perceptions by providing insider access to the modern legal lifestyle. She first became a marijuana media darling early in 2014 with her breakthrough “On a High Note” collaboration between the Colorado  Symphony Orchestra and her other business, Edible Events Company, Colorado’s premiere cannabis event production company. Before joining the cannabis industry, West was a working mother rising through the management ranks as a corporate event planner. After her employer spotted her vaping on CNBC, she was quickly fired. Immediately, West embraced the opportunity to dive headfirst into the cannabis industry as an outspoken advocate for cannabis legalization. In the two years since Colorado legalized cannabis, West has become a fixture of mainstream cannabis  coverage on CNBC, NBC Nightly News, and in the New York Times, Newsweek, Forbes, TIME, the Guardian, and many others Links to guest’s social media: Jane West’s Instagram: @shopjanewestJane West’s Facebook: /ShopJaneWestJane West’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/theJaneWest​ Links and Mentions: www.janewest.com   Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Matt Hawkins, CEO of Cresco Capital Partners, a US based private equity investment firm dedicated to investing in the cannabis industry, is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. Since its inception in 2014, Matt and Cresco have invested over $50 million in the cannabis industry helping to give accredited investors access to a diversified range of investment opportunities in the space including cultivation, retail, and ancillary services. To date, the Cresco team has done well in recognizing cannabis ‘unicorns’ having been early investors in power players like Acreage Holdings and Green Thumb Industries. For this episode, our hosts picked Matt’s brain to learn how he’s been so successful over his 20+ years in private equity and what it was like in the early days approaching high net worth individuals to peak their interest in the cannabis space. In addition, Matt expounds on how investing in cannabis has evolved over the last five years, why he’s skeptical of investing in a straight cultivation play or CBD and his advice and preach for patience for those looking to make a strong deal.   If you're an investor, someone trying to make money in the cannabis industry, or just someone who closely follows marijuana market trends, then this is the episode for you! And after the interview, make sure to check out crescocapitalpartners.com to learn more and make sure to tell them The Green Rush sent you. Enjoy!    Matt Hawkins, CEO of Cresco Capital Partners Matt Hawkins brings an extensive background in building large alternative investment firms and scaling the companies he invests in. In 2014, Matt had a vision to launch Cresco Capital Partners and create the leading private equity firm focused specifically on investing in the legalized cannabis industry.  Prior to diving into the cannabis realm, Matt previously served as Partner and President of Tucson Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on multifamily residential and self-storage assets. Between 2008 and 2013, the company completed more than 55 bank-direct acquisitions, deploying over $500MM of capital. He successfully exited in 2013. Matt also was Principal & Co-founder of Adjacent Capital, a private equity/specialty lending fund where he oversaw the sourcing, origination, structuring and closing of over 60 transactions in a 3 year period. He also became a turnaround specialist through his time at Treadstone Partners and San Jacinto Partners. He is known and respected in the cannabis industry as one of the successful early investors and serves on the board of numerous cannabis companies.   Links to guest’s social media: Matt Hawkins’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hawkins-11288a2/ Cresco Capital Partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cresco-capital-partners-llc/ Links and Mentions: https://www.crescocapitalpartners.com    Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Justin Zaremba is the lead report for NJ Cannabis Insider from NJ Advance Media, a trade publication dedicated to covering the New Jersey cannabis industry, is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. As part of the NJ Advance Media family, Justin’s work has been published across a number of outlets  including NJ.com and The Star-Ledger, New Jersey’s largest daily newspaper. As the top cannabis reporter in the state, Justin has been closely following and chronicling the New Jersey legislature’s efforts to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state which, up until the beginning of April, seemed like an inevitability. Now that the vote on the referendum has been delayed, Justin gives our hosts Lewis and Anne the inside information on what led to the hold up around the vote, the current state of NJ’s medical cannabis program and how it’s woefully under-serving its patients and how NJ is looking at states like Nevada and California for guidance in graduating their medicinal program into a fully-operational recreational market. For listeners keen on following the expansion of the cannabis market to the East Coast, this interview is filled with facts and information that shows just how differently states in the East operate compared to their counterparts in the West. So don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy!    Justin Zaremba, Lead Reporter for NJ Cannabis Insider Justin Zaremba is the lead reporter for NJ Cannabis Insider for NJ Advance Media. Links to guest’s social media: Justin Zaremba’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-zaremba-85581a15/Justin Zaremba’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustinZarembaNJ Links and Mentions: NJ Health Division of Medical Marijuana Biennial ReportNJ Cannabis Insider Homepage Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Dr. Jonathan Rothbard, CEO, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Katexco Pharmaceuticals, a medical cannabis biopharma company based in Palo Alto, California, is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. In addition to his work in the cannabis space, Dr. Rothbard works in the neurology department at Stanford University where he's also worked in the departments of chemistry and rheumatology. Dr. Rothbard is also the founder of Amylin, which was eventually sold to Bristol-Myers Squibb. Dr. Rothbard is spearheading the second generation of medical cannabis, where cannabinoids like CBD and THC will be synthesized in labs instead of extracted from plants grown on farms. His mission is to put CBD through clinical trials to prove scientifically that it can be an effective medical treatment in conjunction with other compounds and to patent those compounds and submit them to the FDA for approval as pharmaceuticals. In addition to our regular hosts Lewis and Anne, we also has a special guest, KCSA colleague Caitlin Kasunich, join us for this week’s conversation. For listeners interested in the growth of medicinal cannabis, science and the developing relationship between the traditional pharma space and cannabis, this interview is for you! So don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy!   Dr. Jonathan Rothbard, CEO, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Katexco Pharmaceuticals Dr. Jonathan Rothbard, PhD received his BA from Hamilton College (1973) and his PhD from Columbia with Ronald Breslow (1977). His post-doctoral fellowship was with Gerald Edelman at The Rockefeller University after which he was with Gary Schoolnik at Stanford University Medical School where he published the first of 26 manuscripts with Lawrence Steinman in 1986. Subsequently, he was head of the Molecular Immunology Laboratory at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in London where he first collaborated with Prof. Sir Marc Feldman (1990). He left academia to help establish ImmuLogic in Palo Alto, and founding Amylin in San Diego. Amylin, which he founded in 1987, was a pharmaceuticals company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs relating to diseases including obesity and diabetes. The success of Amylin led to another appointment at Stanford for Dr. Rothbard, followed by the founding of CellGate. Leaving CellGate, he returned to an appointment at Stanford, first in the department of chemistry, then rheumatology, and currently in neurology. Amylin was sold to Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2012 for $5.4 Billion USD.   Links to guest’s social media: Jonathan Rothbard’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-rothbard-5913b76 Links and Mentions: https://katexcopharma.com Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications with special guest Caitlin Kasunich. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Keith Stephenson, CEO and founder of Purple Heart Patient Center in Oakland, is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. Keith was the first African American in the United States to run a medical cannabis dispensary. He’s the founder and CEO of Purple Heart Patient Center in Oakland, California. He started the dispensary 11 years ago and now he’s serving 10,000 patients a month. He implemented lab testing so rigorous that it exceeds the standards of Oregon and Washington. He was appointed to the California Cannabis Commission Advisory Panel, where he advises the state on regulations protecting consumer health and safety. In this week’s conversation, Lewis and Anne chat with Keith about being a pioneering small business owner in the cannabis space for nearly three decades and how the industry has evolved around him during that time. They also touch on the issues of social justice and equity and the difficulties facing mom and pop shops in an industry that is increasingly being overrun by larger, corporate interests. For listeners interested in the history of the California cannabis marketplace, the delivery lawsuit taking place in the state and the role of social justice and equity in shaping the industry than you’ll love this interview. So don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy!   Keith Stephenson, CEO and founder of Purple Heart Patient Center Keith Stephenson is a statewide resource on cannabis and has been recognized by the California State Legislature as a subject matter expert, and has been appointed to the State of California's Cannabis Advisory Committee under the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC). This 22- person committee advises BCC and other licensing authorities on the development of regulations that help protect health and safety and reduce the illegal market for cannabis. After experiencing the health benefits of using cannabis for work related injuries and complications from arthritis, Keith Stephenson launched Purple Heart in 2006. Using a combination of Mr. Stephenson's operational expertise acquired from a 15-year stint at United Airlines, and more than 30 years of experience in the cannabis space, Purple Heart is now the longest operating cannabis retailer in Oakland. Mr. Stephenson is the first African American to operate a licensed cannabis business in America. Mr. Stephenson has served two terms on the City of Oakland’s Measure to Tax and Regulate Adult Cannabis, which was the precursor to California Prop 19. Links to guest’s social media: Keith Stephenson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithcannabisKeith’s email: keith@purpleheartpc.org Links and Mentions: http://www.purpleheartpc.org/Information on the California Advisory Commission: https://bcc.ca.gov/about_us/committee_members.html Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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, we wanted to take a step back in our look at the cannabis industry. For nearly 80 episodes, we’ve talked with some of the most influential leaders shaping the future of legal cannabis. But for this week, we decided to further explore what many in the industry refer to as the “grey market” - or the business of the industry that operates outside of the legal regulations within their country or state. According to most projections, marijuana is almost a 100 billion dollar industry annually, both legal and illicit. Yet despite the emergence of a strong international legal medical market and an ever-expanding adult use market, only about 15 billion dollars of that 100 billion comes from legal sales. To help explore this side of the industry, we were able to secure an interview this week with a guest who is regarded as one of the best artisanal small-batch marijuana edibles bakers in the country. Because he lives and works in a state where adult use marijuana isn't quite yet legal, we've taken the steps today to filter and anonymize his voice. What follows is a conversation that looks at the challenges a small business owner faces when trying to become a regulated company, the lucrativity of operating outside of the legal cannabis space, the growing popularity of infused meals and dinner parties and how underground edibles dealers market and build customer loyalty. This is truly a must listen to episode, so don't sit back, lean forward. Now onto the chat with the chocolatier who we affectionately call Willie Wonka. Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Anne Donohoe and Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Shea Alderete, the CEO and co-founder of Gen X Biosciences, a cannatech firm focused on using innovative technology and scalable extraction methodologies to deliver premium cannabis products is this week’s guest on the Green Rush. Shea is one of the true “OGs” of the cannabis industry and has worked with some of the well-known brands in the space like Moxie and HTH, where he set the innovative standard for cannabis extraction and paved the way for their success. Now at the head of his own company, Shea has focused on revolutionizing cannabis and the extraction process in order to provide clean medicine and high-quality extracts to cannabis users. In this week’s conversation, Lewis is joined by producer Nick Opich as the two chat with Shea about his bonafides in the cannabis industry and what his experiences have been like building a small business into an extraction powerhouse. Shea also touches on the company’s ongoing RTO process, Gen X’s proprietary molecular perfection extraction process and how he was able to shake down his 98 year old grandfather for some early investment cash. For listeners interested in the growth of the extraction and distillate space then you’ll love this interview. So don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy!   Shea Alderete – CEO and Founder of Gen X Biosciences Shea Alderete is a passionate and strategic entrepreneur with over 15 years’ experience in the cannabis industry. Previously, Shea had a professional career in baseball and recognized that there was a gap in the market for anti-inflammatory medicines for pain relief. Shea has a long term experience working with famous brands in the cannabis industry such as Moxie and HTH, where he set the innovative standard for cannabis extraction and paved the way for their success. He won numerous cannabis product awards with the Cloud Vapes brand, which today is a $70M USD-a-year profitable business. In addition to this Shea has won the Chalice Cup of California for the best CBD products as well as the Canada Karma Cup for the best vaporizer and terpenes in 2016. Shea Alderete has focused on revolutionizing cannabis for the past decade to provide clean medicine from its extraction. He brings the technical background to produce high quality cannabis and the innovation of such cuttingedge technological processes to Gen X. Links to guest’s social media: Gen X Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genxtech/?hl=enShea Alderete’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldrushceo/?hl=en Shea’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shea-alderete-b6974414/ Links and Mentions: https://www.genxbiosciences.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Scott Dowty, CEO of Australis Capital, the United States spin off of the Canadian LP Aurora Cannabis, is this week’s guest on the Green Rush! Since launching as the U.S. investment arm of Aurora in 2017, Australis has operated independently and most recently went public in September 2018 on the OTC. As CEO, Scott is on the front lines for Australis, helping the company navigate the highly regulated U.S. market to identify exciting investment opportunities for the company. In this week’s conversation, our Green Rush hosts chat with Scott about the mission of Australis, what he is observing from the marketplace so far in 2019,  what he puts more value on - the management team or underlying business and provides some insight on what kind of deals he’s most focused on. The team also gets Scott’s perspective on the recent Canopy-Acreage deal and some of the concerns around well-funded Canadian LPs, like Canopy and Aurora, will swallow up U.S. companes. If your a listener focused on investing in cannabis, this episode will touch on every aspect of that side of the business. So don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Scott Dowty - CEO of Australis Capital Mr. Dowty has 25 years of experience evaluating companies and markets to identify key business drivers, spur rapid revenue and profit growth in competitive and highly regulated global markets. Mr. Dowty has held executive and corporate officer positions with several U.S. based NYSE and NASDAQ traded companies, and founded several successful start-up companies in North America and abroad. Mr. Dowty’s extensive operational capital markets experience in the International fintech and gambling sectors is closely aligned to the regulatory path of the U.S. cannabis industry. Scott resides in Las Vegas, NV. Links to guest’s social media: Australis Capital Twitter: https://twitter.com/AustralisCapit1Australis Capital LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/australis-capital-inc/Scott’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-dowty-95726035/ Links and Mentions: https://www.ausacap.com/https://www.ausacap.com/investors/press-releases/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Todd Fromer, Managing Partner at KCSA Strategic Communications is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! As we’ve regularly discussed on the podcast, over the past 5 years KCSA has established itself as the leading public and investor relations firm serving the cannabis industry and Todd has been a major catalyst in that practice. Todd manages KCSA’s investor relations practice and has been working in the IR field for more than 20 years.   Recently, KCSA fielded a survey gauging retail and institutional investor sentiment and exposure to the cannabis industry and the results were really interesting.  It turns out average investors are buying a lot of cannabis stocks and plan on holding them for a long time. Lewis and Anne dive into the survey data with Todd to analyze some of the key findings, what Todd sees as the parallels between the cannabis industry and the tech bubble and how Todd counsels his investor relations clients on navigating the public markets.   If you have a real interest in the investing side of the cannabis business, if you own any stocks in this industry, or if you “get” why this podcast is called The Green Rush then this is the episode for you. Don’t sit back, lean forward. Todd is a Managing Partner at KCSA and oversees the firm's investor relations practice. Todd specializes in the implementation of proactive investor relations programs for public companies, including crisis communications and IPOs. He has led successful corporate communications campaigns for more than 100 micro- and small-cap companies and has provided strategic communications counsel to hundreds of C-level executives. Todd has been the recipient of the Silver Anvil award and The IABC Ace Award for Business Communications. He holds a bachelor's degree in business from Hofstra University. In is free time, Todd is a songwriter and plays lead guitar in a blues band. Links to guest’s social media: Todd’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/toddfromerTodd’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddfromerkcsa Links and Mentions: KCSA investor survey: https://www.kcsa.com/in-the-news/detail/3000/todays-gold-rush-is-green-with-cannabisKCSA website: https://www.kcsa.com Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Everett Knight - the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Investments for Valens GroWorks is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! Valens is the largest third-party extraction company in Canada. They work with most of the big LPs in Canada like Canopy, Tilray, TGOD and Organigram and their business continues to boom. The company also recently published a study on the Future of Cannabis in Canada (linked below) and provides valuable insights into the demands and trends in cannabis consumption, straight from Canadian consumers. In this week’s conversation, Anne and Lewis chat with Everett about the company has been able to achieve these major partnerships and notoriety in the space despite not having a consumer-facing brand, how the company works with its major LP partners to deliver unique products, what Valen has planned for the future as both medical and recreational markets continue to grow around the world and how the Company is preparing for October 2019 which will open up new products for Candian consumers to choose from including edibles, oils and extracts. Everett is truly one of the brightest young minds in the cannabis industry and his insights into the nascent oils and extracts space is something that every Green Rush listener is sure to enjoy. Don’t sit back, lean forward. Everett Knight, Executive Vice President, Strategy & Investments at Valens GroWorks Mr. Knight is Executive Vice President of Strategy & Investments where he oversees corporate strategy including mergers & acquisitions, marketing, & investor relations. Mr. Knight is known across the cannabis space for his expertise and thought leadership where he has been involved with working, analyzing, lobbying, investing, advising, & consulting throughout the cannabis value chain. Previous to Valens, Mr. Knight was a portfolio manager at Matco Financial Inc where he ran the Small Cap Fund and launched the first long only institutional Cannabis Fund in Canada and led them both become the top performing funds in their corresponding categories. He has toured over 85 facilities worldwide and analyzed over 1200+ cannabis globally where he accumulated a thorough understanding of the industry, regulations, subsectors, and the companies involved in this fast-growing space. His focus in the cannabis industry has shifted in recent years to developing a specialty in extraction, testing, formulation, & value-added products. Mr. Knight has spoken at 150+ cannabis events across the globe including trade shows, corporate conferences, investor events, government forums, and legal/regulatory debates. Links to guest’s social media: Valens Twitter: https://twitter.com/ValensGroWorksValens instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valensgroworks/Everett Knight Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallcapfund Links and Mentions: Valens website: https://www.valensgroworks.com/Future of Cannabis in Canada report: https://www.valensgroworks.com/blog/extracted-podcast/extracted-episode-13-the-future-of-cannabis-in-canada-with-chris-fair/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Bob Luciano, the founder of the popular California cannabis brand Mr. Natural - is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! Mr. Natural brand is one of the longest standing and most successful cannabis brands in California, having won the first High Times Cannabis Cup in 2010. Since then, Bob has grown the company into a major player in the California marketplace and eventually caught the eye of Scott Dowty at Australis Capital which acquired the Mr. Natural brand in 2018. In addition to his work with the Mr. Natural brand, Bob is a 100% disabled veteran with PTSD and has been a strong advocate for the medical use of cannabis for veterans. Bob continues his pursuit to cultivate strains specifically for PTSD, chronic illness and pain to enable other veterans to gain relief. Bob has actively worked with the Veterans Administration since 1972 to educate others on cannabis and its use for treating PTS. In this week’s conversation, Anne is joined by Nick Opich to chat with Bob about his cannabis roots, the origins of the Mr. Natural brand and his work with the VA to bring medicinal cannabis to our veterans. Bob provides great insight into how he honed his unique growing techniques and why he never thought cannabis would be legalized in the U.S. during his lifetime.   At a time where the medicinal benefits of cannabis and its influence in treating our veterans can be quickly forgotten, it was refreshing to chat with Bob about how this plant truly helps our men and women of the military.   Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Bob Luciano - Founder of Mr. Natural A Vietnam veteran, Bob "Natural" Luciano’s continued cultivation of high-quality strains offers relief for people suffering from post-traumatic stress (PTS), chronic illness and pain. During his military service, Bob and many of his compatriots discovered the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. When he returned home, Bob discovered access to cannabis, the only viable treatment for his ailments, was no longer available to him. This launched Bob's lifelong mission to educate and advocate for medicinal cannabis. A 100% disabled veteran with PTS, Bob has been a strong advocate for the medical use of cannabis for veterans. Advocacy and growing cannabis in a culture predisposed to view cannabis negatively was a constant challenge. Bob continues his pursuit to cultivate strains specifically for PTS, chronic illness and pain to enable other veterans to gain relief. Bob has actively worked with the Veterans Administration since 1972 to educate others on cannabis and its use for treating PTS. Links to guest’s social media: Bob Luciano’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-natural-a8250b37/Bob Luciano’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/bobnatural1 Links and Mentions: https://themrnatural.com/Press release announcing Australis acquisition of Mr. Natural: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/australis-capital-to-acquire-california-cannabis-brand-mr-natural-productions-inc-300801916.html Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Nick Opich and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 and next on The Green Rush we have a special treat for our listeners! Back in May, the KCSA team held the inaugural “KCSA Congressional Cannabis Day Forum” at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. to discuss the legal and regulatory headaches of operating in the cannabis space. As part of the event, KCSA gathered a host of some of the brightest minds in the industry for a series of panel discussions aimed at addressing critical issues relevant to the sector, including capital markets and banking, CBD/hemp, opioids, veterans' issues and social justice. In the first installment of this four part series, we hear from our Capital Markets and Banking Panel. We were privileged to have with us, Evan Eneman, co-founder and CEO of MGO | Ello Alliance, Codie Sanchez, Managing Director of Cresco Capital Partners, Edward Fields, Chair and CEO of Dionymed, Nick Kovacevich, CEO and Founder of KushCo, and Moderator Tim Seymour from CNBC. What ensues a tremendous discussion on the banking and regulatory hurdles that cannabis businesses must endure and how that affects investor activity in the space. So don't sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Links to guest’s social media: Tim Seymour Twitter: https://twitter.com/timseymour Tim Seymour LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-seymour-29084818/ Tim Seymour CNBC author page: https://www.cnbc.com/timothy-seymour/Evan Eneman’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evaneneman/  Nick Kovacevich Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickkovacevichNick Kovacevich LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickkovacevich/ Nick Kovacevich Forbes Column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nickkovacevich/#3fbd63e82aefCodie Sanchez’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/codiesanchez/ Codie Sanchez’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/codie_sanchez?lang=en Ed Fields LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-m-fields-543aa01/ Links and Mentions: https://www.mgocpa.com/www.elloinsights.com  https://www.crescocapitalpartners.com   https://www.dionymed.com/ https://www.kushco.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Gretchen Gailey of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

We’re onto part two of our special series highlighting the panels of the inaugural “KCSA Congressional Cannabis Day Forum” at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. As part of the event, KCSA gathered a host of some of the brightest minds in the industry for a series of panel discussions aimed at addressing critical issues relevant to the sector, including capital markets and banking, CBD/hemp, opioids, veterans' issues and social justice. In the second installment of this four part series, we hear from our Social Justice Panel. We were privileged to have with us, Dr. Chanda Macias, CEO of National Holistic Healing Center and Women Grow, Jeannette Ward Horton, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the NuLeaf Project, James Watts, Senior Consultant with Cage Free Cannabis, and Moderator Leah Heise, Chief Experience Officer at 4Front. This was an incredible discussion about the need for social equity to be a key part of any conversation around cannabis legalization, what is and what is not working in regards to legislation aimed at tackling this issue, the lack of funding and access to capital that minority entrepreneurs face, and the potential solutions to providing greater opportunities to minorities within the industry. So don't sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Links to guest’s social media: Leah Heise’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-heise-67093a21/ Dr. Chanda Macias’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandamacias/ National Holistic Healing Center Twitter: https://twitter.com/NHolisticDC Jeannette Ward Horton’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannette-ward-horton-1614ab5/ Jeannette Ward Horton’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeannetteaward Links and Mentions: http://nuleafproject.org/ https://www.cagefreecannabis.com/https://nationalholistic.com/https://4frontfamily.com/https://womengrow.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Gretchen Gailey of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

We’re onto part three of our special series highlighting the panels of the inaugural “KCSA Congressional Cannabis Day Forum” at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. As part of the event, KCSA gathered a host of some of the brightest minds in the industry for a series of panel discussions aimed at addressing critical issues relevant to the sector, including capital markets and banking, CBD/hemp, opioids, veterans' issues and social justice. In the third installment of this four part series, we hear from our Opioids, Is Cannabis the Answer? Panel. We were privileged to have with us, Dr. Bonni Goldstein, Medical Director of Canna-Centers Wellness and Education Dr. Richard Boxer, Clinical Professor of Urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Dr. Patricia Frye, Chief Medical Officer of HelloMD, and Moderator Carl Cameron, formerly of Fox News Channel. So often the medicinal benefits and the real impact cannabis has as an alternative to opioids can be forgotten so it was great to have some of the foremost researchers on this topic speak to the tremendous value cannabis brings to those in need. What follows is a conversation that explores how cannabis affects our bodies, what benefits and treatments researchers have been able to garner from limited research to date and what next steps are needed to expand clinical research on the plant. So don't sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Links to guest’s social media: Dr. Bonni Goldstein’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/bonnigoldstein Dr. Bonni Goldstein’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnigoldsteinmd/Dr. Patricia Frye’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/takomacare Dr. Patricia Frye’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciafryemd/ Dr. Richard Boxer’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-boxer-md-facs-264b0625/ Links and Mentions: http://www.bonnigoldsteinmd.com/http://www.boxerhealthstrategies.com/team https://www.hellomd.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Gretchen Gailey of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

We’ve now hit the final rendition of our special series highlighting the panels of the inaugural “KCSA Congressional Cannabis Day Forum” at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. As part of the event, KCSA gathered a host of some of the brightest minds in the industry for a series of panel discussions aimed at addressing critical issues relevant to the sector, including capital markets and banking, CBD/hemp, opioids, veterans' issues and social justice. In the fourth and final installment of this series, we hear from our Veterans Panel which shined a brighter light on how veterans have been able to use cannabis to treat a variety of post-combat issues like PTSD and chronic pain. We were privileged to have with us, Melissa Bryant, Chief Policy Officer for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Joe Penzler, Director of Communications for the Wounded Warrior Project’s Government and Community Relations, Nick Etten, Vice President of Government Affairs at Acreage Holdings, Bill Ferguson, Co-Founder of the Veterans Cannabis Coalition and Moderator Michael Correia, Director of Government Relations for NCIA. Many in the veteran community struggle under unique health burdens stemming from their service, and have experienced little success in managing their conditions with available pharmaceuticals. Through cannabis, veterans of all generations and states of health have experienced improvements in their quality of life--whether it is as a supplemental treatment for cancer or a traumatic brain injury. Our panel’s discussion focused on the legal, moral, and ethical of making cannabis available to veterans and how the plant can be used as an alternative to opioids. So don't sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Links to guest’s social media: Melissa Bryant’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/mabryant256 Melissa Bryant’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mab401/ Joe Penzler’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeplenzler/ Joe Penzler’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoePlenzler Nick Etten’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicketten/Veteran’s Cannabis Coalition LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veterans-cannabis-coalition/Michael Correia’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-j-correia-0059133/ Michael Correia’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/thepotlobbyist Links and Mentions: https://iava.org/https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/https://www.acreageholdings.com/https://www.veteranscannacoalition.org/https://thecannabisindustry.org/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Gretchen Gailey of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Liesl Bernard, the founder and CEO of CannabizTeam, one of the leading staffing firms for the cannabis industry, is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! Liesl is a veteran of the staffing industry having spent over 20 years working at one of the largest staffing firms in the world helping to recruit finance and accounting professionals. Tapping into her own entrepreneurial spirit and recognizing the immense staffing needs for the burgeoning cannabis industry, Liesl launched her own company, CannabizTeam, just over three years ago.    In this week’s conversation, Liesl discusses with our hosts the trajectory of the cannabis economy and how the growth of the industry has helped it quickly become the sexiest industry to work in. In addition, Liesl touches on what type of candidates cannabis companies are looking to hire, which states are hot for those looking to transition into the industry and how cannabis jobs compare to non-cannabis opportunities in terms of compensation and benefits. She also shines a light on the need for continued development of workplace culture within cannabis companies and how federal regulations can prevent some companies from being able to offer things like 401K plans and other types of benefits that traditional industries can offer.  If you have an entrepreneurial spirit or have ever thought about making the transition to the cannabis industry, this is a must listen episode filled with tremendous advice and insight into how to achieve your dreams.  Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Liesl Bernard - Founder and CEO of CannabizTeam  Liesl is a single mother of two teenage sons who saw the opportunity to launch a top notch Executive Search and Staffing firm in the Cannabis Industry in 2016.  She left a very successful career at the world's largest staffing firm and used her personal savings to start CannabizTeam. CannabizTeam now places candidates at an Executive Level in all verticals in the cannabis industry across the US, Canada and Europe and is soon launching CannabizteamTemp to tap into the temp and temp to perm cannabis job market. Liesl and her team have developed trusted relationships across growers, retail, manufacturing, distribution, R&D and related industries in the US and Canada.  Liesl has more than 20 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies searching for and placing executives all over the world. Her passion for finding exceptional talent and her curiosity to hunt down emerging opportunities led her to discover unmet talent needs of the Cannabis Industry and placed her in a unique position to head up one of the fastest growing Executive Search and Staffing firms in the Cannabis and related industries. Her fine-tuned ability to understand the underlying cultural and interpersonal dynamics of each executive search and her  grounding in business enables her to deliver superior talent and cultural fit for each search they complete. Liesl started her career as a CPA with KPMG in Cape Town specializing in organizational development before joining global Executive Search firm Robert Half in Australia, eventually rising to Managing Director Executive Search in the USA. Links to guest’s social media: CannabizTeam LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cannabizteam/CannabizTeam Twitter: https://twitter.com/cannabiz_teamCannabizTeam Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cannabizteamCannabizTeam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cannabizteam/ Liesl Bernard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lieslbernard/  Links and Mentions: https://www.cannabizteam.com/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.

Mike Tyson, the legendary heavyweight champion, cultural icon and now cannabis entrepreneur, is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! Iron Mike was larger than life during his boxing career in the 90s until personal and professional failures rerouted the course of his life. Now, 10-15 years after his athletic career ended, Mike has pivoted to become an entertainer and entrepreneur, starring in blockbuster Hollywood films and launching his own cannabis company, Tyson Ranch.  For this week’s episode, we flew Lewis out to Los Angeles to meet with Mike and his business partner, Rob Hickman, to talk about Mike’s boxing career, the pair’s new cannabis venture and Mike’s experimentation with psychedelics. In their conversation, Mike opens up about what drew him to cannabis, his dreams of building a ‘cannabis resort’ and what it’s like to be a businessman forging his own path in the “Wild West” of cannabis.  This was a deep and soulful interview with Mike and one that we’re excited to share with the world so don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! About Tyson Ranch Tyson Ranch is a cannabis company founded by Mike Tyson. Consistency and quality are at the core of Tyson Ranch with the mission to make cannabis universally understood and accessible. Through select partnerships with esteemed growers, Tyson Ranch proudly supports the industries very best, bringing you 'Better Cannabis' in every single package. The company's commitment to the plant and passion for exotic genetics ensure that it delivers clean, quality, premium cannabis with every purchase. Links to guest’s social media: Mike Tyson’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeTyson Rob Hickman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-rob-hickman-0b4a0879/ Tyson Ranch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tysonranchofficial/ Tyson Ranch Twitter: https://twitter.com/tysonranchTyson Ranch LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tysonranch/ Links and Mentions: tysonranch.com Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications.Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana TodayYou can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Arnaud Dumas de Rauly, Co-Founder and CEO, of The Blinc Group, a leading distributor of best-in-class cannabis vaping hardware and complementary ancillary products is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! In addition to his role with Blinc, Arnaud is also Chairman of the International ISO Committee on Vaping Standards, Chairman of the European CEN Committee on Vapor Products, former President of FIVAPE in EU, and one of the world’s most renowned experts in vapor technology, regulations, manufacturing and distribution.  Consumables, including vaporizers, are steadily being introduced to mainstream consumers as a popular alternative form factor to use cannabis beyond the traditional method of smoking flower. With cannabis vaping on the rise, we sat down with Arnaud to pick his encyclopedic brain on all things vape and oil related including evolving safety standards (particularly around heavy metals), what he’s thinks is the next big thing in vape technology and whether vaping could eventually overtaking smoke as how the majority of consumers enjoy cannabis.   Arnaud is one of our favorite personalities in the cannabis space and if you have any interest in the vape space you’ll learn a ton from this week’s show. So don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! About Arnaud Dumas de Rauly Arnaud Dumas de Rauly is the Co-Founder And Co- Chief Executive Officer, Strategy & Corporate Development for the Blinc Group. In addition to his role at Blinc, Arnaud is also Chairman of the International ISO committee on Vaping Standards, Chairman of the European CEN Committee on Vapor Products, former President of FIVAPE in EU, and one of the world’s most renowned experts in Vapor Technology, regulations, manufacturing and distribution. Links to guest’s social media: Blinc GroupLinkedInTwitter (@TheBlincGroup)FacebookInstagram (@TheBlincGroup)Arnaud Dumas de RaulyLinkedinTwitter (@dumasderauly) Links and Mentions: https://www.theblincgroup.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Jeffrey Goldberger of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

New York State Senator Liz Krueger, an outspoken advocate for cannabis and the lead sponsor of the “Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act” is returns to The Green Rush this week! After it looked like 2019 would finally be the year that New York would legalize adult use cannabis, the state legislature was unable to find common ground on a number of issues and failed to pass a bill that would satisfy the Democratic majority. Senator Krueger, who previously appeared on The Green Rush back in 2018, joins Lewis and guest host, Gretchen Gailey, to discuss what went wrong and what needs to happen in 2020 to get full legalization passed in the state.    In our conversation, our hosts explore the debates that took place around the Senator’s cannabis bill, what New York is learning from other states that have passed legalization, the race to legalization between New York and New Jersey and what the outlook looks like for cannabis legalization in 2020. So don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! About New York State Senator Liz Krueger  First elected to the New York State Senate in a Special Election in February 2002, Liz Krueger is currently the Ranking Member of Senate Finance Committee. She is also a member of five other committees: Elections; Higher Education; Housing, Construction and Community Development; Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities; and Rules. For the past several years, Manhattan state senator Liz Krueger has proposed a marijuana tax and regulation bill modeled on the state liquor law that treats marijuana companies like beverage distributors. Senator Krueger’s conservative estimate is that legalization of cannabis could produce $500 million in new revenue for the state government, $2 billion in new economic activity, and $300 million in savings for the state’s criminal justice system. Links and mentions in the show http://www.wecanstudy.org/ https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/liz-krueger https://www.lizkrueger.com/  Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Senator Krueger’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/LizKrueger Senator Krueger’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/statesenatorlizkrueger/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Gretchen Gailey of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Christina DeGiovanni, Founder and Publisher of Emerald Magazine and Emerald Media Group is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! Thrust into the cannabis industry while in college, Christina originally launched her cannabis lifestyle magazine while living in the Emerald Triangle in 2012. Since then, Christina has fought her way up the cannabis media food chain, expanding her media empire across the country, reaching thousands of readers from the Valley in LA to the streets of New York City. In their conversation, Lewis and Anne chat with Christina about what makes for a compelling cannabis news story, the role of the media in shaping the public narrative around cannabis and her thoughts about what excites her about the industry today and in the future. So don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! About Christina DeGiovanni, Founder and Publisher of Emerald Magazine Christina DeGiovanni is the founder and CEO of the Emerald ​ Media Group​.  In 2012, Christina found herself a victim of Federal Asset Forfeiture when her live-in boyfriend, a cannabis grower, was caught with bulk currency on an Amtrak train by the Reno Drug Task Force. After law enforcement was notified in Humboldt County, Christina fought the system for nine months until her charges were dropped and she was able to reclaim her seized assets. Following her experience of civil injustice, Christina launched a print publication called the ​Emerald Magazine ​ during her last semester at Humboldt State University, where she graduated with a degree in Journalism. Christina created ​Emerald Magazine as a resource to demystify cannabis for non-traditional, new medicinal users like her mother. The Media Group perfectly positions itself to educate those entering the new market.  Links and mentions in the show https://theemeraldmagazine.com/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Christina’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinadegiovanni/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Shanita Penny, the Founder/CEO of Budding Solutions and the President of the Board of Directors for the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) is our guest this week on The Green Rush. Social equity and its role within the cannabis space has been one of the defining conversations for the industry in 2019 with advocates fighting in states like New York, New Jersey and California for a greater emphasis on minority ownership. Shanita and the MCBA have been on the front line of these conversations, testifying in front of the House Committee on Small Business and lobbying legislators on the federal and state level about this issue. To learn more about the role of small business in the cannabis industry and why minority ownership is important, Lewis and Anne chatted with Shanita about which states, and companies are “getting it right” when it comes to social equity and corporate social responsibility. They also touched on the feedback she has received from legislators and why the momentum she’s seeing at the grassroots level has her hopeful for the years to come. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Shanita Penny, Founder/CEO of Budding Solutions and President for Minority Cannabis Association   Shanita Penny is a cannabis advocate, business professional and entrepreneur with over 18 years of experience helping world class companies and startups solve complex issues and improve business performance in multiple industries. In 2015, Shanita took a leap of faith and founded Budding Solutions, a boutique cannabis consulting firm based in Baltimore, MD, to provide Management and Strategy Consulting to startups, small businesses and multistate operators in the cannabis industry. Shanita proudly serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), the first non-profit organization created specifically to progress the cannabis industry by increasing diversity through the creation of equal access and economic empowerment for cannabis businesses, their patients, and the communities most affected by the war on drugs. She is also a member of the New Jersey Cannabis Industry Association’s (NJCIA) Board of Trustees. NJCIA is a nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing the legalization of cannabis by promoting sensible policy for the responsible development and growth of a legalized cannabis-based economy. Links and mentions in the show https://minoritycannabis.org/ http://www.buddingsolutions.net/  Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Shanita Penny’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spenny/Budding Solution’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BudSol4U MCBA Twitter: https://twitter.com/MinCannBusAssoc  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Ronan Levy, Founder of Field Trip Ventures sits down with The Green Rush this week as the team looks to cover something a little different: psychedelics. Field Trip Ventures is a first-of-its-kind venture that is blending operational execution with strategic investing across all aspects of the psychedelics supply chain.  From basic research on botanical psychedelics like psilocybin, to the operation of world-class clinics focused on psychedelic-assisted therapies (for example, using MDMA to treat PTSD), Ronan and his team are on the front lines of the “next cannabis.” The Green Rush will chat with Ronan about his cannabis roots including his time as an executive with Aurora Cannabis, the re-emergence of psychedelic-based therapies, how psychedelics could follow the same “playbook” as cannabis as it looks to move towards legalization and busting common myths and misinformation around its addictiveness and dangers. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Ronan Levy - Founder, Field Trip Ventures A lawyer by training, Ronan presently serves as a founder of Field Trip Ventures, Grassfed Ventures and is on the Board of Directors of Province Brands and Proof & Concept Inc. , He is also the founder of Toronto Gold , Toronto’s most respected precious metal broker and principal at TDF Advisory Law Professional Corporation. Ronan started his career as a corporate lawyer at Blake, Cassels Graydon LLP and Legal Counsel at CTVglobemedia Inc. (now Bell Media Inc.) He holds a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Commerce degree, both from the University of Toronto.  Links and mentions in the show https://fieldtrip.ventures/https://maps.org/Michael Pollan’s Book “How to Change Your Mind” Research: Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiencesResearch: Drugs & Mysticism: An Analysis of the Relationship between Psychedelic Drugs and Mystical ConsciousnessResearch: A default mode of brain function Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Ronan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronanlevy/?originalSubdomain=caRonan’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/RonanDLevy  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Matt Markiewicz, Managing Director of The Cannabis ETF, the first passively managed pure-play ETF solution for investing in cannabis is this week’s guest on The Green Rush.   Launched by Matt earlier in 2019, The Cannabis ETF (NYSE: THCX) focuses only on companies in the legal marijuana, CBD and hemp industries. The fund is the first cannabis ETF which does not rely on tobacco stocks and differentiates itself from existing cannabis ETFs in the space by rebalancing on a monthly basis, making THCX the MOST market-sensitive / reactive cannabis ETF without the unpredictability of active management. With cannabis earnings season upon us, we sat down with Matt to get his take on all things capital markets including his reactions post-earnings on major players like Tilray, Acreage Holdings and Canopy Growth, his process for analyzing cannabis stocks and whether he thinks investors should fear a cannabis “bubble”. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Matt Markiewicz, Managing Director, Innovation Shares  With 20 years of experience in finance, Matt Markiewicz is currently Managing Director at Innovation Shares LLC an exchange traded fund (ETF) company currently focused on thematic equity exposures, including recently-launched THCX, The Cannabis ETF. Prior to Innovation Shares he served as Director of Operations for Genuine Foods, an on-site food services startup that served meals for over 1000 school children in New York City. His previous 6 ½ years were spent at BlackRock as a Director in a sales and strategy role within the iShares business, the world’s largest manager of exchanged traded funds (ETFs). During his tenure at iShares, the firm launched over 150 funds as the as the industry’s global assets under management (AUM) grew from $711 billion at the end of 2008 to over $3 trillion by mid-2015. Links and mentions in the show https://thcxetf.com/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-markiewicz-256a4510  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Danny Moses of “The Big Short” fame and friend of the podcast is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. As you've heard from our previous interviews, Danny is one of the smartest and most diligent investors in the cannabis space. This week’s conversation with Danny focused on his preaching of patience for long-term investors looking to capitalize on the industry. With two more states having approved adult use cannabis since his last appearance on the show, Danny is bullish on sticking with companies that have realistic, long-term growth plans. Danny also provided his unique take on the downturn the cannabis public markets have taken over the last 3-4 months, his optimism that cannabis banking reform could pass Congress later this year and what’s the one question he thinks all retail investors should be asking when considering whether to buy, hold or sell.  Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Danny Moses - Cannabis Investor Danny Moses has extensive experience with financial markets having worked on Wall Street since 1991 and holding a variety of positions including municipal bond analyst, institutional sell-side broker, trader, and hedge fund manager. The book and later movie “The Big Short” features the character of Danny Moses and a few others who were able to successfully navigate the volatility of the financial markets during the formation of the housing bubble in 2004.   Links and mentions in the show Danny’s Podcast BailStreet: https://www.bailstreet.com/Danny at the Brookings Institute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y2aEJShnUw The Big Short Deleted Scene: https://metro.co.uk/video/the-big-short-deleted-scene-1291428/?ito=vjs-link Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmoses34 Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Lizzie Post, the author of Higher Etiquette: A Guide to the World of Cannabis from Dispensaries to Dinner Parties is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. Lizzie is also co-president of the Emily Post Institute as well as a co-host of the Awesome Etiquette podcast (now in its fifth year), a weekly Q&A show that explores the topic of etiquette through the lens of consideration, respect, and honesty. If you think Lizzie’s name sounds familiar, she is the great-great granddaughter of Emily Post, who’s numerous books, syndicated newspaper columns and regular radio program made her the leading authority on etiquette in America. Now in the “post-prohibition” era, Lizzie has followed her great-great grandmother’s lead to combine cannabis culture’s long-established norms with the Emily Post Institute’s tried-and-true principles to provide a thorough and accessible guide for everyone, from newbies to cannabis enthusiasts, on the proper etiquette within the cannabis community. Anne and Lewis are chatting with Lizzie about her new book, her work at the Emily Post Institute and what she thinks her great-great grandmother would think about her foray into the cannabis space. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Lizzie Post, Author of Higher Etiquette Lizzie Post, is the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post, and author of Higher Etiquette, and co-author of Emily Post’s Etiquette 19th edition as well as Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette 6th edition, and The Etiquette Advantage in Business 3rd edition. She is a co-president of the Emily Post Institute as well as a co-host of the Awesome Etiquette podcast (now in its fifth year), a weekly Q&A show that explores the topic of etiquette through the lens of consideration, respect, and honesty.  Lizzie does speaking engagements across the country sharing advice about lifestyle and wedding etiquette. She has worked as a spokesperson for brands including Bank of America, American Express Platinum, AirBnB, and Marshalls. She has held columns with Good Housekeeping, Women’s Running, and Houzz.com, The Farmhouse Movement, and Broccoli Magazine. Lizzie Post holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education from The University of Vermont and currently lives in her native Vermont. Links and mentions in the show Emily Post Institute Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmilyPostInst Emily Post Institute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-emily-post-institute/?trk=tabs_biz_home Emily Post Institute Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilypostinstitute Buy Higher Etiquette: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/586479/higher-etiquette-by-lizzie-post/9780399582394/Listen to the Awesome Etiquette Podcast: https://emilypost.com/awesome-etiquette-podcast/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Lizzie Post’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizzieapost Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Sebastien St-Louis, the CEO and Co-Founder of HEXO Corp is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. HEXO is one of Canada’s largest LPs and a leader in the race to capture the estimated $250 billion global market. Recently the company joined other major players like Aurora and Canopy on the NYSE and inked a deal with MolsonCoors Canada to produce cannabis infused beverages, set to hit Canadian shelves this December.  Lewis is joined by Nick for this week’s conversation with Sebastien as we sit down with him to learn more about how HEXO is preparing for the coming consumables marketplace in Canada, discuss how CannTrust’s issues have affected (or not affected) how other LPs are operating, and what the long-term future of the Canadian cannabis market really looks like. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Sébastien St-Louis, CEO and Co-Founder of HEXO Corp.  Sébastien St-Louis is an entrepreneur with strong leadership abilities, financial acumen and operational expertise. Sébastien has wide-ranging business experience in manufacturing, distribution, trade finance and commercial lending. He has advised Canadian business owners and CEOs across multiple industry sectors, while structuring and closing $200 million in financing to support their export and growth initiatives. Sébastien co-founded HEXO Corp. with one goal in mind: to create a world-class company based on the highest standards of product quality and safety. Since 2013, he has secured more than $260 million dollars in financing for the company. His leadership has been instrumental in navigating the company through regulatory, financing and start-up challenges on route to becoming the only significant licensed cannabis producer in Quebec and, upon completion of two fully-funded expansion projects currently underway, one of the largest in Canada. Sébastien holds an MBA in Finance from the Université du Québec à Montréal and completed his Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from the University of Ottawa in 18 months. Links and mentions in the show https://www.hexocorp.com/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Facebook LinkedInTwitterInstagram Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Ted Lichtenberger, the CEO of Flower Co. Flower is this week’s guest on The Green. Flower Co. is a “Big Box Retailer of Cannabis” that is bringing wholesale cannabis prices to consumers. With delivery increasingly becoming a critical access point for cannabis patients and consumers to obtain the plant, we want to speak with Ted about the issues around delivery in California and how the company is working with its drivers to ensure safe and timely transport of its products. Ted will also chat with our hosts about why he thinks Flower’s business model is suited to thrive in the modern cannabis economy, what he is seeing from consumer behavior in the California cannabis market and how his background at McKinsey has prepared him for success in the cannabis industry. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Ted Lichtenberger, Co-Founder & CEO  Ted is a serial entrepreneur whose most recent endeavor, FLOWER CO., has helped him deepen his connection to the beauty and nature of Humboldt County. As CEO of this startup, he feels carrying the integrity and legacy of Emerald Triangle’s textured past into the new era of cannabis is of utmost importance. At FLOWER CO., Ted brings his multifaceted background to everything from fundraising and brand partnerships to customer acquisition and hiring team members. His expertise in operations and structure has allowed FLOWER CO., to break into the largest legal cannabis market in the world with a fresh business model.  Links and mentions in the show https://flowercompany.com Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowercompany/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Matt Hawkins, Managing Partner of Entourage Effect Capital (formerly Cresco Capital Partners), is back on The Green Rush this week as we get his take on the latest news and earnings reports from around the cannabis industry. Since its inception in 2014, Matt and Entourage Effect have invested over $100 million in the cannabis industry helping to give accredited investors access to a diversified range of investment opportunities in the space including cultivation, retail, and ancillary services. To date, the Entourage Effect team has done well in recognizing cannabis ‘unicorns’ having been early investors in power players like Acreage Holdings and Green Thumb Industries.  With regular appearances on CNBC and Cheddar – Matt is one of the most sought out voices in the cannabis investing space, so you won’t want to miss this episode. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Matt Hawkins, CEO of Entourage Effect Capital Matt Hawkins brings an extensive background in building large alternative investment firms and scaling the companies he invests in. In 2014, Matt had a vision to launch Entourage Effect Capital and create the leading private equity firm focused specifically on investing in the legalized cannabis industry.  Prior to diving into the cannabis realm, Matt previously served as Partner and President of Tucson Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on multifamily residential and self-storage assets. Between 2008 and 2013, the company completed more than 55 bank-direct acquisitions, deploying over $500MM of capital. He successfully exited in 2013. Matt also was Principal & Co-founder of Adjacent Capital, a private equity/specialty lending fund where he oversaw the sourcing, origination, structuring and closing of over 60 transactions in a 3 year period. He also became a turnaround specialist through his time at Treadstone Partners and San Jacinto Partners. He is known and respected in the cannabis industry as one of the successful early investors and serves on the board of numerous cannabis companies.   Links to guest’s social media: Matt Hawkins’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hawkins-11288a2/ Cresco Capital Partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cresco-capital-partners-llc/ Links and Mentions: https://www.crescocapitalpartners.com    Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 historic day, The Green Rush is publishing its 100th episode! After launching the podcast two years ago, Anne, Lewis and Nick want to express their gratitude to all of our dedicated listeners who have stuck with us! To treat our audience, we are celebrating with a very special guest, Kevin Murphy, CEO of Acreage Holdings. We think an interview with one of the top CEOs in the cannabis space is the perfect treat as we set forth towards our next 100 episodes. Kevin Murphy is arguably one of the most powerful leaders in cannabis having built Acreage Holdings into one of the leading MSOs driving the U.S. cannabis industry forward. We sent Lewis to the Acreage offices in NYC to chat all things Acreage including the acquisition arrangement the Company announced earlier in 2019 with Canopy Growth and where that deal stands today. We also discuss how Acreage is using its political might to drive reform to cannabis banking regulations, the Company’s “house of brands” strategy and how the SAFE Banking Act could transform the industry. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Kevin Murphy, Chairman and CEO of Acreage Holdings Prior to his role at Acreage Holdings, Kevin was most recently a Founding Member and Managing Partner of Tandem Global Partners, a boutique investment firm focused on the emerging markets. Previously, he was Managing Partner at Stanfield Capital Partners, where he served as a member of the Operating and Management team that oversaw all aspects of Stanfield’s business, including risk management, sales and distribution, client services, legal, compliance and operations. Mr. Murphy also previously worked at Gleacher NatWest (Partner and Dir. of Marketing), Schroders (Sr. VP of Sales), Lazard Freres (VP) and Cantor Fitzgerald (VP). Mr. Murphy graduated with a B.A. from Holy Cross College. Links to guest’s social media: Kevin Murphy’s’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-murphy-5945294Acreage Holdings’ Twitter: https://twitter.com/acreagecannabis  Links and Mentions: https://www.acreageholdings.com  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Matt Gerson, founder and CEO of Foria Wellness, a cannabis company that sits at the intersection of cannabis and sexuality. Foria Wellness is a different kind of cannabis company, one that, at its core is about women’s empowerment and sexuality. Our hosts chat with Matt about the unique link between consumption and sexuality. Foria goes beyond marketing gimmicks to educate its consumers about how CBD works with the body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS) to enhance the functions of our daily lives. Matt also goes into detail on the company’s fundraising efforts and what it was like to go into his first VC meeting to pitch a sex-tech/cannabis company. For listeners interested in discovering more unique ways consumers are looking to add CBD and THC to their daily lives this is the conversation for you. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Mathew Gerson Bio - Founder & Co CEO at Foria In 2014 the available options for women’s sexual health & enjoyment were few to none compared with the huge number of products available for men. With a focus on female pleasure, Foria developed a first of it’s kind sensual enhancement oil with cannabis inspired by the historical celebration of cannabis as an aide for intimacy. The reported benefits of Pleasure led to the invention of Relief, the first cannabis-infused suppository for menstrual cramps and discomfort, soon to be the focus of a first of it’s kind Harvard researcher lead observational study.  Foria now has a line of THC products in California and Colorado as well as a CBD powered line available globally online. Prior to the creation of Foria, Mr. Gerson founded Sir Richard’s Condom Company, helping to address the unmet need for condoms globally with a “buy one-give one” business model in tandem with Partners in Health in Haiti and retail distribution in Whole Foods Market. Prior to becoming a socially-minded entrepreneur Mathew spent ten years studying Buddhist meditation in Asia, Canada and the U.S. Links to guest’s social media: Matt Gerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathewgerson Foria’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Foriawellness Foria’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foriawellness/  Links and Mentions: https://www.foriawellness.com/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Irwin Simon, Interim CEO at Aphria, Inc. is this week’s first guest on The Green Rush as we give our listeners a rare two episode week! A Canadian LP, Aphria is listed on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange and has a market cap of around $3 billion, making it one of the largest cannabis companies in the world. The company is also one of the rare in the space that can boast that it is profitable, making it one of the few bright spots in the legal cannabis space in 2019.  Our hosts chat with Irwin to get an update on the state of the company since he’s taken over the CEO role and how his Company is weathering the storm that is the cannabis public markets. We also cover Irwin’s entrepreneurial journey, why he thinks consolidation is on the horizon for Canadian cannabis and a preview of Aphria’s new edible and vape products set to hit the market later this year. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Irwin Simon, Interim CEO at Aphria, Inc.Irwin Simon is a business executive who founded The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAIN) a leading organic and natural products company in 1993. As Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Irwin Simon led Hain Celestial for more than 25 years and grew the business to $3 billion in net sales with operations in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East providing consumers with A Healthier Way of Life™. Irwin Simon has more than 30 years of business experience spanning many domestic and international leadership and operating roles. Prior to Hain Celestial, Irwin Simon was employed in various marketing and sales positions at Slim-Fast Foods Company, a dietary supplement foods company, and The Häagen-Dazs Company, a frozen dessert company, then a division of Grand Metropolitan, a multi-national luxury brands company. Links to guest’s social media: Aphria’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/aphriainc  Aphria’s LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/aphriainc Aphria’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aphriainc_/  Links and Mentions: https://aphriainc.com/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications from the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo in Los Angeles, CA.  Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Chuck Smith President and CEO at DIXIE Brands is the guest on The Green Rush this week! DIXIE has quickly cemented itself as one of the leading house of brands in the cannabis space in no small part due to Chuck’s leadership. Since launching over a decade ago, DIXIE has become a powerhouse multi-state operator (and soon to be multi-country operator) focusing on building, developing, manufacturing and distributing premium cannabis infused products. In our conversation with Chuck, we’ll chat with him about his vision for the future of the DIXIE including its expansion outside of the U.S., the recently announced venture with AriZona Brands and when we may begin seeing some of those products hit the shelves and what else the company has coming down the R&D pipeline. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Chuck Smith, President and CEO at DIXIE Brands Charles “Chuck” Smith is the President and Chief Executive Officer for USA Inc., the parent company of the Dixie Elixirs & Edibles brand, as well as Therabis, and Aceso Wellness, two of the leading hemp supplement brands. As one of two original founders of USA Inc., Chuck helped the company grow from a “garage operation” to a 27,000 square foot state-of-the-art, vertically integrated manufacturing facility that was the first-of-its-kind for the marijuana industry. Prior to building USA Inc. and the Dixie brand, Chuck was President of Bella Terra Realty Holdings where he oversaw all aspects of the Bella Terra Resort Development Company. He was also President of Sagebrush Realty Development and responsible for developing, selling and managing residential condominium projects valued at over $85 million in revenues. Chuck has over twenty-five years of experience in a variety of industries. He has a strong financial background, holding the position of Chief Financial Officer for a mid-sized retail apparel chain and has built and managed sales and marketing teams for private and publicly traded technology companies. Links to guest’s social media: DIXIE’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/DixieBrands DIXIE’s Instagram: https://twitter.com/DixieBrands  Links and Mentions: https://dixieelixirs.com/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications from the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo in Los Angeles, CA.  Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Marion Mariathasan, CEO of Simplifya, a leading provider of regulatory compliance software for the cannabis industry is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. Simplifya is every cannabis operator and compliance managers best friend due to its web-based, self-auditing system which distills complex state and local regulations into a series of simple yes-or-no questions to facilitate self-audits, identify areas of non-compliance, manage remediation efforts, and generate management and audit reports. In addition to covering how Simplifya is able to decode complex regulations on a state-by-state basis, our hosts also cover the company’s recent hire of John Vardaman, the author of the Cole Memo as well as Marion’s incredibly unique entrepreneurial journey including his Sri Lankan royal background. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Marion Mariathasan, Co-Founder and CEO at Simplifya Marion is a serial entrepreneur that has founded, invested in, or been an advisor to over a dozen start-ups. He is a regular guest speaker at events such as Denver Start-up Week, CU Denver's program on social entrepreneurship, and the United Nations Global Accelerator Initiative. Marion studied Architecture and Computer Science at the University of Kansas and Computer Information Systems with a minor in Business Management at Emporia State University. He enjoys time with his family, cooking spicy Sri Lankan cuisine, traveling, and connecting with people. Links to guest’s social media: Marion’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marionmariathasan/  Links and Mentions: https://www.simplifya.com  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Ken Alston, CEO of Hydroponics, Inc., a premier provider of global agricultural supplies, logistics, and procurement for large scale, commercial farms is this week’s guest on The Green Rush.    At its core, Hydroponics makes life easier for cultivators by streamlining the cannabis supply chain. Working with cultivators to decrease supply, logistics, and procurement expenses through their best-in-class agricultural solutions, Ken and his team allow companies to better focus their time on increasing revenue and developing their brand. Our hosts sat down with Ken at the Cannabis World Business Conference and Expo in Los Angeles to discuss the company’s business model, how companies can fill in the gaps within its supply chain and what the future of cannabis cultivation will look like as cheaper grow alternatives in Latin American become more commonplace. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Ken Alston, Chief Executive Officer As the CEO of Hydroponics, Inc., Ken oversees the growth and success of the Company’s strategies and business operations. Since acquiring the Company in 2018, his management team has expanded Hydroponics, Inc.'s geographic footprint and customer base while providing best-in-class agricultural solutions and analytics for many well-known farms in the Western US and Canada. Previously, Ken was Executive Chairman of Eventide Risk Management, one of the most successful search funds since inception of the asset class, as well as the CEO of MedVision, recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in California. Ken also serves as a periodic lecturer on entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California. Ken holds an MA from Columbia University and a BA from Southern Methodist University.  Links to guest’s social media: Hydroponics’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hydroponicsinc/ Ken’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-alston-610b3441/ Links and Mentions: https://www.hydroponicsinc.com/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Dr. John Oram, the CEO and Founder of the vertically-integrated, California cannabis company NUG is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! Since its founding in 2014, NUG has grown into one of the strongest brands in the nation’s largest cannabis market offering consumers its well-crafted edible and concentrate products as well as flower. In addition, the company recently opened its first retail shop in Sacramento in April 2019 and is on track to open two more retail locations in late 2019 and early 2020. Our hosts sat down with John to discuss the NUG business model and better understand how the company has been able to achieve success in one of the world’s most crowded cannabis markets and what else it has in line for future success. In addition, we explore John’s chemistry background, the company’s current capital situation and John’s work with Oakland Cannabis Equity Program. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Bio: Dr. John Oram, CEO & Founder:  John entered the cannabis business in the early 2000s (practically the stone age for cannabis) and in 2009, with a chemistry and engineering background (he holds Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in environmental chemistry and engineering from the University of California Los Angeles and bachelor’s degrees in analytical chemistry and biochemistry from the University of Colorado at Boulder), founded CW Analytical Laboratories—now recognized as the most trusted analytical laboratory in California for cannabis. He then set out on a mission to elevate the industry to a higher standard across all verticals – from cultivation to distribution – and in 2014 NUG was born from a home equity loan. Little did he know how quickly it would take off. And even in uncertain regulatory environments, NUG has remained profitable each year. In addition, John and his team at NUG play a major role in the Oakland Equity Program; NUG incubates businesses run by area residents who had been targeted by the war on drugs. They are also building new greenhouses for these companies, set to be complete by the end of this year. Links to guest’s social media: NUG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nug/NUG Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesocialnugNUG LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nug/ Links and Mentions: NUG Website (consumer facing): http://nug.com/NUG Website (Corporate): http://nug.com/corporate-home/http://nug.com/nug-sacramento-voted-best-place-to-buy-cannabis-by-sacramento-magazine-readers/ http://nug.com/retail/Sacramento Retail opening press release: http://nug.com/elementor-3484/Fundraising Announcement (May 2019; Series A): http://nug.com/nug-inc-raises-15-million-in-series-a-funding-round/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications.  Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Josh Rothman, CEO and Founder of CRESTA Management Services, is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! With more than 250,000 new cannabis jobs rumored to be filled, CRESTA Management is helping businesses within the space scale their operations to meet their complex needs on the operational, financial and regulatory compliance fronts. Recognizing that part of the difficulty of scaling up is finding quality talent, CRESTA positions itself as the go-to firm that companies large and small turn to when they need to find someone to fill these gaps. Our hosts sat down with Josh at the Cannabis World Conference and Business Expo to discuss the trends in hiring that he’s seeing including which regions of the U.S. are see shortages and what kind of positions major MSOs are in most need of. If you’ve ever been interested in making the career switch to cannabis, this episode will provide you with the direction you need to make that leap.  Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Josh Rothman, Founder and CEO of CRESTA Management Service Josh Rothman is the founder and CEO of CRESTA Management Services, an Executive Staffing and Human Resources firm with over 15 years of experience. Cresta Management Services is one of the largest boutique staffing agencies in the Western United States focused in the Public Accounting Arena and Real Estate Markets. When the tide of cannabis legalization began to sweep across North America, Josh saw the opportunity to support a fast-growing, yet under-served, market in need of experienced professionals. CRESTA responded by becoming one of the first established staffing agencies to pivot to the cannabis industry. From offices in California and New York, CRESTA now builds high-performing teams for cannabis companies across the US. Before founding CRESTA, Josh served as Managing Partner and Director of Human Resource at HR Outsourcing and Recruiting companies. It was during this time that he shaped the “relationships-first” approach that defines the service philosophy of CRESTA. Josh and his team of 15+ recruiters take the time to get to know both clients and candidates on a personal level. By understanding personal goals and motivations, CRESTA makes lasting connections that serve the needs of both parties. Links to guest’s social media: CRESTA’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cresta-management-services/ Josh’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-rothman-17b2373/Josh’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/crestarecruit Links and Mentions: http://crestamanagementservices.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications at the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo in Los Angeles.  Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

The Green Rush is taking a break for the Thanksgiving holiday so to provide a special treat to our loyal listeners we are resharing our episode with “Iron” Mike Tyson. Mike was larger than life during his boxing career in the 90s until personal and professional failures rerouted the course of his life. Now, 10-15 years after his athletic career ended, Mike has pivoted to become an entertainer and entrepreneur, starring in blockbuster Hollywood films and launching his own cannabis company, Tyson Ranch.  For this episode, we flew Lewis out to Los Angeles to meet with Mike and his business partner, Rob Hickman, to talk about Mike’s boxing career, the pair’s new cannabis venture and Mike’s experimentation with psychedelics. In their conversation, Mike opens up about what drew him to cannabis, his dreams of building a ‘cannabis resort’ and what it’s like to be a businessman forging his own path in the “Wild West” of cannabis.  Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! About Tyson Ranch Tyson Ranch is a cannabis company founded by Mike Tyson. Consistency and quality are at the core of our company with the mission to make cannabis universally understood and accessible. Through select partnerships with esteemed growers, Tyson Ranch proudly supports the industries very best, bringing you 'Better Cannabis' in every single package. Our commitment to the plant and passion for exotic genetics ensure that we deliver clean, quality, premium cannabis with every purchase. Links to guest’s social media: Mike Tyson’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeTyson Rob Hickman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-rob-hickman-0b4a0879/ Tyson Ranch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tysonranchofficial/ Tyson Ranch Twitter: https://twitter.com/tysonranchTyson Ranch LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tysonranch/ Links and Mentions: tysonranch.com Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Dr. Rick Strassman, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! After twenty years of intermission, Dr. Strassman was the first person in the United States to undertake human research with psychedelic, hallucinogenic, or entheogenic substances with his research in the 1990s. Thanks to the research by Dr. Strassman, organizations like the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) have moved the ball forward with the FDA to the point that MDMA - or ecstasy - has been granted Phase III breakthrough status for the treatment of PTSD and universities such as NYU, the Imperial College in London and Johns Hopkins are all conducting cutting edge research. For this episode, Lewis dives deep with Dr. Strassman about the medical value of psychedelics, how he reflects on his research 20 years after the fact what he foresees as the future of psychedelic medicine. Anyone following the cannabis industry should be closely following the psychedelics space as the paths to legalization for both are nearly parallel.  Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! About Dr. Rick Strassman Los Angeles native, Rick Strassman, holds degrees from Stanford University and Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. He took his internship and general psychiatry residency at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center in Sacramento and he spent ten years as a tenured professor at the University of Mexico. Dr. Strassman also began the first new U.S.-Government-approved-and funded clinical research with psychedelic drugs in over twenty years. In addition, he has been a consultant to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Veteran's Administration Hospitals, Social Security Administration, and other state and local agencies. Dr. Strassman currently practices psychiatry in Taos, New Mexico and is Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the UNM School of Medicine.While living in the Pacific Northwest of the United States for five years, Dr. Strassman worked in community mental health centers for Washington State's Whatcom and Jefferson Counties. He currently lives and practices psychiatry in Taos, New Mexico, and is Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Links to guest’s social media: https://www.rickstrassman.com/ Links and Mentions: Rick’s Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Strassman/e/B001JP8KSE%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Michael Schwamm, Partner in the Cannabis Practice at Duane Morris, LLP, one of the nation’s leading law firms serving the cannabis industry. Duane Morris attorneys represent businesses and individuals at every level of the cannabis supply chain. Duane Morris clients include state-licensed adult-use marijuana, medical marijuana and hemp cultivators, processors, distributors and dispensaries, whether vertically integrated or operating as standalone businesses, as well as investors in those businesses. Michael knows the nitty gritty about the industry like where the deals are, where the money is coming from and for listeners of this show who are closely following the M&A space, we promise this is a fascinating individual and an episode you will not want to miss. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! About Michael Schwamm, Partner at Duane Morris Michael D. Schwamm represents public and private entities in all aspects of their business affairs. He practices in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, securities and technology law and provides general corporate counseling. Mr. Schwamm formerly was general counsel and chief operating officer of FiberCity Networks, Inc., a telecommunications service provider and uses his experience to provide his clients with proofed, business-centered advice. Mr. Schwamm represents companies of all sizes, including startups and venture-backed companies, privately held family businesses and both large and small public companies in all aspects of their business affairs. He also provides services to venture capital and private equity funds, angel and other institutional investors. An increasing focus of his practice is assisting single family offices in structuring their direct business acquisitions; Mr. Schwamm co-leads the firm’s initiative in this area.  Mr. Schwamm has worked on a wide variety of transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, public offerings, private placements, joint ventures and licensing arrangements involving a number of industries, such as big data, business services, consumer/retail, technology including FinTech, entertainment, healthcare services, manufacturing, sports and telecommunication. He calls upon his partners across the country and around the world in other practice areas to ensure his clients receive seamless, efficient and effective service for all their legal needs. Links to guest’s social media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mschwamm/https://twitter.com/mschwamm?lang=en Links and Mentions: https://www.duanemorris.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Bill Thurman, CEO and Chairman of Redbird Bioscience, a licensed Oklahoma medical marijuana operator with an emphasis on large-scale cultivation and processing. Oklahoma is the nation’s fastest growing medical marijuana markets with regulators approving more than 7,300 business licenses in the first year of the state’s medical cannabis program, including nearly 4,300 grower permits. According to tax receipts released by the Oklahoma Tax Commission, sales of medical marijuana in the state stood at just over $258 million through the first 10 months of 2019 and are on pace to eclipse $350 million by the end of the year. Lewis and Nick chat with Bill about all things Oklahoma including what the true potential of the market is and how Redbird is working to help grow the infrastructure and community acceptance of medical marijuana in the state. In addition, the Green Rush team chats with Bill about the untapped cannabis market that is the South, Redbird’s plans for 2020 as it tries to grow out its brand identity and why compassion needs to be a greater emphasis for companies operating in the medical cannabis space. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Bill Thurman, CEO and Chairman of Redbird Bioscience  Bill is a manager of Redbird Management and a member of the Board of Directors of Redbird Partners. Bill has extensive experience in the Long-Term Care Industry, with over fifteen years in management operations and development. Prior to the new opportunity with Redbird, Bill served as President and Chief Operating Officer for Heart to Heart Hospice, which grew under his leadership and direction from an entity valued at approximately $13 million in 2009, to an organization now serving over twenty locations in three different states, with a value exceeding $250 million. His experience ranges from operations and management as Vice President of Provident LifeCare and LifeCare Management, operating two 120 bed skilled nursing facilities, to serving as Director of Development for Frisco Health Partners. He also served as a development consultant to Victoria Gardens. Since 1995 he has been directly involved in the ground up development of eight new Long-Term Care facilities in Texas and has won Medicaid contracts as a project consultant for numerous development ventures. Bill's experience includes Medicare/Medicaid contract application, site selection, acquisition and construction. Bill graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor’s degree in 1986. Links to guest’s social media: Redbird Twitter: https://twitter.com/RedbirdMMJ Bill’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-thurman-39940b186/ Links and Mentions: https://redbirdmmj.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

To celebrate Christmas Week, we’ll be providing our listeners presents throughout the week by posting some of our favorite episodes from 2019. For our first episode of the week we will be republishing one of Anne’s favorite interviews from 2019 with Lizzie Post, the author of Higher Etiquette; A Guide to the World of Cannabis from Dispensaries to Dinner Parties. Lizzie is also co-president of the Emily Post Institute as well as a co-host of the Awesome Etiquette podcast (now in its fifth year), a weekly Q&A show that explores the topic of etiquette through the lens of consideration, respect, and honesty. In this episode, Anne and Lewis chatted with Lizzie about her new book, her work at the Emily Post Institute and what she thinks her great-great grandmother would think about her foray into the cannabis space. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Lizzie Post, Author of Higher Etiquette Lizzie Post, is the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post, and author of Higher Etiquette, and co-author of Emily Post’s Etiquette 19th edition as well as Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette 6th edition, and The Etiquette Advantage in Business 3rd edition. She is a co-president of the Emily Post Institute as well as a co-host of the Awesome Etiquette podcast (now in its fifth year), a weekly Q&A show that explores the topic of etiquette through the lens of consideration, respect, and honesty.  Lizzie does speaking engagements across the country sharing advice about lifestyle and wedding etiquette. She has worked as a spokesperson for brands including Bank of America, American Express Platinum, AirBnB, and Marshalls. She has held columns with Good Housekeeping, Women’s Running, and Houzz.com, The Farmhouse Movement, and Broccoli Magazine. Lizzie Post holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education from The University of Vermont and currently lives in her native Vermont. Links and mentions in the show Emily Post Institute Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmilyPostInst Emily Post Institute LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-emily-post-institute/?trk=tabs_biz_home Emily Post Institute Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilypostinstitute Buy Higher Etiquette: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/586479/higher-etiquette-by-lizzie-post/9780399582394/Listen to the Awesome Etiquette Podcast: https://emilypost.com/awesome-etiquette-podcast/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Lizzie Post’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizzieapost Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

To celebrate Christmas Week, we’ll be providing our listeners presents throughout the week by posting some of our favorite episodes from 2019! For our second episode of the week we are republishing one of Lewis’s favorite interviews from 2019 with Matt Gerson, founder and CEO of Foria Wellness, a cannabis company that sits at the intersection of cannabis and sexuality. Foria Wellness is a different kind of cannabis company, one that, at its core is about women’s empowerment and sexuality. Our hosts chatted with Matt about the unique link between consumption and sexuality. Foria goes beyond marketing gimmicks to educate its consumers about how CBD works with the body’s Endocannabinoid System (ECS) to enhance the functions of our daily lives. Matt also goes into detail on the company’s fundraising efforts and what it was like to go into his first VC meeting to pitch a sex-tech/cannabis company. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Mathew Gerson Bio - Founder & Co CEO at Foria In 2014 the available options for women’s sexual health & enjoyment were few to none compared with the huge number of products available for men. With a focus on female pleasure, Foria developed a first of it’s kind sensual enhancement oil with cannabis inspired by the historical celebration of cannabis as an aide for intimacy. The reported benefits of Pleasure led to the invention of Relief, the first cannabis-infused suppository for menstrual cramps and discomfort, soon to be the focus of a first of it’s kind Harvard researcher lead observational study.  Foria now has a line of THC products in California and Colorado as well as a CBD powered line available globally online. Prior to the creation of Foria, Mr. Gerson founded Sir Richard’s Condom Company, helping to address the unmet need for condoms globally with a “buy one-give one” business model in tandem with Partners in Health in Haiti and retail distribution in Whole Foods Market. Prior to becoming a socially-minded entrepreneur Mathew spent ten years studying Buddhist meditation in Asia, Canada and the U.S. Links to guest’s social media: Matt Gerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathewgerson Foria’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Foriawellness Foria’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foriawellness/  Links and Mentions: https://www.foriawellness.com/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

To celebrate Christmas Week, we’ll be providing our listeners presents throughout the week by posting some of our favorite episodes from 2019! For our third episode of the week we are republishing one of Nick’s favorite interviews from 2019 with New York State Senator Liz Krueger, an outspoken advocate for cannabis and the lead sponsor of the “Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act” After it looked like 2019 would finally be the year that New York would legalize adult use cannabis, the state legislature was unable to find common ground on a number of issues and failed to pass a bill that would satisfy the Democratic majority. Senator Krueger, who previously appeared on The Green Rush back in 2018, joined Lewis and guest host, Gretchen Gailey, to discuss what went wrong and what needs to happen in 2020 to get full legalization passed in the state.    Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! About New York State Senator Liz Krueger  First elected to the New York State Senate in a Special Election in February 2002, Liz Krueger is currently the Ranking Member of Senate Finance Committee. She is also a member of five other committees: Elections; Higher Education; Housing, Construction and Community Development; Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities; and Rules. For the past several years, Manhattan state senator Liz Krueger has proposed a marijuana tax and regulation bill modeled on the state liquor law that treats marijuana companies like beverage distributors. Senator Krueger’s conservative estimate is that legalization of cannabis could produce $500 million in new revenue for the state government, $2 billion in new economic activity, and $300 million in savings for the state’s criminal justice system. Links and mentions in the show http://www.wecanstudy.org/ https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/liz-krueger https://www.lizkrueger.com/  Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Senator Krueger’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/LizKrueger Senator Krueger’s Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/statesenatorlizkrueger/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Gretchen Gailey of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

To celebrate Christmas Week, we’ll be providing our listeners presents throughout the week by posting some of our favorite episodes from 2019! For our final episode of the week we are republishing one of our most listened to interviews from 2019 with Irwin Simon, Interim CEO at Aphria, Inc. A Canadian LP, Aphria is listed on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange and has a market cap of around $3 billion, making it one of the largest cannabis companies in the world. Our hosts chatted with Irwin to get an update on the state of the company since he’s taken over the CEO role and how his Company is weathering the storm that is the cannabis public markets. We also cover Irwin’s entrepreneurial journey, why he thinks consolidation is on the horizon for Canadian cannabis and a preview of Aphria’s new edible and vape products set to hit the market later this year. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Irwin Simon, Interim CEO at Aphria, Inc. Irwin Simon is a business executive who founded The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAIN) a leading organic and natural products company in 1993. As Founder, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Irwin Simon led Hain Celestial for more than 25 years and grew the business to $3 billion in net sales with operations in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East providing consumers with A Healthier Way of Life™. Irwin Simon has more than 30 years of business experience spanning many domestic and international leadership and operating roles. Prior to Hain Celestial, Irwin Simon was employed in various marketing and sales positions at Slim-Fast Foods Company, a dietary supplement foods company, and The Häagen-Dazs Company, a frozen dessert company, then a division of Grand Metropolitan, a multi-national luxury brands company. Links to guest’s social media: Aphria’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/aphriainc  Aphria’s LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/aphriainc Aphria’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aphriainc_/  Links and Mentions: https://aphriainc.com/  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications from the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo in Los Angeles, CA.  Special thanks to our Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

To celebrate Christmas Week, we’ll be providing our listeners presents throughout the week by posting some of our favorite episodes from 2019! For our fourth episode of the week we present our end of the year KCSA Hostful Holiday episode! Our hosts are joined by their KCSA colleagues Nick Opich and Phil Carlson to recap 2019 for the cannabis industry and explore what they think is on deck for the space in 2020. In addition to recapping the space, the KCSA team explores what storylines surprised them most in the last year, what to expect in terms of M&A in 2020 following a disastrous year in the capital markets, their predictions for how cannabis can achieve greater cultural acceptance and how markets like Michigan, Illinois and Oklahoma are shaping the future of the industry.  Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! About KCSA Strategic Communications KCSA is a fully integrated communications agency specializing in public relations, shareholder communications and social media, with expertise in cannabis, financial and professional services, technology, healthcare, digital media and energy. Since 1969, the firm has demonstrated strategic thinking and program execution that drives results for its clients in the ever-changing communications and digital landscape. The firm’s clients are its best references. KCSA’s cannabis practice, which is one of the largest in North America for public relations, investor relations and social media, has been representing companies in the cannabis industry for more than five years. Clients span the entire supply chain from companies that grow the plant, process it and dispense it, to companies that provide consulting services, financial services and even ancillary products such as lighting, nutrients and packaging. For more information, please visit www.kcsa.com or www.kcsa-cannabis.com. Links to guest’s social media: KCSA Twitter: https://twitter.com/kcsastrategicKCSA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kcsastrategic/KCSA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kcsa-strategic-communications/ Links and Mentions: Investor Confidence Survey Results: https://www.kcsa.com/in-the-news/detail/3047/press-release---investors-remain-confident-in-cannabis Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Nick Opich of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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 2020! To kick off the New Year, The Green Rush team is starting with a bang as we publish our conversation with Steve and Andrew DeAngelo, Co-Founders of Harborside Health Center and two of the most important players in the history of legalizing marijuana. Steve DeAngelo is a pioneering cannabis entrepreneur, activist, author, and on-screen personality. He co-founded several iconic cannabis businesses and organizations including Harborside, one of the first six dispensaries licensed in the US; Steep Hill Laboratory, the first dedicated cannabis lab; the ArcView Group, the first cannabis investment firm; and the National Cannabis Industry Association, the industry’s first trade association. He currently serves as Chairman Emeritus of Harborside Inc, a vertically integrated California cannabis company. Steve and his brother Andrew sat down with us in Las Vegas at the 2019 Marijuana Business  Conference where they gave us a rundown of what they are working on now at Harborside, their work with the Last Prisoner Project and their hopes for the industry in 2020. We think this is the right conversation to begin the new year with, especially in light of what Governor Pritzker just did in Illinois, expunging 11,000 non-violent cannabis convictions ahead of Illinois implementing adult-use.  So don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy!  Steve DeAngelo, Co-Founder of Harborside Health Center Steve DeAngelo is an inspired and undisputed national leader, with four decades of activism and advocacy in the cannabis reform movement. His creation of a model medical cannabis dispensary and lifelong cannabis activism, coupled with his extensive knowledge in this arena, has made him one of the strongest voices in the cannabis and hemp industries. Steve’s career has focused on the intersection of advocacy and entrepreneurship, creating profitable ventures that simultaneously advance social goals. His other ventures include Ecolution, SteepHill Laboratory, Cannasure and The ArcView Group. Andrew DeAngelo, Co-Founder of Harborside Health Center Andrew DeAngelo is Co-Founder and General Manager of Harborside Health Center in Oakland, CA. Accordingly, he handles the facility’s day to day operations. Prior to his work with Harborside, Andrew served as the Vice President of Ecolution, Inc., a hemp clothing company founded by his brother Steve DeAngelo. After this time, Andrew spent a short stint as a theater and film professor at Chapman University. Andrew and Steve went on to open Harborside Health Center in 2006, and the Discovery Channel featured the brothers on their reality TV series Weed Wars. Links to guest’s social media: Steve DeAngelo’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevedeangelo Steve DeAngelo’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steve.deangelo/Steve DeAngelo’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-deangelo-b5584751/ Andrew’s DeAngelo’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewdeangelo/Andrew DeAngelo’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrew_deangelo Links and Mentions: https://www.shopharborside.com/https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/https://www.stevedeangelo.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe h of KCSA Strategic Communications at the Marijauna Business Conference in Las Vegas. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Former Majority Leader and Senator Tom Daschle, who last year joined the Board of Advisors for Clever Leaves is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! Senator Daschle is one of the longest serving Senate Democratic leaders in history and one of only two to serve twice as both Majority and Minority Leader. In 1978, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served eight years. In 1986, he was elected to the U.S. Senate and was chosen as Senate Democratic Leader in 1994. Senator Daschle is also the Founder and CEO of the Daschle Group, a Public Policy Advisory of Baker Donelson, a legal and government affairs firm that advises clients on a broad array of economic, policy and political issues. Our hosts sat down with the Senator at MJ Biz Con in Las Vegas to talk about his entry into the cannabis sector, what attracted him to the Cleaver Leaves team and the politics of legalizing cannabis. Senator Daschle has quickly become a giant in this field and we are ecstatic to share our conversation with him with all of you. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy Former Senator Tom Daschle, Board of Advisors at Clever Leaves  Senator Daschle is one of the longest serving Senate Democratic leaders in history and one of only two to serve twice as both Majority and Minority Leader. In 1978, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served eight years. In 1986, he was elected to the U.S. Senate and was chosen as Senate Democratic Leader in 1994. Senator Daschle is also the Founder and CEO of the Daschle Group, a Public Policy Advisory of Baker Donelson, a legal and government affairs firm that advises clients on a broad array of economic, policy and political issues. Senator Daschle is the Chair of the Board of Directors at the Center for American Progress and Vice Chair for the National Democratic Institute. Senator Daschle serves on the board of Edward M. Kennedy Institute and the LBJ Foundation. He is also a member of the Health Policy and Management Executive Council at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Council of Foreign Relations. Links to guest’s social media: Tom Daschle’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomDaschleClever Leaves LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clever-leaves/Clever Leaves Twitter: https://twitter.com/clever_leaves Clever Leaves Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clever.leaves/ Links and Mentions: https://cleverleaves.com/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe h of KCSA Strategic Communications at the Marijauna Business Conference in Las Vegas. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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, The Green Rush wraps up our series of interviews from the Marijuana Business Conference with a special three guest episode featuring Max Cherney, reporter for MarketWatch, Richard Carleton, CEO of the Canadian Securities Exchange, and Emily Paxhia, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Poseidon Asset Management. Lewis and Anne sat down with Max, Richard and Emily for three mini-interviews at MJ Biz Con to garner their thoughts on the cannabis industry in 2019 and what they are looking forward to in 2020. All three of our guests are in the thick of it when it comes to the public markets so if you are an investor in the cannabis sector, this is the episode for you.  Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy Max Cherney, Reporter at MarketWatch  Max A. Cherney is a MarketWatch reporter based in San Francisco. A veteran Bay Area journalist whose work has been featured in local and national publications, he conducted the first jailhouse interview with Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow, a San Francisco Chinatown gangster whose affiliation with a state senator led to a statewide scandal, and he had a scoop about Sean Parker's role in the effort to legalize marijuana in California. Max previously covered e-commerce for IBD, with a focus on Amazon, and most recently was a staffer for J, where he investigated the rise in anti-Semitism at Bay Area schools since the 2016 election. Originally from Toronto, he attended Trent University in Ontario before receiving an MFA at California College of the Arts.  Richard Carleton, CEO of Canadian Securities Exchange  Richard Carleton has been CEO of the Canadian Securities Exchange for seven years. Prior to this appointment, Richard served as Vice-President Corporate Development with responsibility for the CSE’s technology, operations, market data and trading sales teams. Before joining the exchange, Richard worked as a business development consultant in Toronto and New York in the risk management and index product fields after spending twelve years with the Toronto Stock Exchange, serving most recently as a member of the exchange’s senior management team. Active in industry affairs, Richard served two terms as chair of the market data industry’s global trade association in the late 1990's and is a frequent panelist at market structure and trading technology events across North America. Richard also serves as a member of the boards of the Private Capital Markets Association and the Empire Club of Canada. Emily Paxhia, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Poseidon Asset Management  Emily has reviewed thousands of companies in the cannabis industry and has worked with countless founders in many capacities. She had helped to shape founders' pitch preparations, their go-to-market strategies/ product launches, and advised on day-to-day business operations. Emily has held board seats for three portfolio companies and participates as an adviser to multiple teams. Extremely active in the investment decision making and ongoing investment oversight processes, she works closely with her partners to create meaningful deal structures, ensuring that proper governance is carried out at the company level. Further, Emily has dedicated time and energy to supporting policy groups and has served on the Board of Directors of the Marijuana Policy Project. She also currently serves on the Board of Athletes for CARE. Links to guest’s social media: Max Cherney’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/chernandburnRichard Carleton’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-carleton-3b460416/?originalSubdomain=caCSE Twitter: https://twitter.com/CSE_NewsEmily Paxhia’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/empax1 Emily Paxhia’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilypaxhia/ Links and Mentions: https://www.marketwatch.com/https://www.thecse.com/https://www.poseidonassetmanagement.com/ Show Credits:

Alan Brochstein, one of the most influential reporters/analysts covering the cannabis sector as the owner of New Cannabis Ventures and the 420 Investor. Alan has played the role as the voice of the retail investors for his entire career.  He watches nearly all the public cannabis companies, reads every single filing, talks with management.  Plainly said, Alan knows as much if not more about the public cannabis markets than anyone around. He can be controversial, and has been known to speak his mind, bluntly, directly, and with no fear of pissing people off. Love him or not, everyone respects Alan Brochstein. Our hosts will discuss with Alan the sad state of cannabis stocks and when may finally hit the bottom, his thoughts on different state regulations and their impact on operators, whether he believes 2020 will finally be the year the industry gets some relief from the federal government and what positive changes for industry he’s looking for in 2020. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Alan Brochstein, Founder of New Cannabis Ventures  Alan Brochstein, CFA, was the first investment professional to devote himself to sharing his observations about the cannabis industry from an investor's perspective publicly. He runs 420 Investor, a subscription-based due diligence platform for investors interested in the publicly-traded cannabis stocks and is also the founder of New Cannabis Ventures, a content aggregation site focused on investors and entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry. Alan has worked in the securities industry since 1986, primarily with the responsibility for managing investments in institutional environments until he founded AB Analytical Services in 2007 in order to provide independent research and consulting to registered investment advisors.  Alan launched www.420Investor.com in late 2013 as the premier source of information for "Green Rush" investors seeking to capitalize on the proliferation of legalized medical and recreational cannabis. In March 2014, Alan, who is a member of the National Cannabis Industry Association, began to focus solely on the cannabis sector. He launched www.NewCannabisVentures.com in late 2015.  Links and mentions: Alan’s Newsletter: https://marketfy.com/item/420-investor-newsletter/New Cannabis Ventures: https://www.newcannabisventures.com/ Links to guest’s social media: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanbrochsteinTwitter: https://twitter.com/Invest420 Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Troy Dayton, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder of the Arcview Group is this week’s guest on The Green Rush. Founded in 2010 with the help of Steve D’Angelo of Harborside fame, Arcview serves as the largest collection of high net worth investors who focus on putting money into early stage cannabis companies. Since its launch, very nearly every major cannabis company from the U.S. has presented to Arcview members and raised capital from the group. Troy’s journey in the space started long before the launch of Arcview as he (alongside Kris Krane and Kris Lotlikar and a few others) helped start Students for Sensible Drug Policy back in the 1990s. Our hosts will sit down with Troy to explore his journey from activist to investor in the space and get his take on some of the biggest stories facing the industry. We’ll also touch on the evolution of Arcview from its origins to today, Troy’s thoughts on the lack of M&A activity in 2019 and whether we will see significant change in 2020 and what he thinks is coming down the pike in terms of federal policy changes to cannabis. Troy’s story is unique and this episode won’t be one to miss. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of The Arcview Group, the first and largest group of investors dedicated to the cannabis sector which he co-founded in 2010 with fellow pioneer Steve DeAngelo. Arcview has partnered with 1600+ high net worth and institutional investors to place more than $275 million behind 215+ Arcview-curated cannabis deals.  Since 2012, Arcview has been the top publisher of cannabis market research, data and analysis, making them the most quoted company in the sector. In 2015, Arcview helped launch a partner business accelerator, CanopyBoulder and in 2019 Arcview launched the Arcview Member Managed Fund. Forbes named Arcview among the top 5 financial firms in the sector and Business Insider named them to their top 12 cannabis venture firms. Dayton is also chairman of the board of the Marijuana Policy Project and was formerly its chief fundraiser and among its first volunteers when it was founded in 1995. He is a founding and current board member of the National Cannabis Industry Association and he co-founded of Students for Sensible Drug Policy in 1998, which is now on over 300 campuses. Links and mentions: Arcview Website: https://arcviewgroup.com/  Links to guest’s social media: Arcview Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arcviewgroup/Arcview Twitter: https://twitter.com/arcviewgroupTroy Dayton’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troy-dayton-850a0a21/Troy Dayton’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/tdazzl  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Dr. Bill Levine, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of CannRx, a biotech company that develops proprietary, scientifically based medical and recreational cannabis products that have consistent therapeutic effects. Dr. Levine is a highly sought-out speaker and resource for the cannabis industry. He was most recently named Cannabis & Tech Today’s Innovator of the Year for 2019 and is one of the primary drivers of the Israeli cannabis marketplace. Our hosts will chat with Dr. Levine about his extensive background in botanical medicine and how that has aided him in his transition to the cannabis space. In addition, we will discuss Israel’s rise as a hub for technological and medical innovation and how his company CannRx is working on finding water soluble, bioavailable solutions to disrupt the cannabis beverage space. Dr. Levine is an incredible source of information and if you have any interest in the science and technology driving the future of the cannabis industry you will love this episode. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Dr. William Z. Levine, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Bill Levine is the founder of Izun Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in Botanical Medicine. This area of specialty pharma develops pharmaceutical and healthcare products from plant-based sources. Bill, who received his DDS degree and specialty training in Periodontics from Columbia University, initially utilized this background to formulate novel oral care products to treat periodontal disease more effectively. Izun has also developed wound care products, oncology support products, and products targeting women’s health care. Recognizing the Izun expertise with botanicals, Bill subsequently applied this knowledge to the cannabis plant and established CannRx. In a short time, CannRx has developed validated assays (receiving ISO 17025 service laboratory certification) and new and differentiated delivery systems. CannRx has identified & licensed new potent strains and appears well on its way to establishing itself as a leading player in the cannabis field. Links and mentions: CannRx Website: https://cannrx.com/  Links to guest’s social media: Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Mitch Baruchowitz, Founder and Managing Partner of Merida Capital Partners, sits down with the Green Rush team for a special episode to discuss the ongoing vaping crisis facing the cannabis industry and how that would affect investor interest and patience. This is a unique episode that we recorded last summer while in the relatively early stages of the vaping crisis. Despite taping this episode with Mitch several months ago, we thought it would be interesting for our listeners to hear how the investment community was thinking about the issues surrounding vaping during the throes of the problems and compare that with where we are today. Mitch and Merida Capital have a major presence in the industry as one of the leading (if not THE leading) private equity investment firms in the cannabis space. Since 2012, Mitch and his team have been on the ground floor, watching and investing early in a number of well-known companies and recognizing where the greatest opportunities lie. Mitch has watched the industry progress and evolve throughout the years, providing him with a unique perspective of the space. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Mitch Baruchowitz, Managing Partner of Merida Capital Partners  Mr. Baruchowitz has nine years of experience in the legal cannabis industry and is considered a national expert in the diverse licensing regimes governing each state. His cannabis career began in assisting Colorado-based legal cultivators to structure state compliant capital transactions and analyzing the legal cannabis market in order to develop an optimal business strategy for their operations. After several years of work with Colorado companies, he co-founded Theraplant, LLC  where he architected the highest scoring application in Connecticut’s highly selective licensing process. In 2014, he cofounded LeafLine Labs, LLC, which was one of only two Minnesota companies to win a license to cultivate and dispense cannabis in extracted form. Mr. Baruchowitz is also a founder of Maryland-based Grow West MD, one of 15 companies selected for a cultivation and dispensing license. He has also founded a Pennsylvania-based cultivator that is in the pre-operational licensing stage. Links and mentions in the show https://www.meridacap.com/https://www.meridacap.com/portfolio  Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Mitch Baruchowitz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchell-baruchowitz-73b182/ Merida Capital Twitter: https://twitter.com/meridacapMerida Capital LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/merida-capital-partners/about/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther at Marijuana Today You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Shea Gunther, the creative mind behind MJ Today Media and the Marijuana Today podcast is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! In addition to his role as the unfailing Program Director for the Green Rush, Shea is himself a podcaster, writer, activist and entrepreneur who, from behind the scenes, has for decades helped drive the cannabis industry forward. As an activist, Shea had a hand founding the first chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy back in 1998, and is currently leads up MJToday Media, a publishing company focusing on creating content for legal marijuana business nerds. He’s the host of “Marijuana Today Daily” and produces the weekly show “Marijuana Today“. Lewis and Anne sat down with Shea to discuss some of the latest headlines within the industry including the lack of capital facing the industry and the age-old tensions between the suits and the “stoners”. In addition, Shea gave us a peak at what it was like to be on the front lines of the cannabis movement in the 90s and his thoughts on what kind of legislative and regulatory support it’s going to take to for a healthy cannabis marketplace to take shape.   Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Shea Gunther, Founder, Producer and Host at MJ Today Media Shea Gunther helped kick off the student drug reform movement in 1998 by founding Students for Sensible Drug Policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Since then, he’s built his career around media, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. He worked with Kris to start one of the nation’s leading providers of wind power and has been a top featured writer for the Mother Nature Network, the #1 environmental news site on the web, since its launch in 2009. He frequently consults on a wide range of topics in social marketing, editorial design, and media architecture. Shea is a truly multimodal designer and communicator and handles all the technical aspects of the show as well as maintaining the social media accounts and this website. Links and mentions in the show http://mjtodaypodcast.com/http://mjtodaymedia.com/http://mjtodaydaily.com/http://www.weedwonks.com/https://ssdp.org/ Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts MJ Today Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjtodaypodcast  Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich. You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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

Hershel Gerson, CEO and Managing Director of Ello Capital is this week’s guest on The Green Rush! Started in Summer 2019, Ello is an investment bank and M&A advisory firm focused on empowering client growth and strategic thinking throughout every stage of the cannabis industry life cycle. Our hosts will sit down with Hershel to discuss Ello Capital’s recent analysis on the cash position of public MSOs which has caused a stir within the industry. We’ll dive into the weeds of how Ello conducted its analysis, why access to capital remains the biggest challenge facing operators in the cannabis industry and whether we can reasonably expect new regulations that will remove the capital hurdles facing Canadian LPs and U.S. MSOs. We’ll also chat with Hershel about his background in private equity and M&A and what drew him to the burgeoning cannabis industry. Hershel has his finger on the pulse of the capital side of the industry, so this won’t be an episode you’ll want to miss. Don’t sit back, lean forward and enjoy! Hershel Gerson, CEO and Managing Director of Ello Capital Hershel has over 20 years of success in Investment Banking, M&A and Private Equity. He has successfully advised and closed over 55 transactions for private equity and corporate clients with a total value exceeding $30 billion. His ability to advise across a broad range of strategic matters – including leveraged finance, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, private placements, project finance, and general advisory assignments – has allowed him to build long-standing, trusted relationships with clients. He has previous deal experience across industry verticals that include retail and consumer, TMT, energy, real estate and healthcare. Previously, Hershel led Macquarie Capital's Consumer Coverage efforts focused on the food, beverage, H.P.C. and restaurant sectors. Prior, he led M&A efforts at Causeforce, bringing capital to consolidate the endurance event space with a focus on raising money for cancer research. He also held leadership roles at BNP Paribas as West Coast Team Leader and Credit Suisse as Head of West Coast Retail and Consumer coverage. Links and mentions in the show https://ellocapital.com/https://www.elloinsights.com/Ello Capital MSO Cash Analysis: https://www.barrons.com/articles/marijuana-companies-could-burn-through-cash-in-months-51581391260?shareToken=stc172fde12b9a43aab865315a2bc62804&reflink=article_email_share Links to the guest’s company and social media accounts Ello Capital Twitter: https://twitter.com/ELLOCapitalEllo Capital LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ello-capital/Hershel’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hershel-gerson-371a143/ Show Credits: This episode was hosted by Lewis Goldberg and Anne Donohoe of KCSA Strategic Communications. Special thanks to our Executive Producer Nick Opich and Program Director Shea Gunther. You can learn more about how KCSA Cannabis can help your cannabiz by visiting www.kcsa-cannabis.com or emailing greenrush@kcsa.com. 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: http²s://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEQkvdjpUnPyhF59wxseqw?disable_polymer=true