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High Spirits: The Cannabis Business Podcast
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High Spirits: The Cannabis Business Podcast

Author: AnnaRae Grabstein and Ben Larson

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Hosts Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein serve up unfiltered insights, reveal their insiders' perspectives, and illuminate transformative ideas about the cannabis industry for people who want to make sense of it all.


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Tune in to our next episode of ๐—›๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ต ๐—ฆ๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐˜๐˜€ as we unravel the complexities of receivership and the intricacies of bankruptcy within the cannabis and hemp industries. We're joined by Ted Lanes, the "๐™‚๐™ง๐™š๐™š๐™ฃ ๐™๐™š๐™–๐™ฅ๐™š๐™ง" of finance, to shed light on what these financial states mean for businesses and creditors alike. ๐Ÿš€ ๐—”๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜ ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—˜๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ: We delve deep into the financial mechanisms that companies in the cannabis industry often have to navigate, particularly focusing on why traditional bankruptcy isn'...
๐ŸŒฟ ๐‘๐ž๐š๐œ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐๐ž๐š๐ค ๐๐ž๐ซ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐š๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ข๐ง ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“: ๐‹๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐„๐๐ ๐ž ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐Œ๐ž๐ฅ๐š๐ง๐ข๐ž ๐‚๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ŸŒฟ Dive into a thrilling new episode of ๐—›๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ต ๐—ฆ๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐˜๐˜€ as we explore the intersection of peak performance in high-stakes environments with Melanie Curtis, a professional skydiver, world record holder, and acclaimed performance coach. Join us as we unravel the parallels between excelling in extreme sports and thriving in the volatile cannabis industry. ๐Ÿš€ ๐—”๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜ ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—˜๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ: Melanie Curtis brings her unique expertise ...
๐˜ž๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ'๐˜ณ๐˜ณ๐˜ณ๐˜ณ๐˜ณ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ข๐˜ข๐˜ข๐˜ข๐˜ข๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ฌ! Join us for the first episode of the year on ๐™ƒ๐™ž๐™œ๐™ ๐™Ž๐™ฅ๐™ž๐™ง๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™จ, where we scope out the evolving world of cannabis beverages through the lens of Craig (Lewie) Lewis ๐Ÿฅƒ๐Ÿ†, the CEO & Co-Founder of Flyers Cocktail Company. We're kicking off 2025 by diving into the category dominating our minds and the airwaves. ๐Ÿ“ฃ Quick shout out to our title sponsor, KitPrint, the cannabis operatorโ€™s production design partner. Use code HIGHSPIRITS when you sign up and get 10% off your f...
What if the latest moves by a major cannabis company could set off a chain reaction across the entire industry? Unravel the implications of Vireo's strategic transformation under the astute leadership of Tyson McDonald. We dive into the latest maneuvers by Vireo, who is making headlines with a game-changing capital influx and the acquisition of four profitable single-state operators. As we gather at Ben's festive office, we discuss the potential ripple effects of these no-cash deals and specu...
๐ŸŒฟ ๐Œ๐‰๐๐ข๐ณ๐‚๐จ๐ง ๐‘๐ž๐œ๐š๐ฉ: ๐ˆ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐Ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐‡๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐’๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐Œ๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐  ๐Œ๐ข๐ฑ๐ž๐ซ, ๐š๐ง๐ ๐›๐ž๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ŸŒฟ Join us for a special episode of High Spirits, where your hosts Ben & AnnaRae share their experiences and insights from MJBizCon 2024 in Las Vegas. Fresh from hosting the High Spirits Morning Mixer, they're ready to dive deep into the event's highlights, key takeaways, and the future of cannabis trends they witnessed. ๐Ÿ“… ๐—ช๐—ต๐˜† ๐—ง๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฒ ๐—œ๐—ป? Whether you're a cannabis industry professional who mis...
๐ŸŽ™๐‰๐จ๐ข๐ง ๐”๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ž๐ž๐ค ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐š๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ ๐‚๐š๐ง๐ง๐š๐›๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ž๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐‘๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐-๐ฎ๐ฉ!๐ŸŒฟ It's been another eventful week in the world of cannabis, and we're excited to talk about it. In this week's episode, we discuss... ๐Ÿšจ Minnesota's botched social equity lottery application (read robbery) ๐Ÿธ GTI's big bet on beverage through Agrify's acquisition of Seรฑorita ๐ŸŒฟ What the new Senate draft of the Farm Bill means for hemp ๐Ÿ’ต Paywalls and supporting your cannabis media and niche news sources...
Explore the cutting-edge world of cannabis technology with Socrates Rosenfeld, the CEO and co-founder of Jane Technologies. Prepare to be intrigued by the potential shifts in federal cannabis reform as we discuss the surprising nomination of Matt Gaetz for US Attorney General by President-elect Trump. Join AnnaRae Grabstein as she recounts the latest developments in the cannabis industry from the Benzinga Cannabis Market Spotlight and Agrify's strategic acquisition of Seรฑorita, marking a bold...
Join Ben and AnnaRae on Thursday for a special post-election recording of High Spirits as we unpack Tuesday's election results, focusing specifically on the presidential race, various state ballot measures related to cannabis, and the broader implications for hemp and cannabis policy. We're thrilled to welcome back Hirsh Jain, one of our industry's brightest policy minds, for an in-depth analysis of what these results might mean for the future of cannabis legalization and regulation. ๐Ÿš€ ๐—”๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜...
Join us for this week's recording of ๐—›๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ต ๐—ฆ๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐˜๐˜€, where we're diving into the intricate world of Wana Brands, North America's leading edibles brand. We're sitting down with Joe Hodas, the recently appointed President of Wana, to discuss the brand's innovative strategies and his journey from Chief Marketing Officer to President. ๐Ÿš€ ๐—”๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜ ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—˜๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ: In this discussion, Joe Hodas shares his experiences and the dynamic shifts within Wana Brands following its acquisition by Canopy Growth Corpo...
Curious about the exciting world of cannabis beverages and how it's reshaping consumer habits? We sit down with Diana Eberlein, a leading figure in the industry and current president of the Cannabis Beverage Association. Diana shares her journey from cannabis beverage consumer to chair of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives, shedding light on the strategic moves being made to align with the alcohol industry. With a recent move to Washington DC, Diana is at the forefront of policy ad...
Seth Yakatan, a key player and influencer in cannabis finance and M&A, joins us to unravel the financial intricacies of the cannabis industry. Gain invaluable insights as Seth shares his extraordinary journey from health and wellness to becoming a significant figure in raising capital and selling companies within the cannabis sector. Discover how his unique experiences provide a fresh perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry today. Embark on a journey through t...
What if cannabis businesses could harness the power of AI to revolutionize their operations? Join us as we uncover this fascinating intersection and other topics in our first CEO roundtable following the close of Benzinga Chicago with industry leaders Cameron Clarke of Sunderstorm, Michael Murphy of Prelude, Heather Molloy of Speedwell Partners, and your hosts, Ben Larson of Vertosa and AnnaRae Grabsteinf of Wolf Meyer. In a rapidly evolving landscape, they share their strategies for navigati...
Let's be honest, it's been a solid run of shows this year for two busy CEO's self-producing and coordinating (and writing these descriptions). Travel schedule has definitely ramped back up and we somehow got to the beginning of this week and hadn't really thought about it! So we're falling back to our original inspiration for the show and recording our weekly check-in on all things cannabis business. This week, we attended hashtag#Meadowlands, David Hua and Meadow's California-famous gatheri...
Jeremy Berke, founder and editor-in-chief of Cultivated Media, joins us this week as our guest co-host. Despite juggling cannabis news coverage and MBA studies, Jeremy takes time out to share his experience and expertise in the space. Jeremy gives listeners an inside look at Cultivated, a daily newsletter dedicated to cannabis industry professionals, detailing how his journey from Business Insider led to his own entrepreneurial venture. In our deep dive into New York's cannabis market,...
๐ŸŒฑ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Join Ben & AnnaRae as we saddle up for another deep dive into the Texas cannabis scene. This time, we're exploring the booming hemp market with Benjamin Meggs, CEO of Bayou City Hemp Company and the beverage brand HOWDY . Ben's unique journey from the Oil and Gas industry to hemp cultivation and CBD retail has positioned him as a pivotal figure in shaping Texas's hemp landscape. In this episode, we'll uncover the challenges and opportunities of building a hemp business in the heart of...
๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Join Ben & AnnaRae this week as we explore the intricate world of cannabis compliance with Michael Johnson, CEO of Metrc. Now synonymous with seed-to-sale tracking, Metrc stands at the forefront of regulatory compliance in the cannabis industry. In this episode, we'll uncover the human element behind the platform, the challenges of balancing diverse stakeholder needs, and the future of cannabis compliance. ๐Ÿš€ ๐—”๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜ ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐—˜๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ: To operators in the cannabis industry, Metrc is the back...
๐ŸŒฟ ๐“๐ก๐ž ๐…๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŽ ๐ƒ๐š๐ฒ๐ฌ: ๐‹๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐‹๐š๐ฎ๐ง๐œ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ž๐ฐ ๐‰๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฒ'๐ฌ ๐‚๐š๐ง๐ง๐š๐›๐ข๐ฌ ๐Œ๐š๐ซ๐ค๐ž๐ญ ๐ŸŒฟ Join Ben & AnnaRae on High Spirits as we delve into the whirlwind experience of the first 30 days following the launch of a brand new dispensary in New Jersey. Our guest, Tahir Johnson, CEO of Simply Pure Trenton NJ and President of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, shares his firsthand insights and the roller-coaster ride of opening one of the first Black-owned social-equity cannabis businesses in th...
Could the fragmented cannabis market in Latin America be the next big thing for savvy investors? Join us as we uncover the secrets of this untapped market with our special guest, Javier Hasse, the Managing Director at Benzinga and founder of El Planteo. In this episode, Javier shares his unique insights into the challenges and opportunities that exist within various Latin American countries, detailing how cultural acceptance and patient advocacy are reshaping the industry. With his extensive ...
Imagine launching your first business at just 13 years old. That's precisely what our special guest, Aaron Nosbisch, did, and his entrepreneurial spirit has only grown since. Aaron, now the founder and CEO of Breeze and Lucyd Media, joins us from an airport en route to Burning Man to share his incredible journey. From his early days in the fashion world to the intricate landscape of cannabis and hemp marketing, Aaron brings a wealth of knowledge and some really creative strategies. Our conve...
๐ŸŒฟ ๐ƒ๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ'๐ฌ ๐‹๐ž๐ญ๐ญ๐ฎ๐œ๐ž ๐–๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐ƒ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐†๐ž๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐š: ๐”๐ง๐ฉ๐š๐œ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐๐ž๐š๐œ๐ก ๐’๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ž'๐ฌ ๐‚๐š๐ง๐ง๐š๐›๐ข๐ฌ ๐’๐œ๐ž๐ง๐ž ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐‰๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐‡๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ŸŒฟ Join Ben and AnnaRae this week on High Spirits as we delve deep into Georgiaโ€™s newly launched cannabis program with Judson Hill, the Georgia Market President for Fine Fettle, one of the stateโ€™s six licensed operators. This episode will explore the current landscape of cannabis in Georgia, the emerging dynamics between cannabis and hemp, and what the future holds for patients and consumers in...
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