Angela Colandrea, CEO, Herban Canna Co
Angela is a business owner, wife & mother. She is on a mission to educate people about marijuana and its possibilities, breaking the stigma of cannabis and to help people share their cannabis success stories.“Im here to help inspire others to open their hearts and minds and hear someone else story about cannabis.”
https://herbancannaco.com/
https://www.instagram.com/herbanlive/
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:01] You're listening to Thinking Outside the Bud where we speak with entrepreneurs investors thought leaders researchers advocates and policymakers who are finding new and exciting ways for cannabis to positively impact business society and culture. And now, here is your host Business Coach Bruce Eckfeldt.
[00:00:30] Are you a CEO looking to scale your company faster and easier. Checkout Thrive Roundtable thrive combines a moderated peer group mastermind expert one on one coaching access to proven growth tools and a 24/7 support community created by Inc. Award winning CEO and certified scaling up business coach Bruce Eckfeldt. Thrive will help you grow your business more quickly and with less drama. For details on the program visit Eckfeldt.com/thrive. That's E C K F E L D T.com/thrive.
[00:01:06] Welcome everyone. This is Thinking Outside the Bud. I'm Bruce Eckfeldt. I'm your host. And our guest today is Angela Colandrea and she is founder of Herban Canna Co. We're gonna talk to her about her experience as a founder, as a business owner, as a owner of multiple businesses, as a entrepreneur. We're gonna learn a little bit about how she got into cannabis, about her cannabis, helps her, serves her in her life. Not only, a business owner and a business leader, but also as a parent, I'm always fascinated by people who are also running businesses and being parents.
[00:01:34] I've done that. I know the trials and tribulations always love these stories. So I'm excited for this conversation. I'm excited to learn more. Angela is based in New Jersey. So we're gonna talk a little bit about the New Jersey situation and how that's played out in terms of licensing. And you're a little bit about how it's impacting folks that want to start cannabis businesses and get involved in the cannabis industry. I think that's a really good insight there. Submission, conversation. So with that. Angela, welcome to the program.
[00:01:56] How are you? Thanks so much for having me.
[00:01:57] I'm well and thank you for being on. So let's start with a little bit of the backstory. I always love hearing the stories about how people kind of got into cannabis both personally and then professionally. And then we talk a little bit about the business side and the businesses that you're involved now and then how cannabis is fitting into that. But yeah, let's go back to the story. Tell me a little bit about the background and how cannabis played into things.
[00:02:17] Cannabis user, so to speak. You know, when I was 18, I thought I was just smoking pot to relax and it was something that made me happy. I will go with the flow of life. Akira came from a little bit of a rough background, so I ran away from home when I was 18. Come to find out years later I was actually self-medicating. So learning about how cannabis was a medical part of my life and to see that change and to stop taking pharmaceutical pills and only be using cannabis I think really inspired me to see what there was beyond, you know, just smoking it that it was actually so much more. My favorite thing to say is people have always been like, oh, my God, and you're just so happy. And you really know my backstories and the chapters that came before, you be like, oh, my goodness. Yeah. You know, I ran away from home. I had a really tough life. My mom, we had some serious physical, emotional things going on. So cannabis has just inspired me to want to be a better human. Yeah. Two years ago, I became a medical patient in Jersey.
[00:03:22] This was as a Jersey resident. New Jersey resident.
[00:03:24] As a Jersey resident. Yeah. I lived in Florida for about seven years. And then I came home. I've been home for about 10 years now. New Jersey program is about 10 years old, but I've only been patient in the program for the last two years.
[00:03:38] Tell me a little bit about that. What was that experience like? I mean, in terms of being a user and wanting to get onto the medical program? Hard. Easy.
[00:03:45] Was it, you know, given substance in New Jersey, the list of qualifying conditions, you know, PTSD, anxiety and migraines was something that was recently added to a to a family that advocated because of the loss of their son, an amazing organization, B, like G.
[00:04:03] So several more conditions were added. So more patients actually had access to the program. Got it. But lack of people being able to have access to like what doctors could write them a recommendation or does their doctor know enough to write them a recommendation? Are they replacing medicines with cannabis? Unfortunately, that's still something that's growing and changing. And there are amazing advocates out there pressing for that.
[00:04:29] You know, me being a previous cannabis user, I think helped a lot, you know, because I knew that I wanted. I knew it made me feel good. But black market, unfortunately, to call it that, let's say there are some people that are home growing their plants that don't know what they're doing, that don't know the science behind it. And unfortunately, it's great to have Joe and Fred and Bob up the street, but they don't always know what they have or where it's coming from. You know, certain strains help with different conditions on certain days. I need different strains to help me wake up and get through the pain to break through those mental pressures and battles. So for me, it was important to have an array of those strains available in my home coming from, you know, where it's being regulated and tested. And I know that it's clean cannabis, you know, and especially as a mom at home with kids using clean medicine was super important at the top of my list.
[00:05:24] Yeah. Now, it was really about making sure you had quality product that you knew. It was you could kind of dial in the product that you're getting based on the empty effect that you wanted in the medical program, provided that for you. Absolutely. So you got to medical program something about two years ago. Walk us through then. The journey from there. How how you kind of evolved your your relationship to cannabis and the business.
[00:05:44] So I own and operate a pizzeria, a local pizzeria with my husband. We've been doing that for the last 10 years. It's been in his family for the last 25 years. When I was at the dispensary one day making a purchase, a gentleman came in on a stretcher to get his medicine out to me. That was wild. Now, tax dollars paid for this guy to be in no condition to even take the right to have to get his medicine. And what he had to go through for trying to make a healthy choice. But if he wanted to pay $5, his insurance would cover a bottle of 200 oxy and he could take those pills. Not probably causing himself long term effects of feeling better, but a medium immediate pain relief. But that was only causing him a list of more harm. So they got this and I had made a joke. It was started as a joke that we didn't deliver pizza, but we could deliver pasta. You know, I can actually deliver. I said no, we could deliver. You know, it's moving a different product. Yeah. So I kind of put a business plan together and I really got super passionate about it, doing more researching development and how the community work, how other states and their programs, whether it was medical or recreational, were putting things together to give people protected access to the plan, you know, making sure that it was safe and regulated. And it just really inspired me to want to do it all. You know, like people that I were talking to, elderly people were so interested in the fact that they could use cannabis to change their life and maybe not even smoke it, that they could use it paten cream or an oil underneath their town.
[00:07:28] You know, all of these different ways to consume, but they had no way to access the education on how they could do that. And a lot of doctors, really, unless you're looking for it, aren't in the market to teach you that.
[00:07:40] Yeah. I mean, give me your sense of, you know, in terms of the medical side of things, I'm most curious about this, that, you know, the state passes these laws that allow, you know, medical programs. But then my impression there's a very little real development of the actual medical community to be able to, you know, properly use the product, you know, help advise the process in terms of, you know, given your conditions and the impact that you want to have. How do you know what types of cannabis products, what modality is, you know, uses and stuff? I mean, what's what's your kind of take at this point, having been part of the medical program about the actual medical side of it in terms of where we are, in terms of education, in terms of knowledge, in terms of, you know, being, you know, helping patients actually find the right products? What's what's your assessment?
[00:08:22] I think that cannabis advocacy is louder now more than ever. And thanks to those advocates, whether it be at a state or national or local level. More people are hearing it, are listening. And programs now are being developed so that medical professionals can actually get further education. They can get continued education on this side of, you know, pain relief or chemotherapy patients or, you know, whichever part of the symptoms that they may be treating. Cannabis treats many, many, many different conditions. And I think now, because people really want that there are being programs that are being developed, but it's new and it's something that is just starting. So we're still very much in a newbie phase that there is lack of education and knowing your source and making sure that you're following the right type of pages or, you know, people who are truly educated, you know, going to a doctor that cares about your health and isn't just about taking your money, because unfortunately, that's happening to you. So you need to have a good judge of character. I'd like to say and you know, people at an advocate level like myself, other patients, brands of companies that have products that really want to benefit a consumer's life, whether it's in a medical aspect or a recreational aspect, then putting themselves out there and having boots on the ground to speak to people and go to these candidates events and seminars. I was just in Vegas for M.J. Biz. You know, those people kind of coming together to be like, you know, people need to know about this. We have an event about that. Let's get together and do this. I think now those spider webs are growing and the access is definitely. Those doors are starting to open. But we're still very, very much in the beginning know at least on our coast out here in Jersey.
[00:10:15] Well, yeah. So, I mean, I'm curious about your kind of take on MJB is and and what you're noticing as being, you know, I guess different or unique about New Jersey, East Coast relative to some of the other states that have had. For a while, you know, both medical and adult use were. What do you notice as being kind of the same or different or it's just curious where you're seeing the contrast in terms of the markets. You know, either in terms of the demand side, you know, patients or or how is the market developing on the patient side? And then from the industry side, how are things playing out differently in terms of how the actual underlying state cannabis industry is the same or different from these other states?
[00:10:50] Well, I think because West Coast, some of these states rolled out programs and allowed the sales of cannabis that were unregulated and are now trying to go back and regulate these markets that have already been operating for some small amount of time. New Jersey is trying to regulate everything down to the last stem right out of the gate to do it the right way. I think some people don't see it that way. And, you know, depending on the sensitivity of your case, if you are a medical patient, there are cases that need sensitive and better access right now and that can't wait. And unfortunately, it's sad that cases like that hung up a little bit in legislation. I did feel this is my second time going out to NJ based conference and the East Coast like presence of brands, companies, patients, industry professionals was so loud really. It was kind of nice to be amongst friends and peers that were out there. I didn't feel like, you know, this is definitely it. And all West Coast crowd Yeah. So I think that coming for 20/20 and moving forward, you know, East Coast, Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, especially with that Boston market, know everything is booming. It's the next three years are gonna be crazy. Yeah.
[00:12:03] Yeah. What's your take? I mean, I don't know how much you keep up on the kind of the policy development and legislation development. But, you know, we've got both New York and New Jersey, you know, play with the don't use legalization for a while.
[00:12:15] You think it's going to happen? What's your what's your take at this point?
[00:12:18] I mean, I feel like it's almost like a race, because if New Jersey doesn't legalize for New York or vice versa, people from each state are going to go across the bridge or through the tunnel to get and purchase what they need and bring it back. Whether you know that's legal or not, that's something that's really going to happen. Yeah. So it would be smarter and better for the economy, for Jersey to most definitely do it first, get ahead of the game. I think that up to recently, Jersey has been very, almost split in half. Like forty nine fifty one kind of a deal as far as adult use. So I think now more than ever, those people that really want to have it need to be out there advocating going to town meetings, talking to your friends and neighbors about it. Because when people go to those ballots, it's really going to make the difference. So the seeds that are being planted now are really going to make New Jersey grow or not, you know? So the advocacy is the most important thing now. And if the right people are delivering that message, I definitely think that it will happen. New Jersey wants it that, you know, they want the money.
[00:13:21] You know, I mean, there's definitely there's there's financial incentive. Revenue incentive. Oh, my goodness. So, yeah, I live I live in Fort Lee right now looking onto the George Washington Bridge.
[00:13:30] So I can imagine if if if Jersey goes first that this is a hotbed for cannabis use by bye Manhattanites.
[00:13:38] But yeah, it's it's does create an interesting play between between New York and New Jersey about who's who's going to legalize first in terms of the business side. I mean, tell us about Urban Kanako. What your kind of what are the ambitions? What's the plan? How has that played out for you? What are the what are the things that have been a challenge? What other things have been easier than you thought? I was always curious about the cannabis business, how how people develop it and then how it plays out.
[00:14:00] So initially, you know, part of the application process is having towns and city officials that will allow you to operate. And, you know, you have to have a piece of paper or an addendum that says that these towns will work with you. So explaining and advocating at the level why cannabis will benefit the town, whether it's for the people that are going to be using it or for the economy of the town, for the people that don't. That has been an interesting conversation that I was quite scared of in the beginning. And now I love to have it all. I'm with anybody. It's all about the delivery of the conversation is something I've learned. So I believe that cannabis is. It's like everywhere, hiding in plain sight. Everybody knows somebody that uses cannabis, whether it's medically or recreationally. And sometimes people just need to kind of step out of the box, step out of their own life, to open their minds, to open their hearts and be like, you know, what if what if that was me or what if that was my grandma? What if that was my kid? Interesting. So breaking it down that way has been what I thought would have been a challenge has been fantastic, trying to keep up with the legislation as far as regulation and dealing with people that don't know a lot about cannabis. Writing the law is a struggle. Yeah, now I feel like that there is a lot of control at a legislative level level of people who know nothing about the plan and what it's capable of and all the different properties because it's like an onion. There's so many. Laywers.
[00:15:27] Yeah. Yes. Liquidy, you find that they typically serve legislatures or, you know, people that are involved in kind of writing the laws or figure out how the programs are going to work. What are the things that are typically a challenge for them to understand, you know, either about the plan, about its use, about the nature of the market, you know, consumers, where do things typically either go awry or become a problem for folks?
[00:15:47] I think it's still very much that stigma is at the top of the umbrella, that it's Cheech and Chong and it's just people getting high when actually it's creating jobs, it's changing lives, it's bringing families together. It's a whole nother chapter of that opioid addiction that we have going on. You know, if people really have an addictive personality and need to use something to get off of harder drugs that they're using, they can't physically consume the amount of pot that would kill them. So I think there are so many more conversations about that stigma of the plant and the benefits of it that people are just so hung up on old times in that bag that's been pulled over their head. That stigma is everything. And until that show can really be broken, the finances in black and white, they can see that these other communities and states that have passed these laws are making millions of dollars.
[00:16:37] Quite frankly, it seems like I think Boston I think the Massachusetts program I think the last report is they made 420 million. I don't know if you saw that.
[00:16:47] Could you imagine a comment like crazy? Yeah. And this is in you know, in one year's time. Yeah. You know, that's solving all of our economic issues and saving for once to go.
[00:17:01] Yeah. Well there's bullying. I mean, you know, I I guess I always look at that as a bad economy is happening one way or another. It's whether it's going to be black market or whether you're gonna pull it out. Meat market actually tax and make money on it.
[00:17:11] So that's why I like to say that cannabis is hiding everywhere in plain sight. Yeah. So we might as well as a community come together and people be like, OK, you know what? Listen, I'm not for it and it's not for me. But it's going to create jobs. It's going to donate money to school. Donate money to the holes in the road. New Jersey is a big hole in the road. You know, there are just so many different things. And I really hope that, like I said, from now, until the people go to vote, the right people are planting the right seeds and, you know, having those conversations in the right kind of way so that when it comes to November, people are going to stand there and be like, you know what, this could really make a difference if it's not directly in my own life, in my everyday life around me, to my community and then and other people that I love that, you know, can benefit from this.
[00:17:57] We were better off with a well-structured, well regulated safe market than than having this black market. Interesting. Of course. So tell us, like what you've been able to achieve today in terms of getting the business kind of prepped and ready. And what are you kind of waiting for? How do you see this playing out, you know, in the coming months, quarters as as hopefully legalization becomes more more imminent and real? And then how do you how do you actually make this happen? How do you turn this into a real successful business?
[00:18:25] Well, delivery now in New Jersey is seen as an ancillary company. Right now, New Jersey is only allowing for vertically integrated companies to apply. However, in the new bill that did come out past July, the A20 be like Jake Bill, I did break it down that other retail stores, dispensaries and ancillary companies could apply to be operating businesses in New Jersey. But those companies are still awaiting regulations. And until those regulations are available and the Cannabis Regulatory Commission in New Jersey has been formed, we're kind of in limbo. Janet, wait it. So what I've been doing to try to prepare myself and be a leg up is going based off the application process for a fully integrated dispensary in, you know, making those relationships with communities, you know, security software brands that I want to work with that are, you know, patient friendly, you know, doing all the groundwork and foundation so that when New Jersey says, well, you can have this must cannabis there, you can have this many facilities or, you know, however there say I have to do it by the book, I'll have my plan A, B and C, interesting to sort of putting all the different pieces in place that might be useful given various possible configurations.
[00:19:42] Know one wants to give their markets. Yeah, exactly.
[00:19:45] And then what. And once the rules of the game are actually laid out and finalized, then you can figure out which chess pieces you're going to move in and execute on the business. That's smart.
[00:19:53] So, you know, until then, you know, building that business, I'm going into these conventions and these seminars and meeting people.
[00:20:00] I'm helping to provide education and access to events within the local cannabis community of nations and industry professionals around me. You know, so that people know that there is a cannabis community, there is a safe place to come and talk and discuss how cannabis can change your life, the different ways that you can use and consume in a good way and safe way to talk to your children about cannabis, especially me being a parent. Last ditch.
[00:20:24] Yeah. Yeah. Talk to me about that whole. Hold your.
[00:20:27] Again, I have two boys, my son actually just turned three yesterday. I have a nine month old son.
[00:20:34] So you're young? I have. I have older kids. And it's always. It's funny. We've had various conversations.
[00:20:38] And actually, my my older son does my YouTube work. He's he's taking the episodes from these ism and helping me. You know, he's part of the podcast family business.
[00:20:48] It is. And it's fascinating. It's you know, I mean, I guess it's we have this they're just in interesting times because at some level they're still exposed to some of the kind of the media and the content, the, you know, the kind of stigmatized cannabis use. But they're also, you know, at this point, you know, it's been around and they kind of get it. They see sort of the different facets of it's I mean, saying common culture. But they're they're picking up various parts. And we have all sorts of conversations about it. And it's just always fascinated by parents who are in the cannabis space, how they talk about cannabis to their kids. And then, you know, to what extent is it a big deal? It's not a big deal. You know, it's always kind of, you know, how does it fit into all the other things you need to talk to your children about? But I'm just kind of curious on people's approaches and strategy and how they do that.
[00:21:27] You know, I also think with how the world is changing with cannabis and how old your children are now in the world, each set of parents are having different kinds of conversations with their kids. You know, my kids are so little now. My husband and I are both medical marijuana patients. And, you know, we shop at the dispensary. And if I would put my blue jar on the counter, you know, my three year old son knows that's mommy's medicine, just as if I were to take out a Tylenol jar. And that's important. And that's how, you know, we're going to grow up in our house and my kids. You know, the blue jars or you know, the clear jars with the black tops. It's not going to be those orange pill bottles that allow a norm in our home. And as they get older and, you know, we get them to the Dare program and understanding that medical marijuana and, you know, somebody's using recreational cannabis, especially children at a young age, there is a difference. And it is important for kids to understand that that at a young age, their cognitive development and they need to grow and, you know, be their personal best. So now a twelve year old shouldn't be smoking pot to get high, you know, unless they have some medical symptoms that they really need to treat.
[00:22:34] And then there's ways for them to take cannabis in a way that they can bypass their liver. And they're not even getting high and they're still getting the benefits from the plant. So it's there's very different kinds of layered conversations that we need to be having with our kids, but that. Oh, no, you know, it's hot. Yeah. Theatre, smell it. That has to stop. Yeah.
[00:22:53] Yeah. No, I agree.
[00:22:54] It just it just perpetuates the stigma that still our drinking wine in front of them looks like it's a total norm.
[00:23:01] Yeah. Yeah, exactly. I'm cares about the community side. I mean, I know that you're active in the community and you know, here in the, you know, New Jersey, New York kind of tri state area, what have you seen that has been really helpful in terms of community organization? What groups have been, you know, supportive? Where do you think we still need to build more community? Are there particular parts of the population that are better served and not not as well served in terms of, you know, the community around cannabis culture, cannabis use, cannabis industry? What have you noticed?
[00:23:29] I guess in your interaction with the people in the area, I think that the cannabis community of brands, of people that are creating jobs and building companies that want to get in the game, whether they're edible companies or they're having events, there are people that create products that you can use to consume cannabis, drink.
[00:23:51] It's that community is growing. And the creativity and the innovation is there. I think that the advocacy from some of these companies, because of the stigma, they're kind of afraid to come forward and advocate it, maybe like a community level to speak to state officials and things like that. But though I think those companies really need to stand behind their brand and be like, this is you know, this is what I do. This is what I stand behind. I can create a product that can change somebody's life and I can create jobs. I can pay taxes that can contribute to the community. You know, look at me. Here I am. I want to see personally more of that. I know that over the last year, a lot of the community and people that I work with, I'm seeing more of that. And it makes me so proud of my peers. So when I first got into this particular industry, a woman truly inspired me and took me under her wing and gave me the power to believe that I could do it, too. So I can only hope that seeing me do it inspires others, because those voices are the ones that really need to be heard at the legislative level. Like I'm there, I'm going to create a company that's gonna change things and that's important.
[00:24:55] Yeah, as fascinate. I mean, I think of all the industries that I've kind of worked in and coach companies within. I mean, the cannabis one is not only fascinating from a market dynamic and a market development, but just that the connection and integration with the community and social issues and you know, it just has such an impact in such a portrait of a power powerful social presence that just makes it interesting from a from a business side as well.
[00:25:18] Absolutely. And for that, those different communities within the community come together for me, the people that. I met that I get to work with that have taught me things about, you know, that cannabis community and social injustices of the program. You know, the history of the plant over the years. It's really incredible. And I you know, I joke and I say all the time when we were going to a beskind and we were on the flight to Vegas, I'd say probably 30 to 40 percent of the plane were made up of people that were going to the convention.
[00:25:51] And these people were fly in together having the time of their life. I decided between two gentlemen and we were talking about the industry. We were talking about cannabis. We were talking about family, kids. You could never go to another convention and turn to your left and just have an open conversation with somebody and continue to do that for the length of your three hour, you know, four hour flight. You know what I mean? That's empowering stuff. Yeah, that's lifting somebody up. That's changing the world. Because when everybody got off that plane and got to Vegas, we were ready to do what we had to do. And that to me is an amazing feeling. And I feel like that every day when I wake up and I work in cannabis, it too.
[00:26:28] Good advice or insight would you give to someone who's either thinking about getting into the space or maybe has a company that you know is not in cannabis, but could be they could pivot into cannabis? What thoughts would you give them in terms of things to think about things to watch out for, things to take advantage of, to be successful in the business?
[00:26:46] There's definitely something for everybody, no matter what you do marketing, development, banking, security, art events. There's, you know, every layer of the cannabis community, just like every layer of life, there's a job for everyone. And, you know, I know it sounds corny, but if you really want to, like, wake up and love your life and be part of something that makes you feel good. Know, I can't say that I've met a canvas brand or company that had something bad to say about what they're doing in that community. Feel yet? Yeah. And you know, with no risk comes no reward if you really, you know, want to have something and believe in it. You have to be you have to stand behind yourself, even cannabis, because you had a lot of brick walls and you're going to hear a million no's sometimes before you get a yes. But we are upon that world and that world is coming. So if you believe in yourself and you believe in the cannabis community, then don't take no for an answer.
[00:27:40] And I applaud you for doing it early. I know. It's actually getting quite better in many respects. Yes. I think starting it now is a bit easier. I know, you know, people that that were involved in this, you know, over subsequent years. Oh, you're so much older.
[00:27:53] May definitely be. Blaine made it much easier for people like me. You know, even still running into those areas and things that are happening now, it's way easier than things that they've gone through. And hopefully we'll continue to grow and build and we'll get to a time where people can just easily applied to open and operate and have the cannabis business and children will be proper.
[00:28:15] Angela, this has been a pleasure. If people want to find out more about you, about Herban Canna Co, what's the best way to get that information so you can go to my Web site?
[00:28:23] herbancannaco.com and there's blog information on there about my advocacy, some cannabis education and access in New Jersey. I'm actually going to be selling some items on their products that I stand behind that as a patient I like to use that make my life easier as a mom when I'm consuming cannabis. You can also follow me on Instagram herbanlive for some fun cannabis education as well.
[00:28:48] Or I'll make sure that the links and handles are on the show notes so people can click through and get those until it has been a pleasure. Thank you so much for taking the time. Great conversation. Great stories. I really appreciate you coming on and talking. Was it's been it's been a lot of fun.
[00:29:01] Thank you so much for having me. It was my pleasure to chat with you and I hope start you again in the near future.
[00:29:08] You've been listening to Thinking Outside the Bud with Business Coach Bruce Eckfeldt to find a full list of podcast episodes. Download the tools and worksheets and access other great content. Visit the Web site at thinkingoutsidethebud.com. And don't forget to sign up for the free newsletter at thinkingoutsidethebud.com/newsletter.