In this episode of Thinking Outside the Bud, host Bruce Eckfeldt interviews Jason Ambrosino, founder and CEO of Veterans Holdings. Jason shares his journey from Army officer to cannabis entrepreneur, discussing his personal experience with cannabis as an alternative to VA medications. He delves into the challenges of entering New York's cannabis market, the founding of Veterans Hemp Market, and his company’s mission to provide affordable, accessible cannabis products for veterans. Jason also offers insights into the current state of the New York cannabis industry, its rapid growth, and his strategies for staying competitive and adaptable in a dynamic market.
In this episode of Thinking Outside the Bud, host Bruce Eckfeldt interviews Max Majot, expert grower at Royal Queen Seeds. Max shares his journey into the cannabis industry, beginning with his early exposure to tribal cannabis cultivation in New Caledonia and his passion for the plant’s therapeutic benefits. He discusses Royal Queen Seeds’ innovative approach to cannabis breeding, particularly their focus on F1 hybrids, which offer greater consistency and quality in cannabis cultivation.
Max explains the challenges of maintaining genetic stability in an evolving market, highlighting the complexity of producing consistent cannabis plants for both medical and recreational use. He emphasizes the importance of technological advancements, like in-vitro storage and breeding programs, in creating standardized plants that meet industry demands.
The conversation also delves into global market trends, with Max comparing the differences between home-growing cultures in Europe and the U.S. He explores the future of the cannabis industry, predicting that research-based breeding will drive the next phase of cannabis cultivation, especially in the medical sector. Max concludes by discussing the shifting consumer preferences in cannabis flavors and aromas and how Royal Queen Seeds is adapting to meet these trends.
In this episode of Thinking Outside the Bud, host Bruce Eckfeldt interviews David Kostiner, CEO and Co-Founder of Lumenary, and Robbie Schneider, Inventor and CTO. David and Robbie share the story of their innovative journey in the cannabis industry, highlighting the development of the Beam laser vaporizer—a cutting-edge device that leverages laser technology to offer a purer, healthier vaping experience. They discuss the challenges of pioneering this new technology, the meticulous process of prototyping and perfecting the product, and their strategy to position the Beam as a game-changer in the market. The conversation also touches on their plans for future product developments, the importance of safety in cannabis devices, and how they aim to revolutionize the industry with their technology-driven approach.
In this episode of Thinking Outside the Bud, host Bruce Eckfeldt interviews Harrison Bard, Co-Founder of Custom Cones USA. Harrison shares his journey from working at Amazon to diving into the cannabis industry, driven by a passion for innovation. They explore the evolution of Custom Cones USA, from its humble beginnings selling custom-branded pre-rolled cones to becoming a leader in the pre-roll and packaging market. Harrison discusses the importance of quality control, compliance, and innovation in creating a wide variety of products for companies of all sizes. He also delves into the technical challenges and advancements in the industry, the growing trend of infused pre-rolls, and the company's approach to developing new products that enhance the consumer experience.
In this episode of "Thinking Outside the Bud," host Bruce Eckfeldt welcomes David Zelinger, a board member at CLS Holdings and founder of Canis Major Partners. David shares his journey from being a chef to working in finance, eventually transitioning into the cannabis industry. He highlights the compliance-heavy nature of both finance and cannabis sectors and discusses the opportunities and challenges in the evolving cannabis market, particularly in New York. The conversation covers the importance of scalable systems and procedures, the volatility of the market, and the strategic positioning within the supply chain to mitigate risks. David also touches on how different states' regulatory environments impact the industry's growth and the potential future federal developments in the U.S. cannabis market.
Industry leader Joe Caltabiano is known for being one of the smartest people in the business. He’s originated over $2 billion in loans in his 16-year career, working with more than 5,000 clients in that time span. Caltabiano’s business extends across the entire nation, though he does have a particular focus right here in Illinois. In fact, he’s earned bragging rights as the No. 1 loan officer by units for the entire state last year.
Jacques Santucci, President of Nucleus-One Consulting, a leading business performance management providing specialized management and growth strategies, assisting clients nationwide navigate the complex and evolving challenges of starting and operating a cannabis business, founded on the premise of sharing his experience and proven best practices, to define cannabis success at the intersection of finance, operations and strategy.
Carolina Vazquez Mitchell, an esteemed cannabis scientist who is one of the 100 million people nationwide that report having difficulty sleeping. While she rarely used cannabis recreationally, Carolina found potential in the emerging scientific evidence supporting the plant’s effectiveness at inducing sleep with minimal side effects.
Prior to joining Exactus as President, Derek served as the Cheif Growth Officer at EcoGen Laboratories, where he was responsible for over $100 million in revenue. Prior to his time to EcoGen Derek was the CEO/Co-Founder of Healing Ventures, a marketing & supply chain firm that helped bring several leading CBD companies to market. He is a thought leader who has played a substantial role in the emerging hemp industry.
Heralded as “The Queen of Legal Weed” by Inc. (May 2017) and “The Martha Stewart of Edibles” by Entrepreneur (Jan. 2019), Nancy Whiteman is CEO of Wana Brands, the producer of top selling cannabis infused products featuring a portfolio of diverse forms including edibles, vapes and extended release capsules, four different CBD/THC ratios as well as a variety of different dosages, onset times and duration of effects.
Spencer is the President of Sangha Systems. Founded in 2017, based out of Brooklyn and Chicago, Sangha is a project development company focused on power infrastructure and renewable energy to supply cheap non-fossil fuel energy to the most energy dense end users in the world, including cannabis cultivation and data centers.
Entrepreneur, Leader, Fitness Fanatic, Healthcare Professional - Mark brings a passion and joy for living to everything he does. From Chairman of the Board of a $20mm health services agency to Certified Yoga Instructor Mark has accumulated an impressive array of diverse experiences. Known for his charismatic, high energy approach to leadership, Mark has led many groups to successful completion of their missions.
Amanda, Jason, their two dogs and soon to be son, Jones, call Austin, Texas home but are avid RV’ers and travelers. Launching their vision for a true lifestyle brand, the Crawford’s are hitting the open road on the Sovereignty biohacking bus to live their dream of work life balance and creating content to help educate the world about plant medicine and peak performance.
