The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 11: Ross O'Brien - Bonaventure Equity
The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews and coaches Ross O'Brien, Founder of Bonaventure Equity and author of "Cannabis Capital: How to Get Your Business Funded in the Cannabis Economy."
Ross and Michael discuss raising money during this pandemic economic cycle, how entrepreneurs can protect themselves from shark investors, why Cannabis venture capital is different from traditional venture capital and how that informs Ross's investment thesis, writing a book in 90 days and more.
In the coaching portion, Ross and Mike Z look at some of the work/life trade offs required when running your own business.
In this episode we discuss:
Ross’s transition from family office investment management to Cannabis venture capital
Taking the pandemic as an opportunity to double down on what was working and cutting out a lot of noise
Why Ross doesn’t believe there’s a Cannabis industry and how he defines the Cannabis economy
Why Cannabis venture capital is different from traditional venture capital and how that informs Ross's investment thesis
Writing his book, "Cannabis Capital: How to Get Your Business Funded in the Cannabis Economy" in 3 months
Why Ross believes the future of Cannabis is NOT vertical integration
Ross' personal and business mission which inspired Mike Z
Resources:
The Cannabis Business Book - Michael Zaytsev - The Cannabis Business Coach
Cannabis Capital: How to Get Your Business Funded in the Cannabis Economy - Ross O’Brien, Founder of Bonaventure Equity
Zero to One: Peter Thiel - Founders Fund
Burn the Business Plan: What Great Entrepreneurs Really Do - Carl J. Schramm
Little Black Book of Entrepreneurship - Fernando Trias De Bes
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The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 10: Noah Miller - Black Dog LED
The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews and coaches Noah Miller, CEO of Black Dog LED, one of the Cannabis industry's oldest –and essentially original– LED grow light manufacturers.
Noah Miller shares his journey into Cannabis, how the skills developed in his earlier careers have served him in the industry, and why Cannabis is the most fun industry he’s ever been in. We talk about how Black Dog LED has been able to evolve and survive in a crowded and competitive niche for over a decade and why many others have failed. Noah also gifts me a quick science lesson on LED technology and a plant’s natural shade avoidance response. We have a spirited discussion about why federal legalization of Cannabis is both really scary and exciting.
In the coaching portion, Mike Z helps Noah deal with the challenges of keeping his team connected in this new normal of due-to-quarantine remote work.
In this episode we discuss:
Noah’s 3 professionals lives before his Cannabis life
Seeing Colorado legalize and thinking "no matter what I'm quitting my job and I will find a way into this industry"
Why so many LED & grow technology companies have failed over the years and how Black Dog LED has flourished for over a decade
Helping plants reach their genetic potential through effective and efficient lighting
Plant morphology
Selling LED lights to universities and governments for research purposes
Advice for beginner home growers
The greatest wildcard in the Cannabis cultivation process
What scares and excites Noah about Federal legalization
Resources:
Black Dog LED Educational Videos - Make sure to sprinkle in some of the EPIC time-lapse videos for fun in between the 100+ educational videos
The Cannabis Business Book - Michael Zaytsev - The Cannabis Business Coach
Crop King Seeds - Starter seeds in case you want to grow your own.
Subscribe to “The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast” now on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.
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The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 9: David Hess - Tress Capital
The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews and coaches David Hess, President & Co-Founder of Tress Capital, one of the first private investment firms dedicated exclusively to the Cannabis industry.
David shares his riveting personal story of going from a Cannabis enthusiast in high school who collected signatures for California's Prop 215 campaign, to taking Marinol for help with chemotherapy as a cancer patient, to Cannabis industry deal maker and investor.
We discuss the qualities an entrepreneur must have to succeed in Cannabis business, David's pet peeves when being pitched by entrepreneurs, his advice for green entrepreneurs and investors, and some of David's favorite investments that he's made.
In the coaching portion, we dance with work-life balance and I help David overcome his natural workaholic tendencies to make time for restorative self-care.
In this episode we discuss:
A day in the Life of a professional Cannabis investor
Collecting signatures for California’s Prop 215 after graduating high school
David’s battles with cancer and requesting a Marinol prescription from his Oncologist
Providing legitimacy and credibility to the plant and the industry
The amount of deal flow David goes through every year
Investing in Headset, SC Labs, Baker, and more
Discovering old IP and repurposing it for innovative Cannabis technology
The qualities David believes are essential for success in Cannabis business
A counter intuitive truth about Cannabis investing
One of David's biggest pet peeves when getting pitched
Resources:
Entrepreneurial Transitions - Roy F. Cammarano
The Resilience Factor - Karen Reivich
The Cannabis Business Book - Michael Zaytsev - The Cannabis Business Coach
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The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 8: Leslie Hoffman
The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews Leslie Hoffman, Founder of the Asheville Hemp Project and Communications Director at Harmony Foundation, one of New Jersey's six original vertically integrated Medical Cannabis businesses.
Leslie shares about her rich background in business and philanthropy which included carpentry and green building, starting a Hemp fashion brand, funding the OG's of Cannabis activism, running a non-profit and much more.
We chat about the future of sustainability vis-a-vis hemp building materials, biofuel, and textiles. In the coaching portion, we uncover a hidden gem in Leslie's network.
Lastly, Leslie takes me on a brief tour of her 23 acre Asheville Hemp farm.
In this episode we also discuss:
Going from architecture and carpentry to philanthropy to medical Cannabis and now to hemp farming
Launching a CPG brand during quarantine when most retailers weren’t doing business
The ethos behind The Asheville Hemp Project
Designing proprietary, biodegradable crutches for Asheville Hemp Project’s pre-rolls
The 2 ingredients Leslie believes are essential for entrepreneurial success
How the Cannabis industry is different from others Leslie has worked in
The future of New Jersey and New York’s Cannabis markets
Why politicians make lousy farmers
The importance of mentorship and apprenticeship
Resources:
Look Homeward, Angel - Thomas Wolfe
The Cannabis Business Book - Michael Zaytsev - The Cannabis Business Coach
Subscribe to “The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast” now on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.
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The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 7: Amber Senter
The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews and coaches Amber Senter, CEO of Leisure Life, an infused products & edibles company and co-founder of Supernova Women, a Cannabis education nonprofit. Amber talks about her pioneering work in Cannabis equity. We discuss Cannabis and race issues. Amber provides an update from California where several Cannabis businesses have been looted, discusses how hard it is to run a profitable, legal Cannabis business, and also shares a list of Black owned Cannabis businesses.
A veteran of the United States Coast Guard, Amber’s pre-cannabis career was spent in the south and midwest providing high level design and marketing services to Fortune 500 companies, including Home Depot, Walmart, and Whole Foods. After years of successful employment in traditional industries, Amber moved to California to work in the established medical cannabis industry full time. In her time in California, she went from Creative Director at a cannabis consulting firm to Chief Operations Officer (COO) at Magnolia Wellness. She also contributed to the Berkeley Compassionate Care Collective’s successful bid for a medical cannabis dispensary license in a highly competitive bidding process. Now Amber is the proprietor of a distribution company and several branded products including The Congo Club, Shady Pines Box Club, and more.
In the coaching portion, we work on making the right hire.
In this episode we discuss:
Amber going from winning a DARE poster design contest in school to trying Cannabis for the first time and realizing she had been lied to her whole Life
The journey from Cannabis blogger, to medical patient, to Cannabis CEO and pioneer
How California Cannabis businesses have been decimated by looting
The day in the life of a Cannabis CEO in Oakland, California
Amber’s latest initiative for expanding and supporting social equity in California Cannabis
Why the illicit market ran out of product during pandemic
How hard it is to run a profitable legal Cannabis business in California
A bunch of Black owned Cannabis brands you can support
Resources:
Supernova Women - Education resources for POC and Women of Color
Shady Pines Box Club - Amber’s delivery service
The Cannabis Business Book - Michael Zaytsev - The Cannabis Business Coach
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