The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 14: Adam Levin - High Times
The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews Adam Levin, the Executive Chairman of High Times.
Adam is a serial entrepreneur and investor who has started and sold an education technology company, owned a number of media entities, CPG businesses, a restaurant chain, and more. Levin has been Managing Director of Oreva Capital Corp, since September 2016 and for five years prior to that was the Managing Director of Vert Capital Corp where he oversaw the day to day operations of the firm and led the acquisition of a number of companies. He has extensive experience in the fields of mobile, social networking, entertainment as well as venture capital and merger and acquisition strategies.
We chat about the storied history and exciting future of High Times. Adam tells me about the challenges of running the most recognized brand in Cannabis and being under constant scrutiny. He shares his personal story of going from being the entrepreneur who always had a bong on his desk to buying High Times, “a dream come true.”
In this episode we discuss:
Buying High Times from the original families that owned it for 40+ years
Ignoring the noise, dealing with constant scrutiny from haters, critics, doubters and outsiders
The attractiveness and relevance of the High Times brand
Taking High Times public with REG A
Why Adam's more excited about the future of High Times than ever before and some recent deals High Times has made
Hiring Peter Horvath, former Chief Commercialization Officer of American Eagle Outfitters and former Chief Operating Officer at Victoria’s Secret to be the new CEO of High Times
A common misconception about High Times and High Times' readers
Resources:
The Cannabis Business Book - Michael Zaytsev - The Cannabis Business Coach
Subscribe to “The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast” now on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on YouTube.
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The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 13: Caroline Phillips - National Cannabis Festival
The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews and coaches Caroline Phillips, the Founder and Executive Producer of the National Cannabis Festival.
Caroline is the visionary and leader behind one of the largest and coolest Cannabis events in the world: the National Cannabis Festival. We discuss Caroline's foray into Cannabis business and the lessons she's learned along the way. We also chat about the difficult, yet necessary, decision to postpone her signature event, the National Cannabis Festival due to Covid19.
In the coaching portion, Mike Z helps Caroline see that our greatest challenges often present our greatest opportunities as we examine the silver lining of postponing this year's festival.
In this episode we discuss:
Getting into the Cannabis industry with the desire to offer affordable access to Cannabis education and experiences
Coming from the non-profit and human rights space
The long term and stressful nature of large scale event production
The importance of balancing work with leisure and self care activities
Caroline's favorite Cannabis miracle
Risking everything she had to make the National Cannabis Festival happen
Having to postpone this year’s festival and dealing with all the challenges associated with that
The renewed focus on public health in Cannabis and beyond due to Covid19
Why raising money isn't necessarily the first step to launching a Cannabis startup
The importance of trusting yourself when starting a Cannabis business
The value of investing in and working with a career coach
Resources:
National Drug Policy Reform Seminar - The National Drug Policy Reform Seminar (NDPRS) is a free, nonpartisan, virtual public gathering place for policymakers, experts, and advocates from across the United States to discuss the evolving drug policy landscape and future of marijuana law reform.
The Cannabis Business Book - Michael Zaytsev - The Cannabis Business Coach
Subscribe to “The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast” now on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on YouTube.
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The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 12: Claudia Post - Most Consulting Group
The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews and coaches Claudia Post, the CEO and Founder of Most Consulting Group.
Claudia entered the Cannabis industry with decades of entrepreneurship experience. For the past 12 years, she's run a Cannabis marketing agency. Claudia shares about the 2 exciting, new Cannabis businesses she's currently launching, the simple question that leads to true innovation, how to get started in the industry, as well as timeless business advice from two of her greatest mentors. She offers insights about the importance of developing resilience, building a supportive and complementary team, and how to authentically reinvent yourself as entrepreneurs must do from time to time.
In the coaching portion, Mike Z helps Claudia think differently about leveraging her existing client relationships for finding investment capital for her new ventures.
In this episode we discuss:
Being the proud mother of renowned glass artist @Snicbarnes and entering the Cannabis business upon her son’s insistence
Starting a Cannabis marketing agency 12 years ago
The importance of being a good listener and a great prospector
Claudia’s experience building a transportation and logistics courier company and running that for many years
How a college intern graduated to becoming Claudia's business partner and why Claudia loves working with millennials and younger people
The difficulty of dealing with quarantine as a very social, people-oriented person
Why the captain must go down with the ship and how being a leader means having to take care of and be responsible for your team
The simple question that leads to true innovation
How to get started in the Cannabis industry
Timeless business advice from two of her greatest mentors
Resources:
The Cannabis Business Book - Michael Zaytsev - The Cannabis Business Coach
Subscribe to “The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast” now on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or on YouTube.
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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
Subscribe to “The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast” now on Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.
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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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