To Be Blunt

"I didn't respect the plant, and when I finally learned to respect it and appreciate it, I was then able to find love and appreciation in myself to feel better and become a better version of me." - Kim FloresEveryone needs a minute, even if you're one of the top cannabis influencers. In this episode, Kim Flore shares how she started making treats for herself and her neighbors to fo

"Our mission is to bring cannabis back to its pre-prohibition status, where it's a widely accepted plant medicine." – Peter Barsoom What does it take to be a pioneering brand in the rapidly changing cannabis industry?In this episode, I chat with Peter Barsoom, co-founder of 1906 New Highs. Tracing 1906’s origin story and unique path through the emerging cannabis industry, Pete

"We push boundaries far past the status quo. We're not going to accept the status quo, but we choose to do that in a safe and calculated manner." – Chris Fontes In this episode, Shayda chats with Chris Fontes about his career journey in hemp, from initiating Hemp Exchange in 2018 to navigating challenges and market shifts. His innovations led him to pioneer hemp-derived Delta 9 e

“We produce cannabis where it should be produced and we sell cannabis where it should be sold – That's our thesis. That's what we've been fighting for. That’s our strategic pathway.” – Andrés FajardoIn my chat with Andrés Fajardo of Clever Leaves, we discuss how this Colombian-based company excels in the international cannabis market. Clever Leaves focuses on producing

“It was basically a perfect storm – There was only the black market. There was nothing legal about cannabis whatsoever. And so, thus began a fourteen-year journey of acquiring, dispensing, packaging, and transporting; Everything all in one. We were everything.” – Barry FoyBarry Foy, CEO of Gentlemen Smugglers, began his involvement in the cannabis industry in the early '70s

"I think Texas has one of the most accountable medical programs in the country. Meaning we can tell you who prescribed that prescription, what their pain program was, who bought it, what day it was bought, and who provided it." - Pat DavisTune in with Pat Davis from Weeds as he talks about the rigorous data analysis shaping the future of Texas' notable medical cannabis program! Exp

"We were able to successfully train a system that could predict reasonably the outcomes that you might expect to feel from an arbitrary profile. And today we utilize that to do recommendation in store." - Joshua MallettEver wondered about the DNA testing or the power of terpenes in shaping your experience? In this episode, Joshua Mallet of BudBoard takes us behind the scenes of Alb

"We have this new appreciation for combining the CBD and the THC; historically, we made it a big deal to separate them. And it turns out when you put them together, the brain receptors like it." - Dr. Morris of Duber MedicalFrom the early days of 1996 to the intricate landscapes of cannabis in medicine today, Dr. Morris delves deep into the transformative potential and challenges o

"People should be able to make an informed choice about what they consume, especially when it has a potential therapeutic benefit." - Lara FordisKnowing your target market is the first step in every successful business.In this episode, Lara Fordis, a consumer market research consultant specializing in insights related to CPG and the cannabis industry, discusses how to navigate mark

"I'm a free market guy, but I look at this much like alcohol where you don't want 10 distributors of Bud Light in a specific market. So it's very similar to that." - John MuellerJump into the latest 'To Be Blunt' episode with Shayda Torabi and cannabis bigwig John Mueller, co-founder and CEO of Greenlight - a vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator with over 180,000 sq