S3.E26. BigMike on the Cannabis Industry. Willie Brown about California Pot. Erin Gore on Women in Cannabis

BigMike on the Cannabis Industry

BigMike Straumietis  is pioneer and founder in the cannabis-growing industry who used his combined experience in business, marketing, horticulture, and engineering.  His company, Advanced Nutrients, revolutionized the industry by offering highly developed fertilizer made specifically for marijuana.  This made Advanced Nutrients one of the most popular nutrient brands in the marketplace.  BigMike became widely known as the source that teaches growers about hydroponic gardening.  He offers an array of successfully marketed growing products, he also teaches growers in gardening techniques.  His leading company, Advanced Nutrients, is premiering a line of products this quarter called, ‘BigMike’s Blend.’ This line includes pre-rolls, concentrates and vape pens, all developed with state of the art technology.  Now we have legalization, decriminalization and the need for relief from COVID sequestering.  BigMike lends his expertise on what he has seen in the industry, where is, and where he sees it going in the next 20 years and beyond.
AdvancedNutrients.com   Instagram.com/bigmike

W420 Radio Correspondent Rich Walcoff in the field Special Report:
National Changes for Cannabis, with Former Mayor Willie Brown

Willie Brown is the former Mayor of San Francisco and one of the leading Democratic figures for more than a generation.  He is also the former president of Harborside, the first and largest marijuana dispensary in California.  Mr. Brown has a deep understanding of California and its business, and he tells us about some of the challenges facing the cannabis industry.  California did legalize medical marijuana, and not long ago, it legalized recreational marijuana.  But California, like many other states, realizes the limitations that come in the absence of federal legalization.  This means no national change in how you manage the resources, the banking, the payment systems and more, when you enter the legal system.  As a result of that, you don’t have the normal kind of acquisition and opportunity with regular, ongoing businesses, like those who sell tobacco products.  This forces an all-cash business in many cases.  Added to this are high taxes and restrictive access to the product which makes it more challenging for the growers and the distributers to do it the right way.  All of this encourages the black market which undermines the state-legitimizes businesses.  That’s because black market entrepreneurs are not subject to the same regulations, costly guidelines and taxation.  But because of the opportunities that abound, many businesses have found profitable avenues for their endeavors as they keep the industry growing.  Hear insights from a man who is closely connected to the ever changing world of cannabis.

Women in Cannabis with Chase Roberts:
Erin Gore – Founder and CEO, Garden Society

Erin Gore is founder and CEO of Garden Society, a California-based, cannabis-focused benefit corporation serving women in search of new, more holistic ways to rejuvenate from the rigors of their daily lives. Garden Society offers high quality, low dose artisanal confections and sun-grown pre-rolls that connect biodynamic farming, sustainable ingredients and strain-specific cannabis.

Erin is an active member of the Northern California cannabis community, and frequently speaks on the topics of cannabis and entrepreneurship. She’s a fearless advocate for women-owned cannabis businesses, and equally dedicated to breaking the stigma and rewriting the script around the plant. With a degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Erin is also fluent in the science-based language of cannabis and production.

Prior to Garden Society, Erin worked with her husband Tom on their joint venture with Constellation Brands on Tom Gore Vineyards, an award-winning farmer’s wine, and previously had a decade-long corporate career at Henkel, where she managed a global adhesive business valued at nearly $100 million.

Currently, she serves on the Board of the Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County as well as the Healdsburg District Hospital Board of Directors, and International Cannabis Farmers Association. She is a member of the Sonoma County Growers Alliance and belongs to the Circular Board, a collaborative accelerator for women entrepreneurs.

TheGardenSociety.com | Erin Gore on LinkedIn