This week I talk with Blake Butler, Executive Director of the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association. In this short podcast (audio and video available), Blake shares what he’s hearing from his associations’ members, the likelihood of the state banning smokeable hemp and good advice and encouragement for navigating the current COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you are in the hemp and cannabis industry or a related industry, this one is worth a listen for considering how to take action during a crisis.
You can learn more about Blake and his association here: https://www.ncindhemp.org/
On Twitter https://twitter.com/NCHempIndustry
On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NCIndustrialHempAssociaton
About Blake Butler
Blake Butler is the co-founder of HempX and has been involved in the political, business, and activist side of industrial hemp industry in since 2014. Blake has organized hemp focused educational events in North Carolina, Kentucky, and Virginia and planted hemp for fiber and CBD with farming partners Franny and Jeff Tacy in 2017-18. Blake is also a partner in Adapt Public Relations in Asheville, NC.
About Spectrum Labs
At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use.
Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts:
***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping Apple recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!
For this podcast episode, we take a detour from our regularly scheduled program discussing the hemp industry. Today I speak with Mike Sowinski, CPA, about how to navigate your company during the COVID-19 crisis and future uncertainty. This is not all doom and gloom, we also discuss potential opportunities during this time. This conversation is applicable to hemp and cannabis companies as well as any small and medium-sized businesses that are navigating the Coronavirus uncertainty.
About Mike Sowinski
Mike Sowinski has managed financial operations for companies of all sizes, from small family-run enterprises with less than $100K in sales to Fortune 500 companies with $12 billion in sales. He is especially skilled at guiding businesses through complex financial scenarios with a distinctive mix of practical advice, on-target, problem-solving abilities, and a deft sense of humor.
He’s spent his entire career in financial management positions, working for business owners in real-world scenarios, skillfully managing a range of internal operations and business models. From simple cost-reduction programs to complex IPO procedures, Mike’s experience ranges from banks to insurance companies, national CPA firms, and smaller regional and local businesses. As a Chief Financial Officer, he effectively executed numerous external projects with audit firms and regulatory agencies.
In 2010, he became Accredited in Business Valuation and has performed more than 100 business appraisals in a multitude of industries. He has provided litigation support and has testified as a valuation expert in several owner disputes and equitable distribution matters.
He graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He holds CPA licenses in Florida and North Carolina and has more than 25 years of progressive financial management experience.
His passions include original music composition and fishing.
Emma Chasen has a mission to educate people on the science behind Cannabis so that they may take charge of their own healing. After graduating from Brown University in 2014 with a degree in Medicinal Plant Research, Emma went on to coordinate Clinical Oncology trials with the Brown University Oncology Research Group. When her supervisor refused a Cannabis trial in favor of another expensive pharmaceutical drug, Emma quit and headed across the country to Portland, OR. She found her way to Farma, the popular Portland dispensary that takes a more scientific approach to Cannabis; rejecting the Indica/Sativa binary and instead focusing on chemotypes to determine effect. She began her career at Farma as a budtender and was quickly promoted to General Manager and eventually to Director of Education. In this role she was able to focus on educational efforts and create a robust training curriculum that focused on cannabis science, product knowledge and empathetic patient care. Emma now co-owns and operates Eminent Consulting, a cannabis consulting business that offers educational training and craft industry development for cannabis industry professionals and businesses. She helps brands develop educational marketing collateral and ongoing educational programs to further elevate their brand presence in a competitive industry. She also helps struggling and newly emerging cannabis businesses with business organization and sets them up for success in both the competitive medical and adult use markets. Emma was named Portland’s Best Budtender of 2016 and featured in Newsweek, MG Magazine, Forbes, High Times Magazine, The Centennial, The Oregon Leaf and Teen Vogue for her work with cannabis education. She is also a regular guest on many cannabis focused podcasts and has been featured on television for her ability to explain scientific concepts around cannabis in a way that is accessible and helpful to the general public.
***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes or your favorite podcast platform. It takes less than a minute, and it makes a difference in helping the platform recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!
Rod Kight is the principal of Kight Law Office PC, which represents businesses in the cannabis industry, including hemp and CBD, throughout the USA and the world. Rod edits the popular Kight On Cannabis law blog and wrote “Cannabis Business Law-What You Need to Know”, a cannabis law primer for business executives published by Aspatore Books. Rod speaks at national cannabis conferences, drafts cannabis legislation, and is regularly quoted on cannabis matters in the media, including Time, Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, and Business Insurance. He was recently named a “Top 30 Powerful Cannabis Litigator” by MG Magazine and one of the “100 People You Should Know” by Hemp Connoisseur Magazine. Rod testified at the FDA public hearing on cannabis. He writes and sits on the advisory board for the American Journal of Endocannabinoid Medicine, a peer-reviewed publication.
Rod believes strongly in personal and medical cannabis use for many reasons, including that it helped him during chemotherapy treatments for cancer. He is an attorney advocate for NORML, and a member of the International Cannabis Bar Association, the National Cannabis Industry Association, the Hemp Industries Association, the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association, and the South Carolina Hemp Farmers Association.
Rod is married to his elementary school sweetheart, Ashley. She is also his office manager. They raise 5 children. Rod plays guitar in a rock band. You may contact him by email at [email protected] or phone (828-255-9881).
Episode Notes
2:30 Parenting stuff 😂 3:00 Superlawyers recognition 5:00 Rod’s growth with his law firm 6:30 Marijuana legalization in North Carolina 8:30 How long will it take for North Carolina to legalize Marijuana? 10:00 How to handle disparities between cannabis lab results? 11:00 What to look for with cannabis testing labs 17:00 What is Rod noticing with his recent client requests 21:00 Explanation of efficient breach of contracts 22:00 Will USDA interim hemp regulations help stabilize the cannabis industry? 27:00 Rod’s 2020 hemp and cannabis predictions 28:00 CBD will go mainstream 30:00 Crossing the Chasm as it relates to CBD adaptation in the marketplace 33:00 Track and Trace Hemp products 38:00 Vaping crisis 39:00 Does blockchain have a place in tracking hemp? 40:00 Availability of novel cannabinoids in the market: CBG, CBC, CBN, THCV 43:00 International CBD market will emerge 44:00 How to start considering exporting hemp and cannabis outside of the US 47:00 Upcoming international cannabis conferences 47:30 Insolvencies and bankruptcies in hemp and cannabis industry 50:00 Financial institutions courting hemp industry 52:00 Hemp industry opportunities; high risk, high reward 55:00 Reasons why international market is interested in US-based hemp and cannabis 56:00 How to connect with Rod Kight
About Spectrum Labs
At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use.
Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts:
To learn more about Spectrum Labs, visit www.TheSpectrumLabs.com or contact us at (828) 229-7952
Asheville, NC
***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping Apple recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!
Rod Kight is the principal of Kight Law Office PC, which represents businesses in the cannabis industry, including hemp and CBD, throughout the USA and the world. Rod edits the popular Kight On Cannabis law blog and wrote “Cannabis Business Law-What You Need to Know”, a cannabis law primer for business executives published by Aspatore Books. Rod speaks at national cannabis conferences, drafts cannabis legislation, and is regularly quoted on cannabis matters in the media, including Time, Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, and Business Insurance. He was recently named a “Top 30 Powerful Cannabis Litigator” by MG Magazine and one of the “100 People You Should Know” by Hemp Connoisseur Magazine. Rod testified at the FDA public hearing on cannabis. He writes and sits on the advisory board for the American Journal of Endocannabinoid Medicine, a peer-reviewed publication.
Rod believes strongly in personal and medical cannabis use for many reasons, including that it helped him during chemotherapy treatments for cancer. He is an attorney advocate for NORML, and a member of the International Cannabis Bar Association, the National Cannabis Industry Association, the Hemp Industries Association, the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association, and the South Carolina Hemp Farmers Association.
Rod is married to his elementary school sweetheart, Ashley. She is also his office manager. They raise 5 children. Rod plays guitar in a rock band. You may contact him by email at [email protected] or phone (828-255-9881).
Episode Notes
2:30 Parenting stuff 😂 3:00 Superlawyers recognition 5:00 Rod’s growth with his law firm 6:30 Marijuana legalization in North Carolina 8:30 How long will it take for North Carolina to legalize Marijuana? 10:00 How to handle disparities between cannabis lab results? 11:00 What to look for with cannabis testing labs 17:00 What is Rod noticing with his recent client requests 21:00 Explanation of efficient breach of contracts 22:00 Will USDA interim hemp regulations help stabilize the cannabis industry? 27:00 Rod’s 2020 hemp and cannabis predictions 28:00 CBD will go mainstream 30:00 Crossing the Chasm as it relates to CBD adaptation in the marketplace 33:00 Track and Trace Hemp products 38:00 Vaping crisis 39:00 Does blockchain have a place in tracking hemp? 40:00 Availability of novel cannabinoids in the market: CBG, CBC, CBN, THCV 43:00 International CBD market will emerge 44:00 How to start considering exporting hemp and cannabis outside of the US 47:00 Upcoming international cannabis conferences 47:30 Insolvencies and bankruptcies in hemp and cannabis industry 50:00 Financial institutions courting hemp industry 52:00 Hemp industry opportunities; high risk, high reward 55:00 Reasons why international market is interested in US-based hemp and cannabis 56:00 How to connect with Rod Kight
About Spectrum Labs
At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use.
Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts:
To learn more about Spectrum Labs, visit www.TheSpectrumLabs.com or contact us at (828) 229-7952
Asheville, NC
***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping Apple recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!
Dr. Tim Shu is the founder and chief executive officer of VETCBD and Dr. Shu’s Pet Care. Dr. Shu founded his companies so pets could safely benefit from the multiple therapeutic uses of cannabis and hemp. By combining his expertise in veterinary medicine with his knowledge of medical cannabis, Dr. Shu formulates cannabinoid products to be safe and effective for use in animals.
Prior to starting his companies, Dr. Shu practiced emergency, critical care, and general medicine. His work on cannabis and pets has garnered international attention and has been featured by The Today Show, CNBC, NPR, and The New York Times.
Episode Notes
00:55 Tim’s Background and how he started VETCBD 02:00 Endocannabinoid system 03:30 Why Tim decided to start researching hemp and CBD 05:30 Veterinarians and using cannabis in their practice 07:00 How Tim educates veterinarians about hemp 08:30 Safety and testing hemp and cannabis 12:00 What consumers are looking for 13:30 Why is .3% chosen as the THC limit for hemp 15:00 🐘The elephant in the room regarding .3% and extractions 16:00 Should pets avoid THC? 17:00 How to properly dose animals 19:00 How to tell if an animal is benefiting from hemp and cannabis 21:00 Success stories with animals after using cannabis 24:00 Tim’s thoughts about the hemp market in 2020 26:00 Do we have enough research on cannabis? 30:00 Cannabis and allergies 32:00 Navigating the fast-moving cannabis market 34:00 VETCBD’s four-pronged strategy 38:00 Different cannabis compounds for different animals and different breeds 39:00 Individualized medicine. How far off are we? 42:00 Our rudimentary understanding of the endocannabinoid system 44:00 How to get in touch with Tim Shu
About Spectrum Labs
At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use.
Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts:
Michael Patterson NHA, OTR/L, CEASMichael Patterson is the CEO of US Cannabis Pharmaceutical Research and Development LLC (US Cannabis), a privately-held developmental consulting firm which was established in 2014 with the mission of moving society forward through legalized cannabis. US Cannabis develops the legal cannabis/hemp/cbd markets globally across all platforms (education, cultivation, production, dispensing, research and development, management operations and compliance, and physician services). US Cannabis currently works with national, state, and local governments, sovereign nations, and public/private companies in all aspects of the cannabis/hemp/CBD industry throughout the United States and Internationally.
Mr. Patterson is an internationally recognized speaker, subject matter expert in the global cannabis/hemp/cbd industry, and published author. Michael is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Akers Bioscience, a NASDAQ listed biotechnology company, Editorial Board Member for AJEM-American Journal of Endocannabinoid Medicine (the world’s first peer-reviewed printed scientific journal dedicated to the study of endocannabinoid science and medicine). Mr. Patterson is also a board member for the Medical Cannabis Society, Tourette’s Syndrome Awareness Foundation, cannabis/cbd industry writer for Florida MD Magazine, Orlando Medical News, and licensed Occupational Therapist and Nursing Home Administrator in 4 states.
Episode Notes
00:28 Why I got so much out of this conversation 2:37 How Michael answers the question: “What do you do?” 9:50 International trade 10:30 How Michael got into cannabis 20:00 State of the US Hemp/cannabis market 22:00 Cultivators storing for Spring and related issues 23:00 Specialty formulations 25:00 Starting into hemp fiber and non-extraction options 27:00 How to learn from others 29:00 Finding new markets for hemp and CBD 30:00 Consumer perception about what quality means 31:00 Why someone may buy your CBD product / Marketing 34:00 What you should really be selling / Branding 35:00 Netscape example and lessons to today’s cannabis market 36:00 MedMen 37:00 Echoes of history and applications to cannabis / prohibition / alcohol 39:00 Thinking about future uses of hemp. Example, hemp concrete 44:00 International. What should we know? 47:50 Using technology and overseas expansion 50:00 The benefits of attending international conferences 51:30 The art vs science of hemp 55:00 Perception of Michael’s circle of friends and family once he decided to join the cannabis industry 57:00 Networking on LinkedIn 58:00 When and how to get involved in hemp / cannabis 1:00:00 How to propose value to your clients 1:01:00 Michael’s important suggestion to gain knowledge in the hemp industry 1:02:00 The importance of understanding cannabis laws 1:04:00 How long it took Michael to transition into cannabis 1:05:00 Recommended resources: Gary Vee Vaynurchuck (Gary Vee on YouTube, NSFW) Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t 1:07:00 Michael’s call to action 1:08:08 Jim Carrey 1:10:00 Michael Patterson on LinkedIn
About Spectrum Labs
Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts: *Crude *Distillate *Isolate *Tinctures *Vapes *Gummies *Lotions *Candies *Custom formulations
To learn more about Spectrum Labs, visit www.TheSpectrumLabs.com or contact us at (828) 229-7952 Asheville, NC —
***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping Apple recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!
Anna has been in the cannabis industry for four years and is the Director of Education for East Fork Cultivars. For East Fork, Anna developed CBD Certified, a free cannabis science educational program which she has presented for the staff of more than 100 dispensaries across Oregon, as well as for numerous other retailers, industry groups, and the general public. This initiative has directly educated 2500+ people about CBD and cannabis science, and now will reach many more as an online class and on public access TV. Anna holds an MA in Communication and is a member of the International Cannabinoid Research Society. She continues to educate lawmakers at the local, state, and national levels, lobbying for cannabis legalization, patient access, and removing the barriers to clinical research.
As an Athlete Ambassador for the nonprofit Athletes for Care, Anna speaks widely about the therapeutic benefits of cannabis for elite athletes and everyday people, and promoting normalization of the plant. She spearheaded a petition signed by more than 150 professional athletes asking the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to remove THC from its Prohibited Substances list, receiving national and international news coverage.
Episode Notes
3:00 Anna’s journey into the cannabis industry 5:00 CBD Myths 5:30 Is “Psychoactive” the appropriate term for CBD? 7:20 How does CBD work in our body? 9:45 The medical marvel of the placebo effect 14:45 The Endocannabinoid System (ECS) 17:00 The Entourage Effect 18:20 Cannabis and social justice. How cannabis companies can do what’s right 22:45 The Last Prisoner Project 25:00 Knowledge disparity with consumers and the business community 29:00 What is Rugby? 33:00 Cannabis and athletics, Cannabis for Care 36:00 Inflammation in the human body 38:30 How Anna uses cannabis and hemp to care for her body 39:30 What cannabis companies need to do to appeal to athletes 43:00 How consumers should know which hemp and cannabis products to purchase 46:00 Full spectrum vs isolate CBD 53:45 Hemp seed oil vs CBD oil 59:30 How an individual can begin to dose CBD oil 1:02:00 What is the titration effect? 1:06:00 Where to find sources for CBD and cannabis education 1:08:00 New study doubting Epidiolex; Anna’s thoughts 1:12:00 How to contact Anna
About Spectrum Labs
At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use.
Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts:
*Crude
*Distillate
*Isolate
To learn more about Spectrum Labs, visit
www.TheSpectrumLabs.com or contact us at (828) 229-7952
Asheville, NC
***If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping Apple recommend the show to new listeners. I also love reading the reviews!
This was a great conversation with Asheville-based attorney Rod Kight. We speak about Rod’s journey and how he ended up working in the cannabis industry, THC testing, USDA regulations, DEA-regulated labs, how to avoid hemp brokering deals from going sour, what to start working on today to succeed in cannabis tomorrow and much more.
About Rod Kight:
Rod Kight is the principal of Kight Law Office PC, which represents businesses in the cannabis industry, including hemp and CBD, throughout the USA and the world. Rod edits the popular Kight On Cannabis law blog and wrote “Cannabis Business Law-What You Need to Know”, a cannabis law primer for business executives published by Aspatore Books. Rod speaks at national cannabis conferences, drafts cannabis legislation, and is regularly quoted on cannabis matters in the media, including Time, Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, and Business Insurance. He was recently named a “Top 30 Powerful Cannabis Litigator” by MG Magazine and one of the “100 People You Should Know” by Hemp Connoisseur Magazine. Rod testified at the FDA public hearing on cannabis. He writes and sits on the advisory board for the American Journal of Endocannabinoid Medicine, a peer-reviewed publication.
Rod believes strongly in personal and medical cannabis use for many reasons, including that it helped him during chemotherapy treatments for cancer. He is an attorney advocate for NORML, and a member of the International Cannabis Bar Association, the National Cannabis Industry Association, the Hemp Industries Association, the North Carolina Industrial Hemp Association, and the South Carolina Hemp Farmers Association.
Rod is married to his elementary school sweetheart, Ashley. She is also his office manager. They raise 5 children. Rod plays guitar in a rock band. You may contact him by email ([email protected]) or phone (828-255-9881).
About Spectrum Labs
At Spectrum Labs, we source local hemp and extract high-quality Full Spectrum Hemp extracts that even our families can use.
Spectrum Labs can manufacture these full-spectrum hemp extracts:
*Crude
*Distillate
*Isolate
