With a strong background in the consumer healthcare sector today's guest, John Mueller is the co-founder and CEO of Greenlight one of the fasted growing Cannabis MSO’s in the country. In this capacity John possesses unparalleled knowledge in both state regulations and compliance requirements for cannabis cultivation and the operation of state dispensaries. In this episode of the Freedom to Buy podcast, we delve into the challenges and intricacies of operating in an industry that faces stringent regulations, high taxation, and the complexities of a product that remains federally illegal.

Today's guest Steve Bosack, President and CEO of Guardians Credit Union, takes us through the unique structure of credit unions, which allows for traditional banking products that do not hike up prices to turn a profit, unlike traditional banks. As the CEO of a Credit Union that facilitates everything from armored car services to financial advisory services to the Cannabis Industry, Bosack champions the delicate balance between federal compliance and dedicated services that define his organization's approach to providing solutions to the cannabis industry. 

Today Steve, alongside his colleagues Kim Romanelli and Jasper Boone, delve into the intertwining worlds of banking, credit unions, and the burgeoning cannabis industry. This comprehensive discussion explores the innovative solutions and challenges that financial institutions like Guardians Credit Union face while serving cannabis-related businesses. With Bosack’s insights, we discover the potential of credit unions in revolutionizing financial services for underbanked sectors.

The cannabis industry is unfolding with high growth and emerging complexities, drawing parallels with the dynamism observed in traditional financial markets. Seasoned Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager Tim Seymour shares his insights into the world of cannabis investments, bringing to light the intricacies and promise of a rapidly evolving industry.

In the conversation, Tim Seymour unpacks the complexities and opportunities within the cannabis industry, weaving together his past experiences and offering a forward-looking perspective on investment strategies. With an active approach, Tim emphasizes the importance of tactical asset management and readiness to adapt to a rapidly evolving market. He also sheds light on the legislative advancements and market trends that could significantly influence the sector's trajectory.

The cannabis industry, while fraught with regulatory challenges and financial hurdles, continues to grow and innovate, particularly on the fronts of retail and delivery services. The inability to process credit transactions remains a critical bottleneck in cannabis delivery services. The CEO of Eaze, Cory Azzalino, joins us today to talk about how Pivoting from technology to comprehensive retail services has been pivotal for Eaze's growth in the competitive cannabis market.

Azzalino discusses the challenges of terminal-based payments – a stopgap measure that cannot replace the ease of online credit transactions. This hurdle considerably impacts sales and customer satisfaction, and according to Azzalino, every six months, the company faces a "crisis" due to payment processing issues, showing a dire need for an industry-wide solution. Azzalino's journey from a Deloitte accountant to the leader of a cannabis tech company underscores the shifting tides in career pathways created by emerging industries.

Education is crucial in the cannabis industry to navigate the risks and challenges of banking cannabis. In this episode of the Freedom to Buy podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Sundie Seefried, the CEO and President of Safe Harbor Financial. Sundie emphasized the need to educate both industry participants and regulators about the unique challenges and risks of banking in the cannabis industry. With close to 40 years of experience in the credit union industry, Sundie has been at the forefront of providing reliable banking and lending solutions to the cannabis industry. In this thought-provoking conversation, we delved into the origins of Safe Harbor, the challenges of banking in the cannabis industry, and the future outlook for cannabis banking.

One of the biggest obstacles in the cannabis industry is the messy nature of the data. Today's guest, Kris Walker, the co-founder, president, and chief commercial officer of Hoodie Analytics, talks about overcoming data challenges in the cannabis industry. Without standardized barcodes or industry-wide governance, the same product can be listed in multiple ways, making it difficult to organize and analyze the data. However, Hoodie Analytics has developed a proprietary platform that uses machine learning and master data management to clean and organize the data. This allows them to provide accurate and actionable insights to their clients.

The federal prohibition on cannabis has created unique challenges for the cannabis industry. Insurance carriers are hesitant to enter the market due to the regulatory complexities and limited historical data. Today's guest, Frank Costa, Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of World Insurance, tells us about the Emerging Cannabis Insurance Market and how his company is navigating those challenges. Recognizing the potential of the cannabis industry, World Insurance decided to enter this emerging market and provide comprehensive insurance solutions to cannabis businesses. Frank takes us through their process and provides tips on how you too can benefit from certain insurance opportunities.

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, it's important to know how to navigate the complexities of licensing and business operations. Our guest today, Sarah Gullickson, CEO of the Cannabis Business Advisor, takes us through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the cannabis industry as a whole. Sarah explains how market saturation, pricing, and the ability to establish a strong brand presence are key factors to the profitability of dispensaries. We also dive into Sarah's thoughts on recent federal legislation to reschedule marijuana and how she believes they "should focus on banking solutions for the cannabis industry rather than rescheduling marijuana".

Zoning and entitlement are important aspects of the cannabis industry, making real estate experience an extremely useful tool. To help us better understand this we are joined by Jason Vedadi, CEO of Story Cannabis. Throughout his career, Jason has built many successful dispensaries, including Harvest Health and Recreation and Oasis Cannabis. Jason explains how his background in real estate played a crucial role in understanding the intricate zoning and entitlement processes when applying for cannabis licenses.

On today's episode we learn about the importance of recognizing the right opportunities and capitalizing on them in the world of corporate finance. Our guest, Seth Yakatan, has sold 22 companies, started ten, and raised over 1 billion for startups. Seth joins us today to discuss the current landscape of banking, DC, and private equity, and how recent failures have impacted the ability to raise capital. With Seth having over 30 years of experience as a corporate finance professional, you dont want to miss this conversation.

On today's episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Paula Savchenko, the founding partner of Cannacore Group and PS Law Group. Paula's expertise lies in competitive licensing and compliance in the cannabis industry on a multi-state level. Paula's journey into cannabis law began during her time at an administrative law firm, where she focused on regulatory compliance and licensing for various industries. Intrigued by the emerging cannabis industry, she proposed the idea to her partner, who encouraged her to pursue it independently. 

Paula's journey started by attending networking events, building connections, and working on license applications for groups in Florida and other states, which led her to establish Cannacore Group and PS Law Group, with a primary focus on multi-state expansion and competitive licensing. Please listen to the full episode to learn more about Paula’s journey and Cannacore & PS Law Group.

On today's episode we speak to CEO at Shadow Foundry, James Song. James is a behavioral economist and pioneer in distributed ledger technology. He started a hedge fund in New York City and achieved impressive returns before getting involved in private equity in Myanmar. In today's rapidly evolving world, technology has become an integral part of our lives, transforming various industries and sectors. One such technology that has gained significant attention is blockchain. Blockchain, a distributed ledger technology, has the potential to revolutionize multiple areas, including education and economic systems. James highlights the inherent flaws in traditional monetary systems, particularly the issue of inflation. Inflation erodes the purchasing power of individuals over time, making it increasingly difficult to afford basic necessities.

Leah Heise, of Gemini Twin Consulting, is an experienced C-suite veteran in the cannabis industry. She has had several career successes, including building and selling her own dispensary and helping Ascend Wellness Holdings go public. Gemini Twin Consulting, Leah Heise's consulting firm, helps early-stage companies scale and overcome operational challenges. Since Leah entered the cannabis industry as a patient, she discusses firsthand the impact of cannabis on her health and how it inspired her to take the path she did. The current cannabis industry faces challenges such as high taxes, overregulation, and lack of a true credit solution and e-commerce platform. Leah provides insights into her thoughts on the current state of cannabis policy and the obstacles to achieving success in the industry.

In today's podcast, we have a special guest, Adam Stettner, the CEO of Fundcana, a leading provider of liquidity and financing solutions in the legal cannabis industry. Adam shares his insights and experiences in navigating the challenges of funding in the cannabis sector and sheds light on how Fundcana is revolutionizing financing for cannabis businesses.

When asked about the initial capital-raising process for Fundcana, Adam explains that he leveraged his track record and experience in managing capital to raise $30 million from friends and acquaintances. This capital was raised in the form of $5 million in equity and $25 million in debt. Adam's goal was to demonstrate the success of Fundcana's model and build a reputation as a valuable partner to the cannabis industry.

Scott Jordan, founder and CEO of the Alternative Finance Network, joins us on the Freedom to Buy Podcast to discuss his journey into cannabis lending and the challenges and opportunities in the industry. Scott shares how he got started in the cannabis industry, his experience with lending to cannabis businesses, and the current state of cannabis lending. 

He also discusses the impact of taxes and regulations on the industry and the potential for change with the recent news of potential descheduling.  

Scott emphasizes the key elements necessary for potential borrowers to apply for a loan and the process. He also highlights the verticals he focuses on, including cultivation, retail, and equipment manufacturing.

Scott has been a pioneer in providing access to strategic capital to the Cannabis industry as early as 2009 with the emergence of the industry. With Scott’s success in this space he has become known as the "Marijuana Money Man" for his reputation in bridging the gap for cannabis businesses.

In today's episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Kelly Brown, a partner at Patriot Financial private equity firm, with over 30 years of experience in banking and financial services. Kelly's journey in the industry has been nothing short of remarkable, from founding First Wisconsin Bank and Trust Company to establishing the American Deposit Management Company (ADM). In this thought-provoking discussion, we explore the origins of Kelly's career, the inception of First Wisconsin Bank and Trust, the birth of ADM, and the importance of customer-centricity in the banking industry.

Kelly's journey in banking began as a personal banker, armed with little financial knowledge and burdened by credit card debt. However, a chance encounter with a compassionate bank teller changed the trajectory of her life. Inspired by this experience, Kelly made it her mission to help others achieve financial freedom. She entered the banking industry, not as a traditional banker, but as a relatable figure who understood the struggles of everyday people. Kelly's unique approach resonated with customers, leading to her successful journey in banking.

In recent years, the cannabis industry has experienced significant growth and legalization across various states in the United States. However, despite this progress, cannabis businesses continue to face challenges when it comes to accessing banking services. The federal illegality of cannabis has led many financial institutions to shy away from serving this industry due to regulatory concerns and reputational risks. In this episode, we delve into the world of cannabis banking and explore how Dama addresses these issues and paves the way for a more inclusive financial landscape.

On today's episode, we are joined by Aaron Ranka, Chief Revenue Officer from Dama. Dama is a merchant services company that acts as a bridge between traditional banking institutions and cannabis merchants. They have built a combination of proprietary software and traditional market sources to provide their services. Dharma addresses the concerns of banks by offering solutions to regulatory issues and providing the necessary resources and technology.

The guest in this episode is Justin Fischer, the founder & CEO of RiskScout, which focuses on providing software solutions to help financial institutions (FIs) navigate the complex world of compliance and risk management in the world of Banking. Justin discusses the value proposition that RiskScout offers how it helps FIs overcome the barriers that prevent them from effectively banking high-risk clients and how their solution simplifies and automates this process.

The RiskScout solution allows FIs to create customized pathways and filters based on different markets, and specific client requirements while at the same time helping the FIs to streamline their operations, reduce the time it takes to onboard new clients, and ensure compliance with regulations.

Justin has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by FIs in today's environment when it comes to onboarding and monitoring high-risk clients, such as those in the cannabis, crypto, and online gaming industries in today's episode Justin walks through how his companies solution streamlines the process for FIs, allowing them to effectively manage risk and comply with regulations.

In this episode of the Freedom to Buy podcast, Joe Dworsky, president of retail banking at Supernet, interviews Peter Su, the director of specialty banking at Hanover Bank. Peter discusses his role in developing a cannabis banking program at Hanover Bank and the challenges involved in building such a program. He also provides insights into the current state of the cannabis banking market, the number of banks offering cannabis banking programs, and the potential for growth in the industry.

Peter emphasizes the importance of compliance in cannabis banking and highlights the need for innovative solutions, such as SuperNet, to address the capacity and cost challenges faced by the industry.

Zach is a CPA with over fourteen years of professional experience across multiple industries and functions. He has extensive experience in financial statement compilations, reviews, and audits, technology and financial framework implementations, deal and business structuring, due diligence, and business advisory services. He has advised clients in the crypto, cannabis, real estate, healthcare, nonprofit, fintech, media, and consumer goods sectors.