Elite Cannabis Operators Mastermind

As we approach harvest I have the CA #cannabis farmers on my mind Checking out the fire map, I'm reminded of the 2017 season I was living and growing in Annapolis, right on the Sonoma/Mendo border One morning I woke up and the world was dark, we were completely enveloped in smoke The Tubbs fire was 8 miles away, and a shift in wind from destroying everything It was a scary time, and the smoke damage cost us our crop So, as #Croptober approaches, I'm praying for my brothers and sisters in the hills of California God Bless the farmers during this challenging season Stay safe out there fam

Founders Journal Over the last half decade, most regulated operators have taken a hard stance against the intoxicating hemp industry. If you'd asked a licensee in CA, MI, or MA two years ago what they thought about the folks selling d8, HHC, or any of the multitude of other molecules that fit through the farm bill, you'd probably hear an angry retort: "It's nothing but a loophole in the Farm Bill, they'll close it this year!" "I didn't come this far to sell people hemp!" "They're cheating!!!" Well folks, it's 2024 and the Farm Bill has once again punted. Intoxicating hemp products across the US outsell regulated cannabis products 2:1, and those angry regulated operators have been changing their tunes en masse. After years of fighting the uphill battle of running a regulated #cannabis company, I can't say I blame them. This has been a hot topic at the Elite Cannabis Operators Mastermind lately. Many of the biggest brands in the #cannabisindustry have already taken the plunge, leaving other operators wondering, why not me? The constant bickering back and forth on LinkedIn still exists, but I can tell you this. As someone who talks to a lot of founders and executives in the cannabis space, more are interested than not, and many are already executing on plans to launch into the less regulated side of things. I've always been supportive of the intoxicating hemp industry, I think Americans should have access to the plant, and the Farm Bill allows that for states without a regulated adult use market. I think regulated operators entering the space lends some credibility and professionalism to a largely unregulated market, and helps move the issue of national acceptance forward. Ultimately, I believe the hemp industry is good for the plant, and what's good for the plant is good for the people. The genie is out of the bottle, and I don't think the government it going to be able to stuff it back in. I'm sure we'll see some regulations come out on certain molecules, but the industry is here to stay. What's your take on brands making the transition from regulated cannabis to the wild west of intoxicating hemp?

We are excited to announce that Joe Quattrone will be the guest speaker at the Elite Cannabis Operators Mastermind call tomorrow at 2pm EST! Joe Quattrone got his start in #socialmedia long before it was a widely accepted profession. One might call him a visionary marketer, always ahead of his time. He's been at the epicenter of #branding and #marketing for some of the world's biggest brands. He spent a decade helping Gary Vaynerchuk build the Gary Vee brand, VAYNER MEDIA and the The Sasha Group Nowadays Joe has moved his talents into #cannabis and we are really excited to hear from him this week! If you're interested in learning from Joe and checking out the Elite Cannabis Operators Mastermind, shoot us a message!

Cleaning up the #cannabisindustry is crucial to the future of the industry I’m not sure anyone is doing more for Michigan and the industry as a whole than Josh Swider from InfiniteCAL Michigan While other labs have inflated THC, overlooked contamination, and put consumers at risk, Josh has gone against the grain He’s brought to light many of the dirty secrets that endanger consumers and good operators I think Josh is a hero and history will remember him as such We’re proud to have him as a member of the Elite Cannabis Operators Mastermind

Bartek Kupczyk is an experienced founder and leader in the #cannabisindustry He's been in the space since the space began, which makes him a regulated OG Bart brings a level of professionalism to cannabis businesses that we're all aware is sorely lacking His professional experience outside of the industry paired with his depth of knowledge in #cannabis gives him a unique and much needed perspective We're proud to have Bartek Kupczyk as one of the founding members of the Elite Cannabis Operators Mastermind Community If you don't know Bart, you should!

Matt Allan is an IT professional serving the #cannabisindustry with his company Solve IoT We all know the amount of tech that's involved in our #cannabis businesses We also know that we might not be the most tech savvy folks (I'm one step removed from rubbing sticks together to make fire) And that with razor thin margins we can't necessarily afford to have a full time IT person Which is why I really appreciate having guys like Matt in the industry Matt has been a valuable member of the Elite Cannabis Operators Mastermind community from the very beginning He's a super solid IT professional and a great guy If you don't know him, you should

Drew Nowak is one of the best #cannabis operators I know. I don't us punctuation very often so that period above means I'm serious ⬆ A couple years ago two of my guys went to a farm in Kalkaska When they came back they told me a story about a guy who played in the NFL He built a dope facility and kept having problems with his head growers So he was diving in himself and figuring it out (they told me he was in over his head tbh) I love that That's what we do as #entrepreneurs We figure it the fuck out Fast forward to last summer and I go meet Drew myself He wasn't in over his head, he was running a tight ship and putting out fire He's running a profitable business in a challenging market His business model changed how I think about the #cannabisindustry I'm proud to call Drew a friend, and exceedingly glad he's brought his insights to the Elite Cannabis Operators Mastermind Community If you don't know Drew, you should

Anthony Alegrete, M.A.O.L. is a true representation of social equity at work in the #cannabisindustry You probably know Anthony as Co-Founder and Head of Hustle for the 40 Tons Brand The man is everywhere all the time. He's one of the best connected folks in #cannabis He's also a solid human being, building a great brand that stands for something We are proud to have him as a Founding Member of the Elite Cannabis Operators Mastermind Community No one should be in prison for a plant!

Kenya Alexander-Davis is a powerful finance professional serving the #cannabisindustry with her business Green to Green Solutions She's an entrepreneur building a great business, who steps up to help her clients through challenging projects Kenya is also a podcaster (check out The Highlight Podcast !!) and a Super Mom who manages 100 things at once She's a deep thinker and one of the most enjoyable people to talk to We feel incredibly grateful to have Kenya as a member of our inner circle If you haven't met Kenya yet, you better get on it!

Matt Centofanti is one of the Founders of Brother Nature Brands here in MI He's got a great brand with a unique offering that has resonated with retailers and consumers alike Matt has a brought his traditional marketing background to the #cannabisindustry He's a grinder, often doing multiple activations a day, on his own, all over the state It's been awesome to watch his brand take off, despite multiple setbacks Brother Nature Brands was one of the first in MI to bring back the OG bubble hash with a very cool "hash in glass" product that consumers have loved In the words of the great Matt Centofanti, Stay Mellow 🤙