Alchemy Podcast

Brian discusses the evolution of the adult beverage industry, the complexity to alcohol replacement trends and his experience investing in cannabis beverages.

Doug Zarkin, Vice President – CMO, Pearle Vision discusses taking a brand out of the "friend zone", leveling up the in-store experience and creating distinction in a commoditized category.

Jen Martindale, SVP of Marketing of the Chicago Cubs discusses her career segway into sports marketing, becoming the first MLB team to have an official CBD partner and strategies to deepen fan engagement, connect with new generations and enhance stadium experiences.

Brad discusses building a future-proof agency for modern marketers, Known's unique approach that named them AdAge A-List 2023 Data and Insights Agency of the Year and an exciting new project for McDonald’s and Amazon Prime.

Lisa King, Founder of Free AF discusses launching an alcohol-free canned cocktail brand, expanding into Sprouts nationwide and the rise of the "California Sober" movement.

Graham discusses going public, growing Glass House's brand portfolio over last last two years and competing with the illicit market in California.

Jigar discusses his 20+ years pioneering the California cannabis market, surviving market downturns and how NorCal Cannabis Company is celebrating 420 this year.

Stephanie discusses the rise of fan communities worldwide, recent shifts in television consumer behavior and Fandom's new study on gamers of all generations.

Joe discusses his inspirational journey into entrepreneurship, his experience co-founding Hims and how he's advancing access to telemedicine in the pets space with Dutch.

On this episode of Alchemy, Mary Beth discusses her marketing career path from sports to healthcare and navigating regulations to grow both for-profit and non-profit healthcare brands nationally.

Heather discusses her career success that named her on the Forbes World's Most Influential CMOs list and how she's bringing the Land O Lakes' collective brand story to life.

Kelly discusses her pioneering marketing career and KIND's newest "I See Almonds" wellness-focused commercial.

Paul discusses opening New York's third dispensary, supporting women and BIPOC-owned cannabis brands and creating cost-effective standout in-store customer experiences.

David discusses Verano's recent We Say "Yes" brand campaign in partnership with Fyllo, measuring success from awareness campaigns and the New York opportunity.

Ishan discusses the growing demand for cannabis & CBD audience insights, Twitter allowing cannabis ads and the rise of retail media.

Drew discusses reaching high-ROI audiences that take action and outperform, future-proofing audience targeting strategies and the growing importance of contextual.

Jeff discusses the unique brand agency landscape in Cleveland, brand safety in 2023 and his predictions for growth during economic downturn.

Karen discusses the inspiration behind the brand, tackling product innovation and balancing investment behind DTC and retail growth strategies.

Ric discusses his iconic wrestling career and his path to becoming a cannabis legend.

Watch the full video interview on YouTube

Carolina and Benjamin Mitchell discuss their backgrounds in chemistry and law to create cannabis sleep products backed by science.

Anna discusses her work with the Etheridge Foundation and the Last Prisoner Project and her involvement with the the NFL grant for cannabis research at the University of California San Diego.

Larry and Melanie discuss the launch of their new book and how "runners high" is providing CPG marketers with an interesting opportunity for growth.

Sarah discusses trends shaping cannabis industry growth, MJBizCon 2022 and the return of Arcview's investor summits this month in NYC.

Noah discusses the launch of his new book "How We Roll" and the intersection of cannabis and culture.

Cody discusses recent funding for Healing Maps, why he decided to start a career in cannabis investment and the future of psychedelic-assisted therapies.

Lindsay and Simeon discuss investing in the psychedelic space, the developing ecosystem around the emerging industry and how cannabis has helped pave the way to its widespread adoption.

Laurie discusses the rise of the fractional CMO and the maturity of marketing in the industry.

Chris discusses building cannabis and alcohol delivery services, creating seamless customer shopping experiences and Emjay's recent feature on Jimmy Kimmel.

David discusses creating meaningful cannabis brands and his new book.

Harrison discusses taking cannabis to the mainstream and how psychedelics are following in its footsteps.

Shavo discusses his music career, how his passion for creating new cannabis genetics started in Amsterdam 20 years ago and building brands from the ground up.

George discusses creating impactful cannabis industry events for brands and retailers, New York as the next epicenter of cannabis and what's in store for future events.

Brett discusses prepping for recreational launch in New York, meeting rising consumer cannabis retail expectations and PharmaCann's plans to go public.

Trent discusses growing Jushi's footprint through M&A, leading the charge with retail and the future of cannabis.

Lauren discusses creating elevated cannabis retail cannabis experiences with in-store art exhibits and opening a consumption lounge in Los Angeles just before 420.

Gary discusses his background in pharma and biotech, his experience writing cannabis policy for state and local governments and recent decriminalization in Texas.

Nathan, Jake and Tony discuss their journey from friends to founders and building a board of strategic advisors to help enter the competitive cannabis beverage market with a standout brand.

Bryan discusses donating 100% of profits to study how cannabis can help treat issues facing vets and changing the minds of big bureaucracies when it comes to legal cannabis.

Warren discusses his career as a mixologist and infusing his passion for cocktails with cannabis.

Skip discusses legislation shaping the California market and Pacific Stone’s regenerative farming practices.

Chris discusses normalizing cannabis consumption with Weedmaps' recent Brock Ollie commercial and partnership with Kevin Durant's Thirty Five Ventures.

Meg, Crystal & Erik discuss expanding into new North East markets and overcoming digital advertising constraints in cannabis marketing.

Bohb discusses launching the Mary Jones cannabis-infused drinks brand and partnerships with Mike Tyson, Julianna Peña and Devlin DeFrancesco.

Courtney discusses the art of building cannabis brands and opening the country’s first cannabis cafe.

Cathy discusses fixing the digital payments system in cannabis and the limitations of the SAFE Banking Act.

Christine discusses uplifting BIPOC and women-owned businesses and unlocking the power of women in cannabis.

Katrina discusses her traditional marketing background in the food, beverage and CPG industries and the value of women's leadership in cannabis.

Kristina discusses creating the women-owned Latina-led design house, normalizing cannabis through art-inspired products and how to overcome the challenges often faced by women leaders in cannabis.

Whitney discusses her career transition from entertainment to cannabis and creating a dispensary for women of color with support from Jay Z and the Los Angeles social equity program.

Steve discusses succeeding in the California market and 2022 Super Bowl ads.

Paul discusses evolving the most iconic rolling paper brand portfolio in the world and adapting to the growing cannabis demand.

David and James discuss compliance in cannabis event production and exciting event plans for 2022.

Dustin and Lauren discuss creating a bodega-style cannabis shopping experience and bringing the cannabis concession model to life.

Julianna discusses how she got her start in her MMA career and the path to becoming a world champion.

George discusses preparing for the possibility of federal legalization and creating cannabis customer loyalty in California.

Ronit discusses prepping for Black History Month and spearheading one of NYC's largest billboard campaigns featuring cannabis, hemp and minority-owned brands for the first time.

Lisa discusses her career transition from one of the country's largest MSOs and building a cannabis beverage brand from the ground up.

Tyler discusses building the Trailblazers community and the top cannabis trends to look out for in 2022.

Ben discusses creating a hemp-infused vodka brand and advertising constraints in cannabis.

Ryan discusses running a cannabis-specific practice group and Delta-8 state regulations.

Chris discusses building a DTC CBD brand and optimizing a cannabis influencer marketing strategy.

Travis discusses leading one of the original cannabis beverage companies and future-proofing Keef Brands.

Kyle discusses the growth of the better-for-you alcohol category and doubling down on Loverboy's retail presence in 2022.

Yoko discusses the importance of keeping ahead of regulatory activity and Leafly's Cannabis Harvest Report.

Luke discusses launching one of the first cannabis-infused beverages in the market, getting Gwyneth Paltrow onboard and the brand's famous out-of-home Pride campaign.

David discusses winning seven licenses in Ohio and current cannabinoid trends.

Dalyn discusses operating in the explosive Arizona adult-use market and being named the #1 dispensary for product selection and pricing.

George discusses his experience as a Navy SEAL and overcoming federal barriers to cannabis research.

Chris discusses building national cannabis brands from the ground up and the importance of sustainability.

Steve discusses the growing pet CBD market and its changing regulations.

Patty and Carrie discuss creating a cannabis brand that serves menopausal women and their transition from stay-at-home moms to entrepreneurs.

Joe discusses building one of the most successful MSOs of all time and the growth of SPACs in cannabis.

Tracy discusses navigating pediatric cancer on behalf of her daughter Sophie and dedicating her life to educating herself and wider communities on the medicinal powers of cannabis.

DJ discusses how he got introduced to the Khalifa Kush team, growing Wiz Khalifa’s personal passion into a world-famous cannabis brand and the do's and don'ts of building a successful celebrity cannabis venture.

Matt discusses his time in the Marine Special Ops, creating a purpose-driven recreational cannabis brand to fund medical research and the relationship between cannabis and fitness.

Terri discusses creating premium content that resonates with the diverse cannabis consumer community, launching a cannabis lifestyle subscription box line and the brand's exclusive new partnership with Tumblr.

Tobi discusses her journey as employee #15 at Jushi and navigating compliance through large-scale M&A growth.

Leah discusses scaling cannabis companies from the ground up, her experience taking operators public, and the cost of compliance.

Tommy discusses how he met Cheech, his time in jail for selling bongs, and his decision to launch a cannabis brand and dispensary.

Rick discusses his years of experience in the food and beverage sector, alcohol replacement trends and building cannabis-infused beverage brands.

Helaine discusses short and long-term post-pandemic marketing strategies, cannabis consumption trends in fitness, and why CITYROW is targeting CBD consumers to grow its customer base.

Mike Tyson discusses his relationship with the plant and building a cannabis empire.

Adam discusses sustainability in the cannabis industry, the importance of craft farmers and sun-grown cannabis, and executing omnichannel cannabis marketing campaigns.

Janel discusses her personal and business journey with hemp, her role in shaping hemp legislation in South Carolina, and the importance of third-party testing for the industry and its consumers.

Myles discusses the advertising strategy behind the growth of their CBD line, the importance of precision targeting and the road to ROAS.

Haneen and Melissa discuss launching the Seth Rogen-founded cannabis brand, U.S. expansion and the growth of women leadership in the space.

Peter discusses building one of the fastest-growing cannabis brands in the space and the impact of fast-acting technologies in the edible category.

Pete discusses his career shaping the cannabis industry, his commitment to rectifying the damage from the war on drugs and the explosion of SPACs in the space.

Cy discusses how Headset is driving the emergence of market-intelligence data in the cannabis space, cannabis pricing patterns in a post-COVID world, and the most important data-driven trends to look out for.

Jay discusses Shake Shack's adaptive strategy during the pandemic, participating in 420 celebrations and the overlap between QSR and cannabis.

Juanjo discusses leading state-by-state marketing for one of the biggest players in the legal cannabis space, Weedmaps' Even Higher Together 420 event and the evolution of the brand's billboard marketing strategy.

Christie discusses her tenure at Playboy, her incredible career as a business titan and why she decided to enter the cannabis space.

Toby and Terry discuss the maturity of the cannabis industry into the mainstream media and cannabis and traditional brands' participation in this year's 420.

Jen discusses the rising demand for THC and CBD beverages, bringing the UK’s best-selling CBD drink to the US and the launch of St Peter's Spirits' new cannabis beverage in California on 420.

Chad and Jeff reflect on the past two years to discuss to Fyllo's hyper-growth, Series B fundraising, recent acquisition of DataOwl, and successful new data partnership with Uber.

Doug discusses building SaaS-enabled tools to streamline wholesale cannabis, managing $4 billion in annual orders via the LeafLink marketplace, and some of the most innovative cannabis products to come out of the category so far.

John discusses his experience as host and producer of ESPN Sport Science, his decision to move into the clean energy CBD beverage space and Kill Cliff's partnership with Joe Rogan.

Bradley discusses becoming Uber’s first political advisor to help legalize ride-sharing, the legalization process behind recreational cannabis in New York, and the rise of SPACs in highly regulated industries.

Meredith discusses her deep expertise in brand building, creating an on-demand cannabis marketplace and home-delivery service with the team behind Drizly, and Lantern's commitment to social equity.

On this special episode of Alchemy, Melissa Hobley, Global CMO at OkCupid, Jesse Channon, Chief Growth Officer at Columbia Care, and Travis Freeman, Global Head of Media at Uber look back on the past year to discuss the success of their adaptive business and marketing strategies, agile leadership approaches and redefining business acquisitions in the midst of a global pandemic.

Chase discusses being one of the first players in the CBD space and the rise of CBN and CBG products.

Samantha discusses her career in alcohol and cannabis, occasion-based consumption trends, and the importance of packaging and compliance.

Scott discusses building brand awareness and loyalty in cannabis, the art of partnering with competitors to power profit, and must-knows for cannabis business fundraising.

Melissa discusses OkCupid's progressive marketing campaigns, the rising importance to users of including cannabis consumption preferences in dating apps, and how dating app engagement sky-rocketed during lockdowns.

Craig discusses partnering with Colgate, the single most penetrated brand in the world, creating hemp and CBD oral care product lines for the mainstream consumer, and developing compliant product packaging with traceable lab reports.

Brendan discusses the process of opening new dispensary locations, keeping up with changing regulations, and closing the local opportunity gap in cannabis.

Kerrigan discusses starting her own business as a female cannabis entrepreneur, the baby boomer target demographic, and remaining competitive in the CBD space with 12,000 points of distribution and the best selling CBD topical product in the country.

Paige discusses the growing trend of substituting alcohol with cannabis, how she encouraged a Fortune 500 company to invest in Canopy Growth, and her role in building the THC-infused bev-alc brand Lagunitas Hi-Fi Hops.

Jackson discusses launching the Burt's Bees CBD line, the power of high-quality consumer targeting, and why cannabis audiences are the new gateway to growth for big brands.

Adriaan Zimmerman and Ret Taylor discuss the personal and professional challenges and opportunities that led them to launch Ned & Co, their journey maturing as a cannabis brand in light of the growing competition in the CBD space, and their 2020 holiday strategy.

Mark discusses the creation of the Pabst Blue Ribbon cannabis-infused seltzer, his journey working with the first national brand to innovate and enter the cannabis space, and Pabst Labs' partnership with infusion specialist Ben Larson.

Kevin discusses how it was athletes that introduced him to cannabis, his journey building the Just Live brand, and the importance of leading with a consumer-centric mindset.

Ben discusses his passion for creating companies and helping others launch their own infused-beverage partnership with traditional beer brand Pabst Blue Ribbon, and his commitment as CEO to building equity into the company's fabrics.

Benjamin discusses how he's building the RedBull of CBD with Recess, the power of conveying a feeling through distinct brand content, design, and voice, and driving earned media through curating interactive marketing experiences, partnerships, and collaborations.

Zack discusses driving distribution and retention at scale in the cannabis industry with fully automated self-containing kiosks, expansion into events, malls, and complexes, and his new video series with the Beard Bros, Pharm to Table.

Amanda discusses her seventeen years of experience in controversial content, finding creative ways to change preconceived ideas and stigmas, and how Philter Labs is empowering vape and cannabis smokers to make their own choices while helping them to contribute to cleaner air in doing so.

Morris discusses his career path from entertainment to hemp, the NoCo Hemp Expo, and the evolution and future of the hemp industry and its uses.

John discusses his career path as a former policeman turned cannabis entrepreneur, opening a dispensary in the Michigan market during a pandemic, and Cloud Cannabis' plans for the upcoming holiday season.

Karan discusses some of his past work with Snoop Dogg, how Casa Verde Capital is evolving from ancillary investments into direct-to-consumer investments in the cannabis space, and how cannabis consumers have and will continue to evolve.

Dan discusses interacting with cannabis consumers in engaging and personalized ways, building customized dispensary loyalty programs that drive relevancy, retention and sales, and how both endemic and traditional brands can benefit from and utilize cannabis audience data.

Ericka discusses the importance of representation and diversity in cannabis C-suites, similarities between cannabis and alcohol industries, and Viola’s purpose led marketing approach to creating equity for black communities.

Matthew and Krishnan discuss the growth of their smart investments over the past two years in the cannabis space, what their investment process looks like, and how the cannabis consumer is driving the industry.

David discusses directing and producing crafting powerful stories that communicate complex topics, and breaking the taboo around cannabis.

Paul discusses creating health focused cannabis infused foods with the Pantry brand, the problem with the edible category and Pantry’s solution to it, and the key to delivering a brand promise to cannabis consumers.

Charles discusses normalizing cannabis in the mainstream, navigating the Ohio market, and creating high-value cannabis content.

Max discusses building the leading platform for trusted cannabis education, the importance of compliance best practices and training in the cannabis space, and the evolution of the acceptance of cannabis in the United States.

Timothy discusses his career at CNBC's Fast Money as the thought leader of the cannabis market, how becoming an essential category will shape the cannabis industry's future, and his top tips for anyone interested in investing in cannabis.

Graham discusses the evolution of the legal California cannabis market, opening the first recreational adult-use dispensary in Santa Barbara, and launching the Forbidden Flowers cannabis line with Bella Thorne.

Matt discusses his passion for disruptive and scalable ventures, his experience growing legendary cannabis brand Cookies, and navigating compliance and legalization in cannabis.

Katie discusses applying her experience in laboratory science, Chinese medicine, and acupuncture to the cannabis space, creating strain-specific chocolates, and the value of terpenes and flavonoids in Peak Extracts' products.

Ron discusses creating CBD infused foods, developing technology that gives consumers more control over the effects of edibles, and Azuca's exciting partnership with Wana Brands.

Scott discusses creating a powerful stage for empowering cannabis entrepreneurs, his career in podcasting, and the exciting future of cannabis investment.

Chris discusses creating unique brand concepts, driving innovative personalization at scale, and the 3 business models the brand leveraged throughout the different stages of the pandemic.

Alex discusses launching a company during college, leveraging on-demand delivery technology in the cannabis space, and the only cannabis subscription box.

Jeff discusses his career evolution from the brand world into venture capital, creating scaleable cannabis brands, and the future of global cannabis expansion.

Julia discusses her decision to start a cannabis company, creating brand loyalty in the space, and her plans for the farm over the next five years.

Laurie discusses the Skymint hero brand, opening the company's ninth store during the pandemic, and diversifying the brand portfolio for retail and wholesale beyond Michigan.

TJ discusses his career in the brand world at P&G, his decision to start his own innovative cannabis brand, and his predictions for how the category might evolve over the next 12 months.

Kevin discusses his career as a professional baseball player, celebrity endorsement as a strategy in the cannabis space, and the benefits of marketing a non-THC brand.

Maggie discusses developing the besito brand identity, curating products for women, and the company's mission to help to repair the damage caused by the war on drugs.

Nico discusses continuing his Grandfather, Bob Marley’s legacy in the cannabis wellness space with his new brand Lion X, CBD as a healing method, and navigating a launch during COVID-19.

Andrew discusses his journey in cannabis alongside his brother Steve, known as the Father of the industry, his experience opening one of the first dispensaries in the U.S., and his commitment to decriminalizing cannabis through activism, reform, the globalization of legalization and The Last Prisoner project.

Nitin discusses his journey moving to the US at the young age of 17 to building one of the largest cannabis companies in the world by revenue size, making some of the most successful M&A exits, and becoming the largest distributor of mass-market CBD.

Steven discusses his dynamic career path as an entrepreneur, creating personalized fan experiences with Cameo, and the transformative power of celebrities in the cannabis space.

Adrian discusses bursting the bubble of the cannabis taboo through investment, cannabis portfolio management, and the future of cannabis funding.

Sam discusses the agility needed for launching and positioning a new cannabis brand during the pandemic, and his experience as CMO of a multistate brand operator.

Nicole discusses her experience as CMO at Citymaps, her transition into the cannabis world as CCO, and her commitment to innovative packaging and sustainability in the space.

Julian discusses his transition from the ad agency world to Stanley Brothers + the expansion of botanical therapies and the rise of the awakened cannabis consumer.

Josh discusses his transition from CMO at Daily Mail to CMO in cannabis, creating the digital infrastructure for cannabis brands, and the value of organic growth in the Receptra Naturals rebrand.

Darrell discusses his expertise in creative design, how Proper is helping people make sense of cannabis through its discoverability platform, and the progression of brand affinity and consumer loyalty in the space.

James discusses his passion for sustainability, building an all-natural topical cannabis brand, and his approach to digital marketing in the highly regulated space.

Alex discusses manufacturing cannabis and supply for third parties, cannabis consumption trends, and the importance of compliance efficiency in cannabis production and marketing.

Sammy discusses developing a high-quality seed to consumer shopping experience, fundraising, and mergers and acquisitions.

James discusses his experience growing technology companies, digitizing and centralizing the wholesale of cannabis between producers and dispensaries, and the rise of direct-to-consumer in the cannabis space.

Javier discusses his career as an award-winning cannabis reporter, the evolution of cannabis media outlets, news and PR, and his predictions for the future of cannabis production and consumption globally.

Mitch discusses his journey leading Grassroots Cannabis from inception to a vertically integrated national business, the shifting consumer perception of cannabis post COVID-19, and the pros of regulation.

Daniel discusses his career in the NHL, his experience with and approach to alternative psychedelic treatments, and his hemp farming techniques.

Lorne discusses his 50 years of experience in the cannabis world that has named him the plant's Godfather, his mission to make the world a better place through the powers of cannabis and design excellence, and the process of taking the first-ever medical cannabis company public.

Angela discusses her career from cars to ketchup to caviar to cannabis, building an award-winning education-first brand that resonates with older audiences, and strategizing creative and experiential activations within regulatory constraints.

Dennis discusses successful DTC and omnichannel strategies, creating agile and innovative customer shopping experiences that ranked them the number one dispensary in the country by Business Insider, and how Caliva was the first cannabis company to introduce curbside pick up and contactless payments during the pandemic.

Jennifer discusses her impactful career in cannabis that named her in the High Times Female 50, how she is developing a diverse brand portfolio across different cannabis categories, and her innovative approach to retail strategy.

Joe discusses his transition into the cannabis world when it was still largely deemed taboo, how he grew Dixie Elixirs through educational marketing, and starting a new position as CMO at Wana Brands during a pandemic.

Narbe discusses the Canopy Rivers investment portfolio, their vetting process, and the 5 distinct waves of the cannabis industry.

Al discusses his career in the NBA, how his Grandmother, Viola, is the core of his brand's story, and humanizing the cannabis plant through celebrity influencers.

Christopher discusses his experience co-founding purpose-driven holistic wellness brands The Honest Company and hemp-based CBD Prima, compliant cannabis brand marketing strategies, and the importance of consistency, transparency, and purity in the supply chain.

Mike discusses his career as a professional boxer, his journey as a cannabis entrepreneur, and how pain transformed his perspective on health and wellness.

Adam discusses maintaining the earliest and most recognizable name in cannabis, growing and diversifying the cannabis community through HIGHTIMES, and plans for the world-famous High Times Cannabis Cup.

Prinz discusses his career at CPG giant Coca-Cola, the importance of visual branding today, and understanding the consumer journey across all touchpoints in the cannabis industry.

Jim discusses why he decided to join the cannabis movement, the pros and cons of fame for breaking into the cannabis industry, and his plans for growing Belushi's Farm in the future.

Jordan Lams, founder of Moxie discusses winning 80+ cannabis awards and how his startup went from self financed to distributing in over 40 countries plus insight into the genetic code of cannabis concentrates and their development process.

Socrates discusses his career path from a pilot in the US Army to the CEO of a cannabis company, how Jane Technologies is hybridizing Amazon and Postmates traits to build the ultimate cannabis shopping experience, and the power of tech in curating personalized discoverability for the canna-curious.

Jason discusses his career evolution from pharmacist to investor, the future and funding of cannabis, and why customers maintain stronger loyalty to dispensaries over cannabis brands.

Jesse discusses the increased demand for cannabis products with longer shelf-lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of technology in cannabis go-to-market strategies, and Columbia Care’s hyperlocal marketing strategy for 2020.

Lisa discusses her transition from the CPG to the cannabis industry, overcoming marketing challenges at scale and the value of micro-influencers in 2020.

Cory Rothschild discusses the importance of cannabis branding, the top marketing trends shaping the industry’s future and compliance strategies.