In the final episode of season one, Deena and Ian spark up with McKenzie Santa Maria, President of Mary Daze Cannabis, and talk about how she was able to so quickly reach a point of influence within the cannabis business despite bad actors, uncertainty, and high turnover by sticking to her principles, and following through McKenzie Santa Maria is Owner and President of JW BRANDS LLC, a micro-business in Palm Desert, California, through which she operates her growing delivery service and brand, Mary Daze. She has spent eight years in the cannabis industry working alongside some of the most successful brands like Presidential, Moxie, Weedmaps, and Wonderbrett, while developing her customer service, operation management, and financial operations skills, and is now the CEO of a licensed cannabis corporation at 25 years old. Follow McKenzie & Mary Daze on Instagram: https://instagram.com/kenniesm21 https://instagram.com/haveamarydaze Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch. Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content! IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us For Video: http://youtube.com/channel/UCcW-ysGRMg1-eNjQxaCfMHg http://beacons.page/bluntlyus --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

In the penultimate episode of Season One, Deena and Ian caught up with Shelly McKay, to discuss how Prop 64 and the Adult use cannabis industry has left behind medical patients and their efforts to restore compassionate use. She shares some insight into how SB34 has been successful at helping many military veterans get access to cannabis, and how they’re working to expand the program throughout California. Shelly McKay is Co-Founder and Health & Wellness Director of Kannabis Works, a licensed cannabis dispensary in Santa Ana, California. Shelly has worked in the cannabis industry since 2016 in a variety of roles including business development, investment, product specialist, patient support and cannabis wellness coaching. She started the Veterans Compassion Network which seeks to provide education and compassionate safe access to cannabis. She is also Executive Director for OC NORML. Follow Shelly on Instagram: https://instagram.com/kannabis.shelly Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch. Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content! IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us For Video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcW-ysGRMg1-eNjQxaCfMHg http://beacons.page/bluntlyus --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

In the 11th episode, Deena and Ian sat down with Matthew Wagner, aka Industry Disruptor about some of his experiences in the cannabis industry. After owning and operating nightclubs in the Midwest, Matt talks about what it takes to make the leap into the Wild West of the California cannabis industry.   Matt Wagner is a cannabis crusader and industry insider. He is the founder of Industry Disruptor, a plug-and-play consulting service with specialties from brand development to build outs. Matt has been in the trenches helping bridge the gap of information across all markets through online community. Matt has been fighting for change in legislation for decades in partnership with NORML and has been in the industry for 3 years. He started cultivating in the Emerald Triangle and now boasts a client list that includes several of the most notable brands in cannabis.   Follow Matt on Instagram: https://instagram.com/industrydisruptor   Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol   Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch.   Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content!   IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us For Video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcW-ysGRMg1-eNjQxaCfMHg http://beacons.page/bluntlyus --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

On the 10th Episode of Bluntly Us, Ian and Deena get a chance to sesh with Kat Briceno, and talk about how she became inspired to turn antique vases and china pieces into showcase smoking pieces, and even a sneak peak at some of the new things she has in development! Kat Briceno is a Native American Antique Artisan and plant medicine healer. As Founder of Functional China, she is famed for driving the convergence of trends in antiques & smoking accessories. Follow Kat & Functional China on Instagram: https://instagram.com/functionalchina Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch. Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content! IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcW-ysGRMg1-eNjQxaCfMHg http://beacons.page/bluntlyus --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

In the ninth episode of Bluntly Us, Ian and Deena catch up with cannabis retail veteran and educator Jami Todd, to talk about the ups and downs of working in cannabis, from retail to distribution, legacy brands and well-funded MSOs, and how companies, employees, and patients can build the best possible industry, together. As General Manager of the newly opened Wonderbrett store, Jami Todd has over 12 years of experience in the cannabis industry, across multiple verticals, including sales, distribution, retail, consulting, and public policy work. She was named one of Green Entrepreneur’s Top Budtenders in the Nation, and is a passionate advocate for cannabis education. Follow Jami and Wonderbrett on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jami_todd https://instagram.com/wonderbrettstore Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch. Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content! IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us For Video Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcW-ysGRMg1-eNjQxaCfMHg http://beacons.page/bluntlyus --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

In the eighth episode of Bluntly Us, Ian sits down with longtime cannabis activist and marketer Bess Byers, or Cannabess, to talk about her journey in the cannabis industry from a political activist and commentator to an influential content and marketing creator, and how it’s all come full-circle. Unfortunately, they got way too lit on the hash wrap and couldn't even function! Bess Byers is the founder of Blaise Creative, an agency specializing in digital marketing for cannabis producers, processors, retailers and ancillary brands. When she’s not at work, Bess can be found hiking, hanging out with her cat Barry White or advancing liberty-oriented issues. Follow Bess on Instagram: https://instagram.com/imcannabess Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch. Follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content! IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us For Audio-Only: http://anchor.fm/bluntlyus http://beacons.page/bluntlyus --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

In the seventh episode of Bluntly Us, Deena and Ian get together with the multidisciplinary artist & Creative Director for Wonderbrett, Zxu, and discuss the evolution of art, design, and marketing in the cannabis industry, and how as a creative professional, he's had to learn to let go of his own creations. ZXU is an American artist from Los Angeles, California. He is a designer, singer-songwriter, rapper, producer, multi-instrumentalist and art director pushing the boundaries of where genre ends and artistic vision begins. He has worked with notable artists like Sublime with Rome, BJ the Chicago Kid, BReal, and Russ, among others. Follow Zxu & Wonderbrett on Instagram: https://instagram.com/zxuofficial https://instagram.com/wonderbrett_ Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content! IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcW-ysGRMg1-eNjQxaCfMHg http://beacons.page/bluntlyus --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

In the sixth episode of Bluntly Us, Deena and Ian talk with the Founder and CEO of Clade 9, Dave Holmes, about his journey from a community college professor to a large-scale indoor cannabis cultivator, complete with raids, fleeing the state and big lifestyle changes.  David Holmes has 20 years of breeding and cannabis cultivation experience. He has managed large scale regulated cultivation facilities in California, Nevada, and Arizona. Clade9 recently launched their flagship 17,000sqft cultivation facility in Los Angeles and will be expanding to Massachusetts in 2022. Follow Clade 9 on Instagram: https://instagram.com/clade9  Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol  Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch.   Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content!   IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcW-ysGRMg1-eNjQxaCfMHg --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

In this episode, Deena and Ian have a conversation with the groundbreaking artist, Jaime "Weavers" Nacrur about his journey from a conventional career with Boeing to renowned artmaker for the stars, a shared passion for motorcycles, and more.   Jaime “Weavers” Nacrur has been a key figure in elevating blunt-wrapping from functional to beautiful with his incredible hand-made smokable blunts ranging from delicate winter sceneries to life-size RPGs. He’s established himself as the industry’s go-to creator for smokable art.    Follow Weavers on Instagram: https://instagram.com/weavers_   Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol   Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch.   Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content!   IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us   For Audio-Only: http://anchor.fm/bluntlyus   http://beacons.page/bluntlyus --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

In this episode, Deena and Ian have a conversation with Tropicanna's own Charles Pankey about menu-building, retail purchasing, and operating compliantly in California, Colorado, and Oklahoma.   Charles Pankey started working in the cannabis industry in 2012 when he joined the team at Pink House Blooms, a dispensary chain in Colorado. There, he helped oversee Pink House’s transition into fully recreational license holders and was one of the first people in the country to work with METRC. In addition to his role as Purchasing Manager for Tropicanna in Santa Ana, Charles has built cultivation operations in Oklahoma, and has made it his mission to create the best-curated menu in retail.   Follow Charles and Tropicanna on Instagram: https://instagram.com/vailpankey https://instagram.com/thetropicannalifeoc  Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol  Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch.   Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content!   IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

On the third episode of Bluntly Us, Deena and Ian sesh with Brice Parker about compliance, branding, and his journey in the cannabis industry, and discover a new smoking game!   LA native Brice Parker handles operations for powerhouse vertically-integrated cannabis brand, Cookies. As such, he has a unique insight into the many facets of the supply chain, having developed first-hand the SOPs that helped establish Cookies as the most consistent premium brand in cannabis. In addition to his role at Cookies, Brice is assisting upstart Fiore, and is launching his own infused skincare line, Omni Vita.   Follow Brice and his projects on Instagram: https://instagram.com/brice.me https://instagram.com/cookiesmaywoodsofficial https://instagram.com/fiore  Make sure to catch Bluntly Us on Cannabis Capitol live every Thursday at 11am PDT ➡ http://twitch.tv/cannabiscapitol  Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch.  Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content!   IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

In the second episode, Ian and Deena talk with Elliot Lewis about Catalyst, their aggressive expansion plans, community engagement, dealing with incompetent politicians, and how the cannabis industry is painfully overtaxed. Prior to starting the Catalyst chain of dispensaries, Long Beach native Elliot served as Connected Cannabis Co.’s head of licensing and business development. Beyond running a successful retail business, Elliot is committed to contributing positive changes and developments in the community. Elliot believes that being good corporate citizens is key to having long-lasting success. Follow Elliot on instagram: http://instagram.com/catalyst_ceo  Bluntly Us is one part Marine veteran and transactional lawyer, and one part sales and relationship guru - together they’ve built more than a half a dozen cannabis businesses in California, taking over 50 brands to market, generating more than $60MM in sales. They've seen a lot of ups and downs in this industry, and it’s not always as it appears. Together, they’ll be talking straight with some of the most experienced and accomplished decision-makers, giving you a real behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build an entire industry from scratch! Make sure you follow Bluntly Us on all your social platforms for more behind-the-scenes and unique content! IG: http://instagram.com/bluntlyus LI: http://linkedin.com/showcase/bluntly-us --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support

On the first episode of Bluntly Us, Deena and Ian have a conversation with Susie Plascencia about accountability, authenticity, and the importance of public relations for modern cannabis businesses.    Susie is an entrepreneur, journalist, and cannabis activist. She applies her skills as CEO and founder of Nightshift Digital and Nightshift Cannabis and co-founder of MOTA Glass—one of the fastest-growing brands in functional glass—and co-founder of We Are Mota, a grassroots cannabis community organization. Susie was named one of Merry Jane’s Cannabis Power Players of 2020. She is a proud Trojan and two-time alumna of the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.   Follow Susie on Instagram: instagram.com/susiegreens --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bluntlyus/support