Cannabis Unlocked

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Judson Hill (Partner at Cannapreneur) sits down with Jordan Youkilis (Founding Partner at KEY Investment Partners) to discuss the hurdles of financing in cannabis and the ever continuing potential of the east coast and southern cannabis markets. This conversation begins with Judsons journey towards the cannabis industry and his early roles in the cannabis space. From there, Judson and Jordan speak to financing hurdles in the cannabis industry and how this lack of capital has impacted industry growth. The talk continues with an overview of the current consumer buying trends and the common disconnect between brands and consumers. This episode concludes Judson’s perspectives on the southeast and east coast cannabis markets. Please enjoy!

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Jeremy Johnson (Business Development Manager at Dispense) sits down with Tiby Erdely (Founding Partner at KEY Investment Partners) to discuss the headaches around cannabis menus, transactions and online ordering, from there the conversation dives into the long standing criminal justice issues around cannabis. This conversation begins with Jeremy’s journey through the cannabis industry from legacy markets to the first recreational dispensaries in Michigan all of which lead him to his current role at Dispense, an ecommerce system for dispensaries. From there, Jeremy walks through Dispenses’ offering and explains the hurdles cannabis businesses face when displaying their products online and transacting with customers. The talk continues with Jeremy's perspectives on the criminal justice system and the prison industrial complex, during this he breaks down the financial and societal cost we pays for these systems' continued operations. This episode concludes by talking through the realities of cannabis legalization and how the fight for cannabis reform is far from over. Please enjoy!

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Mara Sheldon (Principal at Squire Patton Boggs) sits down with Pete Karabas (Founding Partner at KEY Investment Partners) to discuss the current and past hurdles of cannabis reform, the impact different types of reform have on the cannabis industry, and what the future could hold as another presidential election cycle kicks into gear. The conversation begins with Mara’s thoughts on the complicated journey the SAFE Banking bill has taken and what 2023 could bring for cannabis reform. From there, Mara speaks to the potential outcomes associated with rescheduling or de-scheduling cannabis, the odds of this happening in the near future and what this shift means for 280E. This episode concludes with Mara’s perspectives on the timeline for cannabis reform and what could be expected going into the next presidential election. Please enjoy!

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Rena Sherbill (Director of Audio Content at Seeking Alpha and Host of The Cannabis Investing Podcast) sits down with Tiby Erdely (Founding Partner at KEY Investment Partners) to discuss the evolution of US cannabis, the mix of political support behind cannabis reform, and the impact Israel has had on the understanding of medical cannabis. The conversation begins with Rena’s experience at Seeking Alpha, her journey towards covering cannabis finance, and how her views on the cannabis industry have changed as the industry has matured. From there, Rena speaks to the current state of the US cannabis market and how public cannabis companies are fairing during the current economic hurdles. The talk continues with predictions on the future of the US cannabis industry in relation to the ebbing political climate. This episode concludes with a conversation around Israel's extensive research efforts and how that’s positioned Israel at the forefront of discovery specifically when it comes to understanding the medicinal value of cannabis.

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Matt Balaker (Director at Aureata Capital and Host of The Matt Balaker Podcast) sits down with Jordan Youkilis (Founding Partner at KEY Investment Partners) to discuss the early days of cannabis investing and the need for personal connection. This conversation begins with Matt’s journey into cannabis in 2012 and what the earliest days of cannabis culture and investing looked like right as adult use legislation was being passed. From there, Jordan and Matt speak to the historical injustices around cannabis and discuss how success in cannabis is not solely based on increased revenue but also increased opportunities for those that have been disproportionately affected by cannabis’ history. The talk continues by diving into the creation of Matt’s podcast, The Matt Balaker Podcast, which covers a range of investing topics including cannabis. This episode concludes with a conversation around Matt’s passion for stand up comedy and everyone's need for personal connection and interaction. Please enjoy!

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Eric Berlin (Partner at Dentons) sits down with Jordan Youkilis (Founding Partner at KEY Investment Partners) to discuss the journey of cannabis legalization and the hurdles experienced as traditional business efforts are exerted on the rapidly evolving cannabis market.

This conversation begins with Eric's background in law, his successful efforts to legalize medical cannabis in Illinois and his path towards leading Denton’s Cannabis Law practice. From there, Eric speaks to some of the complications cannabis businesses and investors face when attempting M&A deals or public offerings. The talk continues by walking through the range of opportunities in the cannabis and hemp markets and how these opportunities only represent a portion of the total market, the rest of which is made up of illicit product sales. This episode concludes with an overview of Canopy Growth's recent efforts to consolidate their holdings in US plant touching operations and the  impact this has on the rest of the US cannabis market. Please enjoy!

Ashley Wynn-Grimes is an Author, Cannabis Advocate, and Founder of Cannabis Nursing Solutions. In this conversation, we discuss Ashley’s journey as a nurse including how her disillusionment with the financial incentives behind Big Pharma led her to explore alternative healing modalities and the structure of the endocannabinoid system. We next talk about Ashley’s journey as an author and writing the book Stigmatized. Then, we discuss ways for healthcare professions to research cannabis and how to obtain certifications to consult with patients on the medicine. We then consider how to optimize product offerings for patients, rather than just maximizing THC content. From there we discuss Maryland’s recent legalization of adult-use cannabis, how Ashley expects her home market to develop in the coming years, and the somewhat arbitrary distinction between recreational and medical cannabis. Next, we discuss the recently approved Federal legislation on medical marijuana research and what outcomes Ashley expects to see following its passage. We end talking about Ashley’s children’s book Asa’s Medicine. Please enjoy!

Check out the resources mentioned:

- Stigmatized: A Hero’s Journey by Ashley Wynn-Grimes: https://www.amazon.com/Stigmatized-Heros-Journey-Ashley-Wynn-Grimes/dp/1637903472

- Asa’s Medicine by Ashley Wynn-Grimes: https://www.amazon.com/Asas-Medicine-Hardback-Ashley-Wynn-Grimes/dp/0578790661?ref_=ast_sto_dp

- Cannabis Nursing Solutions: https://cannanursingsolutions.mykajabi.com/

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Eric Hammond (CEO & Co-Founder of Highsman) sits down with Jordan Youkilis (KEY Investment Partners Founding Partner) to talk about the creation of Ricky Williams, Highsman brand, their growth strategy and how Highsman plans to become a household name. This conversation starts with an overview of Eric’s journey into the cannabis industry, the creation story behind his brand, Highsman, and how Eric met his Co-Founder, Former NFL Running Back, Ricky Williams. The talk continues a deep dive into Ricky Williams’ personal journey with cannabis and how his personal connection led to the creation of Highsman, a multi-state cannabis licensing and apparel business. The conversation continues by talking through the strategic growth plan of Highsman, and how they’ve successfully navigated the tough market conditions of the cannabis industry. The talk closes with a brief overview of Highsmans strategy to attract other high caliber, influential athletes.

Please enjoy!

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Peggy Van De Plassche (Author, Speaker, & Psychedelics advocate) sits down with Jordan Youkilis (KEY Investment Partners Founding Partner) to discuss psychedelic medicine, it’s value in improving mental health, and the importance for continued exploration regarding the value this new wave of medicine provides patients. This conversation starts with an overview of Peggy's journey from the financial services industry to becoming a mental health and psychedelic advocate who leverages writing and public speaking to educate others. From there, Peggy and Jordan speak to Peggy’s exposure to Psilocybin and how those experiences shaped her personal outlook, improved her day to day and led to her own re-evaluation of “medicine”. The talk continues with perspectives on the future of psychedelic medicine when it comes to government approval and large scale patient access. The conversation wraps up with profound experiences Peggy’s pulled from her journey with psychedelics and how having a clear intention during these trips increased her ability to process past traumas.

Please enjoy!

In this episode of Cannabis Unlocked, Jasper Gallo (Director of Corporate Development at PharmaCann) and Jeremy Nelson (Associate Director of Corporate Development at PharmaCann) sit down with Jordan Youkilis (KEY Investment Partners Founding Partner) to discuss current and future state of cannabis M&A, and PharmaCann's growth strategy through organic license wins along with acquisitions. This conversation starts with Jasper and Jeremys individual journeys towards cannabis, their path into PharmaCann along with a high level overview of PharmaCann. From there, Jasper, Jeremy and Jordan cover some of the advantages scale provides cannabis businesses and speak to how PharmaCann has grown, through a mix of organic license wins through application processes as well as through M&A. The talk continues with Jasper and Jeremy's perspectives on the current state of cannabis M&A in regards to the falling valuations of cannabis business' and what impact the overall economy has on cannabis M&A transactions. The conversation wraps up with Jasper and Jeremys thoughts on markets with an uncapped amount of licenses, the value of building a market presence in limited license states and unlimited license states, and how potential federal changes impact the M&A and investment side of cannabis. Please enjoy!