Episode 1: Social Justice, Ganja Gold, and the New Jersey Cannabis Market with Manish Patel, JD, MBA

In our first ever episode, host Benjamin Ballinger sat down with Manish Patel, JD, MBA—a seasoned cannabis operator and legal professional. Manish has had his hands deep in the transformative soil of the cannabis sector, from the wild-west days of the legacy market to the regulated markets we see today.

Manish shares valuable insights and hard-learned lessons from his time as the VP of Business Development for Ganja Gold, a prominent California brand that successfully transitioned from a legacy start-up, to a growing company in the regulated market, and ultimately, a public exit.

His journey wasn’t without its rough patches however—as Manish candidly shares—he experienced getting raided and arrested by the feds, which is something he’s still dealing with to this day.

Manish’s story doesn’t end with trials and tribulations. He’s making a comeback with a unique NJ-based initiative—the Social Justice Business Development Fund—that brings together pioneering legacy operations, traditional investor funding, and experienced executive oversight. Manish talks about his vision of building a “cannaplex” with the aim of fostering an ecosystem where premium legacy brands can launch and scale.

Manish offers an insider’s view of NJ’s burgeoning cannabis market, including the biggest barriers would-be state operators face—spoiler, it’s not getting the state license. This is a don’t-miss episode for cannabis operators who are keen to understand the industry’s intricacies, navigate pitfalls, and seize the opportunities that lie ahead.

For the episode notes, transcript, and linked resources, please visit https://podcast.diamondminers.co/episode-1/