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May 8, 2025 45 mins

Florida and New York are massive markets — but they’re still early. Everyone’s fighting for attention, trust, and long-term positioning.
So how did The Flowery rise to the top and become the go-to partner for the industry’s premier brands?

710 Labs. Wizard Trees. Preferred Gardens. Doja Pak the list goes on.
These brands are some of the most sought-after names in the entire cannabis industry.
They drive traffic into the store, signal trust with customers, and are built on quality and brand recognition.

This week we sit down with Ilya Shmidt, of The Flowery, to uncover how his team became the trusted home for the most influential names in cannabis — and how they're scaling that same trust across Florida and New York.

In this episode, we dive into:

  • How The Flowery earned partnerships with the industry’s top-tier brands
  • The systems behind scaling quality and consistency at retail
  • Why New York’s market share shifted fast — and what’s next in Florida

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Flowery and Ilya Schmidt

01:07 Ilya's Journey into the Cannabis Industry

02:41 Building Brand Partnerships in Cannabis

05:07 The Vetting Process for Brand Collaborations

06:01 Vertical Integration in Cannabis Production

10:30 Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing Among Brands

12:51 Creating Unique Cultivars and Market Disruption

13:06 Learning from Other Industries

14:59 Balancing Brand Visibility and Shelf Space

18:05 Expanding into New Markets like New York

22:54 Navigating the Cannabis Market in New York

29:42 The Importance of Education in Cannabis

35:00 Emerging Brands and Market Trends

39:01 Lessons Learned in the Cannabis Industry

00:00 Introduction to Flowery and Ilya Schmidt

01:07 Ilya's Journey into the Cannabis Industry

02:41 Building Brand Partnerships in Cannabis

05:07 The Vetting Process for Brand Collaborations

06:01 Vertical Integration in Cannabis Production

10:30 Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing Among Brands

12:51 Creating Unique Cultivars and Market Disruption

13:06 Learning from Other Industries

14:59 Balancing Brand Visibility and Shelf Space

18:05 Expanding into New Markets like New York

22:54 Navigating the Cannabis Market in New York

29:42 The Importance of Education in Cannabis

35:00 Emerging Brands and Market Trends

39:01 Lessons Learned in the Cannabis Industry

Guest Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilyashmidt/https://theflowery.co/
https://www.instagram.com/floweryflorida/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-floweryco?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-companyhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEhtokhIFa7UFWeSQqtR3Xg

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

8th Revolution Cannabinoid Playbook is an Industry-leading report covering the entire cannabis supply chain 

The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

The Dime is a top 50 Cannabis Podcast

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