To Be Blunt

 "Our mission is to bring cannabis back to its pre-prohibition status, where it's a widely accepted plant medicine." –  Peter Barsoom  

What does it take to be a pioneering brand in the rapidly changing cannabis industry?

In this episode, I chat with Peter Barsoom, co-founder of 1906 New Highs. Tracing 1906’s origin story and unique path through the emerging cannabis industry, Peter shares an inside look at the vision, values, and st...

"We push boundaries far past the status quo. We're not going to accept the status quo, but we choose to do that in a safe and calculated manner." – Chris Fontes  

In this episode, Shayda chats with Chris Fontes about his career journey in hemp, from initiating Hemp Exchange in 2018 to navigating challenges and market shifts. His innovations led him to pioneer hemp-derived Delta 9 edibles and later transition to the growing hemp beve...

“We produce cannabis where it should be produced and we sell cannabis where it should be sold – That's our thesis. That's what we've been fighting for. That’s our strategic pathway.” – Andrés Fajardo

In my chat with Andrés Fajardo of Clever Leaves, we discuss how this Colombian-based company excels in the international cannabis market. Clever Leaves focuses on producing high-quality pharmaceutical-grade cannabis, backed by EU GMP-ce...

“It was basically a perfect storm – There was only the black market. There was nothing legal about cannabis whatsoever. And so, thus began a fourteen-year journey of acquiring, dispensing, packaging, and transporting; Everything all in one. We were everything.” – Barry Foy

Barry Foy, CEO of Gentlemen Smugglers, began his involvement in the cannabis industry in the early '70s by supplying soldiers from a South Carolina training base....

"I think Texas has one of the most accountable medical programs in the country. Meaning we can tell you who prescribed that prescription, what their pain program was, who bought it, what day it was bought, and who provided it." - Pat Davis

Tune in with Pat Davis from Weeds as he talks about the rigorous data analysis shaping the future of Texas' notable medical cannabis program! Explore Texas' moves to broaden policies and the insig...

"We were able to successfully train a system that could predict reasonably the outcomes that you might expect to feel from an arbitrary profile. And today we utilize that to do recommendation in store." - Joshua Mallett

Ever wondered about the DNA testing or the power of terpenes in shaping your experience?

In this episode, Joshua Mallet of BudBoard takes us behind the scenes of Albuquerque's trailblazing cannabis menu service. Unde...

"We have this new appreciation for combining the CBD and the THC; historically, we made it a big deal to separate them. And it turns out when you put them together, the brain receptors like it." - Dr. Morris of Duber Medical

From the early days of 1996 to the intricate landscapes of cannabis in medicine today, Dr. Morris delves deep into the transformative potential and challenges of cannabis. 

Discover the evolution of cannabis for ...

"People should be able to make an informed choice about what they consume, especially when it has a potential therapeutic benefit." - Lara Fordis

Knowing your target market is the first step in every successful business.

In this episode, Lara Fordis, a consumer market research consultant specializing in insights related to CPG and the cannabis industry, discusses how to navigate market research for small and large businesses. 

With 25...

"I'm a free market guy, but I look at this much like alcohol where you don't want 10 distributors of Bud Light in a specific market. So it's very similar to that." - John Mueller

Jump into the latest 'To Be Blunt' episode with Shayda Torabi and cannabis bigwig John Mueller, co-founder and CEO of Greenlight - a vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator with over 180,000 square feet of cultivation and manufacturing and 550 ...

"At the end of the day, I don't care what anybody tells you. Is a better experience, whether that dabbles concentrate, whether that's an edible tincture, you are capturing the true essence of the plant with this extraction. We're not adding anything; we're not taking anything away." - Cliff Haney

Explore the Art of Solventless Extraction with Shayda Torabi and her guest Cliff Haney! Learn about the four pillars of this craft: heat, ...

"I don't want us to have beverages go stagnant with beverages that are moving because they're high dose and cheap on the West Coast. Let's come up with some more functional beverages, whether they're high dose or low dose, and let's incorporate other pieces of the plant. I think that's a key differentiator." - Diana Eberlein

Dive into cannabis beverages exploring low-dose THC, the hemp vs. marijuana showdown, crafty cannabis concoct...

"The brand is kind of the representation of all of the good or bad things that the customer or the purchasing public perceives around the brand" - Seth Gardenswartz

In this episode of To Be Blunt, host Shayda Torabi and guest Seth Gardenswartz, founder of Black Garden Law, explore the art of creating and safeguarding a compelling brand, understanding business goals, legal insights, and effective marketing practices. Discover valuabl...

"Data is the new oil data is the new goal. So what we have in our database is a direct tie between COA and user outcome on a person-by-person basis. That's a highly valuable data set." - Eric Mercado

Are you ready to tune in for a glimpse into the future of personalized cannabis shopping?

In this episode of To Be Blunt, join Eric Mercado, the Co-Founder of Terpli, as he unveils their groundbreaking AI budtender. Discover the advantag...

"You better get ready to play your A-game, and you'd better get tough and get a strong backbone and figure out who you can align with that can help you succeed because you can not succeed alone in this business." - Kim Prince

Want to know how to get your Cannabis brand in the spotlight?

In today's episode, Shayda Torabi shares valuable insights on how to navigate the world of publicity and media in the cannabis space, discussing rec...

"There are many ways to kind of establish and build your brand. I think if you don't have these things, now is a great time to be inspired to figure out: ¿What is my brand? ¿Why? ¿What are my brand values? ¿What's my mission statement? To continue to get that buy-in internally for your team to live and breathe it." - Katherine Wolf

With more competition than ever in the cannabis industry, building a strong brand identity is critical...

"The more that we de-stigmatize cannabis, the more that we all win." - Brianna Kilcullen

Are you aware of Hemp's Potential to Revolutionize the Textile Industry?

Welcome back to the To Be Blunt podcast! In this episode, Shayda Torabi welcomes Brianna Kilcullen, who offers valuable insights on how hemp can reshape the US textile market and contribute to sustainable infrastructure. This valuable information serves as a guide for invest...

"We want to bring integrity and efficacy to an industry where there are a lot of people who choose to operate in a gray area and cause it's so consumer-driven, we have to be on the front lines." - Jesse Kerns

Join Jesse Kerns, co-founder of New Bloom Labs, as he discusses about the critical role of lab testing in ensuring the safety of cannabis products. Delve into the world of cannabis testing, exploring different test types, seed-...

"It's not that synthetics are inherently bad. It's there are bad ways to synthesize, and there are good ways to synthesize." - Shayda Torabi

Do you want to know how Cannabis and Psychedelics Converge?

Join Shayda as she explores the overlap between cannabis and psychedelics. Experience her accounts from the MAPS Psychedelic Science Conference and the Cannabis Marketing Association's Summit. Uncover the efforts to legalize psychedeli...

"Follow your passion. There's room for it in the space, and may not be in a direct role and may be consultative, but it exists, and you just have to lean into what you're passionate about."

Are you ready to unlock the hidden potential of cannabis SEO?

Join us on the "To Be Blunt" podcast as Matthew Shterenberg, CEO of Deeproots Partners, reveals the secrets of local search, the Google "Vicinity Update," and the art of captivating con...