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August 28, 2023 61 mins

"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 employees, as they navigate the high-stakes world of cannabis licensing. Unpack the impacts of Twilio and MasterCard's policies, dive into state-specific regulations, and learn why winning licenses beats buying.

With bonus insights on protecting license values and state recreational programs, this is a must-listen episode!

[00:00 - 08:10] Twilio Cuts Services to Cannabis Industry Operators: What Does This Mean for the Future?

[08:10 - 15:36] A Huge Blow to Cannabis Operators and a Setback for the Industry

[15:36 - 22:40] Navigating the Cannabis Industry in Different States

[22:40 - 30:40] Partnering with Establishments for Credibility

[30:40 - 37:38] Connections, Cultivation, and Compliance with Greenlight

[37:38 - 44:29] Converting Illicit Cannabis Consumers to Regulated Markets in Missouri and Beyond

[44:29 - 51:38] Exploring the Black Market

[51:38 - 1:01:11] From Founding Members to Expanding Horizons in the Cannabis Industry

Connect with John!

Linkedin,

Or go to

https://greenlightdispensary.com/

John Mueller is the Co-Founder and CEO of Greenlight, a vertically-integrated, multi-state operator with 3 in-house brands, over 180,000 square feet of cultivation and manufacturing, and more than 550 employees. Through John’s expertise in scaling businesses, Greenlight is tracking over $200 million in annualized revenue and is positioned to have 40 dispensaries open by Q1 of 2024.

Resources Mentioned:

https://mjbizdaily.com/text-messaging-provider-twilio-cuts-service-to-cannabis-industry/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/28/business/mastercard-debit-cannabis-transactions.html

🎧 New episodes *every Monday*

📢 Discussing the business of taking cannabis packaged goods to market

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