Jocelyn Sheltraw’s Post

Reimagining Corporate Value: What is a Cannabis Firm? This is not a trite or academic question.  I am talking about leveraging your assets and brand beyond your current way of making money. For example, some cannabis enterprises like Cookies do a big business in apparel and merchandise in addition to selling weed and operating stores.  While many pundits will criticize this brand extension strategy it is worthy of consideration for certain MSOs/SSOs. There are numerous examples of non-cannabis firms pursuing this strategy. In the real world… Ikea is the largest furniture retailer in the world and the 6th largest food chain globally, in part because they sell over a billion meatballs annually. Chick-fil-A plans to launch a streaming service.  They are currently developing a slate of "family-friendly" shows that will launch sometime next year. Interestingly, Airbnb, Walmart and Lyft have their own streaming plans. A while back, Air Canada discovered that its Aeroplan loyalty program was worth far more than the entire airline (Aeroplan was eventually spun off). Coming to cannabis For understandable reasons, it’s hard for most cannabis executives to look beyond the next quarter or capital raise.  Disruptive and ambitious strategists, however, are playing a different game. I doubt anyone saw Chick-fil-A get into streaming but in hindsight it makes a lot of sense when you consider their limits to growth and challenging market dynamics.  The move is all about harnessing customer data and generating advertising revenue.  For Ikea, the plan was always to leverage store traffic and keep them shopping, longer.   Uber (cannabis) and Amazon (hemp) are knocking at the cannabis door while Google and Apple already have most of the key pieces in place to compete in our space (I wrote earlier on this). Here’s a prediction:  A few years from now, some of the most successful weed companies won’t sell much weed.  They will derive most of their market value from non-plant touching assets. Making it happen Some will say this fanciful notion and off strategy.  But… MSOs own real estate that could be monetized in different ways. Many are collecting troves of consumer data from walk-in and online traffic. These consumers are in the sweet spot for marketers: young, hip and spenders. Other firms are creating cool 'lifestyle' brands.    Size is not necessarily the key factor. The smaller but more visionary SERHANT real estate brokerage outflanked its bigger rivals to secure a reality show on Netflix ('Owning Manhattan'). These pivots are complicated.  A strategic thinking exercise should focus on deeply understanding your consumer, uncovering your latent assets and connecting the two via monetizable products & services.    Its strategy development time. Let’s talk about how to reimagine corporate value and monetize some of your assets and brands. #cannabis #cannabisindustry #disruption #strategy #MSOS

🍃 The Next Big Hit in Cannabis Retail: Nug Machines🍃 Imagine a world where accessing your favorite cannabis strains is as simple and fun as getting a gumball from a machine. Welcome to the future of cannabis retail - the Cannabis Nug Machine. This isn't just a playful throwback; it's a revolutionary business model poised to reshape the cannabis industry, both offline and online. Here's why the Cannabis Nug Machine is generating so much excitement: 1. Nostalgia Meets Innovation: Combining the nostalgia of a gumball machine with cutting-edge cannabis retail technology, these nug machines offer an engaging and memorable consumer experience. This blend of old and new is creating a buzz that's hard to ignore. 2. Accessibility and Convenience: With a simple twist, consumers have access to premium cannabis nugs. These machines can be placed in various locations (where regulations permit), offering unprecedented access and convenience to consumers. 3. Operational Efficiency: For entrepreneurs, the allure is undeniable. These machines require minimal maintenance and can operate autonomously, reducing staffing needs and significantly cutting operational costs. 4. Digital Integration: The true potential is unlocked when these machines are integrated with online platforms. Imagine reserving your preferred strain online and retrieving it from a local nug machine. This seamless online-to-offline experience caters to the tech-savvy consumer, combining instant gratification with digital ease. 5. Viral Marketing Potential: The novelty and charm of the Cannabis Nug Machine make it an instant social media sensation. Customers sharing their fun experiences can catapult your brand into the viral stratosphere, driving unprecedented engagement and interest. The Cannabis Nug Machine is not just a fad; it's a strategic innovation poised to disrupt the cannabis market. It represents a unique opportunity for forward-thinking entrepreneurs ready to capitalize on the merging of digital convenience with the timeless appeal of a mechanical experience. Are you ready to lead the charge in this exciting new era of cannabis retail? Let's spark a conversation on how we can transform the cannabis buying experience together. #CannabisInnovation #RetailRevolution #DigitalTrends #Entrepreneurship

BRĒZ might be the single most intriguing startup in CPG right now. The South Florida based brand (pronounced 'breeze') makes social tonics microdosed with cannabis and mushrooms. THC, CBD, and Lion's mane are all in the mix. “Microdosed mushrooms in a can”. But the liquid is only part of the reason Brez is so fascinating. A few things that stand out: --- 1 / Extreme transparency Founder Aaron Nosbisch posts business results monthly to all social platforms. Revenue, growth metrics, conversation rates, CACs, AOVs, etc. Even net profit margin is posted publicly. Brez just completed its first full year of operations and business is booming. $5.4m in sales p12mo. Incredible. 2 / Unique business model The vast majority of Brez products are sold online. This is an anomaly in the beverage category due to the fact it's ridiculously expensive to ship water direct to consumer. Brez is well equipped to navigate this channel due to two key advantages: productive unit economics and strong performance marketing capabilities. 3 / Uncharted regulatory environment Brez is operating in a confusing legal landscape with contradictory messaging from multiple arms of the US government. The FDA actually investigated the brand earlier this year. Brez passed the compliance check with flying colors...and Aaron posted about the whole thing publicly. Phenomenal. --- I haven't tried the product yet so can't speak to it directly but have to say I LOVE what this team is doing. Few things people are thirstier for these days than transparency, and the Brez team is delivering in spades on that front. Well done Aaron Nosbisch Avin Kline Nick Shackelford #cpg #cannabis #mushrooms #brez #fda 

Traditional small businesses can greatly benefit long term from the “stake” investments by private equity firms. Visiting Southern California organic grocer Erewhon today which sold a minority stake to Stripes. The impact has resulted in rapid growth of the chain; 36% growth YoY since 2016 - with 40% of sales from its prepared food. Going viral on TikTok has not hurt its popularity including the recent introduction of the $18 Hailey Bieber smoothie! With more than 10 LA stores and growing, there are also plans to move its footprint to the East coast. “Erewhon can become a national brand and universally the most trusted in better-for-you food, period,” says Stripes founder Ken Fox. “Every metric you would measure this business on is an outlier in a few different industries: specialty restaurants, traditional retail and grocery. Any kind of four-wall experience you have, you would be hard-pressed to find store economics that look anything like Erewhon.” It’s profound the impact private equity can have on a successful niche small business in driving growth and expansion. Erewhon is the perfect example!

A Moment of Transparency On June 8, 2024, I took delivery of this Tesla Model Y. Eleven days later, on June 19, 2024, I officially launched Wake N Vape. Today, as I reflect on the 18,730 miles I’ve driven in less than six months—all within Illinois—I’m sharing this moment of transparency. Every one of these miles represents the grind: driving from dispensary to dispensary, attending grand openings, pre-launch events, pop-ups and meetings. It’s been an uphill battle to get our products onto shelves. As a woman-owned, social equity brand, this journey has been harder than I could have ever imagined. Despite the challenges, I’m incredibly grateful for the partners who have believed in Wake N Vape and given us a chance. They’ve trusted not only in the quality of our product but also in the support we offer to boost sales. Their trust is what’s kept us going. However, I want to be real about how tough it’s been. Many people see the success we’ve achieved with our current partners and think it’s smooth sailing, but this is the hardest I’ve ever worked to get a product into stores. I’ve made the calls, sent the emails, had the meetings—and it’s still been an immense challenge. The numbers speak volumes: 18,000+ miles in under six months. I’ve seen social equity businesses close within their first year and infusers go out of business before they had the chance to thrive. But we’re still here, working tirelessly because we don’t just want to exist in the cannabis space—we want to thrive. This post is not just a story; it’s a call to action. I want dispensaries to take a chance on us. Partner with a social equity applicant. Carry a woman-owned brand that’s been built for moms, for families, and for everyone who values quality. Wake N Vape is here to be a part of the ecosystem—not just to survive, but to help Illinois’ cannabis industry flourish. To all the big names out there like Cresco, Verano, and others, let’s work together. Give us a shot. Let’s grow this industry together and make room for social equity applicants to not only survive but thrive. Here’s to putting even more miles on this car if it means getting Wake N Vape onto your shelves! Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far—you are the reason we’re still in the game. Let's keep pushing. Charlie Bachtell Graham Hughson Darren Weiss Garrick Ketelhut Ivy Hall Dispensary PharmaCann Inc Ben Kovler Michael Robot Thrive Cannabis Marketplace Blounts & Moore Illinois Aroma Hill Cannabis Mousa Joudeh Ahmad J.

My gut tells me, she wasn't pushed - rather, she jumped. With Canopy Growth ready to start "helping", she has enough money and enough other things she wants to do, and having to listen to CGC tell her what do, would just become unbearable. CGC is likely to start smashing the 3 companies together - try to find cost savings - look for RTM and internal transfer synergies. Of course, given the current regulations in the US, there is no across-state transfer of product, so real scale plays are not in play. And Canopy has proven they have the executional excellence and precision of a sledgehammer in an eye operation. No one wants to be around and see their life's work ripped to rat's shite. Wana and Jetty, are pretty small businesses in the grand scheme of the US cannabis market - both, it would seem, have used licensing as their expansion strategy, which begs the question as to who will control the trademark in those states going forward. And Acreage Holdings is a debt-ridden, money-losing shell that looks to be more of liability to the whole thing. It's going to cost a lot of money to make Canopy USA work and more importantly, real strategic acumen - CGC has neither. Just wait and watch - Canopy will screw this up - it's what they do.

The best entrepreneurs are like cockroaches - they figure out a way to survive - esp as they're trying to get to PMF, pivoting this way & that... testing diff hypotheses.. Not sure if this analogy is gonna fly - but was talking to someone about cockroaches recently and it keeps popping back in my head. __________ ☀️ 💨 🔋 in sustainability - see the same thing happening in EVs, plant-based foods, etc. Gingko Bioworks having its 2nd major layoff and trading at $0.28 (down from $14 - yowza that looks like a cannabis stock!). 🍺 🍷 in alcohol, there's a clear shift away (esp among younger Gen Z) - and you see the BevAlc embracing Hemp THC - that's a cockroach move! 🖥️ 🤖 in tech, it seems like if you're not in AI, you need to be in cockroach mode. ___________ 🌱 In cannabis, right now, it's a game of survival - yeah Woodstock Products feels like turning the business around - but we're STILL not CF positive so no rest for the weary. We have to keep delivering to our partners, strategically expand to new partners ONLY when we can do it successfully (without disappointing our current ones), and think about what's next in the innovation pipeline / next in regional expansion. ____________ bc if you sit still, you'll get crushed. Ever see a cockroach sit still? But I do like that they're survivors... I feel like cockroaches need a re-brand too - like there needs to be a movie or a superhero who enters "cockroach mode" (ala what Ratatouille did for rats - though I'm still not a fan of rats) or what Jeff Goldblum did for flies. Picturing all of this with Gloria Gaynor as an overlay - who’s gonna take this and turn it into something?! Wish I knew how to modify the gif to “I will survive” #survivalmode

Bootstrapping a Cannabis Retail and Delivery Biz: Part 8 - Founder Stories: The Origins of 1922 (Part 1) 1922 started as a vision—a vision to create something authentic in an industry where authenticity is often lacking. When we first floated the idea of opening a cannabis retail store, we were told we’d never make it. People said, “You’ll be bankrupt before you open the doors.” But we were determined to do things differently, to build something we believed in. Our motivation was rooted in a passion for cannabis and a desire to create a space that reflected our values—community, transparency, and quality. We didn’t just want to open another cannabis store; we wanted to build a brand that people could trust, that resonated with the community, and that stood for something more than just selling products. We believed that if we could create a store that was genuinely connected to the people it served, success would follow. The journey was anything but straightforward. Securing a location was our first major hurdle. We chose Moss Park, a neighborhood that many advised us against. It wasn’ t seen as a prime retail location, and we were warned that setting up shop there would be risky. But we knew the area; we lived there, and we were committed to giving back to the community that had given us so much. Choosing Moss Park wasn’t about taking the easy route—it was about staying true to our vision and values. Next, we faced the challenge of navigating the constantly changing regulatory landscape. When we first started planning, the Ontario government was moving towards a free market system for cannabis retail, and we were ready to dive in. But then, everything changed. The government suddenly introduced a lottery system, limiting the number of licenses available and throwing our plans into chaos. We went from being poised to open a store to being in limbo, waiting for our chance in a system that seemed more like a gamble than a business opportunity. This waiting period was excruciating. We had poured everything into this business—our time, our money, our passion—and suddenly, it felt like we were at the mercy of a system we couldn’t control. The uncertainty was almost unbearable, and there were many moments when we wondered if we should just walk away. But we held on to our vision, believing that if we could just get through this, we could create something truly special. In the next post, we’ll dive into how we navigated these early days, the countless challenges we faced, and the moments of doubt that almost made us walk away. Mike & Brooke xoxo💋

Gone are the days of growing a consumer packaged goods brand like a tech startup. Now, companies are struggling to retain a hold in retail #cpgbrands #retailtrends #Cpg #marketingspace #brandawareness #productplacement #FoodAndBeverage

Could this be the End of California's Largest Cannabis Marketplace? 🌿🛑 What Does This Mean for the Future of Weed E-commerce? 💻💭 California's so-called "Uber of weed", a leading institution in the cannabis industry, is shutting down. Sparked in San Francisco, this looming closure raises a multitude of questions about the future and sustainability of digital cannabis marketplaces. 🚀 Ignite Corporate Innovation! Our AI solutions and automation are designed to foster growth—book a meeting with us right here https://lnkd.in/gH39iDY3 Join 160K+ corporate decision-makers, investors, and innovative founders to improve operations and carve new revenue paths through collaboration and startup access. Together, we can transform innovation strategies into triumphant ventures! To learn more: https://lnkd.in/diBzu44a #CannabisIndustry #DigitalMarketplaces #CorporateInnovation #eCommerce #AIautomation #StartupAccess #RevenueGrowth #InvestmentOpportunities #FutureofWeedIndustry #Sustainability