The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 51: Andrew Lobo, Kin Slips

The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews and coaches Andrew Lobo, CEO of Kin Slips. Kin Slips is a California based manufacturer of Cannabis sublingual strips. Founded in 2016, Kin Slips has always been a pioneer in the Cannabis sublingual space, and in 2021 again when they launched the first THCA and CBD sublingual strip.

Sublingual slips are placed under the tongue, where they are rapidly absorbed by the body. The active ingredients are then carried directly through the mucosal membrane to the bloodstream. The Cannabinoids and terpenes bypass the digestive system and directly enters the bloodstream via capillaries under your tongue. It's a discreet, efficient and consistent way to ingest Cannabis. This is especially important for medical patients who need their products to be as clean and predictable as possible.

Prior to becoming CEO of Kin Slips, Andrew Lobo was COO and CFO of Kin Slips' biggest competitor. The two companies merged during Covid19 and are now ramping up like never before. Before getting into Cannabis, Andrew spent over a decade on Wall Street and worked in investment banking and private equity for top tier firms. Impressively, Andrew holds both a CFA and CPA.

On this episode we discuss the merger of two category leaders, the importance of playing to your strengths, the sacrifice required to transition into Cannabis entrepreneurship, and the many decisions a CEO must make every day and get right.

In the coaching portion, Mike Z helps Andrew brainstorm ways to get in front of a new demographic that Kin Slips is interested in reaching.

Recorded on 6/9/2021

Additional Resources:

The Cannabis Business Book

The Cannabis Business Book (en Español)

The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 50: Jackie Kim and Charmaine Chua, STIIIZY

The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews Jackie Kim and Charmaine Chua of STIIIZY, one of the most popular and fastest growing vaporizer brands in Cannabis. According to data from Headset, STIIIZY is the number 1 selling vaporizer brand in California and commands more than 20% of sales in the vape category.

Jackie Kim, was one of STIIIZY's first employees and is now Director of Marketing. She helped grow the brand's Instagram following from 0 to over half a million followers in less than 4 years. Charmaine Chua joined STIIIZY with 15 years of sales experience; she previously worked at Philip Morris USA, now a subsidiary of Altria Group, where she held multiple leadership positions, including as a senior district manager overseeing a 35-person sales team covering 3,000 retail stores and generating $450 million in annual sales. Together, Jackie and Charmaine are part of STIIIZY's marketing and sales leadership.

On this episode, they share

• what it takes to become a category king in Cannabis

• the challenges of being #1 and how success can be daunting

• why truly understanding the Cannabis consumer requires respecting Cannabis culture

• the importance of giving back

• and more

Recorded on 6/2/2021

Additional Resources:

The Cannabis Business Book

The Cannabis Business Book (en Español)

The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 49: Dr. Maria Fernanda Arboleda, Santé Cannabis

The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews and coaches Dr. Maria Fernanda Arboleda an Anesthesiologist, Pain and Palliative Care Physician.

Dr. Arboleda is an international Consultant and Medical Advisor as well as the Associate Research Director at Santé Cannabis. She is also a co-investigator on several research projects that are being developed in Canada and has extensive experience as an international speaker and faculty in more than 50 international conferences and medical meetings, contributing to the training and education of more than 5,000 health care professionals in Latin America, Canada and the UK, among other countries.

On this episode, Dr. Maria shares the 4 barriers to the mainstreaming of medical Cannabis, the 6 major ailments that Cannabis is an effective treatment tool for, common misconceptions about medical Cannabis, the status of legalization in various Latin American countries, and much more.

In the business coaching portion, Mike Z helps Dr. Maria with the challenge of procrastination and using time productively while waiting for regulations to change.

Recorded on 5/26/2021

Additional Resources:

The Cannabis Business Book

The Cannabis Business Book (en Español)

The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 48: Liz Wald, Good Earth Organics

The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews Liz Wald, an Executive and the Board Director for Good Earth Organics, which produces organic soils, amendments, and nutrients for Cannabis and hemp farmers.

Prior to Good Earth Organics, Liz helped drive international growth at AOL, Etsy, and Indiegogo. She put her crowdfunding experience to use with Good Earth Organics, helping the company raise more than $1.8 million from more than 875 investors vie equity crowdfunding.

On this episode, Liz shares her journey from tech to Cannabis, discusses starting out as a Cannabis investor before becoming a Cannabis entrepreneur and executive, why she believes entrepreneurs in Cannabis are the toughest and craziest of all entrepreneurs, the do's and don'ts of equity crowdfunding, and much more.

In the business coaching portion, Mike Z helps Liz with the question of how to stay focused when a plethora of attractive opportunities constantly distract you.

Recorded on 5/19/2021

Additional Resources:

The Cannabis Business Book

The Cannabis Business Book (en Español)

To Invest in Good Earth Organics (note crowdfunding round closes on July 23, 2021)

The Cannabis Business Coach Podcast Episode 47: Andrés Fajardo, Clever Leaves

The Cannabis Business Coach Michael Zaytsev interviews Andrés Fajardo, Co-Founder and President of NASDAQ listed multi-national Cannabis company Clever Leaves. There, amongst many other achievements, Andrés led the development of Clever Leaves first 18 Hectares of GACP and EU-GMP certified cultivation and post-harvest facilities.

Prior to Clever Leaves, Andres was a Founding Partner of Mojo Ventures, a unique late-stage company builder focused on working with startups and small companies to achieve unprecedented growth and profitability. Before being an entrepreneur, Andres was President/CEO at IQ Outsourcing, a leading Colombian Business Process Outsourcing Firm that is part of the Sanford Group of Companies. Prior to joining IQ, Andres was a Principal Member at Booz & Company, a management consulting firm. He also has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

On this episode, Andrés shares an overview of 5+ years in the Cannabis industry for Clever Leaves, the critical mistake most companies get wrong about the employee-employer relationship, the unpredictable nature of Cannabis business, 3 elements of successful leadership, why Cannabis entrepreneurs are the luckiest business people, and more!

In the business coaching portion, Mike Z mixes it up and asks Andrés for coaching around the question of choosing good partners, especially when an opportunity is time sensitive and so you don't have much time to get to know the other side.

Recorded on 5/19/2021

Additional Resources:

The Cannabis Business Book

The Cannabis Business Book (en Español)