In this episode of "Thinking Outside the Bud," host Bruce Eckfeldt engages in a conversation with Pankaj, a seasoned executive renowned for driving growth and innovation across diverse industries such as technology, cybersecurity, compliance, and SaaS. Pankaj's leadership roles in companies like McAfee, Compliance Online, and MentorCloud highlight his adeptness at scaling businesses, fostering revenue growth, and orchestrating successful exits. Notable for his strategic vision, Pankaj has transformed struggling enterprises into thriving ventures, earning recognition through prestigious awards. Moreover, his commitment to mentoring and advising startups underscores his passion for nurturing future business leaders. With a solid academic foundation and a wealth of experience, Pankaj assumes the role of President & CEO at Renaissance Park Corporation, where his strategic prowess and mentoring skills promise to navigate the challenges of today's dynamic business landscape effectively.
In this episode of "Thinking Outside the Bud," join host Bruce Heckfelt as he sits down with Kyle Loucks, Founder and CEO of RollPros, to explore the cutting-edge TruRoll technology revolutionizing the cannabis industry. Kyle shares his journey from engineering roles at tech giants like Hewlett-Packard to founding RollPros, driven by the mission to automate and elevate pre-roll production. Discover how RollPros' innovative approach is reshaping the landscape, delivering consistent, high-quality joints at scale while streamlining operations for cannabis businesses.
In this episode of "Thinking Outside the Bud" with Bruce Eckfeldt, Colton Keluche, Director of Marketing at Würk, shares insights into the challenges faced by cannabis businesses and how Würk provides tailored solutions. Colton discusses Würk's mission to normalize payroll and HR services, addressing state regulations and banking issues. He emphasizes scalability and tools for success, highlighting Würk's services across the employee lifecycle. Colton also previews Würk's upcoming initiatives, including data-driven empowerment and new product offerings, while considering the potential impact of federal legalization. This engaging discussion offers valuable insights into the evolving cannabis industry and Würk's role in supporting its growth.
In this episode of "Thinking Outside the Bud," Bruce Eckfeldt interviews Guillermo Rodriguez, a virtual CFO specializing in the cannabis industry. Guillermo shares insights into the complexities of cannabis accounting, discussing operational challenges, tax regulations, and the importance of strategic financial management. As they explore Guillermo's journey into the industry and his passion for health and wellness, listeners gain valuable insights into navigating the dynamic landscape of cannabis business.
In this podcast episode, Bruce Eckfeldt interviews Christine De La Rosa, CEO and co-founder of the People's Ecosystem and founding member of the People's Group. They delve into the world of cannabis and hemp, discussing the current state of the industry, recent developments, and future prospects. Christine shares her personal journey into the cannabis space, driven by her own health challenges and the transformative power of cannabis in her life.
Christine highlights the importance of honoring the legacy of those who have risked much to provide cannabis as medicine. She emphasizes the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the cannabis industry, not only as a moral imperative but also as a business strategy to serve a broader range of consumers.
The conversation explores the concept of the People's Ecosystem, a collaborative network of companies within the cannabis industry that work together to leverage resources and maximize impact. Christine discusses the challenges and opportunities in the hemp sector, including regulatory issues and the potential for direct-to-consumer sales via platforms like TikTok.
Overall, the episode provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of the cannabis and hemp industries, highlighting the importance of community, innovation, and social responsibility.
Adam has 30 years of business, strategy and leadership experience in both Private and Public Companies. In 2021, Adam believed the timing and opportunity was right for him to bring his passion for business, innovative financing and entrepreneurial spirit to the Cannabis sector by creating funding products for all areas of this early stage, growth industry by founding FundCanna. FundCanna provides short term funding to all areas of the sector; cultivators, manufacturers, vendors, suppliers, distributors and retailers. In just its first year, FundCanna has underwritten roughly 500 files and funded approximately 250 unique files bringing much needed liquidity and financing solutions to the legal Cannabis industry.
Socrates Rosenfeld is the Co-Founder and CEO of Jane Technologies. After leaving active duty in 2011 as a U.S. Army veteran and Apache helicopter commander, Socrates turned to cannabis to re-acclimate to civilian life. Because cannabis wasn’t legal at the time in Massachusetts where he lived, he was forced to rely on the black market, where he couldn’t be sure about the quality of the cannabis he was buying. The frustration of that experience, coupled with the lack of access to cannabis for his fellow vets, led Socrates to co-found Jane Technologies with his brother Abraham.
John McLeod is the co-founder of Cloud Cannabis, the leading vertically integrated Michigan operator that curates high-quality cannabis products to help customers live healthier, happier and higher lives. Since launching in 2020, John has been instrumental in developing and opening Cloud’s nine retail stores throughout Michigan, and he continues to spearhead growth into new markets. In addition to retail, John plays a direct role in the licensing and expansion of Cloud’s 70,000-square-foot commercial grow facility in Kalamazoo and the 15-000-square-foot processing facility.
Daryl is a CPA that brings 30 years of multistate and local tax experience to the cannabis industry. In addition, he assists all hemp and cannabis vertical clients throughout the country with capital raise by preparing pitch decks and financial accounting. As Managing Director of Green Rush Accounting & Tax, Daryl's focus is on maximizing company profits while minimizing tax liabilities.
Wendy Bronfein is Co-Founder, Chief Brand Officer and Director of Public Policy at Curio Wellness. As a member of the executive leadership team, Bronfein drives the company’s legislative agenda across multiple states, oversees the Curio brand, and all corporate communications. Under her leadership, Curio Wellness has become Maryland’s leading medical cannabis company, securing 90% brand awareness within the first year of operations.
Kimberly Hooks is the life companion of Frenchy Cannoli whom she met 40+ years ago while traveling in Nepal & India. As a lifelong connoisseur & aficionado of finely crafted chocolate, Kimberly has embraced the science behind developing an expert palate. She worked professionally for 30+ years in the transportation logistics industry focused on organizational development, process analysis, & training design. Currently, Kimberly is the CEO of Frenchy Cannoli Brand.
Vanessa Gabriel is the CEO and co-founder of Drop Delivery, the cannabis industry’s only all-in-one delivery technology solution for retailers. A thirty-year-old, self-described serial entrepreneur, Vanessa previously co-founded Greenlight Technologies, a leading order-ahead, and digital loyalty software in the cannabis industry, which was acquired in 2018.
Ashley’s work is dedicated to empowering patients and nursing professionals to make informed wellness choices with impactful educational medical programs that also serve to promote diverse representation and increased resiliency in those she serves. During her impressive career, Ashley has worked in various healthcare settings, including telemetry nursing, quality improvement, and professional development.
Robert is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative at Studio TBD, a creative collective focusing on cannabis-infused drinks and edibles and web3 initiatives. With a background in advertising, branding, creative development and design strategy Robert has been leading creative endeavors and departments at some of the most prominent agencies in the creative industry in both Europe and the US.
With over 10 years of industry experience in cultivation, manufacturing, regulatory compliance, operations, local lobbying, and project management. Raymond Strack is the Chief Executive Officer at Shasta Grown; a vertically integrated Cannabis supply chain company located on the slopes of Mount Shasta in the City of Weed, California.
Ben is a seasoned global technology executive with more than 25 years experience in sales, marketing, business development, customer success and alliances. He was previously the Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer for ServiceSource (Nasdaq: SERV) responsible for the company’s global Sales, Solution Design and Business Development functions
The original Gentleman Smuggler. Barry “Flash” Foy learned the smuggling trade in Florida and South Carolina and soon oversaw almost 200 people along the East Coast, all swept into a mighty rush of cash and cannabis that crash landed after President Reagan launched Operation Jackpot, the first Presidential sting in the War on Drugs, which specifically targeted Foy and his crew.
Walter Moore is an accomplished software architect, financial engineer, and entrepreneur. He is the Co-Founder, CEO and CTO of Cognitive Harmony Technologies, a company designed to streamline the cannabis business application process and create $1 Billion in wealth for underrepresented communities through cannabis business ownership.
