Categories
Interviews Reviews

Oakland-Based Harborside: Vertical Integration, California-Style

Outdoor Grown in California
Outdoor Grown in California WARREN BOBROW: IPHONE X

I live in New Jersey, which is light-years behind California on everything cannabis. That is why I pay so much attention to the cultivation scene on the West Coast. No matter how, if or when New Jersey is legalized, massive hurdles must be overcome, just to remain relevant. That’s why I suggest becoming more proficient with the terms MSO, SSO and… None of the Above. Good luck with cannabis in New Jersey, you’re going to need it!

Read More Here At Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/08/21/oakland-based-harborside-vertical-integration-california-style/#6258eebd5afa

Categories
Interviews

Digging Deeper Into A Golden State: Nishant Reddy And Simmon Saraf

A Golden State
Nishant & Simmon PHOTO: WILL TEE YANG

Over the past week, since I returned from my one and one half days in Sonoma, California, my palate has changed yet again. Don’t get me wrong, I’m always going to speak about terroir and outdoor growing as my metier, but then I discovered A Golden State. It wasn’t because this cannabis is the most expensive, and it is. I think what it sold me was the product itself. The packaging is gorgeous, that is true, as in fine wine, the packaging means everything. Simplicity rules the day. However there is no pretty label cannabis here. You get to choose A Golden State because you want to try the top of the house. No, I won’t score A Golden State, but I will say they are doing a really fine job and you should try to discover them too. Thank you. WB

Read More Here At Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/08/20/digging-deeper-into-a-golden-state-nishant-reddy-and-simmon-saraf/#300a6404efc7

Categories
Interviews

Five Succinct Questions With Michael Steinmetz- Founder: Flow Kana

I’m a big fan of Flow Kana. They have taken the axiom of outdoor grown, sun drenched cannabis flowers and given the word craft, at least in the cannabis world new meaning. Craft cannabis means micro-farming in smaller amounts, not massive corporate grows. Craft cannabis means to me the similar approach to craft spirits. Something hand-made, with love. Flow Kana empowers the small growers with the art and science of cannabis growing. They have given new meaning to the word, craft.

Michael Steinmetz
Michael Steinmetz COURTESY: MICHAEL STEINMETZ

Read More Here At Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/08/17/five-succinct-questions-with-michael-steinmetzfounder-flow-kana/#7beacf0b2aba

Categories
Interviews

Chris Folkerts, CEO Of Grenco Science Digs Deeply Into Five Questions

Chris Folkerts, founder of Grenco Science
Chris Folkerts, founder of Grenco Science COPYRIGHT 2016 ADAM STANZAK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Because of the deep stigma surrounding smoke, be it cigarette or cannabis, the natural progression is towards smokeless solutions for most common medical cannabis needs. Please allow me to introduce Chris Folkerts, the CEO of Grenco Science. Chris is in the cannabis vehicle business, but instead of cars, he manufactures ergonomic delivery systems for ultra-high quality cannabis oils. And the cannabis oils themselves? They are produced by the finest extractors in the country. A win-win for the quality conscious fatigued by bad players in the cannabis extracts marketplace. Chris’s company and their product the G-Pen, brings new clarity to an incredibly foggy arena. And the oils? They are exceptionally delicious bursting with richly textured terpenes and lush, juicy flavors. I think they are a nice change of pace from the other vaporizers on the market. Great work Chris!

Chris Folkerts, founder of Grenco Science
Chris Folkerts, founder of Grenco Science
COURTESY: CHRIS FOLKERTS, FOUNDER OF GRENCO SCIENCE

Read More Here At Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/08/13/chris-folkerts-ceo-of-grenco-science-digs-deeply-into-five-questions/#224dd1496999

Categories
Interviews Reviews

Five Agile Questions With Benzi Ronen, CEO: Indose

Indose CEO and Founder Benzi Ronen
Indose CEO and Founder Benzi Ronen
PHOTO COURTESY: INDOSE

I love the cannabis micro-dosing, hand-held vaporizer named Indose. This marriage of medical-inspired design allows the cautious consumer of medical THC and CBD to control the exact intake of their medicine in an extremely non-confrontational manner. Smoke of any kind is definitely confrontational, especially with the sometimes pungent cannabis smoke. Everyone knows your business, therefore cannabis stigmas are perpetuated. It’s a fact of life out here in the eastern part of the country where smoking cannabis is still frowned upon, if not outright illegal. Enter the Indose. Hardly more than two and a half inches in overall length and about a half an inch in width. It’s handsomely designed with a pinched-in integral mouthpiece and comes very clearly marked either Sa for Sativa or In for Indica right on the top, no confusion here! They also have a Cb tag on their fine CBD oil vaporizer, which should be legal in all states. This thoroughly modern designed device is light weight and it even passes the toughest test of them all, the sometimes stressful TSA hand-search test at Newark Airport and then airline cabin pressure test. Yes, it passes through TSA and no it does not burst or leak under the 8000 foot pressure of an airline cabin. I’ve had some very bad luck with the 510 cartridges. Many don’t burst right away, some take a few days before releasing their sticky substances inside your purse or your pants pocket. The Indose passes my test for accidental drops, the construction is hard plastic. I’ve dropped mine a couple times with no damage. My iPhone would smash before this little device would! Durable! And the oils? They are gorgeous, lush and to the point. They come in a series of pure strains as I mentioned prior. The Indica, deeply sedative and introspective. The Sativa, a burst of intellectual agility, optimism, fun! Then the CBD, I’m not sure how it works, but in minute portions my feelings were softened, muted, calmed. I’m assuming that the CBD was from hemp instead of low THC, high CBD cannabis. The vaporizers are handsome, black on one side, white on the other. Very classy in design. The THC or CBD is measured in milligrams, from the just below one milligram to three milligrams. That helps you know exactly what you have inhaled. They micro-dose beautifully with their true to their own signature terpene profiles in their richly textured, expressive oils. I’m a big fan!

Read More Here At Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/08/15/five-agile-questions-with-benzi-ronen-ceo/?fbclid=IwAR0FBp_4fnhhN6IW1KOxgls1CQMPuF7pUlaR_c5dC9jGoly7tnBXRwHAOrw#4d47b24334bb

Categories
Interviews

Five Delicious Questions With Erik Knutson, CEO And Cofounder, Keef Brands

Keef Cola CEO/Co-Founder
Erik Knutson PHOTO COURTESY: ERIK KNUTSON

Erik Knutson is playing a multi-dimensional game of chess with his own world, on various levels in both the dark and the light of day simultaneously. He doesn’t seem to rest, there is much more to be done with what appears to be vast depths of his boundless energy. I had the opportunity to speak to Erik about his passion for cannabis infused beverages at the recent Cannabis Drinks Expo, where I was a keynote speaker. It was very clear for me to visualize Erik’s direction in life, and it involves great success to him. Erik is ultra-ambitious and excited about the art of living life through his passion! Plus, his beverages taste great! That’s a big deal considering most cannabis drinks just suck. I’m on record saying this pretty broad-reaching statement and I did it in person during my keynote presentation at the Cannabis Drinks Expo a couple short weeks ago. Most of these thc and cbd infused beverages are just too sweet, just short of one dimensional in scope, and boring in their overall packaging. Erik’s beverages have a drier approach to them. Along with his dry sense of humor, his beverages are going places unexpected just ten or so years ago. And his packaging is fun! Erik is an entrepreneur, a flavorist and pragmatic to his success. Keef Cola is even more delicious with just a couple ounces of authentic Foursquare Rum, over good ice in a tall, clean glass, with fresh lime juice and a couple shakes of Fee Brothers Cardamom Bitters. A cross-fade without parallel. I’m a better person explaining this drink to my readers, because it tastes so darned good, and it gets you really buzzed!

Keef Brands
Keef Brands BottlesPHOTO CREDIT: KEEF BRANDS



Read More Here At Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/08/13/five-delicious-questions-with-erik-knutson-ceo-and-co-founder-keef-brands/#4e39b91c3724

Categories
Interviews Reviews

Henry’s Original Cannabis Closes Series B Investment Round

Henry's Original
Henry’s Original Premium Cannabis Smokes HENRY’S ORIGINAL

I love Henry’s Original. They were one of the first pre-rolls that I truly fell in love with. Having just learned that this little cannabis company is about to become something much greater caught my attention. After all, Merida Capital Partners are not just any investment group. They bring companies forward into the future. Clean Green certification also caught my eye as there are great pressures in cannabis to cut corners and fool the consumer. Henry’s does not take this path, their organic certification speaks for itself. I truly love when small companies can catch the attention of the big fish, not for pure metrics, but to bring the highest quality, sun-grown cannabis to educated consumers around California. When I got the press release, the choice was clear, share this news with my interested readers.

Read More Here At Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/08/05/henrys-original-cannabis-closes-series-b-investment-round/#18dc44b8afdc

Categories
Articles Interviews

Offbeat Four-Twenty Friendly Comedian Mike Glazer Answers Five Fun Questions

Mike Glazer-Comedian
Mike Glazer’s work has garnered over 300 million online views. JOEL FLORA

In 2015, I traveled to Moscow, Russia, with the honor of teaching a Master Class in Rum at the Moscow Bar Show (Yes, I do have a rather inglorious past in traditional liquor as a Master Mixologist/Brand Ambassador). I was stunned to learn that consuming coffee and the culture that surrounds it is a new thing in Moscow, certainly within the past five or so years with the explosion of global coffee culture. Almost overnight, coffee has been embraced by the youth of the country. The Russians appear to enjoy their coffee extremely sweet with added sugar for good luck. Just like we do in America. They love it with a couple dozen donuts on the side, as well. They ask for it by name: “Light and Sweet” — not a bad way to open a conversation in Russia through the stomach-filling kindness of Dunkin’ Donuts. On nearly every street corner, in kiosks on the street and even in private offices, there are a myriad of Dunkin’ Donuts shops. I was charmed to find out that the culture of Dunkin’ is quite popular in Moscow and if that doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will. It’s just a little bit of home on the other side of the earth! So why am I talking about coffee and donuts?

Read More Here At Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/08/05/offbeat-four-twenty-friendly-comedian-mike-glazer-answers-five-fun-questions/#348f7dd3708e

Categories
Interviews

An Interview With DoubleBlind’s Shelby Hartman and Madison Margolin, Psychedelics Explored

DoubleBlind Madison & Shelby
DoubleBlind founders Shelby Hartman and Madison Margolin.© GEORGIA LOVE

WB’s note: I’ve done my fair share of psychedelics. It was something I enjoyed greatly during my many Grateful Dead shows in the 1980s. It also fueled my own exploration to the very far reaches of my still undiscovered, inner space. I can still taste that very specific sour flavor of the locally produced chemicals surging across my mind’s tongue from the first time I “dropped acid” while attending Emerson College — I still feel the vibrations when I walk in front of 150 Beacon Street. Fast forward to very recently, I attempted micro-dosing psilocybin mushrooms with intriguing results. I did this not necessarily to catch a buzz, but to learn more about the possibilities since studies and peers report improved creativity, an increase in energy, as well as using it as an effective tool for treating anxiety and depression. I now see what can be done for those who suffer from PTSD and other health issues.

Read More Here At Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/08/01/an-interview-with-doubleblinds-shelby-hartman-and-madison-margolin-psychedelics-explored/#7e9ef7856dc4

Categories
Interviews

Five Explorative Questions With Intrepid Cannabis Entrepreneur: Steve Berg

I met Steve Berg at an event in New York City introducing the new and vastly improved Firefly 2 for an enthusiastic crowd of journalists. I had only a few minutes to introduce myself and then to attempt to explain to Steve that his first foray into the vaporizer market was less than successful in my view. I tried to say, at least in a kind way that the first incarnation was not my favorite product. But after trying the new Firefly 2 with numerous improvements, my opinion of the first device was quickly forgotten. The Firefly 2 is now one of my favorite implements for the safe and metered consumption of medical cannabis. Sure you can use it for recreational weed, but to fully appreciate the expertise and talent that went into the development and implementation of this device, you should be using the finest medical cannabis available. Why? Because medical cannabis is not street weed. It has been tested for safety and it will truly, do no harm. Can your street weed say that? Doubtful. Steve’s a good guy, with a wry sense of humor. I discovered much when I sat with him and I didn’t know what to expect from my Q&A. What is written here is highly personal and very deep. I’m proud to bring you, Steve Berg. A kind man with patience. Thank you. WB

Read More Here At Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2019/07/26/five-explorative-questions-with-intrepid-cannabis-entrepreneur-steve-berg/#e6c6ff137dd2