Cocktail Whisperer
Warren Bobrow=WB: Please tell me about Stillwater Brands? Why cannabis? Tell me about your professional path to cannabis?
Coree Schmitz=CS: Stillwater Brands is a company that believes in the power of cannabinoids in functional doses. We create fast-acting, consistent products that consumers can trust. Our flagship product, Ripple, has grown to become one of the best-selling brands in Colorado.
The cannabis-infused beverage market is growing at an accelerated rate. Over the next four years, non-alcoholic cannabis-infused beverages (which includes beers, wines, and spirits) is projected to grow by $155 million. With an annual CAGR of 19%, much of this growth is being fueled by major investments from players in the alcohol industry.
Warren Bobrow- WB: Please tell me about Trailblazers. How did it start? What is your overarching mission?
Trailblazers=T: Trailblazers is a curated community of cannabis business and cultural leaders who work to advance the industry, unified by a shared ethos and vision of the future. We believe cannabis is on the precipice of transforming the human experience. Whether it’s disrupting the $50 billion pain management industry, addressing the injustices faced by millions of people who have been wrongly incarcerated, or bringing hope to those who suffer from anxiety, depression, and other ailments, the federal legalization of cannabis has the ability to touch everyone’s life in a meaningful way. It’s not a question of if this impact will occur but how, and whether the cannabis industry will put profit before purpose and blaze a new trail with conscious capitalism in mind.
Warren Bobrow=WB: Why Cannabis? Would you please tell me why you found this path? What had you been doing?
Krysti Rede=KR: The decision for me was less about cannabis. At the forefront I was excited about an opportunity to work in a nascent rapidly growing industry, within a young startup that has an opportunity to positively influence the market, and significantly elevate product and consumer experiences. Many of the opportunities in cannabis are patterns that have played out in other commerce and retail verticals. As more experienced professionals from established verticals move into cannabis, this will elevate the standard of excellence for all involved.
Warren Bobrow=WB: Where are you from originally, reason why I ask is because hardly anyone is actually from Los Angeles, right? What do you do now? Tell me a little bit about your path to where you are now?
Warren Bobrow=WB: Tell me about yourself? What does the plant offer you? What are you working on right now?
Cal Marshall=CM: My name is Cal Marshall, on social media @CalCaliente, and I am a proud military veteran based in Las Vegas. I’m a patent-holding entrepreneur who started a social media content agency called Burger Media. We create culturally relevant narrative content that enables brands across different industries to connect with modern consumers. Right now I’m balancing multiple niche clients while working on a documentary series that takes a deep dive into the cannabis industry and sheds light on various aspects of the business and culture. Legal cannabis is an emerging industry with endless opportunity to identify stories that educate and entertain, and I’m positioning myself at the forefront.
Warren Bobrow: Where are you from? Did you go to business school? Who is your mentor? Why cannabis? What is your passion?
Rick Batenburg III=RB: I am from Loveland, Colorado. The short answer on B-school is, yes, I graduated second in my class at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts. However, my business education began decades earlier while going to the office with my father and learning negotiation and investment prowess through osmosis. I have two mentors: First and foremost, my father, Rich Batenburg Jr., and professionally I am mentored by Jim Jungjohann, a hedge fund manager.
Warren Bobrow=WB: Please tell me about yourself. Why cannabis products? Tell me about your business?
Mike France=MF: Timing, opportunity, and a new lifestyle. I was frustrated by private equity and venture capital in different ways and thinking more and more about taking a shot at something myself – but I didn’t have any good ideas. Turns out a friend of mine started running a cannabis company and he called me up and told me I had to see what was happening in the industry – this was 2014, before most of the legalization. What I saw was really exciting.
The proliferation of coworking spaces, like WeWork and The Yard, has reshaped modern corporate culture in the past decade. Mainstream companies have embraced the obvious benefits of sharing infrastructure and costs, along with working near fellow entrepreneurs who are navigating the same business challenges. It’s a networking dream to meet other professionals, combine resources and brainstorm with industry solutions. However, not all exciting and burgeoning industries may stand to benefit from joining the coworking movement. For cannabis entrepreneurs that are navigating a slew of unique regulatory and logistical challenges, a co-location space that offers niche industry solutions with like-minded peers may be a new alternative investment.
If cannabis, pop culture, games, cash prizes, and the war on drugs had a baby, it would be called the “Daily Bonfire.” The first cannabis gaming app where iPhone and Android users can test their cannabis IQ for a chance to win $420 and support nonprofit organizations such as ACLU, NORML, and MAPS, “Daily Bonfire” begs the question: “Think you’re smarter than a stoner?” Well, if you play your cards right, you may hit the “Daily Bonfire” jackpot (pun intended)… with longtime cannabis lover, activist, journalist, “Cooking on High” Netflix foodie, comedian, and “Daily Bonfire” host, Ngaio Bealum.