High Spirits: The Cannabis Business Podcast

High Spirits: The Cannabis Business Podcast

Hosts Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein serve up unfiltered insights, reveal their insiders' perspectives, and illuminate transformative ideas about the cannabis industry for people who want to make sense of it all.

Episodes

July 10, 2025 โ€ข 52 mins

Send us a text

Amy O'Gorman Jenkins, one of California's most influential cannabis lobbyists and director of the California Cannabis Operators Association (CaCOA), breaks down the critical fight to reform cannabis taxes and save the state's struggling legal market. The industry faces a dire situation with legal cannabis sales dropping 30% since 2021 and a recent automatic tax increase from 15% to 19% that represents a...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

The cannabis industry faces an existential crisis as political developments threaten businesses across multiple fronts despite growing public acceptance. State and federal politics are creating contradictory and often hostile environments for cannabis operators while simultaneously claiming to support legalization.

โ€ข Texas Governor Abbott vetoed SB3, preserving the hemp industry with a special session startin...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

In this special episode of High Spirits, we share with you AnnaRae's guest appearance on Practical Politics with friend and Lobbyist Lady Sabrina Noah.

From brewing espresso during California's groundbreaking Prop 215 campaign to revolutionizing cannabis quality standards, AnnaRae Grabstein's journey through the cannabis industry offers a masterclass in purpose-driven leadership. Her story begins in the ...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Ever wondered what it takes to build a cannabis empire that remains authentic while scaling across multiple states, countries, and product categories? Tiffany Chin pulls back the curtain on her journey as the strategic mastermind behind Snoop Dogg's cannabis ventures, revealing the delicate balance of business savvy and cultural understanding that drives their success.

When Snoop purchased Death Row Reco...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Ever found yourself paralyzed by uncertainty in the cannabis industry? You're not alone. This episode with leadership coach Andrea Baillo reveals why waiting for perfect clarity is the surest path to stagnation, and what to do instead.

Andrea, who transitioned from cancer biology to executive roles at Green Thumb Industries and Open Book Extracts before founding Rooted for Success, shares her provocative...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

The path to cannabis normalization has never been straightforward, but as our industry faces critical regulatory crossroads, a fundamental truth emerges: consumers want cannabinoids. The "great hemp experiment" initiated by the 2018 Farm Bill has conclusively demonstrated mainstream appetite for these products across political spectrums and geographic boundaries.

Our wide-ranging conversation examin...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

AnnaRae Grabstein and economist Andrew Livingston explore the economic impact of cannabis legalization across America and examines the complex regulatory challenges facing both cannabis and hemp businesses in today's market. Through analysis of state markets, policy trends, and business dynamics, Andrew reveals why some markets thrive while others struggle to compete with illicit alternatives.

โ€ข Over $24...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Cannabis industry experts discuss the stark contrast between Texas's recent ban on hemp-derived THC products and New York's efforts to strengthen its regulatory framework through a new track and trace program. Mark Hauser shares insights on market maturity, regulatory challenges, and the uncertain future facing both hemp and cannabis businesses.

โ€ข Texas just passed SB3, banning hemp THC products des...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Convenience stores are positioned to introduce cannabis to a new wave of consumers with their unmatched retail footprint of 150,000 locations nationwide and accessibility to 90% of Americans within a 10-minute drive.

โ€ข Convenience stores have evolved from selling "gas, cokes, and smokes" to embracing new categories as tobacco sales decline
โ€ข Lower-dose (5mg) THC products outperform higher-dose o...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Jesse Redmond, Head of Investor Relations and Business Development at Leaf Brands, brings his unique perspective as a former Wall Street investor and cannabis dispensary owner to discuss the challenging landscape of public cannabis companies. His insights reveal why certain companies are weathering the storm better than others and how innovative strategies like Bitcoin treasury reserves and strategic farm investments ...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Ben and AnnaRae explore the latest cannabis market developments across multiple states and at the federal level, highlighting both progress and persistent challenges. They dissect New York's comprehensive market report showing local brands outperforming multi-state operators while California cannabis businesses organize against impending tax increases.

โ€ข Ben shares insights from Atlantic City's MJ U...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Kris Walker from Hoodie Analytics joins us to decode cannabis market trends following 4/20, revealing how competing holidays, demographic shifts, and pricing strategies impacted this year's sales performance. Data shows 4/20 sales dipped 12% year-over-year, highlighting the industry's need for smarter decision-making beyond reflexive discounting.

โ€ข 4/20 fell on Sunday this year, competing with Easte...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Mitchell Osak, veteran cannabis consultant and founder of Cannabis Management Review, joins us to share insights on navigating the complex cannabis business landscape and finding success through fundamental business principles.

โ€ข Hemp and cannabis policy debates highlight the challenges of finding middle ground in an increasingly polarized environment
โ€ข Cannabis business dynamics parallel historical prece...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Dave Daly, founder of Grav Labs, shares his 20-year journey from creating the original Gravitron in his parents' garage to building an iconic cannabis accessories brand that's now expanding into THC beverages.

โ€ข Building a differentiated product with the original all-glass gravity bong in 2004
โ€ข Growing through innovation when a simple taster product helped save the company from debt
โ€ข Navig...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

The world of cannabis isn't isolated from global economic shiftsโ€”it's deeply embedded in them. When the Trump administration announced sweeping new tariffs against major trading partners, from China to Canada, few analysts considered how these protectionist measures would impact an industry that's already entirely domestic by legal necessity.

In this deep-diving conversation, Ben and Anna Rae u...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Join us on High Spirits as Ben & AnnaRae dive into a hot topic that's reshaping the landscape of the cannabis beverage industry. As states begin to align hemp beverage regulations with those governing alcohol, the implications for brands, manufacturers, distributors, and consumers are significant. This episode explores the legislative shift that is integrating hemp beverages into the alcohol regulatory ...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

In todayโ€™s discussion, we explore the evolution of Bengal Capital from a hedge fund to a more hands-on private equity firm that doesn't just invest but actively participates in steering companies towards success. We'll unravel the layers of Bengalโ€™s unique approach to cannabis investing, focusing on smaller, often overlooked entities rather than the larger MSOs, and how this strategy sets them apart in a sat...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ ๐’๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐Ÿ• ๐Œ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ?! ๐‰๐จ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐‡๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ข๐ž ๐–๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง! ๐ŸŒผ๐ŸŒˆโœŒ๏ธ

Join hosts Ben & AnnaRae on High Spirits as they dive into the world of launching a THC-infused beverage company with the founders of Hippie Water. We're thrilled to welcome Sasha Pieterse Sheaffer and Taylor Eileen Sewell to discuss the dynamic launch and rapid expansion of their brand...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Note to our listeners: Apologies for the poor sound quality on this episode. We experienced a bit of a technical snafu in the recording. We will be back on track next week!

๐ŸŽ™๐‰๐จ๐ข๐ง ๐”๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐š๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ ๐‚๐š๐ง๐ง๐š๐›๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ž๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐‘๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฉ!๐ŸŒฟ

It's been another eventful month in the world of cannabis, and we're excited to talk about it. Tune-in to find out what&a...

Mark as Played

Send us a text

Join Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein on High Spirits as they explore the journey of transforming a hemp marketplace and media site into a multi-state cannabis brand with a strong community focus. We'll be joined by Kate Miller, co-founder and CEO of Miss Grass , who has masterfully steered the brand from its roots as a hemp marketplace to a prominent player in the regulated cannabis market.

๐Ÿš€ ๐—”๐—ฏ๐—ผ๏ฟฝ...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Iโ€™m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and Iโ€™m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood youโ€™re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and lifeโ€™s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them weโ€™ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I donโ€™t take it for granted โ€” click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I canโ€™t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

    Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

    Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you wonโ€™t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, youโ€™ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

ยฉ 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.