The importance of business development during COVID.

04/16/20 • 52 min

On this episode we talk about actionable steps you can take in your business while dealing with uncertainty with Jonathan Teeters, MBA and Head of Business Development at Azuca.

We cover the subjects of team management in these times, adjustments being made as capital markets disappear, supply chains, and strategy needs to steer. We discuss how to address customers in a time of uncertainty and why leadership, business development, and content are key focus points during this time.

Jonathan has more than 20 years leading teams, building strategy, and developing relations. He has more than 6 years as a leader in the emerging cannabis and hemp industries, I've cultivated a deep set of relationships that I now use to effectively develop business opportunities, influence policy, support innovation, and increase access for underrepresented voices. Jonathan utilizes a broad set of technical and interpersonal skills to help stakeholders and customers meet their challenges and capitalize on an opportunity.

Behind the Scenes Interview

What is the best thing that is going on in your career right now?

Well, our company/brand is relatively well-positioned to come out of this CV thing in good shape. Strong partnerships emerging... otherwise it’s kinda weird these days.

Why are you part of the cannabis industry?

I like doing things that haven’t been done. I want to be able to look back in 20 years and say I helped build that. I love cannabis and what it can do for people, their physical and mental health, and Mother Earth.

What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a business owner that you can share with our audience?

How to have a positive outlook in uncertainty. Being nimble is a real thing now. Managing cash. Positioning in a changing landscape.

Support the show

Connect with us!
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Instagram: @cannabisbusinessminds
Youtube: @cannabisbusinessminds
Linkedin: Cannabis Business Minds Podcast
Have any feedback? Shoot us an email at [email protected].

On this episode we talk about actionable steps you can take in your business while dealing with uncertainty with Jonathan Teeters, MBA and Head of Business Development at Azuca.

Behind the Scenes Interview

What is the best thing that is going on in your career right now?

Well, our company/brand is relatively well-positioned to come out of this CV thing in good shape. Strong partnerships emerging... otherwise it’s kinda weird these days.

Why are you part of the cannabis industry?

What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a business owner that you can share with our audience?

How to have a positive outlook in uncertainty. Being nimble is a real thing now. Managing cash. Positioning in a changing landscape.

Support the show

Connect with us!
—
Instagram: @cannabisbusinessminds
Youtube: @cannabisbusinessminds
Linkedin: Cannabis Business Minds Podcast
Have any feedback? Shoot us an email at [email protected].

Previous Episode

The Cannabis Stock Marketing during the COVID Crisis

On this episode of Cannabis Business Minds, we hear from Matt Markiewicz about cannabis stocks and insider tips for business owners.

Matt brings 22 years of financial industry experience to his current role in running Innovation Shares, the firm behind The Cannabis ETF (NYSE: THCX). Most recently he spent over six years spent at BlackRock as a Director within the iShares ETF business.

During his tenure at iShares, the firm launched 150 ETFs in the US supporting a global ETF franchise with AUM that exceeded $1 trillion. Prior positions involved various roles in equity research and institutional sales with VDM Specialists, a NYSE market- making firm, as well as with the global investment bank, UBS Warburg. Matt is a graduate of Boston College’s Wallace E. Carroll School of Management.

THCX holdings and portfolios are listed and current every day and weights are updated daily. The fund isn't just plant-touching businesses but also includes ancillary and hemp companies.

What we talk about on the show:

If cannabis stocks make a worthy investment for investors
The breakdown of institutional investors in the cannabis industry
The traits investors look for in businesses
The advantage of going public for a cannabis business (The costs of maintaining a public company are high)
The investment landscape in Canada
What businesses should be preparing for during a time of crisis

Behind the Scenes Interview

What is the best thing that is going on in your career right now?

The opportunity to speak with financial advisors in order to educate them about the investment opportunity in the global legal cannabis industry. There is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding out there and it feels good to bring some clarity to the cannabis investment landscape.

Why are you part of the cannabis industry?

It is exciting to be part of something that is emerging from legal and regulatory shadows and be able to promote the industry through a New York Stock Exchange-listed portfolio.

What is one entrepreneurial story or experience you'd like to share?

When we were going through the registration process of our cannabis ETF, THCX, there was a lack of understanding at the SEC as to what made hemp and marijuana different and why it mattered and how the products were used. It was quite shocking actually.

What is one piece of insight you'd like to share with the listeners

Not all publicly-traded cannabis companies are created equally so do your homework when investing.

What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a business owner that you can share with our audience?

Cannabis stocks have crashed since we launched THCX in July 2019. This unfortunate timing has made it very tough to market a fund with a negative performance especially in the face of a stronger broader US stock market. However, financial advisors are still interested in hearing "why cannabis and why now?"

Support the show

Connect with us!
—
Instagram: @cannabisbusinessminds
Youtube: @cannabisbusinessminds
Linkedin: Cannabis Business Minds Podcast
Have any feedback? Shoot us an email at [email protected].

Next Episode

What will cannabis look like when it's federally legal?

Get the insight from the first Marijuana / Hemp specialist in the world on what it takes to run a compliant cannabis business and how to build a consulting agency in cannabis.

About our Expert:

Kim Stuck was the first Marijuana/Hemp specialist for a public health authority in the nation in Denver CO. She has a
bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition/Biochem and is a Certified Professional in Food Safety (CPFS), a Certified Quality
Auditor (CQA), and a leading expert in Cannabis food safety and compliance.

She is the Founder of Allay Consulting LLC, a
consulting firm that helps the Cannabis industry over-come compliance pitfalls in State Regulations, FDA, OSHA, and Fire
code. Allay now assists with cGMP and ISO Certification in the cannabis industry. She helps influence regulations and requirements in the cannabis industry by participating in these groups and speaking on behalf of the cannabis industry regularly.

She was also a judge for the Colorado Manufacturing Awards put on by Company Week Magazine who has recently added a Cannabis manufacturing product award. She was also honored to present the award to the winners during the award ceremony in 2019 and will do so again in 2020.

Support the show

Connect with us!
—
Instagram: @cannabisbusinessminds
Youtube: @cannabisbusinessminds
Linkedin: Cannabis Business Minds Podcast
Have any feedback? Shoot us an email at [email protected].