EXCLUSIVE: Pot Podcast Gets Interviews With Top Players At Benzinga Cannabis Conference In Miami

The Plant Prophets Podcast used the most recent Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference (CCC) in Miami to record a series of episodes of its highly anticipated shows featuring some of the most innovative players in the cannabis industry, scores of whom were in attendance at the two-day conference.

"The Benzinga conference consistently attracts the right mix of money, brands, and operators, making it a conference that is always productive regardless of how you play in the space," Vern Davis, partner & SVP of business development at Protis Global told Benzinga. "The Plant Prophets podcast had the honor of hosting some of the top leaders in the cannabis industry, gaining insight into their success. It was great to see such a diverse range of experts come together to discuss key issues facing the industry and showcase its growth and potential." 

Among the influential cannabis movers Davis sat down with was the founder of Marijuana Matters, Khadijah Tribble, who is bringing the smartest people in the sector to Harvard University to create bridges to federal legalization. One of Tribble's key initiatives is to create an executive training program for the cannabis industry. Tribble also participated in the Benzinga panel "Are Conscious Consumers Demanding Sustainability & ESG?"

Patrick Rea, managing director of Poseidon Garden Ventures, which invests primarily in Pre-Series A ventures and growth-focused businesses, told Davis that Poseidon is interested in businesses that can prove that their ideas work and are scalable. He said that it takes more than just a good idea to raise money, “scrappy founders doing more with less are the most attractive investments."

Aaron Miles, CIO of Verano Holdings VRNOF who spoke on a Benzinga panel 'Nurturing New Growth: Exclusive Insights into Where Growth Will Occur in 2023' shared some good advice with Plant Prophets, highlighting the importance of planning in case everything goes wrong. 

Upcoming podcast episodes will include Brett Puffenbarger, VP of marketing at Green Check Verified (GCV), who will break down the myth that there are no banking solutions available to the cannabis industry. In fact, his company's software provides access to a variety of banking partners for a range of services from deposits and savings to investment and funding, with 127 financial institutions on their platform. This past September, GCV bought PayQwick, which has been servicing underbanked cannabis businesses since 2015.

Davis spoke with Aubrey Amatelli, CEO of PayRio, a game-changing fintech company that makes it possible for dispensaries to accept credit and debit payments. Amatelli said that PayRio has helped cannabis dispensaries increase their average ticket by 20-40%.

Now in its fourth year, the Plant Prophets Podcast has become a go-to platform for understanding the cannabis industry and its producers. "We are deeply committed to keeping our finger on the pulse of cannabis, and as the industry continues to evolve, we want to be at the forefront of these conversations. We want to keep bringing our listeners the best of the best when it comes to insights in this rapidly growing industry," Davis said

Photo: Khadijah Tribble and Vern Davis