Beard Bros

Cannabis conferences are funny. Everybody says “let’s connect,” then hides behind VIP ropes and weak coffee. Meanwhile, the real business usually happens after hours. We’re back in Chicago hosting the Media Stage and official after party at IgniteIt for year three. What actually makes an industry event worth attending? events.igniteit.com/cannabis-capit…

The VA’s current policy is peak bureaucracy. Doctors can discuss cannabis with veterans... but can’t recommend it or help with paperwork. So vets have to pay outside clinics instead. Congress might finally fix that. If cannabis helps veterans avoid opioids and sleep through the night, why are we still pretending this debate isn’t settled? beardbrospharms.com/articles/va-do…

“Cannabis is infrastructure.” That line summed up NECANN Boston 2026 better than any keynote could. Massachusetts operators are battling taxes, regulation, price compression, and political attacks while still building one of the most competitive cannabis markets in the country. The recap gets into all of it. What’s tougher right now: surviving in cannabis or scaling in cannabis? beardbrospharms.com/articles/necan…

The cannabis industry loves talking about “culture” until the conversation shifts to prisoners, prohibition, and accountability. The Vlasic Classic in Missouri actually leaned into it. Turns out advocacy hits harder than another rooftop networking party. What should legal cannabis still be fighting for? beardbrospharms.com/articles/the-v…

In Episode 19 of Financing Your Cannabis Future, premiering Friday May 15th, host Rachel Wright, CPA, MST, sits down with Lauren Carpenter, Co-Founder of Embarc, to break down what it really takes to build and scale a cannabis retail business in California’s complex regulatory landscape. youtu.be/S-DJQrO-rSM From navigating local jurisdictions to leading a 17-store retail operation, Lauren shares how community engagement, policy expertise, and disciplined leadership are key to long-term success in cannabis. 📌 Episode Highlights: ✅ Meet Lauren Carpenter – Co-Founder of Embarc Lauren transitioned from government affairs into cannabis, using her expertise to bridge the gap between policymakers, communities, and operators to expand legal cannabis access across California. ✅ Opening Cannabis Markets One Community at a Time Learn how Embarc built trust through “community listening tours,” engaging stakeholders from law enforcement to local leaders to normalize cannabis and drive adoption. ✅ Cannabis Stigma Isn’t Gone—It’s Evolving Despite legalization, stigma still impacts policy and market growth—understand why perception hasn’t caught up with reality. ✅ Rescheduling & Cannabis Business Impact Explore what federal rescheduling means for operators, taxes, and long-term industry growth—and why it’s only one step forward. ✅ Founder Lessons: Scaling, Leadership & Growth From “family to sports team,” Lauren shares how building the right team, setting boundaries, and evolving as a leader are critical to scaling a cannabis business. 🗣️ Quote from the Video: "We have to engage in uncomfortable conversations—because that’s how this industry moves forward." – Lauren Carpenter

“Social equity” sounds great in a press release. Building businesses that survive is the hard part. BIPOCann stopped chasing headlines and started helping operators secure funding, retail placements, mentorship, and real strategy. That’s the difference between optics and impact. What’s cannabis still getting wrong about equity? beardbrospharms.com/articles/bipoc…

Germany found a legal path to cannabis reform without flipping the table on international law. Meanwhile America is still arguing with itself while legal weed pays taxes in one building and gets treated like heroin in another. That’s not policy. That’s performance art. We broke down why Germany moved forward, why the U.S. keeps stalling, and who’s really hiding behind the “international law” excuse. At what point does the rest of the world stop waiting for America to catch up? beardbrospharms.com/articles/germa…

“Oversight” is one word for it. Oklahoma now wants medical cannabis businesses to register with the DEA or risk losing their licenses by 2027. Tax relief and banking access sound great until you realize you’re handing federal enforcement a roadmap to your operation. Progress or bait? beardbrospharms.com/articles/lawma…

Unity Week starts today. Policy still shapes everything in cannabis: Access. Banking. Enforcement. Opportunity. The question is… are enough people actually pushing reform forward? May 12: Advocacy May 13: Reform talks May 14: Action plans

Europe stopped “emerging” and started executing. Now Cannabis Europa London 2026 becomes the first major global cannabis summit after Schedule III officially landed in the U.S. Translation: policy people, investors, and operators are about to collide. Question is... does Europe outplay America in cannabis strategy? @cannabiseuropa beardbrospharms.com/articles/canna…

Schedule III doesn’t free cannabis prisoners. It doesn’t erase records. It doesn’t repair communities destroyed by prohibition. But hey, cannabis stocks got excited for a few hours. New Beard Bros Media piece asks the question nobody in power wants answered: If the government was wrong all along, who’s accountable? beardbrospharms.com/articles/resch…

Eaze helped define cannabis delivery. Now they’re betting on something more personal with their Van Nuys storefront. Our latest Retail Spotlight breaks down what that says about where cannabis retail is heading next. What matters more now: convenience or experience? beardbrospharms.com/articles/retai…

Cannabis legalization wasn’t won by slick marketing campaigns. It was won when people realized the guy using weed for sleep was also coaching soccer, paying taxes, and not “destroying America.” Funny how reality works. What changed more minds: politics or personal experience? beardbrospharms.com/articles/the-s…

In Episode 21 of Branding Like A Boss, premiering Tuesday May 12th, host Angela Pih sits down with Mark Hsieh, VP of Sales & Marketing at Rove, to break down what it really takes to build and scale a premium cannabis brand in a highly competitive, price-compressed market. youtu.be/r3DWYVuAuwM From global enterprise experience to leading one of cannabis’ fastest-growing brands, Mark shares how Rove expanded into 16 markets, aligned sales and marketing into one unified strategy, and maintained premium positioning without sacrificing margins. 📌 Episode Highlights: ✅ Meet Mark Hsieh – VP of Sales & Marketing at Rove Mark brings global experience from Microsoft and international markets, applying structured sales strategy, forecasting, and operational discipline to scale Rove into a national cannabis brand. ✅ Building a Premium Cannabis Brand Learn how Rove maintains premium positioning in a commoditized industry by focusing on quality, consistency, and disciplined pricing strategies. ✅ Sales & Marketing Alignment = Growth Discover why breaking down silos between sales and marketing is critical—and how aligning both teams around revenue and customer experience drives results. ✅ Scaling Across Markets Without Losing Identity How Rove standardized operations, branding, and customer experience across 16 markets while adapting to local dynamics. ✅ Product Innovation & Competitive Advantage From vape hardware to triple-infused pre-rolls, hear how constant product iteration and attention to detail fuel brand loyalty and growth. 🗣️ Quote from the Video: "If we're going to ask customers to pay a premium, we have to deliver a premium experience every time." – Mark Hsieh

Target putting THC drinks on shelves while Congress debates banning much of the hemp market is peak America right now. One side sees a wellness product. The other sees a loophole. Meanwhile consumers are just looking for something smoother than tequila and tomorrow’s regret. Smart retail play or last call before regulation hits? What do you think? beardbrospharms.com/articles/is-ta…

North Carolina might finally let voters decide what politicians have stalled for years. Senate Bill 1072 could put medical cannabis + personal possession on the 2026 ballot. Meanwhile, tribal land in NC already proved regulated cannabis works. So what’s the holdup? beardbrospharms.com/articles/north…

Cannabis is legal in half the country, billion-dollar brands exist, and people are STILL sitting in prison over weed. Freedom Grow is heading to D.C. for SSDP’s Cannabis Week of Unity to remind lawmakers that “reform” without justice is just political cosplay. How much longer do we pretend this is fixed? beardbrospharms.com/articles/freed…

1937 called. It wants its cannabis policy back. The DEA’s new registration portal promises legitimacy for medical operators, but some see a familiar setup: comply, hand over your data, and hope the rules don’t change later. Progress or controlled access? beardbrospharms.com/articles/from-…

Cannabis got so deep into “legendary genetics” that half the market sounds like a comic book multiverse. Now Life Is Not Grape is throwing KAMBO into the Toad Venom conversation and forcing one real question: Does the story matter more than the smoke? Full feature via Beard Bros Media. beardbrospharms.com/articles/life-…