Cannabis is leaving its “startup era”—and the next phase won’t be won by hype. It’ll be won by operators who can build trust, standardize the experience, and run tighter businesses in a margin-crushed market.

On Episode 122 of High Spirits, hosts Ben & AnnaRae sit down with Ashwin Raj, CEO of LeafLink, to unpack what he’s seeing from the center of cannabis wholesale—where billions in transactions reveal the real signals of industry health. Ashwin draws sharp parallels to ride-sharing and e-commerce, and makes the case that consumer education, product standards, and tech-driven compliance are the keys to unlocking the next wave of growth.

They also go inside LeafLink’s pricing-model backlash (and reversal), the strategic logic behind acquiring DAMA Financial, and why the industry’s biggest bottlenecks aren’t just regulatory—they’re operational.

What You’ll Learn

• Why consumer education + product standards are still a massive gap in cannabis (especially vs. alcohol)
• The “signals from the middle” LeafLink sees that predict operator distress before it hits the headlines
• How policy decisions (like license caps or overload) drive price compression and market instability
• What Ashwin learned from the LeafLink pricing uproar—and why predictability matters in cannabis
• How the DAMA Financial acquisition connects payments, AR/AP, and compliance into one system
• Verticalization vs. specialization: what’s winning now—and what likely wins long-term

Meet the Guest

Ashwin Raj is the CEO of LeafLink, a platform at the center of cannabis wholesale powering billions in transactions across thousands of companies. Before cannabis, Ashwin led in industries that scaled ahead of regulation—holding leadership roles at Lyft, Amazon, and ezCater across marketplaces, payments, and operational infrastructure. He brings a “build for the long term” mindset to cannabis, with a clear emphasis on listening to customers, simplifying complexity, and using tech to turn compliance into confidence.

Why Tune In?

Because this episode isn’t about wishful thinking—it’s about what the data actually says. If you’re an operator, brand, retailer, or investor trying to survive (and win) the next phase of cannabis, Ashwin’s “middle-of-the-market” view will sharpen your strategy fast.

Have a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!

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High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

Two of the most durable edibles brands in cannabis just joined forces—and the backstory is pure “mature-market grit.”

On Episode 121 of High Spirits, hosts Ben Larson & AnnaRae Grabstein sit down with Aaron Morris (Founder & CEO of Wyld) and Draper Bender (President of Grön) for their first interview together following Wyld’s acquisition of Grön.

They unpack why Oregon breeds profitable operators, how “market compressions” shape winning playbooks, and what it takes to build a real national platform in cannabis without hype, bankers, or venture-fueled burn. Plus: a rapid-fire policy rundown—from the federal “Baird bill” hemp delay to state-by-state adult-use pushes and rollback campaigns—setting the stage for what 2026 could mean for operators.

What You’ll Learn

• Why Oregon’s repeated price compressions create tougher (and better-prepared) brands
• How Wyld and Grön scaled with distribution-first strategy and strong retail relationships
• What “one plus one equals five” actually looks like when two profitable operators combine
• The real role of form factor + product consistency in consumer loyalty (and why “innovation” is often overrated)
• How they think about hemp vs. regulated cannabis distribution—and what’s changing fast in 2026
• Why most cannabis M&A dies at the finish line… and how this one got done

Meet the Guests

Aaron Morris is the CEO of Wyld, one of the largest edibles companies in the U.S., known for disciplined execution, quality, and a distribution engine built to scale. Draper Bender is the President of Grön, the brand behind the iconic Pearls and Megas—playful products with serious operational rigor and deep retail relationships.

Why Tune In?

If you’re building in cannabis through margin pressure, policy whiplash, and retail gatekeeping, this episode is a masterclass in durability, distribution, and dealmaking the hard way—from two operators who’ve already survived multiple rounds of compression and came out bigger.

Have a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!

--
High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.

What actually changes for cannabis in 2026—and what’s still just wishful thinking?

Join the teams from Cultivated Media, High Spirits: The Cannabis Business Podcast, and Cannabis Musings for This Week in Cannabis Live | 2026 Prediction Show.

From rescheduling realities and 280E implications to M&A strategy, hemp-derived beverages, and where not to start a cannabis business, this conversation cuts through the noise with grounded, operator-first insight.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why rescheduling may help strong operators—but won’t save bad businesses
• AnnaRae’s take on why “Big CPG is coming” is still mostly hype for 2026
• Whether 2026 is the year to buy cannabis assets—or stay patient
• What actually gets easier if 280E goes away (and what stays broken)
• The uncertain future of hemp-derived THC beverages and low-dose carveouts
• Which parts of the cannabis value chain to avoid entirely right now

Why Tune In?
If you’re a cannabis or hemp operator trying to separate real opportunity from recycled narratives, this episode delivers clarity. AnnaRae’s predictions aren’t about hype—they’re about timing, discipline, and surviving long enough to win.

Catch This Week in Cannabis Live on LinkedIn with Cultivated every Friday @ 9AM PT / 12PM ET.

Have a question for us? Send us a text. We may answer it in the next show!

--
High Spirits is brought to you by Vertosa and Wolf Meyer.

Your hosts are Ben Larson and AnnaRae Grabstein.

Follow High Spirits on LinkedIn.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Who would you like to see on the show? What topics would you like to have us cover?

Visit our website www.highspiritspod.com and listen to all of our past shows.

THANK YOU to our audience. Your engagement encourages us to keep bringing you these thought-provoking conversations.

Remember to always stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, keep your spirits high.