Apartment 113 Cannabis & Psychedelics Industry Podcast

Episode 229 is the 27th episode of Season 4. We're joined today by Alex Eckman, a cannabis chemistry graduate, extraction technician and host of the Higher Thoughts Podcast. Alex has spent about a decade in Michigan cannabis, a path that began when he left the fire service and turned to the plant as a last-resort medicine for chronic health issues. He worked through the state's wild-west caregiver...

Episode 228 is the 26th episode of Season 4. We're back with another monthly special featuring Dustin Hoxworth, Founder of Fat Nugs Magazine, joining me to break down another busy month in cannabis and psychedelics. With federal policy finally moving, research continuing to accelerate and no shortage of industry drama, there was plenty to unpack. We kick things off with the DEA's rescheduling hear...

Episode 227 is the 25th episode of Season 4. Joshua Tims is Vice President of Brand Strategy and Vendor Relations at Haven, a California cannabis retailer with ten dispensary locations, cultivation, manufacturing and distribution operations. Over more than two decades in the industry, he's worked nearly every side of cannabis retail, from budtending and purchasing to retail operations, executive l...

Episode 226 is the 24th episode of Season 4. This episode breaks the mold a little bit as we celebrate another 113 episodes of the Apartment 113 Podcast. Instead of focusing on the traditional 100 episode milestone, we've always preferred to celebrate 113. With another 113 episodes now in the books, I'm incredibly grateful for all of the guests, listeners, supporters and friends who have helped ma...

Episode 225 is the 23rd episode of Season 4. Jim Berry is the creator of Homegrown with Jim Berry and a longtime Michigan caregiver, cultivator and educator dedicated to helping people grow better cannabis at home. Through his writing with Fat Nugs Magazine and his work as a cultivation consultant, he has become a respected voice advocating for home grow rights and bringing practical, science-driv...

Episode 224 is the 22nd episode of Season 4. Vanessa Cuccurullo is the Founder and Principal of Mrs. C Botanicals, a New York State licensed cannabis company focused on intentional consumption and premium, low-dose products through its Leilala & Watson brand. Built around the promise of "Low Dose. High Trust," her work is aimed at consumers seeking a thoughtful, predictable approach to cannabi...

Episode 223 is the 21st episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Kelly Riddle, Founder and CEO of The CannaJo!nt, a cannabis-focused branding, content and events agency dedicated to bringing together brands, creators, media and industry professionals in more meaningful and collaborative ways. Kelly spent several years helping shape the content and marketing strategy behind MJBiz and MJBi...

Episode 222 is the 20th episode of Season 4. We’re back with the May Special featuring Dustin Hoxworth, Founder of Fat Nugs Magazine, and Daniel Crawford, COO of Fat Nugs Magazine. This month we check in on what’s happening across cannabis policy, science, cultivation and the broader industry while catching up with Dustin after a busy stretch of travel and Daniel as he settles into Minnesota and h...

Episode 221 is the 19th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Chris Kuilan, Co-Founder of Stoops NYC, a Latinx-owned cannabis dispensary in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. Chris joins the show to talk about building a cannabis business rooted in New York culture, community and long-term vision inside one of the toughest regulated markets in the country. Born and raised in New York, Chr...

Episode 220 is the 18th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Maggie McBain, Indoor Cultivation Manager at CULTA, a Maryland-based cannabis company focused on premium cultivation, retail and cannabis culture. Maggie joins the show to talk about her path through the industry and what it takes to consistently produce quality cannabis at scale. Maggie entered the cannabis industry in 202...

Episode 219 is the 17th episode of Season 4. Returning to the show for the first time since Episode 79 is Gary Laderman, Goodrich C. White Professor of American Religious History and Cultures at Emory University. Gary joins us to discuss his new book Sacred Drugs: How Psychoactive Substances Mix with Religious Life and the deeper relationship between psychoactive substances, spirituality and human...

Episode 218 is the 16th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Riel Roussopoulos, Founder of Bud Mafia and a longtime marketer and technologist working across cannabis and other markets. Riel joins the show to talk about storytelling, digital strategy and the challenge of building events and brands in industries where traditional marketing channels are limited. We talk about Riel’s bac...

Episode 217 is the 15th episode of Season 4. We’re back with the April Special featuring Jeremy Johnson , Chief Marketing Officer at Quality Roots as co-host. This month we dig into federal policy shifts, state level dynamics and the broader forces shaping cannabis in 2026. Quick note, we had some connection issues during this recording so the episode is cut a bit short. Appreciate your patience w...

Episode 216 is the 14th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Willy Vlasic, cannabis and hemp entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Vlasic Labs. Willy joins the show to talk about building a modern plant-based wellness brand rooted in one of America’s most recognizable family names and how legacy can evolve into a new industry. We talk about Willy’s path through cultivation, manufacturing an...

Episode 215 is the 13th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Jenny Germano, Founder and President of ICS Consulting and host of Under the Microscope with Jenny. Jenny is a nationally recognized cannabis compliance expert whose career spans from Colorado’s early medical days to today’s highly regulated multi-state market. She joins the show to talk about compliance, operations and wha...

Episode 214 is the 12th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Caleb Chen, cannabis researcher, educator and Founder of The Highest Critic. Caleb joins the show to talk about cannabis genetics, global culture and the importance of preserving diversity in the plant as the modern industry continues to evolve. We talk about his journey from enthusiast to respected reviewer and judge, his...

Episode 213 is the 11th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Brian Caine, Founder of High End Search and Rad Recruitment, two firms focused on talent acquisition across cannabis, hemp and psychedelics. Brian joins the show to talk about one of the most overlooked challenges in the industry: finding and keeping the right people. We talk about Brian’s background in biotech and recruiti...

Episode 212 is the 10th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Anna Krishtal, hypnotherapist, ketamine coach and host of the Ketamine Connections podcast. Anna joins the show to talk about her journey into psychedelic therapy and the work she is doing to help people better understand and integrate ketamine experiences for mental health and personal growth. We talk about Anna’s early ex...

Episode 211 is the 9th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Matthijs Bogerd, General Manager of The Source Water Street, a newly opened dispensary in the heart of Henderson, Nevada. Matthijs joins the show to talk about the grand opening of the Water Street location, his approach to retail leadership and what it takes to build a high performing team in today’s cannabis market. We tal...

Episode 210 is the 8th episode of Season 4. We’re back with another special featuring Dustin Hoxworth, Founder of Fat Nugs Magazine as co-host. This month we dig into cannabis policy, global models and the economic and cultural forces shaping the industry in 2026. We start in France, where prohibition is becoming more aggressive and more controversial at the same time, raising questions about publ...

Episode 209 is the 7th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Justin Johnson, entrepreneur, marketer and business development strategist with a background spanning digital media, technology and cannabis. Justin is the Founder and CEO of BudsFeed, Managing Partner and Head of Business Development at Dyspensr and Co-Founder of Chill Steel Pipes. He joins the show to talk about brand buil...

Episode 208 is the 6th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Sasha Kalcheff-Korn, Executive Director of Realm of Caring, a national nonprofit focused on research, education and patient access to cannabinoid-based care. Sasha joins the show to talk about the evolving role of cannabis in public health and the work her organization is doing to support patients, caregivers and healthcare...

Episode 207 is the 5th episode of Season 4. Our guests for this episode are Kristin and Eric Rogers, Co-Founders of LEVIA, a Massachusetts-based cannabis beverage brand focused on wellness-forward seltzers and water soluble drink drops designed as an alternative to alcohol. They join the show to talk about building one of the early cannabis beverage brands in the U.S. and the journey of bringing a...

Episode 206 is the 4th episode of Season 4. Our guest for this episode is Pablo Velez, Founder of Flower Daddy, a Brooklyn-based cannabis dispensary blending art, design and community-forward retail. Pablo is a Colombian immigrant and LGBTQ+ entrepreneur whose journey into the legal cannabis industry came after facing deportation tied to a past cannabis conviction. He joins the show to talk about...

Episode 205 is the 3rd episode of Season 4. We’re back with the February Special featuring Matt Jerome, Founder of Meristem Consulting and Co-Founder of the Connoisseurship Roadshow as co-host. This month we tackle the policy friction, public health signals, and global shifts shaping cannabis in early 2026. We start in Arizona, where a bill would criminalize “excessive” cannabis smoke even on priv...