High Functioning Podcast

In this episode of High Functioning , host Jason Reposa sits down with Cam Nero-Clark, Purchasing Manager for Bud's Goods (MA & NJ) and an OCB Pro Figure Bodybuilder. Cam shares her incredible journey from battling insomnia as a "washed-up athlete" to earning her Pro Card in under a year. She breaks down her disciplined routine, reveals her controversial pre-workout secret (the "Fat Dab"), and...

Marc Rosenfeld breaks down what is crushing operators right now. We talk about why timing changed, how zoning quietly forces businesses into industrial parks, and why new builds can fail before they open. You will also hear why bad market data can be worse than no data, why unpaid bills are a real market risk, and why licensing rules should reward operators who pay what they owe. highfunctioning.s...

Ads get blocked in licensed cannabis. That changes how you grow. Natalie Benson and Andrew Koudijs explain how you build trust when you cannot show the product on social, why you have to market in a different way, and what it costs to open before you make one dollar. They also share what it feels like when a landlord says “no,” and why they stopped a launch instead of shipping something they did n...

Edibles hit a price wall, and it is breaking margins. Chris Lynch explains how price compression works, why a 20 pack can sell for $3, and why that math can go negative for operators. You will also hear how shelf space trades work, why a vertical model can protect margin, how license caps can be worked around, what enforcement feels like on the ground, and what celebrity deals look like when you s...

Massachusetts cannabis delivery is brutally hard because the economics are stacked against operators. In Episode 53 of High Functioning , Jason talks with Christopher Fevry about why the delivery model bleeds cash, how “lowest bid wins” creates a race to the bottom, and what it takes to build an operation that can survive real compliance costs, insurance, labor, and risk. 🎧 Full Episodes: highfun...

Why does legal weed packaging look so bland? In Connecticut, strict rules limit color, branding, and even logo size, especially for edibles, which pushes brands to look “medical” by default. Jason Reposa talks with Lindsay Roth (Happy Confection) and Rich Magaña (Queer in Cannabis) about what those rules do to brands, what products can actually win in-market, and why community and history still ma...

How do you go from bankruptcy to selling $1 billion in private aviation? Jay Sapovits (Founder, Ink’d) shares his raw, unfiltered journey from a crippling gambling addiction to high-stakes business success. Topics: The $1B Sales Secret: Specific tactics for closing high-net-worth clients. The Ego Trap: Why success is more dangerous than failure for your mindset. The Pivot: Leaving a glamorous jet...

Boston comedian and creator Gary Bolles (@boyfromboston617) joins Jason to talk about growing up in Southie, getting clean, and finally committing to stand up after his sister’s death pushed him to change his life. He explains how therapy, endless open mics and reps turned into paid shows, crowd work and a late-blooming comedy career, and why he is okay living back at home at 44 while he builds so...

In this High Functioning episode, Jason sits down with Eskar President Michael Hunnewell to unpack what “winning as a small operator” really means. Michael explains how group purchasing works in grocery, why license caps matter less than COGS, and how private label and MAP pricing change shelf strategy. They walk through real examples from Massachusetts and talk about what happens to independents...

Bobby Nuggz has spent more than a decade inside New England cannabis as a writer, event producer, and community connector. In this High Functioning episode he talks about the festival days, the early medical markets, the shift into legal, and what he has seen brands and media do right and wrong. The conversation touches on concentrates, lab testing, ethics, and why he still chooses community over...

Prevention first. Kyle Moon walks through coping skills that work, the mind-body routine that starts his day, and a simple approach to bring SEL into real classes. He also explains how to grow a member space into a public venue and why partner fit matters at each stage. highfunctioning.show For audiences 21+ where legal. Please follow local laws. Nothing for sale.

Clean Up Your Data gives operators a practical safety playbook. Jeff Rawson, PhD of the Institute of Cannabis Science, explains why measuring work beats tracking inventory, how to design clear recalls, and how to reduce hardware lead risk. Use these steps right away. You’ll learn• Seed to sale vs real safety• Clear recall lists people can follow• Fast checks for lead in hardware More: highfunction...

At 18, a single choice changed the course of his life. After serving time and watching the rise of a new industry from a cell, Mike Fantasia made a commitment to rebuild and help others do the same. This episode explores what it takes to lead after loss, build credibility again, and stay grounded in purpose. 🚨 Intended for audiences 21 and older. Follow your local laws and engage responsibly.

Dustin and Ryan Dohm walk through a practical system for cleaner rooms and smoother audits. Learn how to add a bonded surface layer during changeover, confirm results with your lab, and roll out site-wide once counts drop. We cover food-contact status, the 90-day protection window, pilot steps, and why prevention cuts cost and time. Follow the show and never miss an episode. More episodes: highfun...

Holly Alberti joins Jason to talk about building with community first. She shares early advocacy work in Boston, how education programs set a strong base, and what she learned when a large project collapsed. Holly also explains how past brand work shaped her approach to launches and partnerships. Follow and subscribe for new episodes and more conversations like this. 🎧 Full Episodes: highfunction...

Jordan and Mike Whittaker (The Weedaker Group) explain how they help teams launch, train, and operate in a tough market. We cover compliance vs. operations, why inspectors and towns see rules differently, and how to plan events that feel safe and welcoming. They also share lessons from Morocco and how New Dia near Fenway Park became a true community hub with rotating art and a weekly award-winning...

Chris Barnicle, NCAA All-American and Olympic Trials competitor, shares what happens when the pursuit of speed leads to burnout and how he came back from it. He talks about his years running for Arkansas and New Mexico, training in Kenya, and competing at the national level. Chris explains how injuries and overtraining forced him to rethink his approach and focus on recovery, reflection, and susta...

Aidan explains how art-first products and per-sale commissions support creators. We cover store-level discovery, the Homie Pack, collectible booklets with magnets, sourcing new artists, and plans for gallery shows using the original paintings. Follow and listen: highfunctioning.show Subscribe: tr.ee/highfunctioningsubscribe Spotify: tr.ee/highfunctioningspotify Apple: tr.ee/highfunctioningapple 21...

What makes rosin different, and why does it matter? In this episode of the High Functioning Podcast, Ben McCabe, Chief Operating Officer at Sweetgrass Botanicals, explains the truth about solventless rosin. Ben shares how Sweetgrass built transparency into its model with live demos, how solventless shows the full character of a strain, and why some cultivars shine while others do not. He also talk...

In this episode, Jason sits down with Julio Vasquez to unpack the buyer’s perspective. Julio shares what matters most when choosing products for menus, why pricing must match quality, and how trust drives long-term success. He also discusses co-ops, cultural events, and his journey from Rhode Island to Massachusetts. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you get your shows.

Dan Mondello, CEO of Rank Really High, breaks down why many dispensary websites do not convert and what to change first. We cover simple site fixes, smarter use of menus and POS data, and how ADHD shaped his approach to focus and leadership. What you’ll learn The top reasons sites fail to convert What to stop chasing if growth is flat Page elements that raise add-to-cart and pickup A clear plan fo...

Carl Giannone helped build a respected cannabis brand in Massachusetts. Then everything changed. This episode covers the real story behind the rise and fall of Trade Roots. Carl talks openly about tough calls, the mental weight of failure, and why he’s still showing up to build again. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. 🔗 highfunctioning.show

Dru Ledbetter, Afro-Latina nurse leader and author of Truth & Triumph , shares her journey from the bedside to the policy table. We cover identity, leadership, stigma in patient care, postpartum challenges, community education, and her fight for smarter healthcare reform. 📖 Buy Truth & Triumph : https://a.co/d/ctWeiTB 🎧 Full episode drops Friday, August 8, 2025, at 11AM EST — listen on h...

Rob DiFazio, Navy veteran and CEO of CNA Stores , shares how to grow a purpose-driven retail and cultivation business. From veteran-first hiring and community fundraising to smart inventory planning and extraction expertise, Rob shows what it means to build a company with integrity. 🎙️ In This Episode ✔️ Retail growth and inventory sell‑through tactics✔️ Building a flat leadership culture✔️ Fundra...

From Dorm Hustle to Enterprise Joe Khoury went from 3D-printing rolling-tray phone cases in his college dorm to architecting data and ERP platforms behind $850 million+ in regulated-tech transactions. Along the way he survived a $10 K customs seizure and co-launched AI compliance agents for multi-state operators. What You’ll Hear: Dorm-room prototype & pre-sell validation Customs-seizure lesso...