The Canna Boss Babes LIVE

Episode Summary: Joyce Gerber is an attorney, creator, caregiver, and author of She's Taking a Break: A Cannabis Romance — the first novel written in a genre she calls cannabis friendly fiction. She joins Ishqa to talk about what it took to write and publish her debut novel, the double standard cannabis advocates face on social media, and why stories are the most powerful tool for changing hea...

Episode Summary: Juliana Salazar is a Colombian-licensed attorney with over eight years advising founders and operators across Latin America, North America, and Europe. She joins Ishqa to talk Colombia's evolving regulatory landscape, the global pattern repeating in new markets, cross-border business strategy, and why the industry needs to understand the plant before trying to regulate it. You...

The cannabis industry is sitting on a data crisis — and most operators don't even know it. Bad data, no retention strategy, and a decade-long drift away from medical education have quietly been costing licensed businesses their most valuable customers. This week on The Canna Boss Babes®, we're getting into all of it. Steph Vrona is the founder of HighDef Studio, a cannabis marketing operations con...

In this episode, Ishqa sits down with Scott Rusczyk, board president of CV Canna, to explore the vision behind Coachella Valley Canna Week. What started as an idea to bring people together has evolved into a multi-day experience that blends cannabis, culture, education, and advocacy. Scott shares how the event is designed to welcome everyone—from industry insiders to the canna-curious—while also c...

What happens when a nurse becomes a patient—and cannabis becomes the medicine that changes everything? In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast , host Ishqa Hillman sits down with cannabis nurse Sherri Mack to explore her journey from ICU patient to one of the leading voices in cannabis nursing and patient education. After contracting a life-threatening infection in 2012, Mack found herself...

Danielle Wildstein didn’t set out to become a cannabis entrepreneur. After spending more than 20 years working in pharmaceuticals, Danielle found herself questioning the system after witnessing her mother struggle with chronic illness and the side effects of endless medications. When New Jersey legalized recreational cannabis, she saw an opportunity to create something different. In this episode o...

Elisabeth Mack joins The Canna Boss Babes Podcast for a conversation that blends healthcare, healing, advocacy, and what’s ahead for Coachella Valley Canna Week . A nurse, healthcare executive, educator, and author, Elisabeth shares how a bicycle accident led her from conventional medicine into the cannabis space and why she has spent the last decade helping patients understand plant medicine in a...

What happens when a life-altering injury forces you to rethink everything you thought you knew about healing? In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast , Mia Garlock joins Ishqa Hillman for an honest conversation about recovery, research, and why questioning the narrative matters more than ever. After a serious accident left Mia in a wheelchair with multiple broken bones, she found herself r...

If you've ever watched a horror film elevated and thought this is everything — this episode is for you. This week on The Canna Boss Babes, host Ishqa sits down with filmmaker Christopher Wells , founder of the Weird Short Films Festival — a cannabis film festival hitting the Vino Theater in Brooklyn on April 18th, 2026 . It's weird cinema, great community, and the most natural 4/20 lead-up...

What if someone isn’t technically in prison for cannabis—but their sentence was still extended because of it? In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast, attorney and former prosecutor Victoria Cvitanovic joins host Ishqa Hillman to discuss the hidden impact of cannabis sentencing enhancements. Often called “multiple billing,” this legal process allows courts to extend prison sentences based...

💚 Cannabis business financing has been nearly impossible — until now. In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes, host Ishqa sits down with Bill Telford , founder of Biz Funds Hub — a marketplace connecting cannabis entrepreneurs with the working capital partners they actually need. Whether you're running a dispensary, cultivation operation, manufacturing facility, or processing company, this co...

Moved across the country for legal cannabis. Built 450+ websites. Now runs the industry's biggest free women's network. Caron Cooper didn't stumble into cannabis—she moved states for it. After discovering an industry full of farmers needing marketing help at CannaCon 2018, she launched CannaSite and eventually took over Women Employed in Cannabis (WEIC). Now she's building something bigger than we...

In this candid, unfiltered conversation, Tanya Griffin , founder of oOYes wellness products and longtime cannabis industry leader, joins us to dismantle the silence around perimenopause, sexual wellness, hormone therapy, and holistic health. With nearly two decades in cannabis, Tanya bridges the gap between plant medicine, product innovation, and women’s evolving bodies—while challenging the shame...

You spent months growing perfect plants. Don't destroy them in the cure. Jane Sandelman, co-founder of Cannatrol, didn't start in cannabis—she started with cheese. The technology behind their cannabis curing systems was originally designed for Vermont cheese makers who couldn't control their aging caves. Now, after 15 years perfecting the science across cheese, charcuterie, and dry-age...

Edwin Rubis is 28 years into a 40-year sentence for cannabis — and his friend Travis Cullen has never stopped showing up. In this clip, Travis shares how he visits Edwin monthly, stays in regular contact, and keeps searching for ways to support him and bring him home. He also gives flowers to the people doing real work behind the scenes, including Kristin Flor from Freedom Grow , who helps Edwin b...

Travis Cullen spent eight years in federal prison for cannabis. Now he’s a licensed dispensary owner in Minnesota and a fierce advocate for those still behind bars for the same plant. In this episode, we talk about his journey through the justice system, the difference between advocacy and activism, and the urgent work of cannabis prisoner advocacy. Travis shares what it takes to support incarcera...

Charmaine Chua, Senior Vice President of Sales at Kanha Cannabis, joins The Canna Boss Babes to share the cannabis sales strategies that helped Kanha become California's #2 rosin brand while celebrating their 10-year anniversary. From leaving a Fortune 500 company after 14 years to leading sales at two of cannabis's biggest brands, Charmaine reveals what it takes to succeed in one of the industry'...

From MJ BizCon Week: A Conversation with Blythe Huestis on what it takes to run 13 dispensaries

From MJ BizCon Week: A conversation with Shuang Han on creating accessibility, leveraging data, and white paper quality still matters more than you think

From MJ BizCon Week: A conversation with Knoebel on dropping out to redesign cannabis containers, manufacturing in Utah, and why hearing “no” gets him excited

From MJ BizCon Week: A conversation with Jane Sandelman of Cannatrol on the science of curing, terpene preservation, and building cannabis brand loyalty

From MJ BizCon week a conversation with Mark Lewis on eliminating payment failures, next day funding, and why Budtenders earn 0.1% on every transaction

From MJ BizCon week a conversation with Darwin Miller, the Spock of Cannabis on preventing recalls, fair trade, and why 70% of consumers prefer certified products

From MJ BizCon Week: a conversation with Katie Mattox on creating emotional connections, reducing promo budgets by 80%, and why free bowling beats consumption events

Welcome to Episode [X] of Canna Boss Babes , featuring special guest Margaret Thomas , host of The Bite Me Podcast (about edibles) . In this episode you’ll learn: How Margaret’s edible journey began (from smoking to making butter & cookies) Why dosing matters — how she figured out safe edible dosages at home Her favourite edible recipes (sweet & savoury) + holiday cooking ideas Tips for ke...