Michael Richards

Quitting cannabis can be hard, but there are science-based steps you can take to make it easier to stop and to avoid relapse. Read more: https://bit.ly/3pQHU5M

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One thing I’ve realized after years in cannabis: A lot of people are trying to build better products… but they’re doing it without clear guidance. There’s so much noise in this industry: ⚙️ Formulation trends 🧪 Over-processed inputs 📈 Margin pressure 📦 Manufacturing limitations 🌿 “Clean label” claims that don’t actually mean anything So let’s do something useful. 👇 ASK ME ANYTHING 👇 If you’re working on: • Cannabis formulations • Hemp-derived products • Solventless or whole plant concepts • Lipid infusions • Product positioning • Clean label strategy • Scaling production without losing integrity Drop your questions below. Whether you’re a startup founder, operator, extractor, formulator, retailer, or just curious about where the industry is headed, I’ll answer openly so everyone can learn from the conversation. The cannabis industry gets better when knowledge is shared, not gatekept. Let’s talk.

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BUILD-A-BAG!!! 👀 Personalizing an IV infusion allows YOU to target YOUR specific deficiencies, health goals, or recovery needs, instead of giving yourself a standard formula. Different bodies, lifestyles, and stress levels require different nutrients and doses. Here are the main reasons IVs are customized 👇 🧬 1. Correct Specific Nutrient Deficiencies Blood work or symptoms may show someone is low in certain nutrients. A customized IV can deliver exactly the nutrients that person is lacking. 🏃 2. Match the Person’s Lifestyle Different lifestyles put stress on different symptoms. 🩺 3. Address Specific Symptoms IVs can be tailored based on how someone is feeling that day. ⚖️ 4. Adjust Dosage for Body Size & Tolerance Someone who is 210 lbs and very active may need different dosing than someone who is 120 lbs and sedentary. This improves safety and effectiveness. 🧠 5. Target Different Health Goals People often want IV therapy for completely different reasons. 🛡️ 6. Avoid Unnecessary Ingredients A standard IV might contain nutrients someone doesn’t need or tolerate well. Remove unnecessary additives. Prevent side effects. Reduce nutrient overload. #iCRYO #IVinfusion #customize #personalize #buildbag

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The pleiotropic framing is the part that lands for me. Cannabis hitting multiple systems at once is why so many patients describe whole-body relief — and the data is finally catching up to what they've been saying for years.

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📊 Data Alert: Trends in Dietary Supplement Use Among U.S. Adults (2011–2023) A new NHANES analysis (2011–2023) shows a telling shift in how Americans use dietary supplements. Overall supplement use climbed from 51.8% to 61.4% of the adult population. Perhaps more interesting are the categories driving the growth. 🔹 Probiotic use nearly tripled over the last decade (1.6% → 4.7%) 🔹 Fiber supplement use more than doubled 🔹 Strong gains were seen in Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Zinc, Ginger, CoQ10, and Biotin 🔹 Meanwhile, traditional multivitamin/mineral use stayed essentially flat What does this tell us? Consumers are shifting from broad nutritional insurance toward targeted, purpose-driven supplementation. They are particularly looking to support digestion, immunity, inflammation, and metabolic health. These are categories where people feel the benefits, and where emerging science has been actively promoted in both social and conventional media. It’s also notable that growth was consistent across nearly every demographic group for age, sex, race, education, BMI, and self-reported health status. Supplement use is no longer limited to older adults at higher incomes - everyone is seeking the benefits. For those of us working in nutrition, functional foods, and health innovation, this dataset sends a message: The future of consumer health is increasingly targeted, experiential, and evidence-based. Wondering how to optimize data like this to inform your own business? Thrive Advisory Group can help. Full study can be found here: https://lnkd.in/g7kQY7n7 #data #dietarysupplements #vitamins #probiotics #fiber #guthealth #immunity

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Nutrition Nugget time! Bite-size, bonus episodes offering tips, tricks, and approachable science. This week I’m talking about IQMix. This is the electrolyte product from the brand that makes IQBars. Are these electrolytes enhancing our health or just another product of more hype than substance? Do the flavors make a difference when it comes to metabolism and blood sugar (even if they say sugar free)? Submitted by listener Jennifer S. who says the pina colada flavor is her favorite, I dug in to answer all these questions and more, in just a few minutes. https://lnkd.in/ecAyfmMJ

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Enough is Enough: American Shaman’s Years of Negligence Have Caught Up 🚨 For years, CBD American Shaman has ignored every opportunity to follow proper regulations and safety standards in the botanical industry. From failing to establish consistent manufacturing protocols to turning a blind eye to the dangers of synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine, their negligence has helped fuel the very crisis they now pretend to care about. Let’s be clear: 7-hydroxy mitragynine is not natural kratom. It’s a chemically manipulated compound with zero safety data, no human toxicology, and no universally accepted standards of production. Calling it “kratom” is misleading to consumers and dangerous to public health. At MitWellness, we stand for the opposite of that. ✅ True compliance with 21 CFR Parts 111, 117, 190.6 ✅ Transparent GMP manufacturing ✅ Honest labeling and identity verification ✅ A commitment to removing synthetic 7-OH and all its analogs from the marketplace The future of this industry depends on responsible, science-based regulation — not the shortcuts and self-serving chaos that have defined companies like American Shaman for far too long. It’s time to raise the standard — or get out of the way. #Kratom #Regulation #PublicHealth #GMP #Compliance #MitWellness #BotanicalIndustry #ConsumerSafety #FDA #NaturalWellness #IntegrityMatters

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Cannabis Terpenes Offer Morphine-Level Pain Relief Without the Risks! New research from the Comprehensive Center for Pain & Addiction reveals certain cannabis terpenes may rival morphine in relieving chronic pain, minus the addiction or side effects. Five key terpenes: ✅ alpha-humulene ✅ beta-caryophyllene ✅ beta-pinene ✅ geraniol ✅ linalool showed powerful anti-inflammatory and nerve-soothing effects. Unlike opioids, they posed no risk of dependency. This could mark a shift toward safer, plant-based pain relief, making chronic pain management more natural and less risky. https://lnkd.in/e5-Yr3qp

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Timing is everything when it comes to maximizing your results. 🏋️‍♂️ Confused about pre-workout vs. post-workout nutrition? Our latest blog breaks down exactly WHAT to take and WHEN to take it to for your training and speed up recovery. ⚡️🍎 Maximize every rep. Read now: https://lnkd.in/eMmKuRHA #FitnessTips #NutritionScience #WorkoutFuel #Recovery #Bodybuilding

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The Most Powerful Gut Health Intervention: Fermented Foods Over Fibre We discuss why increasing fiber alone doesn't improve gut health, and instead share the most powerful intervention backed by Stanford research. We talk about how fermented foods like kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut increase gut microbiome diversity and reduce inflammation far better than high-fiber diets. We also share what we eat daily to maintain optimal gut health, including homemade L. reuteri yogurt with over 100 billion CFUs, and explain why fermented foods work better than antibiotics for gut health. Study link 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d_vn_iKC

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🌿🧠🤓 “Lifetime cannabis use was positively associated with regional brain volume in CB1-rich regions, including the caudate, putamen, hippocampus, and amygdala. Greater lifetime use was also linked to better performance in learning, processing speed, and short-term memory. Individuals reporting use limited to adolescence also showed larger regional volumes and better cognitive performance than non-users.”

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Ignoring Regulatory Alternatives to an Ohio Kratom Ban Across the United States, several states have adopted the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), a regulatory framework designed to ensure product safety through labeling standards, age restrictions, and contaminant testing. This approach balances consumer protection without criminalizing responsible adult use. By contrast, scheduling kratom in Ohio could effectively function as a ban, pushing the market underground and eliminating quality controls. Critics argue that prohibition-focused policies historically increase risk rather than reduce harm. Read More : https://lnkd.in/gArgx_k4 #ohio #mitragynaspeciosa #KCPA

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Mastering Compliance allows you to run when others are walking. One thing you consistently hear from multi-state operators is "throw out the playbook" when entering a new market. This is true not only because of the unique culture of that market, but also the regulatory structure within which you operate. NY is one of the biggest examples of this with all the nuances involved in testing alone. Reach out if you want to discuss compliance in Hemp, FL, NY or any of our other markets!

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SNDL: A Cannabis Turnaround   I’ve been a part of some successful corporate turnarounds. They are, however, rare in cannabis. One that stands out is Sundial, today operating as SNDL Inc.   Today, SNDL is a publicly listed LP with analysts forecasting 2025 revenues of approximately C$950M. They recently logged their first quarterly profit and are cash flow positive.    I asked the turnaround architect and current CEO Zachary George to comment on SNDL’s bounce back. He was gracious enough to share 10 lessons, five of which will be shared today and the other five later.   📖 Current State Assessment Any turnaround requires a rapid and objective assessment of liquidity, stakeholders, governance, talent, principal assets, and the firm’s core value proposition.   💱 Lead with Numbers, not Narratives Passionate locker room speeches about bright futures and outside villains are commonplace, but insufficient. You need accurate data, access to all material contracts, and full org design details. If the finance team struggles to model the company’s performance and keep adequate accounting controls, they cannot lead the turnaround.   💲 Cash Flow is Lifeblood, the Rest is Just Details EBITDA and adjusted earnings metrics are useless. Daily cash tracking, 13-week cash forecasts and zero-based budgeting strategies are key to survival. If incumbent management lacked the discipline to understand burn rates or respect the consequences of leverage, they cannot serve as both arsonist and firefighter.   🚄 Speed Wins Execution starts inside of the first 100 days. The intensity of the first several months will be extreme. Cutting all non-essential spend will send parts of the organization into shock. Apathy and hesitation will reduce returns. Decisiveness in cases where the terrain is uneven and all you have is approximation is an art.   👥 Trust is Currency Expect to be surrounded by misinformation and individuals trying to distance themselves from value destructive decisions. Building trust through honesty and transparency in the worst of times is a great way to demonstrate integrity and build long term relationships. Do not squander the opportunity.   Some will say that SNDL was aggressive in raising more than $1B in equity capital just before markets dried up, and that this enabled the turnaround. This opinion is simplistic, because:   ➡️ Raising money is never easy and Zach should be commended for pulling it off. Clearly the money helped but it was not the reason for the turnaround. ➡️ The turnaround occurred in Canada, the toughest legal market in the World - not in a low tax, limited license jurisdiction. ➡️ SNDL is more than a financial restructuring. They now outperform many of their peers on key metrics including revenue growth and free cash flow.     Call me. I help leadership teams solve difficult strategic, cost & organizational problems and capitalize on growth opportunities. #cannabis #cannabisindustry #turnarounds #SNDL #management

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5 Observations That Explain Cannabis Underperformance A popular cannabis pastime is to debate why most LPs and MSOs underperform. 💡 This need not be a waste of time.  If we understand the root causes of lacklustre results, we can take steps to fix or mitigate them. 🔬 It is expedient to look beyond the usual explanations – bad management capabilities & products – into root causes.  🎛️ I go right to a company’s source code:  the norms & practices, organizational design and thinking models. 💥 These 5 observations and adages go a long way to explain cannabis business underperformance: 1️⃣ Parkinson’s Law and its corollary, Enshitification Companies tend to become bigger and less efficient over time. Staff, particularly middle managers, will create work for each other as overall capability falls, and costs rise. When British Navy ships went down from 68 to 20, the number of bureaucrats increased 78%. Meanwhile, Enshitification is taking hold at some weed firms.  This is a pattern of gradually eroding quality, service, and value over time due to business decisions.  Enshitification is an outgrowth of scale and is likely to occur in zealous cost cutting firms with a poor understanding of their consumers. 2️⃣ Chesterton’s Fence   Too many cannabis leaders show up and immediately want to make changes.  Warning:  if you don’t know what a custom or practice does, don’t touch it.  Change for change’s sake is dangerous. You’ve not seen the wolves yet because of the very fence you’re about to demolish. 3️⃣ The Centipede's Dilemma Navel gazing is dangerous.  Ask a centipede which one of its hundred legs moves the fastest and it will forget how to move. Reflecting on what we normally do instinctively can paradoxically degrade performance. A corporate culture of endless self-reflection, therapy, and measurement erodes organizational & individual performance, particularly creativity, initiative, and leadership 4️⃣ Gall's Law   Remember the KISS principle.  A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that functioned well. Only the foolish and arrogant try to create complex systems from scratch.  When it comes to new initiatives in multifaceted environments like cannabis, start simple, refine, and evolve slowly. 5️⃣ The CEO Challenge Leaders often don’t know what’s happening on the front lines or can’t implement their ideas because their workers (who are closer to the action) have an agenda of their own.  This issue is magnified in larger companies with disparate, far-flung operations.  The Tsar of Russia had to deal with these institutional factors.  Nicholas II sardonically commented: “I never ruled Russia. 10,000 clerks ruled Russia.”  🥇 Can’t boost performance?  Let’s talk.  I help teams solve difficult strategic, cost & organizational problems and ignite growth. 🔔 Ring the bell on my profile page to get VIP notifications #management #cannabis #cannabisindustry #enshitification #strategy

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Happy R.E.D. Friday 🇨🇦 Quick recap on three key cannabinoids: THC, CBD, and CBG—and how using them together can improve your overall experience. THC can support appetite, elevate mood, and help with relaxation—but for some, it can also bring overstimulation or the “munchies.” That’s where CBD comes in. Adding CBD to your THC routine can help balance the effects—reducing anxiety, smoothing things out, and even helping dial back excessive appetite in some cases. For daytime use, low-dose CBD and CBG can be great tools. CBD may help ease baseline anxiety, while CBG is often associated with clearer focus and mental sharpness. The real advantage? You don’t have to choose one over the other. You can still use your preferred THC products and layer in CBD or CBG to enhance the overall effect—this is the entourage effect in action. If THC alone feels a bit too intense, try adding some CBD for a more balanced, functional experience. As always: start low, go slow, and pay attention to your body. #RedFriday #ValorWellness #CannabisEducation #THC #CBD #CBG #EntourageEffect #VeteranSupport #Wellness

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