Politics is a dirty business. Sometimes being feared is the influence you need because access is not the problem.

Politicians say "we'll take care of this." Gretchen Gailey has a different approach: stab them in the back, push them down the stairs, and take credit for the fall. It's time to put fear behind cannabis.

She spent 20 years on Capitol Hill. She's watched cannabis show up once a year for fly-ins, throw money at the wrong politicians, and wonder why nothing changes. This episode breaks down why incrementalism is the only path, why banking matters more than you think, and why the industry needs to stop picking out curtains when it hasn't built a basement.

This week we sit down with Gretchen Gailey:

• Stab them in the back politics
• Curtains before basement problem
• Project Champion playbook

Timestamps:

00:00 - The industry's fundamental misunderstanding about Washington politics

02:35 - Challenges with incrementalism versus desire for rapid change

04:47 - Supporting pro-cannabis politicians like Cynthia Loomis

06:45 - The role of education and public awareness campaigns

10:06 - Building a basic regulatory foundation: banking, safe products, and rescheduling

13:23 - The limitations of state-led models and the need for federal coordination

15:50 - The importance of transparency and federal standards for consumer safety

18:43 - The influence of political operatives and the importance of direct advocacy

22:51 - Using industry tools and data to inform policy and educate policymakers

26:15 - The significance of Congressional engagement and how to make cannabis an urgent issue

30:10 - The importance of political will and executive orders in advancing reform

34:40 - The disconnects within Washington and how industry can better influence policy

37:19 - Opportunities in leveraging symbolism like Veterans issues and Congressional events

41:14 - The disconnect between access and influence, and how to effectively make the case

44:40 - The necessity of creative strategies, public pressure, and celebrity involvement

50:21 - Successful stories: case of Cory Booker and the impact of direct constituent advocacy

52:16 - Final thoughts: how to stay engaged and educate the industry and policymakers

Summary:

In this episode, Gretchen Gailey shares over 20 years of experience navigating Washington's complex cannabis legislation. We explore how industry players can effectively engage with policymakers, the importance of foundational regulations, and strategies to accelerate federal progress on cannabis reform.

Guest Links:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchengailey
• https://projectchampion.org/
• https://x.com/GretchenGailey

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube: The Dime

📸 Instagram: The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Investing in cannabis requires a split personality.

Everyone thinks they're early. Dan McDermitt has been trading the sector for 15 years — through the Canadian boom, the Biden promise, and the slow bleed that followed. His take: if you've been through multiple pump-and-dump cycles, you're not early anymore. You're just still here.

This is a masterclass in separating trader psychology from fundamental conviction. Dan explains why he keeps a small position just to stay seated, why he already knows he'll sell early on the next catalyst, and why the moment everybody's talking about cannabis on Wall Street Bets is the moment you size up — not before.

This week we sit down with Dan McDermitt:

• The "I'm early" delusion
• Why traders sell early
• Catalyst stacking thesis
• MSOS mechanics breakdown

Chapters

00:00 The Catalyst Dilemma in Cannabis

03:03 Trading Strategies and Market Positioning

05:48 Understanding Trader vs. Fundamentalist Perspectives

08:46 The Unique Nature of MSOS Trading

11:51 Market Dynamics and Trading Psychology

15:03 The Role of Uplisting and Rescheduling

18:08 Long-Term Perspectives in a Volatile Market

21:04 Risk Management and Trading Mindset

23:51 The Impact of AI on Trading Strategies

Summary

In this conversation, Bryan Fields and Dan McDermitt discuss the current state of the cannabis market, focusing on the challenges and opportunities within the sector. They explore the impact of potential rescheduling and uplisting on cannabis stocks, the differences between trading and fundamental analysis, and the unique trading dynamics of MSOS. Dan shares insights on risk management, trading psychology, and the influence of AI on trading strategies, emphasizing the importance of adapting to market conditions while maintaining a disciplined approach.

Guest Links:

• https://x.com/ChartGuys
• https://www.instagram.com/chartguys/
• https://www.youtube.com/@ChartGuys
• https://www.chartguys.com/

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube: The Dime

📸 Instagram: The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most cannabis companies chased scale. Rubicon chased quality.

What does it actually take to build a premium cannabis brand? Trust sits behind what “premium” really means, why consumers only give brands one chance, how Rubicon evaluates resource capacity and audits operations, and why Europe could become the next meaningful opportunity for their trusted brands.

This week we sit down with Margaret Brodie, CEO of Rubicon Organics:

• Why premium cannabis starts with flower
• Consumers Trust
• Internal Resource Audits

Chapters

00:00 Quality Over Quantity in Cannabis

02:58 Building a Premium Cannabis Brand

05:47 Operational Excellence and Team Culture

09:04 The Pursuit of Continuous Improvement

11:45 Understanding Consumer Trust and Brand Loyalty

14:45 Strategic Decision-Making in Cannabis

18:06 Navigating Industry Challenges and Opportunities

27:55 Navigating the Fast-Paced Cannabis Industry

29:13 Investment Priorities for Growth

31:43 Strategic Market Expansion and Brand Development

35:08 Building a Lasting Brand in Cannabis

37:20 Learning from International Markets

40:56 Balancing Speed and Quality in Growth

42:51 Understanding Consumer Dynamics

46:06 Honoring the Legacy Market

49:30 Reflecting on the Journey and Future of Cannabis

Guest Links

https://www.instagram.com/rubiconorganics/

https://www.rubiconorganics.com/

https://x.com/RubiconOrganics

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights.

At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry.

The Dime is a top 5% most shared global podcast

The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast

The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished.

🎥 YouTube: The Dime

📸 Instagram: The Dime

https://www.newton-insights.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.