Why does it feel like the hemp industry is exploding while regulated cannabis remains stagnant?

The numbers may tell one story, but they don’t capture the whole picture.

What would a combined cannabis and hemp market look like if both operated with fewer restrictions, better access to resources, and increased capital?

This week, we welcome back Ben Burstein to dive into these critical questions and more, including:

• Why the numbers don’t tell the full story.
• The real growth drivers behind cannabis and hemp.
• Predictions for consolidation and expansion.
• The path to a $100 billion market.

Guest Links:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminburstein/
• https://www.leaflink.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/leaflink_/
• https://x.com/LeafLinkUS

Episode Highlights

Cannabis and Hemp Market Overview (00:00:56)

• Total hemp market currently around $10 billion
• Hemp-derived THC market represents about $5 billion in retail sales
• Strong growth trajectory with billions added each year

Market Dynamics and Expansion (00:02:40)

• Hemp-derived products offer:

State Market Insights (00:25:23)

• New York standout market

Future Industry Predictions (00:56:21)

• Expected to add billions in sales
• Improving margins and cost structures
• Potential Schedule 3 rescheduling
• Continued market consolidation

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

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

8th Revolution Cannabinoid Playbook is an Industry-leading report covering the entire cannabis supply chain

The Dime is a top 5% most shared global podcast

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

The Dime is a top 50 Cannabis Podcast

Sign up for our playbook here:

🎥 YouTube: The Dime

📸 Instagram: The Dime

F1 hybrid seeds are the cornerstone of modern agriculture, offering the least expensive and most reliable way to grow uniform plants with predictable traits.

In the cannabis industry, however, growing from clones has long been the standard because true F1 hybrid seeds were unavailable—until now.

Today, F1 hybrid seeds have arrived in cannabis cultivation, delivering the same consumer and agronomic traits that make large-scale production in traditional agriculture so successful.

These seeds are not only transforming the economics of cannabis cultivation but also turning pain points into competitive advantages for forward-thinking growers.

By applying techniques borrowed from big agriculture, the cannabis industry can now achieve massive payoffs through uniform plants with predictable traits, shifting the narrative from inefficiency to profitability.

This week we sit down with Ralph Risch to discuss:

• Seeds vs. clones: key benefits, costs, and trade-offs.
• How F1 hybrid seeds are transforming cannabis cultivation.
• The economic impact of big-ag innovations in cannabis.

Key Topics Discussed

• Ralph's Entrepreneurial Journey (00:01:11)
• Background in emerging markets
• Transition into the cannabis industry
• Scientific Approach to Cannabis Breeding (00:02:37)
• First company taking a scientific approach to breeding
• Genomics-driven breeding methodology
• F1 Hybrid Seeds Explained (00:11:52)
• Difference between traditional and F1 hybrid seeds
• Uniformity and predictability in plant genetics
• Genetic Markers and Breeding Innovations (00:28:44)
• Currently using 15 genetic markers
• Potential for expanding to 40 markers in future
• Rare Cannabinoid Research (00:37:07)
• Exploring CBG, CBC, and other minor cannabinoids
• Potential therapeutic applications
• Future of Personalized Cannabis (00:45:53)
• Discussion on personalized medicine and cannabis
• Challenges in creating strain-specific solutions

About Phylos

Phylos is a cannabis genetics company focused on helping growers of all sizes to succeed commercially with seeds that produce the highest quality cannabis in the most cost-effective way. Phylos supports commercial-scale cultivation with the industry’s first Production-Ready Seed™: premium, phenotypically stable, fully-feminized F1 hybrid seeds that deliver exceptional flower quality, potency, vigor, and yield. Phylos also leverages its proprietary technologies and its cultivation, extraction, and formulation expertise to provide partners with unparalleled THCV genetics and natural, safe and effective ingredients.

Guest Links:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphrisch/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/phylosbio/
• https://x.com/phylosbio

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

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

8th Revolution Cannabinoid Playbook is an Industry-leading report covering the entire cannabis supply chain

The Dime is a top 5% most shared global podcast

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

The Dime is a top 50 Cannabis Podcast

Sign up for our playbook here:

🎥 YouTube: The Dime

📸 Instagram: The Dime

Partnerships are more critical in cannabis than in many other industries.

The line between success and failure is razor-thin, and most companies don’t have the resources to recover from a failed “marriage.”

One of the unique and beautiful challenges of the cannabis industry is the emotional connection founders have with their businesses. Much like a parent’s love for a child, founders tend to see only the good, often downplaying potential downsides.

The ability to stay grounded, ask the hard questions, and—most importantly—be culturally and mentally prepared to discuss a “marriage” with another group is daunting.

When conversations about capital or potential acquisitions arise, it’s easy to overvalue a business internally. Founders know the countless hours and effort that went into building it, which can cloud judgment about its true market value.

This week we sit down with Tony Schor to discuss:

• Where partnerships fail.
• Creative ways cannabis companies are securing capital.
• Where people are investing in the cannabis industry.

Episode Highlights

Cannabis Industry Insights (00:01:25)

• Discussion of cannabis industry legacy
• Importance of partnerships in industry growth
• East Coast vs. West Coast cannabis market dynamics

Mergers & Acquisitions Deep Dive (00:02:53)

• Challenges of cannabis M&A transactions
• Importance of cultural fit in partnerships
• Strategies for finding the right manufacturing and brand partnerships

Capital and Technology in Cannabis (00:37:47)

• Technology as the hottest investment area in cannabis
• Challenges of raising capital in the industry
• Cross-industry interest in cannabis opportunities

Cannabis Hall of Fame (00:47:33)

• Tony's role as chairman
• Plans for a 13,000 sq. ft. immersive exhibit at Planet 13 in Las Vegas
• Goal of destigmatizing cannabis through education and recognition

About Tony Schor

Tony Schor is an accomplished leader and President of Chicago-based Strategic Intro / Investor Awareness, Inc. (Founded in 1994). He is currently offering strategic advisory work and Mergers & Acquisitions opportunities representing both Buyers and Sellers of Cannabis assets in several verticals throughout the country in key markets. He is a highly valued resource to his clients.

Tony also represents numerous award-winning cannabis brands, as well as continues to secure partnerships with access to brands, cannabis operational businesses and conditional licenses across the United States in both mature and limited markets. Tony Schor was asked in 2023 to become Chairman of the Cannabis Hall of Fame.

Guest Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-schor-98a4391/

Our Links

Bryan Fields on Twitter

Kellan Finney on Twitter

The Dime on Twitter

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

8th Revolution Cannabinoid Playbook is an Industry-leading report covering the entire cannabis supply chain

The Dime is a top 5% most shared global podcast

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

The Dime is a top 50 Cannabis Podcast

Sign up for our playbook here:

🎥 YouTube: The Dime

📸 Instagram: The Dime