Potcast 193: Cannabis, Entrepreneurship and Commanding Chaos
I’m recently back from my trip home to Texas and am currently packing up my studio where I’ve recorded over one hundred and sixty episodes of this potcast. I’ll admit, juggling two businesses and a weekly potcast while making a big change like this is a little chaotic. But after talking to today’s guest, I’m attempting to make my move back to the wine and weed country without getting buried by the overwhelm.
Serial entrepreneur, Joseph Ori, is known for his ability to stay cool in the chaos. Joe is a trial lawyer who started his own law practice straight out of law school. And he’s been named an Illinois Super-lawyer for the past 7 years. Joe is also a cannabis advocate, co-founder and General Counsel of Six-Labs, a Michigan-based cannabis company. And he’s also a father of four.
Joe explains his struggles finding relief for a debilitating back injury playing collegiate sports. And he schools us on the business of cannabis in both Michigan and Illinois. And because the entrepreneurial challenges in cannabis are dialed to an eleven, Joe shares his advice for commanding chaos in this nascent industry.
If your smoke circle extends to Michigan and Illinois, I hope you’ll share this potcast with them. And if you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind cannabis-infused getaway, I invite you to join me in the beautiful wine and weed country of Sonoma County, California. As a cannabis lifestyle guide, I’ve cultivated a one of a kind farm stay experience where you can enjoy the casually baked lifestyle and the magic of sun grown cannabis farms and vineyards. If you’re into wine, weed, or both, get ready to have a high time customized just for you. Click the link to learn more.
Kumbaya and cannabis, -Jo 💚
This Potcast Is Covered By MJ Relief
MJ Relief is the muscle rub for what aches and pains you. As a writer and content creator, I spend hours every day pounding away on a keyboard and maneuvering the mouse. On a bad day, I’ll get what my motocross friends call arm pump. My forearms tighten to the point where I can’t control my fingers. My arms feel heavy and tingly and while the pain is manageable it’s an extremely uncomfortable feeling. The technical name for arm pump is Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome. It is an ‘exercise-induced muscle and nerve condition that causes pain, swelling and sometimes disability in the affected muscles of the legs or arms.’
When this happens to me, my right arm is typically worse because of the keyboard and mouse combination. So I use my left hand to massage in some MJ Relief. And then I just lay it down for about 15 minutes and give my body a break and let the muscle rub have time to do its thing. When I get some movement back in my right hand, I massage MJ Relief into my left arm and vow to only get on my phone or computer in case of emergency for the rest of that day. MJ Relief is such a gift in my life, but so is listening to my body. If you want a CBD-infused, herbaceous, Ph.D. formulated topical that really works for muscle and joint relief, MJ Relief has got you covered. And when you pair that with work/life balance, it’s relief on an eleven.
If you’re feelin’ my arm pump and want some muscle and joint relief of your own, head over to MJ Skin Relief dot com.
‘After the Show’ Notes
Connect on Social: @sixlabscannabis IG | @JosephBOri1 Twitter | @joseph.ori.9 FB | Joe Ori LinkedIN
Joseph Ori is the founding partner of the multi-state law firm of Angelini, Ori & Abate, LLC. For over 20 years, Joe has been a fearless and highly accomplished trial attorney. He has been named an Illinois Super Lawyer for seven consecutive years, an honor bestowed on less than five percent of the nation’s attorneys.
Joe is also a successful restaurateur, investor, entrepreneur, and also serves as general counsel to one of the nation's largest private security companies. And he serves on the Board of Managers for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the Board of Directors for the Chicago Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and is an active member of the American Association of Justice.
Joe’s mission is to do the right thing, particularly for athletes and the general population in the cannabis space, and to leave the world better for his children. He wants to become a cannabis industry leader, combining his law experience with his professional passions by self-regulating an unregulated industry. We talk about Joe's struggles with back trauma from high school and college football and the role cannabis played in his life then and now. We also explore the Michigan and Illinois cannabis market and learn about Six Labs cannabis products.
According to Six Labs, the cultivation labs they created enable the creation of precision products with meticulously calibrated profiles, potencies, and flavors.
“Our indoor cultivation center is where science meets nature for the rigorous care of plants. Developed by our team of brilliant agricultural engineers and featuring revolutionary low energy lighting, a unique air system and precision practices throughout, our Cultivation Labs produce top-notch cannabis flower with none of the harmful chemicals. This results in products that match our guaranteed quality and reliability levels.”
The Sustainability Roll-up is presented by OCB Rolling Papers. In perfect harmony with natural, sustainable practices, it’s always been the OCB signature to provide the highest quality, responsibly sourced, and sustainably crafted rolling papers.
As I transition from the city back to the country I daydream about what cities of the future could look like. I’ve been curiously exploring technologies to create smart cities for a couple of years now. And I’m constantly amazed at nature’s willingness to provide us the tools necessary to create everything we want and need in a sustainable fashion.
I worked for a real estate developer for a few years and officed from a high rise under construction during the majority of that time. Though our project was recognized for its green building practices, the amount of waste created by the construction industry is staggering.
Globally the construction industry utilizes a selected few building materials, namely steel and concrete which puts high pressure on our natural resources. We can’t build our future cities with the same resources as the existing ones.
One of natures rising stars in the sustainable building movement is Mycelium, the biomaterial that forms the root systems of fungi.
It turns out, mycelium is part of the solution to carbon-negative buildings. It is naturally fire-retardant and has better insulation properties than most standard insulation.
Mycelium grows in soil or on substrates such as wood in long, thread-like shoots called hyphae. These can form into hard masses called sclerotia. This is the vegetative, resting food storage body of fungi, whereas the visible part, such as a mushroom, is the fruit.
Mycelium can feed on low-grade agricultural waste, sequestering the carbon stored in the biomass as it grows.
Mycelium-bound composite materials are a new class of sustainable and affordable biocomposites that have been recently introduced into packaging, fashion, and architecture as an alternative to traditional synthetic materials.
Mycelium-bound composite materials are developed based on the fungal growth of at least one species of commercially cultivated edible mushrooms on different organic and inorganic substances. Typically, these substrates are sourced from food and agricultural waste and by-products that are crushed and compacted into a porous block. During the development and growth of the fungus onto the substrate, it develops a mycelium that consists of those thread-like hyphae forming a tightly interconnected network acting as a binder around the substrate material. Mycelium-bound composites have numerous advantages over other traditional synthetic composites, namely lower cost, lower density, and lower energy consumption. They’ve also shown lower environmental impact and CO2 footprint compared to other environmental-friendly composites such as bioplastics or wood composites.
Mycelium-bound materials have only been recently introduced in the construction industry; therefore, the information regarding their applications is very limited. They have been used in a variety of applications ranging from nonstructural to semi-structural applications replacing traditional plastic films and sheets, synthetic foams and plastics, paneling, furniture, and decking thus paving the way for alternative environmentally sustainable construction materials.
By embracing nature’s solutions, we can retire the current linear economy, where materials are mined, manufactured, used and thrown away.
The new model activates a circular economy where resources are kept in use and their value is retained. We can now design and construct buildings from natural and fully compostable materials that can be reused or recycled, and that can be adapted, reconstructed, and deconstructed. We’re in the early stages, but a regenerative construction industry that’s one with nature is on the rise.
Just like my OCB rolling papers. All OCB papers are “plant to puff” and made in a facility that’s powered by 100% green energy. And all OCB papers are vegan, GMO-free, chlorine-free, and dye-free. You’ll love OCB even more because they make no tear, even-burning, rolling papers with natural always-sticks acacia gum grown in African fields that OCB has been re-foresting for decades. Of course, you must be 21 and older to buy OCB rolling papers and to follow the natural wonders of OCB on social @ocb_usa.
Roll With Me, a new video series launched on the Casually Baked YouTube channel in April 2021, is a collaboration with OCB Rolling Papers. Get lessons and insights on the craft of rolling while chatting about all things hemp and cannabis culture.
Complete This Form to Roll With Me On An Upcoming Episode
We all know practice makes perfectly smokeable joints so I’m engaging my cannabis industry friends to coach me. And if you’ve got some rolling tricks up your sleeve, perhaps you, too, can school me on an episode of Roll With Me.
If you too are a joint rolling novice and want to learn the craft alongside me, go ahead and get your supplies ready. Visit ocbusa.com/BAKED to get 4 booklets of OCB and a rolling tray for only $4.99! This bundle is worth 20 bucks and is around for a limited time. But the rolling skills and street cred we’re going to earn together, my friend, makes this bundle priceless as far as I’m concerned. As for you OG’s who can roll a joint one-handed, I challenge you to sample the entire line of OCB products and let me know your favorite.
Get 4 booklets of OCB and a rolling tray for only $4.99! This bundle is worth 20 bucks and is around for a limited time. But the rolling skills and street cred we’re going to earn together, my friend, makes this bundle priceless as far as I’m concerned. ✌️💚