“And it's very difficult for brands to be successful here if they're not able to adapt very quickly to how things change here… But this has also allowed for a very quick, innovative period here...because you can't always compete on price, you have to also be a better product and be a cooler product, and fit more with the culture.” - Arshad Lasi
Welcome back to the To Be Blunt podcast! In this episode, Shayda Torabi and guest Arshad Lasi of The Nirvana GroupLC discuss the cannabiz landscape in Oklahoma - the legalization process, distribution channels, market saturation, and intricacies of production.
[00:01 – 07:28] Shayda shares notable Cannabis events in Oklahoma
[07:29 – 13:39] Arshad’s Perspectives on Vertical Integration in the Cannabis Industry
[13:40 – 27:04] The Implications to Innovation, Distribution, and Legalization
[27:05 – 35:47] On Maintaining the License and Production Intricacies
[35:48 – 46:28] The Medical Variance, Passion in Entrepreneurship, and Pushing Forward
[46:29 – 48:55] Food for Thought: How do I navigate cannabis business in general?
Arshad “Adam” Lasi is CEO of The Nirvana Group, a vertically integrated family-owned cannabis company in Oklahoma. It has blossomed into one of the largest and most rapidly growing vertically integrated cannabis companies in Oklahoma. Their operations include a 30-acre cultivation and extraction facility; a 3,000 square foot processing facility featuring extraction and distillation capabilities, as well as a commercial kitchen to produce beverages and edibles; Nirvana Distribution, a 10,000 square foot warehouse that is one the largest Smoke Shop, Glass, Paper, Vaporizer, and Packaging distributors in Oklahoma, servicing more than 500 dispensaries for their ancillary products; and Argent Cannabis Distribution, the only cannabis cash & carry concept in Oklahoma and the wholesale distribution company for Nirvana Group’s diverse portfolio of cannabis brands, which range from vapes to pre-rolls to edibles and beverages to concentrates on more. Argent Cannabis Distribution is headquartered in a 10,000 square foot facility; they work with more than 30 brands and are home to nearly 1,000 SKUs. The Nirvana Group also owns an ever-expanding list of dispensaries. For more information, visit https://www.nirvana-dispensary.com/home.
Connect with Arshad
Visit https://www.nirvana-dispensary.com/home and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @nirvanadispo
Shayda Torabi has been called one of the most influential Women in WordPress and now she’s one of the women leading the cannabis reformation conversation building one of Texas’ premier CBD brands. She's currently the CEO and Co-Founder of RESTART CBD, a female-run education first CBD wellness brand. And has formerly held marketing positions at WP Engine and WebDevStudios. Shayda is the host of a podcast for cannabis marketers called To Be Blunt, where she interviews top cannabis brands on their most successful marketing initiatives. When Shayda's not building her cannabiz in Texas, you can find her on the road exploring the best hikes and spots for vegan ice cream. Follow Shayda at @theshaydatorabi
Key Quote:
“Yeah, there's a lot of licenses and a lot of opportunities. But it's obviously really hard to get traction.” - Shayda Torabi
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079 The Land of Opportunity and Building a Vertically Integrated Cannabis Business in Oklahoma with Arshad Lasi of The Nirvana Group