Startup Stoners

Startup Stoners is comprised of Cody Chase & Brettski. Two twenty-something cannabis entrepreneurs with big dreams, bigger ideas, and even bigger personalities. Listening to Startup Stoners will have you find inspiration, learn insights about the cannabis industry, hear behind-the-scenes details about what it’s like to start your own business, talks about cannabis, and of course, a bunch of interesting bullsh*t.

Startup Stoners is out with another, one-of-a-kind episode with the leaders of ECO Cannabis, Kevin Ahaesy and Elise McRoberts. ECO Cannabis is a new luxury dispensary that just opened in Oakland, CA, that offers a truly unique, approachable and curated experience for the “cannasseur” and “canna-curious” alike. What really sets ECO apart is its commitment to supporting the local community through its employment practices: 100 percent of ECO Cannabis employees are Oakland residents, and 50 percent were previously incarcerated. These hiring standards are in line with the City of Oakland’s groundbreaking Equity Permit Program, which aims to help Oakland residents who have been victimized in the war on drugs.

Kevin and Elise share their personal and career journeys to bring ECO to where it is today, including:

-Social impact that is being done in cannabis industry vs other industries

-What is needed to make a successful dispensary during such competitive times

-Importance for entrepreneurs to stay positive and persistent

-Kevin’s path from GE, Oracle, Real Estate to Cannabis

-Elise’s path from music business (working with Dead and Company) to becoming a judge for High Times in Amsterdam.

You can find ECO Cannabis at https://ecocannabis.net/