The Canna Boss Babes LIVE

What’s actually coming through your joint when you take a hit?Nancy Domenichelli and Diana Langle started asking that question after a simple experiment during a morning smoke session. They tried pairing a cannabis pre-roll with a disposable filter, saw what collected inside, and immediately wondered: Why isn’t there an adapter made for this?That stoned idea became Tar Tubes.In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast, Nancy and Diana show the dramatic difference between a clean filter and one they’ve used while smoking a pre-roll—and tell the story of how they turned their “why doesn’t this exist?” moment into a real product.We get into the homemade prototype Nancy’s husband created in his workshop, the engineering help that moved the idea forward, manufacturing surprises that forced them to pivot, and what it takes to introduce a cannabis accessory consumers don’t yet know to ask for.We also talk about their own evolving relationship with cannabis, why they’ve stopped focusing solely on high THC percentages, what they’re learning about terpenes, and the unexpected friendship that started when they realized they both smoked weed.And then there’s Nancy, building all of this at 68 and showing absolutely no interest in slowing down.It’s a conversation about curiosity, cannabis, friendship, and what can happen when you stop asking, “Why doesn’t somebody make this?” and decide to make it yourself.Note: Tar Tubes is an adapter used with compatible disposable filters. The founders do not make medical or health claims about the product, and personal experiences discussed in this episode are anecdotal.

After 10 years helping build Galaxy, Robin Khalil is finally stepping out from behind the scenes.In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast, Ishqa Hillman talks with Robin about the launch of Galaxy Girl, a feminine and elevated brand inspired by the women who buy Galaxy products, the women who work alongside her, and the next generation she hopes to inspire.Robin shares what it has been like developing products and running manufacturing and distribution operations across California and Oklahoma. She also talks about the company culture behind Galaxy, including all-women teams and employees who have stayed with the company for much of its decade-long journey.The conversation becomes especially personal when Robin shares how her child's experience with epilepsy changed the way she viewed cannabis and led her to begin researching the plant more deeply.They also discuss consumer education, terpenes, stigma, representation, employee loyalty, and why Robin is finally ready to become more visible within the community she has spent years helping build.Meet the woman behind Galaxy—and the ultimate Galaxy Girl.https://www.galaxygirlinc.com/

Before Spenta Mehraban became a community builder and one of the six founding mothers behind Grown Womxn Good W**d, her own family endured an extraordinary journey in search of safety.Spenta was only an infant when her family fled Afghanistan after her father—a history professor and advocate for human and women’s rights—learned that his family was in danger. In this deeply personal conversation, Spenta shares the story passed down to her: her father carrying her through tunnels, the family’s journey through Pakistan and Russia, starting over with almost nothing, and eventually building a life in America.But one of the most powerful moments happens in real time.While talking about why community matters so much to her, Spenta realizes that her father once did something remarkably similar to what she does today. He helped create a community for Afghan families who needed somewhere to gather, celebrate their culture, and belong. Decades later, Spenta is creating spaces of belonging for women through Grown Womxn Good W**d and the Women’s Lounge at Hall of Flowers.We also talk about cannabis stigma within her Afghan community, women in cannabis, GWGW’s approach to events, and how Spenta helped turn the need for a dedicated gathering place at Hall of Flowers into the Women’s Lounge.This is a conversation about cannabis, immigration, resilience, family, opportunity—and what we inherit from the people who fought to give us a future. 00:00 Meet Spenta Mehraban & Grown Women Good Weed01:20 How GWGW Began in a Backyard02:45 Hall of Flowers Heads to Sacramento05:30 Making Space for Sun-Grown Farmers09:45 Why Inclusivity Matters to Spenta12:15 Building Community Beyond Cannabis13:30 Breaking Cannabis Stigma in Afghan Culture17:00 Cannabis Education, Afghan Kush & Terpenes22:20 Spenta’s Family Escapes Afghanistan24:00 Her Father Carries Her to Safety24:40 Finding Joy in the Middle of the Journey26:10 “I Lived a Life Before I Even Had Memories”27:30 The Sacrifices Her Family Made for Her30:00 Family, Immigration & Finding Community32:30 Realizing She’s Following in Her Father’s Footsteps34:00 Her Parents’ Legacy of Resilience36:10 What America and Opportunity Mean to Spenta39:30 How GWGW Creates Its Events41:20 From Big Parties to Intimate Community Experiences44:00 Why Crafting Creates Connection47:20 Building a Social Club Beyond Weed50:00 Collaboration Over Competition51:20 Creating the Women’s Lounge at Hall of Flowers55:00 Making Women in Cannabis More Visible

Miguel Lozano has been bringing people together through cannabis culture for more than three decades. Today, the longtime entrepreneur is taking that instinct digital as founder and CMO of Blazr, a cannabis-friendly dating app evolving into a broader social network.In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast, Miguel takes us through a career that stretches from early streetwear and skate culture to the Bong Olympics, one-of-a-kind accessories made from old cannabis magazines, cannabis products, and eventually tech.We talk about why cannabis consumers deserve a place to date without having to explain or defend their relationship with the plant, how Blazr is expanding beyond romance into friendship and community, and why the company is bringing those connections offline through events.And then we discover that Miguel's nickname—the “Cupid of Cannabis”—actually predates the dating app. He has been introducing people for years, including friends whose relationships eventually led to marriage.Turns out Blazr isn't such a surprising next chapter after all.This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, cannabis history, connection, and what happens when decades of culture meet technology.00:00 Meet Miguel Lozano and Blazr00:50 Why cannabis needed its own dating app02:20 Blazr expands into a social network03:20 Miguel's early relationship with cannabis04:20 Streetwear, skate culture and Resin05:10 The Bong Olympics07:20 Three decades of cannabis entrepreneurship08:20 From clothing stores to technology09:40 The story behind Weed Cycled12:20 Building Blazr across 88 countries13:20 Taking the community offline15:40 “Sweet dating” and cannabis events16:40 Growing a global cannabis community18:00 The changing cannabis industry22:00 Building differently as an ancillary business23:00 Why they call Miguel the Cupid of Cannabis24:10 Finding Blazr and what's next

What does cannabis legalization really mean if consumers still don’t understand how to protect themselves?In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast, Ishqa Hillman sits down with Sarah Kiah Morton, co-founder and CEO of LOCKGREEN, to explore the intersection of cannabis safety, advocacy, entrepreneurship and harm reduction.Sarah shares the personal story that helped inspire LOCKGREEN: her husband received a nonviolent cannabis charge in college, and the consequences followed their family years later. That experience shaped their mission to help other consumers avoid preventable cannabis law violations through education and responsible storage.The conversation explores confusing cannabis transportation laws, traffic stops, parenting and cannabis, breaking stigma in professional spaces, and Sarah’s work advocating for cannabis reform in Virginia. Sarah also shares how LOCKGREEN has evolved, including its work with municipalities and nonprofits using secure storage as part of harm reduction initiatives.At its heart, this conversation is about what legalization requires beyond changing laws: education, access to trustworthy information, responsible practices and advocates willing to bridge the gap between the cannabis industry and everyday consumers.Explore LOCKGREEN at lock-green.com

What happens when a cannabis company decides growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of people, community or integrity?In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast, Ishqa Hillman sits down with Sarah Strickler, co-founder of Grown Rogue, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, stigma and scaling a cannabis business.Sarah shares how her background as a Division I athlete shaped her approach to discipline and teamwork, how Grown Rogue evolved from 15 hand-dug holes in Southern Oregon into an expanding cannabis company, and why the environments we create matter for both plants and people.The conversation also gets personal. Sarah opens up about raising three daughters while building a cannabis company, including the moment she feared cannabis stigma might affect her daughter’s birthday party. Instead, transparency helped Sarah and her husband become trusted cannabis resources in their community.From developing employees into leaders to navigating different state regulations, maintaining quality and protecting time for wellness, Sarah offers a people-first perspective on what sustainable cannabis leadership can look like.

What happens when the career you thought was your dream almost makes you walk away from the thing you love?In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast, Ishqa Hillman sits down with Andrew Heckman of OGGO Growth Systems for an honest conversation about cannabis, entrepreneurship, innovation, and what it really takes to build something of your own.Andrew shares his journey from carpentry and early cultivation to working inside the commercial cannabis industry—an experience that eventually left him so disillusioned he nearly lost his passion for growing altogether. What he couldn't see at the time was that every job, setback, skill, and failure was becoming part of the blueprint for OGGO Growth Systems.They also dive into Andrew's approach to hydroponics and aeroponics, building a business with family, creating the podcast, navigating cannabis censorship on social media, and why OGGO's mission has expanded beyond cannabis into food sovereignty and helping people grow for themselves.This is a conversation for growers, founders, cannabis professionals, and anyone who's ever wondered whether the difficult part of their journey might actually be preparing them for what's next.🎧 Listen now, and follow The Canna Boss Babes Podcast for more conversations with the entrepreneurs, advocates, innovators, and community builders shaping cannabis culture and business.

Episode Summary:Joyce Gerber is an attorney, creator, caregiver, and author of She's Taking a Break: A Cannabis Romance — the first novel written in a genre she calls cannabis friendly fiction. She joins Ishqa to talk about what it took to write and publish her debut novel, the double standard cannabis advocates face on social media, and why stories are the most powerful tool for changing hearts and minds.What We Cover:— Joyce's cannabis awakening in Denver in 2016— How she became an advocate through storytelling— Creating the genre of cannabis friendly fiction— The story behind She's Taking a Break and Annie McGrath— What it actually took to finish and publish a debut novel— 804 live interviews taken down and the social media double standard— Cannabis, caregiving, and the generations of parents who didn't have access— Why stories change hearts and minds when nothing else canShe's Taking a Break: A Cannabis Romance is available now in paperback and ebook at thecannamomshow.comConnect with Joyce:Website: thecannamomshow.comInstagram: instagram.com/thecannamomshowLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joyce-gerber

Episode Summary:Juliana Salazar is a Colombian-licensed attorney with over eight years advising founders and operators across Latin America, North America, and Europe. She joins Ishqa to talk Colombia's evolving regulatory landscape, the global pattern repeating in new markets, cross-border business strategy, and why the industry needs to understand the plant before trying to regulate it. You may recognize Rudick Law Group from our episode with Victoria Cvitanovic.What We Cover:— Entering the industry at her mom's recommendation— The Colombia Cannabis Investor publication and why it existed— The regulatory rush pattern repeating in Colombia, Thailand, Panama, and beyond— What's happening right now in Latin American cannabis markets— Germany and Czech Republic's measured approach and why she respects it— Taking her health into her own hands after six years of chronic back pain— Synthetic replicas vs. the actual plant— Why vulnerability is the industry's most underused asset— How to do ethical, compliant business in ColombiaConnect with Juliana:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/salazarbonettEmail: [email protected]: rudicklawgroup.com/people/juliana-salazar

The cannabis industry is sitting on a data crisis — and most operators don't even know it. Bad data, no retention strategy, and a decade-long drift away from medical education have quietly been costing licensed businesses their most valuable customers. This week on The Canna Boss Babes®, we're getting into all of it.Steph Vrona is the founder of HighDef Studio, a cannabis marketing operations consultancy based in Arizona. With ten years inside the industry — from Illinois medical dispensaries to regional marketing roles at major MSOs — Steph now helps cannabis brands and dispensaries build the systems, clean data, and retention strategies they need to survive what's coming next.In this episode:Why cannabis dispensary retention is the most overlooked metric operators haveThe 52-card pickup reality of running a licensed cannabis business right nowWhy medical patients spend more, buy better, and are your most loyal customersWhat happened when recreational markets opened — and what was lostIndica, sativa, hybrid: marketing terms, not medicineThe distillate problem and its real impact on consumers and businessesTerpenes, full spectrum, and consuming with intentionHow to build a lean marketing operation that actually worksConnect with Steph Vrona & HighDef Studio:🌐 https://highdef.studio/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephvrona/Connect with The Canna Boss Babes®:🌐 thecannabossbabes.com📲 @ishqathebossbabe💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishqahillman-thecannabossbabes/