Investigations Aren't Just For Crimes
The CannaBS Detector
Have you ever wondered how legit an associating business is, or the people within it? Are you investing into a business with someone you aren’t entirely sure of? Well, lucky for you, we’re speaking with Tanya Hoke, an due diligence investigator.
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If Cultivation Walls Could Talk
The CannaBS Detector
You know the saying, “If you build it, they will come”? In the cannabis industry, more specifically indoor cultivation, if you build it poorly, all sorts of problems will come. That’s not a maybe, that’s a guarantee.
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Let's Talk Terpenes - And Get a Little Controversial
The CannaBS Detector
From CHS to drug interactions to the compounds in your concentrates, why do stoners avoid these topics? No cannabis users want to talk badly about cannabis, especially with its historical stigma surrounding the plant. But whether you like it or not, there is more research needed on cannabis, and a good start is being honest about its risks and effects and how we discover them.
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Legalization: A poison Pill Pt.2
The CannaBS Detector
What will regulations look like in the future, compared to the past? Will we learn from our mistakes to create a better system?
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Legalization: A Poison Pill Pt.1
The CannaBS Detector
Everybody seems to want legalization on a federal level. It’s a hot topic in the industry, especially with a new democratic president and the aftermath of COVID-19 slowly starting to show it’s face. But what are the impending consequences of legalization? Who will be the ones most drastically effected? Will it effect cannabis culture and the people within it?
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Covid-19 and the Cannabis Industry
The CannaBS Detector
Every type of battle an industry can face has occurred in the cannabis industry. From insane taxes and regulations, to rampant corruption and shady business practices. However, NOTHING compares to the challenges Covid 19 poses.
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Rule #1: Always Get Everything in Writing!
The CannaBS Detector
Jean Everson isn’t unique in her circumstances, but what makes her unique is twofold. First, she had the smarts to keep records of everything and took this company court - and WON. Secondly, despite winning the settlement and receiving nothing, she wants you to know her story so that you don’t find yourself in the same position. It truly seems like no one escapes this industry unscathed, but there is hope! Listen in to learn how to recognize the signs and how to CYA (cover your ass)!
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Millions of Dollars Lost - Time for Change
The CannaBS Detector
What started out as a booming industry where there seemed to be no ceiling to the amount of money being poured into, and spent by Canadian cannabis companies, ended with a swift dose of reality that "growth for the sake of growth" might not have been the best path forward! As the giants continue to eat the promises they made to their investors, Colby McFadden and I discuss the next phases these companies will be going through.
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Inclusion in the Cannabis Industry
The CannaBS Detector
Inclusion is about keeping everyone that got the industry to where it is now IN the industry, instead of being left behind by those with deep pockets and a focus on profit. This episode is a conversation about how the original cannabis advocates and drug war victims can not only remain relevant but also share in the spoils of this ever-growing, money-making industry.
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Impacts of National Legalization and Cannabis Investments
The CannaBS Detector
While many people think national legalization is the answer to the many issues our industry faces(lack of banking, restrictive taxation, cannabis incarceration, etc) there are a lot more factors to consider that aren’t being discussed in the media. On this episode, we discuss some of the negative impacts that legalization can have on cannabis companies and the industry as a whole in the US.
info_outlineHave you ever wondered how legit an associating business is, or the people within it? Are you investing into a business with someone you aren’t entirely sure of? Well, lucky for you, we’re speaking with Tanya Hoke, a due diligence investigator.
Tanya has 6 years of experience managing investigative due diligence for clients in the cannabis industry. What does that mean exactly? It means that Tanya will investigate specified associates for you to confirm facts or details of a matter under your consideration. She’ll figure out their detailed history to determine if they’re a reliable associate to go into business with. Not only that, but she’s also a certified fraud examiner, a certified anti-money laundering specialist, and a licensed private investigator in Massachusetts and Colorado.
4 Lessons Learned:
- There are different levels to due diligence. Dependent on the context and the regulations surrounding the situation, there are different regulatory guidelines you are allowed, depending on what the situation of your client.
- A lot of people don’t think to investigate into their associates or business partners histories. But, why? A lot of investors in our industry either have friends involved in the investment so they feel more secure or they have trusted their gut in past successful endeavors and plan on doing so again.
- Compliance is everything in the cannabis industry. If a company doesn’t have a specified employee or team that is focused solely on compliance and regulatory changes, such as a Chief Compliance Officer, then chances are they aren’t going to be as successful as the companies that do. Especially in an industry where our regulations change at the drop of a hat.
- Impressive faces on a board of directors does not mean a successful company. Most likely, it’s just a play for increase in their investor’s trust.
List of Topics/subjects discussed:
- Investigative due diligence within the cannabis industry
- Tanya’s expectations upon entering the cannabis industry and what she discovered
- The Fair Credit Reporting Act
- The different regulations within the Fair Credit Reporting act and how it differs depending on the context of the situation
- Pre-investment regulations VS. pre-employment regulations
- Kristen’s experience with background checks within her career
- The time crunch with due diligence in the cannabis industry
- Tanya’s personal experiences working with the CBD industry specifically
- Assumptions that came with the Farm Bill
- Tanya’s first OSHA complaint - how did it end up?
- The shady businessmen joining the industry from outside of Cannabis
- Googling VS. Tanya Hoke
- What you can do to ensure you’re making the right business decision?
- Legacy farmers and investors
- An ‘unprofessional industry’
- The financial risks you take with not investigating your business associates
Links to Referenced News Articles from interview:
Interested in doing some research like Tonya? Use her recommendations to try out the basics for yourself and your business.
Interested in checking out the mentioned podcast American Scandal? Link below for the referenced episode
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/enron-a-sense-of-urgency/id1435516849?i=1000447908889
Did you learn something new about the cannabis industry today? If so, let me know in the comments below!
Guest Bio and Social Media Links:
Tanya Hoke | Founder & Managing Director
Tanya has more than a dozen years of experience managing investigative due diligence for clients in industries ranging from pharmaceuticals and manufacturing to financial services and consulting. She has been advising investors in the cannabis industry since 2015.
Tanya has led hundreds of due diligence investigations into management teams, helping clients to identify business, legal, and reputational risks prior to proceeding with high-value transactions. She was previously a Senior Consultant in Corporate Investigations at Control Risks Group, a global security and political risk consulting firm.
Tanya speaks regularly about due diligence, risk management, and integrity in the cannabis industry. She currently serves on the NCIA’s Banking & Financial Services Committee, and previously served on the State Regulations Committee.
She is a Certified Fraud Examiner, a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, and a licensed Private Investigator in Massachusetts and Colorado. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Swarthmore College and a Master of International Business degree from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, where she serves on the MIB Alumni Advisory Board.
Credits:
Audio Editing - Seth Cross - Frontal Lobe Productions
Intro/Outro - Jef Judin
Music - The Master by Flashing Lights
Show Notes - Henley Beall
Podcast Links:
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