A Higher Calling | Jesse Redmond

Some people find cannabis through opportunity. Jesse Redmond found it through his father—a man who spent decades managing chronic pain with opioids before cannabis changed everything. That personal story became the thread that pulled Jesse out of a successful finance career and into an industry he couldn't walk away from.Jake and Duffy sit down with Jesse Redmond, Chief Strategy and Investor Relations Officer at Leef Brands, to talk about one of the more unlikely origin stories in cannabis. From allocating over a billion dollars in hedge fund strategies to running a dispensary out of Santa Barbara with his mom doing deliveries—Jesse has seen this industry from nearly every angle. Now he's back in the operator seat, building what might be one of the most compelling cultivation stories in the country.If you care about where the money is—and isn't—in cannabis right now, this one's worth your time.Topics Covered:Why Jesse walked away from finance to open a dispensaryHis father's journey from 1,000mg of Oxycontin a day to cannabisThe state of cannabis capital and why the industry feels stalledWhat Leef Brands' 1,900-acre ranch changes about their cost structureWhy half of California flower that passes as flour fails when concentratedInterstate commerce, Schedule III, and what actually unlocks nextHow to position your cannabis business as an acquisition target—not a casualtyWhat Jesse tells young people who want to get into the industryAbout Our Guest: Jesse Redmond is Chief Strategy and Investor Relations Officer at Leef Brands. He began his career at Franklin Templeton and Fisher Investments, co-founded two hedge funds, and allocated over a billion dollars to hedge fund strategies before closing his fund to open a dispensary in Santa Barbara. He has since become one of the most respected cannabis analysts in the space, leading research at Water Tower Research and co-hosting the Higher Exchanges podcast with Morgan Paxhia of Poseidon.Links & References:Leef BrandsHigher Exchanges PodcastPoseidon Investment ManagementCharlotte's WebWater Tower Research