Joe Lustberg: What Cannabis Lenders See That Operators Miss episode artwork

EPISODE · May 15, 2026 · 43 MIN

Joe Lustberg: What Cannabis Lenders See That Operators Miss

from The Dime · host Bryan Fields, Joe Lustberg

The number in your head and the number you actually need are not the same number. That gap is where most cannabis businesses break. Joe Lustberg has financed operators across the country for years and watched that gap swallow businesses that looked fine on paper. He has also spent over two years paying rent on a Hamptons dispensary he cannot open because a municipality tried to rezone his property out from under him. The person telling you to build in 1.5X as your burn capital cushion has been living inside exactly the scenario he warns everyone about. When the lender financing your industry has lived the same nightmare, the advice changes. This week we sit down with Joe Lustberg,  to discuss the following  NY Regulatory Battlefield 280E Gone: What Changes Lending Specifics   Chapters 00:00 Navigating the Cannabis Landscape: A Personal Journey 02:51 Understanding the Financial Risks in Cannabis Operations 06:01 The Importance of Burn Capital for Cannabis Startups 09:02 Lending Dynamics in the Cannabis Industry 11:55 Market Trends and the Future of Cannabis Financing 14:51 The Impact of Rescheduling on Cannabis Operators 18:01 Identifying Strong Operators in a Competitive Market 21:05 Evaluating Financial Health: Key Indicators for Success 26:01 Evaluating Limited Markets: The Ohio Perspective 28:24 Navigating Unique Financing Requests 29:12 Surprising Success Stories in Cannabis Financing 32:04 The Importance of Experience in New Ventures 35:46 Identifying Undervalued Markets in Cannabis 38:00 The Future of Cannabis Markets and Interstate Commerce Guest Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-lustberg-23076722 Our Links: Bryan Fields on Twitter Kellan Finney on Twitter The Dime on Twitter Extraction Teams: Want to cut costs and get more out of every run? Unlock hidden revenue by extracting more from the same input—with Newton Insights. At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry. The Dime is a top 5% most shared  global podcast The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast  The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished. 🎥 YouTube:  The Dime 📸 Instagram:  The Dime https://www.newton-insights.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The cash amount in your head and the cash you actually need are not the same number. That gap is where most cannabis businesses break. Joe Lustberg has financed operators across the country for years and watched that gap swallow businesses that looked fine on paper. He has also spent over two years paying rent on a Hamptons dispensary he cannot open because a municipality tried to rezone his property out from under him. The person telling you to build in 1.5X as your burn capital cushion has been living inside exactly the scenario he warns everyone about. When the lender financing your industry has lived the same nightmare, the advice changes. This week we sit down with Joe Lustberg, to discuss the following NY Regulatory Battlefield 280E Gone: What Changes Lending Specifics

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Joe Lustberg: What Cannabis Lenders See That Operators Miss

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This episode was published on May 15, 2026.

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The number in your head and the number you actually need are not the same number. That gap is where most cannabis businesses break. Joe Lustberg has financed operators across the country for years and watched that gap swallow businesses that looked...

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