The Canna Boss Babes LIVE

The Canna Boss Babes
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The Canna Boss Babes Podcast shares the stories of the people building the cannabis industry and shaping the future of the plant. Created by Ishqa Hillman, the platform hosted 804 live interviews worldwide before Instagram removed the page in 2021 after multiple “Best Podcast” nominations. Ranked #2 Best Women in Cannabis Podcast by Feedspot, Ishqa the Boss Babe continues spotlighting cannabis entrepreneurs, advocates, and innovators—now with 1,000+ interviews and counting. Follow @thecannabossbabes

  1. She's Taking a Break: Joyce Gerber on Writing the First Cannabis Friendly Fiction Novel

    Apr 15

    She's Taking a Break: Joyce Gerber on Writing the First Cannabis Friendly Fiction Novel

    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 can She's Taking a Break: A Cannabis Romance is available now in paperback and ebook at thecannamomshow.com Connect with Joyce:Website: thecannamomshow.comInstagram: instagram.com/thecannamomshowLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joyce-gerber

    58 min
  2. Colombia Cannabis Law With Attorney Juliana Salazar of Rudick Law Group

    Apr 14

    Colombia Cannabis Law With Attorney Juliana Salazar of Rudick Law Group

    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 Colombia Connect with Juliana:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/salazarbonettEmail: jsalazar@rudicklawgroup.comWebsite: rudicklawgroup.com/people/juliana-salazar

    57 min
  3. Steph Vrona: Cannabis Dispensary Retention, Bad Data & Why the Rec Market Changed Everything

    Mar 24

    Steph Vrona: Cannabis Dispensary Retention, Bad Data & Why the Rec Market Changed Everything

    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/

    50 min
  4. Scott Rusczyk: Building Community Through Coachella Valley Canna Week

    Mar 20

    Scott Rusczyk: Building Community Through Coachella Valley Canna Week

    In this episode, Ishqa sits down with Scott Rusczyk, board president of CV Canna, to explore the vision behind Coachella Valley Canna Week. What started as an idea to bring people together has evolved into a multi-day experience that blends cannabis, culture, education, and advocacy. Scott shares how the event is designed to welcome everyone—from industry insiders to the canna-curious—while also creating meaningful dialogue with local policymakers. Together, they unpack the importance of community engagement, the realities of operating in today’s cannabis industry, and why the future of cannabis depends on connection, not isolation. This conversation is a reminder that cannabis isn’t just a product—it’s a movement built on people, relationships, and shared experiences.

    32 min
  5. Sherri Mack: Cannabis Nursing and the Future of Patient Empowerment

    Mar 13

    Sherri Mack: Cannabis Nursing and the Future of Patient Empowerment

    What happens when a nurse becomes a patient—and cannabis becomes the medicine that changes everything? In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast, host Ishqa Hillman sits down with cannabis nurse Sherri Mack to explore her journey from ICU patient to one of the leading voices in cannabis nursing and patient education. After contracting a life-threatening infection in 2012, Mack found herself navigating the healthcare system from the other side of the bed. Facing dozens of medications and worsening symptoms, a fellow nurse introduced her to cannabis as medicine—an experience that transformed her recovery and ultimately her career. Today, Mack is the co-founder of Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse platform, where she helps patients and healthcare providers better understand cannabis medicine and the endocannabinoid system. Together, Ishqa and Sherri discuss patient empowerment, cannabis stigma, therapeutic cannabis use, and how education is reshaping the future of healthcare.

    51 min
  6. Danielle Wildstein: Cannabis Education and the Vision Behind Blue Oak Dispensary

    Mar 11

    Danielle Wildstein: Cannabis Education and the Vision Behind Blue Oak Dispensary

    Danielle Wildstein didn’t set out to become a cannabis entrepreneur. After spending more than 20 years working in pharmaceuticals, Danielle found herself questioning the system after witnessing her mother struggle with chronic illness and the side effects of endless medications. When New Jersey legalized recreational cannabis, she saw an opportunity to create something different. In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast, Danielle shares how that experience led her to launch Blue Oak Dispensary, a cannabis retail space designed around education, wellness, and community trust. Rather than focusing solely on products or potency, Danielle built Blue Oak around conversations. Her team works closely with customers—especially women, mothers, and seniors—to help them understand cannabinoids, dosing, and how cannabis can support everyday wellness goals. The conversation also explores the evolving cannabis industry in New Jersey, the challenges of regulation and licensing, and the importance of education in combating stigma and misinformation. If you’re curious about how cannabis retail can become more patient-centered and community-driven, this episode offers an inside look at what the future of dispensaries could look like.

    1h 11m
  7. Elisabeth Mack: Coachella Valley Canna Week, Healthy Aging, and Plant Medicine

    Mar 5

    Elisabeth Mack: Coachella Valley Canna Week, Healthy Aging, and Plant Medicine

    Elisabeth Mack joins The Canna Boss Babes Podcast for a conversation that blends healthcare, healing, advocacy, and what’s ahead for Coachella Valley Canna Week. A nurse, healthcare executive, educator, and author, Elisabeth shares how a bicycle accident led her from conventional medicine into the cannabis space and why she has spent the last decade helping patients understand plant medicine in a more practical, clinical, and empowering way. Together, Elisabeth and Ishqa talk about what to expect from Coachella Valley Canna Week with CVCAN, including community education, healthy aging conversations, and why this event is designed not just for industry people, but for everyday community members who want to learn. They also get into cannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, lifestyle medicine, Bloom Hemp, the Green Nurse, and the deeper personal healing behind Elisabeth’s memoir, Wine, Women and Weed. This episode is a reminder that education is power, stories matter, and events like Coachella Valley Canna Week create the kind of community conversations that can truly shift stigma. Watch the full episode on YouTube and find more episodes, resources, and community at thecannabossbabes.com.

    41 min
  8. Mia Garlock: Cannabis, Healing, and Questioning the Narrative

    Mar 5

    Mia Garlock: Cannabis, Healing, and Questioning the Narrative

    What happens when a life-altering injury forces you to rethink everything you thought you knew about healing? In this episode of The Canna Boss Babes Podcast, Mia Garlock joins Ishqa Hillman for an honest conversation about recovery, research, and why questioning the narrative matters more than ever. After a serious accident left Mia in a wheelchair with multiple broken bones, she found herself relying on cannabis while healing — and the results surprised even her medical specialists. That experience became the beginning of a much deeper journey into understanding how the plant interacts with the body and why so many people still misunderstand it. Throughout the conversation, Mia shares her perspective on healing, curiosity, and the importance of doing your own research rather than blindly accepting information online. From bone healing and cannabinoids to the surprising benefits of compounds like CBG, she brings both humor and insight to the conversation while encouraging people to stay curious and keep asking questions. This episode is also a reminder that advocacy starts with education. The more we understand how the plant works, the better we can advocate for safe access, accurate information, and thoughtful conversations about wellness. If you’ve ever been curious about how cannabis interacts with the body — or why questioning the narrative matters — this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Watch the full episode on YouTube or explore more conversations at thecannabossbabes.com.

    1h 27m
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About

The Canna Boss Babes Podcast shares the stories of the people building the cannabis industry and shaping the future of the plant. Created by Ishqa Hillman, the platform hosted 804 live interviews worldwide before Instagram removed the page in 2021 after multiple “Best Podcast” nominations. Ranked #2 Best Women in Cannabis Podcast by Feedspot, Ishqa the Boss Babe continues spotlighting cannabis entrepreneurs, advocates, and innovators—now with 1,000+ interviews and counting. Follow @thecannabossbabes

Information

  • Creator
    The Canna Boss Babes
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    197
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Canna Boss Babes
  • Show Website
    The Canna Boss Babes LIVE