"Navigating Highs and Lows with Aaron Miles: Verano's Investment Strategy Unveiled"In the latest episode of the "Proud to Work in Cannabis" podcast, listeners were treated to an engaging and insightful conversation with Aaron Miles, the Chief Investment Officer at Verano.Aaron talks to Karson Humiston about his unexpected journey into the cannabis industry, which began with a serendipitous text message while celebrating his 40th birthday in Italy. Despite initial skepticism, Aaron's curiosity about the industry's potential led him to pivot from a traditional corporate path at Pier One Imports to the dynamic world of cannabis at Cresco Labs, and eventually to his current role at Verano.Throughout the episode, Aaron provided a candid look into the complexities of taking a cannabis company public, the nuances of navigating the industry's unique challenges, and the strategic moves Verano has made to position itself for future opportunities, including uplisting to the CSE. He emphasized the importance of being prepared for the U.S. capital markets and the potential impact of federal legislative changes on the industry.Aaron also shared his personal connection to the medicinal benefits of cannabis, reflecting on a family member's struggle with addiction and how it shaped his perspective on the plant's potential as a safer alternative to opiates.The episode concluded with a discussion on the current scale of Verano, its operations across multiple states, and Aaron's optimistic outlook on the future of cannabis legislation. His passion for the industry was evident as he spoke about the broader implications of cannabis legalization, including job creation, community investment, and the potential for groundbreaking medical research. https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-miles/ https://www.verano.com/ TIMESTAMPS00:00:00 - Podcast Introduction00:00:11 - Attempting to Connect with Aaron Miles00:00:28 - Aaron's Health and Company Challenges00:00:44 - Post-MJBiz Plague and COVID00:01:15 - Aaron's History with MJBiz00:01:26 - Comparing MJBiz Attendance00:01:36 - Aaron's Role as Chief Investment Officer00:01:54 - Unexpected Entry into Cannabis00:02:16 - Transition from Newspaper to Cannabis00:02:38 - A Text Message That Changed Everything00:03:09 - Analyzing the Cannabis Industry's Potential00:03:30 - Joining Cresco Labs00:04:01 - Learning the Cannabis Ropes00:04:12 - Moving to Verano00:04:34 - Verano's Stage When Aaron Joined00:04:48 - Verano's Late Public Market Entry00:05:30 - Preparing Verano for Public Listing00:06:34 - Aaron's Multifaceted Role at Verano00:06:59 - Readying for U.S. Capital Markets00:07:54 - Involvement in M&A and Capital Markets00:08:47 - Verano's Scale and Operations00:09:40 - The Role of a Chief Investment Officer00:09:50 - Verano's Current Business Scale00:12:04 - The Opportunity Post-Rescheduling00:12:29 - Anticipating DEA's Confirmation00:13:17 - Political Landscape and Cannabis00:13:50 - The Impact of Cannabis Legalization00:14:15 - The Frustration with Political Obstacles00:14:25 - The Potential of Rescheduling00:15:06 - Advocating for Cannabis in D.C.00:15:38 - The Misconceptions and Education Gap00:16:30 - The Absurdity of Political Opposition00:16:59 - The Future of Cannabis Legislation00:17:49 - Personal Stories and Political Influence00:18:11 - The Economic Impact of Cannabis00:19:08 - The Ripple Effect of Dispensary Spending00:20:02 - Conversations with Cory Booker00:20:37 - The Generational Divide in Cannabis Perception00:21:19 - Aaron's Personal Connection to Cannabis00:22:00 - Changing Family Perceptions on Cannabis00:22:47 - The Challenges of Cannabis Advertising00:23:28 - Business Strategy Post-Rescheduling00:24:10 - Verano's Financial Management00:24:53 - Preparing for Market Changes00:25:24 - Potential Growth in Key States00:26:06 - Verano's Expansion Plans00:26:38 - Uplisting and Capital Market Readiness00:27:15 - The Impact of Rescheduling on Operations00:27:59 - The Future of Cannabis Banking and Advertising00:28:48 - The Need for Cannabis Education00:29:28 - Aaron's Motivation in the Cannabis Industry00:29:54 - The Broader Impact of Cannabis Legalization00:30:25 - The Excitement of Working in Cannabis00:30:58 - The Dynamic Nature of the Cannabis Industry00:31:35 - The Opportunity to Influence the Industry00:32:09 - How to Follow Aaron and Verano Produce By PodConxWatch Video - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNZI8qZy0lKxLO4OTk6P-twKarson Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/karson-humiston-64572b97/Vangst - https://vangst.com/Recorded on SquadcastSound Design by Jamie Humiston
