Susanne Ekström

I Coach CEOs to Build Winning Companies Where People 💜 to Work (SME:s) | +$30M Client Profit Generated | Top Ranked Management & Leadership Creator Globally (#1 in Sweden) | Serial Entrepreneur

💡 Are you enthusiastic about waking up in the morning to be the master strategist of your company, or are you dreading another day spent fighting fires and not getting anything significant done?

👋 Hey! I'm Susanne, a CEO Coach, entrepreneur, #1 international bestselling author, and the founder of BeASmarterLeader and SEE Management.

𝐌𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: To guide CEOs like you in reaching the top of your game.
I specialize in turning your big business dreams into reality, making your company richer, your team happier, and your business more robust.
And if you're up for it, we'll boost your bottom line by $499k in 99 days.


𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞: Back in 2001, life was amazing. I co-owned a big Swedish dot.com company and started our Netherlands office. I invested my heart, time, and money into it. But then, everything fell apart when the company went bankrupt. I lost everything, and it was devastating—going from a dream job to no job at all.


𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠: We made these 4 epic failures!
⛔ We didn't delegate effectively
⛔ We weren't ready for massive growth
⛔ We didn't have streamlined processes in place
⛔ We, the C-Suite, stopped listening to our people


𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝: Combining 20+ years in management consulting, over a decade in leadership, and hard-earned lessons from my dot.com collapse led me to develop a foolproof system to help CEOs like you:
✅ Boost your profits
✅ Keep your best people
✅ 'Buy back' +8 hours a week
✅ Build a scalable business model for growth


Great leaders aren't born; they're made.
True transformation can be challenging, so I've designed my system to help you save time, reach your potential, and become a top-notch CEO. 


𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫: Strategies to:
⭐ 'Buy back' your time so you can lead, not be 'all-over the place'
⭐ Create a CEO role that you'll absolutely LOVE having
⭐ Create space for innovation & big-picture planning
⭐ Create trust, structure, and sustainable growth
⭐ Build a winning, scalable company culture



𝐌𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬: CEOs of SME companies on the U.S. East Coast, Canada, and Europe.
But why is this Swedish lady targeting the U.S. and Canada?
The mindset around the importance and value of a coach differs in the US and Canada from the rest of the world. I also love to speak English.
𝘚𝘔𝘌 = 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘶𝘮-𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦


𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩: Book a 15-minute Opportunity Call today!
👉 https://calendly.com/susanne-ekstrom/15mincall

Susanne Ekström
📞 +46 70 205 40 44
✉ susanne@beasmarterleader.com
🌐 www.beasmarterleader.com

Founder & CEO | BeaSmarterLeader

🔥 We help CEOs and Owners of Companies with $5-20 Million in Revenue, Strategically Work ON the Business Instead of Being Stuck IN it.

BeaSmarterLeader is 100% dedicated to helping CEOs and Owners across dynamic industries scale business operations and obtain unparalleled marketplace advantages to unlock transformative, growth-driven futures.

As the Founder & CEO, I work confidently with you while providing all of the dynamic tools and coaching methodologies required to take your business to the next level with The CEO Profit System!

Ultimately, I’m here to help enable the conditions for your peak performance, and you'll drive your business forward in ways previously unimagined. Sign up today to double your profits and cut your daily workload by 50% in less than 4 weeks!

👉 www.beasmarterleader.com/ceopsli (With a Large Discount)

Ever hired someone brilliant… but “a little odd”?
🤔 Maybe they avoided small talk.
🤔 Could never sit completely still.
🤔 Had problems with eye contact.
🤔 Laser-focused on obscure details.
🤔 Struggled with time management.
🤔 Or asked questions no one else dared to ask.

You might have chalked it up to personality.
But what if it was neurodiversity?

Yesterday, I shared a personal post about my son and me, both navigating life with ADHD and autism in different ways. Today, I want to discuss what that looks like in your company.

Because here’s the truth:
You already have neurodivergent people on your team.
- Some have been diagnosed.
- Most haven’t.
- And many won't dare to tell you even if they have been diagnosed.

If you don’t know how to lead them, you’re leaving potential (and revenue) on the table.

CEOs ask me, “How do I support these folks without lowering the bar?”
That's the wrong question.

The right one is: "How do I design a culture that brings out the best in every kind of brain?"

Especially when one of those brains might be… your own. 💜 

Because many of the founders and execs I coach have ADHD or autism themselves, and they’ve spent decades compensating, masking, or white-knuckling through systems that were never built for them.

Tomorrow, I’ll share about how to leverage neurodiversity as a leader, without burning out or losing control.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 - look around your team.
- Who’s been labeled “difficult,” “intense,” or “disorganized”?
- What might change if you saw them through the lens of neurodiversity?
- And most importantly, do you know what it means to be neurodivergent?

This is personal for me. As a mom. As a founder. 
Because when we get this right, everyone wins.


👉 Anything you'd add?

PS. I'll add the link to yesterday's post in the comments.

I Coach CEOs to Build Winning Companies Where People Love to Work (SMEs) | +$30M Client Profit Generated in the Last 5 Years | #1 International Best-Selling Author | Serial Entrepreneur

How do you know if someone on your team might be neurodivergent?
Short answer: You often don’t.
Longer answer: You notice patterns. And you lead accordingly.

Because not everyone will tell you they have ADHD or autism.
Some don’t even know themselves.
But their behavior might whisper it.
If you’re listening.

As a mom to a son with ADHD and autism, and in my work with founders and teams, I’ve learned to watch for two kinds of signs:

𝗖𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀
- Asks unexpected questions that challenge assumptions
- Hyper-focused one moment, totally distracted the next
- Struggles with transitions or shifting between tasks
- Strategic brilliance, but forgetful with logistics
- Comes across as blunt, intense, or “too much”
- Thrives with structure… or resists it entirely
- Sensitive to noise, light, or smells

𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝘂𝗲𝘀
- Avoids or resists eye contact
- Constantly fidgeting or can’t sit still
- Forgets next steps unless written or visual
- Looks disengaged, but later recalls everything
- Tunes out during long explanations or detailed talks
- Needs headphones, sunglasses, or quiet spaces to focus
- Paces while thinking or prefers movement to concentrate

These aren’t flaws.
They’re flags that someone might need something different to thrive.

Not lower expectations, but more transparent communication, better scaffolding, or more autonomy.

You don’t need a formal diagnosis to support someone’s best work.
You just need to notice how they work best, and meet them there.

That’s not therapy.
That’s leadership. 💜 


👉 Anything you'd add?


PS. This is my 4th and last post on neurodivergence, for now.
I'll add the links to my previous posts in the comments.

If your company can’t run 30 days without you, you don’t own a business.
You 𝙖𝙧𝙚 the business.

I was sitting with a CEO who was exhausted.
He told me, “𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬. 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴. 𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴.”

That’s the reality for many CEOs.
The business runs, but only because they’re pushing every lever.
It feels responsible. It feels necessary.
But it’s also the ceiling on growth.

Here’s what I see again and again:
❌ Culture depends on their mood that week.
❌ Decisions get stuck waiting for their approval.
❌ The CEO’s calendar is owned by everyone but them.
❌ They delegate activity, not ownership, so work bounces back.

And then the shift happens.

When the CEO reclaims their time, everything changes:
✅ They spend hours painting the bigger picture instead of chasing details.
✅ Their leadership team starts owning results, not just tasks.
✅ Culture becomes the engine, not the weight.
✅ The company scales beyond them. Finally.

That’s when leadership becomes lighter.
That’s when growth feels possible again.

If your company had to run for 30 days without you, what would break first?
If you don’t like your answer to that question, send me a DM.
We’ll discuss how to make the change. 💜 
 
 
👉 Anything you'd add?

Are meetings making you money... OR costing you? 
 
I'm pretty frankly really frustrated with how we treat our people's time when it comes to meetings. 
 
If you were a machine that stopped, we would try to fix you (the machine) asap to keep production flowing, BUT we tend not to have any problem inviting people to meetings without questioning how much of their time we consume. 
 
Even worse, if we don't have a clear goal and agenda for the meeting, people will feel frustrated and stressed. 
 
Cutting down the number of meetings and/or meeting time is one successful way in which you can: 
 
✅ Reduce costs 
✅ Delete the frustration of boring meetings 
✅ Make your business more productive & profitable 
 
...at the same time. 
 
A study at Bain & Company found that a single weekly meeting of mid-level managers costs one organization $15 million annually! 
 
Do you think those meetings generated more than $15 million annually? 
 
Are the meetings within your company making or costing you money? 💜 

👉 Anything you'd add?

CEOs: You make million-dollar decisions...
...but are you treating your own time like a 10x growth lever?

Most leaders think they are stuck in "2x tasks" (incremental growth).
The reality? Most are stuck in 0x tasks.

If your revenue is $8M–$20M, your time is worth ~$2,000 per hour.
But you're likely spending it on "low-leverage" tasks that yield $0 in new value.

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗻 "𝗕𝘂𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸" 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟭𝟬𝘅 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗽:
💰 CEO Effect: Reclaiming 8 hours a week = $16,000 in unlocked value every week.

💰 C-Suite Effect: If 5 leaders reclaim 8 hours (at $500/hr), that’s $20,000 per week.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁?
That’s $1.8M in leadership capacity currently being "leaked" into zero-ROI low-value busy-work.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟬𝘅 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁:
↠ Stop doing the "0x" low-leverage tasks that don't move the needle.

↠ Reinvest those 48+ hours into the 20% that creates 10x momentum.

↠ Watch your impact 10x as you ditch your "Firefighter" mode.

👉 What is one low-leverage task you are doing today that provides $0 in growth?

PS. You can't build a 10x future while living on a 0x schedule. 💜

Are you planning your agendas, or are your meetings a time-suck?

Lisa, a CEO with 85 employees, conducted many meetings that kept her busy almost all week.

When she had some time in between the meetings, she had a line of employees who wanted to:

💢 ask questions
💢 get her decision on a specific matter

She rarely had time to work on her essential tasks during office hours.

WHAT DID WE DO?

We:
〰️ Drastically decreased the meeting time
〰️ Implemented the tips for crafting a "Killer" agenda


THE RESULTS WERE:
✅ 45% more free time in just 3 weeks
✅ Better prepared, motivated participants
✅ Enhanced accountability/results pre & post meetings

...& this was just the first step on our list for her & her people to be more productive.

Do you want to be the next Lisa? 💜
Send me a DM with the word "Killer."


👉 Anything you'd add?

How to Design a Killer Agenda

From pitch black to a life worth living in 2,5 months.
How I helped my son turn his life around.

I’m a single mother of two sons, and one of them has autism and ADHD.

Little over 2,5 years ago, he had been home for 4 years, 24*7.
❌ Not going out at all
❌ Not attending school
❌ Not having any IRL friends
❌ Not doing ANYTHING with his life

So, about 30 months ago, I started transforming our relationship completely.

This led him to move to a specialized boarding school and ‘restarting’ his life!

From being 4 years behind in school when he started, he’s now on track to graduate from high school in 3 months' time (only 1 year behind).

If you are a parent of a child or children with autism and/or ADHD, and you’re:
😢 Feeling you’re failing your kid
😢 Feeling love and affinity is lost
😢 Feeling like everything is hopeless
😢 Feeling like there’s nothing more you can do

I GET YOU! 💜
This is how I felt for many years.

HOW COULD I MAKE THIS POSSIBLE?
I attended a course, and while I was participating, it hit me hard.

〰I want to FIX my son!
〰Because this is NOT the life I was supposed to have.
〰AND I’m the reason we’re stuck!

Even if we have a great relationship, something needs to change.

I need to shift the way I speak to him and the way I listen to him.

I also realize – I can love him for everything he is and also for everything he isn’t.

For me, my kids are the most important thing in my life.

Seeing one of them not ‘participating in life’ has been totally devastating.

But now, I see a future for him. 💜

This video shares one of the questions I got when I spoke at the LeadHERship Unveiled, a 3-day virtual summit, about my journey as a person, a CEO coach, and a mother.

PS. If you know a parent like this, please tag them in a comment.

PPS. The link to my whole speech is here: https://lnkd.in/eyNk_WeQ



👉 Anything you'd add?

In 5 words or less, what advice would you give a CEO who's always busy and never has time?

If you're a CEO with ADHD or autism, you're not wired for business-as-usual.
You're wired for vision, velocity, and out-of-the-box thinking.

You can’t lead the way everyone else does, and you don’t have to.

You’ve probably been told to be more organized, more consistent, more emotionally neutral, more… something.

As a mother to a son with ADHD and autism, and also in my coaching work with neurodivergent founders, I’ve seen:

💫 Pattern recognition that’s lightning-fast
💫 Brains that leap to insights no one else sees
💫 Creative thinking that breaks through walls others never question

You’re not “too much.” You’re exactly enough when you stop trying to lead like someone else.

The key isn’t to mask or muscle through.
It’s to design a business that matches your brain. 💜 

It’s about building systems around your strengths and delegating tasks around your struggles.
- Hire great people who love the details
- Set check-ins so nothing relies on memory
- Shape your role around what energizes you

This isn’t about doing less.
It’s about doing what only you can do.
And building the right team to do the rest.

Neurodivergent leadership isn’t a liability. It’s a competitive edge.
But only if you stop fighting yourself...
and start building systems that fit.


👉 Anything you'd add?

PS. This is my 3rd post on neurodivergence. I'll add the link to my previous posts in the comments.

PPS. This is how my son explains what his ADHD/autism brain sounds like:
https://lnkd.in/e3JxK3VP (video credit to connorcallec, it's not my son)

Imagine being a CEO and having hours back in your day. Unthinkable? 
Here is the reality... 👇 
 
❌ 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀:
↳ Micromanage employees 
↳ Fail to delegate effectively 
↳ Fail to prioritize your calendar 
↳ Spend much time on low-priority tasks 
↳ Attend meetings without a clear agenda 
 
✅ 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀: 
↳ Paint the big picture for your company 
↳ Develop & execute a strategic plan 
↳ Build a kickass company culture 
↳ Lead & inspire by example 
↳ Recruit & nurture talent 
 
 
And...
DITCH the Chief Problem Solver hat! 💜 
 
 
👉 Anything you'd add?

𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀
- Avoiding hard conversations, Westley Harnett
- Too many "priorities" at once, Jill Avey

The Day I Earned My Place -- with a Kebab Pizza!!
When I was new at a management consulting firm, I was invited to join a colleague at a client site.

As soon as I arrived, the CEO told me:
“We have a special tradition for new consultants, haha, you’ll see.”

At lunchtime, he took me to a pizzeria and said,
“This is your challenge. No other consultant has ever finished this.”

He ordered me the "House Special” - a kebab pizza loaded with sauce, fries, and extra everything.

I thought, "This is my moment," so I ate the whole thing.

He looked at me and said, “Wow. Not even I have finished it. I always leave the crust!”

And then he said, “I’m in love. Shall we go home and share 2 kilos of tenderloin?”

That afternoon, as we walked around the office, he kept telling people:
“She ate the whole pizza. She ate the 𝙒𝙃𝙊𝙇𝙀 pizza.”

Looking back, it was more than just a funny memory; it was also a test of my resilience.

Here’s what I learned about leadership from that pizza challenge.

- 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀
It wasn’t about the pizza. It was about showing up, saying yes, and giving something your best shot - even when it’s uncomfortable, unusual, or hard. 

- 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁
Had I refused or given up halfway, the outcome might have been different. Often, people respect the effort even more than the result, but in this case, finishing was what mattered.

- 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 “𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀”
Whether it’s the first big client meeting, a difficult decision, or (yes) a giant pizza, teams test how you show up under pressure. Leaders remember that and help others succeed in those moments.

- 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿
Yes, we laughed. But I also felt accepted. Leaders create moments that people remember. Those moments often mix challenge, kindness, and fun.

Sometimes leadership starts with a pizza. 💜 


👉 Anything you'd add?

Uncomfortable conversations - how do you deal with them?

Are you approaching them head-on, delaying them, or sticking your head in the sand and hoping they will solve themselves somehow?

This is what I'll be talking about in today's episode of 'Uncomfortable Conversations' on e360tv.

Hi all - time for a poll!
What do you say about this one? :)

If you could travel back in time and relive your life, would you choose the same career/life?

The author can see how you vote. Learn more

Seth Yakatan

Raising & Selling 📈 $1B+ Raised 💰 22 Companies Sold 🤝

Are you struggling to communicate your vision to the capital gatekeepers?

Are you exploring selling your business but don’t know anything about:
✘ Due diligence
✘ Term sheets
✘ Earnouts

Friend, you're lucky you found me...

I'm Seth Yakatan.

I have 30-odd years experience as a corporate finance professional.

My specialties are:
💰 Raising money
🤝 Selling companies

And I’m f**king good at it.

I’ve raised over $1B and sold 22 businesses.

My career has mostly been supporting small-cap and major corporations seeking capital to grow, or
to find strategic acquirers.

Most of these companies are in: 
— biotech
— cannabis
— pharmaceuticals
— DTC consumer goods

I’ve been on boards, taken companies public, gone up against multinational corporations, raised from VC and PE funds.

All of it. 
Many times over.
Whatever your problem is, I’ve seen it before.

But let me level with you:

What I REALLY love is helping people to get to the finish line.

Talking to entrepreneurs excites me.

But in my experience, entrepreneurs are mostly s**t at raising capital and selling companies.

** They just don’t understand investors **

And that’s where I come in.

Together, we workshop: 
✔ Your pitch
✔ Your deck
✔ Your strategy 

And help you raise the capital to GROW and SELL your business.

If you need this help—and almost every business does—send me a DM.

Like, now.

Don't lose another potential investor or acquirer with the wrong pitch.

Seth ✌️

Co-Founder

Merchant Bank / Advisory / Family Office

Hate the three largest MSOs?? Well hate all you want, look at the numbers…

You’ll see that THEY ALL DELIVERED on Q4 2025 results.

Say what you want…the numbers DON’T LIE.


>> What Happened?

Trulieve delivers industry-leading adj. EBITDA margin of 35.8%. 
(Oh they also have $255.5M in cash!)

Green Thumb Industries (GTI) grows revenue and adj. EBITDA by 5% and 19%, respectively. 
(While reversing the gross margin slide and delivering GM of 52.7%.) 

Curaleaf grew revenue by 4.0% while beating adj. EBITDA estimates.
(All while lapping the FIELD with 65% y/o/y growth in Europe.)


>> Why Is It Important?

Kim has a war chest and is poised to dominate TX and PA.

Ben has cash, stock, and has grown margin DESPITE compression.

Boris is the world’s largest cannabis operator by market cap. PERIOD.


>> What Am I Watching?

Boris has made a jump into EU for growth, do Kim and Ben follow suit?

If 280e goes away, do Truelive and GTI see a big bump in price?

Which one of these three raises THE MOST equity the day after S3?


You know I have been critical of all three of these companies and CEOs.

Time for me to give a tip of the cap to all three for DELIVERING on RESULTS, period.

Say whatever you want about these MSOs…

The NUMBERS DON’T LIE.

So did you REALLY think the ban was about hemp??

No no no.

It was about ALCOHOL.

And now the numbers are in:


>> Whats Happening?

Alcohol is done watching hemp from the sidelines.

In Q4 2025 a bunch of companies files highlight lobbying disclosures tied to intoxicating hemp:

Moët Hennessy
Bacardi
Diageo
Brown-Forman
The HEINEKEN Company
Sazerac Company

Hmm….read the tea leaves and follow the money.


>> Why Does This Matter?

Lobbying is balance-sheet-based muscle memory for alcohol.

They have been doing it since 1950 and they are GOOD at it.

Make no mistake, the alcohol industry is acknowledging something BIG:

THAT intoxicating hemp is already part of the adult-use landscape.


>> What I Am I Watching?

Which alcohol players move from lobbying to minority investments?

Or does alcohol flex harder to push hemp off the shelves?

Can cannabis incumbents realize they were out gunned (and outspent)?


Not sure how this plays out but I am going to crack 10mg bev and grab the popcorn!

No alternative text description for this image

Is this the FIRST MAJOR ON PREMISE shot fired for THC beverages??

WELCOME to the 2026 Stadium EXPERIENCE!

THC Drinks are coming soon to an ARENA NEAR YOU!


>> What’s Happening?

Chicago’s United Center just announced its serving hemp-derived THC drinks.

Concerts/Sporting events/Big shared moments.

In case you didn’t know, that’s alcohol’s home turf….

THC is showing up more and more, without asking ANYONE for permission.


>> Why Is This Important?

Booze vs. THC is not the point.

The point is THC is now competing for share of occasions.

Normalization comes from repetition in trusted environments.


>> What Am I Watching?

The first league, venue group, or national operator that treats THC beverages in the same way ?

Who puts up the first THC Beverage advert in a stadium? (Remember USC/ Cookies?)

What major sports/food/airport group jump in next ?


5 beers or 5 2MG THC Beverages??

Same night, VERY different morning

A long held belief just got UPENDED last week:

Vapes just eclipsed FLOWER in terms of sales in CA.

YUP. WILD.

So, ask YOURSELF why…


>> What Happened?

In CA, vape products overtook flower as the #1 seller in licensed dispensaries.

This is a HISTORIC first in the U.S. legal market.

In 2025, vapes pulled ahead, with higher monthly sales and widening share


>> Why Does This Matter?

Flower has been KING forever.

Economics, culture, product…it was Michael Jordan.

Now the consumer wallet has shifted its preferences.

And upended norms (hello Gen Z!)


>> What Am I Watching?

Is Gen Z the demand anchor we should be trying to reach?

Does margin in vapes continue if this trend sticks?

Does quality and testing MATTER, or is price #1?

How does this change the retail plan-o-gram??


Flower has to take off its crown, for now…

But let me be clear: I don’t think flower is losing its heritage or dominance, YET….

I do think that consumer choice and pricing show us how the market is shaping the future…

Little more love from the MJ BIZ scene...
Shout for Rectitude Partners LLC
and my man Nicholas Bowers

thanks to the squad at 

Fat Nugs Magazine
Puff Creative

for a great night....4 Grams...COMING!!!!!

Guess who’s messin’ with Texas?? Cann, that’s who.

Cann is fixin’ to dominate the Lone Star State.

Here’s what’s going down:


>> What’s Happening?

Cann secured Texas distribution with Spec’s.

Spec’s, for those that don’t know, is THE LARGEST beverage retailer in Texas.

Full SKU set in one of the biggest alc retail channels in the USA.


>> Why Is This Important?

This is not a test, a dispensary, one franchisee gone rogue, or a limited run.

THC drinks are moving via mainstream beverage infrastructure.

Spec’s has 200+ doors statewide.

Say what you want, I AM seeing a distribution shift...


>> What Am I Watching?

What other brands can howdy on down to distribution?

What other retailers jump on board now that we have Target, Circle K and Spec’s?

Is there movement on the regulatory side in Texas? (Remember a few months ago they tried to BAN HEMP??)


Want to make sure we give a big congrats to the Cann Team!

Jake B. and Nick Fasano 👏 👏

Feels like Danny Stepper and the LA Libations team left their fingerprints all over here, cause this ain’t my first rodeo…

Want to LEARN MORE? Get your spurs to The Beverage Forum April 2026.

Hang 10 and hit the dispo??

Adult use cannabis may be coming to the Aloha State…


>> What’s Happening?

Hawaii lawmakers filed legislation that would put rec cannabis to voters in November 2026.

If passed by a two-thirds vote in both chambers, Hawaii voters would be asked whether to amend the state constitution to legalize adult-use cannabis.


>> Why Does This Matter?

Ballot initiatives are cool but they are NOT a guarantee.

This was not brought forth by the electorate but by elected officials…

Not sure this get traction or mahalo…


>> What Am I Watching?

Do MSOs even bother modeling Hawaii as a near-term market?

Is capital ready to fund something in one of the worlds largest tourist economies?

Do voters notice they’re being asked to decide a policy?


Feel like another version of Pele’s curse.

Cannabis style…I will just grab a shaved ice.

Why can’t an MSO be successful in one of the BEST markets in the US?

Missouri is quietly becoming one of the most attractive cannabis markets in the country — WITHOUT the MSOs.

Go figure.


>> What’s Happening?

Curaleaf exited Missouri.

Not cut back. Not paused. EXITED.

And they are not alone. No major MSO has meaningful exposure to Missouri.

Yet MO is consistently ranking among the healthiest AU markets in the U.S…


>> Why Does This Matter?

Missouri breaks the MSO playbook.

Limited license structure, strong retail economics, rational competition.

Not race-to-the-bottom pricing.

This is the rare cannabis market where operators actually make money (REALLY).


>> What Am I Watching?

When do private equity and strategic buyers re-rate “boring” markets?

Does the next consolidation wave starts OUTSIDE the MSO universe?

Who comes out of this market as a winner?


Missouri didn’t fail the MSOs but the MSO model failed in Missouri.

Not every great market wants a national flag planted in it.

Sometimes the best markets are the ones Wall Street ignores.

Why do you keep doing this LinkedIn thing ???

BECAUSE THE POWER OF PERSONAL BRANDING IS YOUR FUTURE.

Here's a case study:

Few years ago met Lisa Williams via LinkedIn.

She reached out.
We got to know each other
We have supported each others' collective journey.

Lisa Williams is: 
— A working mother
— An entrepreneur
— Who owns two businesses
— Keeps up with her content 
— And is a TOTAL badass!

About 2 years ago she purchased a product SHE believed in. 

Hello Again...Something to help female health, specifically menopause.

She started putting some videos on TikTok...

And guess what... last week SHE WENT VIRAL.

1,000,000 views
122,000 likes
5,000 comments
21,000 saves 
59,000 forwards

AND SO MANY SALES SHE COULD NOT KEEP UP.

NEVER QUIT. 
NEVER question if you should be posting.

And buy some Hello Again!

And check the video here: https://bit.ly/4qCX4sq

Got a dream ???
Me too
Bad news for you...
Dreams are made to be broken in the early stage of many industries..

Not just c@nnabis...its just HARD everywhere...
Fail 10 times, try 11...
Thats the lesson..

Thanks to Rachel Wright, CPA, MST and VERDANT Strategies for the time !

Where will you find me this year ???

At an IgniteIt Cannabis thats where...


Taking some time to thank the whole squad there...
Elliot Lane
Patrick Lane
Jason Raznick

Appreciate ALL YOU DO...
CHI-TOWN IS COMING !!!!!

When you fail 3 times, why not try for a 4th??

That’s what PA is doing right now as the state makes its FOURTH attempt at a move to Adult Use.

Sure, why not??


>> What’s Happening?

My guy Shapiro gave his fourth budget address.

Increasing overall spending by 6% without broad-based tax hikes.

Oh and he put adult-use BACK on the table…AGAIN.


>> Why Does This Matter?

PA is surrounded by NJ/NY/MD/OH, all of which are pumping REC.

The budget conversation shows how much $ PA is leaving on the table staying medical.

How ELSE can you spend more and NOT tax the general public?


>> What Am I Watching?

This is now #4. Can it REALLY HAPPEN this time?

What will be the policy tradeoffs if this happens? Who loses?

Is THIS a state surrounded by AU finally admitting leakage is a tax policy?


Adult-use didn’t magically reappear…

It reappeared because PA needs the $$$.

Politics and budgets are not based on morality…

Bet your butt they are based on COLD HARD CASH.

And AU seems like a magical cash machine.

Everything's BIGGER in TEXAS? Well, Texas Original just bet the ranch.


>> What's Happening?

Texas Original just opened the largest medical cannabis facility in Texas.

They’re expanding cultivation and processing capacity to meet rising patient demand.

No change in law…no ballot initiative.

Just cash, concrete, steel, and CONFIDENCE.


>> Why Does This Matter?

Well son, you don't go build the largest facility inside one of the most restrictive medical programs in the country…

THIS is what early movers look like in medical states.

And might signal that regulators are comfortable enough to let serious operators scale.


>> What Am I Watching?

Does demand absorb this build?

Does the program allow for success?

Who’s the next operator is to break ground?


Texas ain't first.

It won't be loud.

But when it moves, it will move at TEXAS SCALE.


Cowboy UP y'all.

Want a relationship ?

Start with a bank, I did...

Shout out to the whole team First Citizens Bank
And My ACE Diana A.

Need a place because you been thrown out of every other bank ?
Call her or DM me...

Thanks to the crew at Sweed for the video...

Best advice for a bad outcome: Let someone ELSE pick your dose.

Or worse still, let someone who knows NOTHING about dosing pick your dose…

Because that’s what’s going on


>> What’s Happening?

Food & Beverage put out an article on the “perfect dose” for HEMP Beverages.

At 2.5MG

2.5MG??

REALLLY???


>> Why Is This Important?

It reveals a gap between cannabis reality and every outside stakeholder.

2.5mg ain’t a “sweet spot”. It’s a training wheel AT BEST.

Alcohol didn’t scale on near-beer.

Cannabis won’t scale on microdoses dressed up as safety or wisdom.

Low-dose has a place. (THANK YOU Cann)

Calling it “THE PLACE” is telling me you don’t understand the market.


>> What Am I Watching?

How much mainstream “acceptance” does this get?

Is this the way Bev/Alc gets comfortable?? (You sure sell more cans at 2.5mg…)

How many consumers do not “feel” an effect at this level???


2.5mg is not the right dose.

If your entire thesis starts and ends there, you’re throwing darts blindfolded.

While congratulating yourself for hitting something, anything.

"Always pass on what you have learned" ... Yoda

Thank you Christine Apple + Draper Bender

And looking forward to the amazing future of..
Wyld + Grön

(Aaron Morris is the REAL JEDI...)

Please get your news from Cultivated Media 
and support my good friends 
Ben Larson + AnnaRae Grabstein on 
High Spirits: The Cannabis Business Podcast

Think your business is HARD?

Try this:

1. Every state (and city) has a different set of rules

2. The Government taxes you at an exorbitant rate 

3.  Capital flow is weighted to larger and later-stage operators

4. There is very little capital to begin with...

Now tell me you product is not Federally legal...WELCOME TO C@NNABIS!!!!

Appreciate the love from Alex D. and the squad from The High Index for the spot!

It’s NEVER a good idea to let government run a business.

Right??

Anoka, Minnesota is set to cut the ribbon on the Anoka Cannabis Company.

The first and ONLY city-managed dispensary in the U.S.

What could possibly go wrong??


>> What’s Happening?

A city running retail cannabis is like a turtle teaching people how to fly…

Bad idea for government to staff, regulate, and be accountable to voters.

This seems like a BIG departure from the usual “license it and pray” model.


>> Why Is This Important?

This city just decided licensing WASN’T enough.

Screw regulating private operators, Anoka wants to own the P&L too.

This is a fundamental shift for government FROM oversight TO asset control.


>> What Am I Watching?

How soon till every cash strapped municipality gets in the game?

Does this model work financially?

How does a city deal with illicit markets?

How long until they start growing weed and creating their own brand…??


Cannabis didn’t normalize…

It went on the city Balance Sheet.

Government is best which governs least, PERIOD.

Did you see the BIG deal last week?

Organigram Global paid 3.78x REVENUE for some German company…

Sure…go back to sleep, I’ll stay up and watch.


>> What’s Happening?

Organigram is buying Sanity Group for €250M.

€113.4M upfront (70% CASH) + up to €113.8M in earn-out…

Revenue for 2025: €60M

Up front or with the earn-out, this deal is BIG.


>> Why Is This Important?

EU has to now be in “catalyst” conversation.

France has not even come online and thats 500k patients.

Germany is the largest legal market outside of Canada.

The race is now on.


>> What Am I Watching?

LPs and Curaleaf are in. When do we see another MSO enter the frenzy?

Is it ONLY ME that thinks the EU will eventually place a cap on the volume its importing from NON EU countries?

Who’s next? (Because I know of some assets that are way more important that this one that are still on the board…)


This is a Canadian LP buying growth.

Not sure they are NOT over-paying for it but time will tell…

It is also A Canadian LP looking for catalysts.

Hello, US MSO’s?? Crepes in le future???

U.S. cannabis sales fell 3.1% in Jan. 2026 vs. Dec. 2025…

This was across 15 tracked markets.

The data shows us that demand didn’t collapse….

But momentum has softened.


>> What’s Happening?

January sales dropped 3.1% sequentially across 15 U.S. markets.

Yes, down from December, but UP 4.6% year-over-year.

So demand didn’t fall off a cliff.

Declines hit western markets and 8 Eastern markets

What we are seeing is a redistribution.


>> Why Is This Important?

This is what market maturity can look like.

We are now playing with price compression + market saturation.

Cannabis might be behaving like a real consumer category.

Real consumer categories don’t grow in straight lines.

Ask Alcohol…


>> What Am I Watching?

Does this make already scarce capital become even more scarce?

Solvency wins in markets like this, watch the balance sheet…

This is where M&A waves begin (and have begun): in slowdowns.


January 2026 was not a bad month.

January 2026 was a signal, if you are able to read it.

The industry is shifting from land grab…to capital discipline.

And historically?

That’s when consolidation begins.

Watch the balance sheets — not the headlines.

taplio

The Battle

Susanne Ekström

Seth Yakatan

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreSusanne Ekström's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreSeth Yakatan's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Susanne Ekström

Seth Yakatan

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Susanne Ekström's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreSeth Yakatan's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreSusanne Ekström's LinkedIn Performance