Boardsi Leadership Talks

Boardsi with Skye Blanks: From Pandemic Crisis to UN Stage - The Cannabis CEO’s Unlikely Rise

Martin Rowinski Season 2 Episode 15

🔥 How does a 20-something go from losing his family gym in the pandemic to advising startups at Yale, speaking at the UN, and co-founding New Jersey’s premier cannabis dispensary? Meet Skye Blanks, COO of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) and founder of Primo Cannabis—a leader at the intersection of entrepreneurship, policy, and social impact.

In this episode of Boards AI Leadership Talks, Skye shares:
✅ How to launch in hyper-regulated industries (and why cannabis is like "being a politician").
✅ The turning point that made him commit to entrepreneurship (hint: it involves Gary Vee).
✅ Inclusive leadership in action: Why Primo hires people impacted by the war on drugs.
✅ UN policy takeaways: How governments fail young entrepreneurs (and how to fix it).
✅ Scheduling freedom: His framework for leading 4+ ventures without burning out.

🔗 Connect with Skye:
LinkedIn: Skye Blanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skyeblanks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-council-for-small-business-icsb-/
Primo Cannabis: www.primocannabis.com
ICSB: www.icsb.org

Chapters/Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro: From Gym Closure to Cannabis CEO
02:10 - Balancing Global Policy & Hands-On Cannabis Leadership
05:14 - Launching Primo: Politics, Banking & Compliance Hurdles
08:42 - Hiring Impacted by the War on Drugs (Inclusive Leadership)
12:33 - UN Speech: Why Youth Entrepreneurs Are Overlooked
17:57 - Pandemic Pivot: The Gary Vee Moment That Changed Everything
21:48 - Advice for Multi-Hyphenate Leaders (Scheduling Freedom)
26:10 - How to Connect & His Upcoming Book

📖 Get his book: Fundamentals of Fortune (2nd edition coming soon!)

🎙️ Subscribe for more leadership insights: 
#CannabisCEO #SmallBusiness #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #UNPolicy #DiversityInBusiness #Resilience

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