Latest news with #GregJames
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Beyond The Hype: What It Takes To Win In Cannabis This Year
cannabis, marijuana in America has just slowly been legalized and used for medicinal and medical ... More purposes Despite continuing federal roadblocks, 2025 is still an exciting time to be a cannabis entrepreneur. Half of all U.S. states now allow recreational cannabis use and nearly all states allow medical cannabis use. But the industry is complicated, with each state rolling out different rules, regulations, and tax structures. Greg James, publisher of Marijuana Venture, a business magazine dedicated to the industry, and founder of the Interchange business to business cannabis trade show, has advice for those ready to dive in. 1. Examine how the market in your state is being created. Know how many licenses are being awarded. 'If your state awards 1200 grower's licenses to supply 450 licensed stores, for example, you'll inevitably have a big oversupply of cannabis,' said James. Testing, tracking and packaging rules vary from state to state and require a detail-oriented focus for compliance. Know the tax structures to help determine your profitability, and understand that due to federal law, you cannot write off business expenses like other industries can said James. A farmer holds a low-THC hemp plant .Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. A Photographer: Valeria ... More Mongelli/Bloomberg 2. Visit growers or store owners in states like Washington, Oregon and Colorado that have had legal cannabis sales for years to see the realities of day-to-day operations and challenges owners face. 'Too many people just rush headlong into the business without talking to people who have been through it,' James said. The unanticipated problems and lessons learned in the early legal states, often crop up again in states that legalize cannabis later. 3. If you plan to grow cannabis, decide if you'll grow it indoors or outdoors said James. Indoor grows are more expensive to run, but offer better control when it comes to wind, water, light and pests. 'Indoor buds turn out prettier,' said James, 'so they command a premium price.' Outdoors, 'the sun is free,' he said, and other costs can be lower, but you are at the mercy of nature. Typically, outdoor grows produce a higher volume of cannabis, but the market for it will likely be wholesalers and processors who will pay a bit less and use it to process into oil for edibles said James. The strains and potency of the plants can be the same indoors or out. Cannabis strains (Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images) 4. Hire professional, experienced staff. 'Hire a real CFO and accountant, know your cost of goods,' said James. Don't go into business with your friends because you think it will be an easy way to make money, he said. You will need agricultural, retail, financial, logistics or packaging experts – don't skimp here. 'They have these things called Ag Universities for a reason, and they're pretty good at turning out folks with degrees that are focused on how to make horticulture more productive and profitable,' he said. 5. Use the latest technology. That includes modern growing techniques like LED lighting and aeroponics. Climate control systems can monitor and regulate all the inputs in modern greenhouses and hoop houses. Decades of research and studies in agriculture have increased production across all crops in the U.S., said James, and cannabis can adopt those same technologies. farmer using tablet to monitor control cannabis plantation in greenhouse. 6. If you are selling cannabis products into stores or dispensaries, put your salespeople in front of buyers often. 'Once you've gotten your goods into a store, that's the beginning of your relationship, not the end,' James said. Your sales force has to follow up and see how the products are moving, maintain relationships, and brainstorm what other products the stores' customers might like. Just because they stock you once, does not meant they will automatically reorder forever, he said. James said he has seen growers and processors who were successful initially, but found themselves failing once their competitors spent more time refining their offerings with new ideas and price points. Cannabis is a constantly evolving business so keep evolving your offerings. Cannabis shop (Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images) 7. Retailers, your store may be an exciting destination when it opens, said James, but as soon as a more convenient shop appears, "no one will drive out of their way, so choose a location with good foot traffic and lots of parking.' It may seem basic, but parking can make or break a store's success he said. Hire friendly, approachable budtenders who can make people feel comfortable, whether they are a frat bro or a soccer mom. And like any retail store, good lighting, attractive displays and a good selection of products that are easy to find are key.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Greg James receives honorary University of York doctorate
Radio 1 DJ Greg James said it had been a "fantastic day" as he received an honorary degree from the University of was chosen for the honour for his "remarkable contribution to society" and for championing mental health, according to the university's vice his connection with the institution also involves an unusually tall duck that became an online sensation and was regularly mentioned on the presenter's fondness for "Long Boi" saw him lead a memorial service and unveil a statue after its death. Other people being honoured by the University of York this year were Handmaid's Tale author Margaret Atwood and historian Greg said receiving his honorary degree had been "very thrilling"."I feel very proud to receive this and it was a real genuine delight to watch all those very clever people receiving their degrees and Masters."It was a fantastic day. It was very inspiring actually."He admitted to a few nerves ahead of his speech to his fellow graduates."It means a lot to all the people who were in there, that they'd done something really magical."All their family and friends are there and you don't want to mess it up." Long Boi, a 28in (70cm) cross between a mallard and an Indian runner duck, was regularly featured on James' show after gaining fame among students and is believed to have died in 2023 after vanishing from the admitted the initial idea of Britain's tallest duck had been too funny to resist and it had captured the listeners' attention."It spiralled into this ridiculous movement," he said."I love taking small things on the breakfast show and then taking them to their most ludicrous conclusion."And the ludicrous conclusion was doing a state funeral live on the Radio 1 breakfast show from the same hall where they give out the scrolls."He said he believed "silliness" could really cut through the "world beautifully, the absurd world, the sad bits of the world"."So it was about a dead duck but really it was about everyone being together and celebrating something silly."At the core of everything people want to laugh, that's the one thing that unites every single person." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Indian Express
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘I'll be honest, retirement was not in my head…': James Anderson
James Anderson may have ended his international cricket more than a year ago but he still has not come to terms with being done with the game. Anderson had retired after the first Test against West Indies at Lord's in July last year after being told by England coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes that 'It's time for the to move on'. The 42-year-old has now shared how his wife has not come to terms with his retirement and how retirement was 'not in his head'. 'I'll be honest, retirement was not in my head,' Anderson, who had taken 704 wickets in 188 Tests and currently sits at third spot in leading wicket-takers in Test cricket behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne, told The Times. 'I was still bowling as well as I ever had, and my body was in good shape. I was looking forward to the Ashes. All sport needs young people coming onto the scene, but you have to balance that with age and experience. It's difficult. I'd been told that as long as I was good enough to warrant a place in the team, and fit enough, they'd keep picking me… but then they changed their mind. I did see their point. I wasn't angry, though my wife was; probably still is. But then she's always been my biggest supporter, my biggest help throughout my career,' Two months before he retired from international cricket, Anderson was told by ECB Managing director Rob Key, McCullum and Stokes about him not being in their scheme of things. Anderson did spend some time with the England team after retirement as a mentor for a couple of international tours. The 42-year-old Anderson had joined English county Lancashire early this year for a one-year contract and has so far featured in the team for the T20 Blast as well as county championships. 'I retired from international cricket last year, but not entirely willingly. I had a meeting with the captain, coach and director of the England cricket team in April, and they said they wanted to move in a different direction, and bring in some younger guys ahead of the Ashes. They kept me on in a team coach/mentor capacity, but I felt I still had an itch to scratch, and more cricket to play while my body was still able to. So I spoke to Lancashire and they got me on board,' added Anderson. While he has also captained Lancashire in the absence of Marcus Harris this season, the 42-year-old has also been running a podcast named Tailenders along with Greg James and guitarist Felix White. The former pacer also talked about how he sees coaching to be the inevitable way forward. 'I've been thinking about what to do when I eventually retire. I love the podcast I'm doing, Tailenders, with Greg James and the Maccabees guitarist Felix White. It's great that Freddie Flintoff is now coaching England's development squad, the Lions. He retired early, at 32, and went into TV but you can see that his interest in the game never stopped. He's one of the best, most entertaining players England has ever produced, so it's great for him to be able to use that level of knowledge. 'I've enjoyed dipping my toe in punditry and commentary, but I still have a lot of competitiveness in me that I need to quench. Coaching seems the inevitable way forward. I do still love cricket,' said Anderson.
Rhyl Journal
21-07-2025
- Rhyl Journal
Tommo – ‘Are you well? I thought you were!', and so much more
My dad, the late Stanley Thompson, he started commentaries in point-to-points and I think it was 1965 and halfway round at Great Ayton he turned the microphone off and said 'I can't see them anymore you take over'. I picked up the microphone and switched on and said 'they go towards the next on the far side' and that's how it started. I never want to go through that again. That was absolutely horrible. It is something I can still remember vividly to this day and it was just awful. Going to Belfast in the height of The Troubles, going into the (Europa) hotel. As soon as I walked in it was 'would Mr Thompson pick up the hotel phone?'. And that's where a voice said 'I'm watching you from the other side of street' and you think 'what?' and do this and do that. We tried to get the horse back, it was just absolutely an incredible time and I talked to the supposed kidnappers of Shergar. I think there were about eight or nine phone calls and it was the last one at half past midnight where I kept him talking for a minute and a half. If I kept him talking for that long they could trace the call, and I said to the policeman who was sitting next to me with the earphones on 'did we trace the call' and he said 'no, I'm sorry the man who traces the call went off shift at midnight'. We never found the horse. I was doing a promotion for a hotel in Bawtry quite a few years ago and I'd done a piece outside the hotel – 'this is the Crown Hotel in Bawtry, let's see what it's like and go inside, blah blah blah' – and walked inside and there were the girls at the bar, they were the people who worked there. They were looking like they were having a drink at the bar and I walked up and I don't know why I said it 'hello, are you well? I thought you were!'. Why on earth would anyone say that? It just went from there, Greg James from Radio One rang me one day and said 'Tommo, it's Greg James here'. 'Greg James? You're Radio One'. He said 'yeah, Tommo I want to ask, are you well? I thought you were' on the radio and it just went on from there. When I handed over from the studio to Bob (Robert Cooper, on At The Races) at Hereford, I just looked at my screen in front of me and I just saw the blonde hair, so I said 'oh, you're with a beautiful woman', he said 'it's a man actually, Derek' and that got to Glastonbury. On the stage in the background were signs in bright letters 'it's a man actually, Derek' – I mean what is that? Greg James was there and he sent me a photo and said 'you're on the stage at Glastonbury'. Crazy. In the year @tommoracing steps down from commentating, a moment to savour at his local track. Cheerleader, owned by Tommo and his wife Caroline -and trained by sister-in-law Tina Jackson – lands the Join Racing TV Now Handicap under @jomason90 at 66-1. Well done, Big Fella! — Redcar Racecourse (@Redcarracing) May 19, 2025 Cheerleader won at Redcar and Catterick. It was my wife Caroline who bought the horse because she wanted to ride and so we put the horse out in the field. She (Cheerleader) just flourished and it was Tina (Jackson), my brother's partner who trains near Whitby, who said 'I think you could race her again, I think she could win'. We weren't going to because we were just going to retire her. Caroline said 'come on, shall we do it' and the horse has won twice. We are so lucky and we've got a few other shares with My Future Champion who are great syndicate guys, so it's lovely to be involved that way as well. We're very lucky, but it's all Caroline's fault! She was the one who said we're going to have this horse. Another time I tried to talk her out of it but she was absolutely spot on, so well done Caroline.' Dubai Millennium. I started commentaries in Dubai with Sheikh Mohammed. Henry Cecil had got me over there and my greatest memory was Dubai Millennium winning the 2000 Dubai World Cup by 10 lengths. I still miss him to this day (Dubai Millennium died aged five due to grass sickness) and whenever I go to Newmarket, I always try to go to where he's buried and I always pay my respects to him. They were the ultimate professionals. People didn't see the work they did behind the scenes, but I did. It was just a joy to watch. I always remember that Big Mac used to wear two watches and I said 'Mac, I've got to ask you after all these years, why do you wear two watches, one on each wrist?'. He looked at me and said 'well, in case one stops'. I suppose it's right because you've got to know exactly what time it is. He was a great journalist and a great broadcaster. He brought something to The Morning Line which you couldn't buy. It was just incredible. I thought he was superb. Alastair Down was a great journalist. He had a way of putting things into words that nobody else could do. Every time I used to read him, I marvelled at the way he expressed himself and it was so good for racing. It attracted a lot of people into racing who were watching it on TV or reading it in print.
South Wales Guardian
21-07-2025
- South Wales Guardian
Tommo – ‘Are you well? I thought you were!', and so much more
My dad, the late Stanley Thompson, he started commentaries in point-to-points and I think it was 1965 and halfway round at Great Ayton he turned the microphone off and said 'I can't see them anymore you take over'. I picked up the microphone and switched on and said 'they go towards the next on the far side' and that's how it started. I never want to go through that again. That was absolutely horrible. It is something I can still remember vividly to this day and it was just awful. Going to Belfast in the height of The Troubles, going into the (Europa) hotel. As soon as I walked in it was 'would Mr Thompson pick up the hotel phone?'. And that's where a voice said 'I'm watching you from the other side of street' and you think 'what?' and do this and do that. We tried to get the horse back, it was just absolutely an incredible time and I talked to the supposed kidnappers of Shergar. I think there were about eight or nine phone calls and it was the last one at half past midnight where I kept him talking for a minute and a half. If I kept him talking for that long they could trace the call, and I said to the policeman who was sitting next to me with the earphones on 'did we trace the call' and he said 'no, I'm sorry the man who traces the call went off shift at midnight'. We never found the horse. I was doing a promotion for a hotel in Bawtry quite a few years ago and I'd done a piece outside the hotel – 'this is the Crown Hotel in Bawtry, let's see what it's like and go inside, blah blah blah' – and walked inside and there were the girls at the bar, they were the people who worked there. They were looking like they were having a drink at the bar and I walked up and I don't know why I said it 'hello, are you well? I thought you were!'. Why on earth would anyone say that? It just went from there, Greg James from Radio One rang me one day and said 'Tommo, it's Greg James here'. 'Greg James? You're Radio One'. He said 'yeah, Tommo I want to ask, are you well? I thought you were' on the radio and it just went on from there. When I handed over from the studio to Bob (Robert Cooper, on At The Races) at Hereford, I just looked at my screen in front of me and I just saw the blonde hair, so I said 'oh, you're with a beautiful woman', he said 'it's a man actually, Derek' and that got to Glastonbury. On the stage in the background were signs in bright letters 'it's a man actually, Derek' – I mean what is that? Greg James was there and he sent me a photo and said 'you're on the stage at Glastonbury'. Crazy. In the year @tommoracing steps down from commentating, a moment to savour at his local track. Cheerleader, owned by Tommo and his wife Caroline -and trained by sister-in-law Tina Jackson – lands the Join Racing TV Now Handicap under @jomason90 at 66-1. Well done, Big Fella! — Redcar Racecourse (@Redcarracing) May 19, 2025 Cheerleader won at Redcar and Catterick. It was my wife Caroline who bought the horse because she wanted to ride and so we put the horse out in the field. She (Cheerleader) just flourished and it was Tina (Jackson), my brother's partner who trains near Whitby, who said 'I think you could race her again, I think she could win'. We weren't going to because we were just going to retire her. Caroline said 'come on, shall we do it' and the horse has won twice. We are so lucky and we've got a few other shares with My Future Champion who are great syndicate guys, so it's lovely to be involved that way as well. We're very lucky, but it's all Caroline's fault! She was the one who said we're going to have this horse. Another time I tried to talk her out of it but she was absolutely spot on, so well done Caroline.' Dubai Millennium. I started commentaries in Dubai with Sheikh Mohammed. Henry Cecil had got me over there and my greatest memory was Dubai Millennium winning the 2000 Dubai World Cup by 10 lengths. I still miss him to this day (Dubai Millennium died aged five due to grass sickness) and whenever I go to Newmarket, I always try to go to where he's buried and I always pay my respects to him. They were the ultimate professionals. People didn't see the work they did behind the scenes, but I did. It was just a joy to watch. I always remember that Big Mac used to wear two watches and I said 'Mac, I've got to ask you after all these years, why do you wear two watches, one on each wrist?'. He looked at me and said 'well, in case one stops'. I suppose it's right because you've got to know exactly what time it is. He was a great journalist and a great broadcaster. He brought something to The Morning Line which you couldn't buy. It was just incredible. I thought he was superb. Alastair Down was a great journalist. He had a way of putting things into words that nobody else could do. Every time I used to read him, I marvelled at the way he expressed himself and it was so good for racing. It attracted a lot of people into racing who were watching it on TV or reading it in print.
