Entrepreneurship has been a part of my life since the early age of twelve, where I started a small candle operation right in the kitchen of my mother’s Long Island home. Since then, I have built many businesses across various industries, had my battle with the US Government, and have used lessons learned along the way to continue to create innovative companies/businesses today. Most recently an LOI was drafted for one of my companies to become public, reaching a huge milestone in the industry.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUSByBGZwDgWhile attending CW Post (now Long Island University) I began developing my psychological marketing and applied creativity programs, later to be used by industry leaders such as American Express, Nordstrom, and IBM. In the early 2000s I successfully built multiple companies generating over $400M in revenue with 578 employees. Throughout my career I have thoroughly enjoyed speaking publicly whether it be at some of the nations most prestigious universities such as the University of Southern California, or at fortune 500 companies such as American Express. My introduction to the cannabis industry originated from a 2013 YPO (Young President’s Organization) function. I saw great potential in cannabis and launched MIH/Vertical in 2014. Having been on the bleeding edge of what was possible as CEO of Sleep Diagnostics (A 77 center, $190M revenue generating, industry leading company) I wanted to bring an equally innovative approach to Vertical by creating one of the most extensive vertically integrated cannabis operations with one of the largest indoor grow facilities in California, the world’s cannabis capital.I believe structuring the company itself as vertically integrated in operation directly influences the way people use cannabis by ensuring quality and consistency in our various product lines through every step of the way from seed to sale. These characteristics are crucial as customer delight is of utmost importance. Ultimately creating a company in this space where all aspects of the business are controlled allows Vertical to cater to all types of customer demographics while simplifying the process along the way.A crucial aspect to the Vertical mission is to help our neighbors and employees wherever possible. Through our biannual Vertical Giving grant program, we aim to right the wrongs done by social injustice within the cannabis community. We also offer free professional consulting as a part of the program, allowing grant recipients to better understand the cannabis industry as they build their businesses.