On this episode, we’re joined by Peter Barsoom, the Co-Founder & CEO of 1906, the fast-acting, function-first cannabis brand that has defied the odds to become a leader in the space.

A former Wall Street exec turned plant-medicine operator, Peter breaks down how 1906 customized their rapid onset tech, why they started with pressed pills and how naming SKUs by effect helped create an entirely new lane in cannabis.

Peter takes us inside 1906’s R&D playbook, the terpenes and edibles myth, and best-selling SKUs.

We also dive into what’s broken in the dispensary experience, where hemp-derived products are headed, and how 1906 became the largest importer of kanna in North America.

Episode Highlights:

💊 Why pressed pills came first
🧪 Rapid onset tech: platform basics, patents, and real-world onset times
🧉 Edibles & terpenes: A myth
🔬 How 1906 validates efficacy
🏆 Best-selling SKUs
🤝 State-by-state expansion
🎨 Brand identity, clear effect naming, and packaging strategy
🛍️ What’s broken in dispensary CX
🌿 The hemp landscape
🥂 Off Duty: a flavorless, sugar-free “add to anything” beverage in your pocket
🌺 Kanna
👥 The 1906 team

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Table of Contents:

00:52:17 - 1906 intro and origin story
03:57:07 - The early days of product development
07:53:09 - Rapid onset tech, patents
10:39:01 - Edibles and terpenes, it’s a “myth”
12:10:28 - How the rapid onset tech works
14:00:00 - How 1906 decided what SKUs (effects) to launch with first
15:35:03 - Validating the efficacy of a product in development
19:24:12 - Best selling SKUs
21:03:21 - Building strong, state-by-state partnerships
25:28:25 - Brand identity, messaging, packaging design
29:05:07 - Succeeding where others have failed
34:23:25 - The flaws of the dispensary customer experience
37:01:22 - Where hemp is heading
41:50:27 - Off Duty, the new new
45:47:23 - 1906 is the largest importer of Kanna in N.A.
46:49:16 - The 1906 team

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Links:

1906 – https://1906.shop/
Follow Peter on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbarsoom/
Follow me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg/
Check out https://www.kitprint.co/ for CPG production design support.