CBD ReThink Interview at Their HQ offices in Miami, FL

Kristen:

This is Kristen. I’m here with Leafreport, and we are in South Florida at ReThink CBD. Today I am here with Michael. Hi, Michael, how are you?

Michael Volovitz:

Good, good. How are you? Pleasure to meet all of you.

Kristen:

Yeah. Great to meet you too. So why don’t you start off by telling me a little bit about yourself, your position in the company, and then a history of the company and yeah, whatever you think would be important for us to know.

Michael Volovitz:

Awesome. My name is Michael Volovitz. I’m the president of business development in Salesforce CBD ReThink. We been established for about five years now. It has been a great journey, and we’re very happy to be involved in this industry where we can affect so many people’s lives and improve the quality of life for so many people. The business has sprung down into many different verticals.

Michael Volovitz:

We have a good understanding of the pet industry. We’re in the skincare industry. We’re in the wellness industry, into pharmacy. So we’re in quite a few different places, and we’re very comfortable in terms of probably having one of the best lines on the market.

Kristen:

That’s great. Why don’t you tell me a little bit more about the pharmacy industry? Because I think that’s really interesting about you guys.

Michael Volovitz:

Sure. So very early on, we actually chose to penetrate that vertical. That vertical has been very important for us in terms of creating a lot of leverage in the industry, because there’s a lot of stigma behind the cannabis industry. It was a great way to go in there and have a product that is very consistent, has a lot of clarity, and transparency in terms of what we manufacture.

Michael Volovitz:

That’s a perfect place for us to embed ourselves, and we’ve done a very good job in a very short period time. We penetrated that market really, really well. We hope to continue to penetrate that market, because we believe that that’s in essence true ambassadors that can tell you a little bit about CBD. That’s what this vertical needs is a lot of education in this category.

Kristen:

Yeah. I think you’re totally right, and I love that, but education is key, especially in this industry. So why don’t you tell me a little bit about your product range and maybe highlight a few of your products. Tell me what your favorite product is because I see here, you guys have a ton of stock which is awesome.

Michael Volovitz:

We do. We have about 180 skews. So it kind of is a differentiator between us and many other brands. We really are strong in wellness products. So I say some of our most prominently favorite products would be the tinctures, because we do use hemp seed oil as the carrier in the tincture. Which has synergistic value and a good transfer, or a carrier for that product. We also are very good in terms of our gummies. They’re vegan. They’re all naturally based. We don’t use coloring, we don’t use corn syrups. So, that’s a very nice promotional piece of the puzzle for the gummies. Then of course we do a lot of CBG, a lot of CBN. We are really digging into the other cannabinoids that makes such a difference in the industry, because there are 103 cannabinoids and they’re all very powerful. They all do different things.

Michael Volovitz:

So we’re just scratching the surface. I think that between the skincare products, which are facial oils that are super powerful that come in bedded with our raw ingredient. Which has broad spectrum CBD along with about 11 other essences, and herbal creations. Then we also have our tinctures, which are also from a thousand to 3000 to 5,000 milligrams and our gummies and our CBN sleep [inaudible 00:03:20] products, which have been really hot as well.

Michael Volovitz:

So we have gummies, we have CBD and CBG and gel caps, all again for a very specific for sleep support, because they work with certain cycles of the body in terms of the sleep-wake cycle. So super powerful in terms of creating a benefit for people that suffer from insomnia.

Kristen:

Wow. That’s great.

Michael Volovitz:

Yeah. That’s super important. Especially with the pandemic and everything that’s been going on, people can’t sleep. It’s a natural alternative to go into that industry. That’s super strong.

Kristen:

Yeah, that’s really strong. I think that people need that. People need like a natural something to help them relax and sleep, especially after this crazy year we’ve all had.

Michael Volovitz:

No, absolutely. That’s super important, especially because we’re a mood enhancing product. So to be able to distress yourself will help you with sleep. Particularly CBN is really powerful for that. So it’s good that we have created some gummies and some gel caps that work specifically for that.

Kristen:

All right. So I noticed you also have pet products too. Can you tell me a little bit about those?

Michael Volovitz:

Sure. Absolutely. So it’s a vertical that we know works really well as well. Just as humans, pets also have an endocannabinoid system. So it helps them as well with inflammatory disorders. It can help them as well with stress, anxiety, those kinds of things. So our products, we have a full range of products, anything from pet treats all the way down to oral sprays as well. Then we also have all the skin and coat products and the shampoo products, which are super effective in terms of helping animals with any type of dermatitis, flea bites, et cetera. So these are products that we do very well with and we sell them directly into the veterinarian channel. We do also into the grooming channel in pet stores. So it’s a full program.

Kristen:

Wow. I really liked that. I know I love my pets and most people do, right? They’re like our kids. So I’m not giving my pet anything that I wouldn’t take myself.

Michael Volovitz:

Sure. Now with the pandemic, it said that I think it’s something like 40% of animal owners have increased through the pandemic. Just because they’re home, they want something to get involved with. So a lot of people are new pet owners now, and this is a great way to help your pets in a natural [crosstalk 00:05:30].

Kristen:

Yeah. I think so too. I think you already answered this, but what sets CBD ReThink apart from any other CBD company? What is it?

Michael Volovitz:

I would like to say that we’re very clear and transparent in terms of how we do things. That is really our staple. I know that a lot of people say that, but I think we go beyond the necessary realm of things to give our brand a real concise manufacturing process. We use the same raw ingredients. Our broad spectrum CBD is one of the best on the market. So that means that that’s the same raw material that goes into all our products. We do third-party testing as well. All of our products have QR codes.

Michael Volovitz:

We have full on programs. Which is the beauty of our product line since we’re so diverse in terms of our product line. We can create very specific niche programs for a lot of different markets. So, that’s how we’re successful, and that’s where we’ve found a lot of a strength. We’ll continue to do that.

Kristen:

Yeah. I can see that by your product line. Just your marketing to me is amazing. I can see all the different setups you have here. How the product line you have and what you can kind of create for different stores that you sell at and stuff. I really think that’s cool.

Michael Volovitz:

Sure. No. That’s what we’ve done. So we’ve gone in to the pet channel. We’ve gone into the beauty channel. We’ve gone into the spa channel. We’ve gone into the pharmacy channel. So a lot of different verticals that allow us to create some strength in different areas. That’s kind of the gist of it, right? Because there’s so much need for our products in different categories and different channels.

Kristen:

So can you tell me where your hemp is grown?

Michael Volovitz:

Sure. Our hemp is all sourced out of Colorado. Our CO2 extraction process and facility is also in Colorado. It’s important to state again that we’re only broad spectrum. We don’t work with isolate. We don’t work with full spectrum. We remove all the THC from our product, and it’s a little bit easier for us to get into different markets with that process. Especially for the international market, which we’re trying to grow as well.

Kristen:

Okay. That’s great. And then how do you extract the CBD? Is it CO2 or ethanol or both?

Michael Volovitz:

Yeah, no. Because it’s broad spectrum, and because we extract, we only use super critical CO2. So that is the extraction process, which uses cold and pressure to actually remove the oil from the stock.

Kristen:

Okay. All right. That’s interesting. Great. Then are you FDA registered and do you follow good manufacturing practices?

Michael Volovitz:

Absolutely. We do both.

Kristen:

Okay, great. I knew you were going to say that, but I still had to ask.

Michael Volovitz:

No, definitely. Well, we’re in pharmacy. We have to really be careful on the way we do things.

Kristen:

Right. It almost seems like you guys have to take that extra step, because you are in pharmacy. Which is more medical. You have like higher standards to uphold it seems like.

Michael Volovitz:

It’s a must, especially in an industry that has a little bit of lack of regulation. In terms of consistency, we want to make sure that our customers get what they’re supposed to get. For us that’s super important, and that’s where we’ve really put a lot of effort and focus.

Kristen:

That’s great. Yeah. That’s great that you’re so transparent, and that’s important to you. Because you’re right, this industry is not regulated and there’s just so much out there that you’re, like for a consumer like myself, I’m like, “What is this? What am I getting?” So to know there’s a company that I can actually trust that takes these things seriously, that’s huge.

Michael Volovitz:

Absolutely. 100%. I couldn’t agree with you more.

Kristen:

You said you get your hemp from Colorado. Have you been working with them the whole time since you started?

Michael Volovitz:

Yeah. We have some of our own land. We also outsource it to other farming groups. Then everything is grown in Colorado and extracted in Colorado. All around materials come from there. All our products are US. So everything between our ingredients, and in all our final raw materials, everything is made in United States.

Kristen:

Okay. Then how do you ensure, and these two questions kind of go together, but your transparency policy with third-party lab results, and ensuring the products quality, purity, and cleanliness. So, I guess those kind of go hand in hand, but can you talk about that a little?

Michael Volovitz:

Sure. So we test two ways. We do a full panel, which basically covers everything under the sun for the raw materials. That encompasses microbes, pesticides, metals, and we run that through the raw material that goes into all of our products, sorry.

Kristen:

Okay. So you do that first, before you even make the products? You do test the raw material.

Michael Volovitz:

Absolutely. We have to make sure, because that is the main ingredient within all the products that creates that efficacy. Then after that, we test the final product to ensure that it has the right amount of CBD in it, to ensure that it is a broad spectrum product, and to ensure that it’s free of any of those other agents that shouldn’t be in there. So that at the end of the day gives us a consistent product that’s put out normally all the time. At the same time, we also have QR codes on the back of all our packaging.

Michael Volovitz:

So you can scan the product, go to the batch and law for that particular product, and do your own testing and analysis. That is on a third party laboratory. That’s their own a website, not ours. So we can’t be biased in terms of that process. Then we test internally ourselves as well.

Kristen:

You do it all. You make sure.

Michael Volovitz:

Yeah. That’s the best way to do things. In this industry at this particular state of the market, that’s a necessity.

Kristen:

Yeah. I understand that. So how do you see the future of the CBD industry? Yeah. What do you think? What do you think about it?

Michael Volovitz:

I think we’re just scratching the surface. I think that CBD is just one cannabinoid out of the 103 that are out there. The farther we go along, the farther we get embedded into hemp therapy. The more accurate we can become in terms of what each cannabinoid is for, and how that cannabinoid affects us. I think is super powerful. I think that within the next five to 10 years, we will see huge advantages in this industry. It’s a great alternative form to pharmaceutical drugs. All natural, and that’s I think the way that the human environment is going the way that people are kind of focusing on healthy, vegan, vegetarian, that kind of idea. An alternative method of delivering CBD. This is a great way to do it.

Kristen:

Yeah. I agree with you. I think, especially over the last, I don’t know, five or 10 years, people are looking for more natural ways to help themselves to stay healthy, to gain health again after being sick. So, yeah, I totally agree with you about that.

Michael Volovitz:

Beautiful. No, absolutely. Between the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, and the way that it is a mood enhancer, it just covers so many different components in the human spectrum of things.

Kristen:

Yeah, it does. Then if you were to say a recommendation maybe for a beginner CBD user. Maybe somebody who doesn’t really know about CBD or might be nervous to try it for overall health, and wellness benefits, what would be your recommendation for one of your products for someone to start with?

Michael Volovitz:

One of our products or products in general?

Kristen:

One of yours.

Michael Volovitz:

Okay, perfect. Of course we want to promote the entire industry, right? But with our products, I think you want to start off slow. Everyone’s different. It’s very hard to dose and create dosing guidelines, because everyone has a different age. Everyone has a different weight, and really quite frankly, everyone has a different ailment. We make those cannabinoids in our body. We just don’t make enough of them. We’re deficient. So start off slow and gradually move up. You’ll feel the differences in your body as you go along. As for our products, obviously the most effective is tinctures that are sublingual, because they go right into your bloodstream.

Michael Volovitz:

So that is probably the most effective if you’re looking for fast results, but our gummies are great products as well. They’re all vegan. Again, no color, no additives. We have gummies for different things. For energy. We have gummies for sleep. We have gummies for just general wellness. So you have an alternative of what type of gummy you want to take. The formulation is what changes there. It’s the same ingredient, but the formulation is a little bit different. So gummies, tinctures, and a lot of our creams, or topicals are really, really powerful as well.

Kristen:

So I know right now, there are a ton of CBD companies out there, and it seems like kind of a competitive market. What would you have to say about the competitive landscape, and where CBD ReThink falls into that?

Michael Volovitz:

I think at the end of the day, you will have a handful of companies that are out there doing the right thing, and creating products that are alternative natural products for the industry. Probably the pandemic has call it with it’s natural way of doing things has eliminated some players. Others will become stronger in this environment. I think that what we have done differently is that we really care. I think that’s where it really comes into play. How we can change people’s lives. I get all the testimonials every day about our product line.

Michael Volovitz:

It’s just so empowering to be able to help so many different people in so many different ways. It’s special. That’s where I think that we really come in, and do a great job. Not only with some of our products, but really all of our products. We’re very innovative. We’re very creative in terms of what we’re looking for. We’re really looking to do a lot of research and really looking to extend and amplify all the cannabinoids and how they affect us in the human body.

Michael Volovitz:

In terms of the landscape, I think we are well positioned. I think we have one of the most beautiful lines in the market. Again, we leverage off of the pharmaceutical business, which is kind of like the pharmacy and the hospital and those kinds of places, chiropractic offices. So it gives us a lot of leverage and I think that that’s going to help us get to the next level.

Kristen:

Awesome. Well, thank you. It’s been great talking with you today, Michael. I appreciate you having us here and telling us about your company. Yeah, it’s been really great. So thank you.

Michael Volovitz:

Awesome. Thank you everybody. Appreciate it. Beautiful.