Stuart Titus

A round peg will rarely fit into a square hole. If a situation does not “feel good”, get out and do something else as quick as possible.

 

Dr. Stuart Titus, Ph.D., is the CEO of Medical Marijuana, Inc., the first publicly traded cannabis company in the United States. The company’s subsidiaries include HempMeds, Kannalife, and Kannaway. He is a cannabis industry pioneer and is widely regarded for his groundbreaking cannabinoid research.

Medical Marijuana Inc. markets and sells a variety of CBD oils – such as CBD capsules, CBD vape oil, and CBD isolate supplements. In addition, the company offers vaporizer devices, as well as hemp clothing and accessories.

Dr. Titus was the seventh investor in Medical Marijuana, Inc. when it started trading publicly, having invested in its seed financing. He has also been involved in the development and investment of several industry-leading cannabis and industrial hemp businesses.

His expertise in finance was forged on Wall Street, where he worked as a bond trader for 11 years, managing a trading and underwriting department as a V.P. for CS First Boston Corp.

Dr. Titus has unique first-hand experience with hemp oil products as nutritional supplements, having found great relief from a nerve-related disorder symptoms after beginning a regimen of high-concentration CBD therapeutic hemp products.

Dr. Titus is a graduate of Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, where he majored in Economics and minored in Business Administration. He earned his Ph.D. degree from the Open International University, which is a World Health Organization (WHO) chartered affiliate.

Where did the idea for Medical Marijuana, Inc. come from?

The idea for our public company, Medical Marijuana Inc., came from its founders, who were former large-scale US marijuana smugglers. They wanted to bring a public company to US markets that would be involved in the medical side of the marijuana space. By being involved in ancillary services and the medicinal side of the industry, they were able to withstand federal marijuana laws.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

My typical day? There is no such thing as typical. Last year, I was “on-the-road” for 263 days of the year – attending events, making presentations, following up on international operations, etc. Normally, I do check our stock and it’s trading activity, I follow industry news, and I read the emerging cannabis and CBD-based research that comes in from around the globe and use it to prepare and update my presentation materials. I do deal with investors and shareholders on occasion, prepare for Board meetings, monitor and involve myself in new deals and potential new business ventures, and track our daily sales figures. Four times per year, we report our quarterly financial results and disclosure statements, so I am involved with the production and review of these documents. I also keep in touch with our lenders and make sure that we meet our debt obligations on a monthly basis. I usually have one or two press and media opportunities per day, so I keep prepared for these events.

How do you bring ideas to life?

This is always a challenge, but with enough work and diligence, hurdles can be overcome. Our great idea was to do CBD differently – and instead of smoking it (the Hippie’s Disappointment), we created safe, daily use products by
● Growing a high concentration CBD in a European hemp crop
● Extracting a CBD-rich Hemp Oil
● Exporting the CBD-rich hemp oil from Europe to US
● Developing final and finished products

This was a daunting task, requiring legal opinion letters, import/export regulations, customs and border patrol approvals, and then outsourcing manufacturing. We got this across the finish line in the spring of 2012. In short – show dedication to your ideas and then follow up with the hard work and financial resources to make it happen.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The trend that excites me is the legalization of cannabis – and anticipating a constitutional amendment allowing its usage across the country – at least for medical cannabis usage.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Attention to details and multiple back-up systems have helped manage our complex day to day operations across our international portfolio of companies.

What advice would you give your younger self?

A round peg will rarely fit into a square hole. If a situation does not “feel good”, get out and do something else as quick as possible.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

Going back to 2012 – we felt that CBD was going to be the most revolutionary health product of the century. Not too many agreed at that time; most thought it was marijuana and illegal – or the “thing that gave you a headache”. However, current trends have shown that CBD is ready to take off as a market sector.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Maintain professionalism. This is especially true in the cannabis industry. I wear a shirt and tie every day and often am found in a suit. That’s just my way and my Wall Street training. Today’s world is far more relaxed – but professionalism starts with attitude, and often a good appearance will inspire a good attitude.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

We explored multiple marketing channels and found one that has recently caught on quite successfully with our Kannaway division and its Multi-Level-Marketing (MLM) format. Also, attending and providing medical cannabis symposiums has allowed our company to grow internationally by sharing the benefits of CBD to doctors, patients, and consumers around the world.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

We looked at and invested In many businesses once we had available cash. We spread ourselves too thin and found that by concentrating on and developing core businesses, we could provide far greater shareholder value.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

The cannabis industry is still in its infancy. There is room for new businesses in almost every area of the industry. Develop a new cannabis product or create a service business that supports cannabis companies. You’ll find only a few competitors in any niche in the cannabis industry.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

The best $100 I have spent? I recently attended a workshop in Colorado regarding personal development. I had a fabulous time and found many new self-awareness keys that will allow me to continue a leadership role within our industry. I am quite excited about 2019! I believe that it will be our company’s greatest year – and for me personally – it will be The Greatest Year of My Life.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?

I’m not a big software person, but certainly enjoy the advancements in technology. Many around me are tech junkies and keep me “in the current world”. I vividly remember the days before electronic trading on Wall Street and the days before cell phones. We had good lives back then, and people may have been happier overall.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

My favorite book is The Body Electric by Dr. Robert O. Becker. Dr. Becker explores the electrical properties of the human body and finds that they are as important (if not more so) as the body’s chemical characteristics. Further research shows that there is an electrical circulatory system in the human body, as well as an Endogenous Cannabinoid System. When it comes to the electrical side of the body, since there are no FDA-approved drugs here, it is rarely mentioned in health or medicine. Imagine replacing many pharmaceutical medications with a device that runs on a few cents worth of electricity. This is not a great business model for the FDA or Big Pharma. However, I encourage people to look into this – the Alpha-Stim is a great device that can alleviate many traditional pharma meds with zero to few “side effects”. Cannabis, hemp, and CBD hold interesting electrical properties – demonstrated by the evolution of hemp batteries and supercapacitors by Dr. David Mitlin – which is part of the reason cannabis and CBD work so well within the human body. They give us “electrical nutrition” as well as the chemical nutritional components that seem to alleviate “endogenous cannabinoid deficiency”.

What is your favorite quote?

By Albert Einstein:
“Great Spirits Have ALWAYS Encountered Violent Opposition From Mediocre Minds”. I believe this statement is most true for those of us who are Cannabis and Hemp Pioneers.

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