Working

This week we go back to Wizards of the Coast to talk to Mark Rosewater, the head designer for Magic: The Gathering. Last week, Alison told Jordan all about creating the stories behind Magic cards. And it’s the job of Mark and his team to come up with the mechanics of those cards. Mark explains how, once he and his team come up with the creative concept for a particular Magic set, there are a lot of other things to think about. They have to figure out not only how that deck works on its own, but also how it fits into a game that already has tens of thousands of cards already out there -- not to mention all the various ways the massive fanbase can play with those cards. The calculations are so complex, they even have a full-time economist on staff.Email us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Working’s peek into the business of fun and games continues this week when Jordan chats with Alison Luhrs who works for Wizards of the Coast, the part of Hasbro that is responsible for the classic fantasy games Dungeons and Dragons and Magic:The Gathering. Alison’s job is one you may never have imagined existed. As a narrative designer for D&D and Magic, she does the worldbuilding that brings these games to life for the fans. Alison not only comes up with characters and spells, but also invents all the backstory, rules and lore that go into an entire fantasy world. For the fantastical worlds she creates, she knows everything from how the economy works down to, as she says, a character’s favorite ice cream flavor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Jordan talks to a couple of Hasbro employees. John Warden and Lynsey Bernier work closely together to create Transformers and Beyblades. John is the designer and Lynsey is the engineer (aka the "reality check"). They tell Jordan about all the fun, nerdiness and math that goes into making toys. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since his first season as the host of Working, Jordan has wanted to interview a Firefighter. It’s a job everyone knows about, but the day to day of the work of Firefighter might not be so familiar to most people. Jordan sat down with Jason Powell, a Firefighter with Engine Company 69 in Harlem, to talk about his four years on the job and all the training, danger and cooking that goes into it.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before heading out to Long Island to visit Widow’s Hole Oyster Farm, Jordan couldn’t even picture what an oyster farm looked like. So there was a lot to learn from talking to Mike and Isabel Osinski, the owners of the small family farm that supplies oysters to some of New York City’s most high-end restaurants. Mike and Isabel discuss how they went from developing financial software in the city to raising their children on an oyster farm, the lengthy life cycle of an oyster and the extremely efficient farming system that their son, an engineering student at Yale, designed for them.You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When massive container ships arrive at a port city like New York, they find themselves in a tight space with lots of obstacles to navigate. Enter, ship docking pilots, the expert hands that guide these massive ships into place.This week, Jordan is talking to Captain Jeffrey McAllister of McAllister Towing. Jeffrey’s family has been in the tugboat business for decades, which, as it turned out, was a life that suited him and his wanderlust just fine. Over the years he worked his way up from deck hand to the position of docking pilot -- a job that requires jumping onto a rope ladder from a tugboat to board a massive ship, and using your expertise, local knowledge and pure instinct to guide it perfectly into place. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're planning on watching a major fireworks display this Independence Day, there's a good chance it was designed by this week's guest. Phil Grucci, the CEO and Creative Director of Fireworks by Grucci, is the sixth generation in his family to design, manufacture and engineer firework displays. His family company has made a global reputation by putting on some of the world's most spectacular pyrotechnics shows, including this year's 4th of July fireworks display in Washington D.C. As the head of the company and lead designer, Phil touches every part of that operation, from modeling out the elaborate displays to walking the factory floor. He tells Jordan all about how he started to love this business at the age of five, everything it takes to plan a show, and what exactly is inside a firework. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you do with an architecture degree and a love animals? Well, as it turns out, running an Aquarium is a great option. This week, Working brings you another standalone episode with Jon Forrest Dohlin, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium.Jon tells Jordan all about the joys of the job, like educating city dwellers about all the unseen wildlife around them, and the existential dread that comes with it...like holding the lives of thousands of animals in your hands every day. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Jordan returns to talk nerdy with Tim Crossley, partner and lead designer atCrossley Acoustics. Tim’s company designs and builds recording studios for the music, film and(of course) podcasting industries -- in fact, as it turns out, he built Slate’s own studio! Tim andJordan get into all the detailed work and planning that goes into making a room sound “good”,from using acoustic modeling software to building and rebuilding custom resonators.You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In celebration of Pride Month, Working is revisiting one of its best episodes from the LGBTQ season. In this episode, Jacob Brogan talks to Elizabeth Freeman, a queer theorist and professor of English at UC Davis, about the ongoing role of gender and sexuality studies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To finish out the season on the Comedy Cellar, Laura talks to Marina Franklin a longtime Cellarcomic. Marina has gone from comedy newbie to a comedy veteran on the Cellar stage. She hasbeen working there so long not even she can recall exactly when she started. But the place hasbecome like a home to her.Marina’s new special Single Black Female will be out next month.You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Laura Bennett talks to Ian Fidance, a comic who was passed at the Cellar justlast year. For an up-and-coming comic and lifelong comedy fan like Ian, joining the tight-knitcommunity of the Cellar is a true joy and honor. But as you’ll hear, it’s one you really have toearn.You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On any given night, you can see a line that snakes down Macdougal Street of people waiting to get into the Comedy Cellar. And the man responsible for making sense of this mob of tourists and comedy fans is known as Outside Steve. Steve Fabricant runs the door at the comedy club, managing the reservations for multiple sold out shows each night, strategically placing guests in either the front or the back of the room and occasionally popping up in sitcoms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Laura returns to the Comedy Cellar to talk Aaron Nystrup, a manager and server who has been working at the iconic club for 10 years. Aaron talks about what it’s like to hear hours of comedy night after night, how he ended up on stage drunkenly singing with Dave Chappelle, and just what goes on at the Cellar’s famed comedian’s table Email us at [email protected] production be Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Laura talks to Estee Adoram, a truly legendary figure in the comedy world. Estee has been the booker for the Cellar for nearly four decades, which means she's been a major factor in creating the club's incredible reputation. She's known some of many of favorite comedians since their early days on stage and has remained an essential part of what makes the Cellar so special. Email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers:Constant Contact. For a free trial, sign up today at constantcontact.com/working.LinkedIn. Post a job today at LinkedIn.com/working and get fifty dollars off your first job post. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Laura returns to the Cellar to talk to one of the comedians who has become a fixture on stage. Wil Sylvince is a New York comedian and regular MC at the Comedy Cellar.You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For her first season hosting Working, Laura Bennett goes inside New York's Comedy Cellar, talking to the people who help make the comedy institution so legendary. And to kick of the season, she sits down with owner Noam Dworman to discuss what it was like taking the reins from his father, how he dealt the Louis CK controversy and what makes the Cellar so unique. Email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.This episode is brought to you by Constant Contact. For a free trial, sign up today at constantcontact.com/working. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To wrap up Working’s impromptu mini-season on the inner workings of Bon Appétit, Jordan talks to Rhoda Boone, the Video Food Director for Bon Appétit and Epicurious. Rhoda’s job encompasses so many things, you’ll never watch a food video the same way again. Not only is she the food stylist in charge of making sure every dish looks as delicious as possible, but she’s also responsible for planning out every step of the process to make sure each food element is exactly where it needs to be. Rhoda tells Jordan about all the craziness her job entails, plus shares all the tips and tricks food stylists use to make food beautiful. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.This episode is brought to you by Constant Contact. For a free trial, sign up today at constantcontact.com/working. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Working returns to Bon Appétit to continue its spontaneous micro-mini season on the people who make the seminal food magazine what it is today. In this episode, Jordan talks to the man running the show, Editor-in-Chief Adam Rapoport. Adam talks about what it’s like to run a food magazine in the age of Instagram, how he edits recipes with home chefs in mind, and extremely precise daily coffee ritual. You can email us at [email protected]. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Jordan talks to Molly Baz, Senior Associate Food Editor at Bon Appétit. Molly is part of the team of chefs who create and test recipes for the magazine--which you may already know if you're one of the millions of people who watch Bon Appétit's videos on Youtube. Molly talks life in the BA Test Kitchen, how a recipe makes it to the pages of the magazine, and her secret for a perfect bowl of cereal. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special five-episode mini-season of Working, we talk with people who have had “second acts,” that is people who made a dramatic career pivot at some point in their working lives.Patty Stonesifer was running a computer-book publisher in Indianapolis when Microsoft recruited her to run its publishing division. In 10 years at the company, she rose to senior vice president of the Interactive Media Division—where one of the sites she launched was Slate. (Stonesifer is now married to the magazine’s founding editor, Michael Kinsley.) When she left the tech giant, Bill Gates recruited her to lead what became the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. After a decade there, she left to become the president and CEO of Martha’s Table, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit. She has also served as chair of the Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents, was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the White House Council for Community Solutions, and is the lead director of the corporate board of Amazon.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special five-episode mini-season of Working, we talk with people who have had “second acts,” that is people who made a dramatic career pivot at some point in their working lives.Nicole Auerbach worked as an attorney for 10 years, first as a federal public defender in the Southern District of New York and then as a media lawyer specializing in First Amendment issues. Realizing she was unhappy in that career, she was drawn to become a rabbi and is now director of congregational engagement at New York’s Central Synagogue. Auerbach talks about how she decided to attend rabbinical school, the challenges that making a career switch presented, and what she likes best about her new line of work.You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special five-episode mini-season of Working, we talk with people who have had “second acts,” that is people who made a dramatic career pivot at some point in their working lives.Gerry Allen always dreamed of becoming a National Park Ranger, but by the time he graduated from college, family obligations meant that he needed to take a different career path. He went to work for Delta Airlines, eventually focusing on the company’s environmental programs. In 2001, when Delta offered an early retirement package, Allen decided to make his youthful ambitions come true. At 56, he sent out between 60 and 80 applications, eventually securing a position as a “fee collector” at Vicksburg National Military Park. “That’s the guy who sits at the gate and takes $5 as the cars come through,” he explains. After stops at three other parks in the South, he landed at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.Now retired, Allen talks about the challenges of making his career move; what he enjoyed about being a park ranger; and why everyone should visit the Andersonville National Historic Site. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special five-episode mini-season of Working, we talk with people who have had “second acts,” that is people who made a dramatic career pivot at some point in their working lives.Adriane Fugh-Berman was a writer and reproductive-rights activist when she decided to go to medical school. She is now a professor in the department of pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown University and the director of PharmedOut, a Georgetown University Medical Center project that promotes rational prescribing and researches the effects of pharmaceutical and medical device industry marketing on prescribing behavior and therapeutic choices.Fugh-Berman talks about how her earliest work in the family restaurant influenced her current career, the importance of good writing, and why she maintains a garden on the Georgetown campus. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special five-episode mini-season of Working, we talk with people who have had “second acts,” that is people who made a dramatic career pivot at some point in their working lives.If it weren’t for a shoulder injury, Mary Stevenson’s retirement may have looked completely different. After benefiting from classes in the Nia Technique, she decided to teach the fitness method—along with Zumba Gold and Ageless Grave—to older adults when she left the University of Massachusetts, Boston, where she had taught economics for 40 years.Stevenson talks the challenges and rewards of making a career switch in her late 50s. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jordan talks to Leigh Cordner, Medieval Times’ Creative Director. Leigh is in charge of making all the various elements of the show you’ve been hearing about come together to wow the crowd. And not just at one castle--but all of them. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Managing the bar at Medieval Times, is not quite the same a running things at the local dive. With a crowd full of customers clamoring for 32 oz beers in souvenir mugs and cocktails like the Royal Knight (which is apparently the Long Island Iced Tea of Medieval Times specialty drinks) you really have to have a commanding presence. Which is why Toni Ann Siri, who runs the bar at Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, NJ, will tell you she’s the Queen when it comes to her department.You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Victoria Militello has been a serving wench at Medieval Times for seven years (yes, that’s really what they call waitresses at the show). As she tells Jordan in this episode, the job takes a surprising amount of athletic stamina, as well as a tolerance for hearing the same Cable Guy jokes every night. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Bill Ponder was in third grade, he read a book about falconry and decided that’s what he wanted to do when he grew up. Unlike most kids who daydream about training and flying raptors for the King’s court, Bill actually made his dream come true by becoming the resident falconer at the Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, NJ. Bill tells Jordan how he turned his lifelong hobby into a career, what goes into training a bird of prey and why you shouldn't expect a falcon to cuddle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can you imagine a better day job than being Queen? Tara Henderson, a working actor who appears in roles off-broadway, really cannot. She is one of the women who plays Queen Doña Maria Isabella at Medieval Times in Lyndhurst, NJ. Queen Isabella is the first female ruler in Medieval Times history. And as you’ll hear in this episode, Tara and her “queen sisters” appreciate the challenge of this meaty new female role. Tara talks about how she is lucky to have found a steady gig that is flexible enough to accommodate her career and lets her play a role she truly loves. It’s good to be Queen. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.This episode is brought to you by Constant Contact. For a free trial, sign up today at constantcontact.com/working. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you like horses? How about dancing horses? If those words sound fun to you, you’ll be delighted to meet Amanda Kenny, the head horse trainer at Medieval Times in Lyndhurst New Jersey, where a surprisingly large chunk of the show focuses on elaborate dressage routines (that’s horse ballet, for you non-equestrians out there). Amanda tells Jordan what it’s like training steeds to jump and kick, training knights to ride, and dealing with the dirty side of the stables. This episode is brought to you by Constant Contact. For a free trial, sign up today at constantcontact.com/working. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first episode of Working’s brand new season takes you back in time...and to Lyndhurst, New Jersey. This season, Jordan will be talking to the various employees of Medieval Times, the popular dinner theater experience that appeals to kids and adults alike. Even if you’ve never been yourself, you probably have some idea of what the show entails: Jousting, fighting, royalty and horses. And as a Knight, Ivan Guevara, is one of the stars of the show.Ivan tells Jordan all about how he got into the Knight business, the extensive training it entails and how, when people think he really wants to kill someone, he knows he’s doing his job right.This episode is brought to you by Constant Contact. For a free trial, sign up today at constantcontact.com/working. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the last episode of Working at MoMA we are, quite appropriately, exiting through the gift shop. Though, in MoMA’s case the term gift shop might be a little misleading. Jordan talks to Maggie Berry, the associate director of retail marketing for the MoMA Design Store. As you’ll hear, the Design Store goes beyond your typical mugs and T shirt souvenir shopping. The store is dedicated to beautifully and cleverly designed items that range from a remarkably quiet shower cap to a brilliantly company piano. Each item has been carefully selected or created by the museum itself in collaboration with some of your favorite artists. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Of all the people who work at MoMA, there very few who get as up close and personal with the artwork as the museum's art handlers and registrars. Registrars are the people responsible for keeping tracking of every inch of every piece of art that belongs to the museum. They thoroughly inspect and catalog each detail and always know where everything is at all times. Meanwhile, art handlers are the ones trusted with physically moving the pieces. They’re the only department outside of conservation who are actually allowed to touch the artwork. Jordan talks to Steven Wheeler and Sarah Wood about the special privileges and particular pet peeves of working in these two departments at MoMA. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Like any museum of its scale, MoMA relies on major donations. Which, of course, means throwing major events to match. This week Jordan talks to Tania Abitbol, MoMA’s in-house event planner. Tania is the person charged with dreaming up events worthy of MoMA-lovers. To do her job right, Tania has to make sure every detail of each party is interesting, memorable and, just as important, perfectly executed. She tells Jordan about the tiny details that can inspire entire events and how she completely transforms the museum’s lobby and sculpture garden for a massive fundraiser every year. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nelson Nieves has never been especially interested in art, yet he has one of the single most important jobs at New York’s MoMa. As the museum’s assistant director for building operations he oversees the huge team of workers who keep the building clean and running—everyone from the janitorial staff who scour the galleries and bathrooms to the engineers who manage the high-tech heating and cooling system. Nelson talks to Jordan about keeping workers on their toes, the comedy of trying to capture stray animals that fly into the building, and what happened the time a heart doctor had a heart attack in the middle of the building. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli.This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: Transferwise. Check them out today at Transferwise.com/WORKING.Citrix. Start working smarter today at citrix.com/slate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, strolling along New York City’s 5th Avenue during the holidays has meant being surrounded by the most magical window displays imagainable. And Spaeth Designs is part of the reason why. The company behind the amazing displays for the city’s biggest stores has been around for over sixty years. And, as the Production Director, Quinn O’Sullivan is the man who makes it happen. Quinn has been helping design and produce window displays for Spaeth since 2000. He’s worked on projects for all the major windows including Bergdorf Goodman, Macy’s, Henri Bendel and Tiffany & Co. Quinn tells Jordan about his background in set design, the elaborate planning that goes into his displays and what it takes to stay excited about Christmas for 9 months out of the year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you think about the types of jobs at an art museum, scientist probably doesn’t spring to mind. But as it turns out, science plays a big part in the art world. As a senior conservation scientist at MoMA, Chris McGlinchey uses the latest scientific techniques to conserve the collection and study the art. Chris tells Jordan about all the complex machines he uses, the extremely tiny scale conservators work on, and how he figured out how to fill the museum with sugar cane that won’t rot. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you look at the rows of greeting cards at your local pharmacy or megastore, it’s easy to forget that each one of those cards was actually written by someone. And, if they’re anything like our guest, that person put some very real emotion into writing the sentiment inside. For this holiday bonus episode, Jordan speaks to Greg Vovos who is a senior writer at American Greetings and is exactly the kind of person you want writing for you. Greg truly believes in the power of giving a card to someone. Whether they’re funny or sympathetic or romantic, Greg writes his cards to foster a connection between giver and receiver. Greg tells Jordan about where he gets his inspiration, the challenges of staying fresh and why you really shouldn’t be cynical about a store bought card. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anny Aviram has been conserving paintings at MoMA for 40 years. So, as can imagine, she’s had her hands on some of the world’s most famous artworks. And, occasionally, her saliva. Anny tells Jordan about the techniques conservators use to restore and preserve paintings. From taking X-rays to painstakingly reweaving canvas fiber by fiber to, yes, using spit to clean certain surfaces. And, as Anny tells Jordan, not only does the technology of conservation change over the years, but so does the aesthetics. So, sometimes conservators are even tasked with undoing their own work from years before. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Chet Gold tells Jordan about all the unexpected excitement of working security at a museum. Chet is not only a MoMA security supervisor but an artist in his own right. That’s why he’s treated his hours standing guard over some of the world’s most priceless art like a sort of residency. That is, when he’s not stopping people from destroying paintings with selfie sticks or spotting out potential vandals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you walk through an exhibition at MoMA, every step you take is part of deliberate design that takes you from piece to piece in just the right way. And it all starts with a dollhouse-like version the gallery and teeny tiny art replicas called “chips”. In this episode, Jordan talks to to Lana Hum (Director) and Mack Cole-Edelsack (Senior Design Manager) of MoMA’s Exhibition Design & Production Department. Lana and Mack talk about what it’s like to take the big ideas of curators and artists and turn them into reality. You can email us at [email protected] production by Jessamine Molli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The next person taking us inside life at MoMA is Sarah Meister, a curator in the museum’s Department of Photography. Sarah’s work ranges from pitching exhibits, tracking down and acquiring pieces to writing those words on the wall that let you know what makes that work special. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Thanksgiving bonus episode, Working takes a detour from MoMA to visit one of New York City’s biggest emergency food programs, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen. Jordan talks to Michael Ottley, the Director of Operations of the program about tracking down Turkeys for Thanksgiving, feeding 1000 people a day, and how he had to convince Yelp to take down a rave review that was sending hordes of tourists to their kitchen for free meals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the new season of Working, host Jordan Weissmann is going inside New York City’s storied Museum of Modern Art to meet the people who keep one of the world’s great artistic institutions running. Paul Galloway is MoMA’s collection specialist for the department of Design and Architecture. To explain what he does...well it takes about the length of this episode to do it justice. But think of him as the department’s central nervous system, the logistics guy who keeps working smoothly. Which means his duties range from researching Emoji, to sweet talking lawyers, to holding up the line at Ben and Jerry’s trying to pick out the perfect ice cream cone to store in the museum’s collection. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode of Working With Weed, Jordan talks to Peter Marcus who is the communications director and head of political outreach for Terrapin Care Station in Boulder, CO. Like most positions in this newly legalized industry, lobbying for the interests of cannabis businesses means working without a roadmap. But for someone like Peter, that’s what makes things interesting. Whether he’s working to pass a unprecedented public cannabis consumption bill or unexpectedly explaining to a room full of anti-weed activists that no, everyone in the cannabis industry is not secretly in the mob, things are never run-of-the-mill for him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As it turns out, doing business in an industry that only recently became (semi) legal involves a lot of red tape—and messing up even a small bit of paperwork can be a disaster that might get a marijuana dispensary shut down or fined. That’s why compliance specialists like Katelin Edwards, of Terrapin Care Station, are some of the most important workers in the world of cannabis, even if you don’t hear much about them. Jordan talks to Katelin about what the pressure of making sure the dispensary hews to every rule and regulation, as well as her less nerve wracking duties as community liaison, supporting local charities and showing that yes, even a “weed company” can be a positive influence on the community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marshall Custer wasn’t planning on going into the marijuana industry after he graduated law school. But as he tells host Jordan Weissmann this episode, it’s turned out to be a booming business. You just have to be a little careful about knowing exactly who your clients are. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jordan goes back to Green Dragon in Denver to talk with Ryan Milligan, the company’s co-owner and head of cultivation. He quickly learns that the hardest part of farming marijuana definitely isn’t growing the plant. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Jordan takes a detour from the cannabis industry to take a look at the science of it all. Dr. Angela Bryan conducts research on marijuana at the University of Colorado Boulder. She studies marijuana’s connection to teen risk behavior, it's effects on cognition and even why it might make you hit the gym more often. And while cannabis is legal in Colorado, there are still all kinds of restrictions that have meant Dr. Bryan and her team have had to get creative. Their biggest innovation? A mobile laboratory known as the Cannavan -- though if Dr. Bryan had her way, it totally would have been called the Magic Mystery Machine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.