What if the smartest growth move is cutting—on purpose? Turnarounds aren’t financial stories—they’re operational ones. Growth-at-all-costs is out. The new playbook: prune non-core assets, concentrate resources in high-return states, and speed the path from cultivation to checkout. This week we sit down with Richie Proud, CEO of iAnthus, to discuss: Brand strategy: MPX & Cheetah — complementary roles that travel and drive velocity Arizona sale → core growth — why pruning unlocked focus in FL/NY Wednesdays in Florida — weekly drops as a repeat-traffic engine Chapters 00:00 Introduction to IANTHUS and Richie Proud 02:23 Richie's Journey to Cannabis Leadership 05:54 Navigating the Complexities of IANTHUS 09:40 Strategic Decisions: Divesting from Arizona 11:27 Identifying Key Markets for Growth 14:28 Building Relationships in the Cannabis Industry 18:03 Operational Challenges and KPIs 22:13 Understanding Consumer Differences Across States 23:51 The Cheetah Brand Acquisition 26:54 Integrating New Brands and Operations 32:37 Creating a Unique Retail Experience 36:08 Learning from the Fashion Industry 39:55 Balancing Speed and Quality in Product Development 45:22 Leveraging AI for Real-Time Insights 47:22 Lessons Learned in Operations 51:33 Building a Super Friend Network 52:27 Connecting with Consumers and Community Summary In this episode, Bryan Fields and Kellan Finney sit down with Richie Proud, CEO of IANTHUS, to discuss his unique journey from the fashion industry to leading a cannabis company. Richie shares insights into the complexities of operating across multiple states, the importance of building relationships in the cannabis industry, and the strategic decisions that have shaped IANTHUS's growth. He emphasizes the need for operational excellence, understanding consumer behavior, and the role of AI in enhancing business decisions. The conversation also touches on the significance of creating a unique retail experience and the lessons learned from past operational challenges. Guest Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richie-proud/ https://www.ianthus.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/ianthus-capital-management/ https://x.com/ianthuscapital Our Links: Bryan Fields on Twitter Kellan Finney on Twitter The Dime on Twitter Newton Insights: For extraction teams, everything changes when you can finally see what’s happening in real time. At Eighth Revolution (8th Rev), we provide services from capital to cannabinoid and everything in between in the cannabinoid industry. 8th Revolution Cannabinoid Playbook is an Industry-leading report covering the entire cannabis supply chain The Dime is a top 5% most shared global podcast The Dime is a top 10 Cannabis Podcast The Dime has a New Website. Shhhh its not finished. Sign up for our playbook here: 🎥 YouTube:  The Dime 📸 Instagram:  The Dime https://www.newton-insights.com/